Kurt Busch looking to run IndyCar finale: #78- Kurt Busch says it is a "good possibility" that he'll race in the Izod IndyCar Series finale in October at Auto Club Speedway to prepare for next year's Indianapolis 500. "We're working on it," Busch said during a break in testing Monday at Watkins Glen International. "We just have to keep our fingers crossed." The IndyCar season finale, a night race, is Oct. 19 at Auto Club Speedway. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway the following day. Busch was encouraged by his May 9 test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He passed the IndyCar rookie test and had a top lap of 218.210 mph in a car from Michael Andretti's team. Busch's effort is contingent on sponsorship. If money isn't found for Busch to run at Auto Club Speedway this season, he says he would feel "blind" at Indianapolis next May "and that's just going to be too much to make up."(Motor Racing Network)(7-31-2013)

NASCAR announces some personnel moves: NASCAR announced several moves aimed at continuing to strengthen its touring & weekly series and broaden the level of experience within the competition department.
Former crew chief Chris Wright has been named the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Director, while Kip Childress transitions to become the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Director. In addition, veteran team manager and Daytona 500 winning crew chief Tony Glover has been appointed as the NASCAR Touring Series Technical Director. Les Westerfield, who has served as the interim NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Director during the first half of the season, will resume his role as NASCAR Touring Series Technical Coordinator and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Race Director.
As a crew chief, Glover has 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins, including Daytona 500 victories working with Sterling Marlin (twice) and Ernie Irvan. He also accumulated 45 Coors Light Pole Awards with 11 different drivers and guided two drivers to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie of the year honors.
Childress has been the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Director since 2008. His tenure has been highlighted by strong competition, diversity and growth in the series. Previously, he served as an official in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and is a third-generation NASCAR official with more than 20 years of experience in the sport.
Wright has been a crew chief, shop foreman and consultant for teams in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1, as well as Late Model teams. The University of South Carolina graduate spent more than five years apiece with Robert Yates Racing and Team Rensi Motorsports.(NASCAR)(7-31-2013)

GoDaddy sponsoring Stewart at Pocono: Walking through the garage this weekend at Pocono Raceway, #14-Danica Patrick will spot another driver in a GoDaddy firesuit. And it won't be because GoDaddy IZOD IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe took a wrong turn on his way to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington. It's because Patrick's boss and Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Tony Stewart has joined the GoDaddy team for Sunday's GoBowling.com 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono and will drive the #14 GoDaddy Chevy. While Patrick, driver of the #10 GoDaddy Chevy for SHR, will be behind the wheel of her iconic green car at Pocono, Stewart's will be painted primarily black.(Stewart-Haas Racing), see an image of the car on the #14 team paint schemes page.(7-31-2013)

Indianapolis TV Ratings: ESPN's live telecast of the Brickyard 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 28, earned a 3.6 U.S. household rating, averaging 5,460,351 viewers, according to the Nielsen Company. The rating and viewership were up 9% from last year's race, which earned a 3.3 rating and 5,054,849 viewers. Indianapolis led all markets with a 13.7 rating, up 26% from last year's 10.9 rating. The rest of the top five markets were Greensboro, N.C., (10.1), Greenville, S.C., (9.4), Charlotte, N.C., (9.1) and Norfolk, Va., (8.3). Rounding out the top 10 were Jacksonville, Fla., (8.2), Nashville, Tenn., (8.1), Birmingham, Ala., (7.8), Richmond, Va., (7.7) and Knoxville, Tenn., (7.2)(ESPN)
See past races for 2013 and 5-year comparison chart on the 2013 NASCAR TV Ratings page.(7-31-2013)

Leavine Family Racing hires VP of Marketing and Partnerships: Leavine Family Racing continues its strategic growth development with the addition of Jeremy Lange as vice president of marketing and partnerships. Lange will design activation programs for new and existing sponsors as well as marketing sales focused on landing new partners and fulfilling those sponsor contracts. A marketing and industry veteran, Lange boasts over 15 years of experience in strategic brand activation, creative marketing and advertising, most recently serving as national account manager in the business sales division at Best Buy.(Leavine Family Racing)(7-31-2013)

Congrats: Nationwide Series driver, Eric McClure, and his wife, Miranda, welcomed their fifth daughter at 3:44 p.m. this afternoon. Myanna Brookleigh McClure weighed 6 pounds 3 ounces and measured 18 inches long. She joins older sisters Mabreigh, Maryleigh, Mirabella, and Merritt McClure. Both mother and baby are doing well. (TMI).(7-31-2013)

Logano in a third Penske car at Watkins Glen: Joey Logano will drive the #48 car at Watkins Glen next week. OK, so it's not that #48 car. But when Penske Racing president Tim Cindric tweeted this week that Logano would drive a #48 car in the Watkins Glen Nationwide Series race, it certainly raised some eyebrows. The # 48, of course, is Jimmie Johnson's five-time championship ride in the Sprint Cup Series. So why did Penske choose to run a #48 car when it could have picked a different number? Because the selection wasn't that great, spokesman Jonathan Gibson told USA TODAY Sports. "It's really as simple as there aren't many numbers available; 48 was the best available number," he said. The car will be sponsored by Discount Tire (which is a regular Penske sponsor) and will have the same paint scheme as always. Penske will field three cars in the race -- Logano, Brad Keselowski (#22) and series regular Sam Hornish Jr. (#12).(USA Today)(7-31-2013)

Herring returns to the #54: This week the #54 Monster Energy seat will again see 26-year-old Drew Herring in the Joe Gibbs Racing eight-time season-winning Camry. Herring, a familiar face at JGR, along with the 2013 winners look forward to week 20 running the U.S. Cellular 250 presented by the Enlist Weed Control System at Iowa Speedway in Newton. The team drives into the Iowa event, on a race high, having won the previous NASCAR Nationwide Series event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway  the famed Brickyard, with driver Kyle Busch. With the week 19 victory, the Joe Gibbs Racing #54 group and owner J.D. Gibbs maintain first place in the series Owners Championship points. This week they look to extend that lead with the help of Herring, who while young, has good statistics as a driver in Iowa.(JGR)(7-31-2013)

Duchardt named General Manager of Hendrick Motorsports: Doug Duchardt, who joined Hendrick Motorsports as an executive in 2005, has been elevated to the newly created position of executive vice president and general manager, effective immediately. He will report to team owner Rick Hendrick and company president Marshall Carlson. In his expanded role, Duchardt, 49, will direct all racing operations for Hendrick Motorsports, which fields four cars in the elite NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He also will manage technical relationships -- encompassing engine leases and chassis purchases -- while serving as primary liaison between Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR's competition group. Duchardt's responsibilities now include oversight of all competition-related personnel and departments, including teams; engines; race car construction (chassis and bodies); research and development; human performance (pit crews); and engineering. Longtime Hendrick Motorsports executive Ken Howes will continue to serve as vice president of competition, a role he assumed in January 2005. He will report to Duchardt.(Hendrick Motorsports)(7-30-2013)

ESPN & TNT decided not to renew with NASCAR: According to a Sports Business Daily report, ESPN and Turner ditched NASCAR  not the other way around. ESPN and Turner Sports each informed NASCAR in early July that they did not intend to bid on the available television rights packages, Sports Business Journal reported Monday. The rationale was similar for both organizations  declining television ratings made NASCAR a less attractive property. Turner, according to the report, "ultimately decided that more NASCAR races weren't worth the investment." ESPN, meanwhile, "had soured on the sport because of declining TV ratings, an aging fan base and a tough ad sales market." The report casts a somewhat negative light on both NASCAR  apparently abandoned by two high-profile broadcast partners  and NBC Sports, which will pay $440 million per year for rights through 2024.(Sports Media Watch)(7-30-2013)

Cassill returns to the #40 at Pocono; Raines in the #33: Following a successful debut in the #40 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this past weekend, driver Landon Cassill will once again pilot the #40 Sprint Cup Series entry with sponsorship from Interstate Moving Services in the GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday. With a solid 29th-place qualifying effort to lock into the 43-car Brickyard 400 field, Cassill will drive that same car with support from Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines this weekend. Tony Raines will fill the seat of the #33 Circle Sport Chevrolet, marking his first Sprint Cup Series start of the 2013 season. Raines has competed in four NASCAR Nationwide Series races this season, and drove two Sprint Cup races for the Joe Falk-owned Circle Sport Racing #33 in 2012.
"It's our intention to run the #40 in select Sprint Cup races throughout the remainder of the 2013 season, and last weekend was a successful launch of that program with the Morrissettes and Interstate Moving Services." said Joe Falk. "Landon did a great job locking the 40 car into the field with no owner points to fall back on, and we're taking that same car to Pocono this weekend with support from Interstate Moving Services, RCR and ECR, so we're confident that Landon will once again be able to qualify the car in the top 36. The Interstate Moving Services Chevy is a great looking car and I'm glad we're able to take it to Pocono where we hope to improve upon the finish we had last week in Indy. As long as we continue to see sponsor interest in the 40 program we will continue to field it and build that program."(CircleSport)(7-30-2013)

Pocono Goodyear Tire Notes: This is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that NASCAR Sprint Cup teams ran at Pocono earlier this season and teams in both of these series ran at the track last season . . . these teams also ran this right-side tire code twice on Phoenix's recently repaved surface in 2012 . . . for 2013, Pocono is the only track on which these tire codes are scheduled to be run . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners on all four tire positions at Pocono . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire (Goodyear). See full tire notes on the Pocono Race Info page - Goodyear section.(7-30-2013)

Top 12 Driver Rating at Pocono:
#11-Denny Hamlin........................... 113.8
#48-Jimmie Johnson........................ 110.0
#78-Kurt Busch............................... 103.8
#24-Jeff Gordon.............................. 100.0
#14-Tony Stewart.............................. 98.8
#99-Carl Edwards.............................. 97.8
#39-Ryan Newman............................ 95.4
#55-Mark Martin................................ 93.1
#20-Matt Kenseth.............................. 90.7
#29-Kevin Harvick............................. 90.2
#5-Kasey Kahne.............................. 89.6
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr....................... 88.0
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2013 races (17 total) among active drivers at Pocono Raceway.
Formula combining the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.(NASCAR)

Pocono Facts and Stats:
· Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was in 1974  won by Richard Petty, Dodge, 115.593 mph, 08/04/1974.
· The 2.5-mile track was repaved during the fall of 2011.
· There have been 71 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year since.
· 2012 marked the first season the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles. Prior to 2012 all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway.
· 314 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway; 218 in more than one.
· Ricky Rudd leads the series in starts at Pocono with 55. Terry Labonte leads all active drivers with 54 starts; followed by Mark Martin with 53.
· Buddy Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Pocono in 1974 with a speed of 144.122 mph.
· 39 drivers have Coors Light poles at Pocono, led by Bill Elliott and Ken Schrader with five each; followed by Mark Martin with three.
· Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono. Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Pocono with three; fall 1984 and both races in 1985.
· Four active drivers have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono: Mark Martin (fall 1990 and spring 1991), Ken Schrader (1993 sweep), Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep) and Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012).
· 31 different drivers have won at Pocono Raceway, led by Jeff Gordon with six wins.
· Six drivers have posted consecutive wins at Pocono Raceway, including three consecutive by Bobby Allison (1982 sweep and spring 1983) and Tim Richmond (1986 sweep and spring 1987).
· Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 27 victories; followed by Ford with 21.
· 15 of the 71 (21.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Jimmie Johnson earlier this season.
· The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway.
· 24 of the 71 (33.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from the front row: 15 from the pole and nine from second-place.
· 50 of the 71 (70.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Five of the 71 (7.0%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Pocono with seven; followed by Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Richard Petty with five each.
· Mark Martin leads the series in top-five finishes at Pocono with 20; followed by Jeff Gordon with 18.
· Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Pocono with 34; followed by Jeff Gordon with 28.
· Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Pocono with a 6.333.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Pocono with an 8.652.
· Terry Labonte competed at Pocono Raceway 17 times before winning in the fall of 2010; the longest span of any the 13 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
· Mark Martin leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Pocono without visiting Victory Lane at 53; followed by Jeff Burton with 39.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway was the July 23, 2000 race won by Rusty Wallace over Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.126 second.
· There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Pocono Raceway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): spring of 2005 (200/201); fall of 2005 (200/203); spring of 2010 (200/204).
· Six of the 71 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 8/5/2012.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway four times; most recently the fall of 2009.
· One active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver has posted his first career win at Pocono Raceway: Denny Hamlin (06/11/06).
· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Pocono with 965 laps led in 41 starts.
· Two female drivers have competed at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.(NASCAR)(7-30-2013)

