April 26, 2004
- Overnight Talladega TV Ratings Up: Fox’s broadcast of Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 from Talladega Superspeedway drew a 5.9 rating and 13 share in overnight Nielsen Media Research numbers from the nation’s largest television markets, today’s Sports Business Daily reports. The rating is up 3.5 percent from the 5.7 overnight figure from last year’s spring race, which drew final figures of 6.2/15. The race was the top-rated sports event of the weekend, edging the 5.813 that ABC drew for the NBA playoff game between the Lakers and the Rockets. Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 Busch Series race drew a 2.1/5 on Fox.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(4-26-2004)
- Spoiler Change starting at Chicago: Nextel Cup director John Darby says teams will have to cut one-half inch off of the cars’ spoilers before the race at Chicago on July 11. Many teams have reserved tests anticipating the change.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(4-26-2004)
- Down to 18 for ‘the chase’: The number of drivers within the 400-point window that would make them eligible for the Nextel Cup Series’ “Chase for the Championship” at the end of the season took a hit Sunday. Prior to the race, 23 drivers were within 400 points of the leader – the cut-off to make the 10-race championship battle. After Sunday’s race, only 18 remained that close to leader #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. with nine of the 26 races used to compute the total complete.(ThatsRacin.com)(4-26-2004)
- NASCAR’s comments on the #8 and #24 placement and why no last lap shootout at Talladega: NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said a videotape review clearly showed Gordon ahead when the caution lights came on. “We turned the lights on when the wreck was in progress,” Hunter said. “We had a great piece of footage that showed the two cars, so it was really clear-cut that Gordon was in the lead.” Hunter said Tony Eury, Earnhardt’s crew chief, looked the video and agreed with NASCAR. The other part of the controversy was the fact that NASCAR did not get the green flag back out for a race to the finish, keeping it under caution to the end and igniting the fans anger when they realized Gordon was going to win. “Here and at Daytona we’re not going to have a one-lap shootout just because of safety,” Hunter said. “We’re just not going to do that.”(Daytona Beach News Journal/AP)(4-26-2004)
- Sad News: Johnny Dodson, father of long time NASCAR Crew Chief/TV Broadcaster, Barry Dodson [currently the General Manager for Rusty Wallace’s #66 Busch team] passed away on Sunday. Barry and wife Jan would appreciate that if anyone wishes to donate in Johnny’s memory be made to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. You can make a donation on-line with a credit card by clicking here. Or, if you would like to mail your donation, gifts can be mailed to:
Victory Junction Gang Camp
Attn: Jayski Computer Lab Fund
311 Branson Mill Road
Randleman, NC 27317
or call 877-VJG-CAMP.(4-26-2004) - Trash helps end race under yellow: fans showed their dissatisfaction by littering the [Talladega] speedway with beer cans — and anything else that was handy — when the lineup showed the #8 car in second place. With trash on the track, NASCAR officials had no choice but to finish the race under yellow.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(4-26-2004)
- Fedawa Diagnosed with a Cercial Sprain: FitzBradshaw Racing says doctors released Tim Fedewa from an Alabama hospital after diagnosing his injuries as a cervical sprain suffered when his #12 Chevrolet was part of a 10-car accident in Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 Busch Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Fedewa is expected to be ready to race in next Saturday’s 1-800-Pitshop.com 300 at California Speedway.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(4-26-2004)
- Sad News: Johnny Dodson, father of long time NASCAR Crew Chief/TV Broadcaster, Barry Dodson [currently the General Manager for Rusty Wallace’s #66 Busch team] passed away on Sunday. Barry and wife Jan would appreciate that if anyone wishes to donate in Johnny’s memory be made to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. You can make a donation on-line with a credit card by clicking here. Or, if you would like to mail your donation, gifts can be mailed to:
Victory Junction Gang Camp
Attn: Jayski Computer Lab Fund
311 Branson Mill Road
Randleman, NC 27317
or call 877-VJG-CAMP.(4-26-2004) - Truck Race Sold Out: Mansfield Motorsports Speedway says all 20,000 grandstand seats have been sold for the May 16 UAW/GM Ohio 250 Craftsman Truck Series race. The track says the numbers will make it the largest stand-alone short track event in series history. “The response has been overwhelming, and we are so pleased to announce that we have indeed sold all of the available tickets for this event,” said Jerry Smith, the track’s president and general manager.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(4-26-2004)
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