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Happy Thursday!
Today In Nascar History
03/02/1958-Lee Petty wins at Concord, win #1 of the season, and #31 of his career.
03/02/1963-Richard Petty wins at Spartanburg, win #2 of the season, and #15 of his career.
03/02/1975-Cale Yarborough wins at Rockingham, win #1 of the season, and #29 of his career.
03/02/1986-Terry Labonte wins at Rockingham, win #1 of the season, and #6 of his career.
03/02/1997-Rusty Wallace wins at Richmond, win #1 of the season, and #47 of his career.
03/02/2003-Matt Kenseth wins at Las Vegas, win #1 of the season, and #7 of his career.
"From our standpoint, as long as we are having open discussions with the other cities we still feel like it's an open process,I'll just leave it at that."
- NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp saying the organization is still talking to Atlanta and Daytona Beach about NASCAR's Hall Of Fame.
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Air Force to Fly NASCAR Stars at Las Vegas: NASCAR drivers Kenny Schrader and Jon Wood will receive U.S. Air Force fighter orientation flights at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada on Thursday March 9. Schrader, current driver of the NEXTEL Cup #21 Wood Brothers Racing Team, will fly with the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, Thunderbirds. Wood, this year’s Busch series #47 driver for JTG Racing, will fly with the 57th Wing. - Air Force Public Affairs
Matt Kenseth said he regretted expressing displeasure over an incident with Tony Stewart, and Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson said they cleared the air after sniping at each other.
Newman insinuated Johnson's winning car in the Daytona 500 might not pass inspection after failing a qualifying check a week earlier. He also said NASCAR should have been tougher with crew chief Chad Knaus, who was ejected from the event and later suspended for three races.
Johnson retorted by implying Newman's team had cheated during the 2003 season while winning a series-high eight races. Newman said Johnson misunderstood that his criticism was aimed at Knaus.
"Everything I said got turned into being a Jimmie Johnson comment, and there was never a Jimmie Johnson comment," said Newman, who befriended Johnson in 2002 when they entered the circuit together as rookies. "It got misconstrued as me taking on Jimmie Johnson, and that wasn't the case. The way it was presented to him was what made it wrong."
Kenseth admitted his emotions boiled over after Stewart pushed him into the grass when he later pulled next to Stewart's Chevrolet while exiting the pits, earning a black flag.
Kenseth felt his No. 17 Ford was strong enough to win Daytona, a lifetime dream.
"I felt I had that taken away from me unfairly," he said. "It would be like Tony running the Indy 500 and me taking him out for no reason. How mad would he be?"
Kenseth was surprised NASCAR didn't dock points from Stewart for admitting in a postrace interview that he'd taken out Kenseth intentionally.
"In the past, when you mention you did something on purpose, there's penalties handed down," Kenseth said.
A partnership between NASCAR and historically black universities that's intended to expand the number of minorities involved with auto racing has gotten final approval from Congress.
A House resolution, co-sponsored by Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., and unanimously approved Tuesday, backs the creation of the partnership. The Senate passed similar nonbinding legislation last month.
So far, NASCAR is working with 10 historically black universities to teach NASCAR's technical curriculum by linking them to the Universal Technical Institute, a multi-campus program used by the racing body. Among these schools are North Carolina A&T State University and Winston-Salem State University.
The curriculum include areas such as sports marketing, finance, and personnel management.
"This is yet another step forward in increasing minority representation in an industry that has realized the financial benefits of broadening its appeal to a more diverse audience," Watt, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said in a statement. "As we have witnessed in golf and tennis, there is no limit to the accomplishments of minorities in competitive sports once the doors of opportunity are opened."
NASCAR President Mike Helton has acknowledged that selling the sport to minority fans continues to be difficult.
Acme Branding Company, a collection of brand rebels with mad skills, has formed a strategic alliance with MB2 Motorsports of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
Acme Branding Company, based in Ludington, Mich., will launch an innovative sponsorship acquisition program that will clearly communicate the unique opportunities and assets available through partnership with MB2 Motorsports.
"MB2 Motorsports is in a unique position in NASCAR," said Jim Bowie, vice president of Acme Branding Company. "The team has all of the pieces in place to achieve on-track success. We plan on combining that with content, technology and ideas to create new and innovative value propositions for corporate America."
Jay Frye, CEO and general manager at MB2 Motorsports, said, "In NASCAR, the battle off-track is just as intense as it is on-track and the difference between winning and losing is in the details. With the creative and innovative marketing services that Acme Branding Company will bring to MB2, we will be in a better position to attract additional partners to our organization."
Acme Branding Company will energize the MB2 brand with a multi-faceted plan. MB2 will lead with innovative measurable business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) initiatives for existing partners. Opportunities for new partners will position MB2 as leaders in creativity, fulfillment, measurement and activation.
"NASCAR has created the most successful sports marketing communications platform on the planet, but there are barriers to entry, not the least of which is, 'How can my company stand out and be effective among thousands of companies that are already here?' enthused Bowie. Acme Branding Company has a strategy that will clearly set MB2 apart -- stay tuned!"
MB2 Motorsports' full-time drivers in the Nextel Cup Series consist of Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin. Nemechek's No. 01 Chevrolet has season-long primary sponsorship support from the U.S. Army. Opportunities for partnership are still available with Marlin's No. 14 Chevrolet. Waste Management has partnered for 12 of the 36 Cup races on Marlin's car.
In a continued effort to meet the increased demands for trackside camping, track officials are adding a new upscale Trackside Terrace Camping section, along the backstretch, featuring more than 90 motorcoach parking spaces. All spaces in the Trackside Terrace Camping section will have full water, electricity and sewer hookups. For more information about the new additions at Atlanta Motor Speedway or to purchase tickets or camping spaces, fans may call (877) 9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), (770) 946-4211, or visit atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS Site/PR)
By Greg Engle
Cup Scene Daily
It looks as though it’s down to the wire for the cities vying for the NASCAR Hall Of Fame.
Or is it?
This week the Charlotte Observer has been relentlessly reporting that ‘unnamed sources’ have told them that NASCAR will announce Monday that the Hall will go to their city.
Wednesday night, a high-ranking NASCAR source told the Observer that Atlanta's revised bid changes nothing.
Another source called the Atlanta bid "too little, too late" and told the paper that final logistics still must be worked out but "it's going to happen."
The Observer is also reporting that in another sign that plans for a Monday announcement are well under way, Concord-based event planner Jay Howard Events Production Group talked with NASCAR officials Wednesday about preparations, a source close to the situation said Wednesday.
But Charlotte officials remained mum on the speculation, as did business leaders and others asked about NASCAR's plans. None of the dozens of people interviewed this week would disclose details of any last-minute negotiations to land the hall, expected to attract hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
Atlanta and Daytona Beach remain optimistic about their chances to land the Hall of Fame, even after the Observer published its report Wednesday.
"We've heard rumors in the past. Almost three weeks ago we got calls from all over that Atlanta was getting the nod and that proved to be not true. Two weeks later we're hearing Charlotte got the nod. Maybe two weeks from now the rumor will be Daytona," George Mirabal, the local official in Daytona Beach working to bring the hall of fame to NASCAR's birthplace told the Associated Press.
"It looks like our chances are getting slimmer," added Mirabal.
"We hate reading all of this, but we have never given up, and we will never give up until a final decision is made by NASCAR."
NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said the organization is still talking to Atlanta and Daytona Beach.
"From our standpoint, as long as we are having open discussions with the other cities we still feel like it's an open process," he said. "I'll just leave it at that."
Two people in NASCAR who are close to the negotiations told The Associated Press later yesterday that although Charlotte is the leading candidate, the deal isn't complete and talks were ongoing. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because no deal is done.
One person said that NASCAR chairman Brian France spent Tuesday in Charlotte meeting with city leaders but left without a deal.
In Atlanta, civic leaders refused to concede to Charlotte and said NASCAR officials were still negotiating with them Wednesday over their financial proposal.
At NASCAR's request, Atlanta officials Wednesday said they increased the city's planned investment in the project from $5 million to $77 million. The state of Georgia had already pledged $25 million.
"Georgia's exceptional financial commitment coupled with our ability to immediately attract tourists from across the globe give us what I believe to be the winning bid for the NASCAR Hall of Fame," Gov. Sonny Perdue said in a statement yesterday.
"There's lots of rumors out there that Charlotte has been anointed. I don't have any confirmation of that," said A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress, the group that prepared and submitted the city's bid. "We have found a way, we think to enhance our bid."
For at least one of the cities, more than just the Hall Of Fame may be at stake.
George Mirabal told the Orlando Sentinel that from the start, there effort has not only focused on landing the hall, but also making sure that NASCAR's corporate headquarters remains in Daytona Beach.