Harriman making Nationwide debut at Iowa: Rick Ware Race will field the AC General Contractor #23 for Richard Harriman in his NASCAR Nationwide debut this weekend in Iowa for the US Cellular 250. Richard is a veteran of West Coast dirt racing. Richard was the 2007 Wesco Sprint car series champion and rookie of the year in dirt and pavement. Richard has competed in 4 NASCAR Camping World Truck events as well as 21 ARCA races. AC General Contractor, Inc. specializes in remote site and logistical coordination for challenging construction sites.(RWR)(7-30-2013)

Kenny Wallace returns to the #29: RAB Racing with Brack Maggard and driver Kenny Wallace will make their fourth start together of the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide season on Saturday August 3rd at Iowa Speedway. Wallace will be behind the wheel of the #29 U.S. Cellular Toyota Camry, for the U.S. Cellular 250, a veteran of the .875-mile oval, he boasts three top-10 finishes and a near perfect lap completion record (99.8%) at the track including a 13th place finish last June.(RAB Racing)(7-30-2013)

Travis Sauter to make Nationwide debut at Iowa: Lester Building Systems LLC will sponsor the NEMCO Motorsports #87 with super late model standout Travis Sauter behind the wheel, as the third generation Wisconsin driver makes his NASCAR debut in the US Cellular 250 at the Iowa Speedway on August 3rd. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Jim, a former Winston Cup and IROC test driver, his uncles Johnny and Jay, and his father Tim  all having successful NASCAR careers  Travis is out to prove he has the skill and determination to make it at racings highest level.(NEMCO PR)(7-30-2013)

Newman's Win Brings Special Deal For Martinsville Speedway Fans: #39-Ryan Newman is back in victory lane and Martinsville Speedway fans will be the big winners this week. Newman rolled to a big NASCAR Sprint Cup victory over Jimmie Johnson Sunday afternoon. It was Newman's first victory since he won the Goody's 500 in the spring of 2012. Martinsville Speedway is celebrating Newman's win Sunday with an offer that will get fans up close to Newman and several other Sprint Cup drivers at a reduced price prior to the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 Powered by Kroger on October 27. Now through Sunday, August 4, fans can add a Party Plaza pass to their ticket order for the price of Newman's car number. That's right, just $39. The Party Plaza is a new addition to Martinsville Speedway's race-morning lineup and will include appearances from a great lineup of drivers, including Newman, four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray and rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The Party Plaza also will feature live music, a DJ and children's activities, including a bounce house and a rock-climbing wall. There will be food vendors in the Party Plaza selling great food. Pepsi products will be available for purchase. There will be a beer garden with an assortment of local craft beer at affordable prices. Advance tickets for the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday, Oct. 26 are just $30 with youth 12 and under admitted free. Tickets for Pole Day, Friday, Oct. 25, are $15. To purchase tickets for the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 Powered by Kroger weekend, call 877.RACE.TIX or visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com.(Martinsville Speedway)(7-30-2013)

Seats Still Available in McDonald's Family Grandstand at Watkins Glen: Located at the top of the Esses, the McDonald's Family grandstand is an alcohol- and smoke-free area for families to enjoy the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen (August 8-11). As with all grandstands at Watkins Glen International, the McDonald's Family grandstand has an outstanding view of the track and has a SprintVision screen in front to catch all of the action. The Kid Zone is adjacent to the McDonald's Family grandstand, featuring giant inflatables, games, character appearances and prizes. Tickets for the McDonald's Family grandstand are $20 for children (12 and under), $25 for teens (13-19 years), and $80 for adults. Ticket pricing includes four-day general admittance and reserved seating on Sunday of the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen weekend. Tickets for The Glen are available now by calling 866.461.RACE or online at www.TheGlen.com.(WGI)(7-30-2013)

Fans Have Until August 5th to Take Advantage of Ticket Specials at Atlanta: Fans have until Monday, August 5th to take advantage of ticket specials for the AdvoCare 500 NASCAR night race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Offers include a free Sunday pre-race pit pass in addition to being able to purchase two front stretch tickets for $99. For just $149, fans can get an Upper Champions grandstands ticket for both the NASCAR Nationwide Series Great Clips/Grit Chip 300 and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500. A Sunday pre-race pit pass is also included, providing a savings of more than $100 per ticket. The 2 for $99 special includes two lower front stretch tickets to the AdvoCare 500 for $99. The tickets are located in the Petty and Winners grandstands. Fans purchasing five tickets in the upper or lower Earnhardt grandstands for the AdvoCare 500 will receive a sixth ticket for free. The weekend upgrade package adds general admission tickets for just $35 to both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying on Friday, August 30 and the NASCAR Nationwide Series Great Clip/Grit Chips 300 on Saturday, August 31. The High Speed Hospitality upgrade for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 adds a ticket to the infield hospitality tent, a guided pit tour as well as food and beverage for $60. NASCAR night racing returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway on Labor Day Weekend for the AdvoCare 500 race weekend. Tickets are on sale now and adult tickets start at $39. Student tickets cost just $19. Other specials are available while supplies last. For more information, visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or call the AMS Ticket Office at (877) 9-AMS-TIX or (770) 946-4211.(AMS)(7-30-2013)

Entry List for the GoBowling.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is posted, 44 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #40-Cassill, #52-Brian Keselowski, #51-Allmendinger, #32-Hill and #33-Tony Raines. #40-Cassill needs to get in by speed, be in the top 36 in speed as the team is too far down the owners points list to use a provisional.
See the full entry list at my Jayski's Pocono Entry List

Testing at Watkins Glen today: Five drivers are scheduled to test at Watkins Glen International on Monday, July 29th, including #47-A.J. Allmendinger, #33-Ron Fellows, #38-David Gilliland, #35-Michael McDowell and #78-Kurt Busch. Fans can watch from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm/et from the Fans R1st Viewing Area for FREE.(WGI)(7-29-2013)

First time pole sitter and outside pole sitter finished 1-2 since 2011: #39-Newman started on the pole and won the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and #48-Jimmie Johnson started 2nd and finished 2nd. The last time two drivers started and finished 1-2 was in July 2011 at New Hampshire when #39-Newman won from the pole and #14-Stewart started 2nd and finished 2nd.(7-29-2013)

Will crew chief Borland leave and go with Newman? Brickyard winner #39-Ryan Newman and crew chief Matt Borland are an effective pair, as they proved once again in Sunday's race. Given that Newman has been given his walking papers from Stewart-Haas Racing, effective at the end of the year, will Newman and Borland market themselves as a package deal to a prospective car owner?. When asked about his status at Stewart-Haas, Borland was noncommittal. "At this point, I'm not sure what next year is going to bring," Borland said. "Right now, 100% of my focus and our whole team's focus is on doing as best we can in these next six races (before the Chase field is set) and the next 16."
"Going to open up a fruit stand in Statesville if anybody is interested," Newman joked. "Do I get to drive the tractor?" Borland asked. "You get to drive the tractor," Newman said with a smile. "You also get to change the oil in the tractor."(NASCAR Wire Service)(7-29-2013)

Indianapolis Race and Commercial Breakdown: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Sunday's race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at 1:03 pm, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 4:00pm/et. Did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage. ESPN was the broadcast team for this event. This was their first broadcast of this racing season.
Total number of commercials: 120
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 54
Number of times ESPN utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 0
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 25
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 3 min. 50 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 1:03 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 4:00 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 177
Minutes of race broadcast: 126
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 51
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 0
Total race brdcst time 126 Total comm. brdcst time 51
See more races, links to more detailed reports on the 2013 TV Commercials page.(7-29-2013)

Nationwide Iowa Entry List:There are 40 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's US Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway. A few notes:
Darryl Harr will drive the #4 for JD Motorsports;
Richard Harriman will drive the #23 for Rick Ware;
Kenny Wallace returns to the series in the #29 for RAB;
The #33 for Richard Childress Racing is TBA;
Danny Efland will drive the #50 Chevy for Mike Beaver;
Drew Herring returns to the Joe Gibbs #54;
The Mike Harmon Racing #74 is TBA.(7-29-2013)
See the complete list on the Iowa entry list page.

Dufault to drive for Go Green: The nephew of a Sprint Cup star has been the primary driver for Archie St. Hilaire of Old Orchard Beach this season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. And an actress and former model on the TV game show "The Price is Right" is expected to earn some seat time for team owner St. Hilaire's Go Green Racing team later this season. Jeffrey Earnhardt, nephew of Dale Earnhardt Jr., is 20th in the Nationwide Series points standings and has run in 10 of the 14 races so far this season. He drove in nine of those 10 races for Go Green Racing and one for his uncle's JR Motorsports team. Canadian Maryeve Dufault, who has run in the ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America) series and has one career Nationwide start, has tested for St. Hilaire. She impressed him to the point where they have agreed to a deal that will give her at least one race in the #79 Ford. She has appeared in several television shows and movies including Driven, Entourage, Relative Strangers and The Bold and the Beautiful as well as her Price is Right gig.(Bangor Daily News)(6-27-2013)
UPDATE: Go Green Racing announced Maryeve Dufault, the first female Canadian to race in NASCAR, will race for the team at the upcoming September 14th Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. Dufault was born in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, to a racing family. Maryeve grew up racing motorcycles and go-carts, winning several championships, then transitioned to open wheel competing in various series. In 2010, Dufault made the switch to stock car racing. She entered two of the prestigious rounds of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series -- Trois-Rivieres andMontreal. Most recently she has competed in the ARCA stock car series in the United States.(Go Green Racing)(7-29-2013)

Entry list: There are 33 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's Pocono Mountains 125 at Pocono Raceway. Some notes include:
The #13 ThorSport entry and the #10 Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing entry are not entered;
Dominick Casola is in the #28;
Todd Bodine is back, this week in the #30 for TSM;
Chad Hackenbracht returns to the #51;
David Starr returns to the #81; (7-29-2013)
UPDATE: Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing's #0 and #10 are expected to be at Pocono, bringing the total entries to 35.(7-29-2013) See the complete list on the Pocono Raceway entry list page

Bodine to drive for TSM at Pocono UPDATE: It was mentioned during the Eldora broadcast on Wednesday night, and confirmed on Todd Bodine's Twitter, that he will drive the #30 Chevy for Turner Scott Motorsports at Pocono Raceway next weekend.(7-24-2013)
UPDATE: Two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine will make his debut for Turner Scott Motorsports at this week's Truck Series event at Pocono Raceway. Bodine, who captured both the 2006 and 2010 NCWTS titles, will pilot TSM's #30 entry, the same truck number he drove to both championships. The #30 Chevy Silverado will be crew chiefed by Jimmy Villeneuve and sponsored by Whelen Engineering/Team Fox for the one-race deal.(Turner Scott Motorsports PR)(7-29-2013)

Newman wins Indianapolis: #39-Ryan Newman won the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for his 1st win of 2013 and 17th career win. The win from the pole was Newman's 5th in 50 pole starts. #48-Johnson led the most laps with 73 of 160 laps. #48-Johnson finished 2nd followed by #5-Kahne, #14-Stewart, #20-Kenseth, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #24-Gordon, #22-Logano, #42-Montoya & #18-Busch.
There were 20 lead changes among 12 drivers and 3 cautions for 14 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 153.485. NASCAR no longer announces the track attendance.
See race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Unofficial Indianapolis Race Results page (pdf) and check out the Indianapolis Penalty Report (pdf).
For Official Results & Points, see the Official Indiaianpolis Race and Points Report.(7-28/7-29-2013)

