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Stock Car Gazette, Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Want stock car racing news? It’s all here!

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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?

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The Stock Car Gazette is sponsored by:

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E d i t o r ‘ s * N o t e s
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No e-zine problems were reported yesterday, which is a GOOD thing.

Yes, He REALLY Said That
Dale Jarrett, on the struggles of Toyota and Michael Waltrip Racing. “It’s not a lot of fun for anybody whenever you’re running the way that we are. But if we’re realistic, we need to understand that it is going to take time, and if we can continue to work together, it will pay dividends down the road. That’s what we have to believe in right now.”
(www.Valvoline.com)
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N A S C A R * N E X T E L * C U P * S E R I E S
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Courtesy of Insider Racing News

http://www.insiderracingnews.com

Montoya Unhappy With 5th
Juan Pablo Montoya earned his best finish in the Nextel Cup Series. But like any racer, he was looking for more. Montoya had one of the fastest cars on the track in the waning laps of Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway but after a restart with 11 laps remaining Montoya scraped the wall while he was still starting to the front. He still managed to finish fifth, holding off Clint Bowyer as the two battled fender-to-fender on the final lap. “It’s a shame. I was hoping for a top three today. But I hit the wall on the last restart and it cost me a little bit,” said Montoya, who is 15th in points in his inaugural Cup season.

Teams Under Pressure
Next weekend’s race at Bristol is the final time the field will be set based on last year’s car owner points. Starting at Martinsville, the top 35 in car owner points at that time will be guaranteed a starting spot. There are several teams in jeopardy of not being guaranteed a starting spot at Martinsville if they have a bad race next week. Jeff Green’s team is 35th in car owner points. Among those outside the top 35 are the Evernham Motorsports cars of Kasey Kahne (37th) and Scott Riggs (41st); Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s Paul Menard (36th); The Wood Brothers with Ken Schrader and Jon Wood (38th); Bill Davis Racing with Dave Blaney (39th); and Team Red Bull with Brian Vickers (40th)

Toyota Rolling Up Sleeves
Lee White, who oversees Toyota’s U.S. racing programs, will be at Michael Waltrip Racing at 7:30 a.m. today to help the team improve its performance. Waltrip has failed to make the past three Cup races. Dale Jarrett has needed to use his champion’s provisional to make each of the first four races. Rookie David Reutimann has made two of the first four races. White said a few Toyota engineers will work with Waltrip’s team and build a car that could be ready for Charlotte in May.

Wingo Wins Crew Chief Award
In only his fifth race paired together with Juan Pablo Montoya, crew chief Donnie Wingo guided his rookie driver to his first NEXTEL Cup Series top-five finish. Prior to the weekend, the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge Charger’s best finish was nineteenth. By the end of the Kobalt Tools 500, the Chip Ganassi team was celebrating its most impressive finish to date. Amazingly, it was at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a track that Montoya had never seen until two days earlier. Wingo used his vast knowledge of the track to overcome this obstacle, and it was evident by the preparation of the race car. For his exceptional set-up of the car and excellent adjustments, Wingo earned the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race
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Courtesy of Jayski

http://www.jayski.com

AT&T Inc., owner of the largest U.S. mobile phone carrier, sued NASCAR after meeting resistance to its efforts to replace the Cingular brand with the AT&T brand on the #31 Chevy car that the company sponsors. �NASCAR�s refusal is apparently a result of its fealty to Spring Nextel Corp., a wireless provider that, since 2004, has been lead sponsor of NASCAR�s �Cup Series,� which is a series of NASCAR�s highest profile races,� stated AT&T in a complaint for injunctive relief. The complaint, filed in federal court in Atlanta, also seeks a declaratory ruling and damages. AT&T, which acquired the remaining 40% ownership of Cingular Wireless L.L.C. in its acquisition of BellSouth Corp. late last year, has a sponsorship agreement with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) that runs from 2005 through 2007, with an exclusive right to negotiate a renewal beyond 2007, the suit said. RCR owns the #31 car, which is driven by Jeff Burton. �NASCAR granted Sprint Nextel a lead sponsor of the Cup Series, exclusivity as the sole communications provider sponsoring NASCAR racing, and it is apparently on this basis that NASCAR refuses to permit RCR to alter the design of the #31 car,� the AT&T suit stated. Andrew Giangola, director of business communications for NASCAR, said the motorsports organization does not comment on litigation. However, Giangola pointed out that NASCAR�s contract with Sprint Nextel grandfathered both Cingular and Alltel Corp. into the competition, allowing Cingular and Alltel to participate in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series as team sponsors indefinitely as long as the firms did not change the scope of their sponsorship (beyond a team) or the actual name and brand on the race car. He said only the �Cingular� and �Alltel� brands are permitted on cars competing in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. �This has been and remains NASCAR�s position,� said Giangola. The issue is notable as Cingular and Sprint Nextel have previously battled over a variety of issues, including advertising claims.(source: rcrnews.com), see an image of the proposed Cingular/AT&T scheme on my #31 Team Schemes page.(3-20-2007) http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2007/31cup.htm

