October 2007 Truck Series News Archive

 

  • Winners of a race in Cup, Busch and Truck Series races: see my Misc Stats page for this and many others.

  • Waltrip truck team gone in ’08? UPDATE 3: TRG/Kevin Buckler assume controlling interest in DWM; Lally to drive: Hearing the Darrell Waltrip Motorsports truck team, which is co-owned and run by DW’s brother, Michael, will either close its doors at the end of the season or be sold. The team has had multiple drivers in 2007 and a sponsor for 2008 has not been secured.(10-23-2007)
    UPDATE: The Racer’s Group [TRG] with Andy Lally as racer has purchased Waltrip’s truck team. Supposedly the deal goes into effect Monday, after the Atlanta race. MWR employees to continue for last three races. Eddie Sharp will be helping out for remaining year.(10-25-2007)
    UPDATE 2: During SPEED/tv’s qualifying coverage, Michael Waltrip confirmed that The Racer’s Group has purchased the truck team and that Andy Lally will be in the truck for the remaining three races in 2007.(10-27-2007)
    UPDATE 3: Darrell Waltrip Motorsports has announced that Kevin Buckler and The Racer’s Group (TRG) have assumed immediate controlling interest of its truck racing operations TRG will continue an alliance with DWM through 2007 and 2008.The newly formed partnership will take its #00 TRG Toyota to this weekend’s Silverado 350K at Texas Motor Speedway. Andy Lally will take on the driving duties as he acquaints himself with the team and the truck for the first time in preparation for a full CTS schedule in 2008.(The Racers Group PR)(10-31-2007)
  • Norris to make debut at Texas: J.R. Norris, developmental driver for Billy Ballew Motorsports, will make his career first start at the Texas Motor Speedway Friday, November 2, for the running of the Chevy Silverado 350K Craftsman Truck Series event. Norris will pilot the #15 Craftsman Truck in the 146 laps, 219 miles on the 1.5-mile race track in Fort Worth Texas. Primary sponsor for Norris will be Texas based McKinney Pipe & Steel.(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)(10-31-2007)
  • Bill Davis Trucking files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection: Bill Davis Trucking, Inc., founded in 1975 by Bill and Gail Davis, has announced it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Today’s action was necessitated by an injury accident and an ensuing lawsuit against the company, based in Batesville, Arkansas. “This has been a very unfortunate chain of events and Gail and I certainly hate that it ever had to happen,” stated Bill Davis. “Bill Davis Trucking and Bill Davis Racing are two completely separate entities and the race team will in no way be affected by today’s announcement.”(Bill Davis Racing PR)(10-30-2007)
  • Qwik Liner new sponsor for trucks at LVMS in ’08: America’s fastest trucks will come to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2008 and find a new race sponsor. Qwik Liner, one of the nation’s leaders in truck bedliner coating, has signed on as a multi-year sponsor of LVMS’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event. The event will be known as the Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350 and will be run Sept. 20, 2008 on the high-banked, 1.5-mile superspeedway. Based in Houston, Qwik Liner manufactures and distributes spray-on, bedliner cartridge coating systems. These systems are primarily used to protect the beds of pickup trucks but have many other applications including marine, commercial and industrial uses.(LVMS PR)(10-30-2007)
  • Raybestos Rookie News & Notes – Texas: Joey Clanton was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the October 27 EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Clanton scored a sixth-place finish, his fifth top-10 in 14 starts this season. He claimed top rookie honors for the fifth time in 2007. Willie Allen holds a seven-point advantage (152-145) over Tim Sauter in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the November 2 Silverado 350K at Texas Motor Speedway. Clanton is third in the standings, eight points behind Allen. Allen is 15th in the Craftsman Truck Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos Rookie. He trails 14th-place Terry Cook by 138 points and is 66 ahead of 16th-place Sauter. Erik Darnell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2006 Silverado 350K at Texas, scoring a ninth-place finish.(Raybestos PR)(10-30-2007)
  • Wyler racing fielding two teams in ’08? UPDATE 3: Wyler / Gaughan form new team for ’08; to run some Cup races: During SPEED/tv’s prerace show, it was reported that Wyler Racing will field two truck teams in 2008 and will try to run at least six Cup races. Drivers and sponsorship will be announced in the future. Wyler Racing also confirmed that Con-way Freight will be leaving as sponsor following the 2007 season.(10-20-2007)
    UPDATE: Hearing Gaughan is buying some part of the #60 team, supposedly 50 percent.(10-20-2007)
    UPDATE 2: Hearing there will be an announcement on Monday regarding the Wyler/Gaughan partnership.(10-27-2007)
    UPDATE 3: Jeff Wyler and Michael Gaughan jointly have announced the formation of Wyler-Gaughan Racing, LLC (WGR), which will field two full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams and will run a partial NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team during the 2008 season. WGR will field the #77 Toyota Tundra with driver Brendan Gaughan and the #60 Toyota. The driver of the #60 Toyota Tundra and sponsors for both teams will be announced at a later date. Gaughan will also be behind the wheel of the team’s Toyota Camry in at least six Sprint Cup races. Tom Buzze has been appointed as General Manager of WGR which will be located in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. “My intention has always been to own a NASCAR Sprint Cup team, and fielding that effort for my son, Brendan,” Gaughan said. “After examining various options, we decided partnering with Jeff Wyler and his team would be the best way of working toward that goal.”(Wyler-Gaughan Racing PR)(10-29-2007)
  • Clanton not returning to Wood Bros/JTG’ in ’08; to Roush Fenway? UPDATE: Sources have confirmed that Joey Clanton will not be returning to Wood Bros/JTG Racing in 2008 – hearing that Clanton may be headed to Roush Fenway Racing?(10-29-2007)
    UPDATE: Joey Clanton will be moving to Roush Fenway Racing in 2008; hearing that an official annoucement may come as early as this weekend at Texas.(10-29-2007)
  • McGilton to drive for BDR in ’08: Bill Davis Racing has announced that Phillip McGilton will complete the BDR NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series trio in 2008, with teammates Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson. The 29-year-old McGilton is a native of Marion, Ill., and has been around racing for a while. McGilton ran in the AMA Motorcross Series before competing on a limited basis last year in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. The 2007 season marked McGilton’s first full season of ARCA competition. McGilton will make his NCTS debut aboard the #22 Toyota Tundra at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway next month. He will then run the complete NCTS schedule in 2008.(Bill Davis Racing PR)(10-29-2007)
  • Krisiloff Out? Bodine in for Remainder of Year? UPDATE: Hearing that #14-Kyle Krisiloff is out of the car for the remainder of the year. Todd Bodine is expected to fill in for the remaining 3 races.(10-29-2007)
    UDPATE: According to a team representative, Kyle Krisiloff is scheduled to stay in the #14 Lilly/Walgreens Fords to finish the remaining three races of the 2007 season for Carl A. Haas Motorsports.(Haas Motorsports)(10-29-2007)
  • Villeneuve to sport charity ski race logos: Jacque Villeneuve’s #27 UNICEF Toyota will carry the “24Heures du Villars” logos, advertising an annual charity ski race created by Villeneuve and his long-term manager, Craig Pollock. The race is held in the Swiss town of Villars-sur-Ollon. The 24-hour race has raised several millions dollars for a range of children’s charities over the last nine years. About 900 competitors race through the night. It’s not too late to enter a team for the 10th anniversary event Jan 11 – 13, 2008, which will benefit Patouch and the Teenage Cancer Trust.(Advantage Mgmt/Bill Davis Racing PR)(10-29-2007)
