Here’s the latest from NASCAR in the current edition of the Stock Car Gazette e-zine…
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E d i t o r ‘ s * N o t e s
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This is a note from the editor.
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Stock Car Gazette Columnists Speak Out!
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Darlington 101
by: Mike Wells
This week the NASCAR teams are racing at Darlington.
Let’s begin with testing this year. Seven-time winner Jeff Gordon, two-time winner Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman had good things to say about their testing and the new track surface.
MORE: http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/1244
All of Mike’s columns can be read at:
http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/category/water-from-the-wells
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MotorSportsNews.Net(work) web site features
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Stock Car Gazette for Wednesday, May 7, 2008
http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/1243
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N A S C A R * S P R I N T * C U P * S E R I E S
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McMurray leads final Lowe’s test session, Earnhardt, Jr crashes
The final session of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series test session at Lowe’s Motor Speedway featured three incidents as the two-day test concluded. Roush Fenway Racing’s Jamie McMurray led the final of six sessions. McMurray led the field with a lap of 185.720 mph. Penske Racing’s Ryan Newman, Red Bull Racing’s AJ Allmendinger, Haas CNC Racing’s [...]
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/autoracingsport/~3/285141138/
Lowe’s testing summary for Tuesday
CONCORD, N.C. (May 6, 2008) – Nearly 50 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams left Lowe’s Motor Speedway Tuesday with a better understanding of how to prepare their race cars for the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the May 25 Coca-Cola 600. With several teams struggling to learn the handling nuances of the new race [...]
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/autoracingsport/~3/285456668/
Dale Jr. opens up about his grief, growth and new gig in ESPN article
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has spent the seven years since his father’s death learning how to live without him. In the cover story for ESPN The Magazine, “All Grown Up”, Dale Jr. talks in depth publicly for the first time about the pain of losing his dad, who was killed in a crash at the [...]
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/autoracingsport/~3/285456661/
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Courtesy of Carolyn’s Jeff Gordon Newsletter cakes24@juno.com
Feeling secure
http://www.roanoke.com/sports/racing/wb/160959
Although car owner Rick Hendrick says that Tony Stewart won’t drive the No. 5 car Casey Mears pilots, there remains talk that such a scenario could happen. Stewart has a contract with Joe Gibbs Racing through the 2009 season but Internet reports last month stated he might leave the team after this season. So, how does Mears feel about all this? “I feel good,” said the defending Coca-Cola 600 winner. “We’re solid for next year and definitely focused on moving forward. Rick has stated that several times.”
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Courtesy of www.Catchfence.com
Edwards Joins SPEED™ Broadcast Team For NASCAR Sprint All- Star Race XXIV Weekend
http://www.catchfence.com/press/050708l.html
Race Fans on Fast Track to Recycling
http://www.catchfence.com/press/050708k.html
Dale Jr. Talks Openly about His Grief, Growth and New Gig In Latest ESPN The Magazine Cover Story
http://www.catchfence.com/press/050708c.html
Jeff Gordon’s Mom To Co-Host Mother’s Day Radio Show On XM – Dale Earnhardt Junior’s grandmother to call into show: Jeff Gordon’s mother, Carol Bickford, will co-host a special Mother’s Day edition of the XM Satellite Radio motorsports show “Dialed In” with XM sports anchor Claire B. Lang this Thursday, May 8, with an encore broadcast on Sunday, May 11. Dale Earnhardt Junior’s grandmother Martha Earnhardt is scheduled to call in to the show. Bickford will join XM’s Lang in Darlington, S.C., the site of this Saturday’s Dodge Challenger 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race. The special edition of “Dialed In” will air Thursday at 4 pm ET and will re-air Sunday at 1 pm ET on the XM Sports Nation channel (XM channel 144). – XM Satellite Radio, Press Release
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Wood Brothers Racing Brings Back 1971 #21 Mercury Paint Scheme For Darlington: Wood Brothers Racing will be placing its 1971 Mercury paint scheme on the #21 Motorcraft Ford Fusion in Darlington this weekend for the Dodge Challenger 500 on Saturday night, May 10th. Bill Elliott will drive the #21 Motorcraft Ford Fusion with the vintage paint scheme. The candy apple red and white COT with the signature gold numbers will commemorate a time in Wood Brother’s racing history when David Pearson drove the #21 to five wins and eight pole starting positions at Darlington Raceway. The #21 Purolator Mercury moved back into the racing scene when Leonard Wood recently restored the race car that was housed in the Darlington Raceway Museum for over 30 years. David Pearson and Carl Edwards brought modern and classic race cars together again in a media event for the newly surfaced raceway in April. Pearson made laps in the original Mercury as Carl Edwards followed in the new COT style race car. Leonard Wood stood by and buckled Pearson in, as he did as Pearson’s crew chief years ago. Scenes of the special feature will air during the pre-race show NASCAR Raceday on Speed Saturday, May 10th at 5:00pm EDT. For more information on Wood Brothers Racing please visit: www.woodbrothersracing.com
- Wood Brothers Racing, Press Release
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Courtesy of Stock Car Gazette subscriber Ed B. – thanks!