Images added: #7 Black, #33 Camping World, #16 Jackson Hewitt, #15 Quaker State/Menards, #07 DirecTV Hotpass, #13 Ginn Resorts, #45 NTB, #49 Zoneloans.com, #37 Huddle House, #34 Front Row, #48 Koblat Tools, #19 UAW from Vegas, #9 McDonalds, #24 Nicorette, #41 Target.Amp, #22 CAT Track-Type Tractors to my Paint Schemes Gallery.(3-17/18-2007)
MORE: #7 Motorola, #31 Cingular/AT&T, #25 Hero car, #25 COT, #20 COT, #24 COT, #48 COT and #5 COT to the Paint Schemes Gallery.(3-19-2007) http://www.jayski.com/schemes/paintschemes.htm

New Chevy engine tested at Darlington: #24-Jeff Gordon completed 500 miles in one of the new Chevrolet R07 engine last week in a tire test at Darlington Raceway. “The thing looked real nice, very good,” Hendrick engine assembly director Jeff Andrews said Sunday. “We were real pleased with the performance of the engine. Jeff said the engine felt real good. It wasn’t a marketable difference in power. It was really just a reliability test of parts and castings. The encouraging thing is we’ve taken something that is virtually brand new and we’ve come out of the box with it very equal and close to that power-wise.” Chevrolet officials had hoped that teams would see RCR use the engine for a full race weekend and put it in their main cars in the next few weeks. That probably won’t happen. Wimmer likely will attempt the April 15 race at Texas with the new engine for another race simulation try. RCR engine builder Danny Lawrence speculated that RCR’s three fulltime teams could use the engine for the Nextel All-Star Challenge, a non-points event, before using the engine for a points-paying race weekend.(SceneDaily.com)(3-20-2007)

Newman heading to a dubious record: #12-Ryan Newman won the pole for this past Friday for the Atlanta race. Doesn’t seem to translate into wins for Newman who is now on the brink of setting a modern-era record that he probably does not want. Newman has gone winless in the last 26 races that he has started from the pole. This places him in a tie for second with Ricky Rudd (who snapped his 26 race losing streak when he won from the pole at Pocono in 2001). Newman is one race shy of moving into a tie with the current record holder. Geoffrey Bodine started his losing streak at Daytona in 1982 and lost 27 consecutive races when starting from the pole. It was almost 8 years later before Bodine would be able to finally score a win from the pole (Martinsville 1990). Bodine went 0 for 27 to begin his career. He would go on to win from the pole three times in his career. Ricky Rudd went 0 for 26 to begin his career. So far, he has only one win from the pole position. Ryan Newman only went 0 for 3 before scoring his first win from the pole. He was hot for awhile, winning 3 times in his first 12 poles, then his current streak took over.(LTPicks.com)(3-20-2007)

Additech to be Featured on #80 JGR car: Additech, America’s No. 1 fuel system tune-up, expands its partnership with Joe Gibbs Driven and will be featured on a Joe Gibbs Racing Nextel Cup Car. Additech will be featured on the Joe Gibbs Driven Chevy, #80, driven by Aric Almirola.