NASCAR's offices are across the street from Daytona International Speedway in a complex that also houses the corporate headquarters of the International Speedway Corp., a publicly traded company run by the France family that owns and operates racetracks throughout the country.
In a news conference the day before the Daytona 500, NASCAR CEO Brian France shot down rumors that NASCAR's headquarters might move to North Carolina.
"No, that's not going to happen," France said. "We're based where we are. We're going to have a big presence in Charlotte. We'll have a big presence in New York, Los Angeles and certainly here in Daytona where the headquarters is. That's not in the cards."
However, France purchased a home in the Charlotte area recently, and in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel in 2005, he didn't rule out the possibility of relocating NASCAR's corporate offices.
The Charlotte area is also home to the majority of the sport's race teams as well as NASCAR's research-and-development center.
One thing that points to NASCAR's staying in Daytona is a recently announced plan to build a $75 million to $100 million office, retail and entertainment complex across the street from the Speedway. The complex is supposed to include the headquarters of NASCAR and ISC.
Come Monday, all the questions may be answered and for the losing cities, the teem ‘Black Monday’ could take on a whole new meaning.
My 10 steps to create a great NASCAR Hall of Fame
Mark Zeske
The creation of a NASCAR Hall of Fame and Museum is the biggest no-brainer since someone figured out that something round would roll. Not even NASCAR can screw this one up.
Just to make sure, here's a sure-fire blueprint for success. Call it 10 Steps to Stock Car Greatness.
1. Pick Charlotte as the location.
The Queen City already is the hub of stock car racing and has more racing tradition than the other potential sites. What about Daytona, you argue? Well, certainly the track is a major allure, but Daytona USA already is a cross between a museum and a theme park. Besides being a nice place for a family vacation, North Carolina also offers true racing fans a chance to visit various team headquarters. Although NASCAR is denying it, various reports say Charlotte's the pick.
2. Imitate Indy, then do it better.
This has worked for NASCAR with just about anything it has done since its inception, so why stop now? The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with its star 500-mile event, has about four decades on the stock car association. Indy invents, then NASCAR improves -- primarily by appealing to the common man and fan. The Hall of Fame museum in Indy is a magical place.
3. Learn from the stick and ball sports.
Again, this is something that NASCAR has done well -- going to school whenever another sports league works a TV deal, labor contract or deal with a municipality. Each of these sports has a nice hall, with baseball's Cooperstown another magical museum.
4. Go heavy on the museum, light on the hall inductions.
You can't induct 10 drivers every year into a NASCAR Hall of Fame because there's not enough quality for the quantity. Too few drivers have won a championship; in fact, it's hard to just win an event (just 168 drivers have won a single NASCAR race). After Carl Edwards won the first four races of his career last season, he already ranks 68th on the all-time list. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is just finding his way in the sport, hoping to compete for his first title this year. His 16 wins are topped by just 40 drivers in the history of NASCAR. Does Kyle Petty deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? Does Michael Waltrip? Keep it limited.
5. Make a big deal out of car owners, crew chiefs and even broadcasters.
If you depend just on drivers, the hall will be too small.
6. The cars are the stars.
There's not a car museum in the nation that isn't cool -- historical and brand-news cars are simply irresistible. Indy got this one right as even the most casual race fan can still spend hours looking at all the great cars in its museum. Showcasing the cars in essence puts the visitors on pit row.
7. Put the museum in the middle of a test track.
Let every team have 10 free tests at the track during the year. That way, on every visit the fan will be right in the middle of one of his or her driving heroes in action.
8. Make it interactive.
Let the fans work an air gun and test their own pit stop ability. Throw in a simulator and let the kids race.
9. Promote the place.
NASCAR knows this better than anyone, being a sponsor-driven sport. The other sports occasionally push their museums, but NASCAR has the perfect setup with its weekly race. What about a traveling mini-Hall of Fame available at the host track each week? Entice fans with a mobile trailer and offer travel discounts to the Hall.
10. Make these 10 guys your introductory class into the Hall of Fame: Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Junior Johnson, Big Bill France, Fireball Roberts, Fred Lorenzen, Buck Baker, Bobby Allison, David Pearson and Darrell Waltrip.
The first class should be heavy with drivers, and Petty and Earnhardt will be the headliners for the modern fans. The pair defined their eras and each won seven titles. Johnson goes not only as the best driver never to win a title, but as a top car owner. The France Family, founders and dictators for the duration, obviously needs representation. Roberts, Lorenzen and Baker would be the old-school inductees, representing the first 20 years of NASCAR. Allison would not only represent the Alabama gang and Talladega, but is the best example in NASCAR history of the longevity its drivers can enjoy. Pearson drove head-to-head against two generations, battling Lorenzen and Roberts in his early years, then being Petty's main rival in the 1970s. Waltrip would round out the class, not only for his fantastic driving career but for helping NASCAR usher into a new TV era as one of its lead broadcasters. Baseball did it right, with the inaugural class consisting of nothing but legends: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson. NASCAR's original Top 10 would be just as holy.
I Must Be Dense -- The More They Explain It, The Less I Understand
I’m not sure if Larry McReynolds speaks for NASCAR but he does work for the network that covers NASCAR and does a lot of shows on tech stuff. The following is how he explained NASCAR NOT taking points from the No. 48 after they were caught cheating at Daytona. And remember, no one and I mean no one is denying they were cheating.
He starts with a couple of examples. “Last March at Las Vegas, No. 29 crew chief Todd Berrier welded the fuel filler so it looked like it was full of fuel when it wasn’t. At Daytona, the Hall of Fame Racing’s No. 96 car qualified with an unapproved carburetor. According to NASCAR, those two infractions warranted not only a fine but a reduction of 25 driver and owner points because the fuel filler and the carburetor were absolutely unapproved parts. NASCAR was able to walk over to the car and confiscate those pieces, and their use was premeditated. The pieces were specifically made to skirt NASCAR’s rules (remember that “specifically made to skirt NASCAR’s rules” for later).
“Last fall during qualifying at Talladega, Berrier and the No. 29 team had some trap doors in the trunk that weren’t properly sealed off. The shocks were open when they were supposed to be closed. And some hose clamp that holds the fuel-filler pipe in place came loose. The next thing you know, Kevin Harvick’s car had air underneath the car, going up through the trunk and escaping out a hole in the back of the tail light. In that instance, no unapproved parts or pieces were used.” Again I’m a little dense but wouldn’t that fall under the heading “specifically made to skirt NASCAR’s rules?”
McReynolds goes on, “During Daytona 500 qualifying this year, crew chief Chad Knaus and the No. 48 team put a sleeve over the track bar adjuster. Like the No. 29 car at Talladega last fall, all of those parts and pieces were still part of the car that they raced in the Daytona 500. All of the pieces that were used on those cars were still on the car during the races. That’s why those two infractions warranted a $25,000 fine and a crew chief suspension but no deduction of driver and owner points.” This is where I’ll put “specifically made to skirt NASCAR’s rules” part again.
Larry continues, “I’m glad that I picked up the phone and called NASCAR because I totally thought they took 25 drivers and owner points away from the No. 29 at Talladega, but they did not. In simple terms, here’s the pattern. If you maliciously put something on a car that’s made or machined, and it’s an unapproved piece that can be confiscated, the team will be fined, the crew chief will be suspended and the driver and owner will lose 25 points.
“If you take something that’s already on the car and use it to beat the spirit of the rule, then it warrants a suspension and a fine, but it does not warrant the loss of 25 driver and owner points.”
Did he say, “Use it to beat the spirit of the rule does not warrant the loss of 25 driver and owner points?” To that I simply say BS! The 48 team passed tech, apparently made an adjustment to the car (didn’t know that was allowed) and then went out onto to the track and qualified fifth. After someone supposedly ratted them out, the car was checked out and failed the back window template test, the car was disqualified and Knaus was kicked out of the garage area. He has since been told to stay away from NASCAR for three more races. Why because he was caught cheating again … But not cheating bad enough to lose 25 points. Say s--- on TV and lose 25 points but bend a rule in “the spirit of the rule” and you’re OK. Please someone smack me up side the head, I’m just not getting this!
After the car was “fixed” Jimmy Johnson was allowed to start at the back of one of the qualifying races and finished well enough so he got to start ninth in the Daytona 500 … that’ll teach ‘em!
Isn’t cheating like being pregnant, either you are or you aren’t? Larry used the word “premeditated.” After pre-tech the car was adjusted and then deemed illegal. Now help me here, is that not premeditated?
So I’ll ask you this, was Knaus just testing the waters? What if he didn’t get ratted out and he wasn’t found to be cheating? Would he have then made the same adjustment during the first pit stop of the Daytona 500, ran up front and out of trouble, and then put it back to where it was legal on the last stop? What if the car wasn’t checked and found to be cheated up then, how long did he plan on keeping it like that?
