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Dale Jr. to run retro paint scheme at Darlington

Dale Earnhardt Jr. plans to celebrate his love of NASCAR’s history once more by running a retro paint scheme on his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway. The car’s look will be modeled after the 1981-82 entry driven by Darrell Waltrip. Earnhardt Jr. characterized the scheme as a “tribute to the history of the sport and the heritage at Darlington.” (From SceneDaily.com)

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Medallion Financial has discussions with Petty Enterprises

March 31, 2008 // Medallion Financial Group President Andrew Murstein acknowledges speculation that his company's Sports Properties Acquisition Corp. might be a potential business partner with Petty Enterprises, but he won't confirm or deny the reports.

Medallion Financial has formed an entertainment/sports acquisition company, Sports Properties Acquisition Corp., which completed an initial stock offering in January on the American Stock Exchange. The gross proceeds were $200 million.

"There has been speculation of our interest in Petty Enterprises for Sports Properties Acquisition Corp," Murstein said in a statement Monday. "We are looking to invest several hundred million dollars in the sports, leisure or entertainment-related industries. We are very interested in investing in NASCAR and the motorsports industry in general should the right deal come along."

Medallion nearly completed a deal with Robert Yates Racing in 2006, and Murstein confirmed last year that he had talked with at least five NASCAR teams about a possible investment opportunity.

Petty Enterprises owner Richard Petty said last Friday that the team needs someone from outside the racing industry to help attract sponsors. He indicated that he is further along in negotiations with a potential investor than he has been in the past and said the investor has been to races. (From SceneDaily.com)

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Texas Motor Speedway schedule and driver appearances

Texas Motor Speedway Schedule

Thursday (4/3/08)
10:30 a.m.: Gate 4 opens
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series practice
1-2 p.m.: Nationwide Series practice
6 p.m.: Qualifying for the Nationwide Series O'Reilly 300
8 p.m.: Fandango (open to season ticket holders only)

Friday (4/4/08)
11 a.m.: Gates 1-8, 11, north tunnel, luxury suites and Victory Lane Club open
Noon-1:30 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice
3:40 p.m.: Qualifying for Sprint Cup Series Samsung 500
After qualifying: Texas Motor Speedway's Rockin' Roundup starring Big & Rich (frontstretch)

Saturday (4/5/08)
9 a.m.: Gates 1-8, 11, north tunnel, luxury suites and Victory Lane Club open
11-11:45 a.m.: Sprint Cup practice
12:20-1:20 p.m.: Sprint Cup final practice
2 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series O'Reilly 300 (200 laps/300 miles; TV: ESPN2; Radio: KLLI/105.3 FM)
6 p.m.: Legends Races on 1/5 -mile at Lil' Texas track

Sunday (4/6/08)
9 a.m.: Gates 1-11, north tunnel, luxury suites and Victory Lane Club open
1 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Samsung 500 (334 laps/501 miles; TV: KDFW/Ch. 4; Radio: KLLI/105.3 FM)
Post race: Legends Races on 1/4 -mile oval, superspeedway

DRIVER APPEARANCES

Wednesday (4/2/08)
Kenny Wallace and Brad Coleman, Southlake Carroll Senior HS, 4-6 p.m.
David Ragan and Jeff Hammond, Discount Tire, 2055 W. State Hwy. 114 in Grapevine, 4-6 p.m.

Thursday (4/3/08)
Patrick Carpentier, Speedzone, 11130 Malibu Dr., Dallas, 5 p.m.

Friday (4/4/08)
Brad Coleman, Brookshire's tent store near the Turn 3 campgrounds at TMS, 2-2:30 p.m.
David Ragan, Speedzone, 11130 Malibu Dr., Dallas, 5 p.m.
Kevin Harvick, Regan Smith, Casey Mears, Aric Almirola, Jeremy Mayfield and Scott Riggs, Chevy Thunder at the Stockyards, Fort Worth, 6-8 p.m. One hundred autograph passes per driver will be distributed at 3:30 p.m. Friday.
Bobby Labonte, Sam's Club, 1701 W. State Hwy. 114, Grapevine, 6-8 p.m.
Carl Edwards, Office Depot, 1317 W. State Hwy. 114, Grapevine, 6-8 p.m. Only 250 wristbands will be handed out at 7 a.m. on April 4 at the store.
Clint Bowyer, Mesquite Championship Rodeo, Resistol Arena, 7-8 p.m.