Hamlin says he didn’t stop on track on purpose.
http://www.kffl.com/gnews.php?id=471482
speed-racer-sponsored-nascar-chevy-to-be driven by Stanton Barret on opening day of movie
http://snipurl.com/27uqz-gazete
Dale Earnhardt Jr. fulfills the legacy of his namesake
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3382132
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Courtesy of Insider Racing News
http://www.insiderracingnews.com
Mears Set For 2009
Amidst rumors that Casey Mears was off to Ginn Racing a year ago, he captured his first Sprint Cup win in the CocaCola 600 last season and quieted the critics. Alas, Mears finds himself in the same position again this year. But with reassurance from bossman Rick Hendrick, the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet hopes to keep trudging ahead. “We’re solid for next year and definitely focused on moving forward,” said Mears, who is currently 23rd in points. “Rick has stated that several times, that things are where they’re going to be, and we’re moving forward for next year. We’re just getting started again. It’s kind of an unfortunate thing, but it seems like I’m in this situation almost every year a little bit, just because I’m constantly changing teams and I’m constantly spending the first half of the season just trying to grow and learn with that new team. I think the biggest thing that obviously we need to see happen with the 5 team is that it stays consistent, obviously get this full year under our belt.”
Franchitti Returns In Two Weeks At Coke 600
NASCAR rookie Dario Franchitti is wearing a carbon-fiber walking cast on his broken left ankle. The 2007 Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series champion was injured during the April 26 Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. He missed the Cup races at Talladega and Richmond and will miss the upcoming race at Darlington Raceway. Sterling Marlin will drive Franchitti’s car at Darlington, then stand by for the May 25 Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where Franchitti is expected to return to action.
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Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
NEXT RACE: Darlington Race Info/Rundown Page
http://www.jayski.com/next/2008/11darl2008.htm
Four Race Tracks Tony Stewart has never won a Cup race at: There are four current race tracks the Cup Series runs on that #20-Tony Stewart has not won at [a Cup race]:
California 0 for 14 with a best finish of 4th in 1999 & 2001
Las Vegas 0 for 10 with a best finish of 2nd in 2000
Talladega 0 for 19 with a best finish of 2nd [6 times] in 2001,2002,2005,2006
Darlington 0 for 15 with a best finish of 4th in 2001 & 2002
Stewart has won at 18 of 23 tracks he has raced on, didn’t win at Rockingham which is no longer active for Cup racing.(5-7-2008)
Entry List for the Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway is posted, 45 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including:
Not in top 35 of 2008 owners points (2008 race attempts/owners pts standings in parens):
#10-Patrick Carpentier (10/43)
#21-Bill Elliott [Past Champ] (10/44)
#22-Dave Blaney (10/36)
#34-John Andretti (10/45)
#40-Sterling Marlin (10/39)
#45-Kyle Petty (10/41)
#70-Johnnu Sauter (10/37)
#78-Joe Nemechek (10/42)
#84-A.J. Allmendinger (10/40)
#96-J.J. Yeley (10/38)
In the event qualifying is cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #’s 21,22,70,96,40,84,45,78
missing the race would be [2]: #’s 10,34
See the full entry list at my Jayski’s Darlington Entry List
http://www.jayski.com/stats/2008/entries/11darl2008-entry.htm
Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Darlington
no changes in who is in or out, the order got changed a bit and the points between 35th and 36th is now 71
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
32) #00-McDowell/Waltrip Racing 799 +113
33) #44-Reutimann/Waltrip Racing 767 +81
31) #55-Waltrip/Waltrip Racing 760 +74
34) #01-Smith/Dale Earnhardt Inc 759 +73
35) #77-Hornish/Penske Racing 757, 71 points ahead of 36th
these teams/ drivers must qualify by speed:
36) #22-Blaney/Bill Davis 686 -71 points out of 35th
37) #70-Schrader/Haas CNC Racing 648 -109
38) #96-Yeley/Hall of Fame Racing 640 -117
39) #40-Marlin/Ganassi Racing 629 -128
40) #84-Allmendinger/Red Bull Racing 572 -185
For the owner points standings, see my Drivers/Owners Points Standings page
http://www.jayski.com/stats/2008/points/10rir2008points.htm#OWN