And let’s look at the fine. Knaus was fined $25,000; the team took home a check from Daytona for $1,505,210. I realize the fines aren’t based on the finish of the race but shouldn’t they be? The fine amounted to 1.66089 percent of their check. If one of my local short tracks used the same formula in a race that pays $500 to win the fine would be $8.30. I know a bunch of teams that would pay eight bucks to win $500.
And before you tell me it was “only” qualifying it’s my understanding the NASCAR rule book states qualifying is considered part of the race.
Loose Lug Nuts: Is it just me or did the network used to show something on the track during a “debris yellow?” I’m only guessing but could the yellow lights be turned on by a big button that has to be pressed and every now and again the guy in charge of that button dozes off and bumps his forehead on the button turning on the lights. So at that point NASCAR can’t say -- yellow on the speedway because Greg Biffle has a 14 second lead on the second place at a track we come to now twice instead of Rockingham. Some fans who write to me tell me they tend to wake up when they hear the announcer say “yellow on the speedway.”
• None of Jack Roush’s drivers finished in the top 10 in the Daytona 500. The last time they all finished outside the top 10 was July 11, 2004 at Chicagoland. In that race Matt Kenseth’s 12th was the highest finish.
• A Cup tire changer’s goal is to loosen or tighten all five lug nuts in 1.1 second.
• With all the time and preparation that goes into Cup and Busch time trials each week it’s hard to believe that most times it comes down to who gets to go out onto the track when the sun goes behind a cloud or later in the day when the track cools down. It appears luck of the draw more than a fast car got Kurt Busch the pole last weekend and into the Clash next spring.
Not that I have anything against Busch and don’t know how they’d change anything (other than running heat races or inverting the point standings). I just find it interesting that something as important as the pole comes down to the uncontrollable elements.
• 1. Greg Biffle, 2. Ryan Newman, 3. Carl Edwards, 4. Jeff Burton, 5. Jamie McMurray, 6. Matt Kenseth, 7. J.J. Yeley, 8. Kevin Harvick, 9. Brian Vickers, 10. Denny Hamlin and 11th Reed Sorenson. Last week’s Cup race finish you ask? Nope, that’s the finish of the Busch race from California last Saturday. And Mark Martin won the Truck race out there, too, his second straight in 2006. Is that good for the sport? A lot of people say it is -- I’m still not buying it.
Quote Of The Week: Ken Schrader was on a show last week talking to Darrell Waltrip and Waltrip asked him how long he planned on racing in the Cup Series? Schrader said, “As long as someone will hire me and fortunately for me I haven’t had to buy my own team yet.”
Busch Series Cheaters: Matt Kenseth’s Busch car was caught with unapproved rear jacking bolts (incorrect thread count) last weekend before the race. His crew chief Chad Norris was fined $10,000 while Kenseth and Jack Roush both lost 25 points. Kenseth finished sixth and took home $31,150 and isn’t running for points. So I’m guessing that team will think twice before they try “skirting” the rules anytime soon.
Dave Fuge Jr., crew chief for Todd Bodine, was fined for $2,500 running an unapproved rear-end gear ratio. For reasons still unclear to me, this team didn’t lose any points.
Hmiel Out For Life: Former driver Shane Hmiel has been suspended from competition for life by NASCAR after failing a third substance abuse test. "Shane failed to fulfill the prescribed rehabilitation program scheduled by NASCAR," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said last Friday. "As a result, Shane has forfeited his opportunity to compete in any NASCAR-sanctioned events."
Hmiel, the 26-year-old son of longtime Cup crew chief and team official Steve Hmiel, was first suspended in September 2003 after failing a test. He completed a required rehabilitation program and was reinstated for NASCAR competition in February 2004. But he was suspended again last June after failing a second substance abuse test. He could have been reinstated in 2007 if he passed medical and psychological reviews and testing, but he recently failed one of those tests.
Everyone seems to have an opinion but I’ll simply say addiction is a terrible thing and I wish him luck in getting better. He’s a young man and not being able to race appears to be the least of his problems.
Busch Series Telcel-Motorola 200 qualifying Saturday, March 4 1:30 p.m. Speed Channel
Busch Series Telcel-Motorola 200 Sunday, March 5 2 p.m. Fox
All time Eastern. Times and station subject to change.
Your
Momma
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
This list is authored by:
Sandra Monacelli
221 W. 57th Street 18B
Loveland, CO 80538
970/663-6967
Today In Nascar History
03/02/1958-Lee Petty wins at Concord, win #1 of the season, and #31 of his career.
03/02/1963-Richard Petty wins at Spartanburg, win #2 of the season, and #15 of his career.
03/02/1975-Cale Yarborough wins at Rockingham, win #1 of the season, and #29 of his career.
03/02/1986-Terry Labonte wins at Rockingham, win #1 of the season, and #6 of his career.
03/02/1997-Rusty Wallace wins at Richmond, win #1 of the season, and #47 of his career.
03/02/2003-Matt Kenseth wins at Las Vegas, win #1 of the season, and #7 of his career.
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Quote of the Day"From our standpoint, as long as we are having open discussions with the other cities we still feel like it's an open process,I'll just leave it at that."
- NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp saying the organization is still talking to Atlanta and Daytona Beach about NASCAR's Hall Of Fame.
News gathered from multiple sources, including but not limited to: Jayski.com, Cup Scene Daily, Thatsracin.com, catchfence.com, nascar.com, yahoo!, espn.com and others.
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Bits and PiecesAir Force to Fly NASCAR Stars at Las Vegas: NASCAR drivers Kenny Schrader and Jon Wood will receive U.S. Air Force fighter orientation flights at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada on Thursday March 9. Schrader, current driver of the NEXTEL Cup #21 Wood Brothers Racing Team, will fly with the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, Thunderbirds. Wood, this year’s Busch series #47 driver for JTG Racing, will fly with the 57th Wing. - Air Force Public Affairs
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NASCAR report
By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY
There were few public apologies in the wake of a spate of intentional fender banging at Daytona, but there were at least two clarifications.
By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY
There were few public apologies in the wake of a spate of intentional fender banging at Daytona, but there were at least two clarifications.
Matt Kenseth said he regretted expressing displeasure over an incident with Tony Stewart, and Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson said they cleared the air after sniping at each other.
Newman insinuated Johnson's winning car in the Daytona 500 might not pass inspection after failing a qualifying check a week earlier. He also said NASCAR should have been tougher with crew chief Chad Knaus, who was ejected from the event and later suspended for three races.
Johnson retorted by implying Newman's team had cheated during the 2003 season while winning a series-high eight races. Newman said Johnson misunderstood that his criticism was aimed at Knaus.
"Everything I said got turned into being a Jimmie Johnson comment, and there was never a Jimmie Johnson comment," said Newman, who befriended Johnson in 2002 when they entered the circuit together as rookies. "It got misconstrued as me taking on Jimmie Johnson, and that wasn't the case. The way it was presented to him was what made it wrong."
Kenseth admitted his emotions boiled over after Stewart pushed him into the grass when he later pulled next to Stewart's Chevrolet while exiting the pits, earning a black flag.
Kenseth felt his No. 17 Ford was strong enough to win Daytona, a lifetime dream.
"I felt I had that taken away from me unfairly," he said. "It would be like Tony running the Indy 500 and me taking him out for no reason. How mad would he be?"
Kenseth was surprised NASCAR didn't dock points from Stewart for admitting in a postrace interview that he'd taken out Kenseth intentionally.
"In the past, when you mention you did something on purpose, there's penalties handed down," Kenseth said.
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Congress approves resolutions favoring more minorities in NASCARA partnership between NASCAR and historically black universities that's intended to expand the number of minorities involved with auto racing has gotten final approval from Congress.
A House resolution, co-sponsored by Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., and unanimously approved Tuesday, backs the creation of the partnership. The Senate passed similar nonbinding legislation last month.
So far, NASCAR is working with 10 historically black universities to teach NASCAR's technical curriculum by linking them to the Universal Technical Institute, a multi-campus program used by the racing body. Among these schools are North Carolina A&T State University and Winston-Salem State University.
The curriculum include areas such as sports marketing, finance, and personnel management.
"This is yet another step forward in increasing minority representation in an industry that has realized the financial benefits of broadening its appeal to a more diverse audience," Watt, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said in a statement. "As we have witnessed in golf and tennis, there is no limit to the accomplishments of minorities in competitive sports once the doors of opportunity are opened."
NASCAR President Mike Helton has acknowledged that selling the sport to minority fans continues to be difficult.
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MB2 Motorsports forms marketing allianceAcme Branding Company, a collection of brand rebels with mad skills, has formed a strategic alliance with MB2 Motorsports of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
Acme Branding Company, based in Ludington, Mich., will launch an innovative sponsorship acquisition program that will clearly communicate the unique opportunities and assets available through partnership with MB2 Motorsports.
