I hope everyone had a great weekend… ours was good except for the couple of inches of “white death” awaiting me for my morning commute in a while.
Here’s today’s Stock Car Gazette for you.
____________________________________________________________
T H E * S T O C K * C A R * G A Z E T T E
by http://MotorSportsNews.Net
Do you know for sure?
http://motorsportsnews.net/you-can-know-for-sure
____________________________________________________________
The Stock Car Gazette is sponsored by:
Hasco Collectibles
Div. Hasco Services, LLC
701 Mantooth Ave.
Lufkin, TX 75904
http://www.hascodiecastcars.com
hasco@diecastcars.net
866-66-HASCO (866-664-2726)
MOST MERCHANDISE ON OUR SITE HAS BEEN REDUCED UP TO 25 PER CENT.
PLUS———–WE ARE ALSO TAKING ANOTHER 40 PER CENT OFF ON THE SITE!
NOTE: OFFER ENDS MIDNIGHT 2/16/09 AFTER THE DAYTONA 500!
NEWEST IN STOCK:
Kasey Kahne 2008 1/24th Bud Pocono Raced Win Dodge
Travis Kvapil CFS 1/24th 2008 California Highway Patrol Ford Fusion.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2008 1/24th AMP/NG ‘Ride Along With Jr.’ Impala.
We Have 2008 AMP/NG/Dupont/Lowes/Cheerios/Home Depot/Budweiser/
Bass Pro/Fed-Ex/Nicorette, And More At Our Web Store:
http://www.hascodiecastcars.com.
Hasco Collectibles
Div. Hasco Services, LLC
701 Mantooth Ave.
Lufkin, TX 75904
http://www.hascodiecastcars.com
hasco@diecastcars.net
866-66-HASCO (866-664-2726)
___________________________________________________________
E d i t o r ‘ s * N o t e s
___________________________________________________________
I hope everyone had a great weekend… ours was good except for the couple of inches of “white death” awaiting me for my morning commute in a while.
___________________________________________________________
Stock Car Gazette Columnists Speak Out!
___________________________________________________________
Gilliland likely out at Yates after Labonte-HOF partnership
by: Doug Turnbull
The rags to riches racing story that has been David Gilliland’s career may be experiencing a turn in its plot. In a published interview this week, Gilliland said that he is under the assumption that he is the odd man out on his race team, though team officials had not informed him of his release yet. Read more at http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/2588
Read more of Doug’s Fastcar Newsdeck columns at http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/category/turnbull
____________________
TV Times – Bud Shootout Wild Cards Will Make A Wild Race Wilder
by Lou Modestino
Each manufacturer is given a Wild Card entry into the 2009 NASCAR Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. This is no surprise as NASCAR tries to give the automakers an incentive to stay in NASCAR stockcar racing. More of this column is found at http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/2591
Read more of the TV Times by Lou Modestino at http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/category/tv-times
___________________________________________________________
N A S C A R * S P R I N T * C U P * S E R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of www.Catchfence.com
Daytona 500 Champion Ryan Newman Delivers ‘Let’s Play Hockey’ Command: The four most famous words in racing are “Drivers, start your engines.” On Thursday night at the St. Pete Times Forum, Ryan Newman, 2008 Daytona 500 champion, delivered three famous words for hockey fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning – “Let’s Play Hockey.” Newman, driver of the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, kicked off the Tampa Bay Lightning-Philadelphia Flyers National Hockey League game with the traditional command. The Lightning ended up defeating the Flyers 4-1. In addition to his command, Newman, who wore a No. 39 Lightning third jersey sweater, participated in an autograph session, was interviewed by Sun Sports during the first intermission and watched the game from the owner’s box. Newman will defend his Daytona 500 victory in the 51st annual “Great American Race” on Sunday, Feb. 15. In the 51st annual Daytona 500, Newman will try to join Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough and Sterling Marlin as a back-to-back Daytona 500 winners. He will drive the No. 39 Chevrolet for the person that he passed to win the 2008 Daytona 500 – Stewart. In driving for Stewart-Haas Racing (formerly known as Haas CNC Racing), Newman will become the first Daytona 500 champion since 1981 to drive for a different team after winning the Daytona 500 the previous year. In 1980, Buddy Baker won the fastest Daytona 500 in history with owner Harry Ranier and returned the following year to defend his victory with owner Hoss Ellington’s No. 1 Oldsmobile. He finished fourth. Tickets for DIRECTV Speedweeks 2009 and the 51st annual Daytona 500 are available online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. – Daytona International Speedway, Press Release
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Stock Car Gazette subscriber Ed B. – thanks!
NASCAR Driver Stephen Leicht Auctions His Home Away from Home for Daytona Race Weekend
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/1/prweb1872784.htm
Bill Lester To Run Full Daytona Prototype Season
http://grand-am.com/rolex/news/index.cfm?cid=20379
NASCAR kicks off preseason without testing
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2009-01-16-3702703144_x.htm
___________________________________________________________
Your ad could be displayed here… very reasonable rates. E-mail Mike@MotorSportsNews.Net
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Stock Car Gazette subscriber Kent D. – thanks!
Selling a piece of NASCAR history
Farmington Daily Times – Farmington,NM,USA By Dorothy Nobis
So, someone gave you a gift card for a new car this year. Whaddya gonna buy? A Beemer? A Lamborghini? A Rolls? …
http://www.daily-times.com/ci_11476670
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Google Alerts
Racing Jobs: ISC Motorsports : Official Site for Jobs, Careers and …
… NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series season-finales and the SpeedJam Championship Weekend featuring the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series as well as the IndyCar and Firestone Indy Lights Series season finales. …
http://iscmotorsports.teamworkonline.com/teamwork/r.cfm?i=22754
Tony Stewart eager to start NASCAR season with his own team
Palm Beach Post – FL, United States
By CARLOS FRÍAS In past NASCAR off-seasons, he looked forward to escaping to his home in Columbus, Ind., and thinking as little as possible about racing. …
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2009/01/16/a3c_stewart_0117.html
How could Dale Earnhardt Jr. possibly refuse this offer?
