MISC DRIVERS news and rumors
Drivers without a ride [Truck, Busch, Cup] looking at CUP
or have been rumored to a Cup ride but NOT
listed with a team at present
or with another series, rumors with NASACR
Click on driver name to to the past news on that driver
- Speed aiming for Sprint Cup debut: Scott Speed is confident that he can make his Sprint Cup debut before the end of this season. The Red Bull-backed American will test a Cup car for the first time later this month, and has been racing in the ARCA and Craftsman Truck series this season after losing his Formula One drive with Toro Rosso 12 months ago. He hopes to continue full time in Craftsman Trucks next season but also wants to include several Sprint Cup outings. "I'm about to start testing, proper testing, in a Cup car with (Red Bull's lead driver) Brian Vickers," Speed told this week's Autosport magazine. "The car is quite a bit different from the Truck, but if it goes well, and I think I should be able to adapt, then we can go racing."(Autosport.com)(7-18-2008) Comment here
- Another F-1 driver attends Cup race: Formula One Toyota driver Jarno Trulli snuck into Michigan International Speedway on Sunday without the fan crush he's accustomed to when he races in Europe. "A few people asked me for autographs when I first arrived but it basically cooled down," Trulli said. "In Italy or France, you would basically be surrounded." Trulli, an Italian, competed in the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal this month, where he finished sixth, and decided to stick around and pay a surprise visit to former F1 drivers Juan Pablo Montoya (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates) and Scott Speed (Bill Davis Racing), who are running in NASCAR. "They were the first two people I visited with," Trulli said. "They were surprised to see me." Trulli, eighth in F1 points, said he watches NASCAR on television, but Sunday's was the first stock car race he'd attended. Would he take a crack at ovals if given a chance? "Maybe one day -- a test or something," said Trulli, who began his F1 career with Minardi in 1997. "I like the U.S. and having another (racing) experience would be good." Though Trulli has never raced a stock car, he drove at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., in 1994. "I competed in the Race of the Americas karting series in 1994 and 1995 on the road course at Charlotte," Trulli recalled. "I finished first and second."(Detroit Free Press)(6-17-2008)
- WoO Champ considering NASCAR: Donny Schatz doesn't have to prove to anyone how good he is behind the wheel. He's won back-to-back World of Outlaws titles, making him the king of dirt tracks. Yet when Schatz agreed to drive for Tony Stewart this year, he had to prove to his new boss that he has what it takes to three-peat -- and, maybe, compete in either the Nationwide or Sprint Cup series. Schatz said yesterday that he'll consider all options if Stewart decides to leave Joe Gibbs Racing to form a NASCAR team. Stewart acknowledged last month that he has considered opting out of the final year of his contract with JGR to explore ownership options. "I don't know exactly what Tony is thinking of doing," Schatz said. "If something else comes along, I'll evaluate it and maybe want to make a move. The main focus for us right now is to be on the dirt [tracks]. I feel like I can race with those [NASCAR] guys, and sure it's in the back of my mind. It's not something I'm dead-set on doing, and I'm not going to trade the ranch for it, but it's definitely something I would try given the right opportunity."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(5-24-2008)
- Castroneves considering moving to NASCAR UPDATE Denied: Helio Castroneves, who is seeking to win his third Indianapolis 500 this weekend, said he is considering following several other open-wheel racers and moving to NASCAR but has made no decision yet. "I won't deny that I'm thinking about it," Castroneves said Monday night. "It would be great to one day try the [stock] cars. But at this point I'm focusing on Indy cars and winning the Indianapolis 500 again." IndyCar is making a stepped-up effort to market its drivers, much as NASCAR already does, especially Castroneves and Danica Patrick, who last month became the first woman to win an Indy car race. Castroneves said the renewed interest in the IndyCar Series sparked by the merger and Patrick's victory is one reason why he might not switch. However, Castroneves said he's also intrigued how other open-wheel drivers have migrated to NASCAR and is debating whether such a move is appropriate for him. "It depends on the opportunity," he said. "It's all about the timing and I'm not sure if the timing is right." Castroneves' opportunity is better than many other drivers, though. He now drives for Team Penske, whose owner Roger Penske already has a three-car Sprint Cup team and could add one more under NASCAR's rules. And one of Penske's stock cars is driven by three-time IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr., Castroneves' former teammate, who switched to NASCAR this season. (Penske's other Cup drivers are Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman.) Hornish was the latest big name former open-wheel racer to jump to NASCAR, a growing list that includes Juan Pablo Montoya, 2007 Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti and Patrick Carpentier. Castroneves said his contract with Team Penske is up for renewal after this season. Asked if he had talked to Roger Penske about his interest in NASCAR, Castroneves said, "We're going to talk after Indy."(Los Angeles Times)(5-21-2008)
UPDATE: Castroneves said Wednesday he doesn't plan to leave the IRL's IndyCar Series for NASCAR any time soon. Refuting a story in Wednesday's editions of the Los Angeles Times that speculated on Castroneves following former IRL stars Sam Hornish Jr. and Dario Franchitti to NASCAR as early as the 2009 season, Castroneves said his comments were taken out of context. "It's kind of strange to print a statement like that," said Castroneves, who will start fourth in Sunday's 92nd running of the Indy 500. "I did not understand much. I found my English is apparently getting worst. (They) definitely took it out of context."(ESPN.com/AP)(5-22-2008)
