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NASCAR appoints panel to look into changing drug-testing policy: NASCAR president Brian France has appointed a group of company officials to an interim committee that will study the sport's drug policy, vice president of communications Jim Hunter said Friday. The group, whose members Hunter said have "been around a long time and know the sport," will report back to France with any recommendations "within six weeks or so." Among the topics they will survey, Hunter said, is whether or not to add a staff substance abuse expert and whether or not random testing should be implemented. Currently, drivers are drug tested only under "reasonable suspicion." Any change to the policy, Hunter said, wouldn't likely take place until the 2009 season.(ESPN.com)(5-3-2008) Comment here
NASCAR still evaluating McDowell's car and data: G-force readings [no number given] from #00-Michael McDowell’s grinding crash at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend were lower than other major wrecks in NASCAR, but Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby said the nature of severe crashes in the new car has changed so much that G-force readings don’t mean as much as they once did. NASCAR has begun the process of thoroughly examining McDowell’s battered Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota in its Research & Development Center, Darby said, adding that the G-force numbers were “pretty low.” But that wasn’t totally unexpected, because the design of the new car and the SAFER barrier has changed crash dynamics. “G-forces overall have been reduced,” Darby said. “But when you look at the big picture, the G-force is the least significant number anyway.” The significant number is the change in velocity, which Darby said was “substantial” with McDowell’s car. “They weren’t the worst we’ve ever seen by any means,” Darby said. “But part of the process of building a safer race car is to reduce all those numbers as best we can. Even when we understand completely the final numbers – which ultimately will be lower than what we’ve seen in the past – that’s what we’re looking for.” McDowell’s crash, dramatic as it was, wasn’t as severe as the wreck suffered by Jeff Gordon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when his #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet slammed the inside wall along the track’s backstretch. “It wasn’t as big a hit as the 24 took,” said Cal Wells, executive vice president for business operations for MWR. “The 24 hit a concrete wall and it jerked the motor and the transmission. ... Everything [on McDowell’s car] performed extraordinarily close to design.”(SceneDaily)(4-13-2008) Comment here
NASCAR President defends NASCAR Drug Testing Policy: The call earlier this week for regular random drug testing by some of NASCAR's biggest stars apparently will not change the sanctioning organization's current policy of testing only for "reasonable suspicion." But NASCAR president Mike Helton said the reaction by the drivers to the published report that former truck and Nationwide driver Aaron Fike used heroin the same day he drove in some races is a positive sign for the stock car sport. Referring to the story in the April 21 edition of ESPN The Magazine, Helton said, "When you have a headline like that and the other athletes rare up on it and react like they did, that's a positive thing. The [NASCAR] community polices the community," Helton added in an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway. "The positiveness of all the drivers talking and everything, I think, echoes the responsibility that exists in this sport to avoid all that and to police all that. That's why we think that the reasonable suspicion policy works as an umbrella from a NASCAR perspective." Helton said he does not know of any policy that can guarantee that no driver will ever race while under the influence of some substance any more than anyone could guarantee that an athlete in another sport will not abuse something on game day. The other part though is the fact that when we do find a situation and we do authenticate the abuse of a substance, it is a severe reaction," Helton said. "It's not just a couple of weeks off, it's a very severe, career-changing reaction from us that I think speaks loudly." Helton added the substance-abuse policy that NASCAR has had in place for more than two decades has worked very well, with the help of the teams and the drivers. "There are a lot of random drug testing policies or substance-abuse policies in our sport and they come through the car owners," he said. "We're different than other sports where we have multiple layers of independence. That's why we feel like the reasonable suspicion element that NASCAR implements has served its purpose and works well. But we know of car owners that have random testing programs with their employees. So those elements are already there. ... There's a lot of ways to attack this animal and a lot of ways to do it, but the shared responsibility between the competitors, the car owners and NASCAR, I think, works."(Associated Press/ESPN.com)(4-13-2008) Comment here
NASCAR again...NO Changes to the COT planned: For drivers hoping for a change to the new Sprint Cup model car, series director John Darby burst their bubble Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. Darby said NASCAR doesn’t plan on making any alterations to the car, though some drivers, notably defending series champion Jimmie Johnson, called for changes after last week’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. Darby noted that this is only the second year with the new model and Texas was only the third race on a high-banked, 1.5-mile track. “We still call it the new car, right?” Darby said. “But it’s looked at as an old car, one that’s been around forever, and that’s not the case. There’s nothing broken, there’s nothing that we need to jump in and fix. It’s just a matter of continuing to race them and let the teams do what they do best.” Darby said he was open to adding an additional test to the NASCAR test schedule this year if the garage area wanted one. But he doesn’t think adding a day to existing races would be of any benefit to teams. “I would rather just go test somewhere rather than tack a day on to an event because you can’t test properly when it’s attached to an event,” Darby said. “If you’re the crew chief or the driver, you know you’re testing in the car you’ve got to race the next day. You’re always fearful of trying something new, damaging the car, losing an engine that would affect the event because it’s the next day.”(SceneDaily)(4-12-2008) Comment here
Drivers upset over lack of drug testing: Sprint Cup drivers Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne say they never have undergone a drug test as NASCAR competitors. "In the 10 years that I've raced, I've never been drug-tested," Harvick said. "To me, that's not a proper drug policy for a professional sport. We haven't made any headway whatsoever on the drug-testing policy." Harvick and Stewart were reacting to an ESPN The Magazine story this week in which former driver Aaron Fike said he competed in Craftsman Truck Series races while he was on heroin. "I have been in a race with him and I know for a fact that he's not the only one," Harvick said. "There's another driver that was suspended that I can almost guarantee you was in the race car while he was under the influence, and that pisses me off. I'm sure I'll be blasted for saying what I feel, but I don't want to be on a race track with people like that. It's irresponsible more than anything." All four Cup drivers said they are in favor of regular testing.
"I would love it,'' Stewart said. "I've never been asked to take one yet. I think it should be mandatory to have random drug testing. I think it's a great idea. The Fike situation shows that as an organization, we're not doing a good job of seeing this before it happens." NASCAR's substance-abuse policy includes the right to test any driver at any time, but officials only do so if they believe a competitor might have a problem. "The responsibility here rests across the board -- with the drivers and competitors, owners, teams and NASCAR," said Kerry Tharp, NASCAR's director of communication. "We test an individual when we have reasonable suspicion. A positive test results in severe consequences and is a career-changing moment for that person. NASCAR's policy is also supported by the various policies that the teams have in place that are required under the driver/owner agreements. No system is flawless, but we believe our zero tolerant policy that is in place has served the sport well."
Fike was arrested last year in Ohio for possession of heroin.
"I had a long talk with NASCAR about this last year," Harvick said. "It almost seems like it fell on deaf ears. They were more mad that I had a reaction to the situation than they were about trying to move forward. They heard what I said, but my name's not Jeff Gordon. I'm disappointed that we have to react and answer all these questions again."