Toyota leads first laps: #83-Brian Vickers went into the NASCAR record book as the first driver of a Toyota Camry to lead a lap during a Cup race. Vickers, driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota, led twice for five laps, including Toyota’s series first on Lap 89. But Vickers finished 42nd after getting swept up in a four-car crash on Lap 231. #22-Dave Blaney, who finished 27th and two laps down to winner Jimmie Johnson, also led one lap in his #22 Caterpillar Toyota for Bill Davis Racing.(Fort Worth Star Telegram)(3-19-2007)

Engines Dyno’d at Atlanta: NASCAR tested eight cars on the chassis dyno after the race to see if there is a measurable loss in power after a 500-mile race with the recent switch to unleaded fuel. Cars tested were those of winner #48-Jimmie Johnson, #20-Tony Stewart, #17-Matt Kenseth, #99-Carl Edwards, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #2-Kurt Busch, #22-Dave Blaney and #44-Dale Jarrett.(Roanoke Times), two fo each manuafacturer……no results were mentioned.(3-19-2007)

DW and Johnson tapped as Starter, Grand Marshal at Bristol: Two of NASCAR’s greatest legends and the most successful driver and owner in Bristol Motor Speedway history, Darrell Waltrip and Junior Johnson, will kick off the Food City 500 in style with Waltrip waving the green flag while Johnson will serve as Grand Marshal. Waltrip, who is a television commentator for FOX, which will be broadcasting the March 25 race, will be shown live on the air, waving the green flag to start the sold-out Food City 500 while uttering his famous “Boogity, boogity, boogity” phrase. This will be the first time Waltrip has been the Honorary Starter for a NEXTEL Cup Series event and is thought to be the first time an on-air personality has started a Cup race during a live broadcast. The 60-year-old Waltrip, a three-time Nextel Cup champion and winner of 84 races at NASCAR’s top level, is the all-time leading winner at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile with 12 victories. While Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough and Rusty Wallace all had nine wins at Bristol, the next closest active drivers to Waltrip’s mark are Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch with five wins apiece. David Pearson also had five BMS wins. Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers, he made history at Bristol when he won a remarkable seven consecutive Cup events from the spring of 1981 through the spring of 1984. Waltrip’s first win at Bristol came in the spring of 1978 and his final came in August of 1992, which was the first race on concrete at BMS. Johnson is the all-time leading car owner at Bristol with a remarkable 21 victories and was Waltrip’s car owner during his streak of seven straight wins. The next closest was the Holman-Moody team with nine wins while Richard Childress, Jack Roush and Roger Penske are the winningest active owners with eight each. The 75-year-old Johnson, also one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers, captured 50 Cup wins over his distinguished career, including one at Bristol in the spring of 1965 when he served as both driver and owner. Johnson’s record of consecutive race wins at Bristol outshines Waltrip’s by one, as he won an amazing eight straight events on the high-banked oval, including the August night race of 1980 with Cale Yarborough behind the wheel.(BMS PR)(3-20-2007)

Bill Currington to sing National Anthem at Bristol: Georgia-born country music sensation Billy Currington will sing the national anthem prior to the sold-out Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 25. This will be Currington’s first trip to the World’s Fastest Half-Mile, where he’ll sing in front of nearly 160,000 fans.(BMS PR)(3-20-2007)

Penske Plans to build track near shop: Roger Penske has now consolidated all three of his teams — his NASCAR, Indy Racing League and American LeMans groups — under one enormous roof in Mooresville, N.C. That includes approximately 260 employees working in a state-of-the-art, 425,000-square foot, shop. It is an impressive campus that includes a wind tunnel and a seven-post vehicle dynamics rig, and now with all the teams, all the engineers, all the employees under one roof, the thought is there can be plenty of knowledge sharing. For instance, a Cup crew chief can study the aerodynamics of an open-wheel car and apply what he learns to the Cup car, particularly the new Car of Tomorrow. Penske said he is finalizing plans to build a test track near the shop. There is plenty of land to spare, and about 70 acres will be used. “We could build an oval that’s the size of the Richmond [International Raceway],” Penske said, referring to the .75-mile track. “And we’d put a road course in. We look at it as a test track, but our sponsors could use it. There’s lot of different things you could use something like that for, so I think it will be terrific.” Penske is, of course, thinking out of the box yet again. He figures that the test track would cut the expenses of going on the road for testing, and it would eliminate some of the travel wear-and-tear on the drivers and crews. Of course, Penske figures the test facility could be used for sponsor and customer entertainment, as well.(ESPN.com)(3-20-2007)
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Atlanta: Top 10 drivers – and beyond
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 19, 2007) – Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 25.
1 – Mark Martin (No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet) …

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=246196

Atlanta: Winning team interview
Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Monte Carlo SS
Chad Knaus, crew chief, No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Monte Carlo SS
Rick Hendrick, team owner, No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Monte Carlo SS
ON HIS RUN TODAY:
Johnson: …