- Road Racer looking for Cup Options: In the midst of a hectic stretch of sports car races in both the American Le Mans Series and the Rolex Series, Atlanta-area race car driver David Murry is also beginning to cast his NASCAR line out in an effort to land a Sprint Cup ride for the road course races at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen. "The timing is right to look at those teams that might be able to use my help," said Murry. "Specifically, those teams that aren't in the Top 35 in points and who don't have an experienced road course driver might just need to look elsewhere to get them in the show. I'm hoping they look my way. I'm ready, willing and able." Murry is no stranger to Sprint Cup road course events. He's recorded numerous qualifying attempts at both venues and even made a start at Watkins Glen with the defunct Phoenix Air Racing Team.(PR)(4-26-2008) Comment here
- Pressley adds page to family's GPS legacy: Asheville's [NC] Coleman Pressley became the first third-generation driver to see the checkered flag at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. "This is my biggest win, ever," Pressley said. "I have been trying so hard here. My grandfather won here, and my dad [former Busch and Cup driver Rovert] won here, and this is just terrific. We got flames (on his car) this week, and maybe they made the difference. I've been trying so hard and we finally got it all together." Richard Childress's grandson, Austin Dillon was third. See full story at the Greenville Pickens Speedway site.(4-14-2008)
- Bubba In The Garage? Could James "Bubba" Stewart leave motocross to pursue a career in NASCAR? "I'm trying to convince him four wheels are better than two," said Max Seigel, the president of global operations at Dale Earnhardt Inc. Stewart was Siegel's guest on Sunday at Daytona, the first Cup event he has attended. The 22-year-old phenom said Siegel has "hinted around with it a lot" about putting him in a developmental program. "Yeah, I'd like to try it," he said. "Once I came down saw all the people, all the merchandise, that definitely interests me." Stewart reminded that there were five times as many people at the 500 [185,000] as there are at a motocross event.(ESPN.com)(2-18-2008) Comment here
- Coulthard open to NASCAR..after F1: Formula One veteran David Coulthard is open to the thought of a future move to NASCAR, but not until his F1 days are solidly over. "I would consider something like NASCAR," Coulthard said just before practice for the Race of Champions. "I don't think I would consider IRL. The only thing is, America, you have to commit to it absolutely. Which means you move out there, take your family there. But I'd certainly consider it. This will be my 15th season in Formula One. After that ... I'll do this as long as I'm having fun, as long as they keep saying 'Would you like to continue?'" Coulthard said NASCAR's lengthy 38-week schedule is of no concern to him. He said he has in the past raced every week but Christmas weekend, "and that wasn't a problem. It's not hard to get in private planes." He also feels the influx of foreign driving talent, like his former F1 mates Juan Pablo Montoya and Jacques Villaneuve, into NASCAR bolsters the perception of stock car racing internationally.(ESPN.com)(12-17-2007)
- Long has sponsor, looking for team: Millstar, an industry leader in producing die and mold profile tooling and solid carbide tools, has announced their continued sponsorship support of Carl Long and his 2008 racing endeavors. Millstar has been an active part of Carl Long Racing since 2006. In addition, Delcam, one of the world's leading suppliers of advanced CADCAM software product development solutions for the manufacturing industry, has announced their commitment to sponsor Carl Long in 2008. The Birmingham, United Kingdom company has had a history in motorsports, with most recent involvement in Formula One racing. Carl Long and Delcam will kick off their new partnership at the 2007 Performance Racing Industry Trade Show next month. Carl Long will be on-hand at the Delcam booth during the 2007 Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Orlando, Florida from December 6th through the 8th. Carl Long welcomes all race team representatives to stop on by and chat. [Note: this event is not open to the public, you must be a member of a racing industry company to attend] "With Millstar and Delcam aboard, all we need now is the right race team to step up to the plate to make a successful combination", Carl Long states. "Being ready to run the 2008 [Daytona] 500 is definitely a realistic possibility at this point." Also in 2008, Carl has plans to run selected NASCAR Nationwide Series races with his own team, as well as USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series races with Long Brothers Racing.(Carl Long Racing PR)(11-30-2007)
now running the #34 for Front Row Motorsports
CASEY ATWOOD
Links:
- Casey Atwood in the #27 at Kansas With Special Paint Scheme: Casey Atwood will be making his first 2007 Busch Series start in the #27 VIVA / Breast Cancer Research Foundation Ford at Kansas. Atwood drove the #37 Brewco Ford at Dover last week. Beginning with the Yellow Transportation 300 at Kansas, VIVA brand towels will partner with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) to help raise awareness and funds to combat breast cancer. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for the second consecutive year, VIVA will drive attention to this serious issue by showcasing a pink paint scheme and a pink ribbon symbolizing breast cancer awareness. The #27 Brewco Ford will run the pink paint scheme at Lowes and Memphis as well as Kansas. Casey Atwood and the Brewco pit crew will wear the color pink for these three races. Also, the Kimberly-Clark trackside marketing display will have a special pink BCRF section.(Brewco PR)(9-26-2007)
- Said wins Bobsled Challenge: Boris Said has been bobsledding longer than any of the other drivers at the 3rd Annual Chevy Bodine Bobsled Challenge presented by Whelen Engineering, but he's still learning new tricks. He utilized some of what he picked up Saturday morning to successfully defend his title. In his second championship run, Said shaved more than 1.5 seconds off his time to beat L.W. Miller and three other finalists. Said's two runs were 52.12 and 50.53 seconds, for a total time of 1:42.65. Miller, the 2007 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion, posted the fastest first run time at 52.11 and finished second overall at 1:43.37. Three-time NHRA Powerade Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin was third with an overall time of 1:43.99, followed by former NASCAR driver Larry Gunselman at 1:44.90 and 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Donny Lia at 1:45.46.
