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.

Compromise Needed Between Goodyear, Racers

The big news out of Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend was obviously Kyle Busch’s first-ever Sprint Cup Series victory for Toyota. But close behind – maybe even neck-and-neck for the lead – was the criticism Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company took from many drivers over the tire compounds they chose to bring to the track this weekend.

Just about every Cup team tested tires at Atlanta last October. But Goodyear wasn’t satisfied with the results of that test, and decided to test a different combination in December. The tires that arrived at AMS late last week were a result of the December test, and they caught the vast majority of teams by surprise. The right-side tires were considerably harder than what the teams tested in October, the left-side tires were softer, and just about everyone is unhappy about it.

Foremost on the list of dissatisfied customers was Tony Stewart, who lit-up Goodyear yet again yesterday. Stewart called it, “the most pathetic racing tire that I've ever been on in my professional career. (Goodyear) exited out of Formula One. They exited out of IRL. They exited out of World of Outlaws and there is a reason for that. Goodyear can't build a tire that is worth a crap. If I were Goodyear, I would be really embarrassed about what they brought here. I guarantee you Hoosier, or Firestone, or somebody can come in and do a lot better job than what they are doing right now."

Jeff Gordon made similar comments, saying, "I felt like I was going to crash every single lap. I'm exhausted right now. I feel like I've run a thousand miles. That was the hardest day I have ever had at Atlanta, especially for a top-five finish. This car, this tire, at this track was just terrible."

Not everybody jumped on board the Goodyear-bashing Bandwagon. Michael Waltrip said he didn’t mind wrestling a less-than-perfect racecar yesterday, saying, “That’s what racing is all about. Before, whatever you could give the car, it could take. But now a driver can give it more than it can take, and you have to finesse it. So, yeah, you’re sideways and slipping all over the place, but it makes for some fun racing.”

If Stewart’s comments were overly harsh, Goodyear Marketing Manager Justin Fantozzi went just as far overboard in the other direction, declaring that Goodyear was "tremendously proud of the wear rates we saw here.” He promised that Goodyear will take the data from yesterday’s race back to Akron, Ohio, sit down with engineers, and come up with a plan for the October Atlanta race. He also promised to gather input from drivers before making that decision.

Goodyear released a statement just a few moments ago, saying, “We had no tire failures and no problems with heat or wear. We supplied the same tires for both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, and received zero complaints about our tires after the Nationwide race on Saturday. We accept that drivers will have their own opinions about our tires. If the drivers are not happy, then Goodyear’s not happy. Now that we know how this tire combination performed, we’ll go back and retest for the fall race.

They also fired back at Stewart, correcting what they called “an erroneous comment” made by the former series champion. The release said, “Goodyear decided to leave other racing series only because of the escalating costs of competition in those series. At least one other tire maker has done the same. For Goodyear, the enormous investment required to compete in those other forms of racing far outweighed the benefits derived from our participation.”

There is no doubt that Goodyear often finds itself between a rock and a hard place on tires. Their number-one concern has to be safety, and in virtually every instance, a hard tire is a safe tire. Nobody – most notably Goodyear – wants a replay of the Lowe’s Motor Speedway debacle of a couple of years ago, when right-front tires blew every 8-10 laps, and a number of drivers limped into the Infield Care Center. However, it’s also unreasonable for Goodyear to ask teams to help them test tires, then throw them a curveball like was thrown this weekend. There has to be a spirit of compromise and cooperation, so teams can leave a tire test secure in the knowledge that the tires they just tested – or at least something very similar to what they just tested – will show up again on race day.

At present, there seems to be certain degree of stubbornness and arrogance at work on both sides. Drivers seem unwilling to accept anythng less than a perfect tire, and when they don’t get it, spend entirely too much of their time blasting a company that has their safety and well-being at heart. For its part, Goodyear seems far too entrenched in the, “we’re the only option you’ve got, so you’ll just have to live with it” mentality.

I have no doubt that if there was a competing tire manufacturer in the Sprint Cup garage, Goodyear would be turning out a much more workable tire than they’re turning out today.

I was around for the tire war between Goodyear and Hoosier, and trust me when I tell you that there were no winners. The pendulum swung FAR too far in the direction of speed over safety, and drivers were hurt as a result. I’m not advocating bringing a second manufacturer into the sport. I am, however, urging Goodyear to put their vast resources to work on finding a safe – but still competitive – tire for this new NASCAR racecar ; something that will keep our drivers safe, while also allowing them to put on a competitive race.

That should not be too much to ask.

Climb Aboard The Shrubby Train!

It’s becoming very difficult to ignore Kyle Busch these days.

He is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point leader, with one pole and two-top five finishes in three starts this season. He steered his new Joe Gibbs Racing/M&Ms Toyota to an outstanding fourth-place finish at Daytona – after leading for much of the day – then finished fourth in California and 11th at Las Vegas.