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=246129

Atlanta: Stewart post race interview
TONY STEWART , NO. 20 HOME DEPOT MONTE CARLO SS,
ABOUT YOUR RACE:
“We had a good start to the day; starting in 13th I didn’t think that we would get to the lead necessarily in the first run but we got I think in the top five or close to there in the first run. I had a really good car. …

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=246121

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Courtesy of Scene Daily

http://www.scenedaily.com

Martin’s start streak to end at 621 races
The longest active consecutive-race streak in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series will come to an end in this weekend’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

http://www.scenedaily.com/ct/c/22747448

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Courtesy of Sports Illustrated & Stock Car Gazette subscriber Ed B.

http://www.SI.com

As much as he has surprised even himself with his quick transition to stock car racing, Juan Pablo Montoya has no misconceptions about what lies ahead, particularly in the next two races on the short tracks of Bristol, Tenn., and Martinsville, Va. One of the surprises of Montoya’s run at Atlanta was his propensity to run a high line around the track. — Charlotte Observer

Mark Martin said he knows there are people who still doubt he won’t race at Bristol and Martinsville the next two weeks, but he said once more that’s what he’ll do — giving the No. 01 Chevrolet over to rookie Regan Smith. — Charlotte Observer

The last time a points leader did not compete in a Nextel Cup race was in the second race of the 1983 season, when Cale Yarborough skipped Richmond after winning the Daytona 500. — Charlotte Observer

NASCAR put eight cars on the chassis dynometer, which measure rear wheel horsepower: the Chevrolets of Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart, the Fords of Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards, the Dodges of Juan Pablo Montoya and Kurt Busch and the Toyotas of Dave Blaney and Dale Jarrett. The cars were tested as part of a spot test by NASCAR to determine if there was any measurable power loss after 500 miles from the use of unleaded fuel. — ThatsRacin.com

Although he has consistently out-qualified Michael Waltrip Racing teammates Michael Waltrip and Dale Jarrett, David Reutimann is 0-for-3 in finishing races with an undamaged car. — Tampa Tribune
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Courtesy of That’s Racin’

http://www.thatsracin.com

Stewart moves toward front of ThatsRacin.com rankings
Johnson hangs onto top spot after Atlanta

That’s Racin’ ranks the top 40 teams in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series following the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

http://www.thatsracin.com/242/story/3405.html

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P R E S S * R E L E A S E S
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Tuesday night from 8-9pm East, 5-6pm West, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. hosts a special exclusive live call-in show on XM Sports Nation, XM 144. Fans can reach Jr. at 866-XMSN-144.

BOUNTY GARAGE OVERHAUL CONTEST: Bounty Super Duty Shop Towels and Kevin Harvick have teamed up to help one lucky fan transform his or her garage into a Super Duty power shop. Fans will send a snapshot of their garage along with a statement explaining why their garage deserves an overhaul. Please check out www.quickerpickerupper.com/garage/.
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N A S C A R * B U S C H * S E R I E S
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Courtesy of BGNRacing.Com

http://www.bgnracing.com

The No. 50 Racecarstupid.com Ford out of the AFR Motorsports stable is planning its debut in Phoenix next month. The team will run Roush/Yates engines with two drivers splitting the ride through the remainder of the year; Brian Pannone, and Jeff Barrister. (AFR PR) (03-19-07)
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ABC To Televise Busch Race
The NASCAR Busch Series heads to one of NASCAR’s most unique race tracks, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, this weekend and ESPN on ABC will have live coverage of Saturday’s 250-lap race. The Bristol event is the first short track race of the season for the NASCAR Busch Series and one of six select NASCAR Busch Series races this season that will air on ABC, with the other 29 to be televised by ESPN2. Coverage will begin with the pre-race NASCAR Countdown show at 2:30 p.m. ET, with the race to start at 3 p.m.
(www.InsiderRacingNews.com)
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Courtesy of Jayski

http://www.jayski.com

Bristol Entry List: There are 44 drivers entered for Saturday’s Sharpie Mini 300. However, the list has Kevin Conway in both the #18 and #40. He is scheduled to be in the #18 for Joe Gibbs. Also of note, Mike Bliss is listed as the driver of the #22 for Fitz Motorsports. The complete list is posted on the Bristol Race Page.(3-19-2007) http://www.jayski.com/busch/next/2007/06bristol.htm#entry