Race Fast Facts - Indianapolis:
#39-Ryan Newman won the 20th Annual Crown Royal Presents The Samuel Deeds 400 at The Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com, his 17th victory in 424 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first victory and ninth top-10 finish in 2013. His last victory came at Martinsville on April 1, 2012.
This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in 13 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Newman becomes the third driver to win from the Coors Light Pole at Indianapolis, joining Kevin Harvick (2003) and Jimmie Johnson (2008).
#48-Jimmie Johnson (second) posted his sixth top-10 finish in 12 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is his 14th top-10 finish in 2013.
#5-Kasey Kahne (third) posted his fifth top-10 finish in ten races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Chevrolet has now won 11 consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
#48-Jimmie Johnson leads the point standings by 75 points over #15-Clint Bowyer.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(7-28-2013)

2013 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:
[after Indianapolis, race 20 of 36]
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson [4 wins], 740
2) #15-Clint Bowyer, 665, -75
3) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 655, -85
4) #29-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 648, -92
5) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 616, -124
6) #20-Matt Kenseth [4 wins], 615, -125
7) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 610, -130
8) #16-Greg Biffle [1 win], 565, -175
9) #5-Kasey Kahne [1 win], 564, -176
10) #24-Jeff Gordon, 559, -181
Wild Cards:
WC1) #14-Tony Stewart [1 win], 11th in points (1 points out fo 10th)
WC2) #56-Martin Truex Jr. [1 win], 12th in points (5 points out of 10th)
#39-Ryan Newman is 16th in points with a win, but is not currently in the Chase.
2012 Chase drivers out of top 12
#2-Brad Keselowski, 13th, 6 points out of 10th
#11-Denny Hamlin, 25th [missed 4 races with injury], -111 out of 20th
(ties broken by 1sts, 2nds, 3rd, etc)
See drivers championship points standings on the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings (pdf) and the owner points standings on the Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
For Official Results & Points, see the Official Indianapolis Race and Points Report.(7-28-2013)

All cars finished the race at Indianapolis, first time since 2008 for the third time since NASCAR mandated the 43-car rule in 1998, all 43 cars finished the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the first time this has happened since 2008.
The last two: on September 16, 2007's Cup race at New Hampshire was the first time all 43 cars that started a Cup race finished it since
on September 7, 2008 all 43 cars finished at Richmond
on July 28,2013, all 43 cars finished at Indianapolis.(7-28-2013)

2013 Top-5's, Top-10's: #18-Busch & Johnson lead all drivers after 20 races with 9 Top-fives in 2013, #15-Bowyer is next with 7.
#48-Johnson leads all drivers in 2013 with 14 Top-Ten finishes, followed by #18-Busch with 12.
Four drivers have ran all 20 races in 2013 and do not have a top-10 finish: #17-Stenhouse Jr., #83-Reutimann, #93-Kvapil & #35-Wise.(7-24-2013)

#31 crew chief calling shots from hauler due to injury: #31-Jeff Burton will have an interim crew chief for Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Richard Childress Racing said Luke Lambert was suffering from an eye ailment and was sensitive to light. Lambert planned to communicate with Burton and the #31 team from inside the team hauler. Team engineer Matt McCall took over as interim crew chief on the pit box.(ESPN/AP)

Hamlin has no plans to cut back racing sched: There are days when Denny Hamlin's back hurts so much he can hardly move. When he wakes up in the morning, it sometimes takes four hours before he can stand up straight and feel stable. His persistent back pain, caused by bulging discs, only got worse when he fractured a vertebra in the March race at Southern California's Auto Club Speedway. He needs surgery to fix the bulging discs, and some observers have called for Hamlin to give up on his longshot Chase hopes and have the procedure done now to make sure he has enough time to heal before 2014. But Hamlin told USA TODAY Sports on Saturday he plans to "tough it out" for the rest of the year. "It's tough because there are no backups in our sport," he said while relaxing in his motorhome before qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "I'm the face of our team  the (Joe) Gibbs (Racing) team, FedEx, everyone  so you can't just insert another player for the rest of the year and have no one know the difference. You know, I've got to do whatever I've got to do to just get through the season, honestly. And then I can figure out what I can do to (feel) better next year. But right now, we're just in a mode of trying to finish races."(USA Today)(7-28-2013)

Kurt Busch looking into running 2014 Indy 500: #78-Kurt Busch tested an IndyCar at the Brickyard in May, and has a clear interest in potentially competing in the Indianapolis 500. That curiosity was further piqued Saturday, when he stood down in Indy's canyon of a frontstretch before qualifying sixth for the 20th edition of the NASCAR event at the 104-year-old track. "I can honestly say, standing out on the grid ready to qualify, that our qualifying is a lot less nerve-wracking than it would be to be ready for a full day, four laps at a time, and putting an open-wheel car on the grid," Busch said. "I was trying to chew on some of those emotions. That way, if I do come back in the month of May, I can chew on them and not be so nervous." On May 9, Busch took part in an IndyCar rookie test on the 2.5-mile speedway and passed it by turning a speed of 218.210 mph. Although neither the driver nor Andretti Autosport, the open-wheel team that supplied a vehicle for the test, were prepared to make a run at this year's Indy 500, Busch is clearly intrigued by the idea. "It's something you want to do as a dream," Busch said. "Sometimes you have to throw away common sense when you have a dream, and to go and do it. We'll see if it turns out. A lot of guys would love to do it, but there's that 600-mile race you've got to do that same night. So that's the big focus for a stock-car guy." Busch recently had a 45-minute telephone conversation with former Penske Racing teammate Sam Hornish Jr., an IndyCar and Indianapolis 500 champion who made the jump full-time to NASCAR in 2008. Hornish came away from that discussion believing that Busch would attempt the Indy 500 eventually.(NASCAR.com)(7-28-2013)

Almirola Gives Military Families in Indianapolis a Big Surprise: Military families experienced disbelief and then excitement Saturday afternoon thanks to Richard Petty Motorsports driver Aric Almirola, Eckrich and Operation Homefront. A group of military families and wounded warriors, invited by Operation Homefront and Eckrich, were gathered at a private home to enjoy the summer afternoon with games, music, friends and family. When time came to start grilling, however, the party goers realized there was a problem. Their hosts had forgotten a key element to the cookout: the Eckrich smoked sausage.
However, the roar of a race car quickly diverted their attention as Richard Petty Motorsports driver Aric Almirola wheeled the #43 Eckrich Ford through the neighborhood and into the backyard to surprise the guests and save the day with plenty of Eckrich smoked sausage on hand. After climbing out of the famed #43 machine, the driver unloaded bags of Eckrich smoked sausage for the cookout. In addition, Almirola handed out gift bags filled with Eckrich products, coupons, t-shirts and #43 Eckrich team hats for the military guests to give thanks for all they have sacrificed. But that's not all. Almirola then encouraged each guest to look closely through their bag. Inside they found a ticket to Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway where they could watch Almirola race the #43 Eckrich Ford. The tickets were provided by Eckrich and the cookout surprise was a re-enactment of the new Eckrich commercial featuring both Richard Petty and Aric Almirola that will air Sunday during the pre-race show on ESPN. Click here to watch the commercial. This surprise is part of the ongoing efforts of Eckrich, part of the John Morrell Food Group, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, and Operation Homefront to support and thank military men and women and their families. Earlier this year the Operation Inspiration campaign was launched to thank, honor and support military families, the heroes behind our heroes. The campaign includes the Operation Inspiration TV special hosted by Al Roker which debuted in June and will air in syndication in markets across the country throughout the summer.(Eckrich)(7-28-2103)

Race Coverage of the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, July 28, 2013.
Television (TV): ESPN at 1:00 pm/et; Pre-Race show at 12:00 pm/et; green flag approx 1:20pm/et
Scheduled Race Re-Airs:
ESPN2, Monday, July 29 at 12:00am/et
SPEED, Wednesday, July 31 at 12:00pm/et

Newman wins Indianapolis pole: #39-Ryan Newman was the last driver out to qualify and won the pole for the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with TRACK RECORD speed of 187.531mph for his 1st pole of 2013 and 50th of his career. Of his 49 other poles, Newman has won 4 times.
The first nine drivers beat the old track record of 186.293mph, set in 2004 by Casey Mears.
#48-Johnson is on the outside pole, followed by #99-Edwards, #11-Hamlin, #14-Stewart, #78-Busch, #5-Kahne, #42-Montoya, #24-Gordon and #9-Ambrose.
Missing the race were: #19-Bliss and #95-Speed.
See pole progression, pdf links, qualifying results and starting lineup on Jayski's Indianapolis Starting Lineup / Qualifying page.(7-27-2013)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have been made.
Pole sitter #39-Newman chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #48-Johnson took pit stall 17, the 2nd pitstall with an opening in front of it and first just before the S/F line.
#99-Edwards, who starts 3rd took the 10th pit stall, the 1st stall with an opening in front of it.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #51-Allmendinger, who starts 14th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on the Pit Stall Selection chart.(7-27-2013)

Qualifying Fast Facts - Indianapolis:
#39-Ryan Newman won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 20th Annual Crown Royal Presents The Samuel Deeds 400 at The Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com with a track qualifying record lap of 47.992 seconds, 187.531 mph.
This is his 50th pole in 424 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. He is the ninth driver to win 50 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Poles.
This is his first pole and eighth top-10 start in 2013.
This is his first pole in 13 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His previous best start was second in 2003.
This is the 10th track qualifying record broken in 2013 with the Gen-6 race car.
#48-Jimmie Johnson (second) posted his 11th top-10 start of 2013 and his eighth in 12 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
#99-Carl Edwards (third) posted his fourth top-10 start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is his 10th in 20 races this season.(NASCAR Statistics)(7-27-2013)

Ryan Newman Wins 50th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole: In winning the Coors Light Pole Award at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, #39-Ryan Newman, a native of South Bend, Ind., became the ninth driver with at least 50 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series poles. With a speed of 187.531 mph (47.992 seconds), Newman won his first Indianapolis pole, and joined an exclusive list that features some of the sport's all-time greats.
Here is the exclusive "50 Poles Club": All-Time NSCS Poles Driver Wins: Richard Petty 123; David Pearson 113; Jeff Gordon 72; Cale Yarborough 69; Darrell Waltrip 59; Bobby Allison 58; Mark Martin 56; Bill Elliott 55; Ryan Newman 50.
Newman won 11 poles in 2003, the largest single-season number of a NASCAR Sprint Cup career that began in 2000 thus earning him the nickname "Rocket Man." This is the 12th season in which Newman has won at least one pole. Newman has won five or more poles in five different seasons. Of his previous 49 poles, Newman has won the corresponding race four times with 18 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes. His last win from the pole came at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September 2011. Newman's first pole came in the third start of his NASCAR Sprint Cup career, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May of 2001, at the age of 23. Pole number 50 comes in his 424th start, at the age of 35. He won 43 poles driving for Penske Racing and seven since joining Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009. Newman has won at least one pole at 17 different tracks, the most coming at Charlotte (nine).(NASCAR)(7-27-2013)

Ten New Track Records set in 2013:
1) Bristol, #18-Kyle Busch, 129.535mph, March 15, 2013 - was 128.709 from March 2003
2) Martinsville, #48-Jimmie Johnson, 98.400, April 5, 2013 - was 98.083 from October 2005
3) Texas, #18-Kyle Busch, 196.299, April 12, 2013 - was 196.235 from November 2006
4) Kansas, #20-Matt Kenseth, 191.748, April 19, 2013 - was 191.360 from October 2012
5) Richmond, #20-Matt Kenseth, 130.334, April 26, 2013 - was 129.983 from May 2004
6) Darlington, #78-Kurt Busch, 181.918, May 10, 2013 - was 181.254 from May 2011
7) Charlotte, #11-Denny Hamlin, 195.624, May 23, 2013 - was 193.708 from Oct 2012
8) Kentucky, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr, 183.636, June 28, 2013 - was 181.818 from June 2012
9) New Hampshire, #2-Brad Keselowski, 135.922, July 12, 2013, was 135.232 from July 2011
10) Indianapolis, #39-Ryan Newman, 187.531, July 27, 2013, was 186.293 from August 2004
(7-27-2013)