On the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Busch is second in points after a pair of runner-up finishes at Daytona and Fontana. A crash in Las Vegas relegated him to a 31st-place showing there, but before the wreck, he was clearly one of the cars to beat. He will start on the pole this afternoon at Atlanta Motor Speedway, after snow forced cancellation of qualifying

He also leads the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, after posting his second consecutive series win in last night’s American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta. That victory followed a win two weeks ago in California, and a second-place finish in the season opener at Daytona.

Let’s do the math. In nine starts to date, Busch has seven top-five finishes, with an average finish of 6.4. He has led more laps than any other driver in NASCAR, and established himself as a legitimate contender to sweep all three major NASCAR championships, should he choose to make the attempt.

“I think the possibility is there,” said Busch of the possibility of adding a full Nationwide schedule to his full-time Sprint Cup slate. “But I'm not going to do whatever it takes to get practice in the Nationwide car. I'm going to worry about the Cup stuff and show up to race the Nationwide car." He has said that he will not run the entire Craftsman Truck Series schedule; apparently preferring to win two-thirds of his part-time starts instead.

In the past, his free-wheeling style – both on and off the racetrack – have made him an easy target for the grandstand boo-birds. That’s not likely to change overnight, but it’s definitely becoming more difficult to find a seat of the Busch Bandwagon lately. Fans and fellow competitors have begun to recognize a future NASCAR champion in the making, and the lines at his souvenir trailers are now five and six-deep. His ability to manhandle a less-than perfect racecar has been favorably compared to that of the late Tim Richmond; another notable renegade who took time to curry favor with NASCAR Nation. His ability to craft a memorable quote ranks him right up there with Tony Stewart and big brother Kurt on the list of media members’ favorite stops.

Much has been made of the off-season swap of Dale Earnhardt, Jr., for Busch at Hendrick Motorsports. The situation came down to much more than “who’s the better driver;” with contract status and marketability also major factors in Rick Hendrick’s decision to make the change. But Hendrick himself admitted that he expects to see Kyle Busch accepting a Sprint Cup championship or three in his career, and we expect Hendrick to be proven correct.

In short, the kid’s got it all, and Joe Gibbs must be feeling like the cat that caught the canary.

Love him or hate him – and there are still plenty of people on both sides of that fence -- Kyle Busch holds the hottest hand in NASCAR these days. And there are no signs of that changing anytime soon.

Roush-Fenway Racing Finding No Support In Sprint Cup Garage

Toyota Racing Development General Manager Lee White drew a sharp line in the sand this week, scoffing at Jack Roush’s assertion that an errant oil tank cover on Cark Edwards’ winning Office Depot Ford at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was due to nothing more sinister than a bolt that inadvertantly backed off.

White said he believes the cover was intentionally allowed to come loose, resulting in approximately 170 extra pounds of downforce and reduced aerodynamic drag. In addition, White said videotape obtained during Sunday’s race shows a crewman pulling on Edwards’ right-rear fender to create a three-inch gap between the fender and filler panel; a gap White claims would produce an additional 70 pounds of downforce.

Roush reacted angrily to White’s comments, saying, “I'm going to treat Lee White and Toyota…like they were an ankle-biting Chihuahua, and be done with it.'' The Roush-Fenway co-owner also volunteered to take a lie detector test to prove that there was no intent to cheat.

Roush has found little support in the Sprint Cup garage, with a number of drivers and crewchiefs weighing-in on White’s side. Veteran Jeff Burton said, “Taking the oil tank lid off the oil tank is not something new. That's something that has gone on for a long time, particularly at Daytona and Talladega.”

A well-known Sprint Cup Series crewchief -- who spoke on the condition on anonymity -- confirmed that the trick has been well-known in the NASCAR garage for years. In his words, “We all did it for a long time, until NASCAR put a stop to it.” In addition, he said Edwards was “ratted out” by another team in Las Vegas Sunday, and that NASCAR officials “knew exactly what they were looking for” after the race.

Roush-Fenway President Geoff Smith continues to insist that the violation was unintentional, saying, “The bolt holding the lid in place failed…as a result of vibration harmonics generated by the car and the race track during the race.”

A number of drivers and crewchiefs say that assertion holds little water.

“One thing I have learned about these race cars is typically, things don't fall off," said Jeff Burton. "Crewmembers typically don't leave the a-frames loose, they typically don't leave brakes loose, the gauges don't fall out of them. We have highly trained mechanics that have rigorous checklists. I don't know if they did it on purpose or not, nor do I claim to. Mistakes do happen, though."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished second to Edwards Sunday, said of Smith’s assertion, “That's ridiculous. That's comical. They should not allow him to make those kind of comments. They should have the crewchief get in there and say the honest answer and they'd be better off. Those guys are learning things and doing things. They were wild and crazy enough to try it. We got outran and outfoxed, not only behind the wheel but in the shop as well.”

Elliott Sadler went a step further, calling it “an insult to me as a racer, and an insult to everyone that works in that garage.”

