USA International Speedway in Lakeland, FL will host the second leg of the Florida Triple Crown late model race this Saturday night, then the track will close its doors.
Track officals have confirmed that the 3/4 mile track will close all operations and be razed to make room for an imdustrial park.
“As far as I know, the owner decided to sell it out,” said an emotional Barry Williams, the track’s operations manager. “All I can say is to come out and watch the race.”
USA Internatial opened in 1995 with camping amenities, aluminum grandstands and lighting comparable to many NASCAR tracks. It hosted races for the Auto Racing Club of America (ARCA), American Speed Association and the season opener and finale for the Hooters Pro Cup Series.
According to the Polk County Property Appraiser’s Web site, the speedway was bought in May 2007 by USA International Speedway Holdings, LLC, which is based out of Clearwater, for $6.2 million.
Corporate agent, Thomas C. Little and track owner Anthony Amoco, both of Clearwater, could not be reached for comment.
USA International Speedway President Billy Martino told the The Ledger in Lakeland that the track had been sold but that specifics regarding the sale, including the purchasing party and amount, would not be disclosed until the official statement is made Monday.
He said it would be torn down and that warehouses would be built on the site.
“It kind of happened fast. It wasn’t planned,” Martino said. “The current owners had a chance to get out, and, with no potential sponsors, it was probably a good business decision.”
Martino said that after the death of Robert Brooks, founder of the Hooters of America restaurant chain and the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Hooters decided to take their marketing in a direction that lessened its focus on racing.
As a result, the speedway lost its primary Hooters sponsorship and the number of USAR Pro Cup races scheduled at USA Speedway was cut.
“We had about a year to prolong this and make it work,” Martino said. “The highest use for this track is just not racing.”
In the end, the economic reality forced USA Speedway’s owners to sell.
Martino added that there won’t be any extra festivities during this weekend’s race to celebrate the track. He said they plan to go out silently with the final race.
“It’s emotional for me,” Martino said. “I’ve been here for 25 years. I’ve tried hard to keep it alive. … It’s the end of an era. It’s the last checkered flag at USA International Speedway.”
There are still three events on the schedule at USA Speedway after this weekend’s race, including a FASCAR race scheduled for September and a USAR Pro Cup race in October. Martino said both will be rescheduled and moved to other sites.
An auction will be held at the speedway Aug. 9.
Fans will be invited to bid on pieces of Polk County racing history. Martino said that everything, down to the pens on his desk, would be for sale. The only possible exception to that might be the concrete slab that is dedicated to the Nemechek family. Martino said the slab would be given to the Nemechek family if they wanted it.
“That’s pretty cool that they even thought about that,” said NASCAR Sprint Cup
driver and Lakeland native Joe Nemechek. He said he wasn’t sure how moving something like that would even be possible.
News of the track’s closing reached Ocala Speedway owner Mike Peters early Wednesday. He said that the buyers in 2007 had plans for the property that did not involve racing.
“It happens in this business,” he said. “It’s a difficult business to be in.”
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Lakeland Speedway to Close
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Race Recap: Kyle Busch Wins Record 15th Race Of Year With VIctory At ORP
By Amanda Brahler
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
CLERMONT, Ind. (July 26, 2008) -- Kyle Busch led 197 of 200 laps in winning the Kroger 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis on Saturday night and captured his his series-leading sixth NASCAR Nationwide Series victory of the season.
Busch now has 15 wins across NASCAR's top three series, surpassing the record set by two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Kevin Harvick in 2006. It was the 14th NASCAR Nationwide Series win for Joe Gibbs Racing this season, also a new NASCAR Nationwide Series mark, and the 15th win overall for Toyota. Richard Childress Racing had 13 wins last season.
"I was kind of disappointed because I feel like that 15 horsepower cost me the pole," Busch said. "I really got to thank my competitors for doing the complaining they did, because we were able to have good traction control all night long. I feel like that was important, to get off the corners a little bit better than everybody," Busch said from victory lane.