Happy Hour practice: for the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is over, after approx 85 scheduled minutes (was shortened due to a wet track and started around 9:30am/et) the top five, slowest and notes
(track record is 186.293)
#78-Busch 188.419
#5-Kahne 188.210
#42-Montoya 187.664
#48-Johnson 187.379
#9-Ambrose 187.106
slowest: #36-Yeley 177.788 & #32-Hill 178.504
notes: #93-Kvapil smacked the outside wall early in the session and pancaked the right side of the car. #48-Johnson scraped the wall a bit, did some damage to the right side of the car.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10-lap average on the Indianapolis Happy Hour Practice speeds page (pdf).(7-27-2013)

Latest on Earnhardt Jr.'s new sponsor: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke with the media at Indianapolis and one of the questions was about his new sponsor that has not been announced:
Q) FANS AND PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY SEEM VERY CONCERNED THAT YOU HAVEN'T ANNOUNCED ANY SORT OF SPONSORSHIP FOR THE RACES THAT ARE STILL OPEN. ARE YOU CONCERNED AT ALL?
Earnhardt Jr.: "Yeah, I think that we have had a lot of good conversations with a few potential partners about what we can do in 2014 and beyond. Anybody who has got any sense about how the corporate world works knows that it's too late into the season, too late in the year to expect to put together a package for the rest of the season that is going to turn into a multi-year deal. It's just all the dollars and cents are accounted for at this point in the year. That doesn't mean we can't put some things together and do some creative stuff with some people and some partners that we already have or whatever. I don't think it should be a cause for concern. We are in really good shape regardless with our partner National Guard and the races that Diet Mountain Dew has on the schedule. We are in pretty good shape there. It is important to try to fill out what we have this season and we will. I don't have any doubt at all that we will get that done. I think we almost have to look forward beyond that to try to find out who is going to be the partner that we can put a long term deal together that matches up with what we want to do in the future."(Team Chevy)(7-27-2013)

Different look for the #16 at Indy: The #16 Ford of Greg Biffle will feature the following 3MSafety brands on the car this weekend in Indy: 3M Peltor, 3M Speedglas, 3M Scotchlite Reflective Material and 3M E-A-R Earplugs (RFR), see images of the scheme on the #16 Team Schemes page.(7-27-2013)

Brickyard 400 events on Radio: The IMS Radio Network will provide live coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series action this weekend during the Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard. All broadcasts will be heard on IMS Radio Network affiliates and Sirius XM Channel 90. A Sprint Cup qualifying show is scheduled from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, July 27, with coverage of the Indiana 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race from 4-7 p.m. Live coverage of the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com Sprint Cup race will start at noon Sunday. The IMS Radio Network team: Doug Rice, anchor; John Andretti, driver analyst; Donald Davidson, historian; Mike King, Turn 1 reporter; Jake Query, Turn 2 reporter; Mark Jaynes, Turn 3 reporter; Chris Denari, Turn 4 reporter; Brett McMillan, Brad Gillie, Pat Patterson, Nick Yeoman, pit reporters.(IMS)(7-27-2013)

Brad Keselowski Stars in new ESPN "This is SportsCenter" Commercial: To celebrate the return of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing to ESPN with this Sunday's Brickyard 400, ESPN introduced "Windows," the latest addition to the iconic "This is SportsCenter" franchise, starring NASCAR champion Brad Keslowski and Western Kentucky University mascot Big Red. In the 30-second spot, the burly Hilltopper is spotted in the parking lot of ESPN's Bristol, Conn. headquarters, relentlessly trying to get a ride home in Keslowski's race car instead of anchor Kevin Negandhi's minivan. Big Red finds the traditional way NASCAR drivers enter their cars to be a bit of a challenge. For Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford for Penske Racing, being in a "This is SportsCenter" spot is a checkmark on a bucket list. "I've been a fan of 'This is SportsCenter' commercials since I was a kid, never thinking that I would be able to do my own one day," he said. "Every athlete wants their own SportsCenter commercial. It gives you a sense that you have finally arrived because they are a big deal. I love the one about whether Brett Favre is coming back or not. It has the UMass Minuteman putting two lanterns in the window to mean he is coming back, playing off the Paul Revere story. The bar has been set high so there is a little pressure when doing one," he said. "This spot is really funny and something that I am very proud of. I hope fans of our sport, along with sports fans in general, will get a kick out of it." Wieden + Kennedy New York is the creative agency for the commercial along with the This is SportsCenter campaign, launched in 1995.(ESPN)(7-27-2013)

NASCAR will evaluate Truck race before considering Nationwide on dirt: Austin Dillon was the first to ply Eldora Speedway's half-mile dirt expanse in a NASCAR race truck in October in a clandestine test conducted by NASCAR. On Tuesday, he was first out onto the moistened earth again in the initial Camping World Truck Series practice session preceding NASCAR's first excursion off pavement in 43 years. Now Dillon would like the chance to take one of his Nationwide cars onto the slick banks of a grassroots short track, specifically Eldora. And he's not alone. NASCAR officials, however, want to assess the quality of competition in the Truck series event on Wednesday before even considering another such major leap, although NASCAR senior vice president Steve O'Donnell conceded, "a lot of folks didn't think we would do this in trucks, so I never say never to anything." O'Donnell stressed patience and tempered expectations even though the series has been seeking short-track avenues for three years. The series and Eldora officials were able to make the truck event feasible with alterations to both the race vehicles and facility. "We obviously want to see how this goes," O'Donnell said.(ESPN)(7-27-2013)

Busch wins at NNS Race at Indianapolis: #54-Kyle Busch won the Indiana 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for his 7th win of the year and 59th of his Nationwide career. #2-Brian Scott finished second followed by #22-Joey Logano, #20-Brian Vickers (who won the final Nationwide Dash4Cash), #21-Kevin Harvick, #33-Paul Menard, #18-Matt Kenseth, #98-Kevin Swindell, #43-Michael Annett, and #60-Travis Pastrana. #12-Sam Hornish, Jr., who was the points leader coming in to the race, blew an engine and finished 34th. #7-Regan Smith also battled an overheating issue allowing #3-Austin Dillon to take the points lead. There were 4 cautions for 18 laps and 6 lead changes among 4 leaders. Complete results are on the Indianapolis race results page (pdf).(7-27-2013)

Indianapolis Nationwide Race Fast Facts:
Kyle Busch won the 2nd Annual Indiana 250, his 59th victory in 259 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his eighth victory and 13th top-10 finish in 2013.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in two races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This is Busch's fifth victory from the Coors Light Pole this season, breaking a single-season record for wins from the pole.
Brian Scott (second) posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is his ninth top-10 finish in 2013.
Joey Logano (third) posted his second top-10 finish in two races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Kevin Swindell (eighth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Austin Dillon leads the point standings by 6 points over Regan Smith.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(7-27-2013)

Nationwide Driver standings following Indianapolis:
1) #3-Austin Dillon 656
2) #7-Regan Smith 650, -6
3) #11-Elliott Sadler 643, -13
4) #12-Sam Hornish Jr. 642, -14
5) #20-Brian Vickers 628, -28
6) #31-Justin Allgaier 621, -35
7) #32-Kyle Larson # 612, -44
8) #2-Brian Scott 610, -46
9) #6-Trevor Bayne 592, -64
10) #77-Parker Kligerman 589, -67
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(7-27-2013)

Nationwide Owner Standings following Indianapolis are posted (pdf).(7-27-2013)

Busch on NNS pole at Indianapolis: #54-Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole for the Indiana 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a speed of 179.644mph, a new track record (in the series' second race at the track). #12-Sam Hornish,Jr. will start second. The rest of the top 10: #6-Trevor Bayne, #11-Elliott Sadler, #77-Parker Kligerman, #20-Brain Vickers, #3-Austin Dillon, #30-Nelson Piquet, Jr., #18-Matt Kenseth, and #33-Paul Menard. #99-Alex Bowman and #60-Travis Pastrana wrecked during their qualifying attempts and will have to go to backup cars. #00- David Green, making his first attempt of the season, made the race using a past champion's provisional. Did Not Qualify: #89-Morgan Shepherd, #74-Carl Long, #37-Matt Dibenedetto, and #52-Joey Gase (wrecked on his qualifying attempt). The starting lineup is posted on the Indianapolis starting lineup page (pdf).(7-27-2013)

Indianapolis Qualifying Notes:
Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 2nd Annual Indiana 250 with a track qualifying-record lap of 50.099 seconds, 179.644 mph.
This is his 31st pole in 259 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. He now holds the all-time NASCAR Nationwide Series record for career poles.
This is his fifth pole and 11th top-10 start in 2013.
This is his first pole in two races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Sam Hornish Jr. (second) posted his 16th top-10 start of 2013 and his first in two races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Trevor Bayne (third) posted his first top-10 start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is his 12th in 19 races this season.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(7-27-2013)

Cobb teams up with Guys Cook Too: Guys Cook Too with Scott Parish is teaming up with NASCAR driver Jennifer Jo Cobb for a special edition of Guys Cook Too. The episode will be filmed at the Talladega race October 19th along with footage filmed from Cobb's race shop. Guys Cook Too will appear on the hood of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driven by Cobb at the Talladega event. Guys Cook Too agents are working on a schedule that will allow 12 new episodes in 2014 that will be filmed at different NASCAR tracks around the country.The show will concentrate on the fans that attend the events along with promoting Jennifer Jo Cobb's race team.(Jackson Film House PR)(7-27-2013)

DDK Motorsports to debut in Bristol: Tennessee NASCAR Whelen All-American State Champion Nate Monteith and Bristol businessman KD Moore are pleased to announce the formation of DDK Motorsports. The Bristol area duo will be making their NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at the challenging half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday evening August 20th. Monteith will be piloting the #45 Toyota Tundra under the lights in the UNOH 200 in his hometown and is planning a test on August 5th to shake down the new race truck. DDK Motorsports is planning to run a limited schedule of four to six races this season with hopes of building up to a full schedule next season.(DDK Motorsports PR)(7-27-2013)

Lights at Indy?: Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials have confirmed the installation of lights is very much on the radar as part of an improvement program planned for the next several years at the historic speedway. Once the system is installed, it's expected the Brickyard 400 will shift to prime time as early as the 2015 season. The idea has sparked a great deal of conversation throughout the garage area if a Brickyard 400 under the lights might be the cure for an event that although is still considered a crown jewel by many in the sport has suffered a tremendous drop in attendance since its 1994 debut. An estimated 80,000 fans showed up for last years race, a far cry from the 260,000 that jammed the track as recently as 2006. "It is one of the projects we have identified as a potential,'' Doug Boles, new Indianapolis Motor Speedway president said earlier this year. "That is a good indicator. As we go through this process and better define what makes sense, we will know. But it's important enough for consideration that [lights are] on that list.'' Some believe lighting up IMS and possibly moving the Brickyard 400 to the lead spot of the Chase might be the cure at least in the short term.(Motor Racing Network)(7-27-2013)

Coverage of Qualifying for the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is scheduled for Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 2:10 pm/et.
Television (TV): ESPN, 2:00pm/et
And watch online at WatchESPN.com
Scheduled Qualifying Re-Air: none

Qualifying Order for the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is posted. 45 cars/drivers are listed, so two will miss the race.
The first of the drivers scheduled to go out is #33-Dillon.
The final driver scheduled to go out is #39-Newman.
Fastest in first practice, #42-Montoya, is scheduled to qualify 17th.
Qualifying order is set by a random draw, held about an hour before the first practice.
See the full qualifying order on the Indy Qualifying Page.(7-26-2013)

Friday practice for the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is over after 90 scheduled minutes, the top five, slowest and notes.
#42-Montoya 185.410
#78-Busch 184.347
#27-Menard 183.700
#5-Kahne 183.640
#22-Logano 183.337
slowest: #38-Gilliland 173.799 & #87-Nemechek 174.243
If qualifying would be earned out/canceled, this practice would be use to set the starting lineup. Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, July 27th at 2:05pm/et on ESPN. Happy Hour practice will run Saturday morning for two hours on ESPN2.
See fastest speeds, laps run on the Indianapolis Practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(7-26-2013)