Tharp said NASCAR officials always take it seriously when drivers come to them with questions or complaints. "Let me assure you that no issue or conversation that we have with a driver, owner or team member ever falls on deaf ears," Tharp said. "Now, they might not always come out of the meeting with the answer they're looking for, but we listen." Harvick wants to see NASCAR test drivers and crew members several times a year. "I'm sure I'll have to do it for speaking my mind," Harvick said. "But if I have to pee in a cup 15 times a year, I'm happy to do it. The bad part is it isn't fair to the 95 percent of his garage that is clean. But I want everybody in the world to know our sport is clean. I want fans and sponsors to know this garage is clean." Harvick and his wife, DeLana, own truck series and Nationwide Series teams at Kevin Harvick Inc. Harvick does not conduct drug tests for his employees. "I don't right now and maybe we need to change the way we look at it, too," he said. "But in the end, it's the responsibility of [NASCAR] to make sure all the drivers are clean." Harvick said Fike drove a couple of races for KHI several years ago. "There was no reason to think something was wrong," Harvick said. "I don't know about drugs, to tell you the truth. But I want to know about the guy racing next to me and not have to wonder if he was out the night before and isn't clean."
Kahne said he had suspicions about Fike. "I definitely wondered about Aaron, so I'm sure others did," Kahne said. "When he said he did heroin before a race, that's incredible that no one knew. As much money as there is in this sport, I think we should take a little more effort to make sure every driver is clean." Harvick believes NASCAR should have changed its substance-abuse policy long ago. "You can tell I'm a little bit frustrated about the situation," he said. "As someone who respects the sport and respects my sponsors, I'm upset that I have to answer questions about Aaron Fike. It really ticks me off, because every driver in this garage should be taking random drug tests." Harvick believes NASCAR needs to do a better job of staying ahead of the curve. "It's just like the safety thing back in 2001," he said. "We didn't react until that situation happened [with Dale Earnhardt's death]. With drug-testing, there's no reason in the world today not to be proactive. "This is about forward thinking about how the drivers are perceived from a public standpoint. If I'm a fan, I don't want to think, 'Are they really clean?' This always has been perceived as a clean sport. Let's not let that change now, because it is. But let's prove it."(ESPN.com)(4-10-2008)
No changes planned in COT: NASCAR's Jim Hunter, one of the sport’s top officials and a 40-year veteran at the tour’s tracks, said that drivers and crews shouldn’t be expecting any rules changes for the winged car any time soon: “At least for a period of time. “I think Robin (Pemberton) and John (Darby), they’d say ‘Let’s go some more races and see where we are.’” Pemberton and Darby are NASCAR’s top two competition officials under president Mike Helton. “Actually I can remember a lot of guys saying they couldn’t run side-by-side in the old car, when they had a hell of a lot of downforce,” Hunter said. “Carl Edwards got out of his car today and said ‘It’s a great feeling when your hands hurt after a race.’ You just have to get up on the wheel. And that was the whole purpose of this thing ... secondary to safety.” The next midsize track debut for the stock car will be at Concord in a few weeks. But the Mother’s Day weekend race at just-repaved Darlington could also present some similar issues, with its sudden 200-mph speeds, even though the car raced there last spring.(Winston Salem Journal)(4-7-2008)
NASCAR to return to Australia? Marcus Marshall, a driver in Australia's V8 Supercar Series, said Saturday that countryman Marcus Ambrose's success in NASCAR has boosted the sport's popularity in the country, and sparked rumors that a dormant 1½-mile track might get active again. The track hasn't been used for about eight years, he said. "It was pretty popular and now there are rumors at the moment of it opening up again, so that kind of fits with NASCAR maybe looking to be more international and Australia as a place to maybe take a round of one of their affiliated championships." Queensland, Australia, is already a destination of the Indy Racing League.(ESPN.com/AP)(3-31-2008) Comment here
NASCAR won't intervene in Roush dispute with Toyota team: NASCAR officials say they will not intervene in the dispute between Roush Fenway Racing and an unspecified Toyota team that allegedly took a part from the Ford organization. Team owner Jack Roush is asking NASCAR for “relief” on the issue, but NASCAR Vice President of Competition strongly dismissed that idea on Friday. “If they’ve got issues with each other or other teams, then they’ve got to talk to those other teams,” Pemberton said. “I didn’t take a part or a piece, all right? Nobody in this [NASCAR] trailer took a part or a piece. We know Jack said that, and apparently some other team acknowledged having a part or a piece. Those people need to work their deal out.” Roush said a Toyota team took a sway bar home from a September race at Dover last season. If that’s true, Pemberton said, “Then shame on a team that has that person working for them. If you’ve got a guy that takes a part or a piece from another team, then, in my opinion, I wouldn’t have a guy like that work for me,” he said. Still, that doesn’t mean NASCAR is going to do anything about it. “[The teams] have to work together,” he said. “We’re not going to build walls in here. We’re not going to separate everything. We’re going to run this garage area just like it’s been run. If you have issues, then you've got to work it out.”(SceneDaily)(3-29-2008)
Time for a drivers Union? UPDATE: The always boisterous Tony Stewart led a loud parade of outrage aimed at Goodyear's engineers after Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. If Stewart had thought about it long enough, he might have realized that there is much more that he and his fellow drivers can do. This is the perfect time for the drivers in the Sprint Cup Series to form a union. Then they can have real leverage on matters such as tires, safety and races. NASCAR has always said the drivers are "private contractors," so there has never been a need for a union. Plus, in the old days, any talk of forming a union could have seriously jeopardized a driver's career. See full story at the Delaware News Journal.(3-13-2008)
UPDATE: Major League Baseball has a union. The NFL has a union. The NHL has a union. Is it time for NASCAR to have one? Would a union help settle issues such as the Goodyear tire controversy at Atlanta last weekend? Jeff Gordon isn't sure. "I've seen the unions run things in the ground," Gordon said during a rainy Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway. "It bugs the heck out of me when I think of the strikes that have happened in baseball. Look at the strike that just happened with the writer's strike in Hollywood. While there are positives for the people they're representing, sometimes if you look at the sport as a whole or an industry I've seen where it's done a lot of damage. I see it happening right now with General Motors." Gordon said a union is a good thing only if the right people are managing it and the proper intent is there. The problem, he said, is nobody can guarantee that. We all have so many different agendas and ideas, to see them all come together as one could be tough," he said. Gordon said NASCAR would be better suited to have a quarterly meeting in which all drivers are brought together to discuss hot topics.
NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said the current system remains effective. "NASCAR always has had an open-door policy and always will," Tharp said. "Drivers, owners, and crew chiefs are regularly in communication with our sport's leadership. It is a system that has worked and continues to work well." Dale Earnhardt Jr. said the drivers need a spokesperson to represent them as his father once did. Dale Jarrett would like to see a panel of three to five drivers, and not necessarily the same every year, become the voice of the garage. "We won't use that word union," said Jarrett, who is driving in his final points race this weekend. "That gets people stirred up. Does there need to be a panel? Yes, it could be really helpful."(ESPN.com)(3-15-2008) Comment here
NASCAR and teams fighting counterfeiters: NASCAR, apparel company Motorsports Authentics and several teams have received an injunction over renegade merchandise, and at least 10 people have had unauthorized merchandise seized since the start of the 2008 season. The teams and NASCAR received a temporary restraining order Feb. 8 in U.S. District Court in Charlotte that allowed for the seizure of merchandise that infringed on their trademarks. On Thursday, the U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction against producers of counterfeit merchandise. Materials can be seized within a 10-mile radius of a track from 48 hours before qualifying to 24 hours after the completion of a race. Ten individuals were listed in the most recent order as violating the order. None of those individuals challenged the injunction during a hearing Thursday. Among the teams and drivers that joined NASCAR in the suit are Richard Childress Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon, JR Motorsports, Rusty Wallace Inc., Penske Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Red Bull Racing, Michael Wlatrip Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing. NASCAR and/or teams occasionally file lawsuits in order to seize merchandise from unlicensed dealers.(SceneDaily.com)(3-1-2008) Comment here
NASCAR heads to South America in March: Brian France and a contingent of NASCAR executives will visit Colombia next month together with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates officials to support Juan Pablo Montoya's charity Foundation. Montoya and his wife Connie will host the executives, which will include members of Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp. One of the visits will be to Montoya's Formula Smiles Foundation in Cartagena on March 10. "NASCAR's visit to Colombia is something extremely important for both Formula Smiles and our country," Montoya said. "Being part of the NASCAR community has enabled us to raise thousands of dollars that have permitted us to continue helping under-privileged kids in my home country. This visit gives us the opportunity to show the NASCAR community what we do and educate them on the reality of the situation in our country, and why we need as much support as possible." NASCAR will donate $25,000 through the NASCAR Foundation to Montoya's charity, which helps children in need throughout Colombia educating them in sports to improve their quality of life. "On behalf of the NASCAR community I am proud to have the opportunity to work with caring people like Juan Pablo and Connie Montoya," said NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France. "Their efforts, like so many driver charities, benefit those less fortunate and in need. Formula Smiles is a terrific charity that will help children to excel in both academics and athletics." In 2003 and 2005, Montoya staged the Race of Stars karting event in Cartagena, where Formula One, IRL and Champ Car drivers competed to help raise funds for his charity's projects.(Cup Scene Daily)(2-28-2008)
Boy Scouts turn 100 in 2010, could include NASCAR: The Boy Scouts of America, about to turn 100, have turned to one of their own as part of a marketing campaign to celebrate the anniversary and try to reverse a membership slide. A logo designed by Philip Goolkasian, a 17-year-old Eagle Scout from Fresno, Calif., was picked from more than 4,000 entries for anniversary events. The 100th anniversary is still two years away. It will be marked at the 2010 Jamboree in Fort A.P. Hill, Va. — the quadrennial event was pushed back a year to coincide with the anniversary. Scouting officials expect the event to draw 100,000 Scouts and visitors, and they plan to arrange satellite feeds to beam the proceedings around the country to boys who can't make the trip to Fort Hill. In the meantime, the Irving, Texas-based organization is looking to strike partnership deals with NASCAR and a half-dozen major corporations to promote its work. It hired a public-relations firm, and budgeted more than $4 million for the anniversary and events leading up to it.(Associated Press)(2-28-2008)
Official - IRL and Champ Car unify: Indy Racing League CEO Tony George shared in the relief and reveled in the significance the past five days. On Feb. 27, George joined Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkoven at a news conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway to celebrate the accord and provide additional information about the fast-approaching 13th IndyCar Series season and beyond. The season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway March 29.(Indycar.com)(2-28-2008)
NASCAR defends postponing races at Calif: NASCAR officials felt they were always on the brink of getting the Auto Club 500 resumed late Sunday night at Auto Club Speedway but finally had to give up battling the weepers and dew at about 1:55am/et. NASCAR spent 4 hours, 42 minutes trying to dry the track. “The places that got dry, by the time [workers] got back to them on another lap, 20 minutes or so later with another set of dryers, it had already picked up moisture again,” a dejected NASCAR Vice President Robin Pemberton said as the cars were being rolled into the Sprint Cup Series garage. “It was dew basically. The weepers will always be an issue – at a lot of race tracks that we go to, we have that from time to time. But even just on the regular surface, it was quite wet.” A chorus of boos rang from the few thousand fans who had waited out the rain. NASCAR had spent about four hours drying the track. “It quit raining, and we owe it to the fans who are here to try to do our best to get the show in,” Pemberton said. “Many times it’s only an hour, an hour and a half to try to dry the race track, and we worked at it 4 1/2 hours and still couldn’t get it dry. … Tonight, it just didn’t work out. We could have stayed after it and maybe have gotten it in another couple of hours and [the East Coast] could have watched us while they ate breakfast. But that wasn’t going to be fair, either. You just try. You try, you think you’re making a dent in it, and it just went south on us.” Another issue was that NASCAR already had postponed the Nationwide Series event to Monday. “Trying to put on two shows tomorrow isn’t going to be easy either, but we’re going to do it,” Pemberton said Sunday night. “To try to get one show in today is what our goal is going to be.” Pemberton knows NASCAR will receive criticism for waiting so long before postponing the event. “You can be upset at us for trying if you want to be, and that’s fair, but we’re always going to put our best foot forward,” Pemberton said. “With the lights here and everything, we thought we could get it pulled off, and it didn’t work.”(SceneDaily)(2-25-2008) Comment here
60th Anniversary Of NASCAR Being Incorporated: Sixty years ago today, the intent of Bill France Sr. became clear. Determined to bring organization to the long-disjointed sport of stock car racing, France had his newly formed sanctioning body – the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing – incorporated. It became official, on Feb. 21, 1948. NASCAR had been born. Incorporation was actually prefaced by NASCAR’s first-sanctioned event, on Feb. 15, 1948. That race was run on a “beach-road” course that used both the Atlantic shoreline and a portion of State Road A1A, with Red Byron winning. “Big Bill” France, of course, wanted everyone to win. One of his basic tenets was that for NASCAR to survive – much less thrive – everyone involved would need to benefit. France had talked about that two months earlier, during the now-famous meeting in December 1947 at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, which resulted in NASCAR’s formation. Retrospect makes some of his words from that meeting seem prophetic, such as the following: “Stock car racing has got distinct possibilities … and we do not know how big it can be if it’s handled properly. …. I believe stock car racing can become a nationally recognized sport by having a National Point Standing. … We must try to get track owners and promoters interested in building stock car racing up. We are all interested in one thing that is, improving the present conditions.” France and his fledgling sport took a huge step toward all of the above, on Feb. 21, 1948.(NASCAR PR)(2-21-2008)[the first 'Cup' race, then known as Strictly Stock was run on June 19, 1949 in Charlotte with Jim Roper winning the 148 mile race. Comment here.
'NASCAR: 60 Years' Exhibit to open Feb 15th: NASCAR and the Petersen Automotive Museum have announced that in celebration of 60 years of NASCAR racing, they will unveil a retrospective on the history of the fabled sport. On Friday, Feb. 15, the Petersen Automotive Museum will open its doors to a new "NASCAR: 60 Years" exhibit, featuring a unique collection of race cars spanning NASCAR's history. The museum will also host a Daytona 500 viewing party on Sunday, Feb. 17, complete with a block-party style Fan Fest, featuring NASCAR racing simulators, food & beverage stations, a jumbo television screen, music, the NASCAR Street Tour, interactive displays and more. The eastbound lanes of Wilshire Blvd in front of the museum (between S. Fairfax Ave and S. Orange Grove Ave.) will be closed to host the event. Starting on Feb. 15, the museum will showcase unique race cars that all have a place in NASCAR history. Among the collection are:
• 1940 Mercury driven by Sam Packard
• 1964 Mercury Marauder driven by Darel Dieranger
• 1972 Ford Torino driven by Bobby Unser
• 1974 Dodge Charger driven by Richard Petty
• 1989 Pontiac driven by Rusty Wallace
• 2002 Chevrolet driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Also on display will be this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship trophy, as well as a series championship trophy from 2003. The vehicles and trophies will be on display until Aug. 31. NASCAR and the Petersen Automotive Museum will also host a screening of "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" on Wednesday, Feb. 20, featuring a "meet and greet" with the 2008 Daytona 500 winner. Tickets to the showing are free and will be given away at the Fan Fest and fans can also enter to win tickets on myfoxla.com through Feb. 15. More info at petersen.org.(2-10-2008)
2008 Competition Update
NASCAR fines: Money collected from fines issued to drivers will now go to the NASCAR Foundation, which supports a variety of charitable initiatives. Previously, fine money was added to the season-ending point funds paid to drivers based on their finish in the point standings.
Revisions to pit road rules: Over-the-wall pit crews in NASCAR’s three national series will be able to hand push their car no more than three pit boxes away from their assigned pit box – limiting the crews to the same three-box length for pushing as the vehicles can drive through getting onto pit road. # Outside tires that have been removed from a vehicle during a pit stop can no longer be free-rolled from the outside of the pit box to the wall. The tires must be hand-directed to the inner half of the pit box before being released.
Fuel cell size: # All three national series will run the same up-graded fuel cell – which is another safety feature – and is the same fuel cell used in 2007 by the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Tire usage at non-sanctioned tests: Teams in all three national series will receive an allotment of tires to use for non-NASCAR sanctioned tests. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams will have access to 200 tires over the course of the year; NASCAR Nationwide teams will get 160 tires and NASCAR Craftsman Truck teams will get 120 tires.
Qualifying procedures: In all three national series, teams that are not locked into the starting field will qualify together as a group at the end of their respective qualifying sessions.
Engines: A new engine combination package introduced in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will allow for cost-saving opportunities for teams. Modifications reduce RPMs and horsepower, which will help engines and pieces to last longer. In turn, teams will have the opportunity to run multiple races using the same engine components.
2008 Projects at Research and Development Center:
Continuing to work with the University of Nebraska to further develop SAFER barriers.
Continuing development of SFI seating performance specifications.
Continuing R&D support to further help maintain a level competitive playing field.(NASCAR PR)
AutoRacing rated #4 per survey: Each of the major sports has had some image problems recently, but their popularity all remains relatively unchanged since last year. Three in ten Americans who follow one or more sport (30%) say that professional football is their favorite sport, almost unchanged from last year when 29% said it was their favorite. Coming in at second is baseball, as 15% say that is their favorite sport, again almost unchanged from last year when it was 14%. Not far behind baseball is college football (12%) and auto racing (10%). All other sports are in single digits. These are the results of a nationwide Harris Interactive survey conducted online between January 15 and 22, 2008 among 2,302 U.S. adults, of whom 1,562 follow one or more sport. Since Harris Interactive began asking this question in 1985, professional football has always been on top and its popularity is now six points higher (from 24% to 30%). Compared to 1985’s results, baseball has dropped eight%age points (from 23% to 15%), and men’s tennis has dropped four%age points (from 5% to 1%). Professional football isn’t the only sport to gain in popularity. Auto racing has also increased its popularity by five%age points (from 5% to 10%) as has hockey (up 3%age points from 2% to 5%).(businesswire.com)(2-8-2008)
Open wheel war to end? SPEED has learned that Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe, the co-owners of Champ Car, have reached an agreement with IRL founder Tony George to race together this season. As reported by SPEEDtv.com recently, George offered the Champ Car ownership free Dallara chassis and Honda engines to any CC team that signs up for the full season in addition to receiving $1.2 million per car as part of the IRL’s new TEAM program. Additionally, the Champ Car races at Long Beach, Edmonton and Surfer’s Paradise, Australia would be added to the ’08 IndyCar Series schedule.(more at SPEEDtv.com)(2-8-2008) Comment here.
NHRA for sale - Bruton interested? NASCAR interested? NHRA drivers and crews will spend part of the season wondering who is going to buy the series. HD Partners Acquisition Group was set to purchase the NHRA and its assets for $121 million, but the company's board voted down the deal last week, citing the uncertain economic climate. No one is sure when or if the series will be sold this season. Bruton Smith, head of Speedway Motorsports Inc. (which owns Texas Motor Speedway), had expressed an interest in buying the series. He is building a drag strip at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. "We'll wait, and sometime down the road we'll probably take a look at it," Smith said this week. "I see that the sport is growing. We'll see."(Dallas Morning News), and also heard NASCAR could be interested in the series and is looking in to it.(2-7-2008) Comment here.
BofA boosts its NASCAR incentives: A sharp drop in profits isn't keeping Bank of America from pursuing NASCAR fans as new customers. The Charlotte-based bank on Tuesday announced it was more than doubling the number of drivers featured in race-themed accounts. The bank also will boost its NASCAR rewards program, providing more access to drivers and behind-the-scenes experiences. Bank of America launched the NASCAR-themed "affinity banking" accounts last spring as part of its push to win business from loyal race fans. The bank also sponsors the October Sprint Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, issues officially licensed NASCAR credit cards and, since 2006, has been the official bank of NASCAR. In its NASCAR banking program, Bank of America issues cards and checks printed with a driver's image or the NASCAR logo. Account holders get "RacePoints" that can be redeemed for merchandise, race tickets or -- for those with high point totals -- special honors, such as meeting a driver or waving the green flag at the Bank of America 500. Along with the NASCAR logo, Bank of America offers accounts with several current and past drivers' images: Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, Dario Franchitti, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett, Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Paul Menard, Juan Pablo Montoya, Reed Sorenson, Martin Truex Jr., Kenny Wallace and Rusty Wallace.(Charlotte Observer)(1-23-2008)
Go or Go Home Drivers to Qualify Together; NASCAR to Provide Tires for Tests: Michael Waltrip suggested last season that drivers outside the top 35 in owners' points should be allowed to qualify together so nobody would have an advantage in track conditions. NASCAR officials must have listened. The governing body kicked off its annual media tour by announcing that those outside the top 35 in all three series [30 locked in for Nationwide and Trucks] -- Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series and Craftsman Truck Series -- will qualify at the end of their respective session. It also was announced that teams will be provided tires for testing at non-sanctioned NASCAR tests. Sprint Cup teams will be given 200 tires, Nationwide teams 160 and Craftsman Truck Series teams 120.(ESPN.com)(1-21-2008) Comment here
NASCAR Fine Payments Going to NASCAR Foundation: NASCAR announced that starting this season, all money collected from fines issued to drivers will go to the NASCAR Foundation for its charitable initiatives. “Now that the NASCAR Foundation is well established and supporting dozens of charitable organizations it is the logical place for fine money to be distributed,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “We are excited to be able to work with our charities and help them develop a program that will maximize the impact they can have with their organizations,” said Sandy Marshall, executive director of the NASCAR Foundation.(NASCAR PR)(1-21-2008) Comment here
Judge rules on discrimination lawsuit against NASCAR: A U.S. District Court judge has dismissed virtually all claims in a racial discrimination and breach of contract lawsuit against NASCAR and other parties stemming from a highly publicized 1999 incident at New Hampshire International Speedway. The incident occurred when former Penske Racing motorcoach driver David Scott, who is black, was greeted by a pair of motorcoach drivers, one of whom was wearing a white pillow case over his head as if he were a member of the Ku Klux Klan. NASCAR indefinitely suspended the two motorcoach drivers involved. In his complaint, Scott said he was promised a job with NASCAR in response to the incident. NASCAR had claimed in its filings that Scott "was given several work opportunities which were declined" and "was not qualified" for the racing official job he wanted. Judge Deborah A. Batts ruled Thursday that the three-year statute of limitations had passed for all of the allegations, except for one on whether NASCAR did not award Scott a minority vendor contract in 2005 and 2006 based on race. Scott must re-file his lawsuit within 45 days to focus on that claim.(SceneDaily.com)(1-19-2008) Comment here
NASCAR to increase age requirement? MORE A reliable inside source tells rowdy.com that NASCAR is seriously considering raising the age limit for drivers in the Sprint Cup Series from the current 18 years of age to 21. Should the change happen, and a decision has not yet been made according to the source, the driver who comes most quickly to the mind of Rowdy listeners is phenom Joey Logano. Logano, currently with Joe Gibbs Racing, turns 18 on May 24th of this year (he's scheduled to make his Nationwide Series debut at Dover shortly afterward), and under the current rules he would be eligible for Cup duty in 2009. Presumably any change would affect the Sprint Cup series only.(Rowdy.com)(1-16-2008)
UPDATE: NASCAR sources confirmed Wednesday that the sanctioning body is considering raising the minimum age for drivers racing in the Sprint Cup Series from 18 to 21. Currently, drivers must be 18 to compete in the Cup, Nationwide or Craftsman Truck series. If a change is made, drivers between 18 and 21 would remain eligible for Nationwide and Truck competition but would have to wait to make the move into stock-car racing’s top series. There are concerns that young drivers are being moved up through the ranks too soon, and that more time in the second-tier series would give them time to develop their skills on the track and to mature off of it. Such a change could, theoretically, also bolster interest in the Nationwide and Truck series, since it would ensure that promising young drivers could build fan followings and attract sponsorships while competing at those lower levels.(Thats Racin)(1-18-2008) Comment here
Rules Change Before Daytona? NASCAR is still evaluating data from Sprint Cup Series testing at Daytona International Speedway, but it looks as if there likely will be a change in the gear rule when competitors return in February. Teams currently have a choice of a 370 gear or a 375 gear, but their RPMs are above what NASCAR is looking for. A change in gear - likely a 364 gear - would reduce RPM. That would make the engines more durable. It could even make the cars faster. "If we change the rule, we won't do it officially until all of testing is completed," NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby said Wednesday during testing. "I think all of the teams are already anticipating a change. I know a lot of teams last week tried a 364 gear and a lot of teams here have got 364s in." NASCAR would like to keep the RPMs below 9,000, Darby said. Darby said no one has reached 9,000 RPM. "We're getting too close to that," Darby said. "The key to it is if 10 cars are drafting and they see 8900, when we put 43 out, they're going to be over 9000." Darby said NASCAR is fine with the overall speeds, which have hit 188 mph in drafting.(SceneDaily.com).(1-17-2008) Comment here
NASCAR Settles with Family of Plane Crash victim: NASCAR has agreed to a multi-million dollar settlement with a man who lost his wife and son when a NASCAR owned plane slammed into their Sanford Florida home. That plane crash last July set off a massive fire. Joe Woodard lost his wife Janice and his 6 month old son Josiah. In the home next door four year old Gabreila DeChat died and her brother 10 year old Daniel Happy is still recovering in the Shriners’ Burn Center in Cincinnati. The plane was piloted by Dr. Bruce Kennedy the husband of Lesa France Kennedy president of International Speedway Corporation. NASCAR pilot Michael Klemm was also killed. DeChat’s parents were also burned but have since recovered from their injuries. Woodward’s attorney wouldn’t discuss the terms of the settlement.(Fox News Orlando)(1-12-2008)
2007 Crash Data: Accidents and spins soared during the 2007 NASCAR Chase for the Nextel Cup, USA TODAY database research shows. Fueled by a track-record number of cautions in races at Martinsville Speedway (21) and Atlanta Motor Speedway (14), a total of 89 incidents were recorded — the most since NASCAR's 10-race playoff was instituted in 2004 — and a 14.1% increase from last year's 78 crashes and spins. A total of 240 accidents/spins were recorded during the 2007 season, the most since 253 incidents in 2005. #6-David Ragan is listed with the most at 22; then #7-Robby Gordon with 16. #29-Kevin Harvick had the least of the drivers running all 36 races, with 3.(see full story and database at USA Today)(12-20-2007)
Construction begins on NASCAR office tower: Lauth Property Group has begun erecting the steel for the 20-story NASCAR Plaza office tower next to the planned NASCAR Hall of Fame uptown on Caldwell Street. Company officials said construction of the first floor will take about five weeks, but after that the building will rise at the rate of a floor a week. The 390,000-square-foot "green" building is to open in March 2009, about a year ahead of the NASCAR museum. The office building is poised to be the first one occupied among more than a half dozen new office projects under way in the center city. NASCAR Images and NASCAR Licenses will occupy about a third of the space. The rest is available for lease.(Charlotte Observer)(12-18-2007)
NASCAR Arcade? The Larson family of Rapid City [South Dakota] has long been a business family. Kevin and Deb Larson, and their sons Jeff and Tyler Larson, owned and operated the Cellular Center in Rapid City. When the family decided they needed a change, they got out of the retail cell phone business. Kevin asked his sons if they had any ideas for a new business venture. “The boys said NASCAR,” Kevin recalled.? They did their homework, crunched some numbers and came up with the idea for Heartland Entertainment, a new NASCAR-themed family arcade on Cambell Street in Rapid City. It’s scheduled to open Dec. 18. It will have pool tables, 70 arcade games, a small food court and a shop where you can buy NASCAR memorabilia and NASCAR merchandise. But the attraction that will likely get the most attention is along the back wall of the shop. Four shiny NASCAR race cars ?” on a scale that is 80 percent of the real thing ?” stand side by side. They’re high-tech NASCAR simulators designed to give arcade drivers the sights, sound and sensation of actually being in a car race. From behind the wheel, you have a 135-degree view of the racetrack projected onto three screens. You also have a gear shifter, gas pedal, brake pedal and a small monitor. Each of the four cars is mounted on a hydraulic system, so when another virtual driver bumps your car, it shakes and shudders as if it were really hit. The Larsons are promoting Heartland Entertainment as a family entertainment center. There’s no smoking and no alcohol.(Rapid City Journal)(12-18-2007)
Camping World to sponsor developmental series: Camping World, the country's largest RV and outdoor retailer, will become the title sponsor for NASCAR's top developmental series -- the long-standing Grand National Division, East and West Series. As the new title sponsor, Camping World looks to continue the tradition of developing talented young drivers that aspire to go on and excel in the highest levels of NASCAR racing. Recent enhancements to the series included a schedule with an expanded geographic reach, new competition and cost-containment initiatives such as the new "spec engine" and composite body, and a lowered age-limit to 16 for drivers. Through the years the series has helped launch the careers of Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and David Gilliland, along with two-time championship crew chief Greg Zipadelli.(NASCAR.com)(12-17-2007)
Jim Hunter receives lifetime achievement award: The International Conference on Sport and Entertainment Business has presented NASCAR Vice President Jim Hunter with its Lifetime Achievement in Sport and Entertainment Award. Hunter, the vice president of corporate communications/regional touring/NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, has worked in the motorsports industry since 1968. He previously was president of Darlington Raceway. He also served as sports editor for The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., and a writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has also written books on stock-car racing, University of South Carolina football and youth league football. He attended the University of South Carolina, where he was a three-year letterman in football and a two-year letterman in baseball. "Jim Hunter exemplifies a world-class 'Carolina' gentleman whose career has produced a passion for NASCAR, love of family, respect of colleagues and friends with a humbleness that should be a model for us all," said Dr. Tom Regan of the Department of Sport and Entertainment Management. The Lifetime Achievement in Sport and Entertainment Award recognizes an industry veteran for achievements of lasting impact over a number of years in the fields of sport, entertainment or venue management. He or she embodies the professionalism, commitment to excellence and business savvy that has propelled sport, entertainment or venue management to become a key industry in the 21st century.(SceneDaily.com)(12-12-2007)
France's to switch jobs? UPDATE: from a Robin Miller article on SPEEDtv.com - Jim France moving into the Big Chair [CEO of NASCAR?] and nephew Brian [France] going to Grand-Am?(SPEEDtv.com)(10-20-2007)
UPDATE: NASCAR chairman Brian France said Sunday he is in the sport for the long haul. Recent reports also indicated Brian might step down and have his uncle, Jim France, take over as chairman. Jim is the vice chairman and executive vice president of NASCAR. He also is the CEO of International Speedway Corp., a public company that owns 12 tracks where NASCAR races. "I'm committed to my job for the foreseeable future," Brian France said. "That's years, not months. And my family is absolutely committed. We are not interested in selling NASCAR or International Speedway Corporation." Jim is the brother of Bill France Jr., the former NASCAR chairman who died earlier this year. Lesa France Kennedy, Brian's sister, is the president of ISC and a member of NASCAR's board of directors. "Our management team, from [president] Mike Helton on down, is the best in sports," France said. "My sister, my uncle and myself, we're all committed. The fact that we lost our father this year may be where some of this [speculation] comes from."(ESPN.com)(11-19-2007)
NASCAR NOT for sale MORE: NASCAR says speculation that its family-owned company is for sale to the same European private equity firm that owns the Formula One group is "unequivocally false." A recent report in the racing business newsletter The Business of Motorsport, suggested that CVC Capital Partners, which manages funds internationally totaling more than $23.7 billion, was the "most-likely buyer" of NASCAR, Inc. from the France family. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston, quoting a conversation he had on the matter with chairman Brian France, said France's reaction was an emphatic no. "[France said] It's a dead end story that has nothing remotely accurate," Poston said. "I spoke with Brian. NASCAR is not for sale." CVC representatives, reached in the company's New York office Friday, chose not to comment on the matter. CVC Capital Partners opened its first US office in Manhattan in March "to expand its American business," and already has purchased the luggage company Samsonite for $1.7 billion. CVC also recently bought the GP2 racing series for $300 million, and the report states that speculation has surfaced that they're also contemplating purchasing the sanctioning body that owns the Dakar Rally and Tour de France cycle race.(Marty Smith/ESPN.com)(11-18-2007)
MORE: NASCAR chairman Brian France said Sunday that NASCAR is not for sale. A recent report stated that a European investment firm was interested in buying NASCAR from the France family. France was asked if NASCAR had received inquiries about selling the company. "All the time," he said. "But we don't take the inquiries and don't have meetings with private equity firms. I can't be any clearer than that, but I'll say as directly as I can that NASCAR is not for sale."(ESPN.com)(11-19-2007)
France: no changes planned for Chase: NASCAR Chairman Brian France said he doesn't anticipate any big tweaks for the Chase For The Nextel Cup format for next season as a pair of Hendrick Motorsports drivers have broken away from the 12-driver pack compete for the title. France, speaking after being a panelist Friday at a business summit at Phoenix International Raceway, said he was happy with the format, which seeded drivers for the Chase based on wins and also added five more points for a win week to week. He was especially pleased with Jimmie Johnson going for the win last week at Texas, where he earned five more points than he would have a year ago. "It's worked," France said when asked about the bonus points. "We may do a little more of it. What Jimmie Johnson did - I actually called him on the phone and told him, by going after that win - because he knew how close it was - he knew those bonus points may be necessary to win it all. In the old days, a couple years ago, somebody might have settled for second. He took a lot of chances. I hope it was because the rewards were such that it counts."
France seemed unworried about TV ratings, which are down this season. "Television ratings for almost everything are down - prime time, daytime, sports, whatever else," France said. "We're probably a victim of that to some level. You have to remember we're still posting big audiences, and our TV partners are very satisfied. We'd love to be growing at better rates, but we're not contracting at all. We're pretty satisfied that story lines in the future and things go on that we'll be fine."
As far as New Hampshire and the recent purchase by Speedway Motorsports, France said it does make some realignment opportunities possible for SMI owner Bruton Smith and President H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler. "Two events that are working as well as those two events were, you'd like to think they would work bests there vs. taking one somewhere else," France said. "But Bruton and Humpy and those guys have to get in there and determine some of that on their own."(SceneDaily.com)(11-10-2007)
NASCAR to not give Cup drivers points in Nationwide races? In hopes of giving the Nationwide Series its own identity, NASCAR officials are considering one future option that would stop Cup regulars from earning points in the feeder league. Officials also have talked to the teams about making engine and body changes, including the possibility of going to pony cars (Mustangs, Camaros, etc.) in 2009. "All we've done at this point is ask the teams how they would feel about various changes," said NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston. "Nothing has been decided. It's all very preliminary." The most interesting idea being discussed is a new rule that would state any driver ranked in the top 35 in Cup points could not earn points competing in the Nationwide race. The plan would go into affect in 2009.(ESPN.com)(10-31-2007)
Coors Light to replace Bud as official beer of NASCAR UPDATE 2: Coors Light may become the official beer of NASCAR, replacing Budweiser, according to sources, and Coors may also become the new sponsor of what is now the Busch series tour.(Winston Salem Journal)
AND also hearing Coors could be the sponsor of the #01 DEI team in 2008.(9-9-2007)
UPDATE: Coors Light will announce Tuesday a $20 million deal over five years to become the official beer of NASCAR starting in January. Coors replaces Anheuser-Busch as the official sponsor. The new deal includes renaming the pole award to the Coors Light Pole Award from the Bud Pole Award. For Coors, the NASCAR deal also replaces its sponsorship of the #40 Dodge in the Nextel Cup Series. "Our deal was up with those guys, and this opportunity came up," says Andy England, chief marketer for Coors. "It feels like we are elevating our game." For consumer product marketers, a league deal opens up greater opportunity for strong retail display — especially in and around cities when races occur.(USA Today)
Coors Shootout? no word on what happens to what is known as the Budweiser Shootout BUT, per Florida Today: From Daytona International Speedway: NASCAR’s agreement with Coors does not include the Bud Shootout race, which is a separate entitlement with DIS. There will be a Bud Shootout event in 2008.(9-25-2007)
UPDATE 2: Coors Brewing Company and NASCAR today announced a multi-year partnership, making Coors Light the official beer of NASCAR. The five-year sponsorship agreement gives Coors Brewing Company category exclusivity starting with the 2008 NASCAR season. “We’re proud that Coors Light, the World’s Most Refreshing Beer, is now the official beer of NASCAR – refreshing race fans every weekend from the start of the season to the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup,” said Andy England, Chief Marketing Officer, Coors Brewing Company. “This partnership allows us to deliver exciting and relevant programs to our distributors and retailers – all centered around the number-one spectator sport in the country.” The sponsorship agreement gives Coors Light exclusive rights to NASCAR logos in advertising, packaging and promotions, as well as the right to brand the Pole Award. In addition, Coors Light will build distributor and consumer promotions giving fans exclusive access to one-of-a-kind NASCAR experiences.(Business Wire)(9-25-2007)
The Most Valuable NASCAR Teams:
Forbes has released its annual ranking of Nextel Cup teams based on value, Roush Fenway Racing tops the list. Forbes estimates, the average NASCAR team is worth $120 million, up 67% from last year. Average revenue was $84 million. Top teams now field 41 cars in NASCAR's elite Nextel Cup Series vs. 34 in 2006. That means more deals from sponsors hoping to capitalize on TV exposure. Another factor this year: Forbes had access to more detailed information about where teams generate additional revenue, and how much. This dramatically increased their estimates of non-race day income. The top 10 teams, with their assigned value and revenue and Most Valuable driver:
1. Roush Fenway Racing (value: $316 million, revenue: $189 million, #17-Kenseth)
2. Hendrick Motorsports ($297, $163, #24-Gordon)
3. Joe Gibbs Racing ($173, $110, #20-Stewart)
4. Evernham Motorsports ($128, $89, #9-Kahne)
5. Richard Childress Racing ($124, $98, #29-Harvick)
6. Dale Earnhardt Inc. ($118, $96, #8-Earnhardt Jr.)
7. Robert Yates Racing ($103, $77, #38-Gilliland)
8. Chip Ganassi Racing ($94, $80, #42-Montoya)
9. Michael Waltrip Racing ($91, $75, #44-Jarrett)
10. Penske Racing ($75, $65, #12-Newman)
see full story at Forbes.com.(6-22-2007)
Senators Ask NASCAR to Race on Ethanol, Win for America: On the eve of the biggest weekend in auto racing, two United States Senators have asked NASCAR to consider joining the IndyCar Racing League by converting to the "fuel of the future," American-made ethanol. With the eyes of the world on auto racing, U.S. Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) today sent a letter to NASCAR President Brian France, asking that NASCAR begin considering the conversion of its fleet to high-powered U.S. ethanol and the long-term promotion of American-made ethanol.(United States Senator - John Thune site, also see a letter to Brian France here)(5-25-2007)
Below yellow line at Daytona/Talladega OK on last lap: Drivers throughout the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series garage were still talking about last week's three-wide finish at Daytona International Speedway. While they admitted the finish was good for television, most wondered why NASCAR allowed Johnny Benson to drive below the yellow line - Daytona's out of bounds line - to jump from third to second in the final 200 yards. Benson wasn't penalized because "if you can see the checkered flag on the last lap, anything goes," according to NASCAR spokesman Owen Kearns.(Augusta Chronicle)(2-24-2007)
Without Pension, NASCAR Stars Forgotten: The living room of Sam Ard's brown doublewide trailer speaks to his short but successful NASCAR career. Trophies surround the fireplace and crowd its mantel. Plaques and pictures dot the living room walls. What's not there speaks to Ard's life after NASCAR, the two championship rings and a handful of grandfather clocks from Martinsville Speedway that he sold because "we was running short on cash." Unlike veterans of other sports, Ard has no pension to fall back on. As the booming stock-car series built by men such as Sam Ard heads to Daytona International Speedway this week to kick off its 59th season, NASCAR remains the only major-league sport without a pension plan. "You can drive for NASCAR, but when it's over, it's over. You get nothing," Ard said. "When you fall out of racing or something happens to you, it seems like NASCAR just forgets about you. It's your friends and the people around the race track who have to remember you and keep you going."
Other leagues have pensions. Today's 10-year veterans in baseball will receive a six-figure annual payout beginning at age 62. Even middle-of-the-road professional golfers can pile up millions under the PGA Tour's deferred-compensation plan, which puts money away for players based on performance. An NFL player with six seasons between 1998 and 2003 will get about $2,500 a month beginning at age 55, and the NBA has a similar plan. The NHL contributes about $45,000 per year to retirement accounts for veterans. The ATP and WTA tours make annual contributions averaging between $7,500 and $9,500 to retirement accounts for each tennis player. NASCAR's policy always has been that its drivers are "independent contractors" who bear full responsibility for their finances, health care, retirement and life insurance. Few in NASCAR are arguing for a fund to help today's drivers, who make millions from team contracts and even more from race purses and merchandise sales. Jeff Gordon, the sport's all-time money leader, has won a record $82,366,716 through 14 full seasons and isn't sure what the responsibility should be.(see full article at the Associated Press and more related articles on my Articles Links page)(2-7-2007)
Past Champions Limited To 6 Provisional Berths in Cup: NASCAR announced today an update to the past champion’s provisional rule in the Nextel Cup Series for 2007. Beginning this season, a past champion’s provisional may be used by an eligible driver a maximum of six times over the course of the season. In addition, a team with a past champion eligible driver may only use this provisional a maximum of six times during a season. Previously, there was no limit on usage of the past champion’s provisional over the course of the 36-race season. The provisional gives the eligible driver the 43rd and final starting position in the race field. "As NASCAR seeks to place more emphasis on competition, we have decided the time is right to limit the number of provisionals allowed,” said NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. “We believe this revision brings the provisional policy in line with the continued growth of the sport.”(NASCAR PR)(1-31-2007)

SOME PAST NEWS of INTEREST
History of African-American Drivers in the NEXTEL Cup Series:
Charlie Scott: Scott made his NASCAR debut in 1956. … Competed in the 1956 beach/road race in Daytona Beach driving for the famed Kiekhaefer Chrysler team. … Was a successful driver in Georgia during the late 1940s and 1950s. … No relation to Wendell Scott.
Wendell Scott: Scott made 495 starts in NASCAR’s premier series, winning over $180,000 in his 12-year career. … Was the 1959 Virginia State NASCAR Sportsman Division champion. Also won track championship at Southside Speedway in Richmond, Va. in 1959. … Made debut in NASCAR’s premier series in 1961. … Won at Jacksonville (Fla.) Speedway Park on Dec. 1, 1963, making him the only African-American driver to win a race in one of NASCAR’s national divisions. … Finished his career with 147 top 10s. … Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1999.
George Wiltshire: Wiltshire competed in two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events. … Made debut in 1971 at Islip (N.Y.) Speedway. … Also competed at Pocono International Raceway in 1975. … Raced in the NASCAR Sportsman Division in upstate New York in the 1970s.
Randy Bethea: Bethea competed in one NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1975. … Was a popular driver on tracks around the Nashville, Tenn. area in the 1970s. … Competed in the NASCAR Sportsman Division, finishing 16th in points in the state of Tennessee in 1972.
Willy T. Ribbs: Ribbs competed in three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events in 1986 for the famed DiGard team. … Made debut at North Wilkesboro Speedway. … Won several Trans-Am events for Jack Roush in the mid-1980s. … Competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2001. Finished 16th in the series standings, winning more than $235,000.(NASCAR Media)(3-15-2006)
NASCAR's Helton comments about Team Owner Cap: NASCAR President Mike Helton said Thursday that despite appearances to the contrary, the sanctioning body¹s decision to limit team size is not a personal attack on Jack Roush.
Other points Helton made in an interview with SPEEDTV.com included:
• Team owners have known the cap was under discussion for the last 12-18 months.
• The cap will be phased in to allow existing sponsor agreements to be exhausted.
• The sanctioning body will have to come up with strict definitions to police the teams from creating alliances that defeat the hard-cap concept.
• There will not be any franchising in NASCAR in the foreseeable future.
• NASCAR will not use the current Nextel Cup cars in the Busch Series once the ³Car of Tomorrow² is phased in starting in late 2006 or early ¹07.