Dale Jr. Talks Openly about His Grief, Growth and New Gig In Latest ESPN The Magazine Cover Story: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. has spent the seven years since his fathers death learning how to live without him. In the cover story for ESPN The Magazine, All Grown Up, Dale Jr. talks in depth publicly for the first time about the pain of losing his dad, who was killed in a crash at the Daytona 500 in 2001. Writer Marty Smith reveals that since Junior left the family business, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (and affiliation with Dale Sr.s third wife Teresa Earnhardt), for NASCAR juggernaut Hendrick Motorsports this season, hes finally feeling like himself again. “When my dad died, I was numb, blind. I just kept moving. Going. Doing. It was horrible. The further away from it I get, the more I understand how I went through it. Dale Earnhardt Jr. I didnt talk about it because it wasnt something I wanted to preach. Oh, I lost my Daddy, woe is me, and I gotta go through life without him. I didnt want that message. I aint got nothing against her. She might have something against me, I dont know.” (Dale Earnhardt Jr. regarding Teresa Earnhardt, who declined to be interviewed for the story.) ESPN The Magazine was granted exclusive access to Juniors property and Whiskey River, the replica Wild West town hes built on his 200 acres of land in North Carolina. The issue is on newsstands Wednesday, May 7. ESPNthemag.com will exhibit a complementary photo gallery and a behind the story by Smith, who lost his own father while writing the piece on Dale Jr. See the full story at ESPNthemag.com,(5-7-2008)
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3385378
Stewart gives few hints about future: #20-Tony Stewart returned to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday to help Chevrolet unveil its new midget-car engine, an appearance that prompted another round of questions about Stewart’s plans and whether they might include IndyCars. “There’s a part of me that thinks running at Indy and in IndyCar is a chapter of my life that is closed,” he said. “Then there is the emotional part of me that says, ‘Never say never.’ I don’t know if I’ll ever get in an IndyCar again, but if that happens, it’s going to be a long way down the road because I have a lot of commitments on the NASCAR side.” Stewart has been running with Joe Gibbs Racing since 1998, and his current contract doesn’t expire until the end of next season. Yet he’s already fielding offers from other teams and said last month he had discussed terminating the deal early, depending on which offer he accepts. Some of those offers also include ownership of a team. Many believe Stewart, who turns 37 on May 20, is looking to move in part because he has long ties to Chevrolet, one of the Cup series’ manufacturers. JGR is now using Toyotas, and Stewart remains winless this season after winning 32 times in his first nine years on the Cup circuit. While Stewart acknowledged he considered Chevy’s deal with his own open-wheel teams a personal endorsement, he brushed off the suggestion that he was upset with driving a Toyota. “It wasn’t weird when we started the program,” he said. “It wasn’t weird then, and it’s not weird now. When we started our (open-wheel) program, Mopar provided us with engines and both sides understood.” As so often happens when the Indiana native visits the speedway, however, the discussion quickly turned to one of his favorite subjects — the Indy 500 — and whether he would still like to race here. The answer: Only if it’s a full-time gig in the IRL. “If I was going to come to Indianapolis again, I don’t want to come and show up for the month of May,” he said. “If I am going to do it, I need to start at Homestead. I need to run all of the races leading up to the month of May to really feel like I am being fair to the team and being fair to myself. … As long as I’m driving a stock car, that basically takes that part of it out of the equation.”(Associated Press/ESPN)(5-8-2008)
