NASCAR changing dress code in garage: According to a tweet by Ramsey Poston, NASCAR's Managing Director of Corporate Communications, the organization is changing the required dress code for visitors in the pits at races next season: "Another fan friendly move - NASCAR dress code in garage & cold pits now includes: shorts, short sleeve/sleeve-less shirts & open-toed shoes". The rule will not apply to hot pits. In previous years, the policy required everyone to wear long pants, close-toed shoes and shirts that fully covered the shoulders.(12-10-2010)

NASCAR sponsorship revenue increasing in 2011: NASCAR has finalized eight of 12 renewals and added two new partners, a combination that increases its total annual sponsorship revenue by 10 percent in 2011. The sanctioning body has renewed two-thirds of the sponsorship deals due to elapse this year, signing renewals with Toyota, GM, Dodge, Unilever and DirecTV. Three other extensions are agreed to and currently being finalized, said Jim O'Connell, NASCAR vice president of corporate marketing. Tylenol, Tissot and Nicorette all declined to extend their agreements, and the sanctioning body is still negotiating with insurer Aflac, which has one year left on its sponsorship of Roush Fenway's #99 Sprint Cup car driven by Carl Edwards. The sanctioning body added partnerships with Drive 4COPD, a national public health campaign, and Growth Energy, an American ethanol interest group. NASCAR's marketing partnerships generally range from $2 million to $10 million a year. NASCAR has three key renewals due in 2011 with Mars, Bank of America and UPS. It already has begun negotiations with those partners and is looking to add new partnerships in the timekeeper, consumer electronics and salted snacks categories. It plans to be more aggressive in seeking additional green partnerships, too.(Sporting News)(12-8-2010)

Points change to be announced in Jan at Daytona? NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France has said repeatedly that the sanctioning body likely will change its points structure again in 2011. Whether winning becomes more of a factor remains to be seen, but expect big changes next season. France is expected to announce the new system Jan. 21, 2011, during winter testing at Daytona International Speedway.(in part from SPEED)(12-5-2010)

Growth Energy Becomes Official Partner of NASCAR: In preparation for the 2011 season and as part of its long-term commitment to “going green,” the NASCAR announced a major long-term partnership with American Ethanol led by ethanol advocacy group Growth Energy. Growth Energy, a coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters including farmers and members of the ethanol supply chain, becomes an official partner of NASCAR, using the sport to bring its message of American ethanol to millions of race fans. American Ethanol will support drivers, teams and tracks with marketing, promotional activities, advertising and a season-long weekly contingency award in 2011. NASCAR made the American Ethanol partnership announcement just weeks after announcing a switch in its major national series to Sunoco Green E15, a new 15-percent ethanol blend fuel made with corn grown in the United States. Financial terms of the six-year agreement were not disclosed. Led by Growth Energy, nearly 100 different entities – from individual ethanol plants to the National Corn Growers Association to biotech companies – are rallying around NASCAR to communicate their ethanol message.
“E15 is an enormous opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create U.S. jobs, and strengthen national energy security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “There is nothing more American than NASCAR, and there is no fuel more American than ethanol. We are so proud that the bounty of American farming will be used in NASCAR racing.”
“NASCAR is leading by example and showing that American ethanol-blended fuel works in the most challenging engine environment,” said Jeff Broin, CEO of POET, a network of 27 ethanol plants producing more than 1.6 billion gallons of ethanol annually. “When the race cars take the green flag at Daytona, the whole world will see we are developing our own domestic energy sources right here in America with jobs that can’t be outsourced.”
“Grain ethanol is at least 59 percent cleaner than conventional gasoline. Growth Energy has officially petitioned to increase the allowable blend of ethanol in transportation fuel for everyday American motorists from 10 percent to 15 percent, which would help create 136,000 new American jobs.” Broin said.
“The productivity of America’s farmers is unrivaled in the world and our ability to supply corn for food, livestock feed and fuel should be a source of national pride. This exciting new association with the NASCAR Nation will help to build that awareness,” said Bart Schott, National Corn Growers Association president of Kulm, North Dakota. “With precision farming, innovation, technology and hard work, farmers can double our harvest in the years ahead. NASCAR is a high profile way to showcase ethanol which is one great use for this abundance.”
American Ethanol will participate in NASCAR’s Prize Money & Decal Program, also known as the contingency program, with the creation of the “American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award” in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, while also providing weekly prize money for eligible competitors in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series based on finishing position. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekly award will be given to the participating driver who records the fastest average speed on restarts and who finishes the race on the lead lap.(NASCAR)(12-3-2010)

Supposedly a driver to be allowed to only race for points in one series: Nationwide Series teams expect that NASCAR will allow Sprint Cup drivers to compete in as many Nationwide races as they want next year, but that they will not earn points toward the series championship. NASCAR has not announced the change, but Nationwide owners believe that when a driver applies for his NASCAR license prior to the season, the driver must declare whether he is racing for points in Cup, Nationwide or the Truck Series. “I don’t think the Cup guys are going to be getting points at all if they’re running the Nationwide Series,” team owner Rusty Wallace said last week. “Once they get their license, they’re going to have to commit, do you want your points in the Nationwide Series, do you want your points in the Truck Series or do you want your points in the Cup Series? That’s just a guess.” It’s a guess confirmed by other Nationwide team owners and the most likely scenario, according to NASCAR sources. NASCAR Chairman Brian France said an announcement would be made in January about the exact changes. The last five years have seen full-time Cup drivers win the Nationwide title – Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski. Only two races last year were not won by Cup regulars – Justin Allgaier at Bristol and Boris Said at Montreal. Keselowski and Edwards say they are committed to run full schedules next year, not just to their sponsors but to the crews that work on the cars (SceneDaily)(11-25-2010)

Volkswagen to NASCAR? UPDATE: The latest entry into America's most popular motorsports series could very well be the first ever from Germany. According to Matthias Muller, the newly appointed CEO of Porsche, Volkswagen Group -- his employer's parent company -- is considering entering NASCAR. Should it follow through, Volkswagen would be just the second foreign automaker to participate [full-time] in NASCAR. Toyota was first, entering the competition in 2007 [actually Jaguar and others have run a few races, with Jaguar winning a race. Volkswagen actually ran one race in 1953]. The German automaker will reportedly begin discussions with NASCAR officials once the current season ends in late November.(Motortrend)(10-1-2010)
UPDATE: A NASCAR official confirmed the sanctioning body has a meeting scheduled with Volkswagen in January. While Volkswagen competition representative Hans-Joachim Stuck emphatically denied any interest in American stock cars at Homestead one year ago, in a recent interview with Financial Times Deutschland the former racer discussed possibly taking the brand to Formula One and NASCAR. Reports earlier this month confirmed VW wouldn't pursue F1 after all. When VW unveiled its new assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., in September, Dr. Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the board of management at Volkwagen AG, announced to 700-plus dealers from the U.S. and Canada that he aspired to take his brand “to the top of the auto industry by 2018.” Certainly, NASCAR's “marketing (platform)" could be the perfect vehicle to accomplish that task. VW holds the distinction of being the largest automaker in Europe. In the U.S., however, recent tallies from October show VW of America only holding a 2.1 market share of cars sold, according to the Wall Street Journal.(FoxSports)(11-20-2010)

Looks like some changes to the Chase: NASCAR likely will make tweaks to the Chase format for next season, although probably not changes as extensive as initially assumed when chairman Brian France said in July that the governing body was looking at ways to create a Game 7 atmosphere. Officials likely will expand the playoff field from 12 to 15 and reset the points with two or three races remaining to guarantee there is another drama-filled finish such as the one we have going into Sunday's finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "What's really clear to me is when you put drivers in a position where there's a lot on the line, and they just can't have a good position and they actually have got to go out and win or lead laps or compete high, they do it," France said. "You're seeing that the last several weeks … and I bet that's the case on Sunday. So that tells us that the more we can do, to have incentives -- an incentive basis and decide this championship, that puts it all on the line more often -- that's what we need to be thinking about." France will tell you creating this drama is "exactly what drivers want," even though Clint Bowyer started off Friday's media gatherings by saying, "I don't think they need to change the Chase." France will tell you it's what members of NASCAR's fan council and fans in general want. When it was suggested that there are fans who not only don't want to see changes but would like to see the Chase eliminated, France scoffed. "You met somebody that's telling you that?" he asked. Well, yeah. Hundreds, if not thousands. Just read some of the comments from [ESPN's] readers. "OK," France said. "Well, look, I mentioned to you that every -- almost every league and tournament -- is taking a look at their playoff or format style," France said. "Some will do a little; some will do nothing at all; and some might do something more drastic. And so I don't know what we are going to do, if anything."
France doesn't want to announce any changes that will detract from this race. But change is coming. It could come by the season-ending banquet in Las Vegas. The only change [drivers] seem to want is a rotating schedule for the final 10 races. That is being seriously looked at for 2012 and beyond.(in part from ESPN)
AND Key points from France's 30-minute Meet the Press here Friday:
-- No decision has been made on what tweaks to make to the championship points system.
-- He is planning shorter Saturday Nationwide races, coupled with some cost-cutting rules migrating up from the Truck series, such as using engines more than one race.
-- He likes ESPN's production package and on-air talent, but he is reconsidering the starting times of Sunday races.(MikeMulhern.net)(11-20-2010)

NASCAR hosting racing youth from Bahrain, Qatar UPDATE: NASCAR is hosting young people from Bahrain and Qatar as part of a diplomatic program of the U.S. State Department. The State Department said Friday that 11 young adults involved in auto racing would travel to Charlotte, N.C., and Miami Nov. 15-23. They are scheduled to visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame and to attend races. The trip is sponsored by SportsUnited, a State Department exchange program that brings foreign athletes to the United States (Associated Press)(11-13-2010)
UPDATE: On Tuesday, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates hosted a group of foreign racing engineers and motorsports-related students from Bahrain and Qatar at its Concord, NC race shop. As guests of the U.S. State Department, the students were in the country through SportsUnited. They visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Revolution Racing prior to the visit to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. They also will be attending this weekend’s NACAR Sprint Cup Series Season Finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. While at the shop the group was treated to a discussion with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing personnel followed by a tour of the 183,000 square foot facility home to the #1 and #42 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams. SportsUnited is an international sports programming initiative designed to help start a dialogue at the grassroots level with non-elite boys and girls ages 7-17. The programs aid youth in discovering how success in athletics can be translated into the development of life skills and achievement in the classroom. Foreign participants are given an opportunity to establish links with U.S. sports professionals and exposure to American life and culture. Americans learn about foreign cultures and the challenges young people from overseas face today.(EGR)(11-18-2010)

Wells Fargo foreclosing on NASCAR Plaza tower: After being sued by its co-lender, Wells Fargo & Co. has started foreclosure proceedings against the NASCAR Plaza office tower. According to court filings, property owner Corporate Plaza Partners defaulted a year ago, when a $95 million loan Wells and Regions Financial Corp. made in 2007 came due; the outstanding balance was more than $70 million. Corporate Plaza Partners is an affiliate of Indianapolis-based Lauth Group Inc., which developed the tower next to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.(Charlotte Business Journal)(11-13-2010)

NASCAR still looking at Cup driver limits in Nationwide: Nationwide teams still are waiting for a NASCAR decision on whether Sprint Cup drivers will be limited from participating in the series next year. Brad Keselowski is poised to become the fifth consecutive Cup driver to win the Nationwide title.
Nationwide team owner and ESPN analyst Rusty Wallace says NASCAR is deciding between three options:
1) Limit the number of Nationwide races that Cup drivers can enter;
2) allow Cup drivers to run the full series but not earn points;
3) alter the structure so that Cup drivers can't earn as many points as Nationwide drivers.
"I just want the points system structured where Cup guys can't win the title," Wallace said. "If I didn't have any involvement in the sport, I'd probably say the same thing. Because everyone I talk to all say that's all (baloney), it's not fair those Cup guys go in there to try to steal candy from the other cats. That's the way the regular fan thinks. They say it all the time."(USA Today)(11-6-2010)

France talks about possible changes coming to sport: NASCAR's Brian France talks about possible changes coming to sport & why TV ratings are down. Changes to the Chase? A change to the starting times of races? NASCAR Chairman Brian France hinted at such things and gave his idea for why TV ratings have declined this season in an interview Friday on "Sirius Speedway'' on Sirius Satellite Radio. A few tidbits from the article:
QUESTION: This is what the Chase was supposed to be like (with three drivers so close this late in the season)
BRIAN FRANCE: "It is. It's supposed to, obviously, be very competitive and make it where the driver who is at his best when it really matters, which, of course, is down the stretch. That's what everybody wants to see. We're thrilled that it's turning out that way. This is going to be a telling weekend. Looking forward to kicking off the final three here in Texas this weekend.''
QUESTION: With the Chase going as well as it is, are there still discussions going on at NASCAR about further tweaks to the Chase or have those been put on the backburner now?
BRIAN FRANCE: "No, I don't think so. I think it's this time of the year when we do a lot of things in terms of looking at what is the best rules package or format in the case of the Chase or whatever it might be. We've announced a few weeks ago going to ethanol and our first biofuel, which is really important for us to keep a slow steady step in the green space and doing what's best for the environment and energy independence. When it comes to the Chase, what we want is big moments where drivers and teams have to be their very best on a given day, that's what creates the atmosphere we want and we'll be looking to make sure we have the perfect format going into 2011.''
QUESTION: Wide spread reports about new look for Cup cars in 2013. Is NASCAR now fully convinced and buying into manufacturer's demands for more brand identity?
BRIAN FRANCE: "We've always bought into that. It takes on different points of view as you go along. Clearly we're going to have more technology in the race cars, we'll do that carefully. What we don't want to do is mess up the competitive balance or run the cost up unnecessarily for the team owners. That's always one of NASCAR's foundational issues. So, we'll be looking at that carefully. On the other hand, technology in the cars that are selling today are ever more important. You saw the biofuel was not just because we have our own green initiatives, we want to be in step with the car manufacturers, they know how important that is. It's fair to say with the look of the car, we'll be looking to make sure that Chevrolet, Toyota, Dodge, Ford and all of them and maybe some other manufacturers who look at NASCAR down the road will have plenty of brand identification and plenty of technology and other things that are relevant to their brands.''
(see full article at the Virginian Pilot)(11-6-2010)

Could there be short fields next season? With Richard Petty Motorsports shrinking from four to two cars next season (or potentially none if the ship isn't righted) and now Robby Gordon announcing he won't run a full season in 2011, the potential for short fields now becomes a real possibility next year. That prediction was made two years ago by many but never came to fruition. The economic pressures of the sport may catch up with that prediction after all.(Motor Racing Network)(11-1-2010)

NASCAR looking at new car design for 2013: NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series could take on a different look as early as 2013. While some manufacturers are considering model changes by then, all car makers are looking to maximize brand identity on the racetrack. That concept is equally appealing to race fans who feel the sanctioning body has veered far from the notion of a "stock" car. John Darby, Sprint Cup Series director, says the direction would "be real similar" to the style the Nationwide cars are adopting for next season. "The point we're at right now is trying to get feedback from all four manufacturers," Darby said. "The fact that, No. 1, that '13 is the right year to this as it aligns with new models, and secondly that there's interest from all four makes." Of course costs will be taken into the equation. Changes have to make economic sense to the teams as well, since the modifications would involve more than just a cosmetic tweak to noses and tails. NASCAR eliminated the rear wings earlier this year and implemented a nose job for the front ends for 2011, which replaces the awkward braces that attach the splitters to one sleek piece. Once the manufacturers agree on the concepts, Darby would expect to see designs submitted in August 2012. "As it says in the rule book, it all has to start with a July 1 date for any type of a body change on the car," Darby said. "Typically, and up to this point we've entertained and helped manufacturers with the front fascias, the rear tails. The '13 project could be a little larger than that to where we get more character lines in the hoods, more sculpture if you will to help the manufacturers identify their products a little closer."(Fox Sports)(10-26-2010)
UPDATE: All four automakers … have already submitted drawings of their proposed 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racers to the sanctioning body for preliminary approval. A number of revisions are expected, as NASCAR seeks to balance its desire for brand identity with the need for a common aerodynamic footprint between brands. The changes will be strictly cosmetic, with the current Sprint Cup chassis remaining unaltered. Speaking on the condition on anonymity, one manufacturer representative creditedNationwide Series Director Joe Balash with paving the way for the new, more stock-appearing cars. "NASCAR was not sold on the idea of revamping the look of these (Sprint Cup) cars," he said. "But Joe pushed hard for it in the Nationwide Series, saying it was important to give those cars a distinct, stock-appearing look. The manufacturers were thrilled with the results, and once NASCAR saw the fan reaction that came with the new Nationwide car, they started thinking seriously about similar changes on the Cup side."(Sirius Speedway)(11-1-2010)

Five things about NASCAR's new nose: Since its introduction during the 2007 season, NASCAR's new racecar has seen several changes and improvements. In an effort to improve the way the cars handled at high speeds and in traffic, NASCAR replaced the rear wing on the back of the car with a simple spoiler blade that resembled the one used before 2007. In 2011, a new nose will make its debut in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Here are 5 things you should know about NASCAR's new nose:
#1: Smile, Your Braces Are Gone
As any parent knows, braces on your child's teeth mean several things: more money, more time, and unsightly metal. The same has been true of the braces on the front of our Sprint Cup racecars. In addition to the cost of parts, we know that in NASCAR time is money (both at the shop and at the track). The five splitter braces mean more time in the shop dedicated to positioning and installation. They also require teams to have parts and a plan ready at the track in the event that a brace breaks. Plus, the new nose means a more finished and refined look.
#2: A Smaller Splitter
The thin, but strong front splitter has gained a reputation for cutting tires and withstanding violent impacts. For 2011, the splitter remains a part of NASCAR racecars, but will be smaller in surface area by about 30%. It will no longer be adjustable (teams were formerly able to move the splitter forward or backward slightly). It is also almost completely covered by the new nose, but for an inch or so that peeks out at the bottom.
#3: Stronger Structure
The bracing and structure behind the new nose has been altered to keep everything in its proper place. The splitter hitting the race track means a big headache for the man behind the wheel and the crew chief in charge of fixing the handling issue. Additionally, the front noses still line up with the rear bumpers of other cars to prevent rear tires from being lifted off the ground in the event of contact.
#4: Minor Ventilation Changes
Though the option is still available, you will most likely no longer see a second grill opening in the dead-center of the bumper (where "Camry" appears). Openings for brake ducts will still be used on shorter tracks and road courses.
#5: Aerodynamics Don't Change Much
Compared to the old nose, the general patterns of airflow around the new nose are very similar. The goal is always to get more downforce on the nose of a car to help it stick the front tires to the track and turn better. Early indications are that the new nose will accomplish this (though there are many variables to consider when it comes to the way the air affects a car in the turns and in traffic). At high speeds even the slightest changes to the shape of a car affect it's handling.
Bonus: Easier Car Wraps
The new nose is very much like the one used on cars before the Car of Tomorrow. There is no longer an inset air dam below the front bumper. This means the paint schemes can have a more continuous design from the bottom of the nose to the top. It will also be easier for those wrapping the cars to line up design elements visually. See comparison photos at Joe Gibbs Racing.(10-28-2010)

Volkswagen to NASCAR? Penske? denied: The latest entry into America's most popular motorsports series could very well be the first ever from Germany. According to Matthias Muller, the newly appointed CEO of Porsche, Volkswagen Group -- his employer's parent company -- is considering entering NASCAR. Should it follow through, Volkswagen would be just the second foreign automaker to participate [full-time] in NASCAR. Toyota was first, entering the competition in 2007 [actually Jaguar and others have run a few races, with Jaguar winning a race. Volkswagen actually ran one race in 1953]. The German automaker will reportedly begin discussions with NASCAR officials once the current season ends in late November. One of the owners that Volkswagen is considering team up with is Roger Penske.(Motortrend)
BUT Penske Racing will not be switching from Dodges to Volkswagens in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next year, nor will the German automaker be fielding cars in America’s premier stock-car series in 2011. Beyond that, though, VW could make a play to race stock cars. The operant word there being “could,” as the automaker has not petitioned NASCAR to go racing next year. Sources at Penske Racing told SPEED.com that it is the team’s “full intent” to continue fielding Dodges next year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series. Furthermore, sources at NASCAR said that while Volkswagen officials intermittently have expressed a casual “interest in NASCAR,” the German automaker has not taken any of the steps necessary to be granted approval to race in NASCAR. In order to be approved to compete, VW or any other automaker would have to formally submit its race car and engine package to NASCAR. That has not happened, NASCAR officials told SPEED.com Thursday. And even if VW wanted to race in NASCAR, the earliest a car could be approved would be for the 2012 season.(SPEED)(10-1-2010)

Cars and Engines to R&D Center after Dover: After the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway Sunday, NASCAR took the cars of #48-Johnson, #24-Gordon, and #33-Bowyer back to the R&D Center for further inspection. In addition, the engines of #48-Johnson, #31-Burton, #2-Busch, #99-Edwards, and #18-Busch were taken as follow up to dyno tests conducted after the Michigan race.(9-27-2010)

NASCAR won’t inspect more Chase cars after races: NASCAR has considered taking all 12 Chase For The Sprint Cup cars following each race for more thorough inspections, but hasn't seen widespread issues that would require such extensive follow-up, NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Friday. NASCAR takes the race-winning car and at least one other car to its research and development center in North Carolina after every race to make sure the car and how the body sits on the frame meets NASCAR regulations. It was in that inspection at the research and the development center that it found the race-winning car of Clint Bowyer to be illegal on Wednesday, three days after he won the first Chase race at New Hampshire. The failure of his car has prompted talk that NASCAR should take more Chase cars, and possibly all 12, following each event in the Chase. "We've done several hundred cars, and if a team has an issue, problem or [is] headed in the wrong direction, we talk about it and they go fix the problem," Pemberton said prior to practice Friday at Dover International Speedway. "We haven't had anything [illegal] in almost two years and that was light sheet metal. We haven't really had a problem. … If someday it winds up being there, fine. But right now our processes work quite well. We feel like the majority of the garage has done things correctly. From time to time, we find things that are not out of the box but are to the zero-margin. It hasn't been an epidemic in any way shape or form." The equipment used to conduct the complicated frame inspections cannot easily be moved to the track and that's one of the reasons why it is done at the research center. The plates the cars sit on during the inspection weigh thousands pounds and all of the equipment would need to be recalibrated if moved off site, Pemberton said. He said there are no plans to try to do those inspections at the Chase-determining race at Richmond nor the season finale at Homestead.(Scene Daily)(9-24-2010)

Chase Changes still up in the air: NASCAR officials continue to discuss possible changes to the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the 2011 season and beyond. With NASCAR chairman Brian France having promised significant changes, officials are continuing to debate the positives and negatives of switching to a format that would include driver eliminations as the Chase progresses. The most controversial part of the discussions centers on the concept of a winner take all format in the final race of the season. France wants to add what he has described as "World Series game seven" excitement and tension to the closing weeks of the season, but some drivers have stressed that NASCAR should continue to consider drivers' body of work during the season.(Ford)
AND: am hearing that amonmg many scenarios that NASCAR is considering are:
1) the top 16 drivers enter the chase and they reset the points. After the 5th race in the chase, the top 8 in those point standings move on and the bottom 8 are eliminated from the chase. The points are then reset for the top 8. After race 9, the top 4 move onto the last race and the bottom 4 are eliminated from the chase. The points are then reset for the top 4.(supposedly this is the one that is least being considered as it is a tad confusing)
2) the top 16 start for the chase. After race 5, the top 8 move on and the bottom 8 are eliminated. The points are then reset for the top 8. After race 7, the top 4 move on and the bottom 4 are eliminated. The points are then reset for the top 4. After race 9, the top 2 move on and the bottom 2 are eliminated. The points are then reset for the top 2.(9-5-2010)

NASCAR considering multi-car qualifying next year? The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has implemented a multi-truck qualifying system in recent weeks [first used at Pocono and scheduled for use again this weekend at Kentucky] which is reportedly being considered for both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series next year. The format calls for two vehicles on track simultaneously in an effort to speed up the qualifying session with the order of time trials based on the last practice session starting with the slowest time and progressing to the truck with the fastest lap.(CBS Sports)(9-2-2010)

NASCAR Announces New Integrated Marketing Communications Dept: Following a comprehensive review of its communications function and public relations activity across the industry, NASCAR announced today that it will move immediately to create an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) department that will better position the sanctioning body to lead best practices and provide overall thought leadership in the communications space for the entire industry.
“Our sport has unique challenges and very diverse constituencies and it has become clear that NASCAR must be a catalyst in this space to help all stakeholders find greater value,” said Brian France, NASCAR’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “This is a major investment for the company at a critical time and represents an elevation of this highly-important function for NASCAR and the industry. We are confident this evolved approach will yield immediate and long-term value for NASCAR, its media and business partners and the industry as a whole.”
The new communications structure will allow NASCAR to be even more effective on the competition aspects of the sport, an area where NASCAR was regularly cited in the review as being among the best when compared to other major league sports by media in all genres. It also positions the sanctioning body to take a much more strategic and offensive approach to selling the sport in a constantly-evolving traditional, digital and social media landscape. Three areas that will see greater communications resourcing and organizational focus moving forward include: brand and consumer marketing; digital and social media strategy and activation; and strategic collaboration with industry stakeholders.
NASCAR IMC will be led by a Chief Communications Officer (CCO) who will become part of the senior leadership team, reporting directly to NASCAR Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps, with a direct line to Brian France. A global search, led by Korn/Ferry International, to identify and secure top-level talent to fill the CCO position and other critical roles within the planned IMC structure is under way. It is expected the leadership of NASCAR IMC will have broad consumer marketing communications experience with global brands, strong familiarity with integrated marketing communications and, preferably, deep experience in sports and entertainment marketing.
Current Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter will continue to play a significant role in this evolution. NASCAR expects Hunter’s valuable experience and insight into the inner workings of the sport to continue to be important assets not only in this transition, but also to the new CCO for years to come. At the end of this season, Hunter will assume a new role as Vice President of Special Projects. Managing Director of Corporate Communications Ramsey Poston has elected not to pursue a role within the new structure, but Poston will continue to lead the department on a day-to-day basis through the balance of 2010. He will then move into a consulting role for the sanctioning body.
“As the communications review accurately revealed, Jim and Ramsey have done a fantastic job of moving the competition aspects of our operation to an elite level,” said Phelps. “The strong foundation they’ve built has positioned NASCAR to expand this operation to meet the needs of the future and we are confident their combined experience, expertise and passion for NASCAR will be strong assets in that process.”
NASCAR also has retained Taylor to provide on-going strategic counsel throughout this process. That engagement will be led by Taylor Managing Partner Brett Jewkes, who has deep experience with NASCAR, in the sport and working with top brands that operate with an IMC model.
It is anticipated the framework of the department and new leadership team will be in place by the start of the 2011 season with implementation of the new structure and approach accelerating throughout the balance of 2010.(NASCAR PR)(8-30-2010)

NASCAR office tower lenders could take a $40 million loss: The owners of the NASCAR Plaza office tower have defaulted on a $95 million loan, according to a lawsuit filed by Regions Bank, which is urging fellow project lender Wells Fargo & Co. to do whatever it takes to collect, including foreclosure. The uncertain future of the 19-story, 390,000-square-foot office development is perhaps the largest example yet of growing stress in Charlotte’s commercial real estate market. Earlier this summer, Regions initiated foreclosure proceedings against the 302,000-square-foot EpiCentre complex uptown, prompting the property’s owners to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. NASCAR Plaza is one of four office towers added to the Charlotte skyline in just over a year. It was developed by Indianapolis-based Lauth Group Inc. and opened in May 2009, next to the new NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Regions filed suit against Wells Fargo late last month in federal court in Indiana. Wells and Regions made the $95 million loan in 2007 to Corporate Plaza Partners, which owns the property and is an affiliate of Lauth. Regions agreed to fund half of the loan, and Wells Fargo was designated as agent for both lenders and assumed the responsibility of administering the loan.
An affiliate of Indiana-based Lauth Property Group Inc., Corporate Plaza Partners LLC, developed the 19-story tower next to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Roughly two-thirds of the building’s 390,000 square feet is available for lease. NASCAR is the largest tenant with 118,000 square feet, followed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which has taken around 16,000 square feet. The office tower has struggled to attract tenants. Some companies may not want or need to be associated with NASCAR, said real estate analyst Andrew Jenkins of Karnes Research. “The banks and the like who own towers find it easier to attract tenants who want to do business with them,” he said. “NASCAR doesn’t have clientele who need to be in a building like that.”(in part from both Charlotte Business Journal / WCNC)(8-28-2010)

NASCAR plans to take engines after Michigan: UPDATE: NASCAR will confiscate at least 18 Sprint Cup engines following this weekend to run on the dynamometers at their technical center back in Concord, N.C. The engines of the #46 and 66 cars that failed to qualify for the Carfax 400 were taken by officials on Friday. "They want to see where everyone stands in comparison," said Tony Furr, crew chief of the #46 car. Another motor man was told by an official that it would be "the largest lot of engines" NASCAR has ever tested and they expected to be "dynoing engines until after Bristol."(Fox Sports)(8-14-2010)
UPDATE: According to NASCAR, they took 16 engines after the Michigan race to conduct dyno testing: #48-Johnson, #14-Stewart, #29-Harvick, #42-Montoya, #11-Hamlin, #83-Sorenson, #56-Truex, Jr., #47-Ambrose, #66-Riggs, #87-Nemechek, #77-Hornish, #12-Keselowski, #46-Yeley, #99-Edwards, #9-Kahne, #26-Carpentier.(8-14-2010)

Newman, Hamlin acknowledge fines by NASCAR: #39-Ryan Newman and #11-Denny Hamlin acknowledged Friday that they were the two Sprint Cup drivers fined by NASCAR for making disparaging comments about the series. Neither driver would comment on the amount of the fine, although The Associated Press reported earlier in the week that one was fined as much as $50,000, and sources told ESPN.com the driver was Hamlin. "What I asked was what was the point of fining me if you're not going to tell anyone," Hamlin said Friday at Pocono, site of the Pennsylvania 500 race this weekend. "They said, 'Well, hopefully it will keep anyone from bad-mouthing us.' Well, no one knows. All this coming out is a positive thing. Even though they may not have wanted everyone to know, now that they do it's happened for a reason and it's going to make the sport better."
Newman acknowledged that his fine was the result of comments made after the spring race at Talladega Superspeedway in which he questioned whether the kind of racing on display is what fans wanted to see. The race race went 12 laps past the scheduled distance because of NASCAR's new overtime rule that allows for three attempts at its version of overtime. Hamlin, who has been outspoken on several issues, admitted he was fined for multiple comments. In terms of the reported amount of his fine, he said, "There's been illegal parts in the garage that haven't gotten penalized like I did." Sources indicated it was for statements at Michigan, where the Joe Gibbs Racing driver brought up a phantom debris caution after winning, and at Chicagoland, where he was critical of potential changes to the Chase. "I might as well have backed off and saved my tires," Hamlin said after his Michigan win, in which the late caution erased a big lead he had. "No, I didn't see any debris, but I understand it's show business. I'm not saying it's accepted, but what can you do?"
Newman said he initially was frustrated by the fine, but upon reflection realized there had been warnings and what he said wasn't for the good of the sport. He had no problem with NASCAR not divulging the drivers' identities or amount of their fines. "I think everybody can voice their opinion," Newman said Friday. "I think what NASCAR is telling you is be careful how you voice your opinion and where you voice it and the impact it has when voicing it." NASCAR has said only that the penalties were for the sake of protecting the brand. "It is the sanctioning body's obligation on behalf of the industry and our fans to protect the sport's brand," spokesman Ramsey Poston said in a statement. "Any action taken by NASCAR has nothing to do with the drivers expressing an opinion -- it's focused on actions or comments that materially damage the sport. We have specifically discussed this in meetings with teams, drivers and stakeholders."(ESPN)(7-30-2010)

NASCAR discourages negative talk: NASCAR president Mike Helton insists he wants drivers to feel free to express themselves. Helton just doesn't want anyone doing so in a way that could hurt the sport's image. A report by The Associated Press earlier this week said that NASCAR has fined at least two of its top drivers this season for making critical comments about the circuit. People familiar with the penalties told the AP the comments were considered disparaging to the sport. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because NASCAR was not publicly identifying the top-flight drivers it fined, although sources told ESPN.com Wednesday that the drivers were Ryan Newman and Denny Hamlin. They said one driver was penalized as much as $50,000. "The emotion of the sport, we encourage. The passion and the emotion of a driver wanting to win and, within reason, his driving style to do that, we encourage," Helton said. "What we discourage throughout the industry, though, is sending the message that the sport isn't worthy of following." Helton said Thursday that the sanctioning body hasn't identified the penalized drivers because NASCAR views it the same way as conversations officials might have with drivers after an on-track incident. Those talks usually remain private as well. NASCAR hasn't divulged details about the fines, either, but a NASCAR spokesman said Monday night that any moves made by the sanctioning body is focused on actions or comments that "materially damage" the sport and not on drivers expressing opinions. Fines for critical comments are commonplace for many pro sports leagues, and Helton acknowledged that the sanctioning body is focused on making sure a positive message about NASCAR is driven home to the public.(ESPN)(7-30-2010)

Team owners meet to discuss cutting costs: The top team owners in NASCAR set their individual agendas aside for a unified brainstorming session on how to cut costs and help revive the auto racing industry. "We're all stakeholders in this thing, and we all want to know 'What can we do to make this better? How can we save some money and help the show?' " team owner Rick Hendrick told The Associated Press on Wednesday, the day after representatives from about 10 race teams gathered at Hendrick Motorsports to discuss ideas. The meeting was an offshoot of the "town hall" style sessions NASCAR has been holding with competitors since early last season to give drivers and teams an opportunity to discuss the issues facing America's No. 1 racing series. Unable to shake the slide in both attendance and TV ratings, NASCAR and its participants have been working together to re-energize the sport. "I really like the new attitude in NASCAR," Hendrick said. "I really like the way we're all just kicking around something, talking it out and coming to agreements on how to move this sport forward."
"NASCAR has become a very different business model," said Walt Czarnecki, president of Penske Racing, who attended the meeting with owner Roger Penske. "And we all need to figure out a way, like all business today, to cut costs without impacting the integrity of the product. How do we become more efficient, better business managers? We have to face this from the business context, as all businesses have had to do over the last 18 months, and motorsports is no different."
NASCAR has made several steps over the past few years to alleviate rising costs to team owners, from implementing a single-engine rule, eliminating testing at sanctioned tracks and starting a tire leasing program. Even the current model car was designed by NASCAR as a cost-cutting measure. The sanctioning body is open to listening to more ideas from the owners, and was hopeful Tuesday night's meeting produced some unified thoughts.
"Cost containment is a key issue in our sport (and) we are always open to additional ideas," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said. "Hopefully, the owners will find common ground on some ideas to present to NASCAR for consideration." Hendrick said the conversation Tuesday night remained cordial, and the hot-button topics didn't receive the same attention as issues that the group could unanimously agree upon. "If we didn't really agree on something, there were things some people had reservations on, we moved on," he said. "If it was something that was a no-brainer, we said OK, that's a fine idea, we all like that one." The next step will be presenting the results of the meeting to NASCAR and seeing if the sanctioning body is in agreement on any of the ideas.(Associated Press)(7-29-2010)

Report: NASCAR fines unnamed drivers for comments - UPDATE 2: NASCAR has fined at least two of its star drivers this season for making critical comments about the racing series, The Associated Press has learned. People familiar with the penalties told the AP the comments were considered disparaging to the sport. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because NASCAR is not publicly identifying the topflight drivers it fined. They say one driver was penalized as much as $50,000. The decision to fine competitors for critical comments puts NASCAR in line with many other professional sports leagues. The NFL and NBA both routinely issue fines for criticism of officiating. It also backs up NASCAR's season-long campaign to rebuild the slumping sport through an improved on-track product and off-track promotion from its drivers.(Associated Press/ESPN.com)(7-26-2010)
UPDATE: The Associated Press has learned that NASCAR warned teams during the offseason that public criticism of the sport would no longer be tolerated, and at least two star drivers have been fined-one as much as $50,000-for comments that were deemed destructive to the industry. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston on Monday night confirmed some action had been taken, but would not discuss details. "It is the sanctioning body's obligation on behalf of the industry and our fans to protect the sport's brand," Poston said. "Any action taken by NASCAR has nothing to do with the drivers expressing an opinion-it's focused on actions or comments that materially damage the sport. We have specifically discussed this in meetings with teams, drivers and stakeholders." Drivers all declined to publicly discuss the policy, but it shouldn't come as any surprise-considering NASCAR's heightened effort this year to re-ignite interest in a sport that's been fighting sagging attendance, declining television ratings and overall fan apathy for several seasons. NASCAR has taken several aggressive steps toward improving the on-track product, but its top brass decided that outstanding events aren't enough to overcome the negative perception created every time a driver publicly blasts the series. (Associated Press)(7-27-2010)
UPDATE: #39-Ryan Newman and #11-Denny Hamlin were the two Sprint Cup drivers fined by NASCAR for making disparaging comments about the series, multiple sources told ESPN.com. Neither driver could be reached for comment. Newman was fined first and Hamlin second, the sources said. The sources would not confirm which statements made by the drivers were responsible for the fines, but both drivers have been outspoken on several issues.(7-29-2010)

NASCAR looking at ways to limit Cup drivers in Nationwide Series: In addition to possible changes to the Chase For The Sprint Cup format, NASCAR Chairman Brian France seems determined to change something else – the NASCAR Nationwide Series. France hinted earlier this month that changes to the Nationwide Series could keep Sprint Cup drivers from winning the series championship. “You’re likely to see us make some changes in the Nationwide Series … because there’s such a concentration of Cup drivers, which we like on one hand, but we want to make sure that that division is our version of college football – that there’s drivers, owners, crew members all building their identities and careers through that channel, and there needs to be a big enough place for them to do that,” France said two weeks ago at Daytona. “If it’s just narrow, if there’s not many seats available because we don’t accomplish a lot of things, … you’re gonna see from us a policy standpoint begin to deal with that issue beginning in 2011. That’s something that we’ll do carefully.”
What NASCAR will do remains to be seen, but the options appear to be: Limiting the number of races a Cup driver can enter; restricting the number of Cup drivers that can compete in each race; decreasing the amount of money a team can earn if it uses a Cup driver; or changing the points system so a Cup driver can’t win the championship. “We like Cup drivers racing in the Nationwide Series,” France said. “We need to make sure the stage is not crowded out so much so that we can’t give opportunities to Nationwide young regulars who need that experience. And you know what? In my discussions with the Sprint Cup drivers, they agree with us. They think just that way, too. The owners certainly agree with us. So there are going to be some things that we can do.”(SceneDaily)(7-19-2010)

Helton interview on Race Hub: NASCAR President Mike Helton taped a segment earlier today for tonight’s NASCAR Race Hub on SPEED (7:30 pm/et). Among the topics he discussed – the late-race caution from Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan and the apparent escalation of on-track confrontations between drivers. Below are a few select quotes from tonight’s show:
NASCAR Race Hub: Can you clarify the circumstances behind the last caution (of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race from Michigan)?
Mike Helton: "It was a debris caution. I’m not sure what beyond the circumstances of that you might be asking … and I heard a little bit of the chatter after the race was over with. The fact of the matter on a caution … it doesn’t matter if its lap 10 or lap 190 of 200, the first and foremost concern we have is for the safety of the drivers. Through the course of an event, we’ll get input – sometimes it comes from the drivers, sometimes it comes from the observers that we’ve got around the race track, sometimes it comes from one of the 18 or 20 cameras that we have access to through the control tower of the event. When someone, on a piece of debris, which is unique from an engine that blows up and drops oil, or an accident that is obvious to fans and to other drivers … when someone tells us about a piece of debris, more often than not, we can quantify whether its there or its not, and if it is there, we can quantify what it is, based on the things that I mentioned that we have access to. If there is any doubt, though, we are going to call a debris caution. If we see something and cannot tell what it is, we’re going to err on the side of safety. But there is always something there when we have a debris caution. A lot of times, we’re told there is debris on the race track, that we don’t throw it because we can’t find it anywhere."
NASCAR Race Hub: Your colleague, NASCAR VP of Competition Robin Pemberton, said “Have at it boys” before the season started. Whether it’s been a coincidence or not, there have been a lot issues between drivers on the track this year. Is it just coincidence and do you expect it to continue into the second half of the season?
Mike Helton: "I think it’s not just coincidence. I think it’s an attitude that the drivers and the teams now believe in. A couple of years ago, we told them, ‘Look, loosen up … be your own character. We’ll back off of some of the regulations that we had imposed on you that may have intimidated you. We don’t want that to happen.’ This year, we got even more precise about it. We told the guys in private meetings and in the town hall meetings we held in January, ‘Hey, we were serious about that a couple of years ago. We want the character of the sport to be there through you and through the crewmembers up and down pit road.’ So, I think that a lot of it has to do with the confidence of us looking them in the face and saying, ‘It’s OK to be you out there … we’re not going to react like we might have three or four years ago.’ Now, there is a line you can cross, but we want you to get at it. We want you to race at the level that you expected to race at when you came into the sport. And I think that is what we are seeing on the race track right now.” To see the complete interview, please tune in tonight to NASCAR Race Hub on SPEED.(6-15-2010)

Warfield Returns To The NASCAR PR staff: NASCAR has announced that Scott Warfield has been named Senior Manager, NASCAR and NASCAR Media Group Public Relations. Warfield will be tasked with overseeing public relations for the Charlotte office with a focus on NASCAR Media Group and NASCAR’s media partners. Warfield had previously been a member of NASCAR PR from 2006-07, in the role of Manager of Public Relations, Charlotte Division, before joining Motorsports Authentics from 2007-09 as Director of Marketing, Media and PR. Most recently, Warfield ran his own PR consulting firm, Sports Biz Communications. Prior to originally joining NASCAR, Warfield was with the Sports Business Journal, where he had been staff writer since May 2004, covering motorsports and Major League Soccer. Prior to SBJ, he wrote for Triangle Business Journal, based in Raleigh, N.C.(NASCAR PR)(6-13-2010)

Bigger restrictor plate for Daytona in July: NASCAR has announced that NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams will use carburetor restrictor-plate openings of 1 1/32 inches for the July 3 event at Daytona International Speedway. The previous plate at Daytona last February was 63/64-inch. Monday’s announcement pertains only to next month’s Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola – the last NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event on the current Daytona asphalt. The 2.5-mile, high-banked superspeedway will be repaved prior to the 2011 Daytona 500. Each restrictor plate contains four openings which restrict air flow to the engine, thus slowing cars. Larger openings mean more air, and more speed. "We think this will be a needed boost due to the additional drag we've picked up since switching from a rear wing to a rear spoiler," said NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. Rule changes, announced Jan. 21, mandated switching from a wing mounted on the rear deck lid of NASCAR’s new car, back to a more traditional stock-car spoiler. The March event at Martinsville Speedway marked the first race for the new spoiler. Carburetor restrictor plates are used only at Daytona and 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway. The 1 1/32-inch size openings will be the largest since the one-inch mandate in 1988, the first year the horsepower-reducing plates were mandated for yearly use in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition at Daytona. Teams used openings of 15/16-inch for this season’s spring race (April 25) at Talladega. That size was determined following a March 16 test at Talladega that helped answer several mechanical questions, among them, spoiler height and the restrictor-plate openings.(NASCAR)(6-7-2010)

Restirctor Plate size could change at Talladega UPDATE no change: NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Friday morning that a decision on the size of the restrictor-plate that will be used in Sunday's Aaron's 499 will be made after practice this afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway. Sunday's race will be the first at Talladega with a blade rear spoiler instead of a wing on the new-generation Sprint Cup car at a restrictor-plate track. With the new aerodynamic package, it remains to be seen what speeds the cars will run at on the track. If the cars lap the 2.66-mile superspeedway at speeds approaching 200 miles per hour in the draft, NASCAR will mandate the use of a smaller restrictor-plate during Sunday's race. Conversely, if speeds are slower than anticipated, a larger plate could be used. Pemberton said that NASCAR has adjusted plate size between practice and the race before, so this is not setting a precedent. "The good news is, it's a beautiful day, so we should be able to get plenty of drafting in," said Pemberton. There will be two rounds of Sprint Cup practice today, a 45-minute session beginning at 2:00pm/et, and a one-hour session at 3:30 pm/et. Both will be televised live on SPEED.(SPEED)(4-23-2010)
UPDATE: NASCAR will continue using the 15/16th-inch restrictor plate that teams used in the first two practice sessions Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. Sprint Cup Series officials met to discuss the plate size after the final practice, where the top lap speed was Jeff Burton's 199.467 mph, but decided to keep things the same.(FoxSports)(4-24-2010)
UPDATE no change: NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Friday morning that a decision on the size of the restrictor-plate that will be used in Sunday's Aaron's 499 will be made after practice this afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway. Sunday's race will be the first at Talladega with a blade rear spoiler instead of a wing on the new-generation Sprint Cup car at a restrictor-plate track. With the new aerodynamic package, it remains to be seen what speeds the cars will run at on the track. If the cars lap the 2.66-mile superspeedway at speeds approaching 200 miles per hour in the draft, NASCAR will mandate the use of a smaller restrictor-plate during Sunday's race. Conversely, if speeds are slower than anticipated, a larger plate could be used. Pemberton said that NASCAR has adjusted plate size between practice and the race before, so this is not setting a precedent. "The good news is, it's a beautiful day, so we should be able to get plenty of drafting in," said Pemberton. There will be two rounds of Sprint Cup practice today, a 45-minute session beginning at 2:00pm/et, and a one-hour session at 3:30 pm/et. Both will be televised live on SPEED.(SPEED)(4-23-2010)
UPDATE: NASCAR will continue using the 15/16th-inch restrictor plate that teams used in the first two practice sessions Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. Sprint Cup Series officials met to discuss the plate size after the final practice, where the top lap speed was Jeff Burton's 199.467 mph, but decided to keep things the same.(FoxSports)(4-24-2010)

Parts confiscated from #13 and #47 teams UPDATE: NASCAR confiscated the lower radiator pans from Max Papis' #13 Toyota and Marcos Ambrose's #47 Toyota during post-qualifying Sprint Cup Series inspection. The pans are considered "unapproved ballast weight mounting" according to Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby and is in violation of NASCAR Rule 20-2.3 (added car weight). Darby said the violation could carry a penalty. The piece confiscated on the #13 Toyota was 45.2-pounds, while the #47 Toyota's pan weighed 25.7 pounds. One crew chief who was observing the steel pieces in the NASCAR hauler after they were confiscated said the pans "should weigh a couple of pounds at best" and be composed of one-eighth inch aluminum. Frank Kerr, crew chief of the #47 Toyota said it was the same radiator pan the team has used all season. "We asked the inspectors when we first put it on the car at California if it was 'OK' and they said it was 'on the edge, but OK.' There hasn't been any question about the piece until now."(FoxSports)(4-17-2010)
UPDATE: The long steel pieces also were installed in an unapproved mounting location, according to the tags on the parts which were on display in the NASCAR hauler. "We'll know a lot more how NASCAR views these pans [next week]," said Michael Waltrip Racing Executive Vice President Cal Wells, whose organization builds the cars for Ambrose and Papis. "We'll have to wait and see. NASCAR likes to have parts submitted if you have got something new or different. I believe there was some confusion on what should or shouldn't be submitted. … In this particular case what we designed was a modular piece that holds a radiator, the pan up front and the duct work and a host of different things. There's no intent to do anything [around the rules]. We'll see what they decide to do."(SceneDaily)(4-18-2010)

Obama Administration Looks to NASCAR for Anti-Texting Campaign: There are few sports where distractions can prove more deadly than in stock car racing. Just imagine the wreck a driver would cause if, say, he whipped out his phone to text his pit crew with a problem. With that in mind, the Obama administration is eager to get NASCAR aboard its anti-texting campaign, says a stock car official. "Yes, NASCAR has been in discussions ... for a possible distracted driving component in a campaign. This is still early stage, and a timeline for completion is still not yet confirmed," says the insider. Can't you just picture Tony Stewart throwing his helmet at fellow racer who texted and caused a wreck that knocked him out of a race?(US News)(4-10-2010)

Clarifying The "Fin Rule": A number of Sirius Speedway listeners and readers have asked about the apparent disparity in the so-called "shark fins" used by Sprint Cup teams last weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Some teams elected to use the full-length fin, running from the top of the rear window to the rear spoiler. Others ran smaller fins, or no fin at all on the trunk lid. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston provided a clarification of the new rule today, saying that the rear deck fin will not become mandatory until the series races at Texas Motor Speedway on April 18. Fins will be mandated to be 3.5" tall, and must be at least 17" in length. Teams may run any length fin from the 17" minimum to the full 25" version, tailoring the length to help fine tune the handling characteristics of their cars. Full (25 inch) fins will be mandatory at both Talladega and Daytona.(Sirius Speedway)(4-1-2010)

Highest paid NASCAR drivers: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. is NASCAR's highest-paid driver for a second straight year with earnings of $30 million in 2009. Earnhardt has had little racing success the past two years, with only one win at the track. He finished a disappointing 25th in the Sprint Cup standings last year, but was voted NASCAR's most popular driver for a seventh straight year. Forbe's earnings estimates include salaries, endorsements and the drivers' share of track winnings and licensing income. Earnhardt's immense popularity translates into big dollars in each of these areas outside of track winnings. "Nascar needs Dale Jr. to be competitive, because he is so closely associated with the success of the sport. [As] go the fortunes of Junior, so goes Nascar," says Ardy Arani, managing director of Atlanta-based Championship Group, a motor sports marketing consultancy. The top 10 list from forbes.com:
No. 1 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnings: $30 million
No. 2 Jeff Gordon: Earnings: $27 million
No. 3 Jimmie Johnson: Earnings: $23 million
No. 4 Tony Stewart: Earnings: $19 million
No. 5 Carl Edwards: Earnings: $14 million
No. 6 Kevin Harvick: Earnings: $13 million
No. 7 (tie) Kyle Busch: Earnings: $12 million
No. 7 (tie) Kasey Kahne: Earnings: $12 million
No. 9 (tie) Matt Kenseth: Earnings: $11 million
No. 9 (tie) Mark Martin: Earnings: $11 million
(full article and more at Forbes.com)(3-25-2010)

Hendrick Motorsports still deemed most vaulable: Forbe's reports that the average NASCXAR Sprint Cup team generated $92 million in revenue last year, a drop of 4%. Teams were hurt by a 19% decline in Nascar licensing revenue. Total retail sales of licensed merchandise were $1.63 billion in 2009 compared to $2 billion the prior year, according to License Global magazine. The economic downturn and a saturated licensing market helped spur the decline. Another factor was the near bankruptcy of leading Nascar merchandise company Motorsports Authentics. Despite the revenue drop, the average operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) for the top teams was flat at $7 million. Teams have trimmed budgets by reducing head count, tracking inventory more closely and cutting travel budgets. One area that has not yet been affected is driver salaries--but those cuts will come once contracts start to expire.
NASCAR's top team remains Hendrick Motorsports worth $350 million, the same as last year. They are the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers and Manchester United rolled into one. They dominate on and off the track with the best drivers (home to the top three finishers in the 2009 Sprint Cup) and the most popular racers (three of the four best-selling drivers for licensed merchandise). Hendrick Motorsports is worth 47% more than the second most valuable team, Roush Fenway Racing. The gap in value between the two top teams is similar to baseball with the Yankees (64% more valuable than the Mets) and ManU in soccer (38% more than Real Madrid).
Hendrick is the sports leader when it comes to sponsorship revenues, thanks to the success and popularity of its drivers. Its four cars generate an estimated $115 million in sponsorship revenue annually from the likes of DuPont, Go Daddy, Lowe's, the National Guard and PepsiCo. Hendrick cars have the highest budgets in Nascar, but the huge sponsorship haul allowed Hendrick to turn an operating profit of $20 million last year, the highest in the sport. The value of Stewart-Haas has risen 23% to $98 million, which ranks seventh overall. It is one of only three teams to see an increase in value over last year.
Top NASCAR Teams: No. 1: Hendrick Motorsports, Current value: $350 million, One-year value change: none
No. 2: Roush Fenway Racing, Current value: $238 million, One-year value change: -12%
No. 3: Richard Childress Racing, Current value: $153 million, One-year value change: -8%
No. 4: Joe Gibbs Racing, Current value: $144 million, One-year value change: none
No. 5: Richard Petty Motorsports, Current value: $124 million, One-year value change: -6%
No. 6: Penske Racing, Current value: $110 million, One-year value change: -1%
No. 7: Stewart-Haas Racing, Current value: $98 million, One-year value change: 23%
No. 8: Michael Waltrip Racing, Current value: $88 million, One-year value change: -12%
No. 9: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Current value: $71 million, One-year value change: 1%
No. 10: Red Bull Racing Team, Current value: $59 million, One-year value change: 7%
(See more at Forbes.com)(3-25-2010)

More changes coming to the COT? The Sprint Cup car rear-deck wing, that much-hated piece of the race vehicle originally introduced as the Car of Tomorrow, will make one more run in Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. When teams reassemble next weekend at Martinsville Speedway, the cars will be fitted with the traditional metal spoilers that sat on the back of NASCAR racers for decades before the COT ushered in the wing. The reappearance of the spoiler probably won’t be the only significant – and maybe not the most significant – change in car body armor this season as NASCAR has ramped up its campaign against flying cars in the wake of Brad Keselowski’s wild ride two weeks ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ongoing tests are directed at preventing cars from becoming airborne when they turn sideways or backward. Keselowski’s flight at Atlanta caused particular concern among NASCAR officials because such problems are relatively rare at 1.5-mile tracks (although Atlanta speeds are seriously fast despite the track size). The switch next week from wing to spoiler is likely to have no measurable effect on holding cars on the ground. Wind tunnel tests and study of videotapes of airborne crashes indicate that the major cause of cars taking flight is the rush of air underneath the car, not the rear-deck wing. Among the solutions, according to long-time Ford Racing engineer Bernie Marcus, an aerodynamic specialist, might be slots in the rear area of the car so that, in an accident, air would have places to escape. “We tested last week in another liftoff test as a result of what happened in Atlanta,” Marcus said Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway. “They’re really reacting to it in a very fast way and a proactive way. They’re looking at what we can do to prevent this from happening again. There are more things in the pipeline, and they probably will be introduced at some point. We’re looking at options to somehow get rid of the air that goes under the car.” Part of the problem in studying solutions, Marcus said, is that every accident is different. He said part of the problem in the Keselowski incident in Atlanta was that a section in the rear of the car had been damaged in a previous accident, allowing more air to collect in that part of the car when it turned. “That’s the biggest challenge NASCAR faces with all these safety things,” he said. “Every spinout is different because there are different angles involved.” He said a third roof flap has been tested but that there isn’t enough room on the roof of the cars to make that possibility workable. “All this is an ongoing thing,” Marcus said. “In the past, NASCAR would react to accidents. Now they want to be more proactive. They have us involved a little more in looking further ahead. But every time you have an accident at a big track, cars can fly. That’s just a simple fact of physics.”(SPEED)(3-21-2010)

Fin to be implemented with spoiler: The 3½ inch fin that NASCAR implemented for the left side of the rear deck lid and window for the Daytona 500 will be used at all tracks once the spoiler is introduced, expected to be at Martinsville on March 28, to help keep cars on the ground. It was determined during wind tunnel tests after #12-Brad Keselowski's car went airborne in the closing laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway two weeks ago that the fin would decrease the probability of liftoff. They were introduced at the Daytona 500 with the intent of being used only at restrictor plate tracks. "It is an asset we can use everywhere," series director John Darby said. Kurt Romberg, the chief of aerodynamics at Hendrick Motorsports, said the fin helps break up the air and prevent a low pressure area from developing across the top of the car that creates liftoff.(ESPN)(3-17-2010)

Spoiler/Tire test news from Talladega: Twenty-four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams assembled Tuesday at Talladega Superspeedway in an R&D test session that was used to confirm that the gear ratio was compatible with the restrictor plate size for next month’s running of the Aaron’s 499. The cars ran with the spoiler on the rear of the cars, as NASCAR announced in January that it was going to transition from the wing to the traditional spoiler sometime during the first quarter of this season. Teams started the day with a 1 1/32-inch sized restrictor plate. For the majority of the morning session, the teams participated in single-car runs over the 2.66-mile superspeedway. However, five cars hooked up for some drafting shortly before the lunch break and the speeds picked up a bit, with #48-Jimmie Johnson putting up the quickest speed of 196.467 mph. Teams began drafting in earnest after lunch. The plate size went down to 31/32” and the teams adjusted the size of their rear spoilers in order to find that happy medium between high speeds and handling. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president of competition, was pleased with how the adjustments went during the afternoon practice. “We saw that the closure rates were a little too quick in the initial drafting session after lunch,” said Pemberton. “So, we had the teams make some adjustments, including going down on the plate size and trimming the spoiler back some. We believe we came away here today with a good starting point and are looking forward to coming back here next month with a great race.” More than 1,500 fans participated in a Fan Q&A session during the lunch break. Sitting in the track’s newly renovated grandstands on the frontstretch, the fans heard from drivers #2-Kurt Busch and #31-Jeff Burton, along with NASCAR Managing Director of Competition John Darby. Some of the fans were seen waiting in line outside the gates as early as 6 a.m. Tuesday. NASCAR also has a test planned next week – March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway – for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams to test the spoiler on a 1.5-mile race track.(NASCAR)(3-16-2010)
UPDATE: Tuesday's Sprint Cup series test at Talladega Superspeedway was all about cutbacks. First NASCAR reduced the size of the restrictor plate hole from 1-1/32 inches to an inch to 31/32ths of an inch after speeds reached 213 mph. Then it trimmed two inches off the height from the outer edges of the spoiler that will replace the wing in two weeks and an inch from each side. #88-Dale Earnhardt and others agreed handling with the spoiler, despite more downforce, was about the same as the wing with the exception of more vibrations and shaking. The real test for the spoiler won't come until next Tuesday and Wednesday [March 23-24] at Charlotte Motor Speedway where handling will be an issue. Talladega is mostly about speed, and as NASCAR and the 24 teams discovered the first to plate holes created way too much in large drafts. "When I got to 208 [mph] I knew that was crazy stupid," Ryan Newman said. Speeds still were in the 203 mph range after NASCAR reduced the hole from 1-1/32 inches -- 7/64ths of an inch larger than the hole used at Talladega in October and 3/64ths larger than the hole used earlier this year in the Daytona 500 -- to one inch. It later was reduced to 31/32nds of an inch, where speeds dropped to the mid-190s that satisfied the governing body, whose main concern was excessive closing speed. NASCAR originally planned this test to determine the size of the plate hole, but then added the spoiler since that will be used when the series runs here on April 25. For the most part teams were pleased with the spoiler, saying it added more rear and front end downforce as advertised. They were pleased with the way the car handled in the draft, although some complained that it was hard to separate after pulling up tight to bump draft. That prompted NASCAR to reduce the overall height of the spoiler from 6½-inches on the outside to 4½ inches all the way across. The spoiler is projected to be four inches all the way across for all non-restrictor plate tracks, beginning with its likely debut on March 28 at Martinsville. Initial speeds during single-car runs were around 188 mph, in range with last year's pole speed of 188.171 mph. They increased to the mid-190s when Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers and Scott Speed hooked up in a five-car draft to close out the morning session.(ESPN.com)(3-17-2010)

More about spoiler testing at Talladega TODAY: Cup Series teams will assemble on Tuesday, March 16 for an important early-season test at Talladega Superspeedway. Approximately 24 teams are expected to participate in the one-day session, which will target a number of mechanical options in advance of the Aaron's 499 on April 25 at Talladega. Cup officials will analyze the data gleaned -- along with teams' input -- and later make several decisions for the Aaron's 499. Teams also will test spoilers, which will replace the current wings on the backs of cars. No timetable has been set for the wing-to-spoiler move. "It's a confirmation test for restrictor plates and gearing, and an opportunity for teams to work on their handling packages as we transition to the spoiler," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition. Rule changes, announced on Jan. 21, are the impetus behind the test. Cup Series teams used larger carburetor restrictor-plate openings in the 2010 Daytona 500 and larger plate openings are expected for the Aaron's 499 at Talladega. At 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR mandated openings of 63/64-inch -- the largest since the one-inch mandate in 1988, the first year the horsepower-reducing plates were used in Cup competition at Daytona. Each plate contains four openings, which restrict air flow to the engine, thus slowing stock cars. Larger openings mean more air, and more horsepower. The switch from wing to spoiler also was a rule change. The wing replaced the traditional stock-car spoiler on NASCAR's new car, now in its third full-time season. Returning to the spoiler means on-track testing, and another series test -- Tuesday, March 23 and Wednesday, March 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway -- will be devoted solely to spoiler work. Both the Charlotte and Talladega tests are exceptions to the current testing policy. For the second consecutive season, Cup, Nationwide and Truck teams may not test at facilities that host national-series events. This year, teams may test at tracks that host regional touring series events, but not national series events. Tuesday's Talladega session begins at 10:00am and runs until 6:00pm with an hour lunch break. Fans are welcome to attend, with free admission. The track's Gadsden and Lincoln grandstands will be open, with parking lots behind those grandstands opening at 9:30am. Grandstand gates open at 9:45 am. See some nice images of the spoiler at Joe Gibbs Racing's site.(3-16-2010)

Drivers could face legal troubles over intentional contact: If NASCAR drivers are going to retaliate against their fellow competitors, they might get more than three weeks probation because of it. They could find themselves in trouble with the law. Drivers should be aware that if they intentionally wreck another driver and someone is injured, they could face criminal penalties, according to Winston-Salem, N.C., attorney John Morrow, whose firm has represented Richard Childress Racing. Whether the charges would stick and whether those injured could successfully bring civil claims against the driver is a matter of debate, according to lawyers and educators who follow sports law. While race fans and fellow drivers might be hesitant to file lawsuits against a driver, a local prosecutor in the spotlight would face outside pressures and influences on whether to charge a race-car driver. William Bray, a Charlotte attorney who has taught sports law classes at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, said if Keselowski had been injured and tried to sue Edwards, the Roush Fenway Racing driver would need to be found to be reckless and not just simply negligent. By competing in NASCAR, a driver consents to a level of contact, much like a boxer in the ring, Bray said. Bray said a driver would be more susceptible to a lawsuit for intentional contact if the driver was coming out of the pits and directly T-boned another driver rather than a push or nudge on the track that leads to injury or death.(Scene Daily)(3-16-2010)

Spoiler test at Talladega on Tuesday: TODAY: Sprint Cup Series teams will assemble on Tuesday, March 16 for an important early-season test at Talladega Superspeedway. Approximately 24 teams are expected to participate in the one-day session, which will target a number of mechanical options in advance of the Aaron's 499 on Sunday, April 25 at Talladega. NASCAR Sprint Cup officials will analyze the data gleaned - along with teams' input - and later make several key decisions for the Aaron's 499. Teams also will test spoilers, which will replace the current wings on the backs of cars. No timetable has been set for the wing-to-spoiler move. Rule changes, announced on Jan. 21, are the impetus behind the test. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams used larger carburetor restrictor-plate openings in the 2010 Daytona 500 and larger plate openings are expected for the Aaron's 499 at Talladega. The switch from wing to spoiler also was a rule change. The wing replaced the traditional stock-car spoiler on NASCAR's new car, now in its third fulltime season. Returning to the spoiler means on-track testing, and another series test - Tuesday, March 23 and Wednesday, March 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway - will be devoted solely to spoiler work. Both the Charlotte and Talladega tests are exceptions to the current testing policy. Next Tuesday's Talladega session begins at 9 a.m. CT and runs until 5 p.m. CT with a noon-1 p.m. lunch break. Fans are welcome to attend, with free admission. The track's Gadsden and Lincoln grandstands only will be open, with parking lots behind those grandstands opening at 8:30 a.m. Grandstand gates open at 8:45 a.m. Grandstands close at 5:15 p.m.(NASCAR PR)
According to the Talladega Speedway Facebook page , the following teams are currently confirmed for the test (some teams may use test drivers): #00-Reutimann, #5-Martin, #11-Hamlin, #14-Stewart, #17-Kenseth, #18-Gilliland [testing for Busch], #20-Logano, #24-Gordon, #29-Harvick, #31-Burton, #39-Newman, #48-Johnson, #56-Truex, Jr., #66-Blaney, #88-Earnhardt, Jr., and a Roush R&D team.(3-12-2010)
UDPATE: NASCAR will use restrictor plates with larger holes than they have used in the past at Talladega Superspeedway Tuesday as its Sprint Cup teams test the new spoiler that is expected to replace the rear wing in a few weeks. The test will not only help teams figure out setups for the new spoiler but help NASCAR evaluate which restrictor plate to use with the new configuration. The test Tuesday is the first open test for Sprint Cup teams with the spoiler, and they likely will start with a restrictor plate with holes of 1-1/32 inches (66/64ths) - 7/64ths of an inch more than the plates used last October and 3/64ths larger than the plate used for this year's Daytona 500. The spoiler is expected to replace the wing starting with the March 28 race at Martinsville Speedway, although NASCAR has not announced a firm start date yet. The spoiler will definitely be in use, however, for the April 25 race at Talladega. Most teams are expected to attend the test. But not all teams are going as Richard Petty Motorsports is only sending Paul Menard and Roush Fenway Racing is only sending Matt Kenseth and David Ragan. Teams will fabricate their own spoilers for the test, but NASCAR will end up issuing teams the spoilers for the races. Richardson Racing Products will be making the spoilers and they should be ready for the March 23-24 test at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Darby said. In addition to replacing the wing with the spoiler, the rear quarter panel of the cars will be extended by four inches from the front edge, leaving only seven inches instead of 11 between the ground and the front edge of the rear quarter panel.(Scene Daily)(3-16-2010)

France Family Group holds nearly 70% of ISC stock: The France Family Group, which includes 46 entities ranging from members of the NASCAR-ruling France family to companies they operate, own 69.6% of the voting stock at International Speedway Corp., the company revealed in its annual proxy statement. A year ago, the group owned 68.9%. With the majority of the voting stock, the France Family Group controls the decisions of the company. ISC Chairman Jim France controls 44.9% of the voting stock (including his shares of the France Family Group) and his late brother Bill's widow, Betty Jane France, owns 20.7%. NASCAR Chairman Brian France (Jim's nephew), who was listed as controlling only 0.23% of the voting ISC stock last year, now owns 1.3%. Executive compensation also was revealed as part of the proxy statement. Chairman Jim France's compensation package was worth $554,608, compared with $1.08 million last year when he was chairman and chief executive officer. Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy's compensation package was worth $769,780, compared with $719,146 a year ago when she was the company president. The compensation package includes salary, bonus, incentives, perks, above-market returns on pay set aside for later and the value of stock options and restricted stock granted during the year.(Scene Daily)(3-12-2010)

NASCAR, teams finalizing licensing agency: Seven months of negotiations have put NASCAR and its top teams in position to create the first NASCAR Properties, a trust that will serve as a centralized licensing agency for the sport. The unnamed unit will operate as a one-stop shop for licensees, but a key difference from other previously established league-licensing divisions is that revenue will be distributed to the teams based on sales and not a revenue-share agreement. The licensing body is being called a trust because one body - NASCAR Properties - will hold the rights and grant licenses on behalf of the teams. Participation by the teams will be voluntary, but the top teams such as JR Motorsports, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Roush Fenway Racing are in, as are several others that own valuable rights, like Dale Earnhardt Inc., which manages the late racing icon's legacy business. The teams have agreed to include only certain categories so far, like apparel. Team executives involved in the formation of the trust say it might take the rest of the spring to finalize the arrangement, but it's been called "imminent" by multiple sources. The negotiations to unify the licensing rights were prompted by the financial troubles of Motorsports Authentics, the dominant licensee in the industry. MA, which has been on the verge of bankruptcy for the past year, owes millions to several teams. As part of the arrangement to create NASCAR Properties, teams will forgive MA for most of its debt. Industry insiders say that even the most ardent opponents of MA have come to grips with losing that revenue. MA's contracts with the top teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing guaranteed as much as $3 million a year, but MA has been paying only a third to a half of the guarantee to the teams. MA's die-cast car business will be spun off into a separate entity and will be managed by a third party, industry sources said. Revenue from the die-cast business will be shared among the teams as a way to satisfy part of MA's debt. MA is expected to continue as a much leaner company that focuses strictly on trackside retail sales.(Scene Daily)(3-11-2010)

NASCAR cutting Developmental Division Season-Ending Payouts: With economy woes continuing to hit motorsports hard, in January it was learned that NASCAR would be cutting purses in 2010 by about 10 percent for its three national divisions, the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series. And NASCAR's developmental touring divisions, which include the … Whelen Modified Tour and K&N Pro Series East, won't be immune to the measures, though cuts will come in a different form. NASCAR has decided to cut by 25 percent the amount of teams that will get paid in each division's end of the season points fund, which is the money paid out to teams based on their standings finish. Teams on the Whelen Modified Tour received notification last week that the top-15 teams in 2010 will receive points fund money, down from the top-20 in 2009. Payouts for the top-15 teams this season in the divisions affected are expected to remain the same as last year.(Hartford Courant)(3-12-2010)

Lowest-finishing, non-wrecked car to be inspected: NASCAR has instituted a new postrace inspection policy for Sprint Cup races in which the first car out of the race that is not involved in an accident will be held for teardown, much like the cars that currently finish in the top five. That meant that Aric Almirola’s #09 Phoenix Racing’s Chevy was thoroughly inspected after the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race. His engine was taken to be torn down later this week at the NASCAR R&D center in Concord, NC. The policy is expected to impact the start-and-park teams – teams that typically bring a car but don’t have funding to run the entire event. These teams often are not in the top 35 in owner points, so they are required to qualify on speed. The new policy means it is likely that one of the cars that qualify on speed for every race will end up getting torn down. NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Sunday the move was not to discourage start-and-park teams. “We’re just expanding our inspection process and making sure that everybody feels like everybody is on the same playing field, that’s all,” Pemberton said. “It’s all about making sure that the guys who get beat that don’t make the race understand that the guys who get in the race, for the most part, are doing everything right.” The move could cost these teams money, as they will have to pay for an engine rebuild that they might not have needed if they didn’t run many laps. Pemberton said the engine might not be torn down weekly but acknowledged it could cost teams $30,000 for a rebuild. That could lead to those teams racing more instead of risking the cost of a rebuild. Or it could lead to those teams not showing up if they can’t afford to have the motor rebuilt.(SceneDaily)(3-1-2010)

Owners, NASCAR talk about keeping wing at superspeedways DENIED: One of the things that was discussed Sunday morning at Daytona International Speedway is that some of the owners and some NASCAR officials have gone and whispered in Sprint Cup Series director John Darby and Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton's ear: "Hey, maybe we need to keep the rear wing on this car for the remaining restrictor plate races for the rest of 2010." NASCAR will replace the rear wing on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car with a more traditional spoiler later this season [Around race 6-8 range if testing goes well]. But based strictly on the results saw on track during Speedweeks in Daytona the car package is very favorable. NASCAR and the teams still have to go to the other restrictor-plate track on the schedule, Talladega Superspeedway, and do a lot of testing to see if the tires and all the other changes they made to the car during the offseason will work the way it needs to. But if they elect to leave the wing on the cars at superspeedways, teams can use all the information gained during the last two weeks of racing, which will probably still be good for the rest of the season. That would eliminate a big variable at superspeedways that could cost the teams a lot of money to test.(in part by Jeff Hammond of FoxSports)(2-16-2010)
UPDATE: Mike Joy mentioned during SPEED's coverage of Auto Club 500 Happy Hour practice that NASCAR said the wing would not be used once the spoiler returns this spring [rumored races includes Martinsville in March or Phoenix in April].(2-20-2010)

NASCAR Revises Green-White-Checkered Race Procedure: NASCAR announced a revision to one of its race procedures, allowing a maximum of three restart attempts prior to the White Flag under NASCAR's Green-White-Checkered flag finish. If the leader has taken the White Flag and the caution flag is displayed, the field is frozen and the race will not be restarted. Previously, there was only one restart attempt. The new procedure will be implemented beginning with today's running of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Gatorade Duel at Daytona and will apply to all three national series. NASCAR officials met with drivers and teams Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway to discuss the change and get their input. The announcement was made during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' drivers and crew chiefs meeting Thursday morning. "We want to do all we can to finish our races under green flag conditions – the fans want to see that and so do the competitors," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "We felt that putting a cap at three attempts to finish the race under green is the way to go. It gives the fans what they want and it also gives the teams a better opportunity to prepare for their end of race strategy." The change amends procedure 9-14C of the 2010 NASCAR rulebook.(NASCAR)(2-11-2010)

Some pit road rules changes this year: NASCAR had some media folks over at its R&D Center to go over the pit road rules for this season. A few things that were interesting…
# A change this season is that NASCAR is going to enforce speeding on pit road more. Remember when a wrecked car would come to pit road, the crew would furiously make repairs and the car would fire down pit road faster than the speed limit to stay on the lead lap? Speeding penalty was no big deal because it only put the driver at the rear of the field. He still got to stay on the lead lap. New this year is that speeding is speeding. NASCAR will not allow such action again. What that means is that crews will have to complete their work sooner knowing they can't speed on pit road to stay on the lead lap.
# As in the past, teams are allowed a 4.99 mph allowance before being penalized for speeding on pit road.
# Another change this year is if a car is entering pit road or just entered pit road when the caution comes out (thus closing pit road), the driver can go down pit road (without stopping in his stall) while maintaining pit road speed and NASCAR will put the driver back in his spot when he entered pit road. There have been times guys entered pit road just as it closed because of a caution and never had a chance to react and all but had their day (or a good part of it) ruined with losing a lap.
# You know how there are times when a NASCAR official in the pits will kick a tire back toward the pit wall and other times they don't? Here is what NASCAR tells its officials on those situations: If you (the official) don't have to move out of the way to knock the tire back, that is fine. If an official has to move out of position to do so, then let it go. The reasoning to allow officials to even knock the tire back is a safety issue. If an official can do so without getting out of position, then it prevents the tire from getting hit by a car and knocked back into that offficial or others on pit road.
# NASCAR penalizes drivers for running over air hoses, yet there are cases when a driver won't be penalized for doing so. Think of it this way: On a four-tire pit stop where the front tire changer comes over to the left side, the air hose might not flip over completley away from the car. If the car runs over a small portion (small the key) then NASCAR more than likely will let it go.(Hampton Roads)(1-29-2010)

Two NASCAR drivers in Top 50 athlete earnings: For the sixth consecutive year, Sports Illustrated has compiled a list of the 50 top-earning American athletes in salary, winnings, endorsements and appearance fees. And for the first time, the average earnings of those on the list fell -- down $1.5 million per athlete to $23.6 million. That falloff is mostly due to lower earnings for No. 1 Tiger Woods and No. 2 Phil Mickelson, both of whom saw their on-course income shrink while also losing key endorsement deals. This year's list features 22 basketball players (a record nine who earned more than $20 million), 14 major leaguers, nine football players, three golfers and two NASCAR drivers. The two NASCAR drivers are #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 13th and #24-Jeff Gordon at 21st. #48-Jimmie Johnson, who won his 4th NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in a row, is not on the list.(Sports Illustrated)(1-25-2010)

Carter a candidate for Sprint Cup director: Former NASCAR crew chief Larry Carter has emerged as one of the top candidates for the position of Sprint Cup director, a spot left vacant by the recent promotion of John Darby. Darby, Sprint Cup director since 2002, is being elevated to a management position at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C. Carter, 47, most recently served as crew chief for driver Paul Menard at Yates Racing. He was not retained when the team merged with Richard Petty Motorsports. NASCAR has not indicated when it expects to fill Darby’s position, although having a new person in the position when SpeedWeeks opens in Daytona in two weeks would seem to be a goal.(SPEEDtv)(1-24-2010)

No changes to the Chase: After tinkering with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase the first few years of its existence, NASCAR went a third consecutive year without changing it. "We had other things to look at,'' NASCAR CEO Brian France said, alluding to a push to make the racing on the track closer. "We still like to look at the Chase over the longest period that we can. We will make changes to the Chase. We already have. We went from 10 to 12 (teams in 2007). It's all inter-connected how the rules packages affect the racing, affects how close things can by. My sense is that we'll look over the offseason for 2011 and see how it plays out and look at the totality of all the other things that we have to consider before we change or adjust the Chase. We like, obviously, the format style. The question is can we make it a little bit better.''(Virginian Pilot)(1-23-2010)

NASCAR shooting to implement fuel injection in 2011: By the time the 2011 racing season gets under way, the only place to find a carburetor in the Sprint Cup Series might be in NASCAR’s Hall of Fame. Officials said today that they hope to replace carburetors with fuel injection, and have been testing potential systems with an eye toward making the change as soon as possible. “We are in the process of the development and the testing and have been for probably six or eight months," ” said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR. The easy part is to just build the fuel injection system. The thing that we need to put into play is how are we going to regulate it, and what’s going to be fair for everybody?” NASCAR is one of the only racing organizations that continues to use carburetors in its series. Fuel injection is a more accurate, and efficient, way of delivering fuel into the engine. It has been around since the 1950s and has been in place on all passenger cars in the United States since the late 1980s. Pemberton said some Cup teams have already been developing and working with systems with the expectation that such a move would eventually be made. Some teams, Pemberton said, “do have track time … on their early production or early prototype fuel injection system. “So our goal is to shoot for 2011,” he said. “I think that’s pretty aggressive. “We are pushing hard."(SceneDaily)(1-23-2010)

NASCAR talks to teams about Talladega and tire tests: NASCAR officials met with team principals on Tuesday to discuss upcoming initiative for the new season. One subject discussed was the possibility of a one-day test at Talladega before the Charlotte open test on March 23-24. Sprint Cup Series director John Darby confirmed that NASCAR is looking for a date. The one-day session at the superspeedway will help determine which restrictor plate will be used at the track and will allow teams to use spoilers instead of a rear wing. Other topics on the table included moving the fuel hole forward on the cars to accommodate the spoiler and shrinking the number of Goodyear test participants to three teams per test once again. Roush Fenway Racing crashed the three-car testing policy in Darlington in 2007 during the Car of Tomorrow rollout, prompting Goodyear to change their rules and invite representatives from each manufacturer. Now with Penske Racing providing the only Dodges in the garage, the sentiment from the competition is that the team's camp would have an unfair advantage.(Fox Sports)(1-29-2010)
UPDATE: Plans are to test the vehicle March 16 at Talladega Superspeedway, according to a series spokesman. That test would be in addition to a two-day open session scheduled for March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and would be to specifically examine the spoiler's performance on a restrictor-plate track.(NASCAR.com)(1-29-2010)

Some pit road rules changes this year: NASCAR had some media folks over at its R&D Center to go over the pit road rules for this season. A few things that were interesting…
# A change this season is that NASCAR is going to enforce speeding on pit road more. Remember when a wrecked car would come to pit road, the crew would furiously make repairs and the car would fire down pit road faster than the speed limit to stay on the lead lap? Speeding penalty was no big deal because it only put the driver at the rear of the field. He still got to stay on the lead lap. New this year is that speeding is speeding. NASCAR will not allow such action again. What that means is that crews will have to complete their work sooner knowing they can't speed on pit road to stay on the lead lap.
# As in the past, teams are allowed a 4.99 mph allowance before being penalized for speeding on pit road.
# Another change this year is if a car is entering pit road or just entered pit road when the caution comes out (thus closing pit road), the driver can go down pit road (without stopping in his stall) while maintaining pit road speed and NASCAR will put the driver back in his spot when he entered pit road. There have been times guys entered pit road just as it closed because of a caution and never had a chance to react and all but had their day (or a good part of it) ruined with losing a lap.
# You know how there are times when a NASCAR official in the pits will kick a tire back toward the pit wall and other times they don't? Here is what NASCAR tells its officials on those situations: If you (the official) don't have to move out of the way to knock the tire back, that is fine. If an official has to move out of position to do so, then let it go. The reasoning to allow officials to even knock the tire back is a safety issue. If an official can do so without getting out of position, then it prevents the tire from getting hit by a car and knocked back into that offficial or others on pit road.
# NASCAR penalizes drivers for running over air hoses, yet there are cases when a driver won't be penalized for doing so. Think of it this way: On a four-tire pit stop where the front tire changer comes over to the left side, the air hose might not flip over completley away from the car. If the car runs over a small portion (small the key) then NASCAR more than likely will let it go.(Hampton Roads)(1-29-2010)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' New Car Moves From Wing To Spoiler and other changes: NASCAR has announced that it will relax some on-track rules, putting racing back in drivers' hands in 2010. The changes, which begin with next month's season-opening events at Daytona International Speedway, will allow drivers to be even more competitive. Race rule changes were one of several announcements during Thursday's annual media-tour presentation at NASCAR's Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said the loosening of on-track reins is another step in enhancing competition and back-to-basics racing. "Over the past 10 years we've dramatically increased safety and that mission continues. However, it's time for us to allow the drivers to drive. We don't want the rules and regulations to get in the way of great racing and fantastic finishes," said France. "NASCAR is a contact sport – our history is based on banging fenders."

Among the changes: Bump-drafting rules will be eliminated at Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway. Teams also will use a bigger restrictor plate at Daytona. Eliminating bump-drafting rules puts responsibility for on-track moves squarely back in drivers' hands. Larger restrictor plates give drivers more horsepower.

NASCAR also announced a significant change to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' new car, including replacing the wing currently mounted on the rear of the car with a spoiler. A full-field test is scheduled for March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Following that, a decision on when to implement the spoiler will be made based on teams' input. The switch from wing to spoiler will return to a more traditional stock-car look. "Over the last couple of years, there have been dozens of changes to this car, with this being the most visible change," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition.

Also significant: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby has been promoted to Managing Director of Competition, with oversight of all three national series' directors, officials, inspection processes and race officiating. He will continue in his series director's role until his successor is found. "Probably no one is more qualified for this new job than John," Pemberton said. "He knows and understands the officiating and inspection processes better than anyone and is the perfect fit."

Other changes announced Thursday:

• Mike Fisher, managing director of NASCAR's Research & Development Center, has some additions to his team. They include Brett Bodine as the director of racing R&D, Tom Gideon as director of safety, R&D, and Jamie DiPietro as manager of safety inspections R&D.

• Beginning with the Feb. 13 season opener at Daytona, NASCAR Nationwide Series teams will be limited to 15 crew members, including the driver, crew chief, spotter and seven over-the-wall pit-crew members. Teams also won't be required to provide a scorer. Last year teams had no limit on at-track crew members.

• NASCAR Nationwide Series teams may run no more than two races in 2010 without using an engine sealed by series officials. Last year they could run three races before using a sealed engine.

• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams will use double-file restarts "shootout style" in 2010, making restart rules uniform across all three national series. Teams also will return to traditional pit stops, eliminating last year's procedure of refueling and changing tires on separate stops. Teams also may use a new, vented fuel dump can, eliminating the need for a catch can.(NASCAR)(1-21-2010)

for more about the Meida Tour, see my NASCAR Town Meeting Transcript and/or News, Notes and Quotes from the Media Tour - Days 1-4

Litany of Rules Changes in NASCAR for 2010: NASCAR officials unveiled a host of rules changes and adjustments for the 2010 racing season during the session at the NASCAR Research and Development Center:
* The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will eventually replace the wing on the back of the car with a spoiler. No timetable was announced, though NASCAR has a test scheduled for March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
* NASCAR will no longer police bump-drafting at Daytona and Talladega. "We will put it back in the hands of the hands of the drivers and we will say, 'Boys, have at it and have a good time,'" said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition.
* Because of gradual changes to the Cup car, NASCAR will use a larger restrictor plate at Daytona and Talladega, increasing the size of each of the four openings to 63/64ths of an inch.
* Following the lead of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series will implement a limit of 15 crew members for each team at every race. Included in that 15 are driver, crew chief and spotter.
* The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will use double-file restarts in all races this year. The series will return to standard pit stops, allowing four tires and fuel on all stops. To help keep pit crews at the six-person limit, NASCAR unveiled a new fuel dump can that eliminates the need for a catch can. The truck teams can also begin use a spec engine at every track a mile and a quarter or less.(CMS - Media Tour Notes)(1-21-2010)

NASCAR has new commissioner for appeals: An interest new point in the new rulebooks is that John Middlebrook, the noted General Motors executive and long-time racing aficionado, is now the 'court of last resort' for anyone appealing any NASCAR penalties. That role has been held by Bunkie Knudsen and Charles Strang in recent years. But the title has changed -- Middlebrook's role will be as 'national stock car racing chief appellate officer.'(MikeMulhern.net)(1-31-2010)

NASCAR cutting race purses to all three series: UPDATE: NASCAR is cutting by about 10 percent the race winnings it will award teams in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series this season, officials confirmed on Friday. The reduction is part of cost-cutting measures that will alleviate some of the financial burdens on tracks that have suffered during a tough economic environment that has forced them to cut ticket prices with declining attendance. "Last year we launched an industry-wide effort to help the sport manage budgets in this economy," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Friday. "NASCAR did the right thing to work with the tracks to reduce their costs in order to manage the economic realities. In return, the tracks have done a great job reducing ticket prices and enhancing the fan experience. Likewise, we worked with the teams to contain costs such as elimination of testing and other steps. This is consistent with how virtually every sport and business has adjusted to the economy over the past year." Bruton Smith, the chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns nine tracks that host Cup, Nationwide and Truck events, applauded NASCAR for making the cut. He doesn't believe drivers will particularly like it, "but they understand."(ESPN.com)(1-29-2010)
UPDATE: NASCAR has worked to reduce its own costs, two sources within the company have told the Observer and ThatsRacin.com. The salaries of some supervisors have been cut, along with the budgets of some departments, the sources said. Travel spending – to get NASCAR officials and haulers to and from races – was also cut, the newspaper and its racing site were told. Asked specifically about such moves, NASCAR's Poston offered this statement: "Last week, the NASCAR executive team met with the media to publicly discuss the business of the sport and relevant topics related to our business," he said. "At that time, NASCAR provided relevant updates about the business and announced personnel updates. If there is anything else of importance to the industry or our fans, it will also be announced."(Charlotte Observer)(1-30-2010)

NASCAR looking for a Sprint Cup Series director: UPDATE: NASCAR is interviewing candidates for a new Sprint Cup Series director, and current garage boss John Darby will train his replacement before moving into a managerial role. Several people familiar with NASCAR's restructuring plan said that Darby will move into an oversight role at the research and development center. The people all spoke on condition of anonymity because NASCAR will not announce its planned changes for 2010 until Thursday. There is no timetable for hiring a new director of NASCAR's premiere series, and Darby will fill the role as long as it takes to hire and prepare a replacement. Then he will transition into a new position that oversees the officials in all three of NASCAR's national series, as well as focus on the technical aspects of the sport.(Associated Press)(1-19-2010)
UPDATE: With Sprint Cup garage boss John Darby set to move up to a new administrative position sometime later this year, the speculation has begun about possible successors. One who appears to be an obvious candidate is Joe Balash, the director of the second-tier Nationwide Series. Asked about his intentions in that area on Wednesday, Balash did a nice job of side-stepping the question. “We’ve got a lot of things going on with the Nationwide Series right now and I’ve got a lot of work,’’ he said. “The transition of John Darby from his current position to the new position is kind of a long-term thing and we’ll just let things play out as they do.’’ Asked if he has interviewed or will interview for the Cup job, Balance said, “There hasn’t been a process that has started yet with anything like that.’’(Racin' Today)
AND: Team owner Jack Roush would like to see an insider take over the position. Roush admits the man who takes over for Darby had better be able to master multitasking. One name he mentioned was Billy Berkheimer, a Darby disciple and NASCAR’s top template official. One owner who spoke under anonymity because he was uncertain of the reasons behind Darby’s reassignment suggested Brett Bodine, NASCAR’s director of cost research, as the new car czar. One candidate’s name that was buzzing around the teams Tuesday night was Larry Carter, the former Roush/Yates crew chief that was dismissed at the end of the 2009 season following the merger with Richard Petty Motorsports.(Fox Sports)
BUT: Sources continue to report NASCAR is considering someone from outside the stock car racing world as a candidate.(CBS Sports)(1-21-2010)

NASCAR to transition back to the spoiler, get rid of wing UPDATE: NASCAR informed teams Friday that it has scheduled an open test at Charlotte Motor Speedway as part of an upcoming transition from a front wing to a rear spoiler. The change had been discussed individually with teams, but nothing had been formally announced before the Friday memo to crew chiefs from Sprint Cup Series director John Darby. "To help put some of the rumor mills to rest, I am sending you the following facts as they relate to changes for 2010," Darby wrote in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. "We will be transitioning from the usage of the current wing to an aluminum spoiler." NASCAR will hold an informational meeting for teams in mid-March, and the spoiler will be tested March 23-24 at CMS. No race has been selected for the spoiler debut, but the March 28 event at Martinsville is the earliest the change could be implemented based on the timeline outlined by Darby. The season opens Feb. 14 with the Daytona 500, and Martinsville is the sixth race on the schedule. Darby explained in the memo that NASCAR's goal in returning to a rear spoiler is to adjust the downforce and balance that is being produced on the current car.
NASCAR in 2007 phased in a new model of race car that replaced the spoiler with a front wing. Many drivers were slow to adapt to the new car, which went to full-time use in 2008, and fans have claimed the car has made the racing boring. NASCAR last May began a series of town hall and individual meetings with teams, and one of the constant cries from participants was a need to alter the car design. The decision to actually do so has come from offseason meetings with drivers, but the timing means teams will have to scramble to adjust inventory that's already been prepared for this coming season.
Darby said the size and shape of the spoiler will not be determined until NASCAR has a chance to do wind tunnel testing on the car, and once decided, a supplier will be selected to produce the part. Teams will have to purchase the spoiler from the selected supplier. NASCAR will introduce the rule change Thursday [Jan 21st] at the Sprint Media Tour. Other changes anticipated include allowing drivers to bump draft at Daytona and Talladega and giving drivers more control over policing the garage. Also under consideration is doing away with the yellow line rule at Daytona and Talladega, although many drivers are opposed to that.(Associated Press/ESPN)(1-15-2010)
UPDATE: Specifications for the new spoiler and quarterpanels on Sprint Cup cars were sent in a memo Monday to teams by series director John Darby. According to the memo the spoiler that will replace the current wing will sit 4 inches atop the deck lid when measured from the centerline. The spoiler will be level across the top with a ground clearance of 43.52 inches from the top of the spoiler to the ground with the chassis on 6- and 8-inch blocks. The spoiler will be 64½-inches wide and one piece from right to left. It will be fabricated from 3/16-inch thick aluminum and fixed at 70 degrees. The fuel filler hole must be relocated forward of the left lower tip of the spoiler. Also, right and left quarterpanel extensions will be added to all cars. The extensions will be 4 inches long toward the ground at the rear wheel opening. The modifications, according to the memo, are not to be used in competition until all wind tunnel and on-track tests are completed. An open test [at Charlotte] is scheduled for all teams in March. The changes are being made in hopes of improving downforce and improving the quality of racing. They are not expected to be used for the Daytona 500 that kicks off the season on Feb. 14. The Bristol race in March is a more likely target.(ESPN)(1-18-2010)

Lots of NASCAR News next week? Approximately 200 print and electronic journalists from 18 states and as far away as Canada and Germany will convene in Concord, NC next week as Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts the 28th annual NASCAR Sprint Media Tour. An essential part of NASCAR's pre-season schedule, this year's edition of Media Tour begins Monday morning, Jan. 18, and continues through Thursday afternoon, Jan. 21. With support from sponsors Sprint and NASCAR, the Media Tour gives credentialed participants the opportunity to tour race shops; interview drivers, crew chiefs and team owners; and discuss the latest developments and news with motorsports industry insiders.
Journalists from New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Toronto are among those registered to participate, representing such media outlets as USA Today, The New York Times, Bloomberg News, ESPN, Orlando Sentinel, The Associated Press, Reuters Newswire and Sports Illustrated.
Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Roush Fenway Racing and Penske Racing are among some of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams scheduled to make announcements. This year, media members will get an exclusive inside look at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the Tour will also make its annual visit to the NASCAR Research and Development Center.(CMS)(1-13-2010)

Larger plate at Daytona? Sources tell Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that NASCAR could mandate a larger restrictor plate for this year’s running of the Daytona 500. Sprint Cup Series racers were required to run a 31/32” plate at Daytona and Talladega last season, but multiple sources who attended a meeting with NASCAR today say the sanctioning body may allow a bigger plate this season in an effort to boost horsepower, torque and throttle response. That move would reportedly come as part of a package of changes that could include aerodynamic modifications to the rear window area and a switch from rear wings to old-style rear spoilers. A number of procedural changes are also bring discussed, including the abolition of no bumping zones and the so-called “yellow line rule” at both Daytona and Talladega. A spokesman for NASCAR declined to comment when asked about the restrictor plate change earlier today, saying that meetings are ongoing with drivers and teams, and that no final decisions have been made.(Sirius Speedway)(1-11-2010)

NASCAR to announce changes Jan 21st: On Jan. 21 at the NASCAR Research & Development Center, officials from NASCAR are expected to announce a series of rules revisions, some drastic, others less so. It is expected that the controversial rear wing, one of the COT’s most defining characteristics, will be scrapped in favor of a more traditional blade spoiler like the NASCAR Nationwide Series cars use. Also being looked it is the front splitter, which runs parallel to the racing surface and replaced the conventional front air dam. NASCAR officials also are talking about eliminating the no-passing zones at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, as well as other as-year unspecified changes, all aimed at helping re-energize interest in the sport. NASCAR officials said Saturday at the Sprint Sound & Speed [in Nashville] event that final decisions about the modifications have not been made, but will be announced Jan. 21.(SPEEDtv)(1-10-2010)
AND: NASCAR teams are testing this week at Texas World Speedway [#12-Keselowski tested at TWS last week], to see how that planned new rear spoiler might work on their Sprint Cup cars, according to stock car crews. NASCAR officials are tentatively planning to change the rear wing on the Cup cars to a more standard flat rear spoiler, beginning either with the Bristol 500 March 21 or Martinsville 500 March 28. But it will be the Cup races at Phoenix April 10th and Texas April 18th that would be the major test of the new spoiler, which is designed to add downforce to the cars and make them handle better. There are more changes coming too, apparently, with Daytona cars possibly sporting a new 'shark fin' on the rear deck, to make them more stable when they get sideways. The 'shark fin' would be a three-inch tall fin running from the top of the rear window to the rear wing, according to crews. How that might be tested is unclear, since NASCAR has banned testing at Daytona and Talladega. While the long-standard flat rear spoiler on Cup and Nationwide cars has basically been just a $5 piece of steel, bolted on to the rear deck, the new flat rear spoiler will apparently be another 'over-engineered' piece by NASCAR, sold to the teams by NASCAR and installed at each track by NASCAR officials.(mikemulhern.net)(1-10-2010)

NASCAR Says Rear Spoilers, Yellow Lines, "No Bumping Zones" May Disappear In 2010: NASCAR’s Managing Director Corporate Communications, Ramsey Poston, said Friday that the sanctioning body is investigating the possibility of replacing rear wings with old-style rear spoilers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, in time for the start of the 2010 Daytona 500. However, Poston told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that the change has nothing to do with cars becoming airborne during high speed crashes at the circuits two superspeedways; Daytona and Talladega. “We took a car to the wind tunnel after last year’s fall race at Talladega and recreated Ryan Newman’s crash to as high a degree as possible,” he said. “Those tests showed beyond any doubt that the rear wing had no effect on the way that race car took off. With that said, we talked to 14 different drivers at the NASCAR Technical Center yesterday [Thursday], and all 14 of them were in favor of going back to rear spoilers as a way of increasing downforce and improving competition. As a result of the input we have received from those drivers, and others, I think it’s safe to say that we are taking a very serious look at the possibility of reintroducing rear spoilers for the 2010 season.” If NASCAR elects to move forward with the change, Poston said the sanctioning body will wind-tunnel test the package almost immediately, before scheduling an on-track test session prior to the start of SpeedWeek 2010. Poston said NASCAR has met with every track operator since the end of last season, along with drivers, owners, crewchiefs and even media partners in an effort to determine what might be done to improve competition, and that the rear wing/spoiler is only one item on the list. “If it helps us improve competition, we will move forward with it,” said Poston. “There are other changes that we will announce during the annual Media Tour that I think will be welcomed by everyone; drivers, crewchiefs, team owners and especially fans.”
Poston revealed that NASCAR is likely to loosen the reins on drivers next season, saying, “We’re going to let the drivers drive.” While declining to give specifics prior to the official announcement, it is expected that NASCAR will eliminate the controversial “no bumping zones” at superspeedways, and possibly even the rule prohibiting drivers from racing below a yellow line at the bottom of the banking at both Daytona and Talladega.(Sirius Speedway)(1-9-2010)

NASCAR to test spoliers on the COT; Wing gone? denied: NASCAR officials are seriously considering a plan that would replace the rear wing with a spoiler on Sprint Cup cars, spokesman Ramsey Poston said on Thursday. "We are currently meeting with drivers and owners to discuss a number of options," Poston said. "Going back to the spoiler is one of them under serious consideration. We'll make an announcement in the coming weeks." Before the governing body makes a final decision, the spoiler and how it reacts with the new heavier car will be tested in the wind tunnel and on the track. If there are signs the spoiler will improve competition then the switch is likely to occur. Poston would not say when the change might occur, but it is unlikely it will happen in time for the February opener at Daytona International Speedway. The decision to look at the spoiler came after intense meetings, including one Thursday at NASCAR's Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., with select drivers and owners. There has been universal concern since the car was introduced in 2007 that the lack of down force has been a hindrance to good racing. The previous car used a spoiler.(ESPN)
AND - Wing Gone? Denied: #19-Elliott Sadler told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody Thursday that NASCAR is investigating new ways of keeping Spring Cup Series racers from taking flight during events at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Sadler was one of many drivers and team owners who attended a closed-door meeting with the sanctioning body at NASCAR’s Technical Center earlier Thursday, and said there are changes being discussed. “They’ve come up with some different ideas on the roof flaps and rear windows to help keep these cars on the ground,” said Sadler. However, he denied published reports that a discussion was held about doing away with the car’s rear wing in favor of old-style rear spoilers. “There was nothing said about losing the wing, but NASCAR is definitely interested in doing whatever they can to make this deal safer,” he said. “Brian France is going to sit across the table from every single driver and team owner to ask for their input. They read e-mails today that they’ve gotten from fans asking about different things, and it’s pretty clear that they’re listening to what people have to say. They’re obviously trying to create the best possible experience for teams and fans.”(Sirius Speedway)(1-8-2010)