It now appears unlikely that Roush-Fenway Racing will appeal their penalty to the National Stock Car Racing Commission. But the debate will almost certainly rage on.

Toyota's White: It Was Intentional

The love affair between Jack Roush and Toyota continues.

The Roush-Fenway Racing co-owner has never been a fan of Toyota, once paying an employee who drove a Toyota passenger car in Yen. He criticized the Japanese automaker’s inclusion in the sport, saying they would sway the competitive balance by spending the competition under the table.

Now, the General Manager of Toyota Racing Development has returned fire, saying Carl Edwards' Roush-Fenway team intentionally allowed an oil reservoir cover to come loose during Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in an attempt to increase downforce and gain speed. Lee White said Toyota wind tunnel testing indicates that removing the oil tank cover produces approximately 170 extra pounds of downforce, giving the car a significant aerodynamic advantage. In addition, White said videotape obtained during Sunday’s race shows a crewman pulling on Edwards’ right-rear fender to create a three-inch gap between the fender and filler panel; a gap White claims would produce an additional 70 pounds of downforce.

Roush-Fenway Racing President Geoff Smith insists that the oil tank cover came loose accidentally due to a bolt backing off during the race, and that it did not produce any performance advantage.

Commission Ruling Good For Gordon, Not For NASCAR

I have no doubt that Robby Gordon Motorsports did not intentionally mount an unapproved nose on their car at Daytona. An honest mistake by Dodge –sending the offending part instead of the appropriate, NASCAR-approved nose – was compounded by team members who installed it without noticing the difference. It could happen to anyone, especially someone in a rush to complete a full-bore manufacturer swap in just four days.

Like they adage says, haste makes waste.

No matter what, though, Gordon’s Jim Beam Dodge was not correct when presented for pre-qualifying inspection at Daytona. And someone has to be held accountable for that fact.

NASCAR handled the situation exactly has they have in the past, docking Gordon’s team 100 driver and owner points, and suspending crewchief Frank Kerr for six races. They declined to consider intent -- just as they have in every other case of this type over the last two years – displaying the kind of consistency fans say they want from their sanctioning body.

Gordon also did all the right things, pleading his case with a perfect mix of apology and indignance. Dodge Motorsports took full blame for the screw-up, tossing around “mea culpas” like rose petals at a high-society wedding. Sponsor Jim Beam mounted an effective public relations campaign on Gordon’s behalf, allowing him to arrive at yesterday’s hearing with armloads of petitions from NASCAR fans pleading for leniency. In the end, the National Stock Car Racing Commission sided with Gordon, eliminating the driver and owner points penalties, and reinstating crewchief Kerr.

The commission may have done the right thing for Robby Gordon and his team. They have not, however, done right by the sport as a whole.

In the aftermath of yesterday’s ruling, no driver, crewchief or team can ever again be held accountable for illegal or unapproved parts found on their racecar. Effective immediately, “I didn’t mean to” has become an acceptable excuse for any rules-related transgression.

A clear precedent has been sent, and it can never be undone.

Carl Edwards’ Roush-Fenway team now has a guaranteed excuse for that loose oil reservoir tank cover at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. All they have to say is, “We didn’t mean to.”

Any driver who speeds on pit road can now invoke the “Whoopsy Daisy Defense,” blaming a minor manufacturer’s flaw in their tachometer for an inaccurate reading.

Illegal engine parts can now be explained away simply by saying, “It came that way from the manufacturer.”

Beginning today, teams are no longer responsible for the parts and pieces bolted onto their cars. The National Stock Car Racing Commission has seen to that.

BREAKING NEWS: NASCAR Nails Edwards For Vegas Violations

NASCAR has issued penalties and fines to Carl Edwards’ No. 99 Office Depot Ford team as a result of rule infractions found last Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The car was found with an improperly attached oil tank reservoir cover, prompting NASCAR to dock Edwards and car owner Jack Roush 100 championship points, respectively. In addition, if the team qualifies for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR will not award them 10 bonus points for the victory. Crewchief Bob Osborne has been fined $100,000 and suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events (though April 30th) and placed on probation until Dec. 31st.

Everyone's A Critic

Our guy "Pepsi Steve" Buhala revamped the paint scheme on his Sirius Speedway-sponsored race team this week, going with an "old school" black/white/gold concept. We think it looks HOT, but Steve's dog Mingo apparently does not agree.

Still Too Tough To Tame

The new asphalt is down at Darlington Raceway.

Track President Chris Browning announced today that the job is complete, and that the focus is now on the track’s upcoming Dodge Challenger 500 race weekend on May 8-10. The project began in mid-January, and took nearly 15,000 tons of asphalt to complete. Construction crews used four million reference points around the track to ensure that the banking and corner transitions remained unchanged.

The new racing surface was part of a $10 million capital improvement project that included an infield access tunnel large enough to accommodate car haulers, motorhomes and emergency vehicles, and the addition of SAFER barriers on the inside of the straightaways.

“The Track Too Tough to Tame” will host a Goodyear tire test on March 10 and 11.