  • Wood to make 100th start at Texas: #21-Jon Wood is set to make his 100th start this weekend. Friday night’s Silverado 350 at the Texas Motor Speedway is significant because Wood will become only the 13th driver in series history with at least 100 career starts.(Wood Bros/JTG Racing PR)(10-29-2007)
  • Latest on Bill Davis Team Sale: UDPATE: Jacques Villeneuve has apparently completed a buy-in of Bill Davis’ High Point-based Toyota operation, according to sources close to the team, and Villeneuve will have at least a majority interest in the operation, perhaps even full ownership. Last Sunday, when asked about the report of a planned Villeneuve buy-in, Davis said he wasn’t in a position to give a specific answer but did say he was considering a number of options. It is unclear what a purchase price might be. It is also unclear why Villeneuve, who lives in Montreal, would want to buy a NASCAR team, or if Villeneuve might move the team from High Point, where Davis has operated for more than 15 years.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-27-2007)
    UPDATE: What Villeneuve might be doing in NASCAR is still a subject of debate. According to some familiar with the situation, Villeneuve may be coming into the sport for a short-time run as a driver but as a long-term run as an investor/owner. Just what role NASCAR executives might have in this is unclear, though obviously NASCAR is the big winner in the deal, which enhances their new Canadian venture. Last year, Villeneuve and Pollack began talking about setting up their own NASCAR operation and talked with Ford’s Jack Roush and Geoff Smith about a deal for cars, engines and start-up stuff. But it never got very far. Roush said that Villeneuve wanted to take the quickest road to the Cup tour, while Roush suggested he spend more time in Busch to learn the sport.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-29-2007)
  • Bodine may stay in Truck Series in ’08: Defending series champion Todd Bodine may not be going to the Nationwide Series next year, as previously announced last month by Germain Racing. Germain planned on expanding to three teams with Bodine trading his #30 Toyota Tundra for a Camry, but those plans could change if the newly named Nationwide circuit runs a COT-type car in 2009, as rumored. “We don’t want to waste our money building a bunch of cars that we can’t use in a year. They’re going to be junk,” Bodine said. “We don’t have to be in [Nationwide]. If we stay in trucks another year, that’s fine.” Then, when the time comes to make a move, Germain may just go to the top of the NASCAR ladder. “We want to grow the business, that would be the [Nationwide] series at this time,” Bodine said. “But being that it’s COT cars, we might just skip that and go straight to Cup if we get the funding.”(ESPN.com)(10-4-2007)
    UPDATE: Todd Bodine told Mike Bagley during Friday’s NASCAR Today on the MRN Radio show that Germain Racing will be staying in the CTS and NOT go Nationwide (Busch) racing next year because “NASCAR decided in ’09 the Nationwide Series going to COT cars and there was no sense of us wasting $350,000 to $400,000 on race cars that we would have to sell the next year for pennies on the dollar.”(10-28-2007)
  • Fastenal not returning to BHR in ’08: On SPEED/tv’s Sunday Speed Report, Adam Alexander confirmed that Fastenal will not be returning as a sponsor for Bobby Hamilton Racing in 2008. BHR still plans on fielding teams in ’08 [no word on drivers or new sponsors for ’08].(10-28-2007)
  • Wood Bros selling truck team? UPDATE: Denied: Hearing the Wood Brothers truck team will be sold to ‘The Racer’s Group’ (TRG) which will have Andy Lally as driver for the complete 2008 Truck Series season with sponsorship from Aviva. Supposedly Lally will also compete in Busch and possibly Cup road course race for the Wood Brothers. The CTS team supposedly will be run of out the Wood Brothers/JTG Racing shop.(10-25-2007)
    UPDATE: Representative from Wood Bros/JTG Racing denied reports that the truck team is being sold to The Racer’s Group (TRG).(10-25-2007)
  • Musgrave back in the #9 in 2008? UPDATE: Musgrave and Germain parting ways: Ray Dunlap reported during the prerace report on Speed/TV that as Todd Bodine prepares to move into the Busch Series next season a steady stream of young drivers have talked to the Germains about the ride. Dunlap said that the #9 ride may be open as well as it’s not clear whether Ted Musgrave will be back in the #9 Toyota in 2008.(9-1-2007)
    UPDATE: Ted Musgrave and Germain Racing are parting company at the end of the season. Musgrave joined the team for the 2006 Craftsman Truck Series season after winning the title the previous year then watching his team, Ultra Motorsports, fold in the off season. Since that time, the team hasn’t been as strong as that of teammate Todd Bodine. While they’ve run well and finished in the top 10 in series points last year (sixth) and are on track to do so again this season (Musgrave is currently seventh in the standings), he has not won since April 2005. He points out that there are no problems within his team just things seem to have stalled. “I want to win races…,” he said. “It just takes chemistry; it takes the right people to work with you in the right way. No matter what it is, nothing’s wrong with the team. I don’t know if its chemistry or what, but there’s something just not clicking.” Musgrave already is close to a new contract, but isn’t divulging the details until everything is done.(Scene Magazine)(10-24-2007)
  • Marks to make debut at Atlanta: Justin Marks, 26, of Rocklin, CA, began his racing career on road courses. Marks is ready for his first Craftsman Truck Series race on Saturday afternoon in the Easy Care Vehicles Service Contracts 200 driving the #03 Voodoo Ride/Germain Toyota. Saturday’s Easy Care Vehicle Service Contracts 200 will be Marks first-ever NASCAR trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Voodoo Ride is a Chicago-based company that produces and distributes a complete line of premier vehicle appearance products. Voodoo Ride was founded in early 2007 by NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Christopher Ferraro, former president and CEO of VentureBrands LLC, a marine and automotive surface company.(Germain Racing PR)(10-24-2007)
  • Bell returns to the #50 for Atlanta: T.J. Bell will make his second Craftsman Truck Series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway this Saturday in the #50 Heathcliff’s Cat Litter Ford. The #50 team enters Atlanta 25th in Craftsman Truck Series owner points, 21 points out of 24th place.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)(10-24-2007)
  • Furr no longer crew chief for #60; to Haas CNC Racing? UPDATE: Wyler announces new crew chief: Hearing #60 crew chief, Tony Furr, has left the team effective immediately. Supposedly he is headed back to the Nextel Cup Series with Haas CNC Racing.(10-23-2007)
    UPDATE: Wyler Racing has announced that Tony Furr has been released as Crew Chief of the #60 Con-way Freight Toyota driven by three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Jack Sprague. Effective immediately, Rick Gay will take over as Crew Chief of the #60 Con-way Freight Toyota Tundra. Gay joins Wyler Racing after working as Crew Chief for the #9 Toyota Tundra of Germain Racing.(Wyler Racing PR)(10-24-2007)
  • BHR hosts free head & neck cancer screenings: Bobby Hamilton Racing, The Georgia Yul Brynner Foundation and Atlanta Motor Speedway are coming together this weekend to help the fight against head and neck cancer. Bobby Hamilton Sr., former driver and owner of Bobby Hamilton Racing, passed away in January from complications of the disease. On Friday, October 26th, free head and neck cancer screenings will be conducted for drivers, crew members and media members by physicians, nurses and speech pathologists from Emory University Hospital. These screenings will occur near the media center from 9:00am – 4:30pm. On Saturday the screenings will relocate to the outside vendor area. Fans may take part in the free screenings from 9:00am until the start of the Craftsman Truck Series race at 1:00pm. The screening tent will be located near Gate 15 across from the General Motors and Motor Racing Outreach exhibits.(Bobby Hamilton Racing PR)(10-24-2007)