Had Busch not been around, Roush Fenway Racing's up-and-comer, polesitter Colin Braun, 19, may have walked away with his first piece of NASCAR hardware but instead settled for second. Mike Bliss, despite spinning in Turn 2 on Lap 22, came back to finish third, while Scott Wimmer and Josh Wise finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Wise's finish was the best of his series career.
Rookie Cale Gale was sixth, also scoring his best finish to date, besting an eighth-place run earlier this season in Nashville. Fellow rookie Landon Cassill, working with a new crew chief this week in Cam Strader, finished seventh. Busch's JGR teammate Joey Logano, David Ragan and Steve Wallace rounded out the top 10.
There were seven caution flags through the event, four of them coming within the last 100 laps. On Lap 119, Indiana native Bryan Clauson was involved in a wreck after contact from Brad Keselowski. Nearly simultaneously, Kelly Bires smacked the wall after cutting a tire in Turn 3.
The remainder of the caution flags were single-car incidents.
Clint Bowyer continues to lead Keselowski in the season standings with a 173-point lead. Neither driver was a factor during the 200-mile race, with Bowyer finishing 18th and Keselowski 19th.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Race Recap: Benson Holds Off Hornaday For Second Straight Win
By Amanda Brahler
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
CLERMONT, Ind. (July 25, 2008) -- Johnny Benson claimed his second straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win on Friday night at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, holding off the challenge of Ron Hornaday, Jr. during a final two-lap run to the checkered flag in the Power Stroke Diesel 200.
Benson has claimed three wins this season in the No. 23 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, all falling over the last four races. He was also the 10th different winner in the last 10 truck races at ORP.
Benson started the race eighth, the farthest back any truck series driver has started and won. Previously, nobody had won the event starting outside the top five.
Though falling short at the finish, Hornaday dominated the event, taking the lead from polesitter Bobby East on Lap 5. He led a race-high 153 laps before Benson swooped in for the lead by using the high lane in Turn 2 on Lap 162.
"There was no doubt we were the best two trucks," Benson said of himself and Hornaday from victory lane. "I started running his groove, it wasn't too bad. We made that pass on the outside of Ron. I didn't think it was going to stick."
Erik Darnell and Matt Crafton finished third and fourth, while Crafton's ThorSport Racing teammate Shelby Howard, who will make his first NASCAR Nationwide Series start of the season Saturday -- the first for NCTS staple ThorSport -- was a career-best fifth. The race also marked the first time that both ThorSport teams finished in the top five.
There were 11 caution flags through the event, with Kyle Busch again stirring up some controversy after he sent Chad McCumbee into the wall on Lap 136.
With 13 laps remaining, on Lap 187, Crafton got into Todd Bodine between Turns 1 and 2. Bodine hit the wall, also collecting Jack Sprague. The caution set up a restart on Lap 192, lining the field up for a single-file restart.
Hornaday was given one more chance to reclaim the lead as the 11th caution flag of the night dropped on Lap 195 when Benson's Bill Davis Racing teammate, Michael Annett, spun while pressuring Rick Crawford for the third position.
The final restart fell on Lap 198 of the 200-lap race. Hornaday gathered a final charge at Benson but his Chevrolet slipped high, allowing Benson to pull away.
Benson now leads Hornaday by 15 points in the season standings.
Brendan Gaughan, T.J.Bell, Busch, Mansfield winner Donny Lia and Mike Skinner closed out the top 10.
Was Newman Fired?
Former Penske driver, Rusty Wallace, is saying that the reports that Ryan Newman asked to part ways with Penske Racing is untrue, Wallace is saying that in fact Ryan Newman was fired. On July 14, 2008 Ryan Newman announced that Roger Penske and him had ""mutually agreed" that Newman would leave the #12 Alltel Dodge after the 2008 season.