#18 team wins 1st Qtr Most Valuable Pit Crew Award: The #18 M&M’s Team for Joe Gibbs Racing recorded one win and has been in the top five of the 2008 Sprint Cup Series championship point standings through the first eight races of the season. As a result of their outstanding work on the track and in the pits the team has been named the first quarter finalist for the 2008 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award. The Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award is given quarterly throughout the Sprint Cup season. At the end of each quarter, the winning pit crew is determined by a vote of each team’s crew chief. The four quarterly winners are eligible for the year-end Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award and a check for $100,000 awarded at the 2008 National Motorsports Press Association Myers Brothers Media Luncheon in New York City. 2008 #18 M&M’s Pit Crew: Michael Lepp, Pit Crew Coach; Jeff Fender, Jackman; Nick O’Dell, Front-Tire Changer; Brad Donaghy, Front-Tire Carrier; Jack Seminara, Rear-Tire Changer; Kenny Barber, Rear-Tire Carrier; Tom Lempe, Gas man; Jason Hinson, Catch Can; Steve Addington, Crew Chief.(Mechanix Wear)(5-8-2008)
Office Depot to MWR? Hearing Office Depot, currently the sponsor for #99-Carl Edwards, is considering a move to Michael Waltrip Racing with driver #00-Michael McDowell. UPS has been rumored as a possible sponsor for Edwards and Roush Racing in 2009.(5-8-2008)
Darlington Rookie Notes: #01-Regan Smith was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the May 3 Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Smith scored a 21st-place finish and captured top rookie honors for the fifth time in 10 races this season. He has been the top Raybestos Rookie in all three short track races. Smith leads the Raybestos Rookie standings by one point (97-96) over #77-Sam Hornish Jr. entering the May 10 Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway. Since 2001, two Raybestos Rookies have won pole positions at Darlington Raceway: Kurt Busch (2001) and Kasey Kahne (2004). The most recent Raybestos Rookie to lead a lap at Darlington is Kasey Kahne, who led three times for 24 laps in the 2004 spring race. The most recent Raybestos Rookie to win a pole position in the Sprint Cup Series is Denny Hamlin. Hamlin captured the top starting spot for the 2006 Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway (56 races). Denny Hamlin is the only Raybestos Rookie to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup since the program was created in 2004.(Camp & Assoc/Raybestos), for standings, history, past winners, see my 2008 Rookies page.(5-8-2008)
http://www.jayski.com/stats/2008/roty2008.htm
Fuel Prices hitting Race teams too: As gas prices soar across the country, the thought of paying $6.25 a gallon would make any consumer cringe. Yet that’s what it costs in NASCAR, where race teams use a special Sunoco 260 GTX unleaded fuel to fill their cars. Although the gas is free — part of Sunoco’s agreement as NASCAR’s official fuel supplier — it doesn’t mean car owners and drivers aren’t feeling the pain at the pump. “It affects all of us, anybody that’s in business,” said car owner Richard Childress. “Getting our cars to the racetracks costs a ton in gas money for the haulers. Bringing our people to the tracks, the rising costs of jet fuel. It’s very, very expensive to do what we’re doing.” Childress, owner of a highly successful race team, isn’t complaining. Nor are the drivers who pull in multimillion dollar salaries and don’t flinch at $85 fill-ups on their luxury SUV’s. But no one in NASCAR is immune to the weakening economy and rising costs on fuel. Just because they can afford it, doesn’t mean they aren’t feeling the pinch. Under Sunoco’s deal with NASCAR, teams are provided free fuel at any sanctioned test, practice or race for all three top divisions. A company spokeswoman said it’s impossible to determine just how much fuel is used per weekend because of fluctuations in schedules, weather and the teams’ practice times each week. When teams tested earlier this week at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, their gas was once again free. But the good teams test a lot, traveling all over the South to facilities not sanctioned by NASCAR. Sunoco doesn’t cover those all-day sessions, and a race team typically brings a 55-gallon drum of gas to get them through the test. Even so, there are critics who complain that NASCAR races are dipping into the national supply. But NASCAR officials claim the amount of fuel being used — less than 175,000 gallons per year on the Sprint Cup Series — doesn’t come close to the 366 million gallons that Americans average in daily usage. So NASCAR has no current plans to shorten races, as it did in the early 1970s when OPEC hoarded oil to increase prices, causing long lines at the pumps.