Saturday (4/5/08)
Brad Keselowski, Navy display, TMS frontstretch midway, 10:45-11:15 a.m.

Sunday (4/6/08)
Casey Mears, No. 5 souvenir trailer, TMS frontstretch midway, 9 a.m.

Comments (175)

Fill in the blank for the Tony Stewart cartoon

Here is a pretty funny cartoon from the Las Vegas Sun with Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs.  There are a lot of original comments.

Our caption-writing contest is back.

What do you think Joe Gibbs is saying to Tony Stewart? Post your caption for this cartoon here. The author of the winning caption will win a copy of Mike Smith’s latest StockcarToons book, “Nuts for Racing”. The winning caption will be posted on this blog on Monday, April 7.

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Robby Gordon Takes Over No. 22 Dodge In NASCAR Nationwide Series

March 30, 2008 // MOORESVILLE, N.C. - Effective immediately, Fitz Motorsports will move forward with plans to utilize an array of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veterans throughout the remainder of the 2008 season in its Supercuts-sponsored No. 22 Dodger.

The first driver tapped for the ride is owner and driver of the NASCAR Sprint Cup No.7 Dodge, Robby Gordon. Beginning with the upcoming races at Texas and Phoenix,  Gordon will drive the No.22 Supercuts Dodge, with a variety of Dodge drivers scheduled to round out the season.

"I'm excited about this," Gordon said. "The Nationwide Series is a lot of fun and I'm honored to drive for Fitz Motorsports this season. I expect to run for the win every weekend that I'm behind the wheel of this No.22 Fitz Motorsports Dodge."

"We've achieved great results over the years in the Nationwide Series," team owner Armando Fitz said. "In the past, our best results have come with experienced and veteran talent in our cars."

"Drivers like Mike Skinner, David Stremme, Robby Gordon and Mike Bliss have all given us great feedback and different perspectives regarding the operation of our team. We took that into strong consideration while making the decision to continue to put Cup-level talent in our cars for the rest of the year."

Robby Gordon will not only be helping a fellow single-car team owner, but will also be benefiting from the Dodge Motorsports program as well. "Dodge has been great to me," Gordon said. "I like how all of the Dodge teams are working together. I think you will see all of our effort start paying dividends on the track.

Fitz shared Gordon's enthusiasm: "We're excited to have Robby on board with us, and we know Dodge's support of our programs will pay dividends."

"It's been a great start to the season and we want to continue the momentum," Fitz added. "The plan is to continue with our philosophy of veteran talent in our cars while sticking to our goal of the 2008 owner championship in the Nationwide Series."

The Supercuts No. 22 currently sits eighth in NASCAR Nationwide Series owner point standings through six of 35 races. (From Fitz Motorsports)

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Martinsville: team and driver post race comments (3/30/08)

Ford Racing:
comments from Jamie McMurray, David Ragan, and Matt Kenseth (from FordRacing.com)

Chevy Racing:
comments from Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon (from GeneralMotors.com)
comments from Clint Bowyer (from RCRRacing.com)

Dodge Racing:
comments from Robby Gordon (from RobbyGordon.com)
comments from Bobby Labonte (from PettyEnterprises.com)
comments from Kurt Busch (from PenskeRacing.com)
comments from Sam Hornish Jr. (from PenskeRacing.com)
comments from Ryan Newman (from PenskeRacing.com)

Toyota Racing:
comments from Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers, Michael McDowell, Mike Skinner, and Dave Blaney (from ToyotaPitpass.com)
comments from Tony Stewart (from JoeGibbsRacing.com)
comments from J.J. Yeley (from HallOfFameRacing.com)

Comments (348)

Indianapolis Motor Speedway to offer season general admission tickets

For the first time this year, Indianapolis Motor Speedway is offering a general admission season pass good for all three major events at the Speedway.