Rusty Wallace said this:
"He didn't leave, I've read many, many stories that said that. Roger Penske called Ryan Newman up to his office and said I don't need your services next year. Ryan Newman didn't come to him and say I'm leaving. You all need to write about that. That's exactly how it went down. I love Roger Penske, so I'm going to help clear up the story for him."
More From Wallace,
"I read the official press release from Penske when it came out,'' Wallace said. "Roger doesn't like anybody telling him that his equipment is junk. Obviously, Ryan and I never got along. That's for sure. You guys all know that. This guy (Penske) will give anybody anything they want. Engineers, whatever. Ryan knows that. We hyped up forever and ever that he is the engineer. For years and years. And they can't get that car figured out. I talked to Roger. He didn't like it. He didn't like all the negative stuff. I knew that they needed to move on quick. That's the key. He needed to move on and find a driver rather than Ryan saying I don't know if I want to come back, I might or I might not. Roger is not like that. He's not going to be held hostage by somebody else. You're in or you're out. There's no waffling, and Ryan was waffling. Roger says I'm not waiting, I'm moving."
Ryan Newman has been rumored to join Tony Stewart and the newly formed Stewart/Hass Racing team in 2009. When asked about the comments from Rusty Wallace this is what Newman had to say,
"I don't know what Rusty's grounds are, what he's trying to prove by saying that," Newman said. "That wasn't the case. Point blank. Roger and I decided mutually to not continue. It was more my decision than it was his. I had said our goals didn't align and for that reason and that reason alone, we decided not to continue after 2008."
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Stremme to Penske?
Sources close to Stock Car News, are saying that driver David Stremme will be announced as the new driver of the #12 Penske Dodge in 2009. Current driver Ryan Newman is leaving Penske after the 2008 season to reported go to the newly formed Stewart/Hass Racing.
Stremme, who drove for Chip Ganassi Racing, before being released at the end of last season, has been a test driver for Penske this year.
Stremme is also currently running in the Rusty Wallace Racing #64 in the Nationwide series
New Sponsor For NASCAR Truck Series
News reports are saying that Kobalt Tools will be taking over as new series sponsor for the NASCAR Truck Series starting in 2009. Craftman Tools has been the series sponsor since the NASCAR Truck series started back in 1995, but will not renew their contact after this year.
Nascar has also been talking to NAPA Auto Parts and Stanley Tools as title sponsors but Kobalt seems to be the front runner, with a reported cost to title series rights to be in the mid to high seven figure range. This will include advertising commitments on Speed channel, the home of the Truck Series TV broadcast.
Kobalt Tools has ties to NASCAR with Jimmie Johnson and Lowes sponsorship. The deal could also give Kobalt Tools the title of "Official Tools of NASCAR" and with Lowes being the "Official Home Improvement Store of NASCAR" which is currently held by The Home Depot, who's deal also runs out at the end of the year
Monday, July 14, 2008
RYAN NEWMAN LEAVING PENSKE
Penske Racing announced that driver of the #12 Alltel Dodge, Ryan Newman will not be returning to the team after the 2008 season.
"We want to thank Ryan for his hard work and contributions to Penske Racing over the past nine years" said owner Roger Penske "We wish Ryan all the best for the future and we'll continue to focus out efforts on making the Chase with Ryan and the Alltel Dodge team this season"
No announcement has been made for a replacement in the #12 Alltel Dodge, but according to Penske Racing a driver will be named soon.
Rumors around the garage area are saying that Newman will be in a 2nd car at the newly formed Stewart/Hass Racing team. ESPN is reporting that the deal between Stewart and Newman is already done and an announcement will be made at Indianapolis in 2 weeks.
Newman has said there are 3 serious options, and that one is part ownership of a team.
It was no secret the Newman has been unhappy with the performance of his team as of late. He said the team has made some improvements, but not enough to challenge for a championship.
Kyle Busch Completes Weekend Sweep With LifeLock.com 400 Victory
JOLIET, ILL. (July 12, 2008)NASCAR MEDIA.COM
Kyle Busch is hoping his good-luck streak continues.