"MB2 Motorsports is in a unique position in NASCAR," said Jim Bowie, vice president of Acme Branding Company. "The team has all of the pieces in place to achieve on-track success. We plan on combining that with content, technology and ideas to create new and innovative value propositions for corporate America."
Jay Frye, CEO and general manager at MB2 Motorsports, said, "In NASCAR, the battle off-track is just as intense as it is on-track and the difference between winning and losing is in the details. With the creative and innovative marketing services that Acme Branding Company will bring to MB2, we will be in a better position to attract additional partners to our organization."
Acme Branding Company will energize the MB2 brand with a multi-faceted plan. MB2 will lead with innovative measurable business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) initiatives for existing partners. Opportunities for new partners will position MB2 as leaders in creativity, fulfillment, measurement and activation.
"NASCAR has created the most successful sports marketing communications platform on the planet, but there are barriers to entry, not the least of which is, 'How can my company stand out and be effective among thousands of companies that are already here?' enthused Bowie. Acme Branding Company has a strategy that will clearly set MB2 apart -- stay tuned!"
MB2 Motorsports' full-time drivers in the Nextel Cup Series consist of Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin. Nemechek's No. 01 Chevrolet has season-long primary sponsorship support from the U.S. Army. Opportunities for partnership are still available with Marlin's No. 14 Chevrolet. Waste Management has partnered for 12 of the 36 Cup races on Marlin's car.
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Rusty Wallace to Test IndyCar: To prepare for his role as an analyst for ABC Sports' and ESPN's coverage of the 2006 IRL IndyCar Series season, Rusty Wallace will drive an IndyCar Series car on Thursday, March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Wallace won the 1989 NASCAR championship and scored 55 NASCAR Cup Series victories in his racing career. He retired after the 2005 season and drove the past 15 years for Roger Penske, the winningest car owner in Indianapolis 500 history. The Indy Racing League kicks off its Open Test at Homestead-Miami Speedway March 2-6. The IRL returns to the Sunshine State for the IndyCar Series' Toyota Indy 300 and Indy Pro Series' Miami 100 at the 1.5-mile oval, both on March 26.(Homestead-Miami Speedway)
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LVMS expects smooth vehicle flow for NASCAR Weekend: Las Vegas Motor Speedway's ever improving vehicle flow for its March 10-12 NASCAR Weekend should be even better for this year's event, according to LVMS officials. Over the past few years, the completion of the 215 beltway, new interchanges and wider roads have helped make ingress and egress from the speedway's property a constantly improving experience for race fans. The start times for both the March 11 Sam's Town 300 and UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 have been pushed later in the day. The Busch race will start at 3:30pm, while the Nextel Cup event is scheduled for 1:30pm. However, speedway officials are advising fans to come early. Local fans living in the northern and western parts of the valley are encouraged to use the 215 Beltway. Speedway officials also are encouraging as many race fans as possible to use buses and shuttles such as Citizens Area Transit (CAT) for transportation to the races. This year's event also will see a crackdown on the fraudulent use of handicapped placards. Speedway security will be checking the validity of handicapped passes on each vehicle.(LVMS.com/PR) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elaborate Changes Unveiled at Atlanta: Atlanta Motor Speedway announced three major facility additions that will be in place for the October 27-29 Bass Pro Shops 500 race weekend. More than 13,000 new grandstand seats will be added in the newly created Winners Grandstand, located at the Turn One end of the front straightaway. The new grandstand will feature more than 7,700 comfortable, individual style chair seats with drink holders and an additional 5,300 bench style seats. The chairback seats will be available for purchase annually for $495, including all six days both NEXTEL Cup race weekends and the bench seats will be available on an event by event basis. Also being added is a new luxury seating opportunity called "Club One." Members of Club One will enjoy an extraordinary, climate controlled view of the state-of-the-art facility and heart-pounding on-track action from comfortable theater-style seating. The premium 'Chef's Choice' menu and bar will add to the unique experience. Club One will offer a rooftop 'Sight and Sound' observation deck for members to bask in the sun while being enveloped in the race day spectacle. Approximately 1,000 Club One seats will be sold as an annual package for just $1,595 each. Fans will receive a parking pass in a designated Club One parking lot with four Club One tickets. Club One purchasers will also have the first option to purchase one of 30 new reserved motorcoach parking spaces below Club One.In a continued effort to meet the increased demands for trackside camping, track officials are adding a new upscale Trackside Terrace Camping section, along the backstretch, featuring more than 90 motorcoach parking spaces. All spaces in the Trackside Terrace Camping section will have full water, electricity and sewer hookups. For more information about the new additions at Atlanta Motor Speedway or to purchase tickets or camping spaces, fans may call (877) 9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), (770) 946-4211, or visit atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS Site/PR)
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Dover seeks sponsors after sale of MBNA: Dover International Speedway's 11-year, 19-race affiliation with sponsor MBNA has ended. The Bank of America, which recently bought the former Delaware-based credit card giant, has assumed sponsorship of the June 4 Nextel Cup Series event on Dover's high-banked, one-mile oval. Dover's spring race will be known as the Neighborhood Excellence 400 presented by Bank of America. Negotiations for sponsorship of the Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series races are continuing. Dover's spring race is also the last one that remained on MBNA's contract with Dover International Speedway, leaving the track scrambling to find sponsors for its September races, also. Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover, said he does not think that Bank of America will automatically fill MBNA's shoes at Dover. "I doubt they will play the role that MBNA played with us," McGlynn said. "We are still actively seeking sponsors for many of our NASCAR events."(Deleware News Journal)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lowe's Motor Speedway Resurfacing Fast Facts: The resurfacing of Lowe's Motor Speedway marks the third time the entire 1.5-mile oval has been repaved since the track opened in 1960. The first new layer of asphalt was applied in 1973 and the most recent repaving came prior to the 1994 season. In between the track's corners received fresh coats of asphalt in 1979 and 1987. Including design, surveying, safer barrier removal and re-installation, track milling, repairs to the concrete retaining walls and paving, officials estimate the resurfacing project will require 25,000 to 30,000 man hours. In excess of 10,000 tons (20 million pounds) of asphalt will be used to coat the racing surface from the white line to the outside retaining wall. That's equivalent to the weight of 5,882 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup cars. If placed bumper to bumper, those 5,882 cars would circle the 1.5-mile track 12.5 times. The repaving of the racing surface will be done in two layers using a special polymer in the asphalt mix. The first layer will be 2 inches in depth and the final layer of asphalt will be 1.5 inches thick. .An additional 4,000 to 6,000 tons of asphalt will be used to resurface the aprons, pit road and the turns of the frontstretch quarter-mile oval. To ensure a smooth racing surface, engineers utilized three-dimensional digital surveying techniques, technology not available when the track was built in 1960 or last repaved in 1994. Sunmount Corp., of Roanoke, Texas, is the contractor repaving Lowe's Motor Speedway. Tickets for each of Lowe's Motor Speedway's 2006 NASCAR events, including the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge on Saturday night, May 20, and the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday evening, May 28, can be obtained online at lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hall Of Fame might be going the Charlotte and NASCAR's headquarters may go with it By Greg Engle
Cup Scene Daily
It looks as though it’s down to the wire for the cities vying for the NASCAR Hall Of Fame.
Or is it?
This week the Charlotte Observer has been relentlessly reporting that ‘unnamed sources’ have told them that NASCAR will announce Monday that the Hall will go to their city.
Wednesday night, a high-ranking NASCAR source told the Observer that Atlanta's revised bid changes nothing.
Another source called the Atlanta bid "too little, too late" and told the paper that final logistics still must be worked out but "it's going to happen."
The Observer is also reporting that in another sign that plans for a Monday announcement are well under way, Concord-based event planner Jay Howard Events Production Group talked with NASCAR officials Wednesday about preparations, a source close to the situation said Wednesday.
But Charlotte officials remained mum on the speculation, as did business leaders and others asked about NASCAR's plans. None of the dozens of people interviewed this week would disclose details of any last-minute negotiations to land the hall, expected to attract hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
Atlanta and Daytona Beach remain optimistic about their chances to land the Hall of Fame, even after the Observer published its report Wednesday.
"We've heard rumors in the past. Almost three weeks ago we got calls from all over that Atlanta was getting the nod and that proved to be not true. Two weeks later we're hearing Charlotte got the nod. Maybe two weeks from now the rumor will be Daytona," George Mirabal, the local official in Daytona Beach working to bring the hall of fame to NASCAR's birthplace told the Associated Press.
"It looks like our chances are getting slimmer," added Mirabal.
"We hate reading all of this, but we have never given up, and we will never give up until a final decision is made by NASCAR."
NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said the organization is still talking to Atlanta and Daytona Beach.
"From our standpoint, as long as we are having open discussions with the other cities we still feel like it's an open process," he said. "I'll just leave it at that."