The pass costs $150 and covers the Indianapolis 500 on May 25 and the two preceding days, all three days of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard weekend, July 25-27, and the three days of the Red Bull MotoGP weekend, Sept. 12-14.

General admission tickets have never been issued for the Brickyard until now. (From Peoria Journal Star)

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Jacques Villeneuve to race Speedcar Series

March 29, 2008 // Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve will race with Speedcar in the last two rounds of the Series' inaugural season. He will take to the grid for the upcoming race at the Bahrain Grand Prix on April 4-6 followed by the final round in Dubai a week later on April 11-12.

Jacques is the most recent addition to the long line up of former Formula One drivers participating in Speedcar Series that include Jean Alesi, Johnny Herbert, Stefan Johansson, Ukyo Katayama, JJ Lehto and Gianni Morbidelli.

The 37 year old Canadian driver won the 1997 World Championship in only his second Formula 1 season. Jacques sports a F1 track record of 165 races, 11 wins and 23 podium finishes over a decade long career from 1996-2006. He is also notable for being only one of 5 drivers, including Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi to have won both the F1 World Championship and Indianapolis 500. Jacques has since moved on to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and more recently the NASCAR Series.

Jacques Villeneuve said: "Speedcar Series looks like a great event and I have heard that it is a lot of fun. It's a series still in its infancy and will build up but I think it's a great idea. On a personal level, Speedcar will give me more road racing experience with this kind of cars which will be useful in future NASCAR road courses events, and it's also a great excuse to meet race fans."

Benoit Lamonerie, General Manager of Speedcar Series added: "We're proud to have Jacques join the Speedcar family. He will be the first Formula One World Champion and NASCAR driver to sign with us. And we're also excited that Speedcar Series is growing to a multinational level at the moment with drivers from 12 countries across 3 continents."

The last round of Speedcar Series' inaugural season will be held in Dubai, the weekend after the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday April 11 and Saturday 12, 2008. (From SpeedCarSeries.com)

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Kasey Kahne scheduled for NASCAR Camping World Series race at Iowa Speedway

Kasey Kahne is scheduled to race at Iowa Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Series East-West Challenge Sunday afternoon, May 18.

“I am really looking forward to running the NASCAR Camping World Series at Iowa Speedway,” Kahne said. “The configuration and progressive banking will make for some exciting racing and I have been eager to try the place out. My Kasey Kahne Racing USAC team won there last year and they raved about the track. I know there are some great fans in the Midwest and I have always had a lot of fun racing sprint cars in that region.”

Iowa Speedway President Jerry Jauron says “racing fans are in for a real treat and we’re excited to have Kasey and his team with us this season. Kasey has a big following, especially here in the Iowa, and we look forward to seeing him race on our track.”

Kahne is the third NASCAR Sprint Cup driver scheduled to race at Iowa Speedway this year. Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth are booked for the ASA Midwest Tour Super Late Models event scheduled for Sunday, July 20. (From IowaSpeedway.com)

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Clint Bowyer: Third driver named to Race of Champions

Clint Bowyer in the Richard Childress Racing No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS will join Ken Schrader, Rusty Wallace and two other soon to be announced NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers in Jennerstown Speedway's (Jennerstown, Pa.) 2008 Race of Champions on Saturday May 31st.

Bowyer will compete against Ken Schrader, NASCAR Sprint Cup driver in the BAM Racing #49 Dodge, and two other Cup drivers in two 9-lap exhibition races and autograph session at Jennerstown's ½ mile speedway. (From JennerstownSpeedway.com)

Kurt Busch has just been added to the driver list for the Race of Champions.

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Martinsville Speedway: pre-race notes (3/28/08)

Friday's qualifying saw Jeff Gordon win the poll for the race with a speed of 96.288mph. Also on the front row is Denny Hamlin.

Kyle Petty, John Andretti, Tony Raines, and Joe Nemechek did not qualify for the race.

NASCAR has said no to David Reutimann, 26th in the points, on points swap with #44 car that is 34th place in the points. NASCAR is only going to do a point swap if a merger occurs.

