March 26, 2008
- Roush Says Toyota Team Stole “Proprietary Part” UPDATE 2: ESPN the Magazine has an interesting and potentially explosive quote from Roush Fenway Racing co-owner Jack Roush as part of its 10th Anniversary issue, which is on newsstands this week. Two weeks ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the magazine quotes Roush as saying, “We had a proprietary Roush Fenway part go missing from one of my race teams, and we recovered it from a Toyota team. I’m not going to say which team it is, but we are considering legal action, or getting NASCAR involved.” If Roush’s allegations prove to be true, this could become NASCAR’s version of the recent spy scandal that rocked Formula One racing, in which the McLaren-Mercedes team was caught with confidential, proprietary test information belonging to rival Ferrari. We contacted Roush Fenway Racing today in search of further information – including team was involved and the specific part in question — and we [SIRIUS Speedway w/ Dave Moody] hope to have a statement from them later today.(Motorsports Soapbox)(3-25-2008)
UPDATE: Jack Roush, co-owner of Ford-based Roush Fenway Racing, leveled another serious accusation at nemesis Toyota at Atlanta Motor Speedway — one that took nearly three weeks to surface. No one from either RFR or Toyota was willing to comment on Tuesday, but no one was denying Roush told a reporter from ESPN The Magazine on March 7 that a Toyota team had been in possession of an RFR team part.(ESPN)(3-26-2008)
UPDATE 2: Toyota officials on Wednesday identified the Roush Fenway Racing part that owner Jack Roush said was found in a Toyota team’s [supposedly MWR] possession during a Sprint Cup post-race teardown as a spring. Jim Aust, the president and chief executive officer of Toyota Racing Development, said once the part was found to belong to RFR that it was returned. He was uncertain how the part, discovered on a table with other Toyota parts, got there or from which team it came. “I don’t understand the whole procedure when a teardown happens,” said Aust, referring to a post-race process in which several cars are broken down by NASCAR inspectors. “The only thing I know is it wound up with parts we had and [which were] returned to Roush. “It’s unfortunate it happened the way it did. It wasn’t anything intentional. There’s no reason to be done intentional. I have no idea how it happened to begin with.” Roush Fenway president Geoff Smith said the part in question was not a spring, but he would not elaborate. No one at RFR has identified which Toyota team had the part. “Jack is the only one to talk to at this time and he presently doesn’t want to make any additional comments,” Smith said.(ESPN.com)(3-26-2008)
- BB&T colors on #07 at Martinsville: This week, Clint Bowyer’s #07 Chevy Impala SS will feature a burgundy, gold and white BB&T paint scheme. Jack Daniel’s, Bowyer’s mainstay primary sponsor, will be featured on the car’s lower-rear quarter panels and deck lid. BB&T is the full-time sponsor of Bowyer’s #2 Chevy in the Nationwide Series. BB&T Corporation, headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., is a fast growing, highly profitable financial holding company. Bowyer will pilot Chassis No. 218 from, built new last season but yet to be raced, this is the same Chevrolet Impala SS Bowyer and his Gil Martin-led team tested last week at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. Condolences go out to Phil Gould, Car Chief of RCR’s #07 Chevy, and his family on the unexpected passing of his mother Hazel Gould. Gould will miss this weekend’s race at Martinsville but is expected to return to the track next weekend in Texas.(RCR PR)(3-26-2008)
- Kennametal to sponsor Franchitti at Martinesville and Texas: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced an expansion of their current partnership with Kennametalto include primary sponsorship for the next two Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races in Martinsville and Texas on the W40 Dodge Charger driven by NSCS and Nationwide Series (NNS) Raybestos Rookie of the Year points leader Dario Franchitti. A longtime CGRFS partner, Kennametal supplies tooling and machining technology to CGRFS’ Charlotte and Indianapolis-based racing shops. In addition they provide the team’s engineers and machinists a myriad of opportunities to further refine their skills in order to gain optimum performance through Kennametal’s internal university program.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(3-26-2008)
- Tire test at Darlington: One test of Darlington Raceway’s new surface wasn’t enough, so Goodyear is coming back. The tire manufacturer will hold a one-day test Wednesday at NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway. The test, which is closed to the public and the media, will feature the same three drivers who participated in the last test (Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle), which was held March 10-11. Toyota, which didn’t have a driver represented in the last test, also won’t have a driver at this one. During the last test, Goodyear officials said they only need two teams for collecting data and the exclusion of Toyota wasn’t deliberate. One of the main reasons for the test clearly is to find a tire that might help slow the speeds down. During the last one, speeds reached more than 200 mph on the back stretch. The qualifying record for the track is 173.797, set by Ward Burton in 1996. “Speeds picked up over 18 miles an hour and that’s pretty substantial,” Darlington Raceway president Chris Browning said. “They are doing the right thing by coming back and listening to the comments the drivers made. Hopefully, they will design something to withstand the speed.” Since the first test, the track has changed a little with more rubber being put down on it. A six-day driving school was held last week and Browning said 16,416 laps were put down on the track, which is more than a typical 500-mile race with 43 cars. “That definitely doesn’t hurt the track,” Browning said. “Historically, tracks just need time to settle in.”(South Carolina Now)(3-26-2008)
- McDonald’s debut on the #19 car: #19 Dodge driver Elliott Sadler carries the familiar McDonald’s paint scheme this weekend in the Sprint Cup series race at Martinsville Speedway. Sadler will race the McDonald’s car six times in 2007 joining a small group of Sprint Cup drivers who have carried the Golden Arches paint scheme through the years. The list includes Hut Stricklin, Jimmy Spencer, plus Gillett Evernham Motorsports drivers Bill Elliott and Kasey Kahne. The #19 McDonald’s Dodge will run GEM Chassis No. 221 this weekend; a brand new car never raced and tested last fall in Atlanta.(GEM PR), see images of the scheme on my #19 Team Schemes page.(3-26-2008)
- #36 Team Cutting Back Schedule; Wallace to the #28: UPDATE 4: Fitz Motorsports’ Shark Energy Drink #36 Nationwide Series team will temporarily slow operations, effective immediately. Kenny Wallace drove the car in the first five Nationwide Series events this season. A number of different factors led to the decision. “Sponsor money for the #36 Dodge was based on distribution of Shark Energy Drink,” said team owner Armando Fitz. “While the initial response was terrific, it’s taking longer than anticipated to generate enough funding to run the #36 car competitively in the Nationwide Series. “We’re going to scale the #36 team back and put a full effort toward our #22 Supercuts Dodge,” Fitz added. “Kenny Wallace has an opportunity to drive for another Nationwide Series team and we certainly don’t want to hold him back. Kenny has been a great friend and supporter of our program, and he deserves to be racing full time.” Fitz Motorsports will customize a race program for Shark Energy Drink as more distribution outlets are found and product is sold.(Fitz Motorsports PR)(3-17-2008)
AND: Rusty Wallace said on NASCAR Now tonight that Kenny will drive the #28-Jay Robinson Border Patrol car.(3-17-2008)
UPDATE: Jay Robinson Racing announces that Kenny Wallace will be behind the wheel of the #28 U.S. Border Patrol Chevy for the remainder of the 2008 Nationwide Series Season. Kenny will make his debut in the #28 U.S. Border Patrol Chevy this Saturday March 22, 2008 in Nashville during the running of the Pepsi 300.(Jay Robinson Racing PR)(3-18-2008)
UPDATE 2: Tennessee’s own Sterling Marlin will be in the #1 Miccosukee Resort Chevy at Nashville, replacing Johnny Sauter.(NASCAR PR)(3-18-2008)
UPDATE 3: David Tomasello, The former Chief Executive Officer of Shark Energy Drink, comments on last week´s news that Shark Energy Drink has suspended its marketing program in NASCAR. “My management team worked very hard to build that motorsports program with Fitz Motorsports and Xpress Motorsports, and it´s very unfortunate that the new CEO and management has chosen not to continue with the program. “I heard about it just like everyone else, on the internet” said Tomasello.(3-26-2008) - Lia helps raise awareness about Autism: UPDATE Image Added: Donny Lia’s #71 Chevy will carry the colors of Autism Speaks starting at Martinsville Speedway. Lia has a close connection to a child suffering from the incurable disorder. “The Car Chief on my modified has a son who is autistic,” explained Lia. “When we were looking at running at Martinsville without a primary sponsor, we decided that it would be better to offer the space to Autism Speaks to help get the word out about Autism and the need for a cure.”(TRG Motorsports PR)(3-26-2008)
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