Carrot Top Loves The Godfather!

Who knew Carrot Top was a NASCAR guy? The funnyman turned to the Godfather for a little "inside info" at Sunday's UAW-Dodge 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Is The Writing On The Wall For New Hampshire's Second Cup Date?

If you’re a season ticket holder at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, now would be an appropriate time to begin worrying in earnest about your track’s annual, two-race slate of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

Speedway Motorsports Inc., CEO Bruton Smith sounded an ominous warning for New England race fans Sunday, rallying fan support for a second Cup date at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next season. Smith is a man of substantial means. He is rich enough to have spent $340-million for the Loudon, NH oval last fall; about $100m more than anyone else thought prudent. He travels in powerful circles, celebrating his 81st birthday in Las Vegas at an upscale Italian eatery with automotive icon Carroll Shelby, former Open Wheel great Mel Larson and film star Ernest Borgnine. In short, Bruton Smith is a man used to getting what he wants. And Sunday, he made it clear that he wants a second Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

During pre-race ceremonies for the UAW/Dodge 400, Smith said, “If you want to see two races here next year, hold up two fingers for the world to see. Send a message loud and clear: we want TWO…TWO…TWO.” Fans quickly picked up the chant, apparently believing that they were lobbying NASCAR for a second race. However, NASCAR has repeatedly stated that it will not add anymore dates to the already overcrowded Cup schedule. They have also said that if Smith wants a second race in Las Vegas, all he has to do is transfer an event from one of his other tracks.

In short, the decision on a second race at LVMS belongs entirely to Bruton Smith, making Sunday’s “TWO…TWO…TWO” more than a bit puzzling. Smith has the power to make a second race at LVMS happen with little more than the stroke of the pen, and he knows it. Based on that fact, Sunday's chant-fest was little more than table-setting for what comes next; an announcement that due to overwhelming popular demand, Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host two races on the 2009 Sprint Cup schedule.

Our sources continue to say that the most likely scenario has New Hampshire losing its Opening Round slot in the 2009 Chase For The Championship, with that event moving to Texas Motor Speedway. Texas’ Chase date – inconveniently located on the opening weekend of deer hunting season in the Lone Star State – would then shift to Las Vegas.

There are other scenarios, of course. And the fact that northeast race fans have never failed to sell-out a Sprint Cup race at the Magic Mile (something fans in Texas, Atlanta and Charlotte cannot claim) is a selling point in favor of keeping two races in the Granite State.

Like it or not, two things are crystal clear at ths point. First, based on Smith's pre-race comments Sunday, there will be two races in Sin City next year. And second, another Speedway Motorsports, Inc. venue will lose a race to make it happen. That's the simple reality of the situation.

And if you're a loyal supporter of New Hampshire Motor Speedway, it's also cause to lose sleep at night.

Weepers and Blowers and Rain...OH MY!

NASCAR found itself in a no-win situation Sunday night in Fontana, California.

Heavy rains red-flagged the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series “Auto Club 500” on two different occasions, while residue from a week of steady precipitation seeped through cracks in the asphalt, making conditions unsafe for competition. With a national TV audience and a small-but-determined crowd watching from in the grandstands, NASCAR worked for hours to restart the event; burning hundreds of gallons of jet fuel and hundreds of man-hours in an effort to bring the track back to raceable condition. Eventually, however, reality could no longer be denied.

NASCAR officials called it a night at 1:55 a.m. ET -- after four hours and 42 minutes of track-drying activity – rescheduling the race for Monday morning, followed by the NASCAR Nationwide Series event that had met a similar fate the previous day.

Before the decision was even announced, NASCAR Vice President Robin Pemberton said he knew it would be unpopular. “It quit raining, and we owed it to the fans who are here to try to do our best to get the show in,” he said. “Many times it’s only an hour, (or) an hour and a half to dry the racetrack. We worked at it 4 1/2 hours and still couldn’t get it dry. You can be upset at us for trying if you want to be, and that’s fair, but we’re always going to put our best foot forward. With the lights, we thought we could get it pulled off, but it didn’t work.”

Pemberton said that while most areas of the track were dry, “by the time we got back to them on another lap -- 20 minutes or so later with another set of dryers -- they had already picked up moisture again. The weepers will always be an issue. At a lot of racetracks that we go to, we have that from time to time. But even on the regular surface, it was quite wet.”

Sunday night’s debacle was the latest in a series of calamities for the Fontana oval; a track that can’t seem to buy itself a break. Attendance was once again abysmal throughout the weekend, but even if the weather had been warm and dry, there are serious questions about how many tickets would have been sold for this weekend’s festivities.

Attendance for Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series “San Bernardino County 200” was announced at 37,000, but with all due respect to Gillian Zucker and her staff at Auto Club Speedway, there weren’t 37,000 people in attendance Saturday night if every woman in the house was pregnant with triplets.

That’s not negativity. that’s a simple statement of fact.