Great Clips increases its sponsorship on the #5 in 2014 UPDATE thru 2016: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said that just recently Great Clips, which has/will sponsor #5-Kasey Kahne for three Cup races this season, has also extended its support. Sources say Great Clips will expand its involvement to 10 races in 2014.(FoxSports)(6-18-2013)
AND at Indy: Great Clips will adorn the hood of Kasey Kahne's #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Minneapolis-based company will be the primary sponsor on the #5 Chevy for one more Sprint Cup Series race this year: New Hampshire in September. This season marks the first full year for Great Clips with Hendrick Motorsports and its 11th with Kahne. Kahne's most recent win happened in March at Bristol when he was driving the #5 Great Clips Chevy (HMS), see images of the scheme on the #5 Team Schemes page.(7-25-2013)
UPDATE: With a new three-year commitment, Great Clips Inc. has extended and expanded its sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports and the team's #5 Chevys driven by Kasey Kahne in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The agreement, which covers the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons, secures primary sponsorship of the #5 Chevy race cars for 10 events annually. Great Clips, which joined Hendrick Motorsports as a corporate partner in 2012, also will be a major associate sponsor of the #5 team throughout each of the next three seasons. Great Clips will be featured on Kahne's Chevrolet this weekend at Indianapolis, marking the second of three scheduled primary races for the company in 2013. The world's largest salon brand also will be the primary sponsor at New Hampshire on Sept. 22.
"We are very proud to have Kasey drive the #5 for Great Clips," said Terri Miller, vice president of marketing and communications for Great Clips. "On behalf of all of our corporate staff, franchisees and stylists, Kasey has become a special member of our family over the years. He has brought great value to our brand and helped our system grow. Being a partner of Hendrick Motorsports is truly an honor as we share the same values, integrity and passion to win."
"The people at Great Clips have been committed to NASCAR as a marketing platform for many years," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "They continue to see a great return on investment, and we're focused on continuing that trend by performing at a high level on the racetrack while delivering business wins. Great Clips is a terrific partner, and we look forward to building on the success we've already had together."
Great Clips, which has more than 3,000 locations and nearly 30,000 stylists throughout the United States and Canada, has a long history with Kahne. Since 2003, the company has supported his efforts as both a driver and car owner across multiple racing series. "I'm happy to see Great Clips make a long-term commitment to the #5 team," Kahne said. "I'm thankful for the support they've provided throughout my career, and I look forward to representing them for years to come. Bristol was our first Sprint Cup win together, and everyone on the team expects to deliver many more."(Hendrick Motorsports)(7-26-2013)

Red-White-Blue scheme returns on the #18: Kyle Busch's #18 Toyota will carry a special M&M's Red, White, and Blue scheme in support of the M&M's M'Prove America campaign, a year-long partnership with Habitat for Humanity designed to fund construction of new Habitat homes across the United States. Fans can join Busch and M&M's by pledging to volunteer their time and talents at Habitat for Humanity build sites across the country at www.mproveamerica.com. Fans also can support the M'Prove America program by purchasing specially marked red, white and blue M&M's at their local retailer through Labor Day. In addition to encouraging fans to volunteer time, M&M's is donating $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity to fund the construction of Habitat homes in 2013.(JGR), see images of the scheme on the #18 Team Schemes page.(7-26-2013)

Timmy Hill and OXYwater return to Indy: While he has not been behind the wheel of the #32 FAS Lane Racing Ford in over a month, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie driver Timmy Hill has been busy preparing for his return to action. After five races of being on the sidelines while veterans Ken Schrader, Terry Labonte and Boris Said filled the #32 seat, Hill and sponsor OXYwater make their return this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For the ninth time this season, Hill will pilot the #32 OXYwater Ford in the running of the Brickyard 400 on Sunday. Hill, the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, will make his Sprint Cup Series debut at the legendary Indianapolis track this weekend. He did compete in the last years NASCAR Nationwide Series event at the 2.5-mile oval where he earned a 23rd place finish. FAS Lane Racing will also be joined once again by sponsor Front Row Tailgating - the leader in Sports Tailgating and Hospitality. The Indianapolis based company will be busy this weekend entertaining various clients in their turn two suite.(FAS Lane Racing)(7-26-2013)

Indy Pace Car: Chevrolet and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced that the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Pace Car will lead the NASCAR Sprint Cup field to the start the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor and Indiana University graduate Sage Steele will drive the Camaro ZL1 Pace Car. Chevrolet has paced the previous 19 Sprint Cup races at IMS. This is the sixth time a Camaro has paced the race (Chevy), see an image of the Indy Pace car and some other pace cars on my 2013 Pace Cars page.(7-26-2013)

Johnson to run Disney Planes scheme at Pocono: Pocono Raceway announced Dane Cook, star of the upcoming comedy adventure "Disney's Planes," will serve as Grand Marshal for the GoBowling.com 400 on August 4. Additionally, Cook will join Jimmie Johnson, who will drive the #48 Lowe's "Disney's Planes" Chevy at "The Tricky Triangle," at Johnson's Fan Question-and-Answer session prior to the 400-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway. "Disney's Planes" debuts in theaters nationwide on Friday, August 9. Cook voices Dusty, a crop duster who dreams of becoming a high-flying aerial racer in "Disney's Planes," which debuts in theaters nationwide on Friday, August 9. Additionally, a crop duster reflecting Dusty's design will perform the flyover prior to the start of Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. More info on Johnson's Fan Q&A session and tickets for the GoBowling.com 400, visit www.poconoraceway.com or call 1-800-RACEWAY (1-800-722-3929).(Pocono Raceway), see images of the scheme on the #48 Team Schemes page.(7-26-2013)

NASCAR wants to return to Eldora: NASCAR officials deemed Wednesday night's inaugural Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway enough of a success to warrant strong consideration to keep the dirt track owned by Tony Stewart a part of the schedule in 2014. "Felt it over-delivered on everything they'd done,'' NASCAR vice president Steve O'Donnell said Thursday. "Terrific turnout, really happy with how the competitors performed all night, so all in all, a great night for NASCAR and the sport. "We'll take a look at it and have conversations with Tony ... and still want to go through the garage area and meet with team owners and competitors and get their feedback as well. And want to see the ratings. So far everything we've seen, it's something we'd certainly entertain doing again for 2014." The race drew a 1.20 rating, making it the 10th-most watched Truck race ever on Speed, now Fox Sports, with 1.4 million total viewers, and the most-watched sports program for the day on cable. O'Donnell, who played a key role in NASCAR's return to dirt in a national series for the first time in more than 40 years, said it would be premature to think other dirt tracks will be considered for the schedule moving forward. He also ruled out the Nationwide Series racing at the Rossburg, Ohio, half-mile track next year.(ESPN)(7-26-2013)

Vickers fastest in happy hour: #20_Brian Vickers was quickest during happy hour for the Indiana 250 with a speed of 177.885mph. He was followed by: #2-Brian Scott, #7-Regan Smith, #6-Trevor Bayne, #30-Nelson Piquet, Jr., #21-Kevin Harvick, #54-Kyle Busch, #32-Kyle Larson, #18-Matt Kenseth, and #12-Sam Hornish, Jr. All 44 drivers participated in the session. See complete results on the Indianapolis practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(7-26-2013)

Larson fastest in first practice: #32-Kyle Larson was fastest during opening practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a speed of 177.294mph. #2-Brian Scott was second, followed by: #20-Brian Vickers, #54-Kyle Busch, #3-Austin Dillon, #6-Trevor Bayne, #21-Kevin Harvick, #5-Kasey Kahne, #7-Regan Smith, and #98-Kevin Swindell. All 44 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Indianapolis practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(7-26-2013)

Congrats to the Bueschers: Reigning Truck Series champion James Buescher announced on his Twitter that he and wife Kris welcomed baby boy Stetson Rees Buescher on Friday. Little Stetson weighed in at seven pounds, 15 ounces.(7-26-2013)

Last time a race winner skipped the next race? With Brian Vickers not running the Sprint Cup Series race at Indy this week, yet winning the last Cup race run at New Hampshire on July 14th, who was the last race winner NOT to attempts the following event?
That would be Brad Keselowski, who won at Talladega in April 2009 running the #09 Chevy for Phoenix Racing and did not run the following race at Richmond in May 2009. Before that it was Jamie McMurray, who won at Charlotte in October 2002 in his 2nd career Cup start and didn't race the following week at Martinsville.(7-25-2013)

Wood Brothers Racing #21 to celebrate Henry Ford's 150th birthday at Indy: Ford brands Motorcraft/Quick Lane and Ford Racing will honor Henry Ford's legacy with a special paint scheme at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway July 26-28, 2013, with Wood Brothers Racing and driver Trevor Bayne. One-hundred twelve years later, Ford race cars are still on the track in different series around the world. In celebration of his 150th birthday, In January 1901, at 37 years old, Ford had already failed at business. He'd risked all he had on the Detroit Automobile Company, his first attempt at auto manufacturing, and when that company dissolved he moved into his parent's home with wife Clara and son Edsel. He could've walked away. Instead, Ford decided he needed a new spotlight  so he built a race car. Wood Brothers Racing, both Ford's and NASCAR's oldest continuously operating Sprint Cup team, and Bayne unveiled the design Wednesday (July 24, 2013) at Henry Ford Museum, with the help of Edsel B. Ford II, great-grandson of Henry Ford, and representatives from the museum.(Wood Brothers Racing), see images of the scheme on the #21 Team Schemes page.(7-25-2013)

Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post them] and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the Indianapolis Race Info page - Chassis selection area.

Dale Jr on TV Thursday morning: #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is scheduled to appear Thursday (July 25th) morning on NBC's Today Show where he'll discuss this weekend's race at Indy.(HMS Facebook)(7-25-2013)

Smurf's featured on the #39 at Indy: Quicken Loans', who will be the sponsor Ryan Newman and the #39 team at Indy, is anything but corporate  the dress code is casual and team member off-site outings, breakfast gatherings and luncheons, and interoffice ping pong tournaments are commonplace. It's this unique culture that sees the company willing to think outside the box and try new things, which includes partnering with Sony Pictures Entertainment this weekend to promote The Smurfs 2, the sequel to the 2011 film The Smurfs, which premieres July 31 in theaters across the country.(SHR), see image of the scheme on the #39 Team Schemes page.(7-25-2013)

CSX returns to the #34 at Indy: CSX and Sprint Cup Series driver David Ragan will take to the Brickyard to remind fans to "Play It Safe" around railroad tracks. The transportation company will be the primary sponsor of Ragan's #34 Ford for this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis (Ind.) Motor Speedway, one of the premier events and venues in auto racing. CSX's initial one-race primary sponsorship (Richmond in April) expanded to include the All-Star race and the Indianapolis event after Ragan won Front Row Motorsports' first race in team history at Talladega in May. "We're proud to partner with the team that has been most associated with driver safety," says Terry Ludban, CSX Director of Community Affairs. "David is a great spokesperson, and we hope his passion for this issue will translate into helping us make the roads and our rails safer. If we save just one life, it's worth it."
The weekend's partnership will give fans the opportunity to see their name on Ragan's race car. CSX and the #34 team will collect signatures of fans who promise to "Play It Safe" around railroad tracks on Saturday at the speedway. Fans can stop by the #34 hauler in the Sprint Cup garage beginning at 10:30 a.m. to sign the hood of Ragan's car. The signed hood will be on the No. 34 CSX "Play It Safe" Ford for Sunday's Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard.(FRM), see image of the scheme on the #34 Team Schemes page.(7-25-2013)

Among the features that will be presented during ESPN's coverage from Indianapolis:
Going Home with Juan Pablo Montoya Juan Pablo Montoya shows viewers around his home country of Colombia. The tour includes returning to the track where he grew up racing, spending time with family and his Formula Smiles philanthropy project that is changing lives of young Colombian boys and girls.
The Drive For 5 A look at the number 5: its importance in sports, its symbolism in society and the numerology behind the number 5. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon discuss their four wins at the Brickyard and what it would mean to be the first racer in history to win five times of the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Danica inspires and finds inspiration despite a lifetime of criticism Danica Patrick has faced criticism her entire career. Despite breaking gender boundaries and setting records, (first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500, first woman to start on the pole for the Daytona 500) her career continues to be scrutinized. The intense criticism she has always faced is examined as is the way she motivates herself and has inspired a young generation of racers who look up to her.
Tony Stewart at The Brickyard Our roots as humans stem from home. For Tony Stewart home is Indiana. He grew up racing sprint cars at Indianapolis Raceway Park and other short tracks and dreamed of one day racing the Indianapolis 500. As his career turned to NASCAR, his dream of winning the Indy 500 took a backseat. His career blossomed with many race wins and multiple championships. He continued to hang onto his sprint car roots; racing in the series when his NASCAR schedule allowed. One month ago, he lost his good friend and former roommate Jason Leffler. In a conversation with ESPN's Marty Smith at the Brickyard, Stewart will look at his roots as a racer and how losing a friend has changed his life.(ESPN)(7-25-2013)

