April 10, 2006
- Big Plans by ESPN MORE later times: ESPN plans to pull out all the bells and whistles when NASCAR returns to the cable sports network in 2007. “ESPN has really morphed or grown since we were last in the sport,” said ESPN president George Bodenheimer, who was at Texas on Sunday. “We’re really considered a multimedia network now. We’re looking to take this property and blow it out, if you will.” The network will offer plenty of coverage in studio shows, analysis and a heavy online presence. Much of it has yet to be formalized, said Bodenheimer, also president of ABC Sports. ESPN and ABC will broadcast 17 Cup races beginning in 2007, the first year of an eight-year contract the networks signed with NASCAR. ABC was one of the first networks to televise stock car racing in the 1960s, and ESPN introduced flag-to-flag race telecasts in the 1980s. The network was NASCAR’s leading carrier through the 1990s, but has not aired a race since 2000, when it lost the rights to NBC and Fox. Bodenheimer said the return of NASCAR to ESPN marks an emotional reunion after both grew to national prominence.(ESPN.com/AP)
AND ABC Sports/ ESPN president George Bodenheimer, whose networks return to the mix of televising NASCAR events for the first time in six years next season, said he prefers late afternoon starting times for Sunday Nextel Cup events in 2007. “Generally we’re looking to televise the sport when we can attract the highest ratings that we can,” Bodenheimer said.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(4-10-2006) - Texas Overnight TV Ratings Mixed: Fox’s broadcast of Sunday’s Samsung/RadioShack 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway earned an overnight Nielsen Media Research rating of 4.8 and an 11 market share, Street and Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily reports. The rating is 4% lower than the 5.0/11 Fox earned for the 2005 Texas race, but last year’s race was a week later and was not broadcast opposite the Masters golf tournament, which typically draws strong ratings. This year’s overnight rating for Texas was 4.3% higher than the 4.6 Fox earned for the 2005 spring Martinsville race, which aired at the same time as the final round of the Masters. CBS earned a 9.0/19 overnight for this year’s final round of the Masters, making it the weekend’s highest-rated sports event.(SceneDaily.com)(4-10-2006)
- Said helping Evernham: Evernham Motorsports owner Ray Evernham has an ace in the hole to get red-hot Kasey Kahne ready for the upcoming NASCAR Nextel Cup road course races: Boris Said. Said, a veteran road racer and occasional NASCAR Cup competitor, is working as a consultant to help Evernham’s drivers – Kahne, Jeremy Mayfield and Scott Riggs – get ready for those winding tracks that can be tough on younger drivers.(SceneDaily.com)(4-10-2006)
- Francis Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award: Kenny Francis and Kasey Kahne teamed up to capture another win this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. For the second time this season, Kahne started on the pole and held on to take the checkers, this time out-dueling Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth in the final stages of the Samsung / Radio Shack 500. Francis’ dominant weekend earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. A panel of voters; including Tony Eury Sr., a member of the local media and a WypAll Wipers representative; all cast their vote for Francis as the Crew Chief of the Race. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers gave Francis $1,000. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Francis’ second Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Robbie Reiser for the lead. Darian Grubb and Roy McCauley are tied for second-place in the standings, each with one win.(Wypall PR)(4-10-2006)
- Toyota and…Jarrett? UPDATE 3 Allmendinger? Gibbs?: The new NASCAR Nextel Cup Toyota operation that is being backed by Red Bull “has opened the checkbook,” according to one top Ford man, who points to Red Bull’s hiring of John Propst, a top Ford Motor Company vehicle dynamics specialist, and the hiring of a top Dodge engineer from the Ray Evernham camp for its new stock-car racing team. General Motors executives are anxiously watching their own key engineers for any similar defections. Elsewhere on the Toyota-NASCAR front, Toyota has made a bid to sign a two-year contract with Dale Jarrett, the tour’s 1999 champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. Jarrett’s contract with car owner Robert Yates is up at the end of this season. While it has been unclear for several months if Yates and Jarrett could come to new terms, Ford officials said Yates is offering Jarrett a contract similar to the Toyota deal.(Winston Salem Journal)(4-8-2006)
UPDATE – Red Bull Drivers? When Red Bull Racing debuts their two Toyota teams at Daytona in February of 2007, rumor has it the organization is looking to pair a rookie with a veteran, taking an approached used by Evernham Motorsports with Dodge. Veterans on the Red Bull list are said to be Kevin Harvick and Dale Jarrett. No word on a rookie, but it could easily be an accomplished veteran from another of the Motorsports arenas.(CircleTrackPlus)(4-9-2006)
UPDATE 2 Allmendinger? Murmurs in Champ Car circles say Red Bull, which carries a personal services contract with AJ Allmendinger, might like to see the young American in Nextel Cup, where it hopes to strike big in 2007 in partnership with Toyota. With so much money and fame up for grabs in NASCAR, it has become a challenge to keep promising open-wheel drivers away from the France family circus. It could prove difficult for Owner Carl Russo and Champ Car to hold onto Allmendinger, especially if he starts winning.(Autoweek)(4-9-2006)
UPDATE 3 Gibbs? There is still no word on which drivers Toyota might back, but Toyota may be making a run at car owner Joe Gibbs, with hopes of persuading the veteran Chevy man, and his three-man team of #20-Tony Stewart, #11-Denny Hamlin and #18-J. J. Yeley, to jump to the Camry brigade, according to sources. Chevy’s Kevin Harvick continues to be a focal point of Toyota speculation. However, there is word that Harvick may be under consideration by Ford’s Jack Roush for a driving job next season, though Harvick insists “I’ve not talked with Jack Roush, and I don’t know Geoff Smith (Roush’s contract attorney).” Smith was not here to discuss the situation, and Roush demurred: “I hear Toyota goes with Kevin Harvick, and there’s not a Toyota in my future. What I do know, is Toyota just hired (engineer) John Propst from Ford, and that gives Toyota access to everything all the Ford teams have known about the engineering of the cars, and that’s a cheeky move by Toyota, and it’s certainly a coup for Toyota. The thing that is more distressing is Toyota is in position to make their own tires, with its relationship with Bridgestone….And I’ve heard Toyota has acquired 100 acres of land in Charlotte to put together a test track.”(Winston Salem Journal)(4-10-2006) - Sad News – Jack Bowsher: Three-time ARCA national driving champion and six-time car owner champion Jack Bowsher died Saturday, April 8th. He was 75. Bowsher had 80 victories as a car owner (#1 in ARCA competition) and 48 as a driver (#2 in ARCA competition). Bowsher’s car sat on the pole and won the NASCAR Winston Cup Series race at the road course in Riverside, California in 1970 with A.J. Foyt behind the wheel. Bowsher finished 1st in the 24 Hours of Daytona as a car owner in 1976 with drivers David and Larry Pearson, and sons Jim & Gary. He is survived by wife Julie Bowsher, sons’ Jack Bowsher Jr., Gary Bowsher, Jim Bowsher, Bobby Bowsher and Todd Bowsher, and daughter Jodie Bowsher. As per Jack’s wishes, there will be no funeral home viewing. Graveside Services open to the public will be Tuesday April 11 at 1:00pm at Fletcher Chapel Cemetary, 5920 Fletcher Pike, Harmony Township, Springfield, Ohio 45505
There will be a memorial gathering open for family and friends immediately following the graveside service from 3:00pm to 7:00pm at: VFW Post 8673, 2825 East Leffel Lane, Springfield, Ohio 45505. In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Jack’s name to: Focus Motorsports Ministries, Bill Krick, Chaplain, 2497 Governors Pointe, Concord, NC 28025-2425.(ARCARacing.com and toddbowsher.com)(4-10-2006) - Richmond NEXTEL Cup Series Testing, April 11-13: the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers will take their turn for three consecutive days of testing starting Tuesday, April 11. Below is the tentative schedule of when the drivers expect to test at Richmond International Raceway. Testing each day will run from 9:00am to 9:00pm/et and the grandstands will be open for fans each day. Admission and parking are free and concessions will be available from 9:00am to 8:30pm/et each day.
Scheduled to test April 11-12:
#01-Joe Nemechek, #09-Mike Wallace, #1-Martin Truex, Jr., #2-Kurt Busch, #6-Mark Martin, #7-Robby Gordon, #8-Dale Earnhardt, Jr., #9-Kasey Kahne, #11-Denny Hamlin, #12-Ryan Newman, #14-Sterling Marlin, #16-Greg Biffle, #17-Matt Kenseth, #18-J.J. Yeley, #19-Jeremy Mayfield, #20-Tony Stewart, #21-Ken Schrader, #22-Dave Blaney, #24-Jeff Gordon, #26-Jamie McMurray, #40-David Stremme, #41-Reed Sorenson, #42-Casey Mears, #45-Kyle Petty, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #66-Jeff Green, #89-Morgan Shepherd, #96-Tony Raines, #99-Carl Edwards;
Scheduled to test April 12-13:
#07-Clint Bowyer, #4-Scott Wimmer, #5-Kyle Busch, #10-Scott Riggs, #25-Brian Vickers, #29-Kevin Harvick, #31-Jeff Burton, #38-Elliott Sadler, #43-Bobby Labonte, #49-Brent Sherman, #51-Mike Garvey, #61-Kevin Lepage, #78-Kenny Wallace, #88-Dale Jarrett, #92-Chad Blount.(RIR PR)(4-10-2006) - No #38 Team in Nashville?: Hearing that the #38 team of Akins Motorsports will not travel to Nashville this weeekend. Great Clips will reportedly move to the #32 team of Braun Racing.(04-10-2006)
UPDATE: The Great Clips Racing program has announced the addition of Jason Leffler to its driver lineup, joining Braun Racing teammate and Rookie of the Year contender AJ Foyt IV who currently drives the #38 Great Clips entry. Great Clips, which this season has served as primary sponsor of Foyt’s #38 entry, will divide their sponsorship between Braun Racing’s #32 and #38 entries throughout the 2006 season. Leffler, driver of the #32 Chevy, will carry Great Clips as the primary sponsor of his car in select races beginning with this weekend’s Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway. Foyt will turn to a more limited schedule in the #38 Great Clips entry in an effort to give him more time to test and gain valuable seat time by possibly running in other series. He will retain his eligibility to compete for the Rookie of the Year honors. Foyt will be back behind the wheel of the #38 on April 21 at Phoenix International Raceway.(Great Clips PR)(4-10-2006) - Dale Jr. Racing Experience at Bud World to be at Nashville: The Dale Jr. Racing Experience at Bud World will be at the Nashville Superspeedway Saturday for the Pepsi 300 NASCAR Busch Series race. The Dale Jr. Experience will be located in Expo Row. The Dale Jr. Experience is an exciting, state-of-the-art, mobile exhibit unit designed specifically for adult consumers to learn about Budweiser’s sponsorship of NASCAR and driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.(Nashville Speedway PR)(4-10-2006)
- Lamar Leads Kleuver for Rookie of the Year: Burney Lamar leads Todd Kluever by seven points (74-67) in the Raybestos® Rookie standings entering the April 15 Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway. John Andretti was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the April 8 O’Reilly 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. Andretti finished 19th and took Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors for the second consecutive race.(Raybestos PR)(4-10-2006)
- Muskogee native, Chad Wheeler, may race trucks: Over the last three weeks Muskogee, OK native Chad Wheeler has had a glimpse of the fast pace world of big time racing. A month ago, the Muskogee High School graduate was preparing to race his Modified car in the upcoming dirt track season. Two weeks ago, he was in Hampton, Ga., for the Truck Series’ John Deere 200 and the Busch Series’ Nicorette 300 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway as the guest of sports marketing executive Doug Bland. Earlier this past week, Wheeler was at the Carraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C., where he ran close to 50 laps during a test session in a Craftsman truck(Green Light Racing owned). On Tuesday, Bland will turn in Wheeler’s application for a NASCAR license, the first step to being a driver in any of the three series. If all goes as planned, Wheeler will race in four to six Truck Series races this season. Wheeler and Bland are targeting the May 27 race at the Mansfield (Ohio) Motorsports Speedway as his debut into the series.(muskogeephoenix.com)(4-10-2006)
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