Fox’s broadcast of that Saturday night’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway earned a final Nielsen Media Research rating of 4.4 and an 8 market share, Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily reports. The rating matches the 4.4 Fox earned last year, but the market share dropped from a 9 in 2007 to an 8 in 2008. On the TV ratings front, it’s a cinch that Danica Patrick’s win, via fuel conservation, in the IRL go at Twin Ring Motegi, Japan has got to be one of the major assets for the now unified Indy Car Series. Since the merger of the IRL and CCWS the shoes continue to drop in a positive direction for newly emerged Indy Car Czar Tony George. A title sponsor for the series fell into place not long after that. Patrick finally getting her long overdue win is the third major factor of the swell of good news.

Things seem to be really coming together for the Indy Car Series just in time for next month’s Indy 500 and the events leading up to the biggest open wheel classic in the world. What we will be looking for is how this year’s Indy 500 stacks up to the NASCAR Coke 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. In the past few years the Cup race has eclipsed the Indy 500. From the spring of ‘06 through the entire ‘07 racing season NASCAR peaked. This year things are a bit better than last because of some extensive promotion on Fox. From this point on we’ll be looking for something better from Indy Car racing, especially this Memorial Day weekend. The NASCAR 40 percent of the female TV audience will no doubt crossover to the Indy 500 because of Danica being a potential winner.

Speed Channel’s WINDTUNNEL host Dave Despain isn’t afraid to get into some controversial commentary. In spite of Fox, NASCAR’s broadcast partner, owning the cable channel, he’s being tough on NASCAR regarding mandatory drug testing in light of the recent revelations about a driver shooting up on heroin before a race. Dave feels that mandatory/random drug testing should be the norm in NASCAR.

On the sex/Nazi allegations regarding FIA principal that Max Mosley should resign. Consider that Speed/Fox is F1’s major broadcast partner in the USA while the FIA is the sanctioning organization.

Coming down on the side of NASCAR regarding the Phoenix Cup event, Despain was elated that Fox broke away from a Yankee’s/Red Sox baseball game, before it was over, to air the race in the Valley of the Sun which upset a lot of stick-and-ball fans. In the past it’s been the opposite. Also commentary on the fact that there’s been a slight rating up tick for the Cup events this year over last year. Dave attributes that to the fact that Dale, Jr. is running much better this year echoing NASCAR’s excuse for the downturn in 2007. Our take on this issue is that ticket sales on race days were way off. Especially at Martinsville, which can be attributed to a combination of the weather, economy and the high price of fuel among other things.

Global sports and entertainment company, IMG, has agreed a strategic partnership with the NHRA, the world’s largest motorsports organization, to become its exclusive outside sponsorship marketing agent.

Under the deal, IMG will work alongside the current sales teams at NHRA to secure non-endemic sponsorship, conduct brand study and prepare recommendations on how to enhance the sales, marketing and branding efforts of the NHRA.

George Pyne, president of IMG Sports and Entertainment, said: “NHRA is a tremendous value proposition, not only in motorsports, but in all of sports. NHRA offers unmatched access to both its stars and its fans and, coupled with its nationwide footprint, makes for a perfect fit for any organization considering sports sponsorship”. Pyne is a former NASCAR marketing guru who left that post a few years ago for IMG.

In signing the deal, the NHRA highlighted IMG’s large portfolio of marketing assets and services with regional locations in New York, London, and Hong Kong’. This report came from SportsBusiness.com.

Is the following Corporate Welfare or good business? You decide! The Charlotte (NC) City Council is expected to approve a nearly one million-dollar grant this week to keep the Speed Channel in Charlotte. Speed Channel currently headquartered in a building on Southern Pine Boulevard in Charlotte wants to move its operation to the old Verbatim building on West W.T. Harris when its lease expires this coming January, but they want some help from the city and county government.

Now they travel the world covering NASCAR and all kinds of motorsports, but as of January they will need a new home. South Carolina has been trying to lure the network away but Speed wants to stay in Charlotte. The network wants a combined city/county business grant of $967,000. Under the plan, the network would buy the old Verbatim building. The channel also plans on adding 34 new jobs. There are already 79 jobs at Speed averaging $79,000 a year; the economic impact is expected to be $12 million a year. This report came from StockCarGazette.com.

Bob Bondurant, legendary racer and owner of the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, will grand marshal the historic Mitty race at this year’s Road Atlanta Speedfest, May 2-4. Classic Motorsports has announced that the legendary racer will serve as the honorary Grand Marshall at the Historic Sportscar Racing Mitty Challenge set to begin on May 2nd. As the Grand Marshall, Bondurant will start the main event races with the famous, “Gentlemen, start your engines.” Additionally, Bondurant will attend the drivers and pre-race meetings, and be at the event for autograph sessions and post-race party.

From the Valvoline Track Talk Newsletter is this insight. Yes He Really Said That-Elliott Sadler, after Carl Edwards backed his truck into the side of Sadler’s motor coach in the infield at Phoenix International Raceway. “He’s won three of seven races, making us look stupid. How do you back into a bus?”

If you can super-size your fries and soda, why not a NASCAR Sprint Cup pre-race show from a super speedway? That’s exactly what FOX Sports is doing this Sunday, April 27.