Indy Goodyear Tire Notes:
While teams in both NASCAR series in action at Indianapolis this week will run the same right-side tire code, they will be on different left-side codes . . . in the Sprint Cup Series, this is the first time teams have run this left-side code at Indianapolis, though they did run it at Phoenix earlier this season . . . compared to what was run at IMS last season, this tire features a compound change . . . Cup teams did run this right-side code at Indianapolis last season . . . this tire set-up came out of a Goodyear test at The Brickyard on April 30-May 1 . . . drivers and teams participating in that test were #21-Trevor Bayne, #78-Kurt Busch, #24-Jeff Gordon, #2-Brad Keselowski, #55-Mark Martin and #14-Tony Stewart . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams will run inner liners in all four tire positions at Indianapolis . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire (Goodyear), see trie codes, pressures, set numbers and more on the Indy Race Info page - Goodyear section.(7-25-2013)

Dillon returns to the #33 at Indy, Mycogen Seeds as sponsor: #33-Austin Dillon will make his first-career Brickyard 400 start on Sunday afternoon, but grew up attending races at the historic track with his grandfather and car owner Richard Childress. Dillon recalls riding in the pace car as a young child and joined the Victory Lane festivities with Paul Menard in 2011 and Kevin Harvick in 2003. As a driver, Dillon participated in the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year, posting a fifth-place finish. Dillon will be teaming up with agriculture company Mycogen Seeds for the Brickyard 400. Mycogen Seeds is one of America's fastest-growing seed companies, offering leading genetics for farmers in corn, soybeans, silage corn, sunflowers and canola.(RCR)(7-23-2013)
UPDATE - IMAGE: Mycogen Seeds is partnering with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) to sponsor Austin Dillon at the 2013 Brickyard 400 Sprint Cup Series race July 28 as Dillon takes the wheel of the Mycogen Seeds #33 Chevrolet for this race. "As one of America's fastest-growing seed companies, Mycogen Seeds is excited to sponsor one of the fastest, up-and-coming drivers in NASCAR," says Hank King, U.S. corn marketing leader for Mycogen Seeds. "On the race track or on the farm, it's all about high performance. That's why this partnership is a natural fit." Like RCR, Mycogen Seeds has a legacy of innovation and success, King says. "We're looking forward to seeing the Mycogen logo on the #33 car to showcase the drive to succeed between two progressive organizations," he says. "I'm looking forward to my first Brickyard start in the [Sprint] Cup Series," Dillon says. "I'll try to do my best to give Mycogen Seeds a great finish."(Mycogen Seeds), see image of the scheme on the #33 Team Schemes page.(7-25-2013)

Great Clips returns to the #5 at Indy: Great Clips will adorn the hood of Kasey Kahne's #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Minneapolis-based company will be the primary sponsor on the #5 Chevy for one more Sprint Cup Series race this year: New Hampshire in September. This season marks the first full year for Great Clips with Hendrick Motorsports and its 11th with Kahne. Kahne's most recent win happened in March at Bristol when he was driving the #5 Great Clips Chevy (HMS), see images of the scheme on the #5 Team Schemes page.(7-25-2013)

Sale of Phoenix Racing still pending UPDATE5 - SOLD; denial by Brandt & Allgaier: The sale of #51-Phoenix Racing is not yet complete, but team general manager Steve Barkdoll said the organization is continuing to build cars for future races. Team owner James Finch had hoped to have completed the sale of his team by Monday. If he does not sell the team, he will close the shop in two weeks after the July 28 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Barkdoll said he is confident the team will be sold and continue racing. AJ Allmendinger will drive for the team for the Brickyard 400 and if the team continues operating, the current plan is to have him in the car the following week at Pocono, Barkdoll said.(Sporting News)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE: James Finch isn't one for counting unhatched chickens. "We're in a holding pattern until (Wednesday)," Finch said Tuesday as he tried to finalize the sale of his Sprint Cup racing team, Phoenix Racing. "They've sent in some paperwork today, and they're supposed to wire some money (Wednesday). Until then I don't have anything to say until (Wednesday). "Hopefully by (noon) or 1 o'clock I can tell you the deal." Rumors have persisted that Harry Scott, co-owner of Turner Scott Motorsports that competes on NASCAR's Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series, is the potential buyer. Finch, however, neither has confirmed nor denied that, and he has offered few clues as to who the prospective buyer might be.(News Herald)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE 2: It's sold. With those two words, James Finch announced the sale of Phoenix Racing on Wednesday. Finch declined to name the buyer, explaining that the new owner preferred to make an announcement of his own either Friday or Monday. "I can't tell you yet," Finch said. Finch added that he will assist the new owner through the Sprint Cup race at Atlanta on Sept. 1. That race will mark the end of Finch's 23-year run as a Sprint Cup and Nationwide team owner. "They wanted the help," Finch said. "They've never run any Cup races or anything like that, so I'm going to help them. I don't want to say a whole lot. They've got a sponsorship and a driver they want to introduce later in the year."(News Herald)(7-17-2013)
UPDATE 3: Phoenix Racing owner James Finch confirmed Thursday night that he has sold his team - though he would not disclose to whom. Although Finch elected not to divulge the names of the new owners, FOX Sports reported on June 29 that Harry Scott, co-owner of Turner Scott Motorsports, will partner with a group that also includes current sponsor Brandt, which supports the racing efforts of NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Justin Allgaier, to buy the team. Brandt is an agricultural retailer and manufacturer based in Springfield, Ill., and has backed Allgaier since 2011. The 27-year-old Riverton, Ill. native, who is currently fourth in the NNS point standings, is expected to drive the #51 Chevy over the final 10 races of the season. While A.J. Allmendinger was expected to compete in six of the final seven races for Phoenix Racing, Finch said he wanted the opportunity to continue "showcasing the talent" of aspiring NASCAR racers as well. Australian Owen Kelly will make his Cup debut in the #51 Chevy at Watkins Glen on Aug. 11. Ryan Truex, 21, was scheduled to make his Cup debut with Phoenix at Dover prior to breaking his shoulder blade on March 31. Finch plans on running Truex at Bristol on Aug. 24.(Fox Sports)(7-20-2013)
UPDATE 4: Brandt Chief Marketing Officer Karl Barnhart denied on Tuesday that Brandt is purchasing or has purchased Phoenix Racing. He said Brandt has no plans to make a formal announcement in relation to NASCAR in the coming days."We are incredibly happy with our NASCAR Nationwide program," he said. "We are concentrating on winning a championship this year."(State Journal-Register)(7-24-2013)
UPDATE 5: Justin Allgaier, rumored as a possible driver for the #51 Sprint Cup car, said Wednesday that he has not talked to anyone about that ride since reports surfaced about team owner Harry Scott possibly buying Phoenix Racing. Allgaier drives for Scott's Turner Scott Motorsports in the Nationwide Series.(Sporting News)(7-25-2013)

Return to Eldora likely: NASCAR still is evaluating its first dirt race in more than 40 years, but senior vice president Steve O'Donnell strongly indicated Thursday the Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway will return."We felt it overdelivered on everything," Senior VP Steve O'Donnell said of Wednesday night's Camping World Truck Series race won by Austin Dillon. "It was a terrific turnout, and we were really happy with how the competitors performed, so all in all a great night for NASCAR and the sport. We still want to go through the garage area and meet with team owners and competitors and get their feedback, and we want to see the ratings. So far everything we've seen, it's something we'd certainly entertain doing again for 2014." Speed said the race received a household rating of 1.2, making it the 10th most-watched trucks race ever on the network. With a total of 1.4 million viewers, it was the most watched sports program of the day on cable. Its NCWTS Setup show had 1 million viewers, the most-watched prerace show in Speed history. The first national series run on dirt since Sept. 30, 1970 drew a sellout crowd of more than 17,000 to Tony Stewart's half-mile oval in rural Rossburg, Ohio. Ratings were due Thursday afternoon, but O'Donnell said Eldora drew a record social media response for a truck race, according to NASCAR's Fan Engagement Center. Both "Eldora" and "Norm Benning," a 61-year-old who earned the final slot in the main event via the last-chance heat race, were trending nationally on Twitter during the race. Fans in the Eldora grandstands were chanting at NASCAR officials Wednesday night race to bring a Sprint Cup event to the track. O'Donnell said there was no imminent plan to put the Nationwide or Cup series on dirt, but that it might be feasible for stock cars to slide around Eldora as the heavy trucks were Wednesday night. "We've been trying to get to shorter tracks with the trucks in general, and you look at trucks and the dirt, and it felt more of a natural fit," he said. "Certainly I think a Nationwide car could do that, but the focus has been trucks and will continue to be for the near future and keep that as a unique opportunity for the truck series." O'Donnell compared Eldora's place in NASCAR with the NHL's Winter Classic and said there'd been no discussions with other dirt tracks about hosting a NASCAR national series. "I think it's probably a little premature," he said. "It's something that's certainly unique and special, and we want to keep that element of it with whatever we do."(USA Today)(7-25-2013)

NBC Acquires NASCAR Rights, ESPN/TNT Out UPDATE2 & Money: ESPN and Turner Sports will be out of the NASCAR business after next season, ending associations with the sport that go back three decades. NASCAR plans to announce this afternoon a new rights deal with NBC for the second half of the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series seasons -- a package that previously had been held by ESPN. Beginning in 2015, NBC will share NASCAR coverage with Fox, which signed an extension with NASCAR last year. Financial terms of NBC's deal were not available, but sources familiar with it said it was as much as a 50% increase from what ESPN paid for the Sprint Cup series and half of the Nationwide Series. Turner's package of six Sprint Cup races, as well as the first half of the Nationwide Series, remain available, according to sources. Fox is considered a likely bidder for both those packages. Turner and ESPN, which are in the seventh year of eight-year agreements valued at $2.74B overall, had an exclusive negotiating window with NASCAR that ended July 14. When they did not finalize extensions, NASCAR turned to NBC. ESPN and Turner both were interested in keeping the rights, but were not willing to pay as much as NBC was offering, sources said. (full story at the Sports Business Daily)
UPDATE - announcement: NASCAR and NBC Sports Group announced today they have reached a comprehensive agreement that grants NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series events, select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content beginning in 2015. Financial terms of the agreement, which runs through the 2024 season, were not disclosed.
With this partnership, NBC's 20 Sprint Cup race schedule includes becoming the exclusive home to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR's final 10 races of the season, including its season-ending championship event which will return to network television in 2015 for the first time since 2009. Of NBC Sports Group's 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, seven will be carried on NBC annually, with 13 airing on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN). Four of NBC Sports Group's 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series races will air on NBC, with 15 airing on NBCSN.
In addition to rights to NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series races, NBC has also obtained exclusive rights to practice and qualifying sessions for NBC's national series events during their portion of the season, as well as rights to broadcast the NASCAR K&N Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series, the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and NASCAR's season-ending banquets. Further, NBC has been granted Spanish-language rights, certain video-on-demand rights and exclusive TV Everywhere rights for its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events.
Summary of key NBC Sports Group Exclusive Rights  2015-2024:
· Final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races (7 on NBC, 13 on NBCSN)
· Final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series races (4 on NBC, 15 on NBCSN)
· NASCAR K&N Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events
· NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series events
· NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and season-ending banquets
· 'TV Everywhere' live-streaming rights for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series
· Spanish-language broadcast rights on Telemundo and Mun2 for national series events and NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series.(NASCAR)
ESPN Statement on NASCAR Statement from John Skipper, President of ESPN: "ESPN has enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial relationship with NASCAR. We have tremendous respect for the France family, the drivers and all in the sport and wish them well. We will continue to serve NASCAR fans through SportsCenter and our other news platforms as we continue to enhance our industry-leading collection of quality assets. We are looking forward to the start of our Sprint Cup season and will continue with our deep commitment to the highest quality coverage."(ESPN)(7-23-2013)
UPDATE2: NBC will pay $4.4B over 10 years for rights to ESPN's entire NASCAR package, plus half of Turner's six races, according to sources familiar with the deal. That represents a significant media rights increase for NASCAR over the more than $2.28B paid by ESPN and Turner Sports combined for the same number of Sprint Cup and Nationwide races in their current 8-year agreements. This comes after NASCAR received a more than 30% increase in its earlier deal with Fox that covers the first half of its season.(Sports Business Daily)(7-24-2013)