See more on the Ongoing Charities page.
- Bodine wrecks in bobsled: former NASCAR Cup driver, Geoff Bodine was at Lake Pacid, NY on Sunday testing equipment. He crashed on his first trip, but changed runners and made it the next two runs down the course. Ironically, Bodine rolled it in the famous Trickle Turn (turn 18) where Dick was upended twice at the Bodine Bobsled Challenge in 2006.(PR)(10-18-2007)
- Ward has no ride in the works: in a Daytona 500 past champion chat, Ward Burton was asked if would run any races this season, he said "I don't have any plans to at this moment but I don't know what could happen - it really doesn't look like any opportunity will happen now."(Wardburton.com)(2-6-2008)
- Morgan-McClure Motorsports closes shop MORE: #4-Morgan-McClure Motorsports closed its doors today [Friday], laying off 28 employees and further damaging any slim hopes the last Virginia-based Sprint Cup team has of competing in its 26th season. Team Manager and co-owner Larry McClure said earlier this afternoon that if the team did not find sponsorship money by the end of today, there would be mass layoffs. The layoffs happened around 3pm. "It's been a good 25 years," McClure said after the announcement. "Circumstances made us take a step back." McClure said he and co-owner and President Tim Morgan would work with their marketing team to continue to search for sponsorship to run the full season. They are working on an agreement to have Mike Wallace drive the #4 Chevy in the Daytona 500, a race Morgan-McClure has won three times. McClure did say if sponsorship came together in the next several weeks, the team would have cars available to race at Daytona.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(1-11-2008)
UPDATE: Morgan-McClure Motorsports President Tim Morgan announced today that operations will be scaled back until a sponsor or investor is found. Many employees were laid off but the organization still remains ready to head to Daytona if a sponsor signs up in time. Tim Morgan, President of Morgan-McClure Motorsports announced today at 3:00pm/et that, "We are basically closing the doors on 25 years of NASCAR racing if we don't find a sponsor. We have been searching for sponsorship for months and decided that if nothing materialized, we would have to cancel testing and release most of our employees." Morgan continues, "We will continue our marketing efforts and still try to put something together but we cannot continue the way we are today."
Larry McClure, Team Manager said, "We will continue to search for sponsorship and if something becomes available, we have the cars ready to go to Daytona. This is a very hard day for me. I've had a lot of fun racing and it's just hard to believe it might come to this. I would like to say thanks to all our fans who have remained loyal through all these years and to thank everyone who has ever supported us in any way, whether it be through this race team or our dealerships. We are still the best bargain in NASCAR if we could just find the right sponsor." Morgan-McClure Motorsports was a force to be reckoned with in the 90's when they won three coveted Daytona 500's, two of them back-to-back. MMM completes 25 years of history that includes 14 wins, 63 top-5's, 146 top-10's and 13 poles.(Morgan-McClure Motorsports PR)(1-12-2008)
- More info on the #4 Team News and Links page.
- Unknowns 2007 plans: Derrie Cope reports on his website: "Things have not gone as I had hoped they would, but I am thankful for what racing I did get to participate in. My thoughts are now on next year for myself as well as the twins. I have acquired three ARCA cars for the twins and I have three COT cars of my own. We are looking for sponsorship so we can get them to the race track. I am still hopeful for some Nationwide Series racing as well with Jay Robinson Racing. All of our plans are still in the works, but hopefully right after the first of the month I can shed some light on our plans leading up to the Daytona 500."(DerrikeCope.com)(12-14-2007)
- McGlynn Racing up for auction: been told that McGlynn Racing is scheduled to have their #74 Nextel Cup Team up for auction at Sentman Auctions in Mooresville, NC on Friday July 20th through Monday July 23rd. Information is available at sentmanauctions.com.(7-19-2007)
- McGlynn Racing Closing: Derrikecope.com reports: Unfortunately McGlynn Motorsports will be closing and auctioning off their assets at Sentman Auctions in North Carolina in the middle of July. Derrike Cope commented, "Certainly we showed that we could make races with minimal sponsorship. We just could not find people or companies that had the means to sponsor us."(DerrikeCope.com)(7-4-2007)
- Craven not retired, would take part-time ride: Ricky Craven hasn’t officially retired because he will still jump into a limited, part-time ride if the fit is right. And Craven still feels he can race competitively in any series, even though he has raced only once in any of the three major NASCAR divisions since 2005. But Craven maintains, as he has for the past two years, he is "no longer willing to give up all the other things it takes to be a [full-time] race car driver. The commitment requires being away from your family the majority of the year." So he keeps himself busy making up for lost time with wife K.K. and their three children (daughters Riley and Lydia and son Everett). And to help pay the bills, he writes a column on Yahoo.com, will do eight radio spots on Sirius Satellite radio, and he has launched a new career as a public speaker. The speaking career will take him to Afghanistan in the near future.(Bangor Daily News)(2-9-2008) Comment here.