al.com – Birmingham,AL,USA
The track that hosts Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series races, but no Cup races, would love to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. show up for one of their …
http://blog.al.com/blogoftomorrow/2009/01/how_could_dale_earnhardt_jr_po.html
NASCAR » Petty: I knew I wouldn’t have a ride in ’09.
crash.net – UK
NASCAR veteran Kyle Petty has acknowledged that following Petty Enterprises’ mergers with Boston Ventures and Gillett Evernham Motorsports, he knew there …
http://www.crash.net/motorsport/nascar/news/173326-0/content.html
Let us now praise Kyle Petty
SportingNews.com – USA
By Reid Spencer Kyle Petty doesn’t have a NASCAR Sprint Cup ride this season, and he certainly won’t be part of the combined Petty/Gillett Evernham …
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=507843
Shootout still leaves NASCAR with foot wounds
ThatsRacin.com – USA
By David Poole Bless NASCAR’s heart, it’s trying to fix something that is broken beyond repair and it just keeps digging the hole a little deeper. …
http://www.thatsracin.com/news/story/21754.html
Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing could be down to 2 cars
USA Today – USA
When Dale Earnhardt Inc. merged with Chip Ganassi Racing last year, the plan was to run four cars in NASCAR’s top series. Driver Martin Truex Jr. said …
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2009-01-16-2467450969_x.htm
Earnhardt Ganassi sponsorship may limit operation
The Virginian-Pilot – Norfolk,VA,USA
Pierre Kuettel, crew chief for Carl Edwards’ 2007 title rrun in what’s now the Nationwide Series, will serve as car chief on Edwards’ team this year.
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/01/earnhardt-ganassi-sponsorship-may-limit-operation
Is Mark Martin NASCAR’s most talented driver?
Orlando Sentinel – Orlando,FL,USA
“He’s the most talented race-car driver that there is,” said Jeff Gordon, Martin’s teammate this season. “The guy is just a natural and he works hard at it …
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-sl-nascar-mark-martin-talent-011809,0,2529641.storylink
Waltrip on the way out? And more NASCAR chatter | HamptonRoads.com …
The days of Michael Waltrip as a driving are coming to a close. The question is how close is he to the end? Will it be over after this year? Or next? Waltrip knows he needs to perform this year even though he’s also the car owner.
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/01/waltrip-way-out-and-more-nascar-chatter
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Insider Racing News
http://www.insiderracingnews.com
Jeff Gordon’s Car Brings $500,000
The biggest draw so far was auctioned off at the (Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in Scottsdale, Ariz.,) Saturday night when Jeff Gordon’s 2006 No. 24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo fetched a mere $500,000 with the help of car owner Rick Hendrick standing on the auction block. The Monte Carlo — no longer a use to the team thanks to NASCAR’s full-time switch to the Car of Tomorrow in 2008 — was sold to collector Ron Pratt and included Hendrick’s promise of a trip for the winner to any race as his personal guest. Such a trip for Pratt will include a chance to meet the driver of his choice in addition to sitting on Gordon’s pit box for the event. The proceeds from the auction will head to the National Marrow Donor Program. Hendrick has been involved with the program for well over a decade after a personal bout with lukemia nearly took the team owner’s life.
Kuettel Rejoins Edwards’ Team
Roush Fenway Racing driver Carl Edwards will start the new Sprint Cup season with an old friend. Pierre Kuettel, who served as car chief for Edwards’ Cup team before becoming his crew chief in what is now known as the Nationwide Series, will return to the No. 99 Cup team for 2009. Kuettel will serve as car chief along with Jason Myers, last season’s car chief. “Pierre came out, and we won a championship in the Nationwide Series together, and then Drew [Blickensderfer] became my crew chief,” Edwards said at NASCAR’s Preseason Thunder Fan Fest at Daytona International Speedway. “P.K. looked at his options and said, ‘Hey, I’d like to be the car chief.’ … We had so much success with P.K. on that team in 2005, I think having him come back and do this job is going to be a huge addition.
Dakar Rally Ends: Robby Gordon Finishes Third Overall
South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers and Spain’s Marc Coma wrapped up overall victory in the 2009 Dakar Rally following Saturday’s final stage. de Villiers won the car section and Coma triumphed among the motorcyclists following a final 227km special from Rioja to Cordoba to take the honors in the race’s 30th edition. The duo confirmed their victories by safely negotiating their way through the final liaison which took them into Buenos Aires, two weeks after they left. de Villiers, driving for Volkswagen, led teammate Mark Miller of the United States by 2 minutes 20 seconds going into the final stage and increased his advantage to 8 minutes 59 seconds to emerge on top. It was his and Volkswagen’s first win in the event and also the first by an African driver. NASCAR driver Robby Gordon finished third overall, 1 hour 46 minutes behind de Villiers. In Saturday’s 14th and final stage, Gordon finished 23rd, 19 minutes from the lead. The finish was the highest in five Dakar Rally attempts for Gordon and the podium finish had Gordon feeling like a champion. “[Team Dakar USA] may not be the overall winner in this year’s Dakar Rally, but I can tell you that we are our own winners,” Gordon said. “What we did here this year is really amazing. This my highest finish in a Dakar Rally and a testament to the Team Dakar USA program.
Dover Snubs Fans, Won’t Lower Ticket Prices
Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover International Speedway, said Wednesday that Dover will not be among the many race tracks on the NASCAR circuit that will be slashing ticket prices this year in an effort to address the woeful economy. “We approached the issue of ticket pricing last year and came up with some package discounts for our customers,” McGlynn said. “If a race fan buys a ticket for Friday, Saturday and our Sunday races, then they get a discount. We have several different packages available. We have tried to add more value to the overall experience [at Dover] so that race fans get more of their money’s worth.” Still, tracks such as Richmond, Martinsville, Atlanta, Talladega, California and Darlington have recently announced they will be cutting ticket prices in 2009. The price cuts are in response to the several thousand empty seats that were spotted at most Sprint Cup races last year as the country began to slide into recession. Tickets to Richmond’s Sprint Cup races will now start at $40 in the Henrico Grandstand (a 50 percent decrease from 2008 prices).