Other NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers are hoping some of his good fortune rubs off on them.
After Busch led a race-high 165 laps in Saturday night's LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, defending series champion Jimmie Johnson took the lead for the first time with 17 laps to go. Busch figured Johnson was heading to Victory Lane, especially after Johnson drove away on a restart.
But David Gilliland's blown engine brought out another caution with just five laps remaining. And Busch took advantage of a slow restart, laying on Johnson's bumper and zipping past the two-time champion down the backstretch with just two laps left.
He continued his incredible Cinderella season, winning in NASCAR's top division for the seventh time this season for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Many in the garage area would say that's what's known as making your own luck, or the most of an opportunity, something Busch has certainly done this year.
He also has won five times in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and twice in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He led more laps than anyone in his latest effort and his only snafu of the balmy night occurred when he drove through the grassy part of the tri-oval and got his No. 18 M&M's Toyota stuck in the mud.
His crew gladly pushed him out and Busch seemed incredulous that he got by Johnson at the end.
"I don't know how I did that," he said. "I sort of gave up on myself when I lost the lead but those guys over there (his jubilant pit crew) didn't give up."
Trailing Busch and Johnson at the finish were Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers, Matt Kenseth, David Ragan, Martin Truex, Jr., and Ryan Newman.
Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon was 11th after 267 laps. Neither Gordon nor Dale Earnhardt, Jr., were factors in the race. Earnhardt finished 16th, just ahead of Mark Martin and Juan Pablo Montoya.
Carl Edwards, who appeared to have a solid shot at winning, came to the pits on Lap 237 thinking he had a flat tire. It turned out his splitter on the front of his No. 99 Office Depot Ford broke and was hitting the track. He was never a factor afterwards, finishing 32nd, a lap behind the leaders.
There were nine caution periods during the race, several for debris. One of the debris cautions occurred on Lap 237 when Paul Menard ran into the rear end of Jason Leffler's car, knocking the rear valance off Leffler's car and into the middle of the track.
The race started after a spectacular flyover by four F-14's and a driver's meeting at which “The King”, Richard Petty, was recognized for his 50 years in the sport. The popular Petty, holder of many NASCAR records including most victories (200) and seven series championships, received a rousing standing ovation from his peers when introduced.
Things didn't start nearly as well for J. J. Yeley. His car was held until after the green flag waved due to a pre-race weight rule infraction.
David Reutimann also started the race on a down note when Leffler squeezed him into the wall after just a few laps.
The younger Busch took over like one of the F-14's, racing away to a comfortable lead in the early stages. He was the class of the field when NASCAR waved a mandatory caution on Lap 35 lap to allow the teams an opportunity to check tire wear. Rain on Thursday and Friday night had turned the race track green, leaving no rubber on it.
When racing resumed on Lap 40, Busch took up where he left off, but Edwards stayed with him. Edwards badgered Busch for several laps before passing him at Lap 45.
Denny Hamlin's No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota shut off at Lap 48, prompting a second caution, which helped Burton, who had dropped way back in the field after missing his pit stall on the first caution.
After pit stops, Gordon took the lead by not pitting. He was trailed by Biffle, Vickers, Newman and Busch.
Hamlin came back on the track after a trip to the garage where his crew switched ignition panels. The trip cost him four laps.
Biffle passed Gordon for the lead on Lap 58 and the top 10 included Vickers in third, then Busch, Stewart, Edwards, Kenseth, Johnson, Truex, Jr., and Harvick.
By 100 laps, Stewart had taken the lead and Truex was threatening to do so.
The third caution of the race waved on Lap 111 when Michael Waltrip fell victim to a miscue out of turn four by Patrick Carpentier, whose car slid into the wall right in front of Waltrip. When Waltrip backed off, Burton nipped him in the rear, sending him on a spin through the grassy infield.
Busch worked his way back to the front by Lap 20 while Kenseth fell back in the field with a flat tire and unscheduled pit stop.