  • Sad News – Boyd Hole: Boyd Hole, 75, of Walnut Cove, NC passed away on Wednesday morning at Forsyth Memorial Hospital in Winston Salem due to complications from a lung illness. He was an avid race fan, a hard-working individual and a loyal family man. He was a long time friend and crew member of the Wood Brothers. He owned and operated a concrete business in Walnut Cove. He is survived by his wife, Betty Hole, daughter Sharon Hole, and son Toby Hole. Services are pending, but will take place at a church in Walnut Cove, NC. Friends may contact Amanda Mathis at 336-408-8804 for more information.(10-24-2007)
  • Hillman to Crew Chief for Musgrave at Atlanta: Germain Racing announces this week that Mike Hillman Sr., who has two NASCAR championships to his credit, will serve as crew chief for Ted Musgrave and the Team ASE/Germain Toyota Tundra starting with this weekend’s Easy Care Vehicle Service Contracts 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He takes over duties for Rick Gay, Jr. “Rick Gay and Germain Racing have parted ways. We are very thankful for all Rick brought to the team. Rick had some other opportunities he wanted to pursue, and we amicably decided to part ways,” said Mike Hillman Sr., general manager of Germain Racing. Hillman is one of the foundation blocks of Germain Racing. With Hillman at the reigns, the Germain brothers Steve, Bob and Rick formed what became the 2006 championship-winning Toyota Tundra team, Germain Racing. Hillman served as crew chief of Germain Racing’s #30 Tundra until he gave the role to his son, Mike Hillman Jr., in 2005. Hillman has served as the team’s general manager since then.(Germain Racing PR)(10-24-2007)
  • Mathews to sub for Bliss at Atlanta: UPDATE: Mathews still looking for full-time ride: Ryan Mathews will pilot the Bobby Hamilton Racing #4 Dodge at Atlanta while regular driver Bliss competes in the NASCAR Busch Series race in Memphis. Mike Bliss will drive the #4 Open Joist Dodge this Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.(Bobby Hamilton Racing PR)(10-16-2007)
    UPDATE: After a three race hiatus Ryan Mathews is stepping back into a NASCAR Craftsman Series Truck at this weekend’s upcoming race in Atlanta. Mathews stepped out of the #22 Bill Davis Racing Toyota Tundra after the race in New Hampshire to help the team prepare for Jacques Villeneuve’s NASCAR debut. “We are still talking with several teams and exploring all the options,” said Connection Motorsports Group President John Madrigal. ” We are patiently waiting for the dust to settle from all of the transactions taking place and hope to have Ryan in something full time for next year.(Connection Motorsports/Ryan Mathews PR)(10-24-2007)
  • Martin returns at Atlanta, pulling double-duty: Mark Martin will run his sixth and final Craftsman Truck race of the season at Atlanta this weekend in the 21 Wood Brothers’ Bubba Burgers/Bush’s Baked Beans Ford. This season, Martin has three top-five finishes in five starts, with his best finish of third coming at Bristol in August. This will be Martin’s third start in the truck in Atlanta, with his best finish of second coming in the spring truck event last season. Martin will also run the Cup race in the #01 U.S. Army Chevy for DEI.(Wood Bros/JTG Racing)(10-24-2007)
  • Patrick Sheltra to drive at Atlanta UPDATE Confirmed: ARCA RE/MAX Series driver Patrick Sheltra is expected to be named the driver the #12 Chevy for Andy Belmont in Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Sheltra just completed his first full season of ARCA competition finishing seventh in championship points. A official announcement is expected this week.(catchfence.com)(10-24-2007)
    UPDATE: Andy Belmont Racing in conjunction with Sheltra Motorsports announced today that 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie Patrick Sheltra will pilot ABR’s #12 Racegear.com Chevy in Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.(Patrick Sheltra PR)(10-24-2007)
  • Martinsville Truck Series ratings up 18 percent on SPEED: Ratings for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Martinsville last weekend were up 18 percent, according to Nielsen Media Research. The increase continues a trend on SPEED, as the last three NCTS races all have enjoyed ratings increases, with the most noteworthy growth among younger audiences. The Martinsville race earned a .73 (534,000 households), peaking at .82 (598,000 HH). Both numbers were improvements from a .62 average and .72 peak in 2006. The Men 18-49 saw the most dramatic growth, up 92 percent from a year ago. At Talladega, the 2007 Nielsen rating was .94 (886,000 HH), up four percent from .90 (611,000 HH) in 2006. And at Las Vegas, the race earned a .49, up 11 percent from the .44 in 2006.(Speedtv.com)(10-23-2007
  • Raybestos Rookie News & Notes – Atlanta: #13-Willie Allen was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the October 20 Kroger 200 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Allen scored a 14th-place finish and took Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the fourth time this season. Allen holds a six-point advantage (149-143) over Tim Sauter in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the October 27 EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Allen is 15th in the Craftsman Truck Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos Rookie. He is 63 points ahead of 16th-place Sauter. Joey Clanton was the top Raybestos Rookie in the March race at Atlanta, claiming a ninth-place finish. Erik Darnell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2006 EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 at Atlanta, scoring a third-place finish. (Raybestos PR)(10-23-2007)
  • Pollack talks about interest in buying BDR: Jacques Villeneuve’s manager Craig Pollock says he is interested in buying a Nextel Cup team while admitting he has held talks with Bill Davis Racing, the team for which his driver is currently competing in NASCAR. The former Formula One team principal and Champ Car team owner said in an interview with Le Journal de Montreal that he has held talks with a number of Nextel Cup teams, evaluating different options to become involved as a team owner. Pollock is understood to be in serious talks with Bill Davis to buy equity in his NASCAR squad, which currently fields two cars in Cup and three in the Craftsman Truck Series. Jacques Villeneuve is expected to race for the team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup next year.”I’m interested in having an active participation in a NASCAR team, preferably the one where Jacques drives,” said Pollock. “It’s the best way to make sure that my driver has access to the best equipment available.” It had been reported during the weekend at Martinsville and on Canadian radio that Jacques Villeneuve was the one actually buying BDR, something that Pollock categorically denies. “Jacques has never spoken with a team with the intention to invest in it,” he added. Bill Davis would not confirm that he has already sold his team to Pollock, but has admitted openly that he is looking for the right partner to buy into his team in a time when funded investors have shown massive interest for getting involved in NASCAR.(Autosport.com)(10-23-2007)
  • Images added: A few images added from Martinsville; #5-Mike Skinner, #41-Dario Franchitti, #9-Ted Musgrave, #17-Michael McDowell. Photos can be viewed at the 2007 Paint Scheme Gallery page.(10-23-2007)
  • #36 Cup ride available – Skinner in for three races? UPDATE: Skinner & Benson to split driving duties: An immediate departure to the #66 for Jeremy Mayfield leaves the #36 Cup ride open for the remainder of 2007. Supposedly, Mike Skinner will drive the #36 in three of the final four races and Jacques Villeneuve will drive at Phoenix.(10-22-2007)
    UPDATE: Bill Davis Racing has announced that Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson will share driving duties of the #36 Toyota Camry for the remaining four events on the 2007 Nextel Cup schedule. BDR and Jeremy Mayfield, who had been behind the wheel since the season began, have parted ways effective immediately. Skinner, who currently leads the battle for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship in his #5 Bill Davis Racing Toyota , will pilot the #36 Camry this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway and again the following weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota for BDR, will take over the reigns of the #36 Toyota Camry beginning with the event at Phoenix International Raceway and will finish out the season in the car.(Bill Davis Racing PR)(10-22-2007)
  • Sieg back in the #15 for Atlanta race: UPDATE: Sponsor for #15 The Craftsman Truck Series heads to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for the running of the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 Saturday, October, 27. Atlanta owner Billy Ballew will enter fellow Georgian Shane Sieg in the #15 and Kyle Busch in the #51 RedTop Auto Auction Chevy Craftsman Trucks.(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)(10-22-2007)
    UPDATE: The #15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Truck Series entry is being sponsored by Terry Reid Chevrolet [Cartersville, GA] at Atlanta.(BBM PR)(10-23-2007)
  • Wood steps aside at Atlanta; Martin in: Jon Wood will step aside for next Saturday’s Easy Care Vehicle Service Contracts 200 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway so racing legend Mark Martin can make his final start of the 2007 season for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing. Wood will return to the #21 Ford for the final three races of the season, starting with the Nov. 2 race at the Texas Motor Speedway.(Wood Bros/JTG Racing)(10-22-2007)
  • Villeneuve buys Bill Davis Racing? UPDATE 3: Auto123.com’s contributor Bertrand Godin has learned earlier today a rumour indicating that Jacques Villeneuve and Craig Pollock have purchased the Bill Davis Racing Team [#22, #27 and #36 in Cup, #5, #22, #23, #27 in Truck]. According to a reliable source, Villeneuve and his business manager since 1992, Craig Pollock, have recently purchased Bill and Gail Davis’ stock-car racing team. This is the team that currently runs Villeneuve in the Craftsman Trucks series and in the Nextel Cup. The new team, based in High Point, North Carolina will apparently continue to field the current drivers, as well as a Sprint Cup car for Villeneuve.(Auto123.com)(10-19-2007)
    UPDATE: Team owner Bill Davis insisted on Saturday that he has not sold his organization as published reports indicated. That doesn’t mean he won’t. The owner of Bill Davis Racing said several parties have expressed an interest in purchasing his company that includes two Nextel Cup cars driven by Dave Blaney and Jeremy Mayfield, who will be replaced by Formula One star Jacques Villeneuve next season. “Like any team our size, we have to be realistic and look at all of our options with what’s going on in the sport right now,” he said before practice at Martinsville Speedway. “We’ve had a lot of interest, a lot of very interested people, and a lot of things that are for real. We just have to do our due diligence and make a smart, logical choice.”(ESPN.com)(10-20-2007)
    UPDATE 2: Bill Davis sees all that is going on around him in Nextel Cup racing and is not ashamed to say that his operation needs help. So he has hung out the “For Sale” shingle at Bill Davis Racing. Part of it? All of it? Even Davis doesn’t seem to be sure yet. But he’s willing to listen to all offers, and indeed is in the process of doing precisely that. Jacques Villeneuve indicated that he is not interested in owning BDR — but didn’t rule out the fact that his business manager, Craig Pollock, might have some interest. Davis said he would like to retain at least part-ownership in the team that bears his name.(NASCAR.com)(10-21-2007)
    UPDATE 3: Bill Davis said reports that he’s selling his High Point NASCAR team may be premature, but he won’t flat-out deny reports he may be selling part of his team to Jacques Villeneuve, perhaps a very significant part. Davis has signed Villeneuve to run his Toyotas next season on the Nextel Cup tour, as teammate with Dave Blaney. And Villeneuve is spending this fall running NASCAR Trucks, to warm up for 2008. Now comes word that there is much more to the Davis-Villeneuve deal than the two are letting on. Davis hedged when pressed on the situation. “We’re not in position to make any comment right now,” Davis said.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-22-2007)
  • Toyota takes second straight title: When Mike Skinner’s Tundra crossed the finish line first in Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Virginia’s Martinsville Speedway, it enabled Toyota to clinch its second consecutive NCTS manufacturer’s championship. The performance of six teams fielding nine full-time Tundras — Bill Davis Racing, Darrell Waltrip Motorsports, Germain Racing, HT Motorsports, Red Horse Racing and Wyler Racing – all contributed to the second straight Craftsman Truck Series manufacturer’s title. Tundra drivers have combined to produce 11 victories, 51 top-five finishes and 81 top-10 results in the first 21 events of 2007. Skinner, driver of the #5 Bill Davis Racing Tundra, has been Toyota’s top performer in the series this season. The Daytona Beach, Fla. driver has recorded five wins — California, Atlanta, Martinsville-1, Kentucky and Martinsville-2 — and currently sits first in the championship point standings. Skinner, the inaugural Craftsman Truck Series champion in 1995, is the only Tundra driver to have competed in all 96 races that Toyota has entered since 2004.(Toyota Motorsports PR)(10-21-2007)
  • McCumbee could attempt Homestead; will drive 5 Cup races next year: Petty Enterprises General Manager Jerry Freeze said Chad McCumbee will attempt to qualify a third Petty Enterprises car for the season-ending Nextel Cup Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, or try to qualify for the Busch Series race that weekend. “If this Busch opportunity comes through, we may let him focus on that, along with his Truck Series commitment,” Freeze said. “One way or the other, we’ll run him at Homestead.” McCumbee is likely to stick with Petty Enterprises next season. Freeze said there are plans for Petty to partner with an existing Busch team to have McCumbee drive in 22-24 races. McCumbee is also penciled in to drive Kyle Petty’s Nextel Cup car for the five races he’ll again skip to jump into the broadcast booth. Plus, there may be opportunities to qualify for a handful of other Cup races in a third Petty car without jeopardizing his rookie status.(Myrtle Beach Sun)(10-21-2007)
  • Benson to MWR in ’08? UPDATE: JB interested On Sunday’s SPEED/tv’s Speed Report, it was reported by Bob Dilner that there were many candidates for the vacant seat for the third Michael Waltrip Racing team among them; Johnny Benson.(10-14-2007)
    UPDATE: SPEED/tv’s Trackside Live, talked to both Johnny Benson and Michael Waltrip about the #00 in 2008. Johnny Benson expressed interest in driving for Michael Waltrip Racing. Michael Waltrip said he was interested in having someone work with development drivers Michael McDowell and Josh Wise in 2008.(10-19-2007)
  • Whitt reunites with RHR at Atlanta; hopes to return full-time in ’08: Brandon Whitt will be behind the wheel of the #1-RFMS/Red Horse Racing Toyota in Atlanta next week, in what will be his first start in the Craftsman Truck Series since running in the Series full-time in 2005. Whitt is hopeful that this one-race deal will help get his career back on track after being absent from the Series for nearly two years.(Integrity Sports Mktg/Brandon Whitt PR)(10-18-2007)
  • McDowell to make Truck Series debut UPDATE: Image added: Michael McDowell will make his Craftsman Truck Series debut in the #17 NAPA Toyota Tundra fielded by Darrell Waltrip Motorsports at Martinsville this Saturday. Fresh off his fourth ARCA RE/MAX victory for Eddie Sharp Racing this past weekend at Toledo Speedway, McDowell now dives into NASCAR racing for Darrell Waltrip Motorsports. The 22-year-old is scheduled to run several NCTS and NASCAR Busch Series events for Michael Waltrip Racing in order to prepare for next season. Crew chief will be Pat Donahue.(Waltrip Racing PR)(10-18-2007)
    UPDATE: Image of the #17-NAPA Auto Parts Toyota is posted on the 2007 Paint Scheme Gallery page.(10-19-2007)
  • Hermie Sadler back behind the wheel at Martinsville UPDATE: Sponsor added Veteran Hermie Sadler, who is currently serving as an analyst for SPEED and DirecTV Hot Pass, will be back behind the wheel for the running of the Kroger 200 in Martinsville, Virginia. This is first time Sadler has been behind the wheel in competition this season. It will be Sadler’s first Truck Series race since September of 2000. Sadler will pilot the #71, which is owned by Andy Hillenburg, and will be sponsored by Charles Boyd Chevrolet of Henderson, NC. Sadler hasn’t been behind the wheel this year in race competition but has been piloting “SPEED 1”, SPEED Channel’s exhibition car which appears on the on the popular SPEED pre-race show “Raceday”.(Hermie Sadler PR)(10-15-2007)
    UPDATE: Acredale Vending Co. (VA Beach) is proud to sponsor Hermie Sadler this weekend at Martinsville. Owner Scott Abshire is a long time friend of Hermie’s and is excited about the partnership. Acredale Vending Co. provides soda and snack machines in the Tidewater area and also supply several Busch and Cup teams with coffee.(Acredale PR)(10-19-2007)
  • GunBroker.com to sponsor #7 remainder of 2007: Officials from Pennington Motorsports have announced that GunBroker.com will sponsor the #7 team for the remainder of the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. The announcement comes on the heels of a one-race sponsorship deal at Talladega Superspeedway two weeks ago. GunBroker.com is the world’s largest online auction of firearms and accessories.(Pennington Motorsports PR)(10-19-2007)
  • Red Horse Racing looking for sponsors & new driver for ’08: Red Horse Racing general manager and co-owner Tom DeLoach commented that the team hopes to line up sponsors for 2008 and find a new full-time driver. Jason Leffler won’t be the man because of his Busch deal, but Leffler can continue to help make Red Horse Racing look attractive to potential suitors and drivers [driver for all remaining events except one; Brandon Whitt in the ride at Atlanta].(ESPN.com)(10-18-2007)
  • Franchitti entered in truck race at Martinsville UPDATE Truck scheme added: On the heels of Dario Franchitti’s successful stock car debut in the ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates has announced that the reigning Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series Champion will continue his development program in the Craftsman Truck Series. Franchitti will qualify the #41 Target Dodge Ram next Saturday at Martinsville Speedway. The Cunningham Motorsports-owned truck will be led by Ganassi Crew Chief Brian Pattie. The 0.526-mile oval will mark Franchitti’s first run behind the wheel of a NASCAR Truck, and his first ever appearance at the Virginia short track.(Chip Ganassi Racing PR)(10-9-2007)
    UPDATE: Rendering of the #41-Target Dodge is now posted on the 2007 Paint Scheme Gallery page.(10-17-2007)
  • RSC Equipment Rental to sponsor Braun at Martinsville: Roush Fenway Racing has announced that Scottsdale, Ariz. based RSC Equipment Rental, Inc., will be the primary sponsor of the #50 Ford and Colin Braun this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Martinsville marks the first time RSC Equipment Rental has sponsored a NASCAR team. RSC Equipment Rental is one of the largest equipment rental providers in North America servicing construction and industrial markets through a network of more than 465 rental locations across 39 states. (Roush Fenway PR)(10-17-2007)
  • Hamilton employee wins race and Hamilton Cup: Skip McCord picked the perfect time to win his first late model race at the Music City Motorplex [Nashville, TN]. McCord passed Craftsman Truck rookie Willie Allen after a caution with 20 laps to go Sunday to win the Late Model 200 to conclude the Southern 300 and win the Bobby Hamilton Sr. Cup. “This means a lot period just to win this race,” said McCord, a fabricator for Bobby Hamilton Racing. “Bobby was a mentor to me, I knew Bobby pretty well. He had a big hand in helping me get started. I learned some valuable lessons from him.” D.W. Shacklett, who also is a BHR Racing fabricator, finished third.(Tennessean)(10-17-2007)
  • Scott to make short-track debut at Martinsville: UPDATE: sponsor added: Brian Scott takes another major step in his development this weekend when he makes his NASCAR short track debut in the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. Scott will now permanently take over the reins of the #16 Strutmasters.com Ford prepared by Xpress Motorsports. Scott made his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck start at New Hampshire and followed that up with a start at Las Vegas but yielded to veteran Derrike Cope at Talladega. Scott will now finish out the year in the Xpress Motorsports entry and will run for NCTS Rookie of the Year in 2008.(Xpress Motorsports PR)(10-16-2007)
    UPDATE: Strutmasters, a Roxboro, NC based supplier of shocks and struts for most any automobile, has rejoined forces with Xpress Motorsports and will serve as an associate sponsor of the #16 Ford for the final five races of the 2007 NCTS season. Strutmasters previously served as an associate sponsor with Xpress Motorsports in 2006 and was on board for Mike Bliss’ win at Atlanta Motor Speedway last October.(Xpress Motorsports PR)(10-17-2007)
  • Raybestos Rookie Notes – Martinsville: Willie Allen was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the October 6 Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway. Allen scored a sixth-place finish, his first top-10 of the 2007 season, and took Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the third time this season. He scored the best finish by a Raybestos Rookie in two Craftsman Truck Series races at Talladega and equaled his best effort in 23 Craftsman Truck Series starts. Allen also scored a sixth-place finish at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on October 22, 2005. Allen holds a four-point advantage (144-140) over Tim Sauter in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the October 20 Kroger 200 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Allen is 15th in the Craftsman Truck Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos Rookie. He is 24 points ahead of 16th-place Sauter. Erik Darnell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2006 Kroger 200 at Martinsville, grabbing a third-place finish.(Raybestos PR)(10-16-2007)
  • Justin Labonte returns to #00 at Martinsville: Justin Labonte will make his third career Craftsman Truck Series start in the #00 Aaron’s Lucky Dog Toyota Tundra at Martinsville Speedway this Saturday afternoon. Labonte, the son of two-time Nextel Cup Series champion Terry Labonte, has never raced at Martinsville Speedway, but has two previous Craftsman Truck Series start and 76 Busch Series starts behind him. The North Carolina native looks forward to learning the track and bringing home a solid finish for Aaron’s.(Michael Waltrip Racing PR)(10-16-2007)
  • McDowell to run selected races for Waltrip Racing in ’08: You’ll be hearing a lot more of Michael McDowell on the racetrack in 2008. The Phoenix native will compete for Michael Waltrip Racing in selected NASCAR Nextel Cup, Busch [Nationwide] Series and Craftsman Truck races next season. On Sunday, McDowell won the season finale in the ARCA Series at Toledo. It was McDowell’s fourth victory of the year and cemented his second-place finish in the series championship.(Detroit Free Press)(10-15-2007)
  • Martinsville marks milestone for Sprague, special paint scheme again: When Jack Sprague takes the green flag for the Kroger 200, he will be setting a personal milestone. Sprague will make his 400th career NASCAR start on Saturday at Martinsville Speedway driving the #60-Con-Way Freight Toyota for Wyler Racing. Sprague has 267 Craftsman Truck Series, 108 Busch Series, and 24 Nextel Cup Series starts to his credit to date. Jack Sprague and the Wyler Racing team will sport a special paint scheme at Martinsville Speedway. This is the same paint scheme that the team raced at Martinsville in the spring and at Mansfield Speedway in May. This unique paint scheme features blue, white, and yellow colors with Con-way Freight signage on the hood, rear quarter panels, and TV panel. Diecast replicas are available for purchase online by visiting the Con-way Freight website. (Wyler Racing PR)(10-15-2007)
    Note: #60 paint scheme being used at Martinsville is posted on the 2007 Paint Scheme Gallery.
  • Bowyer back on track for KHI: Clint Bowyer will make his fourth start this season for Kevin Harvick Inc. in the #2 Camping World Chevy when the NASCAR Truck Series rolls into Martinsville, Virginia for the Kroger 200 on Saturday, October 20, 2007 at Martinsville Speedway. In three starts in the Truck Series for KHI, Bowyer has one top-five start and one top-five finish.(Kevin Harvick Inc. PR)(10-15-2007)
  • Chris Jones in the #08 at Martinsville: Late-model racer, Chris Jones is scheduled to drive the #08 Green Light Racing Chevy in the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 20, 2007.(LCSMotorsports.com)(10-12-2007)
  • Dustin Skinner tests truck with Dad: Dustin Skinner, son of 1995 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Champion Mike Skinner, tested a Bill Davis Racing Toyota Tundra Monday and Tuesday at New Smyrna Speedway. The younger Skinner exceeded everyone’s expectations. “Dustin did a good job,” said Team Manager Mark Chambers. “He did a great job of adapting to the truck and gave good feedback as well. Dustin has the potential to be a great racer for someone.” This test session will not be Dustin’s lone venture into NCTS racing. According to Mike, expect to see the young driver behind the wheel next year. “Angie and I are seeking sponsorships for him,” Mike [Skinner] said. “Our goal is to run him in some races next year. Right now we are focusing on winning this Championship, and we don’t need to take our focus off that. But our long term goal is to have Dustin in a Craftsman Truck next year.”(Bill Davis Racing PR)(10-11-2007)
  • Braun to race #50 at Martinsville: Roush Fenway Racing’s newest driver, 19-year old Colin Braun, will race the #50 F-150 at Martinsville Speedway on October 20, 2007. This will be Braun’s first Craftsman Truck Series start. The announcement comes on the heels of Braun’s impressive ARCA RE/MAX Series race at Talladega Superspeedway where he qualified third and finished ninth after leading his first career laps in a stock car. Braun has three ARCA starts on his resume never finishing outside the top-10. In his first career ARCA start, Braun impressed Roush Fenway brass by qualifying 13th and finishing ninth then followed that up with a fifth place qualifying effort and third place finish at Chicagoland.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)(10-10-2007)
  • Key Motorsports developing 2008 Nationwide Series program: Currently a full-time competitor in the Craftsman Truck Series, Key Motorsports took ownership this week of its first four NASCAR Nationwide Series cars. This new race car fleet may soon expand by as many as four additional cars as the organization gears up for the addition of a Nationwide Series program to compliment its truck racing activity. “With NASCAR now going full-time with the COT cars in the NASCAR Sprint Series starting next season, field should open up and allow organizations like ours to compete. We see an opportunity to expand our program into that circuit to provide our sponsors with some alternatives,” Key explained. “If we get enough sponsorship to do this thing right, the Nationwide Series operation will operate independently and with its own people. If not, we will enter cars in selected races, hire a few people to manage the cars and use some of our truck team people to make sure we send a car to the race track that will be capable of qualifying and racing,” Key added.(Key Motorsports PR)(10-10-2007)
  • Hamlin & Busch set to drive for BBM at Martinsville: The Craftsman Trucks Series returns to action on Saturday, October 20, 2007 at the Martinsville Speedway. Denny Hamlin is scheduled to pilot the #15 Billy Ballew Motorsports entry with 2008 Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Kyle Busch behind the wheel of the #51 Chevy.(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)(10-9-2007)
  • MRD to pay tribute to Evans & Jarzombek at Martinsville: Over two decades ago NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour drivers Charlie Jarzombek [won 187 feature events at 16 different racetracks] and nine-time [National Modified] Champion Richie Evans died while competing at Martinsville. As a tribute, MRD Motorsports will place the numbers of these two drivers on the bed of the #8 Chevy Silverado. Underneath each number will be their nickname: [#1] “Charging Charlie” and [#61]”Rapid Roman.”(MRD PR)(10-9-2007)
  • McCumbee to miss two races: Chad McCumbee will not be running a truck at Martinsville; his next race will be at Atlanta with the #8-MRD Chevy. ASA Late Model Champion, Travis Dassow is slated as the driver for Martinsville. McCumbee will also miss the Phoenix race [no word on who will be driving the #8 at Phoenix].(Drager Mktg/Chad McCumbee PR)(10-8-2007)
  • Allen takes over ROTY lead: Willie Allen scored a 6th place finish in the #13-Thorsport Racing Chevy before a crowd of 80,000 at Talladega Superspeedway; his best finish of the 2007 season. The results earned Allen the Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award for the third time this season. With just five races remaining, Allen now leads Tim Sauter by 4 points in a tight battle for Rookie of the Year and moves up two spots to 15th in the overall driver standings.(Modern Mgmt/Willie Allen PR)(10-8-2007)
  • Marks to run some races for Germain Racing: Adam Alexander reported during The Speed Report broadcast that ARCA Series regular, Justin Marks is set to drive #03 Toyota for Germain Racing in a few of the remaining races for 2007. [No word on where Marks will make his first start.](10-7-2007)
  • Crocker still looking for new team in ’08: Ray Evernham said Erin Crocker still is trying to put together a deal to run next season in the Craftsman Truck, Busch or ARCA series. In her last start for Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Crocker finished 18th in Friday’s ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway. “There could be some partnerships for her to run the whole ARCA series,” Evernham said. “We’re going to do everything we can to help her move on, and hopefully people will take her more seriously when she’s off on her own.” Evernham admitted in August that his personal relationship with the 25-year-old Crocker hurt her career. Evernham said Crocker’s Thursday performance, which clinched the 11-race ARCA superspeedway championship, was indicative of her talent. Crocker hasn’t won a race in stock cars but has six top-five finishes in ARCA this year. She led 12 laps in placing second at Kentucky Speedway in May.(USA Today)(10-7-2007)
  • Setzer in the #18 for remainder of season: During the qualifying session on SPEED/tv, while interviewing Dennis Setzer, Adam Alexander reported that Setzer will be driving the Bobby Hamilton Racing #18-Fastenal Dodge for the remainder of the 2007 season.(10-5-2007)
  • Dunlap suspended by SPEED for three races: A SPEED Channel spokesperson has confirmed to The Daly Planet that veteran SPEED personality and current pit reporter for the Craftsman Truck Series Ray Dunlap has been suspended from his network duties. Earlier in his career, Dunlap was suspended for one week and apologized for his remarks during a live SPEED Channel program. This time, Dunlap has been suspended for three races and will not return to the SPEED team until the Truck Series moves to the Texas Motor Speedway on November 2nd. SPEED will not comment on the reason for the suspension, and indicated that they do not comment on what is termed “personnel matters.” Bob Dillner has just been named by SPEED as the pit road and pre-race reporter for the next three Craftsman Truck Series races replacing Dunlap.(The Daly Planet)(10-5-2007)
  • 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule announced: The 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule was announced today and for the sixth consecutive year, the championship will be contested over 25 races. The 2008 season will be the 60th anniversary of NASCAR, which was incorporated on Feb. 21, 1948.
    *The schedule begins at Daytona International Speedway in February, concludes at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November and features an unprecedented NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series-NASCAR Nationwide Series doubleheader at California Speedway.
    *The series will visit the same 22 tracks as in 2007 and in the same order as the current schedule. Fifteen events will be held in conjunction with the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, while 10 races are scheduled as either “stand-alones” or in conjunction with NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
    *On Feb. 23, California Speedway will host NASCAR Craftsman Truck and NASCAR Nationwide Series events, which for three seasons have been scheduled on separate days during the track’s first of two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series weekends.
    *In another shift, Gateway International Raceway’s event will run a week later than in 2007, on Sept. 6, the weekend following the Labor Day holiday.
    *Martinsville Speedway, one of four tracks to have scheduled an event in each season since the series was created in 1995, will host its 20th race on Oct. 18.
    *Among active tracks on the schedule, Texas Motor Speedway has hosted the most NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. Texas will host its 21st and 22nd NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in 2008, on June 6 and Oct. 31 and joins Atlanta Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway as tracks hosting two events in 2008.(NASCAR PR)(10-4-2007)
    2008 Schedule: is posted on the 2008 Truck Series Schedule page.(10-4-2007)
  • Bodine may stay in Truck Series in ’08: Defending series champion Todd Bodine may not be going to the Nationwide Series next year, as previously announced last month by Germain Racing. Germain planned on expanding to three teams with Bodine trading his #30 Toyota Tundra for a Camry, but those plans could change if the newly named Nationwide circuit runs a COT-type car in 2009, as rumored. “We don’t want to waste our money building a bunch of cars that we can’t use in a year. They’re going to be junk,” Bodine said. “We don’t have to be in [Nationwide]. If we stay in trucks another year, that’s fine.” Then, when the time comes to make a move, Germain may just go to the top of the NASCAR ladder. “We want to grow the business, that would be the [Nationwide] series at this time,” Bodine said. “But being that it’s COT cars, we might just skip that and go straight to Cup if we get the funding.”(ESPN.com)(10-4-2007)
  • Sponsor for Villeneuve: New career, new sponsor…Villeneuve will debut title sponsorship from the United Nations’ UNICEF children’s charity on both his #27 truck and Cup car. As part of the relationship, visitors to the UNICEF.org website will be asked to donate $27 to charitable causes as part of an initiative called ‘Going the extra mile’. This week’s truck race will be Villeneuve’s second, having debuted in Las Vegas on the weekend of September 22. As was the case when he debuted in Las Vegas, Villeneuve has never driven a truck at Talladega.(Bill Davis Racing PR)(10-4-2007)
  • Skinner’s “Toyota Tundra Round Up” raises $145K: The second annual “Toyota Tundra Skinner Round Up,” hosted by Craftsman Truck Series driver Mike Skinner and his wife, Angie, raised more than $145,000 for Daytona Beach, Fla., area charities, including the Council on Aging: Meals on Wheels, Second Chance Animal Rescue, Safe Kids Coalition and Greyhound Pets of America. The event, held Sept. 27-28, was expanded to two days this year after a successful first event in 2006. The Skinners wish to thank Toyota Tundra for its continued support and for serving as title sponsor of the Toyota Tundra Skinner Round Up for the second consecutive year.(Bill Davis Racing PR)(10-4-2007)
  • Gunbroker.com to sponsor #7 at Talladega: Pennington Motorsports officials have announced that GunBroker.com [online auction of firearms and accessories] will sponsor the team’s #7 Dodge Ram for Saturday’s Mountain Dew 250 from Talladega Superspeedway with Virginia’s Jason White at the helm. White will make his inaugural Craftsman Truck Series debut at the 2.666-mile speedway.(Pennington Motorsports PR)(10-4-2007)
  • Silas will carry Rockingham Speedway decals at Talladega: ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie Bryan Silas will take another major leap in his NASCAR career by taking the green flag in Saturday’s Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway. Rockingham Speedway will carry their decals on Silas’s#71-Chevy on Saturday as the primary sponsor. Truck owner Andy Hillenburg acquired ownership of the Rockingham, North Carolina track on Tuesday. Silas is scheduled to compete in two more Craftsman Truck Series races with the events being announced in the near future.(FastTrack Racing PR)(10-3-2007)
  • ASILIMITED joining Lester Buildings again this week on #07: This weekend’s race is the sixth race in a seven-race partnership with SS Racing and Green Light Racing; ASI LIMITED, Spectrum Metal Finishing, Akzo Nobel and Aluminum Shapes will join Lester Buildings on the #07 Chevy. “Some of our better runs this year were when Ken Smith of SS Racing and his partners joined us on the truck,” Sauter said. “We’ll do our best to represent them again this week at Talladega.” Last year, Green Light Racing finished second in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award with Chad McCumbee behind the wheel of the #08. With five races remaining in the 2007 schedule Tim is in the middle of a tight battle for the award, leading Willie Allen by just four points heading into this weeks race.(Lester Buildings Racing PR)(10-3-2007)
  • Sad news: The entire Wood Brothers/JTG race team was saddened to learn of the passing of 16-year old Brandon Elam, a resident of Union County in North Carolina. Two weeks ago, the #21 Wood Brothers/JTG Craftsman Truck Series entry at Las Vegas Motor Speedway carried a set of tribute decals in honor his fight against cancer. Driver Jon Wood led 40 laps at the 1.5-mile speedway before finishing in third place that night. Elam and his family are close friends with Wood Brothers/JTG Account Executive Mike Murphy, who arranged to have the special decals produced and placed on the truck. When told of the decal idea, Brandon was ecstatic. He also recently attended the Porter Ridge High School vs. Concord High School football game-where he was designated a guest of honor. Elam was a student at Porter Ridge High. Funeral arrangements have not yet been set. Those wishing to express condolences to the family can visit Brandon’s personal website, available at BrandonElam.com.(Wood Bros/JTG Racing)(10-3-2007)
  • Raybestos Rookie Prerace News & Notes: #07-Tim Sauter was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the September 22 Smith’s Las Vegas 250 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway. Sauter scored a 20th-place finish and took top rookie honors for the fourth time this season. Sauter leads Willie Allen by four points (138-134) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the October 6 Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Sauter is 16th in the Craftsman Truck Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos Rookie. He is 21 points ahead of 17th-place Allen. Robert Richardson was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2006 Mountain Dew 250, collecting a 16th-place finish. Erik Darnell was the top qualifying Raybestos Rookie at Talladega, earning the sixth-place starting position in 2006. Two Raybestos Rookies led a lap in the 2006 race: Darnell (once for five laps) and Chad McCumbee (once for one lap).(Raybestos PR)(10-2-2007)
  • Driver autograph session at Talladega: Prior to the Mountain Dew 250, several Truck Series drivers are scheduled to participate in an autograph session at Talladega Superspeedway. For details and a list of drivers scheduled to participate visit the Driver Appearances page.(10-2-2007)
  • Smith returns to the #47 for Mountain Dew 250: For the fifth time this season, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Regan Smith has been tapped to drive the #47 Ginn Resorts Chevy fielded by Morgan Dollar Motorsports. “We have had a good run every time I have been in the #47 truck this season,” said Smith. “Eric Phillips and everyone at Morgan Dollar has done a great job giving me awesome trucks to race. I can hardly wait to get to Talladega. The track is wide and smooth and I am sure we will put on a race that will have the fans on their feet for the entire 250 miles.”(GM Racing PR)(10-2-2007)
  • Dassow to run Martinsville in the #8: Haas CNC Racing announced today that 2007 ASA Late Model Champion Travis Dassow will pilot the #8 MRD Motorsports Chevy in the Oct. 20 Craftsman Truck Series event at Martinsville Speedway. Dassow, who wrapped up his championship by finishing third in the ASA Challenge Series race at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL Saturday, will drive the #8 Chevy at Martinsville as part of the Haas CNC Racing driver development program. Chad McCumbee will remain the primary driver of the #8 Chevy through the remainder of the season.(Haas CNC PR)(10-2-2007)
  • Sieg in the #15 for Ballew at Talladega: Shane Sieg will pilot the #15 RedTop Auto Auction Silverado for Ballew in the running of the Mountain Dew 250 Craftsman Truck Series race at the superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. Sieg last piloted the #15 Billy Ballew Motorsports truck at the New Hampshire International Speedway finishing in 10th in only his first race with the team. This will be Sieg’s first start at the Talladega Superspeedway.(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)(10-2-2007)
  • Wise pulling double-duty at ‘Dega: Josh Wise will be pulling double-duty at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. He will compete in both the ARCA RE/MAX and Craftsman Truck Series events at the 2.66-mile tri-oval. This will be Wise’s last ARCA race of the season and his eighth time behind the #00 Aaron’s Lucky Dog in the NCTS.(Michael Waltrip Racing PR)(10-2-2007)
  • Busch considered rookie for NCTS race: Although Kyle Busch has driven in nine previous races at the Talladega Superspeedway, he will be considered a rookie this weekend when he takes the wheel of the #51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Flanders Beef Patties Chevy Craftsman Truck Saturday, October 6, 2007. Busch has five Nextel Cup Series and four Busch Series starts including two top-five and two top-10 finishes at the 2.66-mile tri-oval course. Any driver that has not competed in the series is considered a rookie at that particular track so Busch will have the rookie stripe on the Flanders Beef Patties NASCAR Craftsman Truck in Saturday’s Mountain Dew 250. Georgia based Flanders Beef Patties will serve as the primary sponsor of the #51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado with RedTop Auto Auction, another Georgia company as the associate sponsor.(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)(10-2-2007)
  • Mike Wallace to drive #03 for Germain at Talladega: UPDATE: More info: During an interview on “The Driver’s Seat” on Sirius Radio, Mike Wallace said he is scheduled to drive a third entry [#03 Toyota] for Germain Racing in the Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega this week. (Sirius Radio)(10-1-2007)
    UPDATE: Mike Wallace and the #03 Toyota will be sponsored by Southeast Toyota Dealers with Jason Overstreet serving as crew chief. Wallace has captured eight wins in his NASCAR career, four have come in the Craftsman Truck Series, and two of his wins have been at Daytona.(Germain Racing PR)(10-1-2007)
  • Setzer back with #18-Fastenal Dodge at Talladega: Dennis Setzer will climb back behind the wheel of the #18 Fastenal Dodge this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Driver Ken Schrader will turn his focus to his Nextel Cup car and ARCA car duties this weekend. Setzer will be making his fifth career NASCAR start at Talladega; one Nextel Cup start, two Busch Series and one Craftsman Truck Series at the 2.6-mile oval.(Bobby Hamilton Racing PR)(10-1-2007)
  • Roush Fenway drivers Kvapil & Bell make first Talladega start: Travis Kvapil will make his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Talladega Superspeedway this Saturday in the #6 K&N Filters Ford; T.J. Bell will be driving the #50 Heathcliff’s Cat Litter Ford. Kvapil enters Talladega third in Craftsman Truck Series points, 181 markers behind point leader Mike Skinner. Bell has one previous start at Talladega, in the 2004 ARCA season finale. Bell started 35th and finishes sixth.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)(10-1-2007)
  • Wyler Racing recognizes National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) and as a tribute to those affected by the disease, Wyler Racing’s #60 Con-way Freight Toyota will carry the symbolic pink ribbon during all three Craftsman Truck Series events during the month of October. In addition, the entire team will wear a small pink ribbon on their uniform and a pink bracelet with the word “Hope” to pay tribute to those who have been impacted by the disease. Wyler Racing hopes to help raise awareness about breast cancer and the need for continual screening by promoting NBCAM at Talladega Superspeedway (October 6th), Martinsville Speedway (October 20th) and Atlanta Motor Speedway (October 27th).(Wyler Racing PR)(10-1-2007)
  • Gale to pilot #2 truck in front of home crowd: Cale Gale returns to his home state of Alabama to pilot the #2 Camping World Chevy for the final time this season at Talladega Superspeedway. The Mountain Dew 250 marks Gale’s fifth Truck Series start for Kevin Harvick Inc. and first start at the 2.66-mile race track in the Truck Series.(Kevin Harvick Inc. PR)(10-1-2007)
  • Setzer running late model race at Martinsville: UPDATE: Setzer wins; still need ride for two truck races: Dennis Setzer is entered in this weekend’s Bailey’s 300 Late Model race at Martinsville Speedway driving the Romeo Guest Construction Ford owned by Robert Long. For more information on the race visit the Driver Appearances page.(9-29-2007)
    UPDATE: Driving a car that ran virtually flawless for the second half of the 200-lap feature, Setzer torched an overworked field for his fourth career Martinsville win but first triumph in Late Model Stock’s biggest race. Setzer, 47, was relieved of his duties at Spears Motorsports last month and is currently a free agent on the circuit. In two races since his departure from his former team, Setzer has stepped in for other teams that needed a cameo driver. But there are two dates left on the truck schedule — Oct. 20 at Martinsville and Nov. 9 at Phoenix International Raceway — when Setzer doesn’t have a job.(Roanoke Times)(10-1-2007)
  • Pennington Motorsports to announce new sponsor: Truck Series team Pennington Motorsports is expected to announce a new sponsor for their #7 Dodge Ram and driver Jason White this week with the new sponsor taking the primary role in time for this Saturday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway. Hooter’s Energy Drink has been the primary sponsor of the team’s entry this season.(Catchfence.com)(10-1-2007)

 

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