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
NMPA inducts three legends: The National Motorsports Press Association had its Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Saturday night. The banquet honored the newest inductees — Chris Economaki, T. Taylor Warren and Junie Donlavey — and took place in one large banquet room of the Embassy Suites Hotel in Concord, NC.(in part from NASCAR This Week)(1-18-2009)
Waltrip could retire arter 2009? from the 2009 NASCAR Preseason Thunder Daytona Fan Fest: Saturday news conference transcripts:
Q. Do you get the same sense of excitement or anticipation when you get ready to race as you do when you go on camera to do the funny NAPA commercials with Ron Capps?
MICHAEL WALTRIP: I’m just real lucky, and I think the question earlier about would I have started my team, I’m all in. Me and Capps just finished our commercials for this year yesterday and the day before, and they’re awesome. I can’t wait for everyone to see them. That’s fun. When I get to go on TV and talk about truck racing, the last season of that truck racing were as fun as anything I’ve done hanging out with Phil and Rick and Al and all the folks on Speed. I love that. But I’m a race car driver, and when I came through that tunnel a minute ago here at Daytona, it almost brought tears to my eyes. It’s almost like coming home when you’ve had success here and you know the people that have won and the people that have lost their battles here. Just I love it. It’ll be interesting.
My goal is to go win some races this year, run up front so that I don’t have to say this is my last year. But if I don’t do those things, if I can’t compete at the level that Ruderman does or NAPA expects, then I probably won’t get to do this again in 2010. This is a real important year for me because I still love it. I’m still emotional about it. That’s a great feeling. I’m glad I have that. I’m glad I feel the way I do, and I’m also glad that I own my car, because if this is my last year then I’m fine, because that means I got somebody faster or better than me to drive my car in 2010, and that’s how it was supposed to be. I’m not going to be standing around thinking, “well, what am I going to do now?” I know exactly what I’m going to do now, I’m going to continue to be to try to influence my drivers and my team and my sponsors to be the best team that we can ever be.”(NASCAR PR)(1-18-2009)
New Car Chief for Edwards: from the 2009 NASCAR Preseason Thunder Daytona Fan Fest: Saturday news conference transcripts:
Q. It’s hard to imagine your team being much stronger than it was at the end of last year, but you said you’ve added a couple people.
CARL EDWARDS: Right. Yeah, one person in particular sorry, go ahead and finish. Pierre Kuettel is going to be the car chief on the 99. Jason Myers was the car chief. He’s, I think, a really good example of guys really rallying for the team. Pierre came out and we won a championship in the Nationwide series together, and then Drew became my crew chief, P.K. looked at his options and said, hey, I’d like to be the car chief. When it was offered to him, he said, hey, I’ll do that, I’ll be the car chief on the Cup car again. We had so much success with P.K. on that team in 2005, I think having him come back and do this job is going to be a huge addition. At the same time we didn’t lose Jason Myers. He’s going to stay there, and I think for two guys to do that and make moves in a sport that from the outside would appear like downward moves so that we can go achieve a championship in the Cup Series, I’m so proud of those guys, so I’m so excited about it. I feel like we’re right back where we were in 2005 except we gained a championship level crew chief to car chief on my Cup car, and that’s cool.(NASCAR PR)(1-18-2009)
Angie Skinner writes on the discussion board — Mike [Skinner] and I are driving up to NC today to meet with a potential team who seems excited to take on the #5 [Truck Series] guys and Skinner. Mike is looking to attempt the Daytona 500 in a car which Slugger Labbe is working on….this isn’t a full time team…just a fun attempt at the great race.(Mike Skinner.com)(1-18-2009)
Swindell wins Chili Bowl, no luck for Kahne: Sammy Swindell put the finishing touches on a perfect week by racing to victory lane in Saturday night’s 23rd Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire 50-lap championship feature event, besting an event record of 281 competitors. Swindell survived a set of cautions in the final handful of circuits along with a foray or two above the turns one and two cushion to capture an unprecedented fifth Chili Bowl title and the coveted Golden Driller trophy that goes along with it. Swindell was chased to the line by Hines, with Brad Kuhn making a last-corner move around Jerry Coons, Jr., to snare the show position. J.J. Yeley rounded out the top five. Kasey Kahne’s day was cut short when he tangled with Jason Meyers while dicing for a transfer position just three laps short of the night’s first “C” Main.(ChiliBowl.com)(1-18-2009)
2009 Schemes: added more 2009 schemes including #78 Furniture Row, #39 U.S Army, #43 Valvoline, #00 Aaron’s, #43 Air Force, #24 DuPont/PA24.com to the Paint Scheme Gallery and/or 2009 Cup Schemes page.
http://www.jayski.com/schemes/paintschemes.htm
http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2009cup.htm
Menard to get owners pts from other Yates team: from a NASCAR Press Conference at Daytona for the Fanfest. NASCAR Ramsey Poston asked the questions: Has any determination been made at Yates what the point affiliation will be for your team? Are you going to start from scratch? Are you going to get one of the other cars on points, and is there more concern or more excitement about starting out the year with a totally new bunch and how critical is it going to be to gel quickly with that group?