Stewart was second with young David Ragan third. The two Red Bull Racing Toyotas with Allmendinger and Vickers were next in line.
At the halfway point of 130 laps, Edwards was sixth, Harvick seventh and Martin eighth. Johnson and Biffle rounded out the top 10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., was running back in 19th position and did not appear to be a factor at this point in the race.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
OLD SCHOOL RACING SERIES STILL GOING ON STRONG
The Old School Racing Series is still going on after some delays from sponsorships deals; the series will indeed make the first start at Music City Motorplex on July 18th 2009. The event called “The Old School – Racing Reunion.com Shootout” will be the inaugural start for the new series.
OSR, in conjunction with RacersReunion.com, will bring the July 18th
event live to the web with the veteran racing analyst Randy Pemberton
in the broadcast booth with many special guest that will bring the
fans racing stories that may never be heard again. Fans not attending
the event will be able to view it live in it’s entirety at
www.RacersReunion.com.
Some of the greatest drivers of all time have been slated to compete
in this long anticipated inaugural event. Harry Gant, Sterling
Marlin, Geoff Bodine, Dave Marcis, Jack Ingram, Larry Pollard,
Charlie Glotzbach, Joe Ruttman, Tommy Houston, Mike Alexander, and
Randy LaJoie will treat racing fans to a night of racing they’ll
never forget.
Drivers will be available for autographs between qualifying and race
time. Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm and the green flag
drops for the Shootout at 8:30 pm. One of the must see events during
the live broadcast will be a round table discussion with four of
these racing legends. It will be hosted by Randy Pemberton and is
sure to bring out some great stories from these “old school” drivers.
“It’s great to finally give the fans something they’ve wanted to
see,” said OSR Managing Partner Gene Weaver. “These guys are my
hero’s and putting these legends back on the track is not just a
thrill for the fans, but also to everyone involved in the Old School
Racing Series. We’re excited about this opportunity to bring this
inaugural event to the fans along with RacersReunion.com and our
sponsors.”
This special event will also serve as the national launch of the
“Suitcase Jake Commemorative Fund” established to raise money for
Jake Elder, one of motor racings true living legends. The “Jake Elder
Crew Chief of the Race Award,” sponsored by Darrell Waltrip, will go
to the winning car’s crew chief. In addition, OSR will offer, for
sale at the track and on their website (www.osrct.com), a “Suit Case
Jake” commemorative coin. All proceeds from the sale of the coin
will go to assist Jake.
“One of our goals at Old School Racing is to establish the Retired
Racers Foundation to help support retired racers that may need some
extra help,” said OSR Managing Partner Gene Weaver. “Pioneers of
racing, like Jake Elder, did not get the huge paychecks that these
guys get today, yet they paved the way and we want to try to pay them
back for everything they have done for this sport. Helping “old
school” racers is a lofty goal, but one that is long overdue.”
“We’re thrilled to be able to participate in this event with OSR,”
said Jeff Gilder, of the RacersReunion Network. “Our goal is to bring
recognition to the roots of stock car racing and to keep these
legends of the sport in front of their fans. This is a perfect fit
for us.”
Tickets for the event start at just $15.00 and can be purchased
online at www.ticketmaster.com. And the three hour-live broadcast can
be seen for FREE at www.RacersReunion.com.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
ITS OFFICAL STEWART/HASS RACING in 2009
ESPN.com is reporting that #20 Cup driver Tony Stewart has been granted a release from the final year of his contact at Joe Gibbs Racing. It is reported that Stewart will make an announcement on Wednesday about his leaving Joe Gibbs Racing.
On Thursday at Chicagoland Speedway it is believed he will make a formal announcement on his move to HASS/CNC Racing, and that he will be a co-owner and driver, with the team being renamed to Stewart/Hass Racing in 2009.
ESPN reports that Stewart's deal will make him the highest paid driver ever in NASCAR. Is is thought that Tony Stewart will carry the #14, which was made famous in Indy Car by Stewart's hero AJ Foyt, the number is currently available in the Sprint Cup Series, but the number change is not confirmed yet.