- Craven's Charity Ride raises $110k: Wind chills exceeding 25 degrees below zero couldn't dampen spirits on Saturday in Greenville, Maine as 400 riders joined Ricky Craven for the 10th annual Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride for Charity. Ricky led 250 sleds on a 50 mile ride before making presentations to the ride's charities [total of $110,000].(Ricky Craven site)(1-28-2007)
- Stremme? Mayfield to Haas? UPDATE 2 Mayfield in the #66 NOW: hearing that both David Stremme, currently driving the #40 Dodge for Chip Ganassi [but out of a job at the end of 2007] has also talked to Haas CNC Racing about driving for them in 2008; also hearing that Jeremy Mayfield, currently driving the #36 Toyota for Bill Davis Racing [but out of a job at the end of 2007] has talked to Haas CNC Racing about driving for them in 2008. Haas CNC Racing has already signed Scott Riggs [now in the #10 Dodge at GEM] to drive one of their cars for them in 2008, either the #66 Chevy currently driven by Jeff Green], the #70 Chevy [currently Johnny Sauter] or a possible third team. Stremme is also being rumored to others rides, including #10 GEM Dodge, Michael Waltrip Racing and Penske Racing [if Horish decides not to run Cup in 2008 in their third car].(10-9-2007)
UPDATE Mayfield to Haas? on Sunday's SPEED Report, Bob Dilner reported that it looks like current Haas CNC Racing drivers, Jeff Green and Johnny Sauter will not return in 2008 and that Jeremy Mayfield is now the leading candidate to join the team. Scott Riggs was recently signed to drive for the team in 2008. Dilner also mentioned that Tony Furr could ended up back with Haas as Mayfield's crew chief, but Furr denied that.(10-22-2007)
UPDATE 2: Jeremy Mayfield will replace Jeff Green in the Haas CNC Racing #66 Chevrolet, effective immediately, team general manager Joe Custer said Monday morning.
Mayfield also will join Scott Riggs in the driver lineup for next season but the alignment of the two drivers with car numbers in 2008 has not been determined, Custer said. Green is 27th in the series points standings. "[Green] did a good job for us, and we appreciate everything he did," Custer said. His replacement in the #36 Bill Davis Racing team for this weekend at Atlanta has not been announced. As far as the status of current Haas CNC Racing driver Johnny Sauter, Custer said Sauter (who is 31st in points) is under contract with the team and that "we're working through that" for 2008.(SceneDaily.com)(10-22-2007)
- Latest on Buckshot: Last Monday morning, while many of his former NASCAR peers were preparing to run the rain-delayed Auto Club 500 in California, Buckshot Jones was working traffic, too. But he was on I-85, far from the hustle and bustle of Sprint Cup racing, chauffeuring his sons Kolton and Levin to school in Norcross. And even though his NASCAR career never reached its full potential, he wouldn't have it any other way. He's now earning his living as a land developer and spending quality time with his kids, something many NASCAR drivers have little time to do. Still, he said, there are some lingering regrets about his racing career, which essentially ended midway through the 2002 season when he was released at age 31 by Petty Enterprises.(See full story at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(3-2-2008) Comment here
- Where's Buckshot? Quick. Hide the women and children, and slap a straitjacket on Randy LaJoie. Buckshot Jones might be headed back to the Busch Series. After running the Snowball Derby in December, Jones is scheduled to make eight Hooters Cup races this season for DMT Motorsports owners David Bowen and Mike Phelps. It's not a full-fledged return to the sport, but there are plans for Jones to possibly enter a couple of Busch Series events later this year at New Hampshire and Bristol.(NASCAR.com)(3-16-2007)
- Buckshot back racing in 2007: DMT Motorsports announced that former NASCAR Cup and Busch driver, Roy "Buckshot" Jones of Gwinnett County, Georgia, will be driving the #01 Southern Division Chevy for Bowen Family Homes in the 2007 Hooters Pro Cup. Buckshot last drove the number #44 Georgia-Pacific Dodge for Petty Enterprises in the Nextel Cup Series [actually his last NASCAR race was a Busch Series race in 2004 at Kentucky in the #1 Dodge for Phoenix Racing, last Cup race was at Talladega in Oct 2003 in Michael Waltrip's #00 Chevy].(Flammer Relations PR/USAR site)(12-13-2006)
- More info on the #09 Team News and Links page.