PAUL MENARD [#98 Menard's Ford]: As far as I know we’re getting points so we’ll be locked in. I’m not sure if it’s #28 or #38 points, but one of them will slide over.(NASCAR PR)(1-17-2009)
Earnhardt-Ganassi down to two teams? When Dale Earnhardt Inc. merged with Chip Ganassi Racing last year, the plan was to run four cars in NASCAR’s top series. It could be down to two. Driver #1-Martin Truex Jr. said Friday night that Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing is planning to field just three cars for next month’s Daytona 500 — with him, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya and #8-Aric Almirola behind the wheels. And Almirola said he has no guarantee to drive beyond the season-opening race because of sponsorship woes. “As far as I can tell, I believe three,” Truex Jr. said at NASCAR’s preseason tour at Daytona International Speedway. “I’m pretty sure that’s what’s going on. … I believe that’s it. That’s about all I’ve got there. Montoya, me and Aric.” Truex Jr. and Montoya are fully sponsored for 2009, but Almirola conceded his lack of sponsorship could be a problem this season. “Chip and Teresa [Earnhardt] have to do whatever makes financial sense to them, and hopefully for me that means run 36 races,” Almirola said. “For them, I hope that’s the case because that means that they’ll have been able to afford to do that. Now, saying that, I don’t know. I’m not privy to look at their financial statements every week or every month, so I don’t know what they’re going to be willing to do and not do without a sponsor. The moral of the story is we need a sponsor badly. We need sponsorship dollars to be able to take our #8 Earnhardt-Ganassi with Felix Sabbatta’s Chevy to every single race that we can. We need sponsorship dollars.”(ESPN/AP)(1-17-2009)
Robby to run a Dodge in Shootout: Sirius Speedway spoke to NASCAR representative Ramsey Poston today, and he confirmed that Robby Gordon is approved to run the Budweiser Shootout in a Dodge, before converting to Toyota for the remainder of Speedweek 2009. Gordon ran Dodges last season, but will campaign a Toyota in 2009. Both manufacturers have apparently signed-off on the arrangement. It is difficult to imagine why Dodge would approve of the deal, since it bumps Penske Racing’s Sam Hornish –a full-time Dodge driver in 2009 — out of the race. The ruling also raises some potentially explosive scenearios. For instance, Chip Ganassi’s #42 car finished 25th in owners points last year, running as a Dodge. Based on Gordon’s eligibility, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing could presumably build a Dodge and put Juan Pablo Montoya into the Shootout, bumping AJ Allmendinger.(Sirius Speedway)(1-17-2009)
ARCA team to attempt Daytona 500: BlackJack Racing, an ARCA RE/MAX Series team from 2005-2007, plans to attempt to make the Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500. The team will use the #51 and run a Dodge. BlackJack Racing has one Nationwide Series start at Memphis Motorsports Park in 2006. BlackJack Racing will field an ARCA RE/MAX Series entry for driver Dexter Bean at Daytona next month. A formal announcement is expected within the next week. No word who will drive the car for the Daytrona 500 attrempt.(Catchfence.com)(1-17-2009)
___________________________________________________________
Your ad could be displayed here… very reasonable rates. E-mail Mike@MotorSportsNews.Net
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of That’s Racin’
http://www.thatsracin.com
NASCAR hall’s first class has to have France, Petty
THATSRACIN.COM OPINION
Who are the five greatest legends in stock car racing history? NASCAR will outline its plan to answer that question this week. And it should be relatively easy to select the inaugural class.
http://www.thatsracin.com/topstories/story/21764.html
It might be time to go or get out, Waltrip says
Michael Waltrip loves racing but he said he knows that if he doesn’t do well enough on the track this could be his last year as a Cup driver. more
http://www.thatsracin.com/topstories/story/21771.html
___________________________________________________________
P R E S S * R E L E A S E S
___________________________________________________________
The Stars of NASCAR Gather For NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fests At DIS
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 17, 2009) – The stars of NASCAR visited historic Daytona International Speedway for the past two days chatting with race fans, signing autographs and participating in media availability during the NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fests.
The following is a collection of quotes from NASCAR drivers talking about DIRECTV Speedweeks 2009 and the 51st annual Daytona 500:
2008 DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION RYAN NEWMAN: “Obviously it was an extreme honor in 2008 to win that 50th running of the Daytona 500. To do it in the fashion that we did, a one-two finish with Kurt Busch as my teammate, obviously, it was a great honor and privilege. Really look forward to defending the title with a different team and being a teammate to Tony Stewart this year.”
“We were joking in the car earlier when we were doing some other stuff, we’ve kind of lost the thunder in Preseason Thunder because we’re not testing, but at the same time we still have a responsibility to the fans to be able to come here and say thanks and say, hey, we’ll be back in a few weeks, so check us out. It’s still a good thing for the sport ultimately because of the fans, and if the fans show up, we’ll be here.”
TONY STEWART: “I remember the race that Dale Earnhardt lost on the last corner of the last lap with a flat tire and I remember Darrell Waltrip winning his first race and watching Dale Earnhardt Sr. get his win. There are so many huge memories of this event that it’s really hard to pick one. I mean, they’re all special in their own way, and we’re obviously in different times. They’re all pretty cool.
“Obviously with preseason testing being canceled, this event is really important to get us connected with our fans again after a long off-season, or short off-season I should say, but that’s what makes tonight so important, to have that opportunity to be with our fans again before we get here in three weeks to start racing. Tonight it’s about being here with our fans, and that’s something that I think we’ve all been looking forward to — getting back to our core group.”
ARIC ALMIROLA: “It’s always good to come to Daytona, especially for me growing up in Tampa. Daytona holds a special place in my heart for sure. I’ve been here many a times and watched many a Daytona 500s, watched many Firecracker 400s. So it’s always fun to come back.”
DAVID RAGAN: “I’ve told a lot of people that we can win some races next year, and the Daytona 500 is the first one that we’ve got a great shot to win. Out of the last four restrictor plate races we had four of the top five, and if it wasn’t for a mistake on my behalf at last year’s Daytona 500, we would have had a chance to win.”
THREE-TIME DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION JEFF GORDON: My very first memories of Daytona, I used to race sprint cars out at Volusia County back in the mid 80s, so we’d drive by the speedway on our way out there. I was just in awe of it. It never was even a reality that I’d be driving laps around that track or competing there or especially winning there. I was happy to be going to the dirt track, but I was like, ‘Wow, what an amazing facility.’ And going to Indianapolis and going by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was kind of that same kind of feeling that you have when you just see a place sprawling out of the ground that has all these grandstands, this incredible speedway with all the history.”
MARK MARTIN: “Well, everybody wants to win (the Daytona 500), and everybody thinks they’re going to win it. Every one of them thinks they’re going to win it. It would certainly be the crown jewel of my career. Rick Hendrick loves winning Daytona 500s. I think it would be real special for him and for the 5 car to win it on their 25th anniversary of being in NASCAR and it all started with the 5 car. I think it would mean a lot.”
TWO-TIME DAYTONA 500 WINNER MICHAEL WALTRIP: “It means the world to me, you know, career-wise. I’m proud that I was able to accomplish winning the greatest race there is in my opinion, and winning it twice is something that I’m thankful for. I feel like I could have won it a couple more times, and I feel like I can still win it a couple more times, and that’s a great feeling, too, to come down here in a couple weeks with a car that I believe will be able to contend for the win here. That’s awesome.”