Elliott Sadler says he does not know how he injured his back. He expects to race on Sunday, but if he can't go, Dennis Setzer (practiced Sadler's Cup car at Martinsville) will most likely be his replacement.

Greg Biffle says that he is 90% sure that he is going to stay at Roush. "We're really just in the fine-tune negotiations [stage]," Biffle said. "I think we're coming along fairly well. It hasn't been a top priority, but we've been communicating back and forth about what we'd like to see in a contract -- appearances and the way it's structured and different things.

TUMS announced today that it will be the sponsor of Martinville Speedway's October 19, 2008 Sprint Cup series race – The TUMS QuikPak 500. In addition to the TUMS QuikPak 500 at Martinsville Speedway, TUMS will serve as an associate sponsor of the No. 40 and 41 Dodges for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates throughout the 2008 season. The TUMS logo will appear on the B-post and rear quarter panel.

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Wood Brothers names interim crew chief

Team engineer Mike Smith is the interim crew chief for the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Smith is an aerodynamic specialist who has been with the team for 18 years. Bill Elliott is driving for the Wood Brothers this weekend at Martinsville. The team is outside the top 35 in owners points, but has access to a past champions provisional and is, therefore, locked into the field for Sunday’s Goody’s Cool Orange 500. (From SceneDaily.com)

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Drivers to apprear at the 8th Annual Chevy Thunder festival

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The 8th Annual Chevy Thunder is roaring into Stockyards Station in Fort Worth, Friday-Saturday, April 4-5 for a free, two-day race extravaganza. Fans will be treated to interactive displays, opportunities to meet some of NASCAR's top TEAM Chevy drivers, a monster Silverado, an off-road consumer ride and drive area, live entertainment, and more.

NASCAR Driver Appearances -- At 6 p.m. on Friday, April 4, festival-goers can take part in the ultimate race fan experience by meeting Team Chevy drivers up-close-and-personal at a special Chevy Driver Autograph Session and Fan Q&A. "Chevy Live" interviews will be broadcast to the crowd, and attendees will have a chance to win a surprise ride-along with their favorite driver in a 2008 Silverado. Drivers scheduled to appear include: Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears, Aric Almirola, Regan Smith, Jeremy Mayfield and Scott Riggs.

Entrance to Chevy Thunder is complimentary. More details and public information on attending Chevy Thunder can be found at www.chevythunderdays.com. (From General Motors Corp)

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Kyle Petty: In his own words

Dustin Long of the The Roanoke Times sits down with 'NASCAR's good guy,' Kyle Petty for a nice Q&A and discuss racing and home-life.

What are the experiences, beliefs and dreams that shape the lives of some of NASCAR's drivers? Staff writer Dustin Long asked Kyle Petty about these subjects earlier this month as he sat on a couch in his team's hauler awaiting practice at Bristol Motor Speedway.

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In-depth IndyCar preview

If you are into the IRL or are intested in learing more about the newly-formed open-wheel series, read Preview: IndyCar Series 2008 from Crash.net. It is one of the most comprehensive stories I've read yet about the 'new' IRL. The story reviews every team and discusses the challenges for some teams moving from ChampCar to IRL.

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Robby Gordon Motorsports responds to Vanguard’s Statements

We are disappointed by Vanguard's decision to present our issues to the media.  But given the inaccuracies and misleading statements recently published by Vanguard, we want to make sure that the public is aware of important information pertaining to the 2008 Dakar event.

The organizer of the Dakar races, ASO, will present the 2008 Dakar Series race in Central Europe beginning April 19, 2008.  As with the originally planned Dakar event, the race in Europe will be a cross country endurance off-road event that will traverse threatening and difficult terrain in multiple stages.  The race will be covered by international media, and the coverage will be carried by media outlets throughout the world.  ASO describes the 2008 Dakar event, dubbed the Central Europe Rally, as follows: "The demands on competitors of the Central Europe Rally will be equivalent to those of the Dakar.  The quality of competition also guarantees strong media interest."