- Mayfield hoping for another chance: Give him good equipment and Jeremy Mayfield believes he can return to the form that got him into the Championship Chase in 2004 and 2005 at Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Unfortunately for Mayfield, his phone is silent. His name is not on the short list of drivers to fill slots at Stewart-Haas Racing, Penske Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing. It's not there even though his credentials -- five wins, 96 top-10s and two trips to the Chase -- are better than at least half the drivers in the current 43-car field. "I'm the first one to admit I've made mistakes," he said. "Whether it's the Ray's deal and I talked too much or what happened at Penske. … It was little stuff. Nothing big, but it all adds up and that's why I'm sitting here today." Mayfield doesn't know how he's going to recover from the two worst years of his career, made worse by his father's death in 2007. He hopes when everything shakes out there'll be an owner with decent equipment willing to give him a chance. If not, he might start a Craftsman Truck Series team. "I've got to make a decision somewhere down the line to do that," he said. "But once you make that move you know you probably won't be back in Cup." And Mayfield wants to be back in Cup so badly that he's willing to work without a contract and for a percentage of his winnings without a guaranteed salary. He'd love for that to be at Penske. He said leaving that organization was the worst mistake he's made, slightly ahead of losing his friendship with Evernham.(ESPN.com)(7-20-2008) Comment here
- Mayfield goes on 12-day tour of Iraq; ride at Dover?: Jeremy Mayfield left May 6 for 12 days where even if he got offered another NASCAR ride, he wouldn’t be able to accept it until he returned. Mayfield took a 12-day tour of Iraq where he, along with a few drag racers, visited three to seven bases a day to talk to troops stationed over there. Mayfield said he was impressed with what the soldiers are currently doing in Iraq in trying to rebuild the country. “I thought it would be a depressing deal, but it really wasn’t,” Mayfield said in a phone interview Tuesday. “All the soldiers, everybody from the guy on the front line through the commanding general, was just really upbeat, in a great mood. Everything was positive. … What got me was how many people re-enlisted to come back over.” A two-time Chase participant, Mayfield drove for Haas CNC Racing for the first seven events this year before parting ways with the team. He has had a few talks with other teams, but when the idea was presented to him, he opted to go on the goodwill trip to Iraq. “It’s something I am proud to say I did,” Mayfield said. “It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I met a lot of great people there. As far as my career, I’ll go from here and see what happens. The timing was perfect on it. I was sitting here not having a ride, and I went and did it. I think I made a difference. I think it was more important than waiting around hoping somebody calls me. It’s hard for me to sit here and tell you what it means to the guys over there.” Many of the soldiers wanted to talk about racing with him, but Mayfield couldn’t stay awake to watch the races with the troops, which were televised in the early morning at bases that had television capability. I couldn’t believe there were that many Mayfield fans over there to start with, and on top that there were so many huge NASCAR fans,” Mayfield said. “It definitely was a humbling experience.” The driver admitted he was a little nervous about making the trip. He would see troops going to and from combat. The group of racers would take Blackhawk helicopters to each base, going from Baghdad to remote outposts in northern Iraq. “There were things that go on like we all expect,” Mayfield said. “Every day, there’s some kind of maneuvers with some of the insurgents where they will cover up a bomb here or there, and once in a while one of those would go off. About every night or so, outside in the desert, three or four guys would launch a rocket over into a base, and 99.9 percent of those either don’t make it or get blown away. … Overall I felt secure, but you still wonder because it’s busy there 24 hours a day nonstop, so you never know when you lay down to go to sleep at night. I got pretty used to it.” Now back home, Mayfield seems willing to wait for the right opportunity to get back in a race car. A 15-year veteran of the sport with five wins, Mayfield feels as if he has something to offer to a team. “I was part of the reason why I don’t have one – I’d rather not have one than run like I was running every week,” he said. “I’ve come to realize that. I don’t want any pity. When you go to Iraq, you really understand the true meaning of feeling sorry for something when you go into one of the hospitals. There’s a lot of people have got it worse off than we do. Going over there was very humbling. It makes you look at life a little bit different.”(SceneDaily), supposedly Mayfield will run the #40 Dodge at Dover on June 1st.(5-21-2008)
- Mayfield wants to be in ride that can win, in any series: Jeremy Mayfield's not sure what's next, though as a racer he wants to race. But his choice, whether it's in Sprint Cup, Nationwide or the Craftsman Truck Series, is going to be something that can win. He's been there and knows he can get it done again. Right now, he's not sure how much time he'll be spending at racetracks in the short term. The conversations on future possibilities have been flowing in both directions, he said. But he won't be sitting still, either. When the Sprint Cup Series is at Richmond and Darlington, Mayfield will be part of an entourage touring United States military installations in Iraq and supporting the troops.(NASCAR.com)(4-17-2008) Comment here
- Mayfield out of the #70 ride UPDATE 2: Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway is reporting that Jeremy Mayfield is out as driver of the #70 Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet, and will be replaced by former Haas CNC driver Johnny Sauter, effective immediately.(4-7-2008)
UPDATE: Haas CNC Racing announced today that the team and Jeremy Mayfield have mutually agreed to part ways. The team is exploring several scenarios regarding a replacement driver. "Jeremy's proven resume behind the wheel of a Cup car was a real benefit to our team," team general manager Joe Custer said. "He stepped into the seat and did everything we asked him to and more. Ultimately, we were unable to provide him with the right balance, handling and speed he needed to be successful," he added. "We wish Jeremy nothing but the best for his future."(Haas CNC Racing)(4-8-2008)
UPDATE 2: Johnny Sauter told Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway Tuesday that he is signed to drive the #70 only this weekend in Phoenix, but hopes to land the ride full-time. "We've got a week off after Phoenix," said Sauter, "so they've got a little time to look around and figure out what they want to do down the road."(4-9-2008) Comment here
- Park has a ride: Steve Park announced today on Press Pass on Sirius NASCAR Radio 128 that he has signed to run the full NASCAR Camping World East Series schedule with Waste Management as sponsor. He is in Daytona talking to numerous Craftsman Truck Series team owners as well and told hosts Alex Hayden and Steve Post "I just know in my heart that I can still win races."(Sirius NASCAR)(1-13-2008)
- Park to run Busch East race at Dover: former Cup driver Steve Park will be behind the wheel for the Dover Busch East event, piloting the #53 Waste Management car for NDS Motorsports on Friday, September 21st.(Steve Park site)(9-18-207)
- Steve Park searching for a ride: Steve Park, whose last NASCAR race was in a Busch car at O'Reilly Raceway Park last August, was in the garage at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday knocking on doors in the hopes of finding a ride for 2007. While driving a Cup car for DEI in 1998, Park was seriously injured in a crash at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He returned to race later that year, but in 2001 he suffered a brain injury in a violent crash during the Busch race at Darlington. In his only full season in the trucks (2004), Park finished ninth in points. The following year he won the second race of the season at California Speedway, but by the end of the season, Park and team owner Steve Gaughan went their separate ways. In 2006, Park started the season driving 10 races for James Harris' CTS team but moved over to the Busch Series to compete in six races for James Marsh. "I'm here looking for a job," Park said. "Atlanta is the first stop on the East Coast for a lot of these teams and I wanted to be here to talk to a few people about a ride in the truck or Busch series." Park says it's been tough for him to sit at home. "I was born to race," he said. "I should be on the race track right now." Park said he had a deal to get back in the Busch Series this season, but it fell apart a month before Daytona. "I spent a lot of time in the Craftsman Truck Series and enjoyed it," Park said. "I'd like to get back into one for the rest of this season." Park joked that during his time away from racing, he cut 10 strokes off his golf game. "Playing golf is great over the winter time when you know you have a job to go racing again in the springtime," Park said. "But when the spring time comes and you're not out there racing, it's a bummer."(Yahoo Sports)(3-17-2007)
- Patrick talked to Roush Fenway recently: Officials from Roush Fenway Racing "had a conversation" with IndyCar driver Danica Patrick as recently as two weeks ago when the Sprint Cup Series was in Phoenix for the Subway Fresh Fit 500. And while Jack Roush, the founder and co-owner of the organization, said that he was not part of the conversation, he also said Friday from Talladega Superspeedway that he believes Patrick has an interest in eventually pursuing a future that would include at least some stock-car racing. He even offered to lay out a program for her indoctrination into NASCAR. "I think Danica, from what I understand, has got an interest in stock-car racing," Roush said. "Any sponsor, any team owner that felt the need to have more of a diverse situation in their driving lineup would look at Danica very favorably."(more at NASCAR.com)(4-26-2008) Comment here
- Danica to stay in IRL...with Andretti team? UPDATE: It appears Danica Patrick will be on the move in 2007, but not to NASCAR. Instead, it appears she will move over to a rival Indy Racing League team. Indianapolis TV station WXIN reports Andretti-Green Racing has made a serious overture for Patrick, whose contract with Rahal-Letterman Racing runs out at the end of this year. The network cited unnamed sources but neither Andretti-Green or Rahal-Letterman would comment on the report. Andretti-Green co-owner Michael Andretti indicated late last week that he would be interested in signing Patrick, who was being touted for a possible move to the Nextel Cup series next year. AGR currently fields cars for Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti and Bryan Herta. Franchitti and Herta's contract with the team are set to expire at the end of this season.(TSA.ca)(7-17-2006)
UPDATE: Danica Patrick signed with Andretti Green Racing on Tuesday, deciding to stay in the Indy Racing League instead of switching to NASCAR. Patrick will start driving for her new team in 2007. Her current contract with Rahal Letterman expires at the end of the season. Though she toyed with joining NASCAR, Patrick said last week she was leaning toward saying in the IndyCar series.(Associated Press)(7-25-2006)
- Raines Looking, maybe other NASCAR series: Hall of Fame Racing driver Tony Raines, who will not drive the #96 next season as J.J. Yeley takes over, said he knows the chances of earning a Cup ride in 2008 are slim. He hopes to drive in one of NASCAR's other series. "I'm disappointed, but I understand the decision," said Raines, who ran into Jeff Green on the eighth lap of Saturday's race and finished 35th. "When you don't have the results that are expected, changes are made. It's tough, but that's what happens."(Dallas Morning News)(9-10-2007)
PAUL TRACY
Links:
- Tracy Committed to Champ Car; will not run NASCAR in 2007: Paul Tracy has decided to remain loyal to Champ Car and abandon plans to participate in NASCAR in 2007. Tracy participated in six NASCAR Busch Series races in 2006 and showed signs of potentially having a successful career in stock cars.(Player Management International PR)(10-27-2006)
#see the 27 Team News and Links page
#see the 87 Team News and Links page
- Wheldon Talked to Ganassi About Move to NASCAR: Dan Wheldon might be driving in the Sprint Cup Series this season instead of Dario Franchitti had team owner Chip Ganassi let him. Wheldon said on Monday he had several conversations with Ganassi about making the jump this year from the IndyCar Series, which he won in 2005, to NASCAR. "I talked to Chip enough about it to know that for whatever reason he didn't want to let me move from the Indy car,'' Wheldon said on the first day of the 2008 Sprint Cup media tour. "He definitely wants to keep me [in the IndyCar Series]. We'll see. "I've got some big decisions to make at the end of next season. The main thing is I need to put myself in a strong position so I can make the decision I want to make."(ESPN.com)(1-22-2008) Comment here
- No NASCAR for Wheldon in 2008: Dan Wheldon won't be the next open-wheel driver to move to NASCAR so long as team owner Chip Ganassi has the final say. And Ganassi does. Wheldon said Ganassi wants him to remain in Indy-car racing at least for the time being, which includes 2008. Wheldon is completing his fifth full season in the IndyCar Series, his second with Ganassi Racing. "It's not a difference (of opinion), it's just a difference of timing," Wheldon said of Ganassi's position. "He doesn't really say why, but he thinks I should stay in Indy-car racing -- for Honda."(Indianapolis Star)(8-27-2007)
- Dan Wheldon thinking about NASCAR UPDATE denied: Dan Wheldon loves to race, and a visit to NASCAR country with the IndyCar Series only highlights that passion - and makes him think more about moving over to stock cars and getting to do just about all the driving he can handle. 'In my position, you always want to be making yourself better and you always want to be involved in a series that's getting bigger and better,'' he said. "I think everybody knows that I certainly would consider NASCAR. For me, I want to look at the IndyCar Series this year and really consider .. is it going to get a lot bigger than this? Are we going to continue to go to races where we fill the grandstands?"(TSN/AP)(7-1-2007)
UPDATE: team owner Chip Ganassi doesn't foresee open wheel star Dan Wheldon moving to stock cars anytime soon. "I personally don't see it on his radar screen [for] next year," Ganassi told ESPN.com Monday. Ganassi did say he and Wheldon discussed the proposition several months back, but discontinued those talks with the plan to resume them later in the summer. They've yet to do so, Ganassi said. "Having said that, we've had discussions along the lines of 'Hey, let's renew our deal,' and there's some other opportunities within the team for him," Ganassi said. "To be honest, I don't see [NASCAR] as one of the top-five things I'm conversing with him about. I do not consider [a move] imminent." Ganassi said Wheldon's true interest presently is winning a second IndyCar championship. Wheldon won the 2005 crown, then surrendered last season's title to Sam Hornish Jr. by way of a tiebreaker. The drivers finished with an equal number of championship points, but by rule Hornish was awarded the title due to having scored more victories during the year. Wheldon recently expressed interest in NASCAR. In fact, he was especially intrigued by that which deters many open-wheel drivers from jumping to stock cars -- the lengthy schedule.(ESPN.com)(7-3-2007)
- Wheldon to test Busch car? Former IndyCar Series champion Dan Wheldon has been fitted in Charlotte for a NASCAR stock car seat and will test a Busch Series car at some point, but when and where has yet to be determined. A Chip Ganassi Racing spokesperson said Wheldon's primary focus this season is winning a championship and Indy, but at some point Ganassi would have the Englishmen test a Busch Car.(Daytona Beach News Journal), Wheldon has been rumored to be testing at Las Vegas in a Cup or Busch car, he didn't in a Cup car at Vegas this week, Busch tests at Vegas Feb 5-6th.(2-1-2007)
MISC
Links:
- Sacks back in NASCAR? Greg Sacks, who hasn't qualified for a Cup race in two years, says he's close to finalizing a multi-year alliance with an existing multi-car operation that would put at least two cars on the track beginning next year. Chances are, Sacks adds, that he'll be the driver of one of those cars. He's got an option on 25 acres in the Charlotte area, and building permits for the shop complex are in place. That's not all Sacks has on his plate. Plans call for his sons, Paul and Brian, to run an "ABC" schedule in 2008. Some ARCA and Busch Series will start warming them up, if all goes well, for a Cup race or two late in the season. A formal announcement of his plans should be coming in no more than 30 to 60 days.(NASCAR.com), and hearing Sacks could drive for Bobby Jones in the August ARCA race at Pocono.(7-14-2007)
- Another Motorcylcer to try racing cars? A source close to Canada's Miguel Duhamel, AMA Super Bikes series driver, told Sun Media at the Canadian Grand Prix that Duhamel will be in a stock car built especially for him by Dave Jacombs. Jacombs is the same chassis builder who put former Champ Car World Series stars Patrick Carpentier and Andrew Ranger in races, with both finishing in the top 10 in their first efforts. Duhamel, 39, who now lives in Las Vegas, has conquered just about all there is to conquer on two wheels, owning the records for most wins and most championships in the Super Bikes Series. He will team up with 20-year-old Ranger in Fords sponsored by Wal-Mart, Proctor and Gamble and the Children's Miracle Network. Ranger, who looked to be destined for superstardom in Champ Car before his sponsorship dried up this season, was right at home in his first NCATS race last month at Cayuga Speedway Park where he finished fourth in the season opener. Duhamel, however, may just practice in his Jacombs prepared Ford at Mosport's Father's Day Double Header weekend and get behind the wheel for real at the NASCAR Busch Series NAPA 200 at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Aug. 4 where the NCATS will run as a support race. It is also expected at the NBS race that current Champ Car driver Alex Tagliani will drive a third Jacombs prepared car.(Toronto Sun)(6-12-2007)
- Tracy Hines Injured in Off-Road Accident: Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) driver Tracy Hines was injured in an accident on the evening of Monday, April 30 on his Indiana property. Hines crashed while riding his off-road motorcycle and was transported via helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he underwent surgery to repair a fractured pelvis, fractured left femur and a dislocated right knee. On Tuesday afternoon he was listed in stable condition. Hines drives the #21 TSR/Chevy entry in the USAC National Midget and Sprint Car Series and the #22 TSR/Chevrolet machine in the USAC Dirt Silver Crown Series.(GM Racing PR)(5-2-2007)
- Another Motorcycler looking to go to NASCAR: Mike Metzger, "The Godfather" of freestyle motocross who achieved cult status by cutting back flips and breaking all manner of bones in X-Games competition, is actively pursuing opportunities in NASCAR, he said Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Metzger was in the garage area Saturday rubbing elbows introducing himself to prospective team owners. No question, he's anxious to join fellow motocross star Ricky Carmichael in stock cars. Metzger said he'd bantered with several teams, and that many are intrigued at the prospect of his coming to NASCAR. If he were to make the jump it would be substantial, and like Carmichael he'd have to start small and work his way up. The 31-year-old is currently on the mend after crashing badly while attempting a 75-foot back flip during a film shoot. The result was a crushed L4 vertebrae and back surgery. The injury sidelined Metzger's season in the Championship Off Road Racing Series. Metzger moved from two wheels to four last October and fell in love, and said he believes NASCAR to be the next step in the progression of his career.(ESPN.com)(3-12-2007)
- Arbitrator Awards Sacks judgement from Whos Your Daddy; appeal planned: not much info, but from Yahoo Biz, an SEC filing from a few weeks ago concerning former NASCAR driver Greg Sacks: On July 19, 2006, [Whos Your Daddy] the Company received a Demand for Arbitration from [former Cup driver] Greg Sacks pursuant to a NASCAR sponsorship of Sacks Motorworks. The agreement contained an arbitration clause and the Arbitrator awarded Sacks $1,790,000 on February 13, 2007. The Company believes that the award was improper and intends to vigorously oppose the award including by filing a countersuit against the company.(Yahoo Biz), there have been no news concernig Sacks plans to run any races since early 2006.(3-7-2007)
- Fellows replaced by GM, has Busch plans UPDATE: Canada's most successful sports car racer, Ron Fellows, has been replaced by Denmark's Jan Magnussen in the #3 Corvette C6-R for the 2007 American Le Mans Series GT1 season. The shock announcement from General Motors Racing comes just one month after the company introduced a limited edition Ron Fellows Championship Corvette Z06 at the Chicago International Auto Show. GM road racing boss Steve Wesoloski said Fellows -- who will become a roving ambassador for the team -- would race in the two ALMS endurance events as well as at the Grand Prix of Mosport this season. Fellows, meanwhile, is on his way to Mexico City where he will drive the Kevin Harvick Incorporated #33 Chevy in Saturday's NASCAR Busch Series race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. He also is signed with Harvick for the inaugural NBS at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in August and at Watkins Glen the next weekend.(Toronto Sun), no word on his Nextel Cup plans for 2007, he usually runs the road courses at Infineon Racway and Waltkins Glen, usually with a Chevy team.(2-28-2007)
UPDATE: Fellows, who has driven for Dale Earnhardt Inc. in recent years, said he has no Nextel Cup races locked in yet for this year. "It's still early in the game, and hopefully we can pick up an opportunity," the Canadian driver said.(SceneDaily.com), the last couple of years Fellows drove the #32 PPI Motorsports Chevy, but that team is no longer in business.(3-3-2007)
- Castroneves to NASCAR? Add Helio Castroneves' name to the list of open-wheel stars wanting to try NASCAR. The two-time Indy 500 winner said late Wednesday he is intrigued by the possibility of racing in America's most popular series. "Because of the popularity and attention the sport has gotten, there is no question I would like to try," he said during NASCAR's preseason media tour of race shops. "The closest thing I have gotten so far is the IROC and I have liked it." Castroneves drives for Penske in the IRL and will drive a sports car for the team at Sebring in March. He has gotten more exposure to the company's NASCAR operation since Penske has moved all of its racing operations into one complex north of Charlotte, N.C. "With everything under one roof, I'm going to be looking at it even more," Castroneves said. "I know it is a challenge, but if I go for it, I will give my 100 percent to it."(Tampa Tribune)(1-27-2007)