Inclement weather -- and an extended forecast that promised more of the same -- adversely impacted walkup traffic on both Saturday and Sunday. But blaming Fontana’s traditionally poor attendance solely on the weather is -– in my opinion –- short-sighted. There are a number of factors that contribute to Auto Club Speedway’s status as one of the least-favored tracks in all of NASCAR.

1. Location – Auto Club Raceway’s location is less than ideal, to say the least. On a good day, the track is located roughly an hour from downtown Los Angeles. On a Friday or Saturday night, it’s more like four hours. Simply put, race fans in the Greater L.A. market know they have little chance of making it to a Friday or Saturday race at Auto Club Speedway in time for the green flag. So they’ve simply stopped trying.

2. Lack Of Competition – Sunday’s Auto Club 500 was the probably the most competitive race in the history of the speedway; breaking the record for lead changes and featuring a good deal of passing at the front of the pack. By California standards, it was a great race. By the standards of most any other track, it was average. Auto Club Speedway was built with both NASCAR and Open Wheel racing in mind, and its mild, 14-degree banking is simply not conducive to the kind of side-by-side competition NASCAR fans demand. Tear up the track and add the same incremental banking that resurrected Homestead-Miami Speedway a few years ago, and then we’ll talk. Until then, Auto Club Speedway will remain one of the least-exciting venues on the Sprint Cup schedule.

3. Shoddy Scheduling – Running the Auto Club 500 head-to-head with the 80th Annual Academy Awards defies all logic. While the audiences for the two events are exclusive to a great degree, the competition for media attention in the LA market was keen this weekend.

Los Angeles may be one of the biggest media markets in the country, but there were clearly not enough cameramen and reporters to cover both the Oscars and the race. In fact, more paparazzi lined the red carpet at the Kodak Theatre Saturday night than showed up at Auto Club Speedway all weekend.

4. Lack Of Promotion – Once again, Auto Club Speedway got its promotional butt kicked by its competition to the northwest, Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Before the decision had even been made to postpone Saturday’s Nationwide race, there were radio ads running in the L.A. market touting a $25 ticket to next weekend’s Nationwide event at LVMS for any fan presenting a California ticket stub. Had the Auto Club Speedway PR people been even remotely on their toes, they could have thrown together a promotion allowing fans holding tickets for the postponed Nationwide race to see both ends of the rescheduled Monday doubleheader for a modest additional fee. To my knowledge, no such deal was offered.

Year after year, Auto Club Speedway seems content to set a ticket price, open the box office door and wait for people to show up. Meanwhile, Las Vegas Motor Speedway rolls out one ingenious promotion after another, drawing thousands of fans away from Fontana. Is it any wonder why Las Vegas plays to packed houses, while Auto Club Speedway sits two-thirds empty?

5. Convenience – The Fontana faclity offers fewer options for campers than any other track on the circuit. The track’s infield is jammed with RVs, but space is strictly limited. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Compare Auto Club’s extremely limited camping options with those at Phoenix, Las Vegas or Infineon Raceway, and you’ll understand why many fans have crossed California off their list.

6. Weather – In our last two trips to Auto Club Raceway, we have endured oppressive, 110-degree heat and high humidity, then rain and 40-degree temperatures. As one unnamed NASCAR official said to me Sunday night as the rain pelted down, “Even God doesn’t want us to race here.” The crappy weather excuse was not enough to save Rockingham’s Sprint Cup Series dates. One has to wonder how long NASCAR will continue to accept it as an excuse for thousands of empty seats in Fontana.

Do I have answers to all the problems that continue to plague Auto Club Speedway?

Absolutely not. In fact, I’m not even sure I understand all the questions. But there are clearly a number of issues that need to be addressed there, and adding a flashy corporate logo to the masthead doesn't address any of them.

NASCAR Drops The Hammer On Robby Gordon For Speedweek Violation

NASCAR has issued penalties and fines to Robby Gordon’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team for rule infractions found during Speedweeks at Daytona. The car was found with an unapproved front bumper cover during opening day inspection on February 8th. Gordon was penalized 100 driver and owner points, and crewchief Frank Kerr has been fined $100,000, suspended for the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events -- until April 9 -- and placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2008.

The penalties struck some observers as excessive, since the violations were – by almost all counts – inadvertent; the result of Dodge Motorsports sending Gordon an incorrect, unapproved nose. However, the NASCAR rulebook makes no mention of intent, and NASCAR has never considered whether or not a team meant to be illegal when applying penalties. In short, it doesn’t matter why the car isn’t right, it only matters if it’s right. And if it’s not right, expect the sanctioning body to drop the hammer.

While Gordon’s penalty is the talk of the town today, Speedweek 2008 was a decidedly calm one in the Sprint Cup Series garage. In contrast to past seasons, when huge piles of confiscated parts accumulated throughout the week, Gordon’s offending bumper cover was the only part that failed to pass muster with NASCAR inspectors. No crewchiefs were escorted from the property, no cars impounded, and Kerr will be the only man not welcome on the property this weekend in California.