Stewart will have a 50% stake in the organization, but what his out of pocket investment is was not reported
No sponsors have been announced yet, but talk is that Office Depot is involved. Driver Ryan Newman is said to be the lead candidate to drive Stewart Haas' second car, but no confirmation has been made yet.
The new Stewart Haas team will continue to receive chassis and engines from Hendrick Motorsports. No word yet on the fate of current HASS/CNC drivers, Scott Riggs and Johnny Sauter, they are ranked 36th and 44th in the NASCAR Cup Owner Standings.
Tony Stewart will be able to use his Champion Provisional for the first 5 races of 2009 if the current team standings do not improve to above the 35th place in Owner standings.
UPDATE: A formal announcement is expected on Thursday. Fans can watch the news conference live on NASCAR.COM at 2:30 p.m. ET
UP TO SPEED
Some news to get you up to speed this week:
The NASCAR Sprint Cup team of Martin Truex Jr was found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-3.8A (roof of the car does not conform to the specifications) of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rule book.
As a result, Truex Jr. and car owner Teresa Earnhardt have been penalized 150 championship driver and 150 championship owner points, respectively. Both the crew chief, Kevin Manion, and the car chief, Gary Putnam, have been suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, suspended from NASCAR until Aug. 27 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Additionally, Manion has been fined $100,000.
The infractions were discovered July 3 during opening day inspection.
JR Motorsports will be looking for a sponsor for Brad Keselowski next season after being informed that the Navy will not return as a sponsor for the Nationwide Series team. "We were informed last week that our sponsorship with the U.S. Navy will not renew at the end of the year,” team spokesman Mike Davis said Tuesday. “It's been an exceptional partnership since 2005, and we look forward to a strong finish to the season.”
Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway is reporting that Teresa Earnhardt has enlisted the services of Bear, Stearns and Company [actally there is no more Bear Stearns as JP Morgan acquired them] to find a buyer -- or at least a major financial investor -- for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Bear Stearns is an investment bank, securities trading and brokerage firm based in New York City, and has been charged with finding a buyer for the entire operation. Barring that, Earnhardt is said to be interested in selling at least a minority interest in the team. DEI president Max Siegel on Tuesday refuted the Internet report that company owner Teresa Earnhardt had commissioned investment banking firm Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. to locate a buyer or financial investment partner. "We have not engaged Bear, Stearns or Goldman Sachs or anyone else," Siegel said. "We are contacted all the time by outside firms about getting involved in the sport. We are not for sale right now. Nothing is imminent. Are we constantly weighing that as an option? Does that make sense? Quite frankly, we don't know," Siegel said. "Every team is looking for a way to bring in appropriate resources. Every single one. We haven't engaged anybody. People obviously approach us -- they're approaching everybody. We're looking to be around for a long time in future. We're feeling pretty damn good about where we're going, competition-wise." Siegel was forced to approach his driving corps with assurance that the team is currently not for sale. "I have assured them it's not true," Siegel said. But reports also say that Siegel himself my have an interest in bying DEI.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Race Recap: Kyle Busch Takes Sixth Win In Daytona Thriller
From NASCARMEDIA.com
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. -- Fireworks started the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola Saturday night. Fireworks ended the race as well, both on and off the track.
In a wild and wooly finish so typical of races at Daytona International Speedway, Kyle Busch won by a whisker over hard-charging Carl Edwards with a chain-reaction accident behind them sending up a cloud of smoke that covered the track.
The race ended in a green, white, checkered finish after a spectacular night of racing that more resembled a Saturday night short track event where rubbing fenders and banging bumpers is a rule rather than exception. The bumping continued on a restart when Edwards tapped Gordon, who was second at the time, in the rear and sent him spinning off the track.
The untimely collision sent Gordon from second to 31st in the race rundown.
Following Busch and Edwards across the finish line were Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer, David Ragan, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Brian Vickers, Mark Martin and Travis Kvapil.
