Sprint Cup News

CONCORD, N.C. - Yates Racing announced today that Carfax, the most trusted provider of vehicle history information, will sponsor the No. 28 entry and driver Travis Kvapil for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway on August 17th.  The race marks the first time that Carfax has been a primary sponsor in NASCAR's most elite division, the Sprint Cup Series.

"I'm really looking forward to this sponsorship for our race weekend at Michigan," commented Kvapil.  "Carfax is a company that millions of consumers rely on each year when it comes to vehicle history. This partnership is another great way for us to help get the word out about the services they can provide.  I am honored that Carfax came to our Yates Racing team and chose to support our efforts as an organization.  We have been fortunate enough to have many great partners this season who believe in what our team has set out to accomplish.  I can't wait to showcase our No. 28 Carfax Ford Fusion at Michigan ."

The premiere of the No. 28 Carfax Ford Fusion will take place on August 17th, 2008 for the 3M Performance 400 when Kvapil and his Yates Racing teammate, David Gilliland, travel to Michigan International Speedway for the 23rd race of the 2008 Sprint Cup Series season. The 3M Performance 400 will be broadcast on ESPN Sunday, August 17th with television coverage beginning at 1:00 pm EST and radio coverage provided by the Motor Racing Network.

"We're thrilled to expand our presence in NASCAR to the Sprint Cup Series by teaming up with Yates Racing to sponsor the No. 28 Carfax Ford Fusion," said Larry Gamache , communications director at Carfax.  "Travis is having his best season yet as a Sprint Cup driver and we join the millions of NASCAR fans in cheering him on during the race.  Anyone at Michigan International Speedway or watching on TV is in for a fun-filled race weekend, beginning Saturday with the Carfax 250."

Kvapil has achieved three top-10 finishes and four top-15 finishes this season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series within the first 20 starts of the year and is currently 23rd in the driver point standings.

Carfax is a wholly-owned subsidiary of R.L. Polk & Co. and uses the unique 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN) found on vehicle dashboards and title documents to generate a detailed Vehicle History Report on any used car or light truck. SCR

NASCAR News

Dawsonville, GA - The Bill Elliott Driver Development (BEDD) program announces today the addition of 15-year-old racing prodigy Casey Roderick to its stable of young drivers.  Roderick joins current BEDD teammates Chase Elliott, Mitch Cobb, Trey Poole, and John King, who operate out of the Dawsonville, GA, and shop of Bill Elliott Racing.

Next week, Roderick will participate in the McDowell and Cook Driving School, a partner of Bill Elliott Racing, which gives racers the advantage of in-depth classroom analysis of set-ups, driving techniques and shop preparation.  Elliott plans to continue testing Roderick in various types of equipment, including late model and ARCA cars, for the remainder of 2008 and will make an announcement later this year about his plans for 2009.

"Casey Roderick is the genuine article," said program founder and NASCAR legend, Bill Elliott.  "He's won over 100 races and several titles, but more importantly, he has the attitude and work ethic it takes to be a champion in this sport.  Up until now, it's just been Casey and his dad running with one car, and now I'm excited to step in and help them take Casey's career to the next level.  We're going to give him some opportunities that he may not have had otherwise, and he's going to be a great teammate and supporter of our other drivers."

"Having the opportunity to drive for Bill Elliott is an honor," said Roderick.  "I'm really excited about it.  I don't think it could have come at a better time.  This is definitely a dream come true for me and my family.  I can't think Bill enough for giving me this chance."

Roderick has been considered one of the most successful drivers to compete on Atlanta Motor Speedway's Thunder Ring, where current NASCAR drivers Joey Logano, David Ragan and Reed Sorenson started their careers.  Starting with his first Thursday Thunder Series Bandolero Bandits championship in 2003, Roderick has won six Legends titles at AMS.  He also sits second in all-time career feature wins at AMS with 23 victories, ahead of both Logano (20 wins) and Sorenson (22).  Roderick is also the reigning Most Popular Driver for the Thursday Thunder Series, earning the title in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Roderick also holds the honor of being the youngest Pro Series driver (age 13) in INEX history to win the Summer Shootout Series championship at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 2006, a record previously held by Sorenson.  He followed that up with another Summer Shootout Series Pro championship in 2007.

To say that Roderick has had an impressive career would be an understatement.  His most notable accomplishments include the 2007 Legends Car Asphalt National Pro Championship, the 2007 INEX Pro National Points Championship, the 2007 Lanier National Speedway Legends Pro Championship, the 2007 Georgia Asphalt Series Pro Championship, the 2006 Legends National Pro Division title and the 2006 Governor's Cup at Lanier National Speedway, the 2006 Mason-Dixon Meltdown Legends feature win at South Boston Speedway, and the 2006 Mopar-PRI Sprint & Midget Classic Legends feature win at Orlando SpeedWorld. SCR

Sprint Cup News

Jimmie Johnson was able to kiss the bricks for a second time Sunday by winning the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). Johnson was able to hold off Carl Edwards in a 7 lap shootout after NASCAR threw the final mandatory caution because of unexpected tire wear with 10 laps to go. Edwards was not able to make the pass on Johnson and had to settle for a strong second place finish.

Denny Hamlin who was leading when the final caution flew came home third followed by Elliott Sadler and Jeff Gordon in fourth and fifth. The fourth place finish was the best of the season for Sadler..

Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton and A.J. Allmendinger rounded out the top 10. SCR
Matthew Blaylock

Nationwide Series News

Mooresville, N.C. - JR Motorsports announced today that Cam Strader will assume crew chief duties for the No. 5 NASCAR Nationwide Series team starting this weekend at O'Reilly Raceway Park. He replaces Chad Walter, who has resigned.

Strader, car chief for the team since 2006, will serve in an interim capacity until a permanent replacement has been determined.