But the pain is still felt away from the track, where teams have noticed a significant increase in transportation costs. From sending diesel-chugging haulers across the country to transport the race cars, to the exorbitant jump in jet fuel, costs are soaring in simply getting drivers, crews and equipment to each event. With diesel fuel now over $4.00 a gallon, and each hauler holding roughly 300 gallons, fill-ups now cost more than $1,200 for a truck that only gets between 4.5 and 7.5 miles per gallon. The real pinch, though, comes in jet fuel. Many team owners shuttling crew members, and drivers flying private planes on weekends, are considering cutting down on the luxuries. Many drivers own their own planes and use them for personal and professional travel. But at about $4.30 a gallon, Carl Edwards estimated it costs him $2,000 a trip to fill his airplane — not worth it for a spur-of-the-moment vacation. Many also consider themselves lucky to be at the highest level of racing. Fuel isn’t free outside of NASCAR, and as high as the ARCA level, teams are paying for gas to get to the track and once they get there.(in part from the Associated Press/ESPN)(5-8-2008)
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=auto&id=3385521
MRN to air June New Hampshire race; PRN in Sept: Motor Racing Network will handle the radio broadcast of the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races June 28-29 from New Hampshire Motor Speedway, spokesman Wes Harris of MRN parent company International Speedway Corp. said Tuesday afternoon. Motor Racing Network, owned by the France family-controlled ISC and rival Performance Racing Network are involved in lawsuits over the radio broadcast rights stemming from PRN parent company Speedway Motorpsorts Inc.’s purchase of the track in January. PRN typically broadcasts the Nationwide and Cup races from SMI tracks. A partial settlement in their court battles has resulted in MRN being granted the exclusive broadcast rights for June and for the two sides to enter mediation in hopes of settling which network will broadcast the September 2008 weekend as well as the 2009 and 2010 weekends, Harris said. If the two sides can’t agree on a settlement on what should happen beyond June, they will return to court in 60 days, according to court documents.(SceneDaily)(5-7-2008)
AND – PRN gets New Hampshire rights beginning in September: Performance Racing Network will broadcast all Nationwide and Sprint Cup races from New Hampshire Motor Speedway beginning with the September 2008 race at the track. PRN is the radio network of new NHMS owner Speedway Motorsports Inc. and traditionally broadcasts events at SMI tracks. A dispute over the radio rights occurred after the sale because SMI rival International Speedway Corp. had a contract for its Motor Racing Network to do the races. SMI argued in court documents that the MRN contract was invalid. The two sides have agreed to a partial settlement in the case and will go to mediation for the remainder of the dispute. MRN will broadcast the upcoming races in June at the track. After that, PRN will broadcast the events, PRN President Doug Rice and ISC spokesman Wes Harris confirmed Wednesday morning.(SceneDaily)(5-7-2008)
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Courtesy of Scene Daily
http://www.scenedaily.com
Waltrip says Richmond incident with Mears was ‘just an accident’
CONCORD, N.C. – Michael Waltrip says he lost his cool “for a split second” in Saturday night’s Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway, which resulted in him getting parked after 355 of the 400 scheduled laps of the race
http://snipurl.com/27uq3-gazete
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P R E S S * R E L E A S E S
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Speedway Motorsports Reports First Quarter 2008 Results and Reaffirms Full Year 2008 Guidance
CONCORD, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) (NYSE:TRK) today reported record first quarter 2008 revenues, demonstrating that demand and appeal for motorsports entertainment and merchandise in SMI’s markets remain strong despite challenging economic times. Also, SMI reaffirmed its full year 2008 earnings guidance of $2.40 to $2.50 per diluted share.
First Quarter Comparison
For the first quarter 2008 as compared to 2007:
total revenues were $155.2 million in 2008 compared to $152.2 million in 2007;
net interest expense was $9.4 million in 2008 compared to $4.7 million in 2007, reflecting increased borrowings to fund the acquisition of New Hampshire Motor Speedway;
equity investee after tax earnings were $966,000 in 2008 compared to after tax losses of $2.1 million in 2007;
net income was $30.9 million in 2008 compared to $31.9 million in 2007; and
diluted earnings per share were $0.71 in 2008 compared to $0.72 in 2007.
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Chevrolet Unveils New Midget Racing Engine
Tony Stewart Racing to Introduce All-New Chevy Engine in USAC National Midget Car Series
INDIANAPOLIS – Chevrolet’s all-new Midget racing engine was unveiled today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by GM representatives and United States Auto Club (USAC) team owner Tony Stewart. Designed by GM Racing specifically for the USAC National Midget Car Series, the new purpose-built, four-cylinder Chevrolet racing engine will initially power Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers Tracy Hines and Levi Jones in upcoming events. The new Chevy Midget engine will be available to all USAC competitors through independent engine builders.
“One year ago, Chevrolet announced its sponsorship of Tony Stewart Racing in open-wheel competition,” said Chevrolet general manager Ed Peper. “Now Chevrolet has taken the next step by creating an all-new racing engine for this popular grassroots racing series. Chevrolet races to win, and America’s brand is aiming for more victories in this uniquely American form of motorsports.”
The new methanol-burning 166ci (2.7-liter) Chevy Midget racing engine produces more than 350 horsepower. The lightweight, inline four-cylinder engine employs an aluminum block and cylinder head with two valves per cylinder. Per USAC rules, the Chevy Midget engine is equipped with mechanical fuel injection and utilizes an electronic ignition system.
“The Chevy Midget racing engine is definitely going to be an asset to Tony Stewart Racing,” said team owner Tony Stewart. “Having the Chevrolet bowtie on the engine and not just on the side of the car as a sponsor is indicative of how much technical support the brand has given our program. In the past, we’ve competed with engines that were based on Chevy parts but weren’t necessarily a Chevrolet engine. The Chevy Racing engineering and marketing staffs have really embraced the TSR racing programs, and the debut of this new engine is the start of another exciting new chapter in our relationship.”
Starting with a clean sheet of paper and a blank computer screen, GM Racing engineers developed a package that is a departure from the engines traditionally used in Midget racing. The new Chevy powerplant stands out from its competition with an innovative architecture that improves its combustion efficiency, enhances airflow and lowers the center of gravity. Advanced technical resources such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and solid 3-D modeling used to design GM production engines were also used to develop the Chevrolet Midget racing engine.
The major components that define the Chevrolet Midget engine package – the cylinder block, cylinder head and certain ancillaries – will be available to all USAC competitors. Independent engine builders can then assemble Chevy Midget engines using internal components from their preferred suppliers. Kistler Racing Engines of Fremont, Ohio, supplies the Chevy engines that power the two TSR entries.
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Dale Jr. Talks Openly about His Grief, Growth and New Gig In Latest ESPN The Magazine Cover Story
ESPN The Magazine Looks at Who’s Playing Through the Pain This Playoff Season
The Mag Introduces “Up Front” Column with Stephen A. Smith
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dale Earnhardt Jr. has spent the seven years since his father’s death learning how to live without him. In the cover story for ESPN The Magazine, “All Grown Up”, Dale Jr. talks in depth publicly for the first time about the pain of losing his dad, who was killed in a crash at the Daytona 500 in 2001. Writer Marty Smith reveals that since Junior left the family business, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (and affiliation with Dale Sr.’s third wife Teresa Earnhardt), for NASCAR juggernaut Hendrick Motorsports this season, he’s finally feeling like himself again.
“When my dad died, I was numb, blind. I just kept moving. Going. Doing. It was horrible. The further away from it I get, the more I understand how I went through it.” – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“I didn’t talk about it because it wasn’t something I wanted to preach. ‘Oh, I lost my Daddy, woe is me, and I gotta go through life without him.’ I didn’t want that message.” – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“I ain’t got nothing against her. She might have something against me, I don’t know.” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. regarding Teresa Earnhardt, who declined to be interviewed for the story.
“I am striving to be the total package. A mature, dedicated, motivated racecar driver.” – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
ESPN The Magazine was granted exclusive access to Junior’s property and Whiskey River, the replica Wild West town he’s built on his 200 acres of land in North Carolina. The issue is on newsstands Wednesday, May 7.
ESPNthemag.com will exhibit a complementary photo gallery and a “behind the story” by Smith, who lost his own father while writing the piece on Dale Jr.
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N A S C A R * N A T I O N W I D E * S E R I E S
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Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
Darlingon Entry List: There are 46 cars on the preliminary entry list for Friday night’s Diamond Hill Plywood 200. The complete list is posted on the Darlington Race Page.(5-5-2008)
http://www.jayski.com/nationwide/2008/next/12darlington.htm#entry
Shepherd Honoring Mothers at Darlington: In a fitting tribute to mothers around the world, Morgan Shepherd’s #89 Racing With Jesus Dodge will honor and remember all mothers this Mother’s Day weekend. Shepherd’s Dodge Charger will carry a large red banner on its rear quarter panels in Friday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race which reads “Happy Mother’s Day” and will also display the names of his late mother, Bettie Poovey; his mother-in-law, Betty Jones; Tony Stewart’s mom, Pam Boas; Kevin Harvick’s mom; JoNell Harvick; and Matt Yocum’s mother, Mary Yocum, as a small Mother’s Day tribute.(Faith Motorsports PR)(5-7-2008)
MC2 Energy Drink Back on the #81 at Darlington: Beverage Plus Inc. has aligned itself with MacDonald Motorsports at the Nationwide Series race in Darlington. The company also sponsored the team’s #81 Dodge, driven by D.J. Kennington, at Mexico.(MacDonald Motorsports PR), see an image of the car on my #81 Team Paint Schemes page.(5-7-2008)
http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2008/nationwide/81nationwide.htm
Raybestos Rookie Notes for Darlinton: Bryan Clauson was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond. Clauson scored a 21st-place finish and claimed top Raybestos Rookie honors for the second time in 2008.
Dario Franchitti holds a 26-point lead (89-63) over Clauson in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 at Darlington.
Franchitti has led the Raybestos® Rookie standings for the past nine consecutive races.
David Ragan was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2007 Diamond Hill Plywood 200, collecting a 13th-place finish.
Kyle Busch is the most recent Raybestos Rookie to lead a lap at Darlington. He held the top spot once for 12 laps in the November 2004 Bi-Lo 200.(Raybestos PR)(5-7-2008)
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C R A F T S M A N * T R U C K * S E R I E S
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Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
Kvapil returns to series at Lowes: Although Travis Kvapil is scheduled to run the full 2008 Sprint Cup Series for Yates Racing, he is also driving the #09 Zaxby’s Ford for Roush Fenway Racing in 11 Craftsman Truck Series races this season. In only three starts in the truck series so far, Kvapil has two top-10 finishes. Next Friday he will compete in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)(5-7-2008)
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Courtesy of TruckSeries.Com
http://www.truckseries.com
Mult-Truck Teams Dominate
05-07-2008 | TruckSeries.com Report
Multiple truck teams were unheard of in 1995 when the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debuted. Fact is, having one raceable truck was tantamount to victory for many entrants. That is ancient history, to say the least. Three different organizations — Kevin Harvick Inc., Bill Davis Racing and Circle Bar Racing — placed seven trucks among the top 10 of the recent O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway.
http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_08/articles/000006/000639.htm
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A R C A (Automobile Racing Club of America)
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Courtesy of ARCA
http://www.arcaracing.com
ARCA Sim Racing Goes Gold…..
SOUTH BEND IN (5-7-08) – After over two years of anticipation, ARCA SIM RACING 08, from the Sim Factory LLC, is now available for the PC/DVD Rom format. This fully-licensed online stock car simulation software is rated “E” for Everyone and provides the most realistic and immersive, thought provoking racing experience one could get, without getting behind the wheel of an 815 Horsepower ARCA RE/MAX Series car and doing it …for real.
[Read More] – http://www.arcaracing.com/news.cfm?contentid=6496
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N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
http://localracing.nascar.com/news/6
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MOSPORT: Dickies and TSC Stores team up to offer a VIP trip to …
Inside Track Motorsport News – Toronto,Ontario,Canada
“We are very excited to have helped put together such an outstanding contest for all the great NASCAR Canadian Tire Series fans. It doesn’t get any better …
http://insidetracknews.blogspot.com/2008/05/mosport-dickies-and-tsc-stores-team-up.html
Inside Track Exclusive: Kent Nuhn shows off his new #18 Interstate …
Inside Track Motorsport News – Toronto,Ontario,Canada
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series driver Kent Nuhn unveiled his new car on Friday afternoon during the open house at Mississauga’s Atlas Detailing Salon. …
http://insidetracknews.blogspot.com/2008/05/inside-track-exclusive-kent-nuhn-shows.html
YouTube – Allied Steel Buildings @ the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
A few clips from Allied Steel’s trip to the Kawartha Speedway for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and Allied Racing’s #77 team.
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C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
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Top Ten Security Precautions Kyle Busch Took to Get Out of Richmond Alive
Jeff Meyer · Wednesday May 7, 2008
10. Pretended to befriend Brad Keselowski, gave him his sun goggles to wear, slapped him on the back, and sent him on his way.
9. Dressed up as a Budweiser guy removing empty kegs from the track.
http://www.frontstretch.com/jmeyer/16361/
Feud of the Week: Did Kyle Busch go too far by wrecking Junior?
CBSSports.com’s Brian De Los Santos and Pete Pistone provide analysis on three weekly racing topics.
http://www.sportsline.com/autoracing/story/10815459
Junior Wants Our Precious, But We Won’t Lets Him Get It – by Gollum Hamlin
by Ron Thornton
http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Articles/08/050708Thornton2.asp
Notebook: Perhaps Robby was Right by Mark Odor
Michael Waltrip’s checkered history followed him to Richmond this past weekend
http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Articles/08/050708Odor.asp
Waltrip Honors Friend, McDowell Pays Special Tribute to Mother
DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 6, 2008) – For Brain Cancer Awareness week May 4-10, Michael Waltrip designed a special paint scheme for the No. 00 Toyota Camry to honor his dearly departed friend Max Helton who was instrumental in establishing Motor Racing Outreach (MRO) in 1988.
http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Articles/08PR/050708PR3.asp
GORDON GOING FOR EIGHTH WIN ON “UNREAL” DARLINGTON TRACK
DARLINGTON, S.C (May 6, 2008) – Darlington Raceway, site of this Saturday night’s Dodge Challenger 500, was re-paved following last year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race won by Jeff Gordon.
http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Articles/08PR/050608PR17.asp
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/BW/050808.html
Testing One, Two, Three
by Brian Watkins
RaceTalkRadio.com:
Easy Solution for the Beer Nuts at the Track by Dennis Michelsen
http://www.racetalkradio.com/soz/id117.htm
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T V * L I S T I N G S
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Courtesy of Race Fan TV
http://www.racefantv.com
FRIDAY, MAY 9
7:00A-8:30 SPEED FIA Formula One PRACTICE, Petrol Ofisi Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul, Turkey, L
12:00n-1:30P SPEED NASCAR Sprint Cup PRACTICE, Dodge Challenger 500, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L
2:00P-3:00 SPEED NASCAR Sprint Cup FINAL PRACTICE, Dodge Challenger 500, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L
3:00P-4:30 SPEED/ TSN-AF NASCAR Nationwide Series QUALIFYING, Diamond Hill Plywood 200, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L
5:00P-7:00 SPEED NASCAR Sprint Cup QUALIFYING, Dodge Challenger 500, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L
7:00P-7:30 espn2/TSN NASCAR Nationwide Series COUNTDOWN, Diamond Hill Plywood 200, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L
7:30P-10:00 espn2/TSN NASCAR Nationwide Series Diamond Hill Plywood 200, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L (expect green at 7:45P)
SATURDAY, MAY 10
7:00A-8:00 TSN FIA Formula One QUALIFYING, Petrol Ofisi Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul, Turkey, 16:9, L
7:00A-8:30 SPEED FIA Formula One QUALIFYING, Petrol Ofisi Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul, Turkey, 16:9, L
12:00n-2:00P espn2 IRL IndyCar Indianapolis 500 Pole Day, Part #1, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, HD, L
3:00P-6:00 ABC IRL IndyCar Indianapolis 500 Pole Day, Part #2, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, HD, L
5:00P-7:00 SPEED NASCAR RaceDay, preview of today’s Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway, HD, R
6:00P-7:00 espn2 IRL IndyCar Indianapolis 500 Pole Day, Part #3, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, HD, L
7:00P-7:20 FOX/TSN NASCAR Sprint Cup PRE-RACE SHOW, Dodge Challenger 500, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L
7:20P-11:30 FOX/TSN NASCAR Sprint Cup Dodge Challenger 500, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC, HD, L (expect green at 7:35P)
7:00P-8:00 SPEED IHRA Nitro Jam drag racing Amalie Motor Oil Texas Nationals, San Antonio Raceway, Marion, Part #2, TX, Apr 6/08, N
Race Fan TV does not list all the programming offered by SPEED; for complete listings go to their website, http://www.speedtv.com/schedule/
DISC-HDT = Discovery HD Theatre
ESPN-CL = ESPN Classic, US
HDNet = High Definition Network available on DirecTV (Channel 79) and DISH, etc.
Outdoor = Outdoor Channel (US)
VS = Versus (formerly known as OLN, Outdoor Life Network)
Always CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS!
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Copyright 2002-2008 by MotorSportsNews.Net
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