Two people in NASCAR who are close to the negotiations told The Associated Press later yesterday that although Charlotte is the leading candidate, the deal isn't complete and talks were ongoing. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because no deal is done.
One person said that NASCAR chairman Brian France spent Tuesday in Charlotte meeting with city leaders but left without a deal.
In Atlanta, civic leaders refused to concede to Charlotte and said NASCAR officials were still negotiating with them Wednesday over their financial proposal.
At NASCAR's request, Atlanta officials Wednesday said they increased the city's planned investment in the project from $5 million to $77 million. The state of Georgia had already pledged $25 million.
"Georgia's exceptional financial commitment coupled with our ability to immediately attract tourists from across the globe give us what I believe to be the winning bid for the NASCAR Hall of Fame," Gov. Sonny Perdue said in a statement yesterday.
"There's lots of rumors out there that Charlotte has been anointed. I don't have any confirmation of that," said A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress, the group that prepared and submitted the city's bid. "We have found a way, we think to enhance our bid."
For at least one of the cities, more than just the Hall Of Fame may be at stake.
George Mirabal told the Orlando Sentinel that from the start, there effort has not only focused on landing the hall, but also making sure that NASCAR's corporate headquarters remains in Daytona Beach.
NASCAR's offices are across the street from Daytona International Speedway in a complex that also houses the corporate headquarters of the International Speedway Corp., a publicly traded company run by the France family that owns and operates racetracks throughout the country.
In a news conference the day before the Daytona 500, NASCAR CEO Brian France shot down rumors that NASCAR's headquarters might move to North Carolina.
"No, that's not going to happen," France said. "We're based where we are. We're going to have a big presence in Charlotte. We'll have a big presence in New York, Los Angeles and certainly here in Daytona where the headquarters is. That's not in the cards."
However, France purchased a home in the Charlotte area recently, and in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel in 2005, he didn't rule out the possibility of relocating NASCAR's corporate offices.
The Charlotte area is also home to the majority of the sport's race teams as well as NASCAR's research-and-development center.
One thing that points to NASCAR's staying in Daytona is a recently announced plan to build a $75 million to $100 million office, retail and entertainment complex across the street from the Speedway. The complex is supposed to include the headquarters of NASCAR and ISC.
Come Monday, all the questions may be answered and for the losing cities, the teem ‘Black Monday’ could take on a whole new meaning.
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Blueprint for the HallMy 10 steps to create a great NASCAR Hall of Fame
Mark Zeske
The creation of a NASCAR Hall of Fame and Museum is the biggest no-brainer since someone figured out that something round would roll. Not even NASCAR can screw this one up.
Just to make sure, here's a sure-fire blueprint for success. Call it 10 Steps to Stock Car Greatness.
1. Pick Charlotte as the location.
The Queen City already is the hub of stock car racing and has more racing tradition than the other potential sites. What about Daytona, you argue? Well, certainly the track is a major allure, but Daytona USA already is a cross between a museum and a theme park. Besides being a nice place for a family vacation, North Carolina also offers true racing fans a chance to visit various team headquarters. Although NASCAR is denying it, various reports say Charlotte's the pick.
2. Imitate Indy, then do it better.
This has worked for NASCAR with just about anything it has done since its inception, so why stop now? The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with its star 500-mile event, has about four decades on the stock car association. Indy invents, then NASCAR improves -- primarily by appealing to the common man and fan. The Hall of Fame museum in Indy is a magical place.
3. Learn from the stick and ball sports.
Again, this is something that NASCAR has done well -- going to school whenever another sports league works a TV deal, labor contract or deal with a municipality. Each of these sports has a nice hall, with baseball's Cooperstown another magical museum.
4. Go heavy on the museum, light on the hall inductions.
You can't induct 10 drivers every year into a NASCAR Hall of Fame because there's not enough quality for the quantity. Too few drivers have won a championship; in fact, it's hard to just win an event (just 168 drivers have won a single NASCAR race). After Carl Edwards won the first four races of his career last season, he already ranks 68th on the all-time list. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is just finding his way in the sport, hoping to compete for his first title this year. His 16 wins are topped by just 40 drivers in the history of NASCAR. Does Kyle Petty deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? Does Michael Waltrip? Keep it limited.
5. Make a big deal out of car owners, crew chiefs and even broadcasters.
If you depend just on drivers, the hall will be too small.
6. The cars are the stars.
There's not a car museum in the nation that isn't cool -- historical and brand-news cars are simply irresistible. Indy got this one right as even the most casual race fan can still spend hours looking at all the great cars in its museum. Showcasing the cars in essence puts the visitors on pit row.
7. Put the museum in the middle of a test track.
Let every team have 10 free tests at the track during the year. That way, on every visit the fan will be right in the middle of one of his or her driving heroes in action.
8. Make it interactive.
Let the fans work an air gun and test their own pit stop ability. Throw in a simulator and let the kids race.
9. Promote the place.
NASCAR knows this better than anyone, being a sponsor-driven sport. The other sports occasionally push their museums, but NASCAR has the perfect setup with its weekly race. What about a traveling mini-Hall of Fame available at the host track each week? Entice fans with a mobile trailer and offer travel discounts to the Hall.
10. Make these 10 guys your introductory class into the Hall of Fame: Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Junior Johnson, Big Bill France, Fireball Roberts, Fred Lorenzen, Buck Baker, Bobby Allison, David Pearson and Darrell Waltrip.
The first class should be heavy with drivers, and Petty and Earnhardt will be the headliners for the modern fans. The pair defined their eras and each won seven titles. Johnson goes not only as the best driver never to win a title, but as a top car owner. The France Family, founders and dictators for the duration, obviously needs representation. Roberts, Lorenzen and Baker would be the old-school inductees, representing the first 20 years of NASCAR. Allison would not only represent the Alabama gang and Talladega, but is the best example in NASCAR history of the longevity its drivers can enjoy. Pearson drove head-to-head against two generations, battling Lorenzen and Roberts in his early years, then being Petty's main rival in the 1970s. Waltrip would round out the class, not only for his fantastic driving career but for helping NASCAR usher into a new TV era as one of its lead broadcasters. Baseball did it right, with the inaugural class consisting of nothing but legends: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson. NASCAR's original Top 10 would be just as holy.
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By the Numbers: Mexico
Second international race likely to be won from top starting position
By Josh Pate, NASCAR.COM
The formula is set for a Busch Series regular to win Sunday's Telcel-Motorola 200 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (2 p.m. ET, FOX). Both winners this season have been Nextel Cup regulars, but with the top series off this week, many of the double-dippers won't be making the trip to Mexico City.
A new group of Buschwhackers, however, will be there.
Twelve of the 48 drivers attempting to qualify for the race this weekend are either Mexican racers or road-course specialists, including Belgium native Marc Goossens.
If the dozen locals and ringers make the field, there's a 28 percent chance one of those men will be standing in Victory Lane on Sunday afternoon.
What you didn't know
3 -- Times that a full-time Busch Series driver won at a road course: Mike McLaughlin (Watkins Glen, 1997), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Watkins Glen, 1999), Martin Truex Jr. (Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, 2005). The other 12 races were won by part-timers or by road-course specialists.
Driver Rating: Telcel-Motorola Mexico 200
122.3 -- Kevin Harvick, No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Harvick finished second to Martin Truex Jr. last year in Mexico City. In Harvick's other two Busch Series road-course starts, he has a pair of third-place finishes.
NASCAR's driver rating combines the following categories: wins, finishes, top-15s, average lead-lap running position, average speed under green, fastest lap, led most laps and lead-lap finish. Statistics based on current and past year at track. Maximum rating: 150 points.
Numerology
For the second time, NASCAR steps across the border to run a points-paying race when the Busch Series heads to Mexico City's road course.
In the inaugural race last season, winner Martin Truex Jr. led a race-high 45 of the 80 laps. And while Truex has moved on to the Cup Series, most of the other top finishers from last year's race have not. If they qualify well, the numbers say there's a fair chance they'll be up front at the end of the day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Second international race likely to be won from top starting position
By Josh Pate, NASCAR.COM
The formula is set for a Busch Series regular to win Sunday's Telcel-Motorola 200 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (2 p.m. ET, FOX). Both winners this season have been Nextel Cup regulars, but with the top series off this week, many of the double-dippers won't be making the trip to Mexico City.
A new group of Buschwhackers, however, will be there.
Twelve of the 48 drivers attempting to qualify for the race this weekend are either Mexican racers or road-course specialists, including Belgium native Marc Goossens.
If the dozen locals and ringers make the field, there's a 28 percent chance one of those men will be standing in Victory Lane on Sunday afternoon.
What you didn't know
3 -- Times that a full-time Busch Series driver won at a road course: Mike McLaughlin (Watkins Glen, 1997), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Watkins Glen, 1999), Martin Truex Jr. (Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, 2005). The other 12 races were won by part-timers or by road-course specialists.
Driver Rating: Telcel-Motorola Mexico 200
122.3 -- Kevin Harvick, No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Harvick finished second to Martin Truex Jr. last year in Mexico City. In Harvick's other two Busch Series road-course starts, he has a pair of third-place finishes.
NASCAR's driver rating combines the following categories: wins, finishes, top-15s, average lead-lap running position, average speed under green, fastest lap, led most laps and lead-lap finish. Statistics based on current and past year at track. Maximum rating: 150 points.
Numerology
For the second time, NASCAR steps across the border to run a points-paying race when the Busch Series heads to Mexico City's road course.
In the inaugural race last season, winner Martin Truex Jr. led a race-high 45 of the 80 laps. And while Truex has moved on to the Cup Series, most of the other top finishers from last year's race have not. If they qualify well, the numbers say there's a fair chance they'll be up front at the end of the day.
- 1 -- Busch Series races held outside the United States. Last year's race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was the first international event for the series.
- 2.518 -- Miles around Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the longest of the three road courses on which NASCAR competes. Infineon Raceway is 1.99 miles in length and Watkins Glen is 2.45 miles.
- 3 -- Road-course victories in seven Busch Series starts for Ron Fellows, all at Watkins Glen. His victories in 1998, 2000 and 2001 were his only starts during those seasons.
- 5 -- Road-course specialists who will be in Mexico City this weekend: Chris Cook, Ron Fellows, Marc Goossens, Boris Said and Paul Tracy.
- 6.5 -- Average finish of Kevin Harvick in the two Busch Series races this season, the best among drivers who entered both races. His average starting position, however, is 22.5.
- 7 -- Mexican-born drivers who will try to qualify for Sunday's Telcel-Motorola Mexico 200: Carlos Contreras, Adrian Fernandez, Jorge Goeters, Michel Jourdain Jr., Rogello Lopez, Jimmy Morales and Carlos Pardo.
- 7 -- Drivers who finished in the top 10 in last year's race entered this weekend: Kevin Harvick (2nd), Carl Edwards (3rd), Boris Said (5th), Clint Bowyer (7th), Kenny Wallace (8th), Ashton Lewis Jr. (9th) and Adrian Fernandez (10th).
- 9 -- Points Kevin Harvick leads J.J. Yeley in the Busch Series standings entering Sunday's race. Harvick led last year's standings heading to Mexico City by 47 points.
- 9 -- Full-time Cup drivers who will attempt to make the Busch race this weekend, the lowest number this season. In addition to the seven drivers running both schedules, Jamie McMurray and Michael Waltrip will attempt to qualify.
- 10 -- Busch Series road-course races of the 15 total that have been won from a top-five starting spot.
- 15 -- Road-course events in the 25-year history of the Busch Series, all of which have been held at Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta and Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
- 22 -- Laps of last year's 80-lap event that were run under caution, 27.5 percent.
- 24 -- Laps led by Mexican driver Jorge Goeters in last year's race, second only to race-winner Martin Truex Jr. Goeters' engine let go and he finished 38th. No other driver led more than four laps.
- 33 -- Cars on the lead lap at the end of the 2005 event.
- 180 -- Degrees in which racecars must turn in the final corner of Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The turn is called the Peraltada.
With Labonte, Pettys Talking Turnaround
By CHRIS JENKINS
AP Sports Writer
Richmond Dispatch
Kyle Petty's improbable recruiting effort finally paid off. For three years, Petty nagged Bobby Labonte to come drive the family team's famed No. 43 car.
He'd stop Labonte on the streets of their subdivision in Trinity, N.C., where Petty jogs and Labonte rides his bicycle. They'd talk on airplane rides. One day, they ran into each other getting a bite to eat at Panera.
Petty delivered the same plea every time: "Come drive that 43, man."
Petty was joking - at least he thought he was. Why would Labonte, the 2000 series champion, leave an elite team such as Joe Gibbs Racing for a once-dominant team that has fallen on two decades worth of hard times?
Turns out, the chance to help turn around Petty Enterprises proved more attractive to Labonte than Petty anticipated.
"He had people throwing money at him, fortune and fame and houses and cars and all kinds of stuff," Petty said. "But in the end, this is where he chose to come."
Labonte's move is the latest and most high-profile step in a recent talent infusion that has the Petty people talking turnaround.
Robbie Loomis, who left the Pettys to become Jeff Gordon's crew chief in 2000, has returned to become the team's executive vice president. Todd Parrott, who won a championship with Dale Jarrett in 1999, will be Labonte's crew chief. They join Paul Andrews, another championship-winning crew chief, who came to the team last season.
Petty calls the four men "cornerstones" who form the foundation for something the team hasn't had in years: hope.
"In a short period of time, morale really went through the ceiling," Petty said.
Labonte and Petty both were involved in crashes in the season-opening Daytona 500, but Labonte showed the team's potential in the middle of the race by climbing into the top 10 and staying there, weaving his way to as high as sixth.
Asked to list reasonable goals for the season, Petty talks about trying to develop chemistry and becoming more consistent in the first half, then going after steady top-five and top-10 finishes in the second half.
And this: "I think Bobby can win races," Petty said.
A Petty car hasn't visited Victory Lane since 1999, and the team, which won 10 championships from 1954-79, has only three victories since 1984.
Richard Petty said the team lost its edge in the 1980s, when new team owners with big ideas and even bigger budgets entered NASCAR.
"A lot of them also looked a little further down the line in the future than we did," Richard Petty said. "We always did everything out of Level Cross (N.C.) in the backyard and we were fairly successful with the thing. Then it started being a bigger and bigger business. It started going and bringing more people in, more money, more technology, that kind of stuff. We still sat there in the backyard. By the time we got ready to do something about it, we were so far behind on our money and our engineering and all that stuff it's just taken us a little time to get going."
The team widely is perceived to be at a major technological disadvantage to rival megateams such as Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Racing and Gibbs, but Labonte said the dropoff really isn't dramatic. An engine deal with another Dodge team, Evernham Motorsports, has boosted horsepower.
"They might not have the luxury stuff like some teams, but as far as having the stuff to work with, they've got it," Labonte said. "That's not a problem."
Petty suspects the chance to help lead a team back to greatness played a key role in Labonte's decision to join the team. Labonte seems to have embraced the role.
"When I quit driving it one day, I want to see 25 guys in line wanting to drive it because it must be a great car," Labonte said. "You want people to want to drive the car. That would be better than any money you could get to have that feeling."
That's Petty's vision, too. The team's long-term goal is to become good enough to attract a hotshot young driver.
"Then we have a Kurt Busch, we have a Ryan Newman, we have somebody of that caliber and somebody who can step in and drive the second car," Petty said.
Petty's son, Adam, was supposed to be that young hotshot. But he was killed in a racing accident in 2000, sending the Petty family and the team into a spiral of grief. A talented driver who could charm the checkbook off potential sponsors, Adam was supposed to be the future of Petty Enterprises.
"If Adam was here, I probably wouldn't be driving today," Kyle Petty said.
Petty said the presence of Labonte and the other newcomers has boosted morale in the team's shop, especially among longtime employees who grieved for Adam with the family.
"The guys at the shop were here when Adam's accident happened, the majority of those guys," Kyle Petty said. "So it's huge for them to think, OK, five years ago for us, where we were at, and then where we are at this year at Daytona is a huge difference."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By CHRIS JENKINS
AP Sports Writer
Richmond Dispatch
Kyle Petty's improbable recruiting effort finally paid off. For three years, Petty nagged Bobby Labonte to come drive the family team's famed No. 43 car.
He'd stop Labonte on the streets of their subdivision in Trinity, N.C., where Petty jogs and Labonte rides his bicycle. They'd talk on airplane rides. One day, they ran into each other getting a bite to eat at Panera.
Petty delivered the same plea every time: "Come drive that 43, man."
Petty was joking - at least he thought he was. Why would Labonte, the 2000 series champion, leave an elite team such as Joe Gibbs Racing for a once-dominant team that has fallen on two decades worth of hard times?
Turns out, the chance to help turn around Petty Enterprises proved more attractive to Labonte than Petty anticipated.
"He had people throwing money at him, fortune and fame and houses and cars and all kinds of stuff," Petty said. "But in the end, this is where he chose to come."
Labonte's move is the latest and most high-profile step in a recent talent infusion that has the Petty people talking turnaround.
Robbie Loomis, who left the Pettys to become Jeff Gordon's crew chief in 2000, has returned to become the team's executive vice president. Todd Parrott, who won a championship with Dale Jarrett in 1999, will be Labonte's crew chief. They join Paul Andrews, another championship-winning crew chief, who came to the team last season.
Petty calls the four men "cornerstones" who form the foundation for something the team hasn't had in years: hope.
"In a short period of time, morale really went through the ceiling," Petty said.
Labonte and Petty both were involved in crashes in the season-opening Daytona 500, but Labonte showed the team's potential in the middle of the race by climbing into the top 10 and staying there, weaving his way to as high as sixth.
Asked to list reasonable goals for the season, Petty talks about trying to develop chemistry and becoming more consistent in the first half, then going after steady top-five and top-10 finishes in the second half.
And this: "I think Bobby can win races," Petty said.
A Petty car hasn't visited Victory Lane since 1999, and the team, which won 10 championships from 1954-79, has only three victories since 1984.
Richard Petty said the team lost its edge in the 1980s, when new team owners with big ideas and even bigger budgets entered NASCAR.
"A lot of them also looked a little further down the line in the future than we did," Richard Petty said. "We always did everything out of Level Cross (N.C.) in the backyard and we were fairly successful with the thing. Then it started being a bigger and bigger business. It started going and bringing more people in, more money, more technology, that kind of stuff. We still sat there in the backyard. By the time we got ready to do something about it, we were so far behind on our money and our engineering and all that stuff it's just taken us a little time to get going."
The team widely is perceived to be at a major technological disadvantage to rival megateams such as Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Racing and Gibbs, but Labonte said the dropoff really isn't dramatic. An engine deal with another Dodge team, Evernham Motorsports, has boosted horsepower.
"They might not have the luxury stuff like some teams, but as far as having the stuff to work with, they've got it," Labonte said. "That's not a problem."
Petty suspects the chance to help lead a team back to greatness played a key role in Labonte's decision to join the team. Labonte seems to have embraced the role.
"When I quit driving it one day, I want to see 25 guys in line wanting to drive it because it must be a great car," Labonte said. "You want people to want to drive the car. That would be better than any money you could get to have that feeling."
That's Petty's vision, too. The team's long-term goal is to become good enough to attract a hotshot young driver.
"Then we have a Kurt Busch, we have a Ryan Newman, we have somebody of that caliber and somebody who can step in and drive the second car," Petty said.
Petty's son, Adam, was supposed to be that young hotshot. But he was killed in a racing accident in 2000, sending the Petty family and the team into a spiral of grief. A talented driver who could charm the checkbook off potential sponsors, Adam was supposed to be the future of Petty Enterprises.
"If Adam was here, I probably wouldn't be driving today," Kyle Petty said.
Petty said the presence of Labonte and the other newcomers has boosted morale in the team's shop, especially among longtime employees who grieved for Adam with the family.
"The guys at the shop were here when Adam's accident happened, the majority of those guys," Kyle Petty said. "So it's huge for them to think, OK, five years ago for us, where we were at, and then where we are at this year at Daytona is a huge difference."
McMurray: Roush everything I imagined
Race-long dominance ends in disappointment for Biffle
By David Newton, NASCAR.COM
FONTANA, Calif. -- Jamie McMurray barely could contain his excitement when he climbed out of his car after a sixth-place finish in Sunday's Nextel Cup race at California Speedway.
The Roush Racing handling and power at intermediate tracks he envied so much the past few years while at Chip Ganassi Racing was everything he imagined.
"Without a doubt,'' said McMurray, who left Ganassi at the end of last season. "Anytime you're a racecar driver and you see not one, not two, but five teams all run well, you think, 'If I get in those cars I'll run well.'
"That's one of the reasons I came over here. I wanted to be a part of a winning organization.''
Roush teammate Greg Biffle wasn't so ecstatic. After leading a race-high 168 laps, a blown engine forced him to spend the final 21 laps in the garage watching teammate Matt Kenseth win.
His 42nd-place finish, coupled with a 31st last week at Daytona because of a flat tire on the last lap, left him 38th in points when it appeared he would be in the top 10.
"It's just not the way to start the season,'' said Biffle, who finished tied for second in last year's Chase for the Championship. "Luck is just not on our side.''
But Biffle can understand McMurray's excitement. He knows better than most how dominant the Roush intermediate program is, having won a series-high six races a year ago.
"You can see it out on the track how good these engines are,'' said Biffle, who pulled away from the field most of the day. "It's frustrating. It drains you, but I've got to be optimistic about our season.''
McMurray definitely is optimistic. Although 18th in points, he's never felt more confident about a season.
"When I watched the NASCAR programs in the morning they all talked about the Roush dominance,'' McMurray said. "I thought, 'That's cool. I get to be a part of that this year.'"
McMurray said the dominance at California, where Roush had four cars in the top nine and all five in the top nine until Biffle lost his engine, isn't just about the engines or the drivers.
He said it has as much to do with a willingness to share information, noting how much he benefited from using Biffle's spring package.
"When I looked at the practice times from [Saturday] I pretty much focused on all the Roush cars, because it seemed like we were better than most,'' McMurray said. "I told them as soon as the race started, 'You guys have really fast race cars here.'"
McMurray said there wasn't the same willingness to share at Ganassi, where he finished 12th, 11th and 13th in points the past three seasons.
More importantly, he feels more confident in what is being shared.
"When you're getting notes from guys that won four or five times last year, you certainly have more confidence in what you're getting,'' he said. "We had access before to get notes from Casey [Mears] and Sterling [Marlin], but we didn't utilize that. We kind of were our own deal.
"It's pretty incredible they can build all the cars that close.''
There were times on Sunday when Roush drivers owned the top four spots in Biffle, Kenseth, Mark Martin and Carl Edwards. McMurray, still adjusting to the Ford from the Dodge, usually wasn't far behind.
"I screamed all day how tight I was,'' he said. "I said, 'You've got to free me up.' But we still ran a top-five, top-eight the whole time. They're at the top of their game, and I'm very fortunate to be able to join them.''
Such confidence in the organization, which placed all five Cup teams in the Chase a year ago, is why Biffle won't let himself get too down. His teammates won't let him, either.
"He won six [last season] and probably could have won 10,'' Kenseth said. "I today have no doubt Greg is going to make the Chase. He's going to be one of the guys to beat again.''
Race-long dominance ends in disappointment for Biffle
By David Newton, NASCAR.COM
FONTANA, Calif. -- Jamie McMurray barely could contain his excitement when he climbed out of his car after a sixth-place finish in Sunday's Nextel Cup race at California Speedway.
The Roush Racing handling and power at intermediate tracks he envied so much the past few years while at Chip Ganassi Racing was everything he imagined.
"Without a doubt,'' said McMurray, who left Ganassi at the end of last season. "Anytime you're a racecar driver and you see not one, not two, but five teams all run well, you think, 'If I get in those cars I'll run well.'
"That's one of the reasons I came over here. I wanted to be a part of a winning organization.''
Roush teammate Greg Biffle wasn't so ecstatic. After leading a race-high 168 laps, a blown engine forced him to spend the final 21 laps in the garage watching teammate Matt Kenseth win.
His 42nd-place finish, coupled with a 31st last week at Daytona because of a flat tire on the last lap, left him 38th in points when it appeared he would be in the top 10.
"It's just not the way to start the season,'' said Biffle, who finished tied for second in last year's Chase for the Championship. "Luck is just not on our side.''
But Biffle can understand McMurray's excitement. He knows better than most how dominant the Roush intermediate program is, having won a series-high six races a year ago.
"You can see it out on the track how good these engines are,'' said Biffle, who pulled away from the field most of the day. "It's frustrating. It drains you, but I've got to be optimistic about our season.''
McMurray definitely is optimistic. Although 18th in points, he's never felt more confident about a season.
"When I watched the NASCAR programs in the morning they all talked about the Roush dominance,'' McMurray said. "I thought, 'That's cool. I get to be a part of that this year.'"
McMurray said the dominance at California, where Roush had four cars in the top nine and all five in the top nine until Biffle lost his engine, isn't just about the engines or the drivers.
He said it has as much to do with a willingness to share information, noting how much he benefited from using Biffle's spring package.
"When I looked at the practice times from [Saturday] I pretty much focused on all the Roush cars, because it seemed like we were better than most,'' McMurray said. "I told them as soon as the race started, 'You guys have really fast race cars here.'"
McMurray said there wasn't the same willingness to share at Ganassi, where he finished 12th, 11th and 13th in points the past three seasons.
More importantly, he feels more confident in what is being shared.
"When you're getting notes from guys that won four or five times last year, you certainly have more confidence in what you're getting,'' he said. "We had access before to get notes from Casey [Mears] and Sterling [Marlin], but we didn't utilize that. We kind of were our own deal.
"It's pretty incredible they can build all the cars that close.''
There were times on Sunday when Roush drivers owned the top four spots in Biffle, Kenseth, Mark Martin and Carl Edwards. McMurray, still adjusting to the Ford from the Dodge, usually wasn't far behind.
"I screamed all day how tight I was,'' he said. "I said, 'You've got to free me up.' But we still ran a top-five, top-eight the whole time. They're at the top of their game, and I'm very fortunate to be able to join them.''