Kasey Kahne was 11th after racing with the leaders most of the night before a sideswipe with another driver cut a tire and forced him to make an unscheduled pit stop.
Former Indy 500 winner Sam Hornish, Jr., was next after another impressive run. Hornish kept his Dodge in contention throughout the 160-lap event before being caught up in the late race melee that scattered car parts all over the track. Michael Waltrip, Dave Blaney, Paul Menard and several other drivers were a part of the domino-type accident at the end. So was J. J. Yeley, who kept the Home Depot Toyota in contention after relief driving for Tony Stewart, who was under the weather and had to climb out of his car shortly before the halfway point.
Denny Hamlin, winner of Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide race, ran with the fastest cars before a shunt with this year's Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman ended his chances. Newman's night wound up a nightmare. He was involved in three accidents, the last one crippling his already-damaged machine.
Hamlin wound up 30th with Newman 36th.
It was Busch's sixth win of the season and he managed to do it after almost spinning out himself. A mishap earlier in the race put him way back in the pack but he made it back to the front by the end. He heads to Chicago still leading the NASCAR Sprint Cup points chase by a comfortable margin.
After a spectacular pre-race show with typical Fourth of July fireworks and the rollout of an enormous American flag, Menard led the 43-car from the pole in his DEI Chevrolet. Fan favorite Earnhardt quickly moved into second place with Johnny Sauter third.
At Lap 10, Menard still led but all eyes were on the No. 20 of Tony Stewart, who spent several hours in the care center prior to the race trying to figure out why he felt a little out of sorts. Stewart moved from 17th starting position to seventh. Sauter fell off the pace since he used a qualifying setup to make the race as did sports car ace Boris Said, who went from seventh starting position to 41st after 20 laps.
Earnhardt passed Menard for the lead on Lap 20, just before A. J. Allmendinger blew a right front tire after starting the race on a qualifying setup.
After a pit stop that included the entire field, Kyle Busch came out first, trailed by Menard, Smith, Blaney, Ragan, Kvapil, Kenseth, Vickers, Kevin Harvick and Stewart on the 24th lap.
It didn't take long for NASCAR's best drivers to produce some fireworks of their own. With Kyle Busch still leading, guys swapped positions behind him every lap. At times, the first 20 cars were running so close together, a matter of inches separated them on all sides. Earnhardt streaked to the front on the 36th lap with Busch second, Blaney third and Stewart once again storming towards the front in third place. The top 10 included Martin, Vickers, Kahne, Gordon, Kenseth and Kvapil.
Ryan Newman got a little help from Jamie McMurray exiting turn two and spun off the corner bringing out a caution on the 43rd lap.
Fortunately, Newman's Dodge made no contact with the walls and continued the race.
When racing resumed, it was Busch and Earnhardt up front with Stewart, Martin and Gordon right behind. Menard had fallen well back in the pack. By Lap 55, Earnhardt was back up front again with Martin and Gordon in tow.
Greg Biffle and Juan Pablo Montoya got together on the 70th lap coming out of turn four to bring out another caution.
Stewart, too sick to continue, was replaced by Yeley. The driver switch shoved Yeley back to 39th but he remained on the lead lap. Johnson had the lead when the race resumed and before you could blink an eye, teammate Gordon got a shove from Earnhardt and took the lead.
Point leader Busch almost lost control just a lap past the halfway point and swerved all over the track before regaining control of his Toyota. He dropped from a top five spot to 37th.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Saleen's Little Girl Making First NASCAR START
Sources close to STOCK CAR NEWS are telling me that Molly Saleen, daughter of Steve Saleen founder and president of Saleen, Inc., a specialty vehicle manufacturer, is making her first NASCAR start, in the #07 Ford owned by Baker Curb Racing (formerly Brewco Motorsports), sponsors on board are reportedly Arctic Ice and Mag-Z. She will be testing the next couple weeks but is due to start in the Camping World East race at Music City Motorplex on July 19 in the Camping World Series 150.