"We have complete faith in Cam Strader's abilities to continue the momentum the No. 5 team has gained in last two months," said Kelley Earnhardt, vice president and general manager of JR Motorsports. "We appreciate what Chad has brought to this company, and wish him the very best."

Strader, 28, is from Wilson, N.C. He joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2003 and came to JR Motorsports when the companies merged Nationwide Series operations following the 2007 season.

The No. 5 team competes full-time in the Nationwide Series with multiple drivers, including Landon Cassill, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson, Adrian Fernandez, Ron Fellows, and team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. Cassill will drive the No. 5 Chevrolet Saturday night in the Kroger 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Ind.

Through 21 races this season, the No. 5 team has one win, one pole, three top-fives, and 10 top-10s. Its victory came on March 1 in the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with driver Mark Martin. Last week at Gateway International Raceway, the team finished sixth and moved up to 10^th in the NASCAR Nationwide owners standings. SCR

DIRT Motorsports WoO Sprint Series News

Rossburg, OH - Heavy storms postponed the 25th Annual Kings Royal for the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at the famed Eldora Speedway until Sunday evening. With the first session of hot laps on the track, the skies opened and the rains came, forcing officials to postpone the event by a day.

A strong field of 39 cars was checked into the pit area for the event, which was scheduled to have five eight-lap heat races, with the Top-Three finishers in each heat transferring into the A-Feature, with each of the winners of the five heats to take part in the Crane Cams Dash.

A number of former Kings Royal winners were honored on Saturday prior to the scheduled event as part of the 25th Annual Kings Royal celebration. Among the drivers in attendance were: three-time Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion Sammy Swindell, Hall of Famer Doug Wolfgang, Bobby Davis Jr., Don Kreitz Jr. and Dale Blaney.

Current World of Outlaws drivers that were honored for their wins in the Kings Royal included: 20-time series champion Steve Kinser, who has six career Kings Royal wins, three-time winner Jac Haudenschild, two-time winner Joey Saldana, two-time defending series champion Donny Schatz and Jason Sides.

A complete racing event is scheduled for Sunday, beginning with hot laps, time trials, heat races, the Crane Cams Dash, consolation races and the 40-lap A-Feature that will pay the winner $50,000.Racing is set for 6:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday night in the 25th Annual Kings Royal. SCR

USAR Pro Cup News

Radford, Va. -If the Kmart 250 at Motor Mile Speedway was any indication of what the Championship Series is going to be like, race fans will be in for a treat.

Benny Gordon, the Sears Auto Center Northern Division point leader, and Mark McFarland, the Greased Lightning Southern Division point leader, battled down to the finish of the 250-lap event before Gordon inched away for his first win of the season.

"We had a lot of changes on the team this year, and it just takes a little while to build back to where we have been," said Gordon, driver of the No. 66n Samuel Metals Ford. "I could see the momentum in the shop and the enthusiasm in the guys. I was really thinking it was going to turnaround tonight."

Though the premonition may have buoyed Gordon's confidence, Motor Mile is a track that he needs little extra incentive.

With his win on Saturday night, Gordon has now won four races in seven starts at the .416-mile track.

"I don't what it is about this track, but I love it," said Gordon, who took home $11,000 for his win. "I grew up racing on a track that reminds me of this track, and I remembered a lot of secrets about how to set the car up and race the track."

After starting third in the 32-car field, Gordon took the lead from pole-sitter Clay Rogers on the 19th circuit and held the lead until pitting on Lap 38. Most of the leaders followed Gordon's decision to short pit and came to pit road behind the No. 66 Ford.

Tim Bainey Jr. and Allen Purkhiser took turns at the point until Jay Fogleman made his presence known at this former home track, taking the lead on Lap 97.

Once out front, Fogleman, driver of the No. 4n Speedco/The Works Ford, built leads of two seconds over the field before Gordon began to reel him in around Lap 175.

Gordon ducked under Fogleman for the lead on Lap 189. A caution negated the pass, but Fogleman decided to give up the lead and come to pit road.

"I knew we were going to finish second or third if we didn't pit, so we just put tires on it to see if we could win it," said Fogleman, who made it back to third at the finish. "If circumstances went our way and we got a caution with 20 to go, we had a chance at winning tonight."

With Fogleman trying to rally from the back, Gordon's focus turned to holding off McFarland.

McFarland, driver of the No. 81s Sears Auto Center Chevrolet, lurked around in the top three all night before pressuring Gordon for the win over the final 30 laps. McFarland closed to within a car length on several occasions, but he came up .305 of a second shy of his third victory in a row.

"My car was as good as it was all night at the end, handling-wise," said McFarland. "We were having brake problems all race, and the [brake] pedal went soft. I really didn't know what I had each lap until I got to the corner; it was kind of scary. I didn't want to go in there and wipe Benny out."

Brandon Ward, the defending winner of the event, brought his No. 93n Super Clean Ford in fourth position.

Jeff Agnew, driver of the No. 73n Team 7 Ford, wrestled an ill-handling machine after an early-race mishap and finished fifth.

Unofficial Results

1. Benny Gordon
2. Mark McFarland
3. Jay Fogleman
4. Brandon Ward
5. Jeff Agnew
6. Gary St. Amant
7. Joey Coulter
8. Mart Nesbitt
9. Caleb Holman
10. Jason Sarvis
11. Allen Purkhiser
12. Sam Fullone
13. Derrick Kelley
14. Derek Kale
15. Tim Bainey Jr.
16. Tyler Young
17. Brandon Miller
18. Jason Kidd
19. Ronnie Souders
20. Danny Abold
21. Dwayne Tatman
22. Lonnie Rush Jr.
23. Matt Merrell
24. Joe Harrison Jr.
25. Danny Jackson
26. Mikey Kile
27. Tim Kerr
28. Mike Hampton
29. Brett Butler
30. Ray Love Jr.
31. Clay Rogers
32. Scott Leach SCR

Sprint Cup News

Kyle Busch was able to sweep both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races at Chicago Friday and Saturday night, the first time a weekend sweep happened since Matt Kenseth did it early in 2007.