The date and location are significant one’s on the NASCAR on FOX broadcast schedule. The destination that day is Talladega Superspeedway, one of just two mega-tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit, and the longest. FOX Sports figures that a track that long deserves a pre-race show to match, so it has extended its pre-race coverage from 30 to 60 minutes, and has moved up its on-air time to 1 p.m. ET. Coverage was originally set for 1:30 p.m. ET. The 2 p.m. ET green flag time is unchanged.

In addition to more interviews, news and features, the Talladega pre-race show includes a special live concert by recording artist Toby Lightman, who’s rendition of the new NASCAR on FOX opening theme “NASCAR Love (Let’s Go Racing)” has taken the sport by storm.

NASCAR on FOX pre-race coverage originates from the famed state-of-the-art “Hollywood Hotel” studio, and is presented by host Chris Myers, with analysts Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond and the amazingly thorough NASCAR on FOX reporting team. When the race begins, race announcer Mike Joy takes over, and he is joined by Waltrip and former crew chief Larry McReynolds for live flag to flag coverage.

ARCA RE/MAX Series entries for the Carolina 500 at Rockingham Speedway are pouring in as anticipation and excitement grow for the inaugural event under the guidance of new track president Andy Hillenburg, the 1995 ARCA RE/MAX Series driving champion.

“We’re very encouraged,” said Hillenburg. “From the entry list to the level of excitement we’re getting from the community to our marketing partners, who truly want to be a part of this event, we are very excited to say the least.”

The latest to enter was NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide, Craftsman Truck Series veteran Bobby Hamilton, Jr., who is entered in a Sadler Racing Dodge. Hamilton finished a career-best second in an ARCA RE/MAX Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1998 prior to moving up into the NASCAR ranks.

Also entered is NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader, who most recently finished second at Salem Speedway on April 13th. Schrader, in 47 career ARCA RE/MAX Series starts, has 15 career wins in the versatile touring series, including two on the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds mile-dirt track. Joey Logano, a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, has also filed an entry in the Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet.

After participating in the ARCA RE/MAX Series open test at Rockingham in March where Logano was one of the quickest drivers, the Joe Gibbs Racing team utilized Logano Wednesday (April 16th) at Rockingham to test and gather information for all of their NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race teams.

“I’m looking forward to racing here,” said Logano. “It’s going to be a sweet race. There is going to be so much stuff going on with this race and the strategies that it’s going to be really cool to be a part of it. I feel like we definitely have a fast car that will be capable of winning this thing.”

Also on the entry list is rookie Austin Dillon, the grandson of Richard Childress. Dillon, of Lewisburg, North Carolina, will attempt to make his series debut in the no. 31 RCR Chevrolet.

To add to the flavor of the field, Formula 1 veteran Scott Speed has entered in an Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) Toyota, one of four entries from the ESR camp. Other ESR entries include Lilburn, Georgia’s Ken Butler III, Westmorland, California’s Justin Lofton and Ottawa, Ontario’s Pierre Bourque.

Roush Fenway Racing has entered rookie Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. for the race. Roush Fenway Racing announced earlier this year that Stenhouse would be competing in the entire ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule in 2008 in preparation for the next level. Also entered from the driver development ranks is Michael Annett in a Bill Davis Racing Toyota, who won back-to-back at Talladega (07) and Daytona (08).

Other entries include NASCAR Sprint Cup/Craftsman Truck Series veteran Chad McCumbee, current ARCA RE/MAX Series point leader Justin Allgaier, Dodge Development Driver Tayler Malsam, five-time Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart, nine-time ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel, Denver, North Carolina’s Matt Carter (son of Travis Carter), Westby, Wisconsin’s Dexter Bean and Phoenix, Arizona’s Gabi DiCarlo.

On track activities begin on Friday May 2nd at 2 p.m. with practice for the Carolina 500 and free admission to the grandstands. Savage Energy Pole Day is set for Saturday May 3 with the first round of qualifying starting at 10:00 A.M. Tony Stewart will wave the green flag to start the Carolina 500 on Sunday May 4 at noon, LIVE on SPEED.

Let’s check to see what’s on the tube this weekend for the motorsports crowd. Speed’s coverage of F1 Practice from Spain get’s things off and running at 8 a.m. Friday. Speed returns with NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice at Talladega and again at 4 p.m. followed by Nationwide Series Qualifying. Saturday has 8 a.m. F1 Qualifying from Spain on Speed. Speed returns at 11 a.m. with Sprint Cup Qualifying from Talladega. ABC kicks in with the Nationwide Series event from Dega at 2:30 p.m. Speed returns with NASCAR CTS action from Kansas Speedway at 5:30 p.m. ESPN2 offers NHRA Qualifying from Atlanta at 6 p.m. while Speed airs the ARCA RE/MAX stockcar event from KC at 8:30 p.m. Sunday is wall-to-wall starting at 7:30 am. with the Spanish GP on Speed. Fox airs the Cup race from Talladega at 1 p.m. For the bikers Speed has the FIM Superbikes from Assen, Netherlands, SDD, at 2 p.m. followed by the AMA SuperX from Seattle at 3 p.m. and then the AMA Superbike event at Fontana, SDD. The Indy Car race at Kansas airs on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. with the NHRA Finals from Atlanta up next at 7 p.m. (END)

NOTE: INFORMATION FOR THIS COLUMN CAME FROM VARIOUS REFERENCED SOURCES, PRESS RELEASES, NOTES AND OTHER SOURCES.