Things definitely did not go as well in the Nationwide and Craftsman Truck garages.
On the Nationwide side, a whopping seven teams were penalized for various violations. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s No. 5 car was found with rear spoiler ends that failed to meet the specified height, along with a rear spoiler that had been altered after inspection to improve its aerodynamics. Earnhardt and car owner Rick Hendrick were each penalized 50 points, which is essentially a non-penalty, since they will contest a very small number of races this season. Crewchief Chad Walter took it on the chin, though, receiving a $25,000 fine, a suspension for the next six races (until April 9th) and probation until Dec. 31st.

Five other Nationwide cars were found with unsecured oil reservoir tank covers during post-qualifying inspection. Each of their driver/owner combinations -- Kertus Davis/Johnny Davis for the #0; Johnny Sauter/James Finch for the #1; David Gilliland/Carl Haas for the #14; David Stremme/Ed Rensi for the #64; and Cale Gale/ DeLana Harvick for the #77 -- were docked 25 driver/owner points each. Crewchiefs Gene Allnutt (# 0); Newt Moore (#1); Bob Edwards (#14); Steve Darne (#64); and Charlie Wilson (#77) have each been fined $15,000, suspended for the next six events and placed on probation until Dec. 31st. Jerry Baxter, crewchief for David Reutimann’s Michel Waltrip Racing Toyota, received a $5,000 fine and probation until July 9th for carburetor venturis that exceeded the specified size.

On the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series, penalties and fines were assessed to the #30 of Todd Bodine, which was found with a device designed to reduce the bed panel height at the points of inspection during pre-qualifying inspection on Feb. 14. As a result, Bodine lost 25 driver points, with owner Stephen Germain penalized 25 owner points. Crewchief Mike Hillman Jr. was fined $10,000 and suspended for the next four races – through April 30th -- and placed on probation until Dec. 31st. The #33 of Ron Hornaday Jr. was found to have spoiler braces that exceeded the maximum one-inch width, earning a $5,000 fine for crewchief Rick Ren.

Clanton Out At Roush-Fenway; Kvapil To Drive #09 Truck in California

It didn't take long for the first driver change of 2008 to take place.

Just one race into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule, Roush Fenway Racing announced today that Travis Kvapil will replace Joey Clanton in the No. 09 Zaxby's Ford for this weekend's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series San Bernardino County 200 at California Speedway.

Clanton ran among the top-10 for most of last Friday night’s season opener at Daytona, before crashing late en route to a 32nd place finish. Roush was visibly upset following the crash, and said today that he will re-evaluate his plans for the team after Saturday’s race.

Clanton, meanwhile, said he is satisfied with the team’s decision, adding, “I have made the decision that it is time for me to pursue other opportunities. I have several business and family obligations, and it is time to focus on them right now." A year ago, he recorded a best finish of sixth (twice) in 16 Truck Series starts.

IROC On The Block: International Race of Champions officials have announced that the series will liquidate all its assets in a public auction on March 7th and 8th in Tinton Falls, NJ. The series has been dormant since the conclusion of the 2006 season due to lack of sponsorship.

IROC President Jay Signore said, “We’re all very sad to see IROC come to an end, but the competition for major corporate sponsorship is very tough, and the car manufacturers have not shown any interest. We kept hope alive as long as we could, but now it’s time to look forward and move on.”

Among the items set to go on the auction block are approximately a dozen race ready cars, tools and equipment, driver uniforms, helmets and autographed pictures.

Martin's Milestone: Mark Martin will make his 700th career Sprint Cup start this weekend at California Speedway, becoming only the 13th driver in NASCAR history to reach that milestone. Martin’s Principal Financial Chevrolet will feature a paint scheme showcasing his 700th start, dating back to April 5, 1981 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, where Martin started fifth and finished 27th.

Bliss Truckin' In Cali: Former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Mike Bliss will drive the No. 07 SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet in Saturday's San Bernardino 200 at California Speedway. The deal is for one race only, as Bliss concentrates on the NASCAR Nationwide Series, where he drives the No. 22 Dodge for Fitz Motorsports.

Fun On Lake Lloyd

Many thanks to the fine folks at the Darrell Gwynn Foundation and Eliminator Boats for taking the Sirius Speedway crew for a wide-open SpeedWeek tour of Daytona International Speedway's Lake Lloyd. Eliminator Boats has built a special, 50th Anniversary Daytona 500 Edition boat -- complete with a V-10 Dodge Viper powerplant -- to be auctioned off at the upcoming Barrett Jackson Auto Auction, with the proceeds going to the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. Dave, Ryan and MRN Radio's Jeff Striegle were treated to a 100-mph test drive, and take it from us: that's one ROCKIN' boat. We also took a spin in the companion Budweiser/Kasey Kahne boat, equipped with a 355 c.i.d. V8 engine and a three-liter blower!

Thanks to Kevin Striegle of FlatFootRacin.com for the photo.