Busch pushed leader Jimmie Johnson on a restart with two laps to go and then went high got Johnson loose and went onto make the pass that took him on to the win.

Johnson who finished second blamed himself in the post race interview as the reason he did not get the win.

Kevin Harvick who was in the mix late finished third followed by Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart in fourth and fifth.

Brian Vickers, Matt Kenseth, David Ragan, Martin Truex Jr., and Ryan Newman rounded out the top 10. SCR
Matthew Blaylock

Sprint Cup News

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Today, BAM Racing team owner Beth Ann Morgenthau issued the following statement to clear up any confusion from the past few days.

According to Mrs. Morgenthau, "An independent agent, knowing BAM Racing was seeking corporate sponsorship to return to the track, requested permission to connect BAM Racing with all three presidential campaigns. BAM agreed to explore the options. The same independent agent referred to as, ‘a BAM spokesperson' in the recent Sports Illustrated article, ‘revealed' what was only tentative, exploratory talks. BAM Racing has decided to heed the advice of the overwhelming response by fans to keep politics out of racing and continue to focus on several other exciting sponsorships soon to be announced." SCR

Nationwide Series News

Kyle Busch kept his hot streak going Friday at Chicago. Busch driving the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing pulled away from the field to win the first night race at Chicago. Busch won the race by over 4 seconds over his Sprint Cup JGR teammate Denny Hamlin, Hamlin was driving the No. 32 Toyota Friday night. Brad Keselowski who had his first start for JR Motorsports last year at Chicago, brought home his JR Motorsports Chevrolet home third. Brian Vickers came back from a couple of laps down to finish fourth and David Reutimann rounded out the top five.

The win was the fifth for Busch in 2008 in the Nationwide Series and the 102^nd win for Joe Gibbs Racing as a team. Wins 100 and 101 came last week at Daytona for JGR when Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch both won. SCR
Matthew Blaylock

Sprint Cup News

Due to rain around the Chicagoland Speedway Thursday qualifying for the LifeLock.com 400 was set by owner points. Kyle Busch will lead the field to the green Saturday night with Dale Earnhardt Jr. sitting on his outside. Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson will start third, fourth and fifth.

Positions six through 10 will went to Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer.

Due to qualifying be washed out Tony Raines and Johnny Sauter will miss the race. SCR
Matthew Blaylock

Sprint Cup News

JOLIET, Ill. - Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart has set his NASCAR future, and it's as an owner and driver with Stewart-Haas Racing beginning in 2009.

Stewart-Haas Racing is the new partnership between Stewart and Haas CNC Racing, with the revamped entity slated to run two cars full-time in the Sprint Cup Series.

"This is an incredible opportunity that allows me to race competitively in NASCAR's top division while carving out a place in this sport long after my driving career is over," Stewart said.  "I've won races and I've won championships and I know I could've continued to do that at Joe Gibbs Racing, but to attempt to do those things as a car owner is something that really appeals to me.  There's a whole new sense of appreciation and satisfaction that comes with success when you're both a driver and an owner."

Stewart knows that sense well, for the 37-year-old from Columbus , Ind. , already owns two teams in the United States Auto Club (USAC) and two Sprint Car teams in the World of Outlaws (WoO).

Since its formation in November 2000, Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) has earned eight owner championships, the most recent of which was the 2007 USAC Sprint car title care of TSR driver Levi Jones, which marked the first USAC title for Chevrolet as a manufacturer.

"The moment the idea of team ownership in NASCAR really clicked for me was at last year's Chili Bowl," said Stewart, referring to the "Super Bowl of Midget Racing" at the Tulsa ( Okla. ) Expo Center .  "I won that race back in 2002, but in 2007 I won in one of my own cars.  Making it even sweeter was that out of a total of 267 entries, Tony Stewart Racing placed two cars in the A-main.  One of them won and the other finished 10th.  The sense of satisfaction I had from that weekend was awesome, and I want to enjoy that same feeling in NASCAR."

While ownership in the Sprint Cup Series is a big jump from ownership in USAC and WoO, Stewart knows that the right pieces are in place at Stewart-Haas Racing to continue his streak of ownership success, while also maintaining his impressive record as a Sprint Cup driver, which currently stands at two championships, 32 wins, 10 poles, 124 top-fives, 199 top-10s and more than 10,000 laps led.

"Stewart-Haas Racing will have everything it needs to be successful," Stewart said.  "The equipment is there to win races next year and in the years to come.  I look forward to being an integral part of growing this team into a contender."

Joe Custer, Haas CNC Racing's general manager, is obviously pleased with the coming addition of Stewart to the team's fleet of race cars and to its front office.

"Tony Stewart is a proven champion, on the track and off," Custer said.  "He brings a track record of success to an organization owned by the world's largest machine tool manufacturer.  And while Haas Automation has enjoyed great success in the marketplace, our racing operation has yet to achieve the same kind of success.  Tony Stewart is a racer with a keen business sense, and we're proud and excited to have him as a key partner of our team."

Haas CNC Racing operates out of a 140,000-square foot shop in Concord , N.C. , and is owned by Oxnard, Calif.-based Haas Automation Inc.  The company has been involved with motorsports since 1995 through various technical partnerships with teams in the IRL IndyCar Series and NASCAR, including Hendrick Motorsports, which will continue to provide chassis, engines and technical support to Stewart-Haas Racing.