2004 DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION DALE EARNHARDT JR: “I’ve got to be fast. That was pretty apparent. When the 18 and the 11 and those guys were leading last year, man, you couldn’t even get to them. You’ve got to handle good. They were handling good and had some good power. We’ve just got to get our car to handle a little bit better. I think I’ve wrecked out of the last two Daytona 500s or maybe I finished ninth or something last year, but I’ve not finished well, done well near the end of the races, made the wrong choices, picking the wrong line and finishing bad or crashing out. You’ve just got to make the right choices near the end of the Daytona 500. The night falls and the grip comes, the track gets a lot more grip, and the two wide racing becomes more common. If you’re not in the front of one of them lines, you’re kind of stuck where you are. So you’ve got to make sure you’re near the front of that thing just about all day.”
Tickets for DIRECTV Speedweeks 2009 and the 51st annual Daytona 500 are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
__________
NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown To Air Live On SIRIUS NASCAR Radio
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 16, 2009) – As the engines fire up at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, race fans from coast to coast will be able to tune in to all the action of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. For the first time, NASCAR’s premier short-track racing event will air live on SIRIUS XM Radio.
SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, available nationwide on SIRIUS channel 128 and on XM channel 128 with the “Best of SIRIUS” programming package, will broadcast the action of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown beginning at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 24. Calling the action live from Irwindale will be SIRIUS NASCAR Radio host and short-track aficionado Pat Patterson.
“This year’s event has drawn unprecedented interest and we’re thrilled to be able to partner with SIRIUS XM to bring the great racing of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown to fans everywhere,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR’s managing director of racing operations. “With a who’s who of short-track drivers from across North America, multiple series champions and stars from NASCAR’s top series all converging on southern California, live coverage on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio adds significantly to the impact of this prestigious event.”
The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown will feature the sixth running of the postseason showcase event, which has quickly grown into what fans and drivers have come to call the “Daytona 500 of short-track racing.”
The list of drivers entered in Saturday’s 250-lap Camping World Series race is a star-studded roster of NASCAR short-track standouts. Joey Logano will look to defend his race title one month before he gets behind the wheel of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series No. 20 Home Depot Toyota at Daytona International Speedway.
Leading the list of challengers is three-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., 2008 NASCAR Camping World Series West champion Eric Holmes, 2008 NASCAR Camping World Series East champion and 2006 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown winner Matt Kobyluck, and two-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champion Philip Morris.
Also headed to Irwindale are former NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champions Peyton Sellers and Greg Pursley, 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion Scott Steckly and 2008 NASCAR Mexico Series champion Antonio Perez.
Patterson, also known as “The Racing Guy,” has been broadcasting racing for more than 25 years and brings a wealth of short-track knowledge to the radio booth. In addition to calling the live race, Patterson will host his regular SIRIUS NASCAR Radio show, The Front Stretch, live from the track on Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon ET. On Friday, January 23, SIRIUS NASCAR Radio host Claire B. Lang will preview the Toyota All-Star Showdown on her show, Dialed In, airing live from 7-10 p.m. ET.
In addition to competition for the NASCAR Camping World Series, which is NASCAR’s top developmental series, action in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series will feature a Late Model race and a Super Late Model race.
To purchase tickets for the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, fans can go to www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com or call the track at (626) 358-1100.
__________
NASCAR Champions Set To Converge On L.A.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 17, 2009) – NASCAR champions from across North America will converge on southern California for two days of celebration, as activities kick off in and around Los Angeles leading up to the postseason short-track showcase, the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown.
Before racing gets going at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, the top drivers of the NASCAR Developmental Series will be honored with an array of activities on Tuesday, Jan. 20 and Wednesday, Jan. 21.
Champions from each of the six regional touring series, including Canada and Mexico, and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series – the grassroots track foundation of NASCAR that encompasses short tracks across the United States and Canada – were invited to participate in the pre-Showdown celebration.
The events will kick off with a welcome brunch on Tuesday morning, and culminate with attendence Wednesday night at the Los Angeles Lakers-Los Angeles Clippers NBA game at the Staples Center.
Other Champions Events scheduled include:
· Before they hit the track, the drivers will go wheel to wheel with each other and the media in a high-speed, go-kart challenge at K-1 Speed Anaheim Tuesday, Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The K-1 Speed Anaheim features a night-time racing experience and is the only go-kart track in the U.S. with two tunnels. KXOL-FM Latino 96.3 will broadcast live from K-1 Speed Anaheim. In addition, NASCAR will host 25 residents of Covenant House California – Los Angeles. Established in 1988, Covenant House California has opened its doors to more than 145,000 homeless youth who suffer from the trauma of trying to survive on the streets.
· The Champions/Media Dinner will follow at the Petersen Auto Museum on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. The Petersen Automotive Museum is dedicated to the exploration and presentation of the automobile and its impact on American life and culture, using Los Angeles as the prime example. Encompassing more than 300,000 square feet, its exhibits and lifelike dioramas feature more than 150 rare and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles.
· Tuesday will wrap up with the champions taking in a behind-the-scenes viewing of the Emmy Award-winning “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The ABC Television Network late-night talk show features a diverse lineup of guests, including celebrities, athletes, comedians, politicians and human interest subjects.
· Prior to attending the Laker v Clipper game Wednesday evening, the driver will first take part in a VIP trip to Universal Studios, in Universal City, CA.
2008 NASCAR champions scheduled to attend include:
· Matt Kobyluck (NASCAR Camping World Series East Champion)
The 38-year-old Uncasville, Conn., driver won his first title in his 10th year racing in the series. In the process, Kobyluck, a member of the Mohegan Tribal Nation, became the first Native-American to win a NASCAR touring series championship.
· Eric Holmes (NASCAR Camping World Series West Champion)
The 34-year-old Escalon, Calif., driver won his second NASCAR Camping World Series West championship in the past three years. Holmes became the first driver to win a touring series championship driving a Toyota.
· Antonio Perez (NASCAR Mexico Series Champion)
The 22-year-old native of Guadalajara won his first NASCAR title. Perez also made three starts in 2008 in the NASCAR Camping World Series East and earned his first career Coors Light Pole Award at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.
