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Menard to leave DEI for Yates Racing?

Paul Menard will leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. after this season and move to Yates Racing along with his sponsor, the Associated Press reports.  Menard is 28th in the driver standings but this will carry some weight because some will see it as a sign of further decay at DEI (starting with Dale Jr.'s departure last year). With the economy the way it is, one has to wonder how this might slow companies from pursuing multi-million dolllar sponsorships or if it will cause them to reduce their investment in the sport. Thus, Menard and his father's company as sponsor, is a lift for Yates Racing, which also has relied on a patchwork of sponsors for Travis Kvapil and David Gilliland. Despite the sponsorship situation, which led some to wonder how long this team would last, it's around and while it might not be flourishing certainly deserves credit for lasting this long. That said, there's a lot of work ahead to turn this team into one that can reguarly compete for wins. Kvapil is 24th in the driver standings and Gilliland is 26th. They've combined for five top-10 finishes this season.  (From HamptonRoads.com)

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Video: NASCAR fans experience RaceFest

Performance Toyota of Kansas City RaceFest 2008 offers a free three-day event leading up to NASCAR's Kansas 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. The event includes three days of fun, featuring multiple interactive Toyota exhibits, as well as autograph sessions featuring more than 40 drivers at the Legends at Village West. Watch video. (KansasCity.com)

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Race fans can take the shuttle to Texas Motor Speedway

Shuttle service will again be offered at Texas Motor Speedway during the Nov. 1-2 race weekend.  Officials at the Fort Worth Transportation Authority learned a month ago that their Victory Lane Express shuttle service might not be allowed because of a new federal rule restricting the use of public buses for private events. But T officials have since learned that their shuttles are exempt from the rule, spokeswoman Joan Hunter said. Speedway officials are elated. "I wish more fans would use it. They haven’t come close to reaching their limit," general manager Eddie Gossage said. "Their ability to handle the crowd is great. It’s cheap. It’s the fastest way in and out, and it’s safe."

How it works - For $10 roundtrip, passengers may board buses at a temporary park-and-ride at Tarrant County College Northwest Campus, 4801 Marine Creek Parkway. Police working crowd control at the speedway give buses priority access in and out.  For information call the T at (817) 215-8600 or visit www.the-t.com or www.texasmotorspeedway.com.  (From Star-Telegram.com)

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UPS to roll with Roush Fenway Racing, Ford

UPS will join Roush Fenway Racing and return to Ford cars for the 2009 NASCAR season under a new multi-year agreement.  The Atlanta-based package shipper said David Ragan will race the No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion next season in a revitalized UPS motorsports program. The agreement also marks a return to Ford Motor Co. Ragan and Roush Fenway Racing will be supported by UPS with a variety of new programs, to be fully announced in coming weeks, including an entirely new advertising campaign.  The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will mark the ninth season of primary sponsorship for UPS and the 10th year as the Official Delivery Company of NASCAR. (From AtlantaBusinessJournal)

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Dodge’s departure may be the beginning of end for Truck series

Is NASCAR's Truck tour facing eventual extinction? Dodge is pulling all its Truck series support, and the addition of the Grand American road-racing series to NASCAR's official portfolio has led to intense speculation that Grand Am will soon have a much higher profile and might even supplant the Truck series in NASCAR's national touring operations. Sprint Cup teams and automakers say they are already feeling increased pressure to add Grand Am to their operations. A good Grand Am budget right now is about $1.5 million, for 15 races or so. That's half the price of a good Truck sponsorship, which runs from $3 million to $5 million a year. But one worry is if Cup owners get involved in Grand Am racing, the annual team budget could quickly escalate by $3 million to $7 million. Still, the possibility of adding, say, Tony Stewart or Jimmie Johnson to a Grand Am field would certainly raise the visibility of that tour and probably ratings and crowd appeal, too.  (From Winston-Salem Journal)

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Valvoline to sponsor Kvapil at New Hampshire

Yates Racing announced today that Valvoline, the leading innovator and supplier of quality, high-performing automotive products, will sponsor the No. 28 entry and driver Travis Kvapil for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 14th.  Valvoline is a technical partner of Yates Racing as well as the primary sponsor on the No. 28 Ford for Sunday’s race.  “This weekend is going to be fantastic for our team to showcase the partnership Yates Racing has with Valvoline,” commented Kvapil.  “Valvoline is our official motor oil at Yates Racing and they have been providing Americans with the best motor oil and automotive products longer than any other motor oil company.  We are fortunate enough to use their products, and I am honored to run the No. 28 Valvoline Ford Fusion at New Hampshire this weekend.”  Kvapil has achieved three top-10 finishes and five top-15 finishes this season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series within the first 26 starts of the year and is currently 23rd in the driver point standings.  (From TravisKvapil.com)