News regarding sponsors of Stewart-Haas Racing, as well as the complete driver lineup and corresponding car numbers for the two-car team, will be announced at a later date. SCR

Track News

PITTSBURGH - TUMS, one of the most trusted brands for indigestion and heartburn relief, is launching a nationwide search for one lucky fan to serve as the Grand Marshal of the TUMS QuikPak 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. on October 19, 2008.

"TUMS, and the all-new TUMS QuikPak, is all about fast relief," said Brenda Kale, Senior Consumer Promotions Manager at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. "We are looking for a Grand Marshal who has provided fast relief to another person and deserves an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve as a Grand Marshal at the TUMS QuikPak 500."

Race fans who are interested in becoming the Grand Marshal of the TUMS QuikPak 500 at Martinsville Speedway can visit TUMSRacing.com and write an essay answering the question: Why do you deserve to be the Grand Marshal for the day?  From professional to everyday heroes, TUMS is searching for the race fan that has provided fast relief to a friend, family member or entire community.  The nomination period begins on July 9, 2008 and ends at 12:00 a.m. (EST) on August 30, 2008.

Five finalists will be selected and posted on September 5, 2008 at TUMSRacing.com.  Following the finalist announcement, America will vote and choose the Grand Marshall for the TUMS QuikPak 500 at Martinsville Speedway.  The nominee who receives the most votes online will win the opportunity to become the TUMS QuikPak 500 Grand Marshal.  Online fan voting begins September 5, 2008 and will conclude on September 12, 2008.

The TUMS QuikPak 500 Grand Marshal will lead the crowd on race day, delivering the, "Drivers, start your engines" race command, attending a host of pre-race ceremonies, being introduced to the TUMS Racing drivers and watching the race from the comfort of a catered skybox suite.

"The TUMS QuikPak 500 is all about the fans!" Kale explained. "We are inviting race fans to nominate themselves as well as vote for who they think is most deserving of the Grand Marshal responsibilities at the TUMS QuikPak 500."

The TUMS QuikPak 500 will be the first stock car race sponsored by the TUMS brand.  The race sponsorship will continue to build on the long-standing relationship between GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare and the .526-mile Virginia short track.  The partnership began in 1983 when Goody's Headache Powder first sponsored the Goody's 500 at Martinsville Speedway. SCR

Sprint Cup News

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. - Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and Tony Stewart have agreed to part ways upon the conclusion of the 2008 season.

The two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will finish the 2008 Sprint Cup season with JGR behind the wheel of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota.  Stewart will also compete for JGR in the two NASCAR Nationwide Series races still remaining on his original, nine-race Nationwide Series schedule - July 11 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet , Ill. , and Aug. 16 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn .  Stewart will pilot the No. 20 Old Spice Toyota in those two events.

"We've had a lot of success with Tony in our 12 years here at Joe Gibbs Racing," said J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR.  "While this moment is bittersweet, we're parting on good terms and we know that each of us has benefited greatly from the other.

"We grew to two teams in the Sprint Cup Series with Tony and The Home Depot in 1999, and two championships and 32 wins followed.  While our time together is coming to an end, we know there's still a lot of racing left this season and we plan to make the most of it.  On behalf of everyone at JGR, we're proud of everything we've accomplished together with Tony and we wish him the best in pursuing his dream of NASCAR team ownership."

Stewart ran five Nationwide Series races for JGR in 1997 while competing full-time in the IRL IndyCar Series.  After winning the IndyCar Series championship in 1997, Stewart upped his Nationwide Series schedule with JGR to 22 races in 1998 in preparation for his rookie season in the Sprint Cup Series in 1999.

With a then rookie-record three Sprint Cup wins, Stewart collected Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors and finished an impressive fourth in points.  After finishing second in Sprint Cup points in 2001, Stewart scored his first Sprint Cup championship in 2002 by 38 points over Mark Martin.  He followed that championship with another title run in 2005 when he beat Greg Biffle for the crown by 35 points.

"I cannot thank Joe and J.D. Gibbs enough for the opportunity they gave me and for the support they've given me throughout my entire NASCAR career," Stewart said.  "I've learned so much from them and have a tremendous amount of respect for what they've built.

"I've modeled my USAC and World of Outlaws teams the same way they built their NASCAR team, and I made it a point to find good people to run those programs.  If I've learned anything from my time at Joe Gibbs Racing, it's that Joe Gibbs' saying of, ‘You win with people,' is incredibly true.  They always surrounded me with not just good people, but great people, and the results speak for themselves.

"My crew chief, Greg Zipadelli, is the best example of that.  We've accomplished so much in our 10 years together on the track, and off the track, he's been like a big brother to me.  It's a friendship I cherish and expect to continue, even while he stays at Joe Gibbs Racing and I move on.

"I also want to thank The Home Depot.  We've had a fantastic run with them, and it's not over yet.  We can still win races and compete for a championship and go out on top.  For 2008, that's my number one goal."

Stewart's parting from JGR at the conclusion of the 2008 season will end the longest active driver/crew chief relationship in the Sprint Cup garage.

"No matter what, Tony and I will remain close friends," Zipadelli said.  "I know when it comes to the No. 20 team, things will obviously be a lot different next year, but I remain as committed as ever this year to winning races with Tony and securing our spot in the Chase to contend for a third championship."

"The 20 car has been one of the all-time great partnerships in NASCAR for the last decade with the combination of Tony, Zippy, The Home Depot and Joe Gibbs Racing," said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing.  "While we are losing one piece of the puzzle, we think the No. 20 team will remain strong for many years to come." SCR

Sprint Cup News

Two-time Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart has been granted his release from Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) according to an ESPN.com report.

Stewart who has driven for JGR for 10 years is expected to announce today that he will leave JGR at the end of the season.

Stewart will move to Haas CNC Racing in 2009 where he will have up to 70% ownership in the team according to SCR sources.

