March 27, 2007
- Gordon’s shop not ready…Cal Wells helps out UPDATE 2: #7-Robby Gordon said Friday that his new shop in Charlotte, N.C., will not be ready in May as he had hoped. “The weather this winter has just killed us,” said Gordon. “We’re moving dirt and getting up to speed on that, it’s just taking longer than I wanted, to be honest with you, to get the stuff in place.” The Nextel Cup owner/driver did not have a firm completion date, but said the pouring of the foundation for the new home of Robby Gordon Motorsports should be “in the next couple of weeks.” Gordon also has enlisted the help of former NASCAR Nextel Cup team owner Cal Wells III. “Cal’s been coming to work with us on race weekends and observing,” said Gordon Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway. “He’s just trying to help me in any way he can with the experience that he has.” As for the new Fusion Car of Tomorrow, Gordon is enthusiastic. “I’m fine with the new car,” said Gordon, who once again is without a sponsor this weekend. “I think it’s the great equalizer. We just haven’t got our piece figured out yet.”(Ford Racing)(3-25-2007)
UPDATE: Former car owner Cal Wells said he’s in talks with sponsors and an ownership group to be part of a two-car effort next season. Wells said he hopes to have a deal done later this spring. He would be a minority owner in the team but run it.(Roanoke Times)(3-26-2007)
UPDATE 2: from Cal Wells III: “I have known the entire Gordon family for decades. Robby’s father drove for me in my early years of off-road racing and Robby has driven for me in off-road and in Indy car. We’ve had our good times and our challenges, been mad at each other, supported each other, but most of all, we’ve remained family friends. He and his sisters along with his mom and dad and step-mom, all good friends. As Robby’s racing organization continues to develop, it is going through what all small businesses go through, a challenging evolution, Rob reached out for some advice but nothing more. I don’t work there, haven’t taken a job there, just helping him out a little bit on a couple of deals he is working on, which if successful will really establish his organization as a force in the garage area. Our relationship works best when I offer supportive suggestions but not for compensation or an obligation from him to follow any of them. As for myself, I am actually working on a couple of opportunities which will hopefully keep me in the sport I so dearly love. Time and hard work will tell.”(3-27-2007)
- New website for Wood Bros: The Wood Brothers/JTG Race Team has undergone an extreme makeover regarding their official team website, located at www.woodbrothersjtg.com. After months of careful planning, the redesigned site hit the Internet over a week ago in a Beta Test Phase and now is ready for fans and visitors alike to browse the updated offerings.(PR)(3-27-2007)
- Johnson to open up Victory Junction Bowling Alley: Jimmie and Chandra Johnson and the Pettys will celebrate the Grand Opening of Jimmie Johnson’s Victory Lanes at the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, NC on Thursday, March 29 from 2:00 – 4:00pm/et. More info about the camp at Victory Junction Gang Camp.(3-27-2007)
- #16 declared too low after Bristol race UPDATE penalty delayed, if any? #16-Greg Biffle’s team faces penalties after his car failed post-race inspection following a fifth-place finish. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president for competition, said the car was too low. Pemberton would not speculate on the penalty, which could include a fine and points deduction, saying inspectors wanted to go over the car completely at the R&D Center in Concord, N.C., before a ruling is made. Biffle’s car, as well as the #5 of winner Kyle Busch, were taken to Concord as a part of what will be a routine process as NASCAR implements the Car of Tomorrow this season. Pemberton said Busch would have the car back in time for Martinsville. That was good news to crew chief Alan Gustafson, who plans to use the car as a backup next week.(ESPN.com)(3-25-2007)
UPDATE: From Larry McReynolds’ column at FoxSports.com: “Don’t expect to see a decision handed down this week against Greg Biffle and the #16 Roush Fenway Racing Nextel Cup team because a rear quarterpanel was low, and that’s not something a team would want to have at Bristol. NASCAR can’t figure out how it would be a performance enhancement. I don’t look for any penalties this week. You’re going to probably see something next week as this scenario is another part of the learning process with the Car of Tomorrow.(FoxSports.com)(3-27-2007)
- Schrader testing at Caraway: In preparation for Martinsville, Ken Schrader the #21 Little Debbie Ford decided to test at Carraway Speedway on Tuesday, March 27th. Schrader needs to race his way into the field at Martinsville as the team is not in the top 35 in owners points.(Wood Brothers/JTG Racing PR)(3-27-2007)
- COT and Haulers Fact: One of the big controversies about the Car of Tomorrow concerned the race haulers, the 53-foot tractor-trailers teams use to haul cars to and from the track. Last year, when team owners were fighting the CoT concept tooth and nail, one of their prime objections was that the taller CoTs would necessitate wholesale replacement of the pricey trailers. NASCAR insisted that wasn’t true. So what’s the real story? Newer trailers—those made in the last two years—have a lowered upper deck floor that accommodates the new, taller cars just fine. But some of the smaller teams that use older trailers have to replace the race tires on their CoTs to get them to fit. For example, BAM Racing, which fields cars for Mike Bliss, has a set of tire innerliners that it puts on Bliss’s CoT to get it to fit in the trailer. The innerliners, of course, aren’t as tall as the regular race tires. At least one other team uses production street tires when it loads its CoT. One other footnote about the trailers: The average life expectancy of a NASCAR Nextel Cup trailer is about 3-4 years. At the end of its life cycle, technology has advanced enough that teams want new features and configurations in their trailers.(Ford Racing)(3-27-2007)
- Vickers suffers burns at Bristol; will test this week: #83-Brian Vickers’ cockpit was contaminated by excessive heat and fumes resulting from an exhaust system failure half-way through the race [at Bristol]. Vickers soldiered on for 200+ laps while enduring burns on his bottom and feet and noxious exhaust leaking into his racecar to lead a lap in competition and finish on the lead lap in 15th place. Part-way through the race, Vickers suddenly radioed the team that his engine was running roughly and he had smoke and fumes entering his cockpit. Initially suspecting another engine malady, it was subsequently revealed that a section of exhaust pipe directly beneath Vickers seat had failed and separated, affecting the engine’s performance. Vickers reported a severe heat problem developing inside his Toyota. Representatives of BVLLC reported Monday afternoon that Brian Vickers is doing well and recovering from the 1st and 2nd-degree burns suffered to his bottom/feet and exhaust inhalation Vickers experienced during Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Vickers requested medical attention following the race, including oxygen, and is resting at home in Charlotte. He plans to address TRB business obligations Tuesday, test at Greenville-Pickens Speedway on Wednesday and is expected to be ready for this weekend’s race at Martinsville.(Brianvickers.com)(3-27-2007)
- ESPN360.com To Feature All 26 ESPN2 Busch Series Races Live:ESPN announced today that its signature broadband service, ESPN360.com, will deliver live online simulcasts of every remaining ESPN2 Busch Series telecast – 26 in all, beginning on April 7 at the Nashville Superspeedway. Coverage will also include simulcasts of ESPN2’s pre-race programming, including each week’s NASCAR Countdown. ESPN360.com’s live coverage will be integrated directly into the ESPN.com RaceCast, allowing fans with access to ESPN360.com to not only watch the live race Webcast, but also follow the in-race animated graphic display and get track information, lap leaders, race leaders, driver stats and live chat with ESPN NASCAR contributor Tim Cowlishaw throughout the race. ESPN360.com is available at no charge to consumers in more than 15 million homes nationwide, via highspeed Internet connections provided by ESPN affiliated service providers. ESPN360.com’s coverage will make it the live online home of the Busch Series, complementing ESPN2 as the television home of the Busch Series.
Highlights: Extensive videohighlights from every Busch and NEXTEL Cup race on ESPN.com and ESPN360.com
Surrounding Action: Additional video from each race, including insider features, practice and qualifying footage, interviews with drivers, pit teams, extensions to ESPN studio programming and video blogs covering major news and events.
Season-Long Driver Capsules: ESPN360.com features exclusive driver-specific video capsules, progressively updated throughout the season, that provide season-to-date highlights, interviews, news and all other driver-related video.(ESPN PR)(3-27-2007)
- IROC Site Tribute: the IROC site has a thank you posted with a nice tribute to the IROC Series, the series has cancelled the first two races of the 2007 season, for more see the IROCracing.com site.(3-27-2007)
- Germain Racing to Run some Busch Races: UPDATE 2: “We were going to run a few races with the new Car of Tomorrow, but in retrospect we felt we maybe ought to back down on that a little bit and run some Busch races instead,” [Ted] Musgrave said. “I think that’s where we’re leaning, try to get the Toyota flag flying there, but one thing’s for sure, we’re going to try to go for the championship in the Truck Series again.” [Tddd] Bodine will drive the Busch car, according to Germain, who explained that it was Toyota who came to his team and asked if they would hold off on the Car of Tomorrow and run a partial Busch schedule.(Naples Daily News)(2-12-2007)
UPDATE: Interviewed on Sirius Radio’s The Morning Drive, Todd Bodine said his Germain Racing team will test at Richmond this week. They currently plan on running about 12 Busch races this season, starting at Richmond. The team also still plans 3-4 Cup races, possibly starting at the Brickyard.(3-27-2007)
UPDATE 2: Germain Racing plans to field two fulltime Nextel Cup teams for Toyota by 2009. Todd Bodine took the first step in that process on Tuesday, testing a Busch Series car at Richmond. Germain Racing will enter Bodine in the May 4 Richmond Busch race in a Camry being built at its new Mooresville, N.C., shop. It is the first of 11 Busch events the 43-year-old Bodine is scheduled to enter this season.(ESPN.com)(3-27-2007)
- Kenny Wallace to Drive for Childress at Gateway: Kenny Wallace will drive Richard Childress Racing’s (RCR) #2 Chevy in the July 21 Busch Series race at Gateway.(RCR PR)(3-27-2007)
- Dixie Stampede to Continue Associate Sponsorship with Childress: Dixie Stampede reaffirmed its official partnership with Richard Childress Racing and will be an associate sponsor of its #29 Holiday Inn Busch Series team with drivers Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer. The Dixie Stampede logo will adorn the “B-Post” position on the #29 Holiday Inn Chevy as well as the uniforms worn by Burton, Wimmer and the entire #29 crew. Last season, the Dixie Stampede logo occupied the same space as an associate sponsor of RCR’s #2 Busch Series team with driver Clint Bowyer.(RCR PR)(3-27-2007)
- Brewco Partners with Bobby East; Will Drive 10 Races: Brewco Motorsports Inc. announced Ford Racing development driver and 2004 USAC National Midget Series Champion Bobby East will be behind the wheel of its Busch Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series Fords for several races in 2007. East is scheduled to run a minimum of 10 races between Brewco’s #27 and #37 Fords in the Busch Series and three to five races in ARCA RE/MAX Series competition.(Brewco PR)(3-27-2007)
- Jeff Burton Leads Tuesday Testing: Jeff Burton led Tuesday’s NASCAR Busch Series test session at Richmond International Raceway, topping the speed charts at 125.267 mph (21.554 seconds). Matt Kenseth was second fastest with a speed of 124.850 mph (21.626 seconds). Forty drivers turned laps for the first of two days of testing, in preparation for the Circuit City 250 Presented by FUNAI NASCAR Busch Series race at Richmond on May 4. Overall, the top five drivers on the day were: #29-Jeff Burton, 125.267 mph, #17-Matt Kenseth, 124.850 mph, #5-Kyle Busch, 124.757 mph, #25-David Gilliland, 123.870 mph, and #10-Dave Blaney, 123.762 mph (RIR PR). See complete speeds from both sessions on the Richmond Testing Page.(3-27-2007)
- Kyle Busch’s Crew Chief Penalized: NASCAR announced today that Mike Bumgarner, crew chief of the #5 Chevy driven by Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Busch Series, has been penalized due to rules violations at Bristol. Bumgarner was fined $2,000 for violating Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules and 20A – 12.1A(8) (jacking bolts must be made of solid magnetic steel) of the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Rule Book. The infraction occurred during opening day inspection. (NASCAR PR)(3-27-2007)
- Six drivers attempt series debut: There are 43 trucks entered for this Saturday’s Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. Six drivers will attempt to make their series debut in the race: Tim Cowen [#42-Cowen Truck Line Ford], Frank Kreyer [#44-Culver’s Restaurant Chevy], Bradley Riethmeyer [#49-All-American Driver Challenge Dodge], Kerry Roseman [#53-Blankenbaker Motorsports Dodge] , Jimmy Simpson [#64-Prime Development Group Chevy] and Chris Jones [#87-Chevy] are entered in the 250-lap race on the 0.526-mile short track. Brian Sockwell [#53-Reary Racing Dodge] and Shane Seig [#28-Kissin Kuzzins Construction Chevy] will be attempting to make their season debut.(3-27-2007)
- Seig returns to Series at Martinsville: Driver Shane Seig, who has 23 previous starts in the Truck Series, has been entered as the driver for Jim Rosenblum’s #28-FDNY Racing Chevy at Martinsville. Kissin Kuzzins Construction will be the sponsor.(FDNY Racing)(3-27-2007)
- Germain Racing to run some Busch races: UPDATE 3: Germain Racing to run Cup by 2009: “We were going to run a few races with the new Car of Tomorrow, but in retrospect we felt we maybe ought to back down on that a little bit and run some Busch races instead,” [Ted] Musgrave said. “I think that’s where we’re leaning, try to get the Toyota flag flying there, but one thing’s for sure, we’re going to try to go for the championship in the Truck Series again.” [Tddd] Bodine will drive the Busch car, according to Germain, who explained that it was Toyota who came to his team and asked if they would hold off on the Car of Tomorrow and run a partial Busch schedule.(Naples Daily News)(2-12-2007)
UPDATE: During “The Driver’s Seat” broadcast on Sirius Radio, Todd Bodine said that he and the Germain Racing Team would be running up to twelve races in the Busch Series this season. They are also looking at running Indianapolis in the Cup Series.(3-6-2007)
UPDATE 2: Interviewed on Sirius Radio’s The Morning Drive, Todd Bodine said his Germain Racing team will test at Richmond this week. They currently plan on running about 12 Busch races this season, starting at Richmond. The team also still plans 3-4 Cup races, possibly starting at the Brickyard.(3-27-2007)
UPDATE 3: Germain Racing plans to field two fulltime Nextel Cup teams for Toyota by 2009. Todd Bodine took the first step in that process on Tuesday, testing a Busch Series car at Richmond. Germain Racing will enter Bodine in the May 4 Richmond Busch race in a Camry being built at its new Mooresville, N.C., shop. (ESPN.com)(3-27-2007)
- Kvapil to make 100th career start at Martinsville: Travis Kvapil, driving the Roush Fenway Racing #6-K&N Filters Ford, will reach a career milestone when the green flag drops at Martinsville Speedway this Saturday, as it will mark his 100th start in the Craftsman Truck Series. In his 99 Craftsman Truck Series starts, Kvapil has recorded one pole, five wins, 41 top-five and 65 top-10 finishes and earned $2,430,295.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)(3-27-2007)
- Menard entered with Billy Ballew: UPDATE: Joint venture with DEI: The entry list for Martinsville shows Paul Menard entered in the #51 Chevy; a second entry for Billy Ballew Motorsports along with series regular Bill Lester in the #15 Chevy. No sponsorship has been announced.(3-27-2007)
UPDATE: Billy Ballew Motorsports has announced a joint venture with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. for the Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 250 at the Martinsville Speedway. The #51 Menards Chevy will be piloted by Nextel Cup and Busch Series driver, Paul Menard. Menard’s will serve as the primary sponsor with Moen Faucets and Pittsburgh Paints serving as primary associate sponsors on the #51 Chevy.(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)(3-27-2007)
- Sterling Trucks to sponsor JC Stout: The #91 Craftsman Truck Series camp of Stellar-Quest Racing, has announced a sponsorship deal with Sterling Truck Corporation for the 2007 season. Driver, 23 year old JC Stout, confirmed the relationship today. The #91 race truck will feature the Sterling Truck Corp. logo starting with the May 18th race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. That race will mark the beginning of Stout’s fifth consecutive part time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Sterling Truck Corporation headquartered in Redford, Michigan, produces and markets a full line of Class 3-8 work trucks for regional hauling and diverse vocational applications.(JC Stout PR)(3-27-2007)
- Harvick pulling double-duty at Martinsville: Kevin Harvick will pull double-duty for the sixth time this season. Harvick will compete in the Truck Series Kroger 250 on Saturday and the Nextel Cup Series event on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway . This weekend marks his second race of the season in the #2 Camping World Chevy.(Kevin Harvick Inc. PR)(3-27-2007)
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