Helton said many details remain to be worked out, but the buzz in the garage is that teams will be capped to three cars starting no later than 2010, with a limit of four placed sometime between now and then.(see full interview at Speed Channel)(10-14-2005)
Green-White-Checker OFFICIAL and: A “green-white-checkered” finish format will be used for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series beginning with next weekend’s races at New Hampshire International Speedway, NASCAR officials announced today. “The green-white-checkered format is an attempt to achieve everyone’s goals – a green-flag finish,” NASCAR President Mike Helton said. “This change hopefully will provide competitive finishes in the relatively rare occasions it is warranted. This format has been successful in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and considering the tight competition week in and week out in the other two national series, we feel the time is right to use the same procedure in all three national series.”
The new procedure will consist of a restart of two laps – green flag for the first lap of the restart and the white flag signaling the final lap leading to the checkered flag. All additional laps will be counted and scored. The new format will not guarantee a green-flag finish. Only one restart under the “green-white-checkered” format will be attempted. If a caution comes out during that period, the race will be complete. This procedure will eliminate the need for a red flag in the final laps to immediately stop the race in an attempt to finish under green-flag conditions. The announcement expands the single attempt “green-white-checkered” format to all three of NASCAR’s national series, beginning next week.(NASCAR PR), for the Truck Series, who have had this procedure since it started, in 48 races with a G-W-C, 6 times has the lead changed [12.5%](Speed Channel)(7-15-2004)
AND - Trucks Change too: Until now, the trucks have been allowed to run multiple green-flag restarts to determine a winner. That will end after the race at Gateway. Cup races will be allowed only one re-start, and NASCAR will enforce that rule in all three series. Thus, a finish under caution is possible if an accident occurs on the final two laps.(St Louis Post Dispatch)(7-17-2004)
More on the 'Hand Signals: NASCAR on Monday unveiled the penalties its officials will use hand signals to call during races in its top three series - Nextel Cup, Busch and Trucks - this season. Last week during the annual media tour in Charlotte, NASCAR President Mike Helton announced pit-road officials would use hand signals to indicate when teams committed one of the five most common infractions. Monday, NASCAR announced those penalties:
pitting out of the box
non-compliant refueling
too many crew members over the wall
crew members over the wall too soon and
improper removing of equipment.
The officials also will have signals for the category of penalty (driver, team, equipment) and severity of the penalty (15 seconds, one lap, pass-through, end of the longest line and stop-and-go).
Until now, all communications between NASCAR and its officials have been by two-way radio. The communications between officials and teams have mostly been verbal.
"The idea is to utilize the hand signals to convey quicker what is going on on pit road," Helton said. Demonstrations of the hand signals are expected during the Feb. 5 Media Day at Daytona prior to Speedweeks.(ThatsRacin)(1-27-2004)
New Pit Road Rules: NASCAR will change its policies for speeding violations on pit road following confusion over an infraction for which eventual race-winner Sterling Marlin was never penalized a week ago at Las Vegas. NASCAR president Mike Helton announced the changes Sunday morning at the drivers’ meeting prior to the MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The new rules go into effect next weekend at Darlington Raceway. The key change is that, under green-flag conditions, the penalty for speeding on the way onto pit road will now be the same as the penalty for speeding off the pit lane. The new penalty will be what NASCAR is calling a “pass through,” meaning the offending car will have to come off the track and travel the length of pit road at its speed limit without stopping. Under the old rule, a car speeding on the way onto pit road during a green-flag stop was held for 15 seconds in its pit stall. A car speeding off pit road was brought back to its pit box for a stop-and-go penalty. During last week’s UAW 400 at Las Vegas, NASCAR officials said Marlin was speeding as he came to his pit stall after being spun out in Turn 4. NASCAR’s race control officials called for the 15-second penalty, but that message was not heard by the official working in Marlin’s pit stall. Marlin left without serving a penalty and NASCAR decided not to enforce any further sanction, saying that bringing Marlin back to pit road would be too severe of a penalty. Since the usual penalty for speeding on the exit to pit lane was to bring a car back in for a stop-and-go, that raised the question of why the sanction for speeding on the way out should be more severe for speeding on the way in. The rule change announced Sunday addresses that issue. Helton admitted Sunday that not giving Marlin a penalty last week might not have been the right decision. Helton said the change was made to avoid the kind of confusion and miscommunication that happened at Las Vegas. Under the rule that goes into effect next week, a driver speeding on the way in and on the way out on the same pit stop will be brought back in for a stop-and-go penalty. A driver who exceeds the pit road speed limit as he serves the “pass through” penalty for speeding will also get a stop-and-go. The penalty for speeding in or out of a pit stop made under yellow-flag conditions will not change - the offending car will be sent to the end of the longest line of traffic for the restart.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-10-2002)
UPDATE: plus a nice breakdown at RacingOne:
The New Pit Road Rules

Speeding Entering Pit Road
Current Penalty: 15 seconds
New Penalty: Pass through at correct pit road speed.

Speeding Exiting Pit Road
Current Penalty: Stop and Go
New Penalty: Pass through at correct pit road speed

Entering and Exiting Pit Road
Current Penalty: 15 seconds after stop; brought back for stop and go
New Penalty: Stop and Go

Speeding on Pass Through
New Penalty: Stop and Go
Multiple Violations: NASCAR’s Discretion.(3-11-2002)
Minimum Age Requirement: Effective for the 2002 season, NASCAR has implemented a minimum age requirement for all drivers, crew members and other participants in its top three series - Winston Cup, Grand National and Trucks - as well as its Touring series. NASCAR hasn't permitted anyone under 18 to participate in Winston Cup or the Winston West stock-car series since 1998, in part because of the series' sponsorship by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. At least one driver will lose his chance at participating in one of NASCAR's top series next season as a result of the new rule. Kyle Busch, 16-year-old brother of Winston Cup driver Kurt Busch, was scheduled to run a full season for Roush Racing in NASCAR's Truck series, but will not be allowed to compete. Roush officials said Thursday he would remain under contract, however.(That's Racin') AND Busch, a high school student from Las Vegas, scored one top-10 effort. However, with the new ruling in place beginning with next year, it looks like Busch will be driving Late Model. With Busch sidelined for at least two years, that opens up the seat for someone else. The team has said that they will fulfill all contractual obligations to Busch. No driver has been named to the #99 CTS seat(NASCAR.com)(12-13-2001)

NASCAR DRUG POLICY
Competitors are asked to take a drug test if there is "reasonable suspicion."
Anyone who obtains any kind of NASCAR license must sign an "authorization for testing and release" waiver each season.
NASCAR can ask for samples of urine, blood, saliva, hair or breath tests if "reasonable suspicion" of drug use has been established.
A number of NASCAR officials are trained to take and seal samples for testing, and all are versed in detecting signs of impairment.
NASCAR encourages "whistle blowing" among its competitors to help police its substance abuse policy.
NASCAR reserves the right to suspend a competitor based on a conviction for driving a passenger vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or a drug-related conviction.
Competitors and officials are prohibited from consuming alcohol prior to or during a race.
If a person fails a drug test and wants to return to racing, he or she must submit to a series of spot testing. The person being tested must pay for the examinations.
If an individual is reinstated, NASCAR reserves the right to randomly test that individual.
NASCAR does not recommend specific rehabilitation programs but strongly encourages self-help and treatment for those afflicted with a drug problem or alcohol abuse.

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