According to the ESPN report the Haas team will be renamed in 2009 Stewart Hass Racing but no word on what number Stewart would drive.

Stewart Hass Racing will continue to receive support from Hendrick Motorsports and Ryan Newman continues to be the leading candidate to drive the teams second car. SCR
Matthew Blaylock
Photo: James S. Langley

Sprint Cup News

MOORESVILLE, N.C. - Following NASCAR's announcement that it has fined the Dale Earnhardt Inc. No. 1 car 150 car owner points, 150 driver points and issued a $100,000 fine for crew chief Kevin Manion, as well as a six-race suspension for Manion and car chief Gary Putnam, Dale Earnhardt Inc. vice president of motorsports operations John Story issued the following statement:

"We are still trying to understand how the car fit our templates multiple times at the shop, but we respect NASCAR's determination that one of our cars did not exactly conform to their template at the track.  We have not decided if we will pursue our options to appeal.  Under NASCAR's rules, we have 10 days to notify the sanctioning body of any appeal." SCR

Sprint Cup News

NASCAR announced today that they have fined and penalized the No. 1 Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) team that is driven by Martin Truex Jr. The team was penalized for infractions found last week at the Dayton Int. Speedway (DIS).

During opening day of inspections the No. 1 Chevrolet was found not to meet the NASCAR template that all cars must meet.

As a result of the infraction NASCAR has docked drive Martin Truex Jr. 150 driver points. They also docked 150 owner points from team owner Teresa Earnhardt. In addition to the point's deduction to driver and team owner, NASCAR also suspended crew chief Kevin Manion and car chief Gary Putnam for the next six races (until August 27, 2008). and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Additionally, Manion has been fined $100,000. SCR
Matthew Blaylock

Sprint Cup News

Daytona Beach - For several members of the Coca-Cola Racing Family, a victory in the inaugural Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola was so close they could taste it. Although the drivers were unsuccessful in their bid to take the checkered flag, millions of fans in the U.S. still have an opportunity to get a "Taste of Victory" of their own.

Through the Coke Zero "Taste of Victory" program, if one of the 13 drivers sponsored by Coca-Cola won the Coke Zero 400, fans would be able to enjoy the Real Coke Taste and Zero Calories of Coke Zero for free.  Even without a victory, Kyle Petty - a founding member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family and analyst in the TNT broadcast booth for the race - announced that in celebration of the inaugural Coke Zero 400 at iconic Daytona International Speedway, fans would still be able to receive free Coke Zero.

Any U.S. resident 13 years of age or older can simply visit www.CokeZero.com through July 13 and follow the instructions to receive a coupon for a free 20-ounce bottle of Coke Zero (*).  In addition to quenching their thirst, fans can help support a charity close to the hearts of Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers.  Coke Zero will donate $1 to the Victory Junction Gang Camp on behalf of the first 10,000 people who visit CokeZero.com to request a free coupon.

Founded by Petty and his wife Pattie in honor of their late son Adam, the Victory Junction Gang Camp enriches the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a safe and medically sound environment.

"It's pretty sweet to share the real Coke taste and Zero calories of Coke Zero with fans around the country," said Kyle Petty.  "I hope to see millions of people visit CokeZero.com to claim their free 20-ounce bottle and join me in celebrating an exciting Coke Zero 400."

Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers participating in the "Taste of Victory" program included Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Mark Martin, Greg Biffle, Elliott Sadler, Jamie McMurray, Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip, Clint Bowyer and David Ragan.  Terry Labonte also was eligible as the driver of the #45 Petty Enterprises Dodge.

"We were really rooting for one of our drivers to get to Victory Lane and deliver a taste of victory to people across the U.S. ," said Bill Kelly, senior vice president, Coca-Cola Brands, Coca-Cola North America.  "In the end, it was a great race and that's reason enough to follow through with our offer to give away free Coke Zero and to continue our support of Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp."

The "Taste of Victory" program is one of many ways Coke Zero has taken a prominent role in NASCAR this year.  Title sponsorship of the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola serves as the centerpiece for the brand's expanded presence in the sport. In addition, marketing efforts have included the launch of Coke Zero's first-ever NASCARâ-themed advertising campaign, driver appearances, high-visibility track signage, at-track sampling and much more - all promoting the brand's core message - Coke Zero has "Real Coke Taste and Zero Calories."

With a current share of 1.5%, Coke Zero is the only sparkling beverage brand of 350 launched since 2001 to surpass and maintain a 1% market share.  By using irreverent, humorous communication and delivering Real Coke Taste and Zero Calories, Coke Zero has established a strong connection with young adult males and achieved the highest trial of any recently launched Coca-Cola North America brand.

The debut of the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola is part of a 10-year sponsorship agreement between Coca-Cola North America (CCNA) and International Speedway Corporation (ISC).  Through a variety of track partnerships, brands from CCNA will be refreshing fans at 13 race tracks in 2008 before expanding to 17 race tracks by 2012.

Coca-Cola is the official sparkling beverage of NASCARâ and has been involved with stock car racing for more than 40 years.  A signature part of Coca-Cola's innovative NASCAR program is the Coca-Cola Racing Family - a collection of veteran drivers and rising stars.

(*)  Coupons for free 20-ounce bottles of Coke Zero will be redeemable until September 1, 2008 at participating retailers across the country where Coca-Cola products are sold.  Limit is one coupon per person.  All U.S. residents 13 years of age or older are eligible. SCR

Sprint Cup News

Kyle Busch was a nose ahead of Carl Edwards as the caution flew under the green/white/checker finish to win the Coke Zero 400 at the Daytona Int. Speedway.

Busch who led the field back to green on the final restart saw Jeff Gordon spin and held off a hard charge from Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch as Michael Waltrip was tapped and sent into a spin that was the big one and the end of the race.

Edwards was able to hold on for second and he was followed by his Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth in third. Kyle's older brother Kurt who was pushing Edwards at the end finished fourth and David Ragan rounded out the top five.

Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin rounded out the top 10.

The win was the sixth of the season for Kyle and the 101^st in NASCAR racing for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) as Denny Hamlin picked up win number 100 Friday night during the Nationwide race.

Busch now leads Earnhardt Jr. in the championship standings by 182 points, Jeff Burton dropped to third.

Jeff Gordon who was running second on the last restart finished 30^th after the spin. SCR
Matthew Blaylock

Nationwide Series News

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) continued their dominance in NASCAR Friday night at Daytona as Denny Hamlin took the win in the Winn-Dixie 250 and he was followed by his JGR teammate Kyle Busch. The win was the ninth of the season for the No. 20 team (5 with Tony Stewart driving, 2 with Denny Hamlin, 1 with Kyle Busch and 1 with Joey Logano).

Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave one last push for the win after the race was restarted for a green/white/checker finish after a late caution, Earnhardt ended up third. Nationwide Series point's leader Clint Bowyer finished fourth and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five. SCR
Matthew Blaylock

Sprint Cup News

On a day that Mark Martin announced that he would leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) after the season to take the No. 5 ride for Hendrick Motorsports (HMS), he went out and helped DEI sweep the front row at Daytona.

Martin ran a speed of 185.870 mph and that was good enough to qualify second, his DEI teammate Paul Menard took the pole for Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 by running a speed of 185.916 mph.

Starting third behind the DEI cars of Menard and Martin will be former DEI driver and current Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. Joe Nemechek and Johnny Sauter rounded out the top five.

David Ragan had strong qualifying run, he will start sixth, Ragan will be followed by Boris Said in seventh and rookie and the third DEI ca in the top 10 Regan Smith in eighth. Kyle Busch was the only Toyota to qualify in the top 10, he will start ninth and Patrick Carpentier rounded out the top 10.

Two drivers failed to qualify for the race, Scott Riggs and J.J. Yeley. Riggs was trying to make his 150^th career start. SCR
Matthew Blaylock

Sprint Cup News

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Mark Martin, a 35-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner and the all-time leader in NASCAR Nationwide Series victories, has signed a two-year agreement to drive for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2009.

Martin will race the full 2009 Sprint Cup schedule in the No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolets, becoming teammates with Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. It will mark his first full season of Cup competition since 2006, when he finished ninth in points.

A Batesville, Ark., native, Martin also is slated to run a partial Sprint Cup schedule for Hendrick Motorsports in 2010, sharing the No. 5 Chevys with a to-be-determined second driver. Martin will enter 26 events, including the non-points Budweiser Shootout and NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

"Mark is an incredible racer and one of the classiest guys around," said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, whose organization will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2009. "He is a driver who makes everyone around him better, and our entire company is going to benefit from his presence."

In the 20 seasons Martin has completed the full Sprint Cup schedule, he has finished inside the top 12 in championship points on 17 occasions, including 12 appearances in the top five. In addition to his 35 wins, Martin has posted 41 pole positions, 241 top-five finishes and 390 top-10s at the Cup level.

"I feel very fortunate to have this chance to win races and go after a championship with Hendrick Motorsports," Martin said. "Coming back full time wasn't something we planned, but driving the No. 5 car, with all its history, was an impossible opportunity to pass up.

"Rick and I have enjoyed a great relationship over the years, and we've always talked about doing this. Now it's working out, and we're both excited about the possibilities."

Martin, 49, will be paired with crew chief Alan Gustafson, who now is in his fourth season at the helm of the No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet team. Gustafson has posted four Sprint Cup wins as a crew chief and has a history with Martin, having worked with him in multiple Nationwide Series events.

THE MARK MARTIN FILE:

Birth Date: Jan. 9, 1959
Hometown: Batesville, Ark.
Sprint Cup Seasons: 26 (full- and part-time)
Sprint Cup Wins: 35
Sprint Cup Poles: 41
First Sprint Cup Start: North Wilkesboro, N.C. (April 5, 1981)
First Sprint Cup Win: Rockingham, N.C. (Oct. 22, 1989)
Most Recent Sprint Cup Win: Kansas City, Kan. (Oct. 9, 2005)
Best Sprint Cup Points Finish: Second (four times)
Nationwide Series Wins: 48 (all-time leader) SCR

Craftsman Truck Series News

Daytona Beach, Florida - Randy Moss, NFL All Pro wide receiver with the New England Patriots, will make his debut as a NASCAR team owner on July 19 in the Built Ford Tough 225 at Kentucky Speedway. Moss has purchased a 50-percent stake in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team owned by long-time series participant David Dollar. Dollar's team, known as Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, will be renamed Randy Moss Motorsports effective immediately.

"We looked at a lot of different options and we've decided to align with David Dollar's team rather than build an operation from scratch," Moss said. "He has an existing team with a state-of-the-art shop, all the parts and pieces it takes to do this and do it well, and some of the best people in the Craftsman Truck Series garage area. The team has contended for championships in the past and has won a lot of races. We really believe that we'll come out of the gate competitive with a chance to win."

As Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, the team has won 13 races with drivers Dennis Setzer, Bobby Labonte, and Clint Bowyer. With Setzer at the wheel, the team finished second in the series standings from 2003 through 2005. The team has entered each race in 2008 with drivers A.J. Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Landon Cassill, Erin Crocker, Timothy Peters, Regan Smith and Scott Speed. The team has three top-ten finishes so far in 2008; Speed scored a tenth-place finish at Martinsville while Cassill has finishes of ninth at Charlotte and third at Milwaukee.

Sponsorship for the new organization is pending.  The new team will utilize Moss's familiar No. 81, and will retain Morgan-Dollar's relationship with Chevrolet.  Eric Phillips, long time crew chief for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports will continue to fill that role with Randy Moss Motorsports.

Moss is a ten year veteran in the National Football League and was a first-round draft pick in the 1998 draft out of Marshall University .  He has been a NASCAR fan for several years including sponsorship of a local dirt track program and recently made the decision to get involved with the ownership of a NASCAR team.  He is also a Goodwill Ambassador for the Urban Youth Racing School and furthers his youth advocacy while holding the same honor with American Youth Football.  A major component of the Randy Moss Motorsports program will be the continued involvement and support of youth programs.

Moss is looking forward to seeing his truck on the speedway in competition.

"It's been a long time coming," he said. "It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. It's going to be a lot of fun to see that truck out on the track and know I own it. We've made a pretty big commitment to be here, and we have just as big a commitment to win races too. All of us at Randy Moss Motorsports are competitive people and winning is our priority. It's not going to be easy but we're all going to work as hard as we can to make it happen." SCR

Nationwide Series News

Chad Walter, crew chief for the No. 5 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series was fined by NASCAR Wednesday for improper language during the Nationwide Series race this past weekend at New Hampshire.

Walter was fined $10,000 and place don probation until December 31, 2008 due to language that was used during a televised interview during the race. Walter originally was placed on probation in February, because of rule violations at the season-opening event, at Daytona International Speedway.

In addition to Walter being fined and placed on probation, team owner Rick Hendrick was penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series car owner points while driver Landon Cassill was docked 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver points. SCR
Matthew Blaylock

Sprint Cup News

ST. LOUIS, MO - Sprint Cup Series driver, David Ragan named Shriners Hospitals for Children his official charity of choice at the 134th Imperial Council Session of Shriners International in St. Louis on July 1. Ragan also plans to pursue membership with the Shriners fraternity.

"Shriners Hospitals has provided medical care to more than 865,000 children since the first hospital opened in 1922," Ragan said. "I am happy and proud to be in a position where I can make a real difference in the lives of these kids and educate others about this wonderful organization."

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a one-of-a-kind international health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing specialty pediatric care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs. Children up to the age of 18 with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate are eligible for admission and receive all care in a family-centered environment - at no charge - regardless of financial need.

"I look forward to a long and productive relationship with Shriners International and the health care system they help support," Ragan said. "With the help of NASCAR fans across the nation, I know we can increase donations to their worthwhile cause and ultimately help thousands more children in the future."

Last year, as a rookie in the Sprint Cup Series, Ragan finished fifth in the Daytona 500 and third at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va. Now in his second full season on the Cup circuit, the 22-year-old Georgia native is currently 17th in the Sprint Cup point standings and fifth in the Nationwide Series point standings.

Ragan will keep his fans informed of his fundraising activities and visits to Shriners Hospitals on his Web site, www.davidragan.com. For more information on Shriners Hospitals for Children and their care specialties, visit www.shrinershq.org. SCR

Old School Racing News

Mooresville, NC - Old school Racing (OSR) will bring retired NASCAR legends back to the track for its inaugural event on July 18th.  The "Old School-RacersReunion.com Shootout" will be held at the famed Music City Motorplex (MCM) in Nashville, TN as apart of MCM's 50 Years of Asphalt Racing Celebration, July 18-20, 2008.

OSR, in conjunction with RacersReunion.com, will bring the July 18th event live to the web with the veteran racing analyst Randy Pemberton in the broadcast booth with many special guest that will bring the fans racing stories that may never be heard again. Fans not attending the event will be able to view it live in it's entirety along with some special surprises at www.RacersReunion.com.

Some of the greatest drivers of all time have been slated to compete in this long anticipated inaugural event. They include names such as; Harry Gant, Sterling Marlin, Geoff Bodine, Dave Marcis, Jack Ingram, Larry Pollard, James Harvey Hylton, Charlie Glotzbach, Joe Ruttman, Ronnie Thomas, Tommy Houston, and Randy Lajoie.

Drivers will be available for autographs between qualifying and race time. Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm and the green flag drops for the Shootout at 8:30 pm.  One of the must see events during the live broadcast will be a round table discussion with four of these racing legends. It will be hosted Randy Pemberton and is sure to bring out some great stories from these "old school" drivers.

"It's great to finally give the fans something they've wanted to see," said OSR Managing Partner Gene Weaver. "These guys are my hero's and putting these legends back on the track is not just a thrill to the fans, but also to everyone involved in this series. We're excited about this opportunity to bring this inaugural event to the fans along with RacersReunion.com and our sponsors."

"We're thrilled to be able to participate in this event with OSR," said Jeff Gilder, of the RacersReunion Network. "Our goal is to bring recognition to the roots of stock car racing and to keep these legends of the sport in front of their fans. This is a perfect fit for us."

Tickets for the event start at just $15.00 and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com. And the three hour-live broadcast can be seen for FREE at www.RacersReunion.com.
Track Info: www.musiccitymotorplex.com
Ticket Info: http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/221353/?search_redirect=music%20city%20motorplex SCR

Sprint Cup News

EM Motorsports team owner John Carter has announced that Johnny Sauter will pilot the No. 08 getFUBAR.com Dodge at Chicago for the LifeLock 400 and Indianapolis for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

Sauter has competed at Chicago on seven occasions (two Cup and five Nationwide) and won the 2002 Tropicana Twister 200 Nationwide Series event while driving for Richard Childress Racing.  The Necedah, Wisconsin native competed for the first time at Indianapolis in 2007, driving for Haas Racing in the Allstate 400. SCR
Matthew Blaylock

Sprint Cup News

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates has announced that his Sprint Cup team will now be a  two car operation. Effective immediately Chip Ganassi Racing will cease operation of the No. 40 team driven by Dario  due to lack of sponsorship.

"This is a difficult decision for Felix and I that did not come without its share of

anguish," said Team Owner Chip Ganassi. "In this tough business environment continuing to run the car without proper funding has become increasingly difficult."

Franchitti, a rookie in the Sprint Cup Series in 2008 will remain with the team and possibly could run the balance of the 2008 Nationwide Series schedule. He currently sits fifth in rookie points, with a best finish on the season being a 15^th at Martinsville. SCR
Matthew Blaylock
Photo: James S. Langley

ARCA RE/MAX Series News

SPARTA KY - Suwanee, Georgia rookie Michael Phelps, in the no. 45 Bowen Family Homes-Cunningham Motorsports Dodge, unofficially posted the quickest speed in ARCA RE/MAX Series open testing Tuesday at Kentucky Speedway.

The test, during which 20 drivers participated, was in preparation for the upcoming Kentucky ARCA RE/MAX 150 Friday night, July 18th LIVE on SPEED at 8:00 PM ET.

Phelps unofficially circled the 1.5-mile superspeedway in 30.680 seconds, for an average speed of  176.010 mph.

Cunningham Motorsports recently announced an alliance with Penske Racing under which Cunningham Motorsports would serve as Penske's official ARCA RE/MAX Series development team.

Matt Hawkins, who won at Iowa Speedway in his career-first series start back in April, was second quickest overall at 175.382 mph. Hawkins also made contact with the turn two wall earlier in the day. The Canton, Georgia driver was not injured.

Tayler Malsam, Phelps's teammate under the Cunningham Motorsports banner, was third quickest overall at 175.041 mph. Malsam, currently eighth in national championship points headed to Kentucky, hails from Seattle, Washington.

Alli Owens, driver of the ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevrolet, was fourth quickest overall at 174.081 mph. Owens, one of four female drivers who tested Tuesday, is running a partial schedule in 2008 for team owner Mario Gosselin.

Other female drivers who competed in the open test included Chrissy Wallace, daughter of NASCAR/ARCA veteran Mike Wallace, and Angela and Amber Cope, nieces of NASCAR veteran Derrick Cope.

Pelham, New Hampshire's Sean Caisse, in Shigeaki Hattori's Aisin AW Toyota, was fifth quickest overall at 173.801 mph.

In addition to Hawkins, three other drivers made contact with the wall during the open test including Brian Scott, Todd Hansen and Owens. There were no injuries.

The list of former ARCA RE/MAX Series winners list at Kentucky is impressive to say the least. It includes four-time Kentucky winner Kimmel, Stenhouse, Jr., Michael McDowell, Erik Darnell, Tim Steele, Ryan Newman, Chad Blount, Kyle Busch, Ryan Hemphill, Steve Wallace and Brad Coleman.

ARCA RE/MAX Series Open Test
Kentucky Speedway, Sparta KY, 7-1-08
Unofficial Results

POS	NO	DRIVER/HOMETOWN	TEAM & CAR	TIME	SPEED
1	45	Michael Phelps/Suwanee GA	Dodge-Bowen Family Homes Dodge	30.680	176.010
2	39	Matt Hawkins/Canton GA	JaniKing-Racing Radios Dodge	30.790	175.382
3	4	Tayler Malsam/Seattle WA	Dodge Driver Development Dodge	30.850	175.041
4	12	Alli Owens/Daytona Beach FL	ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevrolet	31.020	174.081
5	01b	Sean Caisse/Pelham NH	Aisin AW Toyota	31.070	173.801
6	25	Brian Scott/Mooresville NC	Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet	31.090	173.661
7	01a	Chrissy Wallace/St. Louis MO	Aisin AW Toyota	31.120	173.522
8	44	Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN	Ford Drive One-ECC Ford	31.160	173.299
9	15	Brian Scott/Mooresville NC	Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet	31.210	173.021
10	1	Tom Hessert III/Cherry Hill NJ	Maaco Auto Painting Ford	31.210	173.021
11	68	Angela Cope/Puyallup WA	Dodge	31.400	171.975
12	68	Amber Cope/Puyallup WA	Dodge	31.430	171.810
13	77	Todd Hansen/Farmington MN	Mad Croc Energy Drink-JDRF Chevrolet	31.610	170.832
14	74	JR Heffner	Chevrolet	31.870	168.428
15	32	Matt Merrell	Win Tron Racing-Red Line Oil Dodge	32.270	167.338
16	81	Randy Baker	Chevrolet	33.120	163.043
17	87	Chris Cockrum/Conyers GA	Chevrolet	33.210	162.602
18	33	Curt Tori/Wilmington DE	Eastern Industrial Services Chevrolet	33.560	160.906
19	7	Jimmy Nowell	Chevrolet	33.620	160.619
20	81	Sean Corr	Chevrolet	33.830	159.622

SCR

Nationwide Series News

MOORESVILLE, N.C. - For the first time in his career, Kerry Earnhardt, the son of seven-time NASCAR Champion Dale Earnhardt, will drive a Dale Earnhardt Inc. entry in a NASCAR race.

Earnhardt will pilot the No. 8 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet in the July 4 Daytona 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

"I've won several races with DEI in an ARCA car, but I'm really looking forward to driving a fast car at Daytona under the DEI umbrella," Earnhardt said.  "I appreciate DEI giving me the opportunity to get back in a car; especially one that I know will be fast and competitive.  I love running the speedways (Daytona and Talladega ) and can't wait for the weekend to get here."

Earnhardt, who currently works at Dale Earnhardt Inc. as a team liaison, will be making his 70th career start in the series, but only his fifth Nationwide start since 2003. He most recently competed regularly in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2006.

It will be Earnhardt's ninth career Nationwide Series start at Daytona International Speedway. SCR