NASCAR News & Notes: NASCAR’s race preview for the Sharpie Mini 300 is posted on the Bristol Race Page http://www.jayski.com/busch/next/2007/06bristol.htm#notes

ESPN on ABC To Televise NASCAR Busch Series Race From Bristol: The NASCAR Busch Series heads to one of NASCAR’s most unique race tracks, Bristol Motor Speedway, this weekend and ESPN on ABC will have live coverage of Saturday’s 250-lap race. The Bristol event is the first short track race of the season for the NASCAR Busch Series and one of six select NASCAR Busch Series races this season that will air on ABC, with the other 29 to be televised by ESPN2. Coverage will begin with the pre-race NASCAR Countdown show at 2:30 p.m. ET, with the race to start at 3 p.m. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., NASCAR’s most popular driver who runs only a handful of NASCAR Busch Series races, will compete in the Bristol event, seeking his second Bristol NASCAR Busch Series win. Kyle Busch won last year’s race after battling to the front from the 20th starting position. Rusty Wallace will lend his knowledge of the track to ESPN’s coverage as analyst, working alongside two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree in the booth with lead announcer Jerry Punch. ESPN’s pit reporter team will have a new face at Bristol as Shannon Spake, who has been reporting for ESPN’s SportsCenter, NASCAR Countdown and NASCAR Now this season, will join the telecast team working with Dave Burns, Jamie Little and Mike Massaro as regular pit reporter Allen Bestwick has the weekend off. Brent Musburger will host the telecast and studio analysts Tim Brewer and Brad Daugherty will join Musburger in the ESPN Pit Studio.(ESPN PR)(3-19-2007)

ESPN2 Will Have Live NASCAR Busch Series Practice, Qualifying Coverage From Bristol: ESPN2 will have live coverage of practice and qualifying for this weekend’s Busch Series event at Bristol on Friday and Saturday, March 23-24. Live coverage of Friday’s one-hour final practice session for the series will be aired from 2:30-3:30 p.m. ET. Qualifying will be televised from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. Qualifying at Bristol takes on special importance as it marks the first event of the season in which the top 30 in 2007 NASCAR Busch Series car owner points are automatically set for qualifying. Calling the action from the booth will be Jerry Punch with analysts Rusty Wallace and Andy Petree. Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will report from the pits and garage, while Tim Brewer will be in the ESPN Pit Studio with host Brent Musburger.(ESPN PR)(3-19-2007)

Smith Transport to Sponsor Mac Hill: Smith Transport Inc. will be a major associate sponsor for the 2007 racing season. Smith Transport will support the #56 Chevy in the Busch Series and the #65 and 56 Chevys in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series. In addition, the company will be the #56 car’s primary sponsor for a Busch Series race to be determined.(Mac Hill Motorsports PR)(3-19-2007)
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Fridell Racing Enterprises Announces NASCAR Busch Series Program
“ARCA Driver To Pilot In Limited Schedule”
KING GEORGE, VIRGINA (March 20, 2007) – - Fridell Racing Enterprises announced today the plan to unveil a strong NASCAR Busch Series program …

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=246153

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Hispanic-Owned Transnet Racing Bursts Onto NASCAR Busch Series Circuit
March 7, 2007
Via Thirteen Marketing

Atlanta, GA – Transnet Racing announced last month that it will take a major stepping stone in the direction of its Motorsports program by competing in a limited NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) schedule this season, with the goal to run a full-championship effort in 2008. The team’s transition into the Busch Series is significant, both to NASCAR, and the Hispanic community, as Transnet Racing is one of only a handful of Hispanic-owned teams to enter the NASCAR ranks.

The Hispanic-owned Minority Business Enterprise makes the move to NASCAR following a successful stint in the open wheel ranks. The organization, founded in 2001, ran several years in the TOYOTA Atlantic Series with drivers Alex Garcia, Jonathan Bomarito, Barton Mawer and Charles Hall.

Owner/driver Alex Garcia, 29, will take the reins of the No. 98 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS as the team’s premier driver. In Transnet Racing’s debut race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico, Garcia brought home a 34th place finish, a solid run for their first event at that level.