Miller: Teamwork Paying Off For Penske

Former Penske Racing President Don Miller told Sirius Speedway yesterday that the teamwork displayed by drivers Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Sam Hornish, Jr., in Sunday's Daytna 500 is a significant improvement over the days when Newman and former Sprint Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace shared the stable.

"I'll be very frank with you," said Miller in an exclusive Sirius Speedway interview. "We struggled getting the cooperation between our two drivers a couple of years back, as you know. It was difficult, because even though you are in the same building and you've got two guys who really want to win, if they don't want to work together, it makes everybody's life a little bit more difficult.

"Over the past couple of years that Ryan and Kurt have been running together, they have built a really strong confidence situation as far as (saying), 'Hey, if I'm in a position to help you, you know I'm going to help you.' People that paid attention probably saw that quite a few times last year."

Newman echoed those thoughts in numerous post-race interviews Sunday; including one fairly awkward affair conducted in part by Wallace. The newly crowned Daytona 500 champion said he never could have win without the efforts of Busch, who he called, "a great teammate and a tremendous team player."

Miller, meanwhile, said he believes Sunday's victory is just the beginning for Newman and Penske Racing.

"I think they're going to be pretty tough all year long," he said. "We're making some really good power, and I think that the reliability is back. Looking at the tests that Kurt and Ryan completed in California and in Las Vegas, they both ran really, really good. So I think they're going to be pretty tough to deal with all year long."

Au Revoir, JV: It appears that Jacques Villeneuve’s NASCAR Sprint Cup career could be over, almost as quickly as it began. The former F1 World Champion has scheduled a press conference in Montreal tomorrow to announce his future plans, and sources say he will not return to the Bill Davis Racing #27 Toyota. Villeneuve failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 after crashing out of his Gatorade Duel qualifier, and has not been able to attract the sponsorship necessary to secure a full Rookie of the Year attempt. Now, he will reportedly announce plans to drive in the 24 hours of Le Mans in June, with options for a single NASCAR Nationwide Series start in Montreal, and a part time ARCA ride. Both are reportedly also contingent on sponsorship. Mike Skinner will drive the #27 BDR Toyota at California Speedway this weekend, with Johnny Benson also sharing time in the car this season.

500 Ratings Up: Sunday's 50th running of the Daytona 500 on FOX earned ratings slightly higher than a year ago, according to Nielsen Media Research. The overnight numbers showed a 10.2 rating and a 20 share, with the broadcast averaging 17.8 million viewers. Both the rating and average were 1% better than a year ago, and overall, 33.5 million Americans watched at least part of the race. The Daytona 500 remains far and away the top-rated event in American motorsports; more than doubling last year's Indianapolis 500.

Rensi Skipping Races: Bobby Hamilton Jr. said his Team Rensi Motorsports team will skip the NASCAR Nationwide Series races in Mexico City and Montreal this season, due to lack of financing. Hamilton’s #25 Ford has sponsorship for 30 races, and the team expects to secure backing for three more. But in his words, “As of now, we’re not going to Canada or Mexico. The bottom line is, it’s not in the budget.”

No Camaro After All: Those of us who have fantasized about an all-new, Pony Car-based NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2009 may be in for a disappointment. Published reports this week say that Chevrolet has decided not to use its new Camaro in the Nationwide Series next season, after all. Richard Childress Racing built a new, COT-based Nationwide entry for General Motors to test in the wind tunnel recently, and the car reportedly carried an Impala body, and not a Camaro. Sources close to the GM camp say the Chevy Malibu is also under consideration for use in the Series.

Ford Motor Company is reportedly considering reintroducing the Ford Taurus for competition on the Nationwide Series next season, while Dodge is expected to use the Challenger. No word from Toyota, though speculation continues to center on the Toyota Solara as the make of choice.

Penalties Coming: Expect announcements later today on possible penalties for Nationwide Series rules violations discovered last week at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR officials confiscated the carburetor from David Reutimann’s #99 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota, after finding oversized venturis that allowed more air to pass through. NASCAR also confiscated the rear deck and spoiler from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s #5 Chevrolet Thursday night, after discovering what sources say was liberal aerodynamic modification of those parts. NASCAR considered sending crewchief Chad Walter home for the offense, but opted to allow him to remain on speedway grounds. Nationwide Series director Joe Balash said further sanctions will be announced today.

THE KNOT IS TIED! William and Marianne finally did it, taking their vows after more than a decade of living in sin. Congratulations to the happy couple from all your friends at Sirius Speedway.

Report: AT&T Still Hoping To Stay Past 2008

Despite their agreement to leave the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at the end of this season, this week’s SportsBusiness Journal reports that AT&T has not given up hope of remaining in the sport.

A lawsuit to determine whether the telecommunications company deserved to be grandfathered into the sport ended with a settlement in September that allowed AT&T to put its logo on Jeff Burton's Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, but only through the end of the 2008 season. Sources have told the Journal that Childress is still lobbying NASCAR to keep AT&T in the Sprint Cup Series beyond 2008; the first year of a three-year sponsorship contract that reportedly contains no exit provisions or refunds if AT&T is not allowed to remain. AT&T's annual sponsorship is believed to be between 16 and 18 million dollars per year.