Sale of Phoenix Racing still pending UPDATE4 - SOLD; denial by Brandt: The sale of #51-Phoenix Racing is not yet complete, but team general manager Steve Barkdoll said the organization is continuing to build cars for future races. Team owner James Finch had hoped to have completed the sale of his team by Monday. If he does not sell the team, he will close the shop in two weeks after the July 28 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Barkdoll said he is confident the team will be sold and continue racing. AJ Allmendinger will drive for the team for the Brickyard 400 and if the team continues operating, the current plan is to have him in the car the following week at Pocono, Barkdoll said.(Sporting News)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE: James Finch isn't one for counting unhatched chickens. "We're in a holding pattern until (Wednesday)," Finch said Tuesday as he tried to finalize the sale of his Sprint Cup racing team, Phoenix Racing. "They've sent in some paperwork today, and they're supposed to wire some money (Wednesday). Until then I don't have anything to say until (Wednesday). "Hopefully by (noon) or 1 o'clock I can tell you the deal." Rumors have persisted that Harry Scott, co-owner of Turner Scott Motorsports that competes on NASCAR's Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series, is the potential buyer. Finch, however, neither has confirmed nor denied that, and he has offered few clues as to who the prospective buyer might be.(News Herald)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE 2: It's sold. With those two words, James Finch announced the sale of Phoenix Racing on Wednesday. Finch declined to name the buyer, explaining that the new owner preferred to make an announcement of his own either Friday or Monday. "I can't tell you yet," Finch said. Finch added that he will assist the new owner through the Sprint Cup race at Atlanta on Sept. 1. That race will mark the end of Finch's 23-year run as a Sprint Cup and Nationwide team owner. "They wanted the help," Finch said. "They've never run any Cup races or anything like that, so I'm going to help them. I don't want to say a whole lot. They've got a sponsorship and a driver they want to introduce later in the year."(News Herald)(7-17-2013)
UPDATE 3: Phoenix Racing owner James Finch confirmed Thursday night that he has sold his team - though he would not disclose to whom. Although Finch elected not to divulge the names of the new owners, FOX Sports reported on June 29 that Harry Scott, co-owner of Turner Scott Motorsports, will partner with a group that also includes current sponsor Brandt, which supports the racing efforts of NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Justin Allgaier, to buy the team. Brandt is an agricultural retailer and manufacturer based in Springfield, Ill., and has backed Allgaier since 2011. The 27-year-old Riverton, Ill. native, who is currently fourth in the NNS point standings, is expected to drive the #51 Chevy over the final 10 races of the season. While A.J. Allmendinger was expected to compete in six of the final seven races for Phoenix Racing, Finch said he wanted the opportunity to continue "showcasing the talent" of aspiring NASCAR racers as well. Australian Owen Kelly will make his Cup debut in the #51 Chevy at Watkins Glen on Aug. 11. Ryan Truex, 21, was scheduled to make his Cup debut with Phoenix at Dover prior to breaking his shoulder blade on March 31. Finch plans on running Truex at Bristol on Aug. 24.(Fox Sports)(7-20-2013)
UPDATE 4: Brandt Chief Marketing Officer Karl Barnhart denied on Tuesday that Brandt is purchasing or has purchased Phoenix Racing. He said Brandt has no plans to make a formal announcement in relation to NASCAR in the coming days."We are incredibly happy with our NASCAR Nationwide program," he said. "We are concentrating on winning a championship this year."(State Journal-Register)(7-24-2013)

Indy Marks Berrier's 1-Year Anniversary at Furniture Row Racing: Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will mark Todd Berrier's one-year anniversary as crew chief for #78 Furniture Row Racing. Since joining the team at the 2012 Brickyard race, Berrier has shown his A-list talents, directing the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet to five top-five and 14 top-10 finishes in the past 36 point races. A marked improvement for the Denver-based team, which had only two top-fives and five top-10s in the 182 career starts prior to Berrier's arrival. Berrier, who has eight career Cup victories as a crew chief, including the 2003 Brickyard 400 and 2007 Daytona 500, feels the team is in a critical stage of the season as it continues its hunt to qualify for the Chase. With seven races remaining before the start of the Chase, Busch is in 14th place in driver points, only seven markers from 10th, the final Chase position before the two wildcard entries. "The potential is there, it's just a matter of execution," explained Berrier, who has made three Chase appearances as crew chief. "Kurt stresses consistency and that's what we've been lacking at times due to mistakes and a more than an usual amount of bad luck. This is a tight battle to make the Chase with so many drivers in contention. While it's great theater for the fans, it's a little nerve-wracking for all of us on the inside."(Furniture Row Racing)(7-24-2013)

Cassill gets sponsor for Indy: Interstate Moving Services announced its sponsorship of driver Landon Cassill and the #40 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 20th running of the Brickyard 400. Cassill, who has competed in 16 of the 19 Sprint Cup events this season for Circle Sport Racing in the #33 Chevy, will switch to the #40 with Austin Dillon scheduled to drive the #33 in Sunday's race. "The addition of Interstate Moving Services as sponsor of Landon and the #40 is the final piece of the puzzle," said Joe Falk. "It's our intention to field the #40 in a handful of races throughout the remainder of the season, and it's important for us to start this endeavor out strong. We secured a brand new race car from Richard Childress Racing with ECR power under the hood, so we are going all-in at Indy."
Celebrating its 70th anniversary, Arthur Morrissette originally founded Interstate Moving Services in Washington, D.C., in 1943. The organization has seen tremendous change and evolution over seven decades of business, and during that time, one constant has remained a focus& to deliver quality "Top Hat Service" to each and every customer. Through three generations of family ownership and management, Interstate pledges to remain at the leading edge of training, methods and innovation while striving to deliver excellence to all of our customers without exception.(Circle Sport / Mike Hillman Racing), see image of the scheme on the #40 Team Schemes page.(7-24-2013)

Top 12 Driver Rating at Indianapolis:
#48-Jimmie Johnson........................ 106.3 (4 wins)
#14-Tony Stewart............................ 102.8 (2 wins)
#55-Mark Martin.............................. 102.5
#24-Jeff Gordon.............................. 101.8 (4 wins)
#16-Greg Biffle.................................. 98.6
#18-Kyle Busch................................. 96.6
#42-Juan Pablo Montoya................... 95.9
#20-Matt Kenseth.............................. 94.7
#5-Kasey Kahne.............................. 94.0
#29-Kevin Harvick............................. 91.9 (1 win)
#11-Denny Hamlin............................. 89.9
#31-Jeff Burton................................. 87.9
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (eight total) among active drivers at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Formula combining the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.(NASCAR)

ESPN's Multimedia Platforms Surround NASCAR:
WatchESPN All NASCAR programming on ESPN and ESPN2 is available on computers, smartphones, tablets, Xbox and Apple TV via WatchESPN, accessible to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliate provider including Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Verizon FiOS TV, Comcast Xfinity TV, Midcontinent Communications, Cablevision, Cox, Charter Communications and AT&T U-verse (coming soon to NRTC members' customers).
ESPN.com ESPN.com will provide surround coverage from the Brickyard. Award-winning motorsports journalists Terry Blount, David Newton and John Oreovicz and ESPN.com motorsports editor K. Lee Davis will lead the reporting team, with additional contributions from NASCAR Insider Marty Smith. Blount, Newton, Oreovicz and other ESPN reporters and personalities maintain and regularly update blogs with their insights, perspectives and more. ESPN.com, along with Jayski.com, will feature extensive video, audio and editorial coverage of the 2013 NASCAR season. This week, a special five-part series on NASCAR's France Family written by senior motorsports writer Ed Hinton is featured leading to the Brickyard.
espnw.com espnW's mission is to connect female fans with the sports they love and follow, and with Danica Patrick in her first full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, espnW.com continues its full-season coverage. In addition, NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Johanna Long will be blogging for espnW all season. espnW.com provides an engaging environment where women are an integral part of the sports conversation, share their perspective on men's and women's sports and find the motivation and support for their athletic goals and interests.
ESPN Radio The Raceday program airs from 6 - 7 a.m. on Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28, Programs will originate from Indianapolis with host Pat Patterson and include news, interviews and reports. In addition, ESPN Radio will have daily reports and interviews during other programming in the week leading up to the race. RaceDay airs 52 weeks a year and will originate from the site of every NASCAR Sprint Cup race this season.
ESPN The Magazine The ESPN The Magazine "Body Issue," on newsstands now, contains a column by senior writer Ryan McGee on the evolution of safety in NASCAR and the sanctioning body's use of SAFER barriers at racetracks.
ESPN Deportes ESPN's Spanish-language television, radio and Internet in the U.S. will televise the NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Indianapolis on a tape-delayed basis at 4 a.m. on Sunday, July 28, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Brickyard 400 on Monday, July 29, at 4 a.m. ESPN Deportes' NASCAR commentator team will feature Andrés Agulla (play-by-play) and Alex Pombo (analysis). In addition to the telecast of the race, ESPN Deportes will have segments for its edition of SportsCenter.
ESPN International ESPN International is one of the world's leading syndicators of sports programming and its relationship with NASCAR is helping maximize coverage of NASCAR and providing a solid base of distribution. Through a combination of sales and network programming, the 38 NASCAR Sprint Cup races (including the Bud Shootout and Sprint All-Star Race) and 33 NASCAR Nationwide Series races are available to 112 countries and territories around the world. In addition, U.S. troops and their families serving around the world and Navy vessels at sea can watch the season through American Forces Network.
ESPN Classic ESPN Classic will count down to the 20th running of the Brickyard 400 with airings of multiple past editions of the race as well as classic NASCAR-themed SportsCentury programs on Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jr. The race airings begin Thursday, July 25, at midnight with the 2011 race.(ESPN)(7-24-2013)

Allgaier running Leffler Tribute scheme: Justin Allgaier will be making his second career NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In last year's inaugural race, Allgaier started 14th and finished 12th at the famed 2.5-mile track. This weekend the #31 will have a Jason Leffler Tribute paint scheme:
Turner Scott Motorsports team co-owner Harry Scott Jr. on the Jason Leffler Tribute Paint Scheme: "Jason was a big part of the Turner Scott Motorsports family; not only did he race for our team, but we also all considered him to be a close friend. We're very honored to be able to run this tribute car and remember Jason, but we also wanted to highlight the trust that has been established for Charlie. Everyone knows how much Charlie meant to Jason, and how much he loved being a dad, so I'm especially honored to be a trustee on the Charles Dean Leffler Discretionary Trust. Indianapolis was Jason's second home, and he appreciated all the history of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and what it meant to race there, so it is an especially fitting track to be able to honor him and highlight the trust."
Crew chief Scott Zipadelli on the Jason Leffler Tribute Paint Scheme:
"Although I never raced at IMS with Jason, I did race Lucas Oil Raceway two times with him and also helped him work on his midget the same week there. He was such a huge fan of Lucas Oil Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He had respect for the history of IMS and all of the drivers that raced there. Jason raced in the Indianapolis 500 and also raced a Cup car at Indy. It is a shame he never got to run a Nationwide race at the big track because that would have meant more to him than racing at any other track on the circuit. Being at Indy with Jason was always a fun time because he knew everyone in town. He knew every driver and team of every year at Indy. He was a student of USAC, IndyCar and Champ cars. To honor Jason and Charlie Dean at Indianapolis is going to be one of the highest honors I have been able to be part of, and he would be very proud of TSM for this. I've never wanted to win a race more than I do this week."(Turner Scott Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #31 team paint schemes page.(7-24-2013)