Although the Hispanic community has been under-represented in America’s top forms of Motorsports, Hispanics make up 9% of NASCAR’s 75 million fans, with rapidly increasing interest in the sport among the demographic in both the United States and Mexico. NASCAR’s inaugural race in Mexico City, Mexico in 2005 was the third highest rated Busch Series event in history, making it the most watched non-Daytona Busch Series event EVER.

The NASCAR Busch Series won’t be the first wave of stock car experience for Garcia. In 2005, he participated in five NASCAR Elite Division events posting three impressive top-10 finishes. Last year, he conquered the demanding and wicked half-mile oval of Salem Speedway (Indiana) in his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut with a solid 20th place run.

“It’s a good feeling to have some stock car experience heading into the NASCAR Busch Series,” Garcia explained. “My goal is to use the 2007 season as a transition period. We want to make races. We want to run well. If we can do that, I think our team has achieved its goals and we’ll have a jumpstart towards the full season in 2008.”

Transnet Racing will be launching a completely revamped web site this month, which will have the option of both English and Spanish text.

Visit Transnet Racing online at http://www.transnetracing.com

http://juantornoe.blogs.com/hispanictrending/2007/03/hispanicowned_t.html

(thanks, Ed B.)
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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

Xpress partners with Donate Life of America: Xpress Motorsports, Trinity Marketing & Development LLC and Donate Life of America have partnered to raise awareness of organ donation. Stacey Compton will share driver duties with Matt McCall in the Xpress Motorsports #16 Ford, and with each lap they will honor those that have given the gift of life. You can find out how to become a donor by visiting (xpressmotorsports16.com)(3-19-2007)

Images: Added #14 commerative paint scheme from AMS marking Rick Crawford’s 250th career start. 2007 Paint Scheme Gallery.(3-17-2007) http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2007trucks.htm

Pit Crew Chart: It’s under contruction and a work in progress, but the 2007 Truck Series Pit Crew Chart is now posted.(3-19-2007) http://www.jayski.com/cts/pitcrew-cts2007.htm
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Courtesy of TruckSeries.Com

http://www.truckseries.com

Skinner Assumes Championship Point Lead After Atlanta Victory
Despite having the dominant truck, Mike Skinner required an aggressive move at the conclusion of the race to seal victory in Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Skinner, who started from the No. 1 position thanks to his record extending 33rd Budweiser Pole, led the most laps – 67 – but still found himself on the tailgate of Clint Bowyer’s Camping World Chevrolet when the event’s ninth caution ended with seven serials remaining. The 1995 series champion tapped the rear bumper of Bowyer’s truck when the green flag appeared, forcing the leader to spin his tires and lose enough momentum for Skinner to make the winning pass in Turn 1 of the 1.54-mile superspeedway. Todd Bodine, the event’s 2006 winner, also passed Bowyer but wasn’t able to overhaul Skinner’s Toyota Tundra Toyota, which prevailed by .711 seconds – the widest margin in six series races at AMS

http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_07/articles/000105/010591.htm

Crafton Storms to 3rd Place Finish at Atlanta

http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_07/articles/000106/010608.htm

Fike Scores Season Best Performance at Atlanta

http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_07/articles/000106/010606.htm

Crawford Posts Impressive Finish in 250th Start

http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_07/articles/000105/010593.htm

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Review: Atlanta

http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_07/articles/000105/010592.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

Esterline, Andretti Guests at University of Toledo Engineers Banquet

http://www.arcaracing.com/content/view/4512/2/

ARCA Ready For 55th Annual Launch; 3-2-1…Blast Off…….
Read more… – http://www.arcaracing.com/content/view/4508/2/
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Bryan Silas Ready To Rumble At Lakeland
“Rookie’s Sponsor Also Backing Inaugural ARCA RE/MAX Series Race”
LAKELAND, Fla (March 19, 2007) – - After months of preparation, the wait is finally over for ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie Bryan Silas. Lakeland is …

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=246186

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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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Cheers & Jeers
Invisible Debris Strikes Again!
by Carol Einarsson

http://www.racejournalonline.com/index.cfm?Pagename=column&id=252

Not So Hot Atlanta
Making the Grade-Atlanta Spring Races
By Dennis Michelsen

http://www.stockcarpitpass.com/inside200703020.html

Insider Racing News

http://insiderracingnews.com/BW/032007.html

NASCAR Ain’t The PGA
by Brian Watkins
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