Her father Steven Saleen started Saleen Autosport in 1983. Saleen began improving the appearance and performance characteristics of the Ford Mustang. By 1984, Saleen had completed the first Saleen Mustang. He equipped the car with special aerodynamic, suspension and handling packages, and an attractive and highly functional cockpit. Proving that his car could successfully compete against the world’s top sports cars, Saleen brought home a win at the grueling 24-hour race in Mosport, Canada.
Molly Saleen is reportedly receiving training for her first race by a driver not named, but is a team mate of hers at Baker Curb Racing
Friday, July 4, 2008
NASCAR NEWS FOR THE WEEKEND
Top Sponsors Fuel the Return of TNT's 'Wide Open Coverage': TNT announced its full lineup of sponsors for this year's highly-touted Wide Open Coverage race telecast, which will air once again during the primetime Coke Zero 400 race from Daytona International Speedway on Sat., July 5th. The ten national sponsors, which matches last year's sponsorship commitment, featured in this year's innovative telecast include Coke Zero, Coors Light, HP, Papa John's, Sprint, Subway, Toyota, US Army, Viagra and Warner Bros. TNT's exclusive Wide Open Coverage telecast is a groundbreaking television presentation format that provides continuous race coverage free of national commercial breaks and features 22% more unobstructed race action than that of a standard telecast by using a letterbox widescreen format. In place of the national ads, the telecast features a variety of animated sponsor messages, unique branded content and distinct on-screen graphic elements. Wide Open Coverage debuted on TNT during the 2007 Daytona 400 race and showcased extended non-stop green flag racing, missing only three laps of green flag racing. The network's race coverage begins at 6:30pm/et with the NASCAR Live pre-race show hosted by Marc Fein with analysts Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds, followed by the Allstate Countdown to Green at 7:30pm/et with Bill Weber, Wally Dallenbach and Petty with reports from pit reporters Marty Snider, Matt Yocum, Ralph Sheheen and Lindsay Czarniak. The race will begin at 8:00pm/et with a brief Wide Open Coverage introduction by Sprint Cup Series drivers Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray and Greg Biffle
Martin back to fulltime in 2009, to the #5 HMS car: Mark Martin has signed a two-year agreement to drive for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2009. Martin will race the full 2009 Sprint Cup schedule in the #5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevy, becoming teammates with #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson and #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. It will mark his first full season of Cup competition since 2006, when he finished ninth in points. A Batesville, Ark., native, Martin also is slated to run a partial Sprint Cup schedule for Hendrick Motorsports in 2010, sharing the #5 Chevys with a to-be-determined second driver. Martin will enter 26 events, including the non-points Budweiser Shootout and Sprint All-Star Race. “Mark is an incredible racer and one of the classiest guys around,” said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, whose organization will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2009. “He is a driver who makes everyone around him better, and our entire company is going to benefit from his presence.”
“I feel very fortunate to have this chance to win races and go after a championship with Hendrick Motorsports,” Martin said. “Coming back full time wasn’t something we planned, but driving the #5 car, with all its history, was an impossible opportunity to pass up. Rick and I have enjoyed a great relationship over the years, and we’ve always talked about doing this. Now it’s working out, and we’re both excited about the possibilities.” Martin, 49, will be paired with crew chief Alan Gustafson, who now is in his fourth season at the helm of the #5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevy team. Gustafson has posted four Sprint Cup wins as a crew chief and has a history with Martin, having worked with him in multiple Nationwide Series events
Menard and Yates? John Menard, the wealthy businessman (Menards, the privately owned home improvements company), may be losing interest in NASCAR racing after so many years, according to sources. Menard, whose son #15-Paul is driving for DEI, is reportedly in negotiations with Ford’s Jack Roush, perhaps to help fellow owner Doug Yates keep afloat in this sport, which would involve a move from Chevrolet to Ford. “I don’t have any idea what might be going on there,” DEI’s Story said. “We just met with John, and everything is good.