Nationwide Children's Hospital on the #99 at Indy: RAB Racing with Brack Maggard and driver Alex Bowman announced that they are partnering with the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Indiana 250 on July 27th at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of America's largest pediatric hospitals and research centers with more than 1,000 physician specialists providing care during a million-plus patient visits annually. All care is provided regardless of a family's ability to pay.(RAB Racing), see an image of the car on the #99 team paint schemes page.(7-24-2013)

"Troops to the Track" Program to Indy: The Armed Forces Foundation and NASCAR continue the 2013 Troops to the Track program on Sunday, July 28th, by bringing service members of the 76th Brigade Combat Team from the Indiana Army National Guard. The primary mission of the Infantry battalion is to close with the enemy by means of fire and maneuver. In addition to its primary war fighting mission, the Infantry battalion might be tasked to perform other types of operations, including stability operations and civil support operations, semi independently or as an integral part of a larger force. The Predator Battalion traces its rich heritage back before Indiana actually became a State. Born from the militia companies that mustered on the banks of the Ohio River in times of crisis, the battalion has since continually served with pride and distinction. Always there, ready to serve, exemplifying the true spirit of the citizen soldier. This unit has been deployed to Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. 2013 season of Troops to the Track, a program in which service members are treated to a daylong interactive at-track experience, which includes: a special invitation and recognition at the drivers' pre-race meeting, a private tour of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage, pit road access during driver introductions / National Anthem and special seating in the grandstands. See the attached document for more information about the program.(AFF)(7-24-2013)

Dillon wins Eldora: #39-Austin Dillon won the Inaugural Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway Wednesday night, holding off second and third place finishers #30-Kyle Larson and #34-Ryan Newman following a green-white-checkered restart. The remainder of the top-10 were: #18-Joey Coulter, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #17-Timothy Peters, #54-Darrell Wallace, Jr., #88-Matt Crafton, #19-Dave Blaney, and #8-Max Gresham. There were six caution flags for 30 laps, and five lead changes among four drivers. Complete results are on the Eldora race results page (pdf).(7-24-2013)

Eldora Race Fast Facts:
Austin Dillon(i) won the Inaugural Mudsummer Classic, his fifth victory in 53 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in 2013.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in his first start at Eldora Speedway.
Kyle Larson(i) (second) posted his first top-10 finish in his first start at Eldora Speedway. It is his second top-10 finish in 2013.
Ryan Newman(i) (third) posted his first top-10 finish in his first start at Eldora Speedway.
Darrell Wallace Jr. (seventh) was the highest finishing rookie.
Matt Crafton leads the point standings by 48 points over Jeb Burton.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(7-24-2013)

Driver standings following Eldora:
1) #88-Matt Crafton, 393
2) #4-Jeb Burton, 345, -48
3), #31-James Buescher, 342, -51
4) #3-Ty Dillon, 337, -56
5) #98-Johnny Sauter, 320, -73
6) #17-Timothy Peters, 320, -73
7) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 319, -74
8) #29-Ryan Blaney, 319, -74
9) #54-Darrell Wallace, Jr., 309, -84
10) #32-Miguel Paludo, 308, -85
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(7-24-2013)

Owner Standings following Eldora: are posted (pdf).(7-24-2013)

Schrader, Landers, Peters, Wallace, Burton win heats: #52-Kenny Schrader, #6-Jared Landers, #17-Timothy Peters, #81-Kenny Wallace and #4-Jeb Burton won the heat races, securing top-five starting spots. Brennan Newberry won the last chance race. The top-five finishers from that event earned a spot in the main event. Failed to qualify: #99-Bryan Silas, #68-Clay Greenfield, #44-JR Heffner, #10-Joe Cobb, #07-Jimmy Weller III. Starting lineup (pdf)(7-24-2013)

Heat race groups:
Race 1:#52- Ken Schrader, #44-JR Heffner, #18-Joey Coulter ,#07-Jimmy Weller, #13-Tracy Hines, #19-Dave Blaney , #51-Scott Bloomquist
Race 2:#6-Jared Landers, #32-Miguel Paludo, #88-Matt Crafton, #54-Darrell Wallace Jr., #84-Jeff Babcock, #54-Norm Benning, #60-Dakoda Armstrong
Race 3:#17-Timothy Peters, #5-Jason Bowles, #68-Clay Greenfield, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #30-Kyle Larson, #9-Ron Hornday, #29-Ryan Blaney
Race 4:#81-Kenny Wallace, #8-Max Gresham, #39-Austin Dillon, #31-James Buescher, #7-John Wes Townley, #24-Brennan Newberry, #10-Joe Cobb
Race 5: #4-Jeb Burton, #98-Johnny Sauter, #34-Ryan Newman, #63-Justin Jennings, #99-Bryan Silas, #3-Ty Dillon, #77-German Quiroga

Schrader on pole for the Inaugural Mudsummer Classic at Eldora: #52-Ken Schrader earned the pole for the Inaugural Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday, running a fast lap at 91.329 mph. #6-Jared Landers was second, followed by #17-Timothy Peters, #81-Kenny Wallace, #4-Jeb Burton, #44-JR Heffner, #32-Miguel Paludo, #5-Jason Bowles, #8-Max Gresham, and #98-Johnny Sauter in the top 10. Five qualifying races and a last chance race will determine the starting lineup. See complete results on the Qualifying results (pdf) page.(7-24-2013)

Eldora Qualifying Notes:
Ken Schrader(i) won the Keystone Light Pole Award for the Inaugural Mudsummer Classic with a lap of 19.709 seconds, 91.329 mph.
This is his second pole in 100 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first pole and first top-10 start in 2013.
Jared Landers (second) posted his first top-10 start of 2013 and his first in one races at Eldora Speedway.
Timothy Peters (third) posted his first top-10 start at Eldora Speedway. It is his sixth in ten races this season.
Jeb Burton (fifth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
Ken Schrader becomes the oldest pole winner in all three NASCAR national series at the age of 58; previous oldest pole winner was Dick Trickle at the age of 57.
(NASCAR Statistics)(7-24-2013)

Wallace fastest in final practice at Eldora: #54-Darrell Wallace, Jr. was fastest in thefinal practice session at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday. Wallace ran a fast lap at 89.820 mph. #13-Tracy Hines was second quick. The remainder of the top 10 were: #7-John Wes Townley, #77-German Quiroga, #31-James Buescher, #51-Scott Bloomquist, #88-Matt Crafton, #98-Johnny Sauter, #30-Kyle Larson, and #24-Brennan Newberry. See complete results on the Eldora practice 3 speeds page (pdf).(7-24-2013)

Bodine to drive for TSM at Pocono: It was mentioned during the Eldora broadcast on Wednesday night, and confirmed on Todd Bodine's Twitter, that he will drive the #30 Chevy for Turner Scott Motorsports at Pocono Raceway next weekend. (7-24-2013)

Shear resigns? UPDATE 2: SPEED reporter Ray Dunlap posted on his Twitter Sunday night that Johnny Sauter's crew chief Joe Shear, Jr. has resigned as crew chief on the #98 Toyota. No word from the team on a replacement for Wednesday's race at Eldora Speedway. Shear recently served a four-race suspension, returning for one race in Iowa. During that time, Jesse Saunders and Dan LeMasters worked together to call the shots for the ThorSport Racing team.(7-21-2013)
UPDATE: Crew chief Joe Shear, Jr., has left the ThorSport Racing Camping World Truck Series team, just one race after serving a four-event suspension for illegal fuel cell modifications discovered at Kansas Speedway in April. Shear resigned his position Friday, just five days before the series' first-ever dirt track race at Eldora Speedway. He and driver Johnny Sauter ranked fifth in the Truck Series championship standings, just 52 points behind ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton. Sauter was docked 25 points for the fuel cell violation at Kansas, knocking him from the series lead. "Joe has been my crew chief for a long time and my friend for even longer," said Sauter today. "I guess there were some disagreements over the direction of the team, and he felt like it was time for him to move on." Sauter declined to comment on specifics of the split, but sources close to the team say difficulty hiring qualified personnel to work at ThorSport's Sandusky, Ohio shop, debates over the correct technological path for the team and an inability to address issues with their over-the-wall pit crew all played a role in Shear's departure. Truck chiefs Jesse Saunders and Dan LeMasters, who replaced Shear during his suspension, are expected to oversee the team this week at Eldora, with no word yet on a permanent replacement. Calls placed to ThorSport Racing for comment today were not immediately returned.(Godfather Motorsports)(7-22-2013)
UPDATE 2: Joe Shear, Jr. stepped down as crew chief of Johnny Sauter's Carolina Nut Company Toyota at ThorSport Racing last week, saying a lack of manpower and appreciation led to his resignation. "ThorSport is growing, getting bigger, and I wasn't very happy with the way they were going and how (the team) was being run," Shear said. "I got tired of it and decided to make a change. "I resigned," he said. "It was my call. I just got tired of how things were being run, how I got treated and especially how the guys under me got treated. I'm not trying to bash anybody, but when I tried to talk to (team owner) Duke Thorson, he didn't want to talk to me. So I made my final decision Sunday, and here I am." Shear said there were "many, many things" within the ThorSport organization that need attention, most notably a lack of qualified crew help. Shear said ThorSport's home base in Sandusky, Ohio, makes it difficult to hire experienced hands for both the race shop and the over-the-wall pit crew. Shear stressed that his decision had nothing to do with Sauter, with whom he has won eight times in 91 Camping World Truck Series, including victories at Daytona, Martinsville this season. "I don't really have anything planned," admitted Shear. "There's nothing going on (in terms of a new job). I was born into this sport, and I don't really know how to do anything else, so I'm looking. I'd love to go to a great organization and do what I do; win races."(Godfather Motorsports)(7-24-2013)

ESPN's Sage Steele to drive pacecar at Indy: ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor and Indiana University graduate Sage Steele will drive the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Pace Car to lead the field of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series superstars to the start of the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com on Sunday, July 28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Chevrolet also paced the previous 19 Sprint Cup races at IMS, and this year's Brickyard 400 will mark the sixth time a Camaro has paced the race.
2013 Kroger Super Weekend tickets: Ticket orders for the 2013 Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard can be made at www.ims.com/tickets and through the IMS Ticket Office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or by visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8:00am-5:00pm Monday-Friday. General admission tickets will cost $10 for Thursday, July 25, $30 for Friday, July 26, $25 for Saturday, July 27 and $30 for Sunday, July 28. A four-day Kroger Super Weekend general admission ticket is $80, a great value for the ultimate race weekend. A three-day general admission ticket (Thursday-Saturday) is $65. Children ages 12 and under will be admitted free any of the four days of the Super Weekend at the Brickyard when accompanied by an adult with a general admission ticket. Reserved tickets for the Saturday and Sunday action also will be available at various price ranges.(IMS)(7-24-2013)

Country Stars to perform at Brickyard Music Festival: Big Machine once again will bring a host of country music artists, including headliner Justin Moore, to the Brickfest Music Festival on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28 during the Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Moore will perform Saturday, July 27 after the Indiana 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race and Sunday, July 28 before the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com. One of the most popular and accomplished young artists to hit the country music scene in years, Moore will play Saturday afternoon on the Pagoda Plaza Stage shortly after the checkered flag for the Indiana 250, with vivacious trio The Cadillac Three opening the show. Moore then will play a pre-race mini concert on the IMS main straightaway before the 1:00 pm start of the 20th running of the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. A number of other stars on the Big Machine Label Group roster will perform Sunday at the Brickfest Music Festival beginning at 9:00 am. Cassadee Pope will sing the national anthem during pre-race ceremonies while The Cadillac Three and Dustin Lynch will perform pre-race concerts. These performances will take place on the infield stage inside Turn 2, near the IMS Hall of Fame Museum. A Big Machine artist to be announced will sing "America the Beautiful" during pre-race ceremonies. All performances are free with admission to the track for each day.(IMS)(7-24-2013)

NBC Acquires NASCAR Rights, ESPN/TNT Out UPDATE: ESPN and Turner Sports will be out of the NASCAR business after next season, ending associations with the sport that go back three decades. NASCAR plans to announce this afternoon a new rights deal with NBC for the second half of the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series seasons -- a package that previously had been held by ESPN. Beginning in 2015, NBC will share NASCAR coverage with Fox, which signed an extