April 7, 2007
- Villeneuve Confident of NASCAR Future: Former Canadian Formula One star Jacques Villeneuve leans over and coos to his infant son, who is parked close beside him in the mother of all strollers. Since this time last year, Villeneuve has a new wife, a new baby and a new home. He’s still waiting on word about the new career on the NASCAR circuit. “I’m confident it will happen,” says the former Indy Car, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One champ. So confident that he and his wife have moved from Switzerland to Montreal, where he is within easy travelling distance of the weekend races throughout NASCAR season.(Toronto Star)(4-7-2007)
- Dale Jr. Say DEI Exceeding Expectations in COT: Dale Earnhardt Jr. never doubted whether or not his team could rally back into championship form. But he does recognize that some other organizations are ahead of his when it comes to the car of tomorrow – and that could be key this season. Earnhardt Jr. quickly points out that a lot of teams suffered setbacks at some point in the opening series of six races. He had DNFs in the first two, but has since rallied back to 11th in the standings. The top 12 qualify for the Chase For The Nextel Cup 10-race title-determining segment of the season. Even when his Dale Earnhardt Inc. team endured setbacks, Earnhardt Jr. felt confident with their strength and ability to come back into the elite group. Still, he looks at the Hendrick Motorsports cars and sees a group that will be tough. “They’re at the top of the charts right now, winning every week and running up front every week, and they’ll be hard to challenge going into the Chase at this point,” he said. “But if we can just continue to finish good and take good cars to the race track, we should be able to make that top 12.”(SceneDaily.com)(4-7-2007)
- Kenseth pilots Boeing 737 Simulator: #17-Matt Kenseth is familiar with maneuvering around a race track and through the air, but Thursday the Cambridge, Wis. native experienced a new kind of sensation. As part of his NASCAR Winner’s Circle appearance with Texas Motor Speedway Kenseth spent the day at the American Airlines Training Academy in Fort Worth learning the ropes of piloting a Boeing 737 aircraft. Kenseth, who is a pilot himself and owns a Learjet, was in awe with the simulated experience.(Texas Motor Speedway PR)(4-7-2007)
- Sad News: Doug Carroll: Douglas Wayne Carroll, 44, of A. A. Barrett Road, Shelby, NC died April 5, 2007. Funeral service will be 4 p.m. Saturday at Cherryville Missionary Methodist Church. Burial will follow in City Memorial Cemetery. A native of Cherryville, he was employed by Roush-Yates Racing in Mooresville. Survivors include his father and stepmother, and Harry Wayen Carroll and arah Mull Carroll; and a brother, Gary Daniel Carroll of Cherryville. Memorials may be made to Cherryville Missionary Methodist Church, 318 W. Ballard St., Cherryville, NC 28021, or to Hospice and Pallative Care of Cleveland Co, 951 Wendover Heights Dr., Shelby, NC 28021.(Lincoln Times-News)(4-7-2007)
- Toyota Busch and truck teams to use new manifold: In a technical bulletin issued this week, NASCAR has ordered Toyota Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series teams to use a different intake manifold in an effort to “level the playing field” with other manufacturers. The change does not affect the Nextel Cup Series. The manifold was declared legal before the season, but tests have shown it gives Toyota teams a horsepower advantage. The new intake reduces horsepower, Balash said.(SceneDaily.com)(4-7-2007)
- #72 Cup Team Moving to Busch; Keller to Drive: The #72 Cup team, owned by Brian and Tony Mullet, announced to its team members and driver Brandon Whitt that it will be moving to the Busch Series. The team will be headed by Greg Pollex (formerly of ppc Racing), with Todd Gordon as Crew Chief and Jason Keller as the driver.(CJM Racing PR)(3-14-2007)
UPDATE: After missing out on a full-time ride, scaling back to a role as a fill-in driver for Brewco Motorsports, the veteran racer Jason Keller’s name has popped up in speculation lately for a possible reunion with former, long-time car owner Greg Pollex. “I probably shouldn’t talk about it but yes,” Keller says of the rumors. “It’s the original CJM Racing that tried to run some Cup races. It is a combination of a lot of the players from ppc – what was ppc – Greg Pollex, some of the key personnel, shop people. I am excited.” Keller says the team would be based out of Pollex’s old ppc race shop in Mooresville, NC. “We’re already talking to some sponsors now, they could choose the races they want to run. We are going to run X amount of races no matter what. It’s looking like a window of 12 to 15 races this year,” he says. In addition, Keller would continue his already scheduled five events, including this weekend in Nashville, in the #27 Brewco Motorsports Ford.(BGNRacing.com)(4-7-2007) - Toyota too much horsepower: UPDATE: NASCAR orders change in manifold: Hearing that the Toyotas are 20-30 horsepower ahead of the other manufacturers, and it relates to the new intake they were given to use this year. Also being told that officials are making the Toyota teams go back to the old intake in an effort to get horsepower in line with the other teams.(4-3-2007)
UPDATE: Toyota Truck & Busch Series teams to use new manifold: In a technical bulletin issued this week, NASCAR has ordered Craftsman Truck and Busch Series teams to use a different intake manifold in an effort to “level the playing field” with other manufacturers. The change does not affect the Nextel Cup Series. The manifold was declared legal before the season, but tests have shown it gives Toyota teams a horsepower advantage. The new intake reduces horsepower, Balash said.(SceneDaily.com)(4-7-2007) - McCumbee picks up first ARCA Series win at Nashville: Chad McCumbee knew he had a good car and proved it in the end to win the ARCA RE/MAX Series 150 Saturday afternoon at Nashville Superspeedway. McCumbee, in Jennifer Belmont’s #62 Nortrax-Holland Pump Chevy, powered inside of Cale Gale [#33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevy] on the final restart with three laps remaining and held on for his career-first RE/MAX Series victory in his 31st career attempt. Gale finished second with Erin Crocker [#98-Evernham Motorsports Dodge] finishing third.(arcaracing.com)(4-7-2007)
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