Team Dakar USA major sponsors Hummer, Monster Energy, and Toyo Tires will all participate in the 2008 Dakar Series race in Europe, as will virtually all of the major competitive teams.  Robby Gordon of Team Dakar USA, the only American driver ever to win a stage race in the Dakar, is pleased with the level of support and interest that the new 2008 Dakar event has received thus far.  "We are very excited about the race and our chances in Europe.  ASO has promoted the race.  Our sponsors are generally pleased and our cars are fast. We expect to put on a great race and do well."

Monster Energy’s Joe Parsons states they will stand behind Robby Gordon's off road effort.  “We are very excited about the Central Europe rally that will take place in Budapest starting April 19th to the 27th 2008."

Monster energy will continue to support Team Dakar USA and Robby Gordon through at least the 2010 Dakar. “RG represents our brand well and does an awesome job for us on and off the track.”

Dwight Woodbridge, General Motors Racing Off Road Program Manager added the following:

"We at GM are certainly looking forward to the Central European Rally, the first of the Dakar series events.  The Hummers are ready, the best I have ever seen them as the team did a great job preparing them for the return to Europe.  Team Gordon has improved the race Hummers, including a very valuable test session stateside to tune them for the expected terrain in Eastern Europe.  I feel we will be very competitive and we have supplied both Hummer H3 race trucks with fresh engines for the race.  Hummer is poised to take advantage of the European route, as it offers new and unique opportunities to promote the brand.  We appreciate the effort the organizers put in to creating an event on short notice to fulfill and satisfy our program needs and appreciate all the partners that focused on moving forward under difficult circumstances.  We look forward to participating in the first of a new historical chapter in the Dakar event."

Team Dakar USA and its sponsors are looking forward to the 2008 Dakar Series race in Central Europe with high expectations and great enthusiasm.  We will provide more information as the race draws near.  Watch for your local coverage. (Release from RobbyGordon.com)

Comments (581)

IndyCar emerges from civil war; will fans notice?

Here is a great article about the upcoming post-merger IRL season and a rundown of all the teams. It will be interesting to see if open-wheel racing can bounce back and become more than a one-race (Indy 500) season.

Still, the new era begins with high hopes. Twenty-six Honda-powered Dallaras will be on the grid, the largest IndyCar field – aside from the Indianapolis 500 – this century.

The truth is that IRL races generally have been more exciting than NASCAR Sprint Cup events over the last five years. The problem is that no one has been watching. Now there are eight to nine additional cars in every race, including some new drivers who are going to compete for the championship.

A full field of cars was one of the biggest advantages NASCAR had over open-wheel racing. There was nothing worse than seeing only 18 cars on the starting grid versus 43 cars for NASCAR (especially as are raced on some of the same tracks).

As for scheduling, my understanding is that only a few races from the ChampCar schedule will move over to the new IRL schedule with the Long Beach Grand Prix, being one of them.  The city of Long Beach has just signed a contract extention with the LBGP through 2015.

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BAM Racing Switches To Toyota

BAM Racing is switching to Toyotas beginning this weekend at Martinsville Speedway, team spokesman Rhett Vandiver says. “After being with Dodge for seven years, we looked around and evaluated all the manufacturers, and we just found Toyota to be most committed to racing and the one that would benefit our program the best,” Vandiver said Wednesday.

The team, which fields the No. 49 entry for Ken Schrader, also announced that Microsoft, through its small-business program, will be the primary sponsor for Martinsville and an associate sponsor for the rest of the season. BAM Racing offers small businesses a sponsorship package that can start at $4,995.

Bill Davis Racing is also working with BAM Racing on the transition from Toyota to Dodge, Vandiver said. (From SceneDaily.com)

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With economy in the pits, ticket sales for races stall

How is the slumping economy affecting ticket sales?

Found this is interesting article from Dustin Long (The Virginian-Pilot) explaining the affects of the current economy with ticket sales at tracks around the southest, especially, Martinsville Speedway and Richmond Raceway.

