April 23, 2003
- Sad News – Get Well: Austin Cameron will not compete as the driver of the #16 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet in Saturday’s Pontiac Wide Track Grand Prix 200 NASCAR Winston West Series event at California Speedway. Cameron was diagnosed earlier this week with lymphoblastic lymphoma cancer. Final results late yesterday determined that Cameron should not drive in the race this weekend. He is beginning treatment today at Grossmont Cancer Center. For fans who wish to send cards or express their support to Austin, the team asks that those be sent to the team shop at: 3630 Cincinnati Ave., Suite B, Rocklin, CA 95765.(Racing West)(4-23-2003)
- Boy Stars With Johnson: Flashing an infectious smile, Lamott Ebron is clearly enjoying his 15 minutes of fame. That boyish grin, after all, helped land the Simon Gratz High sophomore a spot opposite Winston Cup driver Jimmie Johnson on national television in February. The duo teamed up in A Walk in Your Shoes, an educational series matching two people from different backgrounds learning about each other’s environment. The show, which was shot during a NASCAR weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway last season, was part of “The N” teen block on Noggin – Nickelodeon’s sister cable network. Earlier this month, when Johnson came to town to promote a race in Dover, Del., the two greeted each other as if they were longtime friends. “Jimmie is my favorite driver because, week after week, he performs at a consistently high level,” Ebron said. “He’s very competitive and I like his style of driving, although sometimes he gets himself in trouble by being a little too greedy on the track – just like me.” Chuckling at the comparison, Johnson called Ebron “a great kid” and gushed about the time they spent together at the track. His motor sports education shifted into high gear last year when Ebron enrolled in the Urban Youth Racing School, which has its headquarters on Parkside Avenue near Fairmount Park. The nonprofit organization provides inner-city youths – ages 8 through 18 – a chance to race go-carts and learn about career opportunities in motor sports and the automotive industry. Founded in 1998, the program has provided free instruction to more than 500 students. According to executive director Anthony Martin, the school is about to expand, with new schools set for Indianapolis; Charlottesville, Va.; Phoenix; and Kansas City, Kan. The Urban Youth Racing School held its annual awards banquet last night at Dave and Buster’s on Columbus Boulevard. The festivities were to include a screening of Ebron’s television debut.(Philadelphia Inqurier)(4-23-2003)
- Stewart thinks NASCAR should have safety crew: Defending champion Tony Stewart wonders why NASCAR doesn’t have a traveling safety team. While NASCAR has made changes to improve safety, it has not created a safety team that goes from race to race. Both the Indy Racing League and CART have a trained team of safety workers to respond to each accident. NASCAR has a medical liaison at the track while relying on local firefighters and emergency workers to go to the accident scenes. “I’ve tried to get NASCAR to get their own safety crew,” Stewart said. “When I ran in the IRL … you always felt comfortable knowing that if you were in an accident you knew who the people were who were coming to get you out of the car. You knew they were trained properly. Having the medical liaison there each week is a step in the right direction. At times it’s frustrating that we haven’t gone any farther than that, but at the same time I kind of applaud NASCAR for at least using their heads. They don’t do things very fast a lot of times but when they do get something done it’s been well thought out, and I think they’re looking at that now. I’m praying for the day I show up at the race track and we see a bunch of guys in uniform that are the same guys we see the week before in the previous race and the week before that.”(Roanoke Times)(4-23-2003)
- Mark Martin Posts Top Time in First Day of Testing at Infineon Raceway: #6-Mark Martin posted the top time Tuesday during the first day of a NASCAR Winston Cup test session at Infineon Raceway. Martin, one of six Winston Cup drivers testing the 10-turn, 2-mile road course in preparation for the Dodge/Save Mart 350 (June 19-22), ran 92.903mph, followed by #81?-Ron Fellows at 92.474 and #17-Matt Kenseth at 92.367. #20-Tony Stewart owns the track qualifying record of 93.946mph. Other testers included rookies #42-Jamie McMurray (91.954), #41-Casey Mears (91.603) and #0-Jack Sprague (91.082). The two-day session will conclude on Wednesday.(Infineon Raceway)(4-23-2003)
- Special #12 Paint Scheme: This weekend’s Auto Club 500 at California Speedway marks the first of five (5) 2003 races that Ryan Newman’s #12 Penske Racing South-ALLTEL Dodge Intrepid will feature the familiar Mobil 1 color scheme. Newman first ran these colors in last year’s California race where he won the pole in record fashion. In last year’s five races carrying Mobil 1 colors, Newman won three poles (two track qualifying records) and the points-paying race last September at New Hampshire. He also had two other top-five finishes. Newman will carry the Mobil 1 colors this season at California, Chicago, Pocono (July), New Hampshire (September) and Atlanta (October).(Tom Roberts PR)(4-23-2003)
- One Andretti to run, one to test and maybe qualify for the Indy 500, another to get a ride? Michael Andretti still hasn’t announced who will replace Dario Franchitti next month at the Indianapolis 500. But he has a backup replacement plan for his other injured driver. He’s bringing in the old man. Mario Andretti, arguably the most versatile racer of all time, will step out of the past and into Tony Kanaan’s 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda for testing Wednesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kanaan, who suffered a broken left arm earlier this month in Japan, might not be able to practice May 4 or later qualify for the Indy 500. Dr. Terry Trammell did say Tuesday that Kanaan should be well enough to run the race May 25. The Andrettis already have agreed to Mario qualifying the car for Kanaan if Kanaan is unable to. It is unlikely — even if Mario qualifies and the 28-year-old Brazilian can’t run the race — that Mario would run at Indy. Mario won the 1969 Indy 500 but has not competed at the Speedway since 1994, the year he retired from championship car racing after a 30-year career. But Andretti did compete at LeMans until 2000 and said he doesn’t believe he would be in over his head for the qualifying run. The oldest driver to qualify at Indy is A.J. Foyt, who was 57 in his 1992 finale. “Yeah, dad and I predict that A.J. will be in a car by Thursday,” Michael Andretti said, laughing. “I’m afraid poor Anthony (Foyt IV) will be out of his ride.” It’s a role reversal that amazes John Andretti, a full-time NASCAR driver who is hoping to assume Franchitti’s Indy ride. Robby Gordon also is a strong possibility to replace Franchitti, suffered a broken back in a motorcycle accident and will be out until July. “Nothing my uncle does surprises me, but to think that he’s going to be driving for Michael is pretty neat,” he said. “I’d love to join them because it’s Michael’s last race and he’s got a great team. Heck, I’d even drive for nothing.” Michael Andretti already has announced that the Indy 500 will be his final race before focusing solely on ownership.(ESPN)(4-23-2003)
- Only Eight Left: With a quarter of the 2003 season now complete, Terry Labonte is one of only eight drivers who have been running at the finish of all nine races thus far; the others being Ricky Craven, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Robby Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Kenny Wallace and Michael Waltrip.(Hendrick Motorsports PR) see my DNF page for stats.(4-23-2003)
- Rudd Testing at Kentucky: Kentucky Speedway says Ricky Rudd was scheduled to test Wood Brothers Racing’s #21 Ford today. Testing is not open to the public, but the track says spectators may watch from the visitor center in turn three.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(4-23-2003)
- NASCAR Testing Device: NASCAR is testing a device designed to reduce or eliminate dangerous carbon monoxide fumes being inhaled by drivers. Gary Nelson, NASCAR’s managing director of competition, called it a “catalyst system,” and said Tuesday that it was used two weeks ago in Martinsville, Virginia, by Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart during practice and the race. Stewart was sickened by carbon monoxide fumes during a race last fall at Martinsville Speedway, and the Joe Gibbs Racing team volunteered to be the first to test the new system. “We have a system we have been developing in our laboratory and thought it was time to try it at the track,” Nelson said. Stewart was supposed to try the device only in practice, but chose to use it in the race as well. “I felt better than I probably had after any of the Martinsville races I remember,” Stewart said. “I still did have a headache after the race was over, which is typical of a Martinsville race, but not nearly as severe as it was in the past.” Stewart said he told Nelson he would like to try the device again in the fall race at Martinsville “to be certain it wasn’t just a good day. But I’m somewhat encouraged the filter did its job.” Nelson, who heads up NASCAR’s new research and development facility in Concord, North Carolina, said the device that Stewart described as a filter “is a catalyst that sits on the floor in the car next to the driver. The system sends (clean) air to the driver’s helmet.” Nelson said the new system runs on “the same theory” as catalytic converters used in street cars to diminish pollutants in the exhaust, “but this is a low-temperature catalyst.” NASCAR has been working since last fall on systems to filter the air a driver breathes during a race, a project that drew increased focus after Rick Mast announced in January he was retiring because years of exposure to toxic fumes had given him acute and chronic carbon monoxide poisoning.(more at Charlotte Observer)(4-23-2003)
- Tennessee Looking at NASCAR License Plates: In an unlikely marriage of interests, a Nashville state senator wants the legislature to create a NASCAR-themed specialty license plate that would benefit the financially strapped Tennessee State Museum. Proceeds, under Sen. Douglas Henry’s plan, would be shared between the Bristol Motor Speedway Children’s Charity and the Nashville museum. The museum is looking for funds after losing $225,800 to budget cuts, including $92,100 that it said it needed to buy artifacts to preserve the state’s history. The union with NASCAR is not that unnatural, according to museum Executive Director Lois Riggins-Ezzell, who hatched the idea. The museum helped build the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame at the Gaylord Entertainment Center and owns the sports collection there, she said. Jeff Byrd, president and general manager at Bristol Motor Speedway, said he is working with NASCAR to work out a licensing agreement. If NASCAR requires a licensing fee, the plate probably would replace ”NASCAR” with ”Race Fan” and a checkered flag or something similar, Byrd said. If NASCAR agrees to drop its licensing fee, Byrd would like to design several plates featuring top NASCAR drivers.(Tennessean)(4-23-2003)
- Fuller to test for Gibbs: Busch Series veteran driver, Jeff Fuller, is scheduled to test the Winston Cup Chevrolets of Joe Gibbs Racing {#18 and #20] at the General Motors proving grounds April 25-27.(Jeff Fuller site)(4-23-2003)
- NASCAR on FOX Wins Wins Sports Emmy; No Major Awards for NASCAR TV UPDATE: Both NASCAR on NBC/TNT and Totally NASCAR were among the finalists for the prestigious Sports Emmy Awards, but neither came out a winner on Monday night. NBA on NBC beat out NASCAR on NBC/TNT in the live series category. ESPN’s Baseball Tonight bested Totally NASCAR for the top daily studio show. However, NASCAR on FOX won in either the Outstanding Editing or Outstanding Live Event Audio/Sound category. Excerpts from the ceremony will air this Sunday on Fox Sports Net’s The Best Damn Sports Show Period.(MotorsportsTV)(4-22-2003)
UPDATE: NASCAR on FOX won for best live event audio.(4-23-2003) - Special Paint Scheme for the #5: The CaliforniaSpeedway.com 300 will feature another special paint scheme for GMAC Racing, with the CarQuest Auto Parts logo prominently displayed on the hood of the #5 Chevy. The team ran an identical paint scheme in April at Texas Motor Speedway, where Vickers led 87 laps.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(4-23-2003)
- New Crew Chief for the #29: The K-Automotive Racing Team announced today that veteran NASCAR crew chief Rick Ren will assume that position with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entry beginning with the next series event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway at Charlotte, NC, Friday, May 16. Ren will take over calling the shots from on top of the pit box for driver Terry Cook and the #29 Power Stroke Diesel/Oil Mate Ford team while team owner and crew chief Bob Keselowski transitions to a General Manager role at the team’s Lake Orion, MI headquarters. “This is a really great opportunity for me,” said Ren, a 28-year racing veteran who most recently guided the #60 Addington Racing NCTS entry for the past five seasons. “Everyone in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series garage knows what a top-flight team the Keselowski’s have. Terry Cook is a proven winner in this series taking four wins last year alone and the team sponsor, Power Stroke Diesel, is one of the best in the Truck Series. I couldn’t ask for a better situation.” Keselowski, who took ill earlier this season, will continue to be involved with the team’s raceday effort from his managerial role. The position will allow the 51-year-old NASCAR veteran driver and crew chief stay active with his race team while he returns to full health. “This is a great solution for everyone involved,” said Kay Keselowski, Bob’s wife and spotter for the team. “We’ve been racing against Rick Ren for years and he’s always one of the guys you have to plan on trying to beat. It will be nice to have him on our side for a change. Having Rick here will also allow Bob to concentrate on getting back to full strength physically and still have an active hand in running our family race team. Being at the race shop will be the best medicine for Bob. Everyone is looking forward to the day when we can have Bob back at the racetrack fulltime.”(Motorsports Management Group PR)(4-23-2003)
- Lester testing at Atlanta: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Bill Lester is testing the #8 Dodge truck at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Wednesday, April 23, and Thursday, April 24. The test sessions will be open to media and closed to the public.(AMS PR)(4-23-2003)
- Testing at Texas: hearing Chevy trucks are at Texas for a two day test from 2:00 – 10:00pm on Monday/Tuesday, April 21st/22nd.(4-21-2003)
UPDATE: Six NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chevrolet teams are testing at Texas Motor Speedway Monday and Tuesday from 1:00 – 9:00pm in preparation for the June 6 O’Reilly 400k: #75-David Starr, #46-Dennis Setzer, #16-Travis Kvapil, #3-Shawna Robinson, #03-Eric Jones and #?-Ken Weaver, Weaver Motorsports.(TMS PR)(4-22-2003)
UPDATE 2: Six Chevrolet NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams focused on aerodynamics during two days and evenings of testing Monday and Tuesday at Texas Motor Speedway in preparation for the O’Reilly 400k on Friday night, June 6. Two-time 2003 race winner Dennis Setzer was among the participants along with David Starr, Travis Kvapil, Shawna Robinson, Eric Jones and Ken Weaver.. Intermittent showers interrupted Tuesday’s activities. The main focus of the test sessions was gathering data using the new 2003 nose configuration on the Chevrolet Silverados. Unofficial speeds were in the 180 mph range. The information collected during the sessions will be put to use in the O’Reilly 400k and also at the next series race, the Hardee’s 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway May 16. Former NASCAR Winston Cup driver Robinson was testing the Team Texas Silverado for owner Mike Starr. “I’m just happy to be here.. Obviously Mike knows the race track well.. We are just here testing and doing the best that we can do.” Jones and Weaver rounded out the testers. Jones is the new driver for #03-EJP Racing and was using the Texas test to get comfortable with the team. Local driver Weaver, from Duncanville, Texas, was getting seat time in the 1-800-4-A-Phone Chevy. Weaver was driving Trucks used last year by the Joe Gibbs team and driver Coy Gibbs. Tickets for the O’Reilly 400 are available daily at the speedway ticket office, by calling (817) 215-8500, online at www.texasmotorspeedway.com and at Ticketmaster locations.(TMS PR)(4-23-2003)
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