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GEM suing Robby Gordon for violation of agreement

Gillett Evernham Motorsports is suing Robby Gordon, claiming the owner/driver violated terms of an agreement that would have sold his team to GEM. Gordon insisted he hasn't breached any contract and wants to proceed with the sale of Robby Gordon Motorsports to GEM. Gordon agreed to the deal on Jan. 29 to sell his team at the end of this season for $23.5 million. The deal would have given Gordon a four-year driving contract with GEM, and possibly a seat on the team's board of directors. GEM would have acquired Gordon's shop and property in Charlotte. Upon agreeing to the deal, Gordon promptly left Ford for Dodge and began an alliance with GEM that gave him technical, manufacturing and marketing help. GEM said it had an exclusivity clause that prevented Gordon from talking to other teams about possible mergers. In May, Gordon asked out of the deal, according to the lawsuit, in exchange for an engine deal for the remainder of the season. GEM claims in the suit filed Aug. 25 in North Carolina Superior Court that Gordon has talked to other teams about merging, and that Gordon made disparaging remarks that he wasn't getting comparable engines to the other GEM drivers during a television interview at Watkins Glen.  (From Nascar.com)

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Stremme to replace Newman in the No. 12 in 2009

David Stremme will drive Penske Racing's No. 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup entry in 2009, team officials announced Wednesday.  Stremme, 31, has been working as a test driver for the organization. He also currently drives a limited schedule for Rusty Wallace Racing in the Nationwide Series, where he is ranked 12th in the points standings after starting 24 of 27 races. "It's an honor to join Penske Racing as the driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge," Stremme said in a release. "To be a part of Penske Racing's 40-plus-year legacy has been a longtime dream of mine. I cannot wait to join my new teammates and work to get the No. 12 into the 2009 Chase."  (From SportingNews.com)

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Promotional appearances for Richmond Race Week

Thursday

• Rusty Wallace, ABC/ESPN lead auto racing analyst, and Steve Wallace will appear for public autographs at the FasMart location at 8188 Atlee Road, Mechanicsville, from 6-7 p.m.. The No. 66 5-Hour Energy Chevrolet show car will be on display.
• Ken Schrader autograph signing at Circuit City, 11732 W. Broad St., in Short Pump, from 7-8 p.m. The DLP No. 96 show car will appear from 2-7 p.m.

Friday

• Carl Edwards, Kenny Wallace, Brad Keselowski and Landon Cassill will make appearances in the Party Zone fan hospitality area prior to the Emerson Radio 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in exclusive question-and-answer sessions with Edwards, Wallace, Keselowski, Cassill and track president Doug Fritz, as part of the Party Zone package.
• Fans with Friday race tickets can purchase tickets for the Party Zone for $65, which includes an exclusive pre-race pit pass for fans 18 and over (no shorts, sleeveless shirts or open-toed shoes are permitted on pit road) to see NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice from pit road (weather permitting), all-you-can-eat dinner buffet from 3-5:30 p.m. and appetizers from 5:30-6:30 p.m., three beer tickets for fans 21 years of age and older (valid identification required) and unlimited sodas and water.
• The DLP No. 96 show car will appear at 9860 Brook Road, Glen Allen, from 2-7 p.m.

Saturday

• Denny Hamlin will visit Richmond International Raceway's Virginia Lottery Green Flag Zone fan hospitality area. Hamlin will participate in a question-and-answer session, joining defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, television personality Larry McReynolds and track president Doug Fritz.
• Admission to the Virginia Lottery Green Flag Zone includes a pre-race pit pass (valid 2-6:30 p.m., time and weather permitting), appetizers from 2-3 p.m., all-you-can-eat dinner buffet from 3-6:30 p.m., six beer tickets for fans 21 years of age and older (with valid identification), unlimited sodas and water. Cost is $90 per person.
• Fans must have a grandstand ticket to Saturday's race to purchase Virginia Lottery Green Flag Zone tickets.
• Tickets are still available by calling 866-455-RACE or visiting www.rir.com.
• The DLP No. 96 show car will appear at 9900 W. Broad St., Glen Allen, from 12-5 p.m.

Sunday

• The DLP No. 96 show car will appear at 1321 Huguenot Road, Midlothian, from 12-5 p.m.

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