Campbell notes that unlike many other sports, race tracks draw fans from greater distances, and many drive. Nearly half the ticket buyers for Martinsville's Cup race last fall came from more than 200 miles away, track spokesman Mike Smith said, citing ticket department research. A majority of Martinsville's typical race-day crowd comes from Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio. [Clay Campbell is the president of Martinsville Speedway]

Soaring gas prices could discourage some fans from attending. The Energy Information Association reports that gas prices nationally have climbed nearly 50 cents per gallon since September. Gas prices in the lower Atlantic region, which includes Virginia and North Carolina, are up 28 cents per gallon since Feb. 4.

I guess we'll see what happens. Hopefully, the economy will turn around quickly so we can get back to talkin' racin'!

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Gilliland has history on short track

David Gilliland recorded his first top-10 finish of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season March 16 at Bristol and is headed for another short track race this weekend in Martinsville.

That's just fine with the former Chino Hills resident, now in his second full season for Doug Yates Racing.

"It's short-track racing. That's where I came from and where I cut my teeth and that's where I grew up loving what I do," said Gilliland, who had a successful career at Perris Auto Speedway and Irwindale Speedway before heading east in 2005. "I've really enjoyed racing there (Martinsville)."

Gilliland tried to explain to father Butch about how it is to race at Bristol, labeled as the world's fastest half-mile.

"Bristol is just so fast with the banking," he said. "I was trying to explain it to my dad. I said, `You get out there and you feel like that airplane on the end of the string that you're just whipping around and just going.' It's a lot of fun, though. It's a challenging track and Martinsville is equally as challenging, but just in a different way.

"It's a flat track and it seems like everybody is a little bit closer at Martinsville. It's just a little bit tighter quarters, but they're both a lot of fun. They're both very, very important to Yates Racing and it will be important to have a solid finish at Martinsville." (from Louis Brewster, San Bernardino Sun)

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Vanguard seeks to terminate its relationship with Robby Gordon

A security software firm wants Robby Gordon to remove its logos from his uniforms and equipment as part of a contract dispute that began when the Dakar Rally was cancelled because of terrorism threats.

Vanguard Integrity Professionals is suing Gordon in U.S. District Court in California over the sponsorship of Team Gordon in the Dakar Rally and is asking for US$1.15 million back from the driver. The company went public with the dispute Wednesday because it wants Gordon to immediately cease using its logos in his NASCAR ventures, and claims the driver was only authorized to promote Vanguard outside the United States.

"We want the world to know that Vanguard is no longer associated with Team Gordon," the company said in a statement released to The Associated Press.

Gordon could not immediately be reached for comment.

Vanguard had a three-year agreement with Team Gordon to sponsor his Dakar efforts through 2010, and company founder Ronn Bailey was scheduled to race as Gordon's teammate.

But the Amaury Sports Organization cancelled the event the day before its Jan. 5 start because of "direct" threats of terrorism from al-Qaida-linked militants, and Gordon was outspoken in his belief that at least a portion of the 16-day trek should have continued.

Vanguard, which produces software designed to protect its customers from cyber-terrorism attacks, believed the threats were legitimate and agreed with the cancellation.

Gordon publicly disagreed, and blasted the ASO for not having a backup plan. He also downplayed the extent of the threats, which began with the Dec. 24 slayings of a family of French tourists by al-Qaeda-linked militants in Mauritania.

"Let's put it in perspective. Eleven people got killed over there," Gordon said in January. "I'm pretty sure in L.A., we kill 11 a night on the streets of L.A. ... It was a couple of kids in the back of a pickup truck with a couple of AK-47s shot a couple of people.

"I'm sorry to say that. But the reality of it is it's not like it's this big setup bombing."

The company cited Gordon's comments as one of the reasons it sought to cancel its contract with his Dakar teams, and is seeking in court to officially terminate the deal and recover any money Gordon was paid before the event was cancelled.

"It is not positive to be associated with someone who said al-Qaeda attacks are no worse than an average night in America - especially for a security software company. It's simply not a true or accurate statement," Vanguard told AP.

Gordon contends Vanguard cannot terminate the contract.

Upset that Gordon continues to use Vanguard logos, the company requested a temporary restraining order to prohibit Gordon's use of the logos. The motion was denied March 5 in U.S. District Court. (from The Canadian Press)

 

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Junior Johnson appearance in Martinsville

Piedmont Distillers and NASCAR legend Junior Johnson have joined forces and introduced the company’s second moonshine product, Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon.  To support his product, Junior Johnson will make a personal appearance in Martinsville, VA during the upcoming race weekend.  He will be meeting with fans and autographing bottles of Midnight Moon.  Johnson’s appearance schedule is as follows: 

Friday, March 28, 2008
1:00 - 3:00 pm
VA ABC Store #132 (4960 Greensboro Rd., Martinsville, VA 24112)

Comments (3340)

Ryan Newman and Sam Hornish, Jr. To Make Appearance In Dodge Speedway Sports Club

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman and Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish, Jr. are scheduled to make a Q&A appearance in the Dodge Speedway Sports Club on Sunday, April 27, prior to the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.

“Any fan of racing has to be excited about this offer,” said Talladega Superspeedway President Rick Humphrey. “This is the opportunity to see Sam Hornish Jr., a three-time IRL Champion and winner of the 2006 Indianapolis 500, and Ryan Newman, the winner of the 2008 Daytona 500. These drivers have won two of the premier races in motorsports and I am sure they will have fascinating stories to tell.”

Membership to the Dodge Speedway Sports Club is $215 and must be accompanied by a frontstretch grandstand or tower ticket. (From Talladega Superspeedway.com)

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Kyle Petty doing good again

I'm really not a big fan of Kyle Petty! He is never a factor in any race (except Coke 600 last year) and he seems to be a sub-par driver at this point. However, it's hard to dislike the guy when he does so much good in the community. The Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America just announced the route for its 14th annual motorcycle ride across America, July 13-20. Riders will depart from Traverse City, Mich., on July 13, making overnight stops in Elkhart Lake, Wis.; Lombard, Ill.; Lexington, Ky.; White Sulfur Springs, W.Va.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Peachtree City, Ga., before reaching Savannah, Ga., their final destination, on July 19. Read the press release.

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Dale Jr. vs Kyle Busch?

Comparisons between Dale, Jr. and Kyle Busch were inevitable. However, the early part of this season has shown that it was really a step up for both drivers. Five races into the season, Busch is having a little bit better success than Earnhardt. Busch has won once already this year, has three top fives, and he is leading the point’s standings.

Dale, Jr. is now part of a winning organization again and has all the tools (he won't blow too many engines this year) and teammates he needs to be successful. He can now spend his time driving the car rather than worrying about engine problems or wrecking while running in 37th place. Further, he is now part of a PR machine which suites him just fine.

However, Kyle Busch has also graduated to the next level by moving to Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing. In fact, Kyle is now in a much better place as well. He now has a more decisive advantage than just horsepower, fuel mileage or aero...he can now be himself. He isn't playing the role of the spoiled brat anymore surrounded by emotionless and ultra-image conscience teammates. Finally, he is surrounded by equally loose cannons that can drive the wheels off the race car. Kyle is now 'one of the boys,' not the outcast!  That has proved to make him comfortable behind the wheel, and we can see what he can do on the track when he’s comfortable.

Although, in the final analysis, there will be too many variables to compare the two. At this point, the only fair comparison seems to be Hendrick vs. Gibbs...advantage Gibbs!

Want more about the Gibbs team? Busch and Hamlin work well together

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Another Local Track Gone Forever

Another local track goes the way of the dodo.  Wall Speedway in Wall Township, N.J. cancelled its race season this year is will be sold to the highest bidder due to poor attendance. Located in Monmouth County only minutes away from the shore, the speedway opened in 1949 and is the home track of Martin Truex, Jr. and Ray Evernham.

Read more about the speedway in the N.Y. Times article: A Speedway’s Last Lap on Memory Lane

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Kennametal to Sponsor Franchitti at Martinsville and Texas Motor Speedway

CONCORD, N.C. - March 25, 2008 - Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced today an expansion of their current partnership with Kennametal (NYSE: KMT) to include primary sponsorship for the next two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in Martinsville and Texas on the No. 40 Dodge Charger driven by NSCS and Nationwide Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year points leader Dario Franchitti.

"Through our long partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, I have developed a deep respect for the hardworking team and their successful operation," said Kennametal Inc., Chairman, President and CEO Carlos Cardoso. "Kennametal is a global company, so I am especially pleased to see that NASCAR is gaining popularity internationally with more of our customers and employees around the world showing increasing interest. One thing is certain," he concluded, "Our company is really looking forward to watching Dario in the No. 40 Kennametal Dodge!"

A longtime CGRFS partner, Kennametal supplies tooling and machining technology to CGRFS’ Charlotte and Indianapolis-based racing shops. In addition they provide the team’s engineers and machinists a myriad of opportunities to further refine their skills in order to gain optimum performance through Kennametal’s internal university program.

“Over the past eight years Kennametal has played an extremely important role within our race teams in both Charlotte and Indianapolis,” said Team Owner Chip Ganassi. “Like us, they strive to be the global leader in their field, and we’re happy to increase our involvement with them and help build their brand at the race track with Dario.”

The Edinburgh, Scotland native will contest the Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway March 30th and the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 6th in the No. 40 Kennametal Dodge, and is a perfect fit for the global company which delivers its products through employees in over 60 countries. (From ChipGanassiRacing.com)

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NASCAR Reserved Camping Sold Out

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. - March 28, 2008 - All good things must come to an end! Camping sites during the Centurion Boats at The Glen and Zippo 200 race weekend continues to be a hot ticket at Watkins Glen International. The Soul of American Road Racing is proud to announce that reserved camping sites during the August 7 -10, NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series weekend are already SOLD OUT! The final reserved spot was sold in mid-February topping last year’s pace of March 2007, once again setting the mark for the earliest date these popular locations have been sold out at The Glen in ten years. General (non-reserved) camping passes during the race weekend are still available, but going fast!

“We feel that we have one of the best camping experiences on the NASCAR circuit,” stated Craig Rust, president of Watkins Glen International. “Our fans have always enjoyed camping here and families traditionally plan their vacations and reserve their camping sites early.”

Occupying close to 2000 acres of land, the historic road course offers a variety of weekend camping opportunities during the races including the annual NASCAR weekend in August and the IndyCar Series over the 4th of July weekend. Reserved trackside camping can be enjoyed from both the infield and the outside of the track, which has historically sold out first followed by non-trackside campsites and then general camping areas. Glen fans interested in general camping, where the early bird gets the worm - or - the best location when they arrive race week, should call now to ensure a camping space for the Centurion Boats at The Glen weekend.

General camping during the NASCAR weekend can be enjoyed along the “Boot” through Gate 7 as well as outside the backstretch by Gate 1. General camping during the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen weekend is also available in the infield. General camping passes are still only $65 for the NASCAR weekend if purchased before Opening Day, April 27th.  (From WhoWon.com)

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Kennedy Assumes Crew Chief Role for Michael Waltrip

CORNELIUS, N.C. (March 25, 2008) – Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that Bobby Kennedy and Paul Andrews will switch managerial roles beginning with Martinsville Speedway.

Kennedy will now serve as crew chief for Michael Waltrip and his #55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry team as Andrews will continue in a leadership role to supervise Michael Waltrip Racing’s test teams.

“Paul did a great job in helping us reach our top-35 goal and I know he will continue his diligence with our test teams for the betterment of our organization,” Waltrip said. “Bobby has always been there for me and my NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry team to help with our decision making process. We have known each other for a very long time and I guess you can say that we are made for each other. Going to Martinsville with Bobby knowing we have the luxury of being in the top 35, is a relief. Now, it is all about being successful in the race.” (from MichaelWaltrip.com)

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Martinsville Home Race Renters

What are some local Martinsville residents doing this race weekend?  Renting out their homes to race fans.  Lindsey Henley, a local reporter, talks with Yvonne Givens of Race Lodging, LLC about renting out their homes to race fans.

“It allows the homeowner to make a little extra money, and the race fan gets a chance to stay somewhere they feel secure,” Givens said.

“The homeowners don’t have to claim it as a part of their income tax, because there’s a federal loophole that says up to 14 nights you don’t have to claim it,” she said.

Watch the video.

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