· Philip Morris (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Champion)
Just the second driver in more than 25 years of the series to win the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series more than once, the Ruckersville, Va., driver won the series by just two points – one position over the course of the season. The 43-year-old Morris has 38 wins, 62 top fives and 70 top 10s in 81 Late Model division races over the last three years.
· Scott Steckly (NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Champion)
The 36-year-old from Milverton, Ontario, Canada, won his first NASCAR Canadian Tire Series championship. He collected wins in three of the first four events of the season, and led points standings all season. Steckly also made NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Montreal on August of 2008.
· Brian Loftin (NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Champion)
The 31-year-old driver from Lexington, N.C., won his first NASCAR championship driving a family-owned car. In addition, Brian and his wife also celebrated the birth of their first child, a son, in 2008.
The NASCAR Developmental Series is the umbrella under which all of the NASCAR series that lead up to three national series (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) fall.
It includes the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, which encompasses all of the NASCAR-sanctioned short-tracks; two Modified Tours (NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour), a division that dates back to the beginnings of NASCAR; two international series (NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and NASCAR Mexico Series); and the NASCAR Camping World Series, the final step in the developmental ladder.
In addition, the best short-track drivers throughout NASCAR’s developmental series compete in the postseason NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. The sixth running of the event will be held Jan. 23-24 at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.), and will feature a 250-lap Camping World Series race, as well as NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model and Late Model races.
___________________________________________________________
N A S C A R * N A T I O N W I D E * S E R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
Menard to run 16 Nationwide races: From a Saturday Preseason Thunder Daytona Fan Fest news conference:
Q. Are you going to do any Nationwide stuff this year, maybe something with Roush, or what’s going on there?
PAUL MENARD: I’m actually going to run, I believe, 16 Nationwide races. It’s going to be through Yates racing in affiliation with Roush. But it’ll be an under the Yates banner. I think we’re going to announce something this week as far as who the sponsor is, but it’s pretty exciting.(NASCAR PR)(1-17-2009)
Kerry Earnhardt to drive #8 at Datyona race in July: Kerry Earnhardt, the son of the legend, will be driving the #8 DEI car in the July 4 Daytona 250 Nationwide race. He will be sponsored by Bass Pro Shops in this event. Kerry is currently working at DEI as a team liaison. He is also integrally involved in his son Jeffrey’s developmental driver career.(Bleacher Report)(1-17-2009)
Fastenal to RCR? UPDATE 5: IMAGE: hearing the Fastenal sponsorship will be going to the #2 Richard Childress Racing Chevy with Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. driving and Scott Pruett on the road courses. No word how many races the sponsorship will be for.(1-6-2009)
UPDATE: RCR sources tell me that Fastenal will not sponsor a RCR car in 2009.(1-9-2009)
UDPATE 2: From a memo to Fastenal employees from the VP of Marketing at Fastenal: “For the 2009 Nationwide Series, Fastenal will be the proud sponsor of the #5 Fastenal Chevy for JR Motorsports, a very successful team that is co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rick Hendrick from Hendrick Motorsports. Here’s the best part: As part of our new partnership, Dale Jr. will drive the #5 Fastenal car for select races during the season. He will share driving duties with two-time Nationwide Series champion, Martin Truex Jr as well as Scott Wimmer who has 6 Nationwide Series wins and 29 top-5 finishes.”(1-16-2009)
UPDATE 3: JR Motorsports today announced it has secured additional sponsorship backing for its #5 entry in the Nationwide Series with Fastenal Company. Fastenal will be the primary sponsor of the No. 5 Chevrolets for 14 races, bringing the team’s total number of races in 2009 to 21. The partnership will kick off at Texas Motor Speedway on April 4 with veteran driver and team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel. Earnhardt Jr. will make one other start in the #5 Fastenal Chevy at Daytona International Speedway in July. Additional drivers and races for the #5 team will be announced at a later date. (JR Motorsports PR)(1-16-2009)
UPDATE 4: Scott Wimmer finds a Nationwide Series ride for the upcoming season. But mum’s the word because nothing is official just yet. Scott Wimmer: “I’m really excited I finally landed a job. Unfortunately I just can’t say where it’s at just yet. I Landed a partial schedule with a really good team. Gonna be running Nationwide Series. Looking forward to that. Looking forward to get going. Need to fill up some more races but at least got the first part of it done. Gonna have a good team I can contend with, win races with.” Wimmer hopes to secure more races for 2009, including Daytona. Wimmer: “Hopefully I’ll have something to announce next week and hopefully have something to announce the week after that with some more races. We’re getting a lot of interest now, talking to a lot of team owners. (We’re) trying to work on Daytona. I want to be down there racing.”(WAOW TV)(1-16-2009)
UPDATE 5: See an image of the car on the #5 Paint Schemes Page.(1-17-2009) http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2009/nationwide/5nationwide.htm
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of The Hot Lap
http://www.TheHotLap.com
Check out the quotes from 2009 NNS Rookie Contenders. Read more
http://thehotlap.com/modules.php?name=Press_Releases&op=view&rid=3006
Top finishers with NNS ties at the main event of the Chili Bowl Saturday-14th-#132 Ricky Stenhouse. 15th- #4 Bobby East. 21st- #86 Justin Allgaier (thehotlap) (01-18-09)
Check out NNS related quotes from PreSeason Thunder Daytona FanFest. Michael Waltrip, Erik Darnell, Colin Braun and Alex Garcia. Read more (NASCAR) (01-17-09)
http://thehotlap.com/modules.php?name=Press_Releases&op=view&rid=3005
Yates Racing driver Paul Menard said Saturday he will run 16 NASCAR Nationwide Series races this season in conjunction with Roush Fenway Racing. Menard competed full time in what is now known as the Nationwide Series in 2005-06 for Dale Earnhardt Inc. before moving to Cup. Menard joined Yates for 2009, bringing Menards sponsorship with him. Yates is affiliated with Roush Fenway, receiving cars, engines and technical support from the team.
Menard likely will drive the No. 17 Ford in Nationwide events.“It’s going to be through Yates Racing in affiliation with Roush,” Menard said. “But it’ll be an under the Yates banner. I think we’re going to announce something [next] week as far as who the sponsor is, but it’s pretty exciting.”(SceneDaily.com)
___________________________________________________________
C A M P I N G * W O R L D * T R U C K * S E R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Big changes to the Camping World Truck Series??
Nascar – USA
Truck owners discuss limiting pit stops: NASCAR officials met with owners from the Camping World Truck Series at the Kevin Harvick, Inc. shop on Thursday to …
http://community.nascar.com/blogs/60659
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
Truck owners discuss limiting pit stops? UPDATE 2 may be some tweaking? more info: NASCAR officials met with owners from the Camping World Truck Series at the Kevin Harvick, Inc. shop on Thursday to discuss potential procedural changes for this season. Chief among those discussed changes was the possible elimination of green/yellow flag pit stops, multiple sources told FOXSports.com. The sanctioning body wanted to open dialogue to discuss cost saving measures to ensure the health of the series this season since the truck count – and the sponsored truck count in particular – has diminished drastically. When the truck series first debuted, the series was able to limit expenses by having teams pit once at halfway under a competition caution and have fewer men over the wall. A similar plan could be in the works that would bring trucks down pit road according to the order on the track. Teams would be allowed to pit and the trucks would then return to the track in the same order, similar to a TV time out in football or basketball. Last season, 27 teams drove full time and 11 of 25 races had a full field of 36 trucks starting. While no confirmed counts have been released yet, it appears that number will be lower as some teams have shut down during the off season. The full impact of the economy likely won’t be felt by the sport until after the season opening weekend at Daytona.(Fox Sports)(1-16-2008)
UPDATE: During an interview on Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway, Camping World Truck Series Competition Director, Wayne Auton talked about the some of the ideas discussed during the meeting at KHI between team owners and NASCAR officials. NASCAR has already talked about putting in place limits for the number of crew members, but other topics such as how many people a team will be allowed to bring to the race track, eliminating pit stops were among the issues talked about. Auton said that there may be some “tweaks” made, however, the main focus is to find ways to cut costs while ensuring fans continue to see competitive racing. Auton said that any forthcoming announcements would be made by the end of next week to be put in place prior to the season-opener at Daytona.(1-16-2009)
UPDATE 2: Limiting engine costs also was discussed, including the use of a spec motor for races 1-mile and under – [Mike] Hillman said his team already has tested the one used in the Camping World East and West series and it is acceptable. Usage of the engine would allow teams in those series to possibly race in the Truck Series some. “I think that motor could run everywhere except Daytona and Talladega the way it is,” Hillman said. NASCAR already has eliminated the need for each team to have a scorer, which will save teams about $30,000 a year, [TRG's Butch] Hylton said. “There’s no good answer,” Hylton said. “I wouldn’t want to be in NASCAR’s shoes. … At least they’re trying to do something for us. They realize the economy is bad and everyone is struggling with sponsorship, so they’ve jumped in here and they’ve listened to the owners.”(SceneDaily.com)(1-17-2009)
Angie Skinner writes on the discussion board — Mike and I are driving up to NC today to meet with a potential team who seems excited to take on the #5 guys and Skinner. Mike is looking to attempt the Daytona 500 in a car which Slugger Labbe is working on….this isn’t a full time team…just a fun attempt at the great race.(Mike Skinner.com)(1-17-2009)
[Mike] Hillman’s team is looking for sponsorship, too. It likely will field Max Papis and Todd Bodine in the season-opening race at Daytona and possibly a third truck.(Scene Daily.com)(1-17-2009)
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of TruckSeries.Com
http://www.truckseries.com
TruckSeries Perspective: Dennis Huth
01-17-2009 | John Close, TruckSeries.com
John Close The current economic crisis has forced nearly every business in America to assess operating costs and find ways to control them. NASCAR teams are no different and this off-season has been littered with unprecedented crew person layoffs, team mergers and race shop closings.
http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_08/articles/000023/002335.htm
Westerman Companies Renews Sponsorship with Key Motorsports For Six Races
01-17-2009 | TruckSeries.com Report
Key Motorsports announced today that Westerman Companies will return as a sponsor in 2009. Westerman Companies will serve as primary sponsor of the No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet for at least six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season.
http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_08/articles/000023/002336.htm
___________________________________________________________
A R C A (Automobile Racing Club of America)
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of ARCA
http://www.arcaracing.com
Featured Driver: Justin Lofton
TOLEDO OH (1-18-09)–Despite missing the ARCA RE/MAX Series season opener in Daytona, Justin Lofton was able to post a top-20 points finish in 2008 despite some very hefty competition. He even posted his first win at Michigan Int’l Speedway in June. Lofton recently announced that he will return to Eddie Sharp Racing in 2009.
[Read More] – http://www.arcaracing.com/news.cfm?contentid=7543
Featured Driver: Darrell Basham
TOLEDO OH (1-17-09)–With a career that stretches back to 1972, Darrell Basham is certainly a recognizable face on the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour. Basham is today’s Featured Driver…
[Read More] – http://www.arcaracing.com/news.cfm?contentid=7538
Featured Driver: Brad Smith
TOLEDO OH (1-16-09)–Michigan’s Brad Smith, who finished 17th in the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series Point Standings, is among the drivers preparing for the February 7th Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona Int’l Speedway. He finished 29th in last year’s race and has been a staple of the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour since 1988. Smith has called 2008 a “season of Survival.” Read on to see what he has in store for 2009…
[Read More] – http://www.arcaracing.com/news.cfm?contentid=7537
___________________________________________________________
Eddie Sharp says ARCA will survive the loss of its title sponsor …
Eddie Sharp, who runs one of the ARCA Series’ most successful operations, said Thursday that the loss of series title sponsor RE/MAX was to be expected but that ARCA would survive without it. “You have to expect it,” Sharp said at …
http://blog.al.com/blogoftomorrow/2009/01/eddie_sharp.html
Re/Max to bow out as ARCA title sponsor
ThatsRacin.com – USA
By David Poole Re/Max International will end its title sponsorship of the Automobile Racing Club of America’s racing series at the close of the 2009 season, …
http://www.thatsracin.com/news/story/21727.html
___________________________________________________________
U S A R (United Speed Alliance Racing)
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of USAR
http://usarprocup.com
USAR, Pro Cup Series get Green Flag for 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009 2:10:00 PM
Myrtle Beach, S.C. – It has often been said that good things come to those who wait. Such is the case for fans of the popular Pro Cup Series, as officials from United Speed Alliance Racing announced the sale of the sanctioning body for the venerable stock car property on Friday, January 16.
The new ownership group, representing interests closely associated with the Series as well as established organizations within the motorsports marketing community, will look to release details regarding the 2009 Pro Cup season in the coming weeks as plans are finalized.
“It gives us great pleasure to let the racing community know – fans, competitors and sponsors alike – that USAR will be moving forward with competition in 2009,” said current USAR President, Gene Cox. “In these trying economic times, we reached out to our team owners and corporate partners who have responded above and beyond the call of duty in securing the funding necessary for the Series to operate going forward.”
Read more – http://usarprocup.com/view_article.asp?id=2951
___________________________________________________________
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
___________________________________________________________
Scott Steckly Keeping Busy During Off Season
Inside Track Motorsport News – Toronto,Ontario,Canada
As the 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Champion, his winter has been almost as busy as the race season. “It started with a lot of interviews for newspapers …
http://insidetracknews.blogspot.com/2009/01/scott-steckly-keeping-busy-during-off.html
‘Daytona 500 of Short-Track’ Takes Local Drivers South
By The Sacramento Union, Inc.
NASCAR’s other developmental series champions have also secured spots: Philip Morris (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series), Scott Steckly (NASCAR Canadian Tire Series), Antonio Perez (NASCAR Mexico Series), Ted Christopher (NASCAR Whelen …
http://sacunion.com/pages/sports/articles/11351/
JR Fitzpatrick Preparing to Race at Daytona
Inside Track Motorsport News – Toronto,Ontario,Canada
The plan includes select NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races along with several NASCAR Nationwide Series events. Sponsorship details are being finalized …
http://insidetracknews.blogspot.com/2009/01/jr-fitzpatrick-preparing-to-race-at.html
___________________________________________________________
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/BB/011709.html
Elliott Sadler’s Rollercoaster Ride
by Brenda Benedict
The Daly Planet: Will Sponsored Caution Periods Change NASCAR On TV?
By Daly Planet Editor
These racetracks feature 31 Sprint Cup, 24 Nationwide and 17 Camping World Truck Series races and hundreds of other racing events. In fact, there will hardly be a race for the next five years where ServiceMaster Clean does not have a …
http://dalyplanet.blogspot.com/2009/01/will-sponsored-caution-periods-change.html
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/KR/011809.html
Are You Looking For a Piece of Racing History?
by Kim Roberson
Elliott Sadler: Escape From Whoops-catraz
It’s a busload of lawyers going over the side of a cliff, and one seat is empty. That being said, I’m wondering if anyone else saw the irony in what all has occurred with Elliot Sadler over the last week or two.
http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Articles/09/011709VanZandt.asp
Tommy Baldwin Showing Potential at NASCAR Ownership
With just over a month to prepare for NASCAR’s premier race, Daytona 500-winning crew chief Tommy Baldwin announced Tommy Baldwin Racing and its intention to run a full season of Sprint Cup racing in ’09.
http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Articles/09/011609Lintner.asp
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/MP/011909.html
Looking Forward at Stewart-Haas Racing
by Matthew Pizzolato
RaceTalkRadio.com:
Which Driver Can Infiltrate the Top Four? by Dennis Michelsen
http://www.racetalkradio.com/soz/id217.htm
RaceTalkRadio.com:
NASCAR Modifieds: A State of the Tours by Patrick Reynolds
http://www.racetalkradio.com/soz/id218.htm
The Nascar Insiders
Possible Truck Series Rule Changes: Your Thoughts?
In case you weren’t aware, NASCAR is currently staring straight in the face of a newly sponsored Truck Series that may only have 15 or 20 full time teams in 2009.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheNascarInsiders/~3/516209633/
___________________________________________________________
T V * L I S T I N G S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com/pages/tv.htm
Mon Jan 19
9:00 am SportsCentury: Tony Stewart ESPNC
12:00 pm Whelen Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge SPEED
3:30 pm Dakar Rally, daily highlights VS
6:30 pm Dakar Rally, daily highlights VS
7:00 pm Trackside at Daytona SPEED
7:30 pm NASCAR PreSeason Thunder SPEED
11:00 pm Trackside at Daytona SPEED
11:30 pm NASCAR PreSeason Thunder SPEED
Tue Jan 20
3:30 pm Dakar Rally, daily highlights VS
7:00 pm Trackside at Daytona SPEED
7:30 pm NASCAR PreSeason Thunder SPEED
11:00 pm Trackside at Daytona SPEED
11:30 pm NASCAR PreSeason Thunder SPEED
Wed Jan 21
3:00 pm NASCAR: Reviewing the 60th Season-June SPEED
7:00 pm Trackside at Daytona SPEED
7:30 pm NASCAR PreSeason Thunder SPEED
11:00 pm Trackside at Daytona SPEED
11:30 pm NASCAR PreSeason Thunder SPEED
Jayski does not list all the programming offered by SPEED; for complete listings go to their website, http://www.speedtv.com/schedule/
Always CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS!
___________________________________________________________
The Stock Car Gazette
Copyright 2002-2009 by MotorSportsNews.Net
All Rights Reserved
SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE INFORMATION
http://groups.google.com/group/StockCarGazette
Miss an edition of the Stock Car Gazette? Visit the E-ZINE ARCHIVE:
http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/category/stock-car-gazette/
IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE: The Stock Car Gazette mailing list is maintained completely by MotorSportsNews.Net. Therefore, we can tell you we have not and will not ever share your e-mail address with anyone for any reason.
IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE: ALL broadcast, publication, retransmission to e-mail lists, WWW or any other copying or storage, in any medium, online or not, is STRICTLY PROHIBITED without PRIOR written permission from the editor. However, you MAY manually forward an issue by e-mail to your friends IF 1.) The text is forwarded IN ITS ENTIRETY including all subscription and web page information, and 2.) NO FEE is charged. We ALWAYS appreciate readers who report violations of the copyright to webmaster@motorsportsnews.net.
IMPORTANT PERSONAL NOTICE: Do you know for sure? You can. http://motorsportsnews.net/you-can-know-for-sure
___________________________________________________________