NASCAR, meanwhile, says there is no option for AT&T to remain. Ramsey Poston, NASCAR's Managing Director of Communications, said, ""Nothing has changed. This is a closed issue. Agreements were made, and we expect all sides to live up to them. The fans certainly don't want to hear any more of this."

AT&T's official stance continues to be that it will abide by the agreement if nothing changes.

"Pepsi Steve" Buhala has come through again, sparing every expense in his attempt to design a 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship Trophy that is an actual cup! Way to go all-out Steve-O!

BREAKING NEWS: Gordon To Run Dodges in 2008 With Gillett Evernham Support

Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced a technical, manufacturing and marketing services agreement with Robby Gordon Motorsports today, meaning that Gordon will drive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dodges this season. RGM will use Gillett Evernham Dodge engines beginning in practice next week at Daytonal joining BAM Racing and Petty Enterprises on the list of teams utilizing Gillett Evernham Motorsports engines and technical assistance.

Gordon whose 28th-place finish in owner points was the best of any single-car team in 2007, said, “I feel this agreement with Gillett Evernham Motorsports helps make the learning curve of the COT little bit easier to navigate. I like what they have going on over there and I think both organizations will benefit. As an owner I want to do what is best for my employees and sponsors.

"Ford has been very good to me, and this move is not a reflection on our relationship at all," said Gordon. "Ford was planning on supporting me, and even increasing its engineering support for my program in 2008. However, I felt that I needed to make this move to help put my team in a more stable financial situation in terms of marketing and sponsorship help."

Gordon is involved in Sprint Cup Series testing in California today, at the wheel of a Ford.

Attention Bruton Smith!

The National Hot Rod Association has been notified by HD Partners Acquisition Corporation that it did not receive the necessary number of votes to finalize the transaction announced last May to acquire all of NHRA’s professional racing assets.

Eddy Hartenstein, Chairman and CEO of HD Partners said, “We are very disappointed with today’s vote, given our collective enthusiasm for NHRA and the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Unfortunately, in the time since we first announced this transaction in May of 2007, we have witnessed a dramatic shift in both the financial markets and the perceived strength of the U.S. economy, which we believe adversely impacted the final outcome of this transaction. With that said, we continue to believe that the NHRA and the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, led by Tom Compton and his management team, are very vibrant properties with a bright future. We wish them all the best for continued success.”

NHRA will continue to operate as it has in the past, though a press release from the sanctioning body said, “Given the time and energy spent on this effort, NHRA has no plans to pursue a similar opportunity in the near future. For now, NHRA will remain focused on the business and continued growth of NHRA.“ Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA sanctions 24 events through its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, and boasts 80,000 members and 140 member tracks.

Got Tickets???Daytona International Speedway officials announced yesterday that all grandstand seats for the 50th running of the Daytona 500have been sold, the earliest sellout in modern history. While the grandstands are sold out, DIS President Robin Braig said infield tickets are still available for the February 17TH “The Great American Race.” Fans can also still purchase tickets for other events surrounding the 50th running of the Daytona 500, including the 30th Annual Budweiser Shootout, the Gatorade Duel At Daytona, the Chevy Silverado 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race and the Camping World 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

Not Mad, After All: Dale Earnhardt Jr. says his feelings about the lack of memorabilia on display at Dale Earnhardt Inc. during last week’s NASCAR Media Tour have been mischaracterized, and that he has no hard feelings toward the company.

He wrote on his website, "There is no anger or ill-feeling towards DEI, period. Nearly half the cars that were moved out of the showroom to accommodate the media tour (were) cars I've won races and championships with, and any fan of mine who wants a glimpse of my past can still find it at DEI.”

He also repeated his past praise for DEI President Max Siegel, calling him “honest, direct, and supportive,” and saying both parties sincerely wish success for each other. Siegel, said yesterday that the missing cars and memorabilia were returned to the showroom after the media luncheon on Jan 23rd.

`Pops' Stays Atop The Box: After failing to come up with the right candidate in their search for a new crewchief for Brad Keselowski’s #88 NAVY Chevrolet Nationwide Series team, JR Motorsports has decided to stick with the tried and true. Tony Eury Sr., who joined the team last year as Director of Competition, will reportedly keep the crewchief’s job, after taking it on an interim basis last October.

It Was Just a Matter Of Time: Fans attending the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway March 7-9 will have a new seating option to choose from, a smoke and alcohol-free section in three grandstands. Nicorette HAS partnered with the speedway to sponsor the new smoke and alcohol-free sections. Section 156 in the Champions grandstand will be smoke and alcohol-free on Friday and Saturday. The entire Petty grandstand will be a smoke and alcohol-free family grandstand on Sunday, as will a section of the Elliott and Winners grandstands.