Such confidence in the organization, which placed all five Cup teams in the Chase a year ago, is why Biffle won't let himself get too down. His teammates won't let him, either.
"He won six [last season] and probably could have won 10,'' Kenseth said. "I today have no doubt Greg is going to make the Chase. He's going to be one of the guys to beat again.''
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I Must Be Dense -- The More They Explain It, The Less I Understand
I’m not sure if Larry McReynolds speaks for NASCAR but he does work for the network that covers NASCAR and does a lot of shows on tech stuff. The following is how he explained NASCAR NOT taking points from the No. 48 after they were caught cheating at Daytona. And remember, no one and I mean no one is denying they were cheating.
He starts with a couple of examples. “Last March at Las Vegas, No. 29 crew chief Todd Berrier welded the fuel filler so it looked like it was full of fuel when it wasn’t. At Daytona, the Hall of Fame Racing’s No. 96 car qualified with an unapproved carburetor. According to NASCAR, those two infractions warranted not only a fine but a reduction of 25 driver and owner points because the fuel filler and the carburetor were absolutely unapproved parts. NASCAR was able to walk over to the car and confiscate those pieces, and their use was premeditated. The pieces were specifically made to skirt NASCAR’s rules (remember that “specifically made to skirt NASCAR’s rules” for later).
“Last fall during qualifying at Talladega, Berrier and the No. 29 team had some trap doors in the trunk that weren’t properly sealed off. The shocks were open when they were supposed to be closed. And some hose clamp that holds the fuel-filler pipe in place came loose. The next thing you know, Kevin Harvick’s car had air underneath the car, going up through the trunk and escaping out a hole in the back of the tail light. In that instance, no unapproved parts or pieces were used.” Again I’m a little dense but wouldn’t that fall under the heading “specifically made to skirt NASCAR’s rules?”
McReynolds goes on, “During Daytona 500 qualifying this year, crew chief Chad Knaus and the No. 48 team put a sleeve over the track bar adjuster. Like the No. 29 car at Talladega last fall, all of those parts and pieces were still part of the car that they raced in the Daytona 500. All of the pieces that were used on those cars were still on the car during the races. That’s why those two infractions warranted a $25,000 fine and a crew chief suspension but no deduction of driver and owner points.” This is where I’ll put “specifically made to skirt NASCAR’s rules” part again.
Larry continues, “I’m glad that I picked up the phone and called NASCAR because I totally thought they took 25 drivers and owner points away from the No. 29 at Talladega, but they did not. In simple terms, here’s the pattern. If you maliciously put something on a car that’s made or machined, and it’s an unapproved piece that can be confiscated, the team will be fined, the crew chief will be suspended and the driver and owner will lose 25 points.
“If you take something that’s already on the car and use it to beat the spirit of the rule, then it warrants a suspension and a fine, but it does not warrant the loss of 25 driver and owner points.”
Did he say, “Use it to beat the spirit of the rule does not warrant the loss of 25 driver and owner points?” To that I simply say BS! The 48 team passed tech, apparently made an adjustment to the car (didn’t know that was allowed) and then went out onto to the track and qualified fifth. After someone supposedly ratted them out, the car was checked out and failed the back window template test, the car was disqualified and Knaus was kicked out of the garage area. He has since been told to stay away from NASCAR for three more races. Why because he was caught cheating again … But not cheating bad enough to lose 25 points. Say s--- on TV and lose 25 points but bend a rule in “the spirit of the rule” and you’re OK. Please someone smack me up side the head, I’m just not getting this!
After the car was “fixed” Jimmy Johnson was allowed to start at the back of one of the qualifying races and finished well enough so he got to start ninth in the Daytona 500 … that’ll teach ‘em!
Isn’t cheating like being pregnant, either you are or you aren’t? Larry used the word “premeditated.” After pre-tech the car was adjusted and then deemed illegal. Now help me here, is that not premeditated?
So I’ll ask you this, was Knaus just testing the waters? What if he didn’t get ratted out and he wasn’t found to be cheating? Would he have then made the same adjustment during the first pit stop of the Daytona 500, ran up front and out of trouble, and then put it back to where it was legal on the last stop? What if the car wasn’t checked and found to be cheated up then, how long did he plan on keeping it like that?
And let’s look at the fine. Knaus was fined $25,000; the team took home a check from Daytona for $1,505,210. I realize the fines aren’t based on the finish of the race but shouldn’t they be? The fine amounted to 1.66089 percent of their check. If one of my local short tracks used the same formula in a race that pays $500 to win the fine would be $8.30. I know a bunch of teams that would pay eight bucks to win $500.
And before you tell me it was “only” qualifying it’s my understanding the NASCAR rule book states qualifying is considered part of the race.
Loose Lug Nuts: Is it just me or did the network used to show something on the track during a “debris yellow?” I’m only guessing but could the yellow lights be turned on by a big button that has to be pressed and every now and again the guy in charge of that button dozes off and bumps his forehead on the button turning on the lights. So at that point NASCAR can’t say -- yellow on the speedway because Greg Biffle has a 14 second lead on the second place at a track we come to now twice instead of Rockingham. Some fans who write to me tell me they tend to wake up when they hear the announcer say “yellow on the speedway.”
• None of Jack Roush’s drivers finished in the top 10 in the Daytona 500. The last time they all finished outside the top 10 was July 11, 2004 at Chicagoland. In that race Matt Kenseth’s 12th was the highest finish.
• A Cup tire changer’s goal is to loosen or tighten all five lug nuts in 1.1 second.
• With all the time and preparation that goes into Cup and Busch time trials each week it’s hard to believe that most times it comes down to who gets to go out onto the track when the sun goes behind a cloud or later in the day when the track cools down. It appears luck of the draw more than a fast car got Kurt Busch the pole last weekend and into the Clash next spring.
Not that I have anything against Busch and don’t know how they’d change anything (other than running heat races or inverting the point standings). I just find it interesting that something as important as the pole comes down to the uncontrollable elements.
• 1. Greg Biffle, 2. Ryan Newman, 3. Carl Edwards, 4. Jeff Burton, 5. Jamie McMurray, 6. Matt Kenseth, 7. J.J. Yeley, 8. Kevin Harvick, 9. Brian Vickers, 10. Denny Hamlin and 11th Reed Sorenson. Last week’s Cup race finish you ask? Nope, that’s the finish of the Busch race from California last Saturday. And Mark Martin won the Truck race out there, too, his second straight in 2006. Is that good for the sport? A lot of people say it is -- I’m still not buying it.
Quote Of The Week: Ken Schrader was on a show last week talking to Darrell Waltrip and Waltrip asked him how long he planned on racing in the Cup Series? Schrader said, “As long as someone will hire me and fortunately for me I haven’t had to buy my own team yet.”
Busch Series Cheaters: Matt Kenseth’s Busch car was caught with unapproved rear jacking bolts (incorrect thread count) last weekend before the race. His crew chief Chad Norris was fined $10,000 while Kenseth and Jack Roush both lost 25 points. Kenseth finished sixth and took home $31,150 and isn’t running for points. So I’m guessing that team will think twice before they try “skirting” the rules anytime soon.
Dave Fuge Jr., crew chief for Todd Bodine, was fined for $2,500 running an unapproved rear-end gear ratio. For reasons still unclear to me, this team didn’t lose any points.
Hmiel Out For Life: Former driver Shane Hmiel has been suspended from competition for life by NASCAR after failing a third substance abuse test. "Shane failed to fulfill the prescribed rehabilitation program scheduled by NASCAR," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said last Friday. "As a result, Shane has forfeited his opportunity to compete in any NASCAR-sanctioned events."
Hmiel, the 26-year-old son of longtime Cup crew chief and team official Steve Hmiel, was first suspended in September 2003 after failing a test. He completed a required rehabilitation program and was reinstated for NASCAR competition in February 2004. But he was suspended again last June after failing a second substance abuse test. He could have been reinstated in 2007 if he passed medical and psychological reviews and testing, but he recently failed one of those tests.
Everyone seems to have an opinion but I’ll simply say addiction is a terrible thing and I wish him luck in getting better. He’s a young man and not being able to race appears to be the least of his problems.
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"I'll apologize to them after they get me to the front!" -Dale Earnhardt back to pit when warned he was hurting his tires and told to save them during an early race charge
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NASCAR ON TV THIS WEEK Busch Series Telcel-Motorola 200 qualifying Saturday, March 4 1:30 p.m. Speed Channel
Busch Series Telcel-Motorola 200 Sunday, March 5 2 p.m. Fox
All time Eastern. Times and station subject to change.
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Well, that's all for today. Until the next time, I remain,Your
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
"It's nothin' personal, it's just racin'
-Dale Earnhardt Sr.
This list is authored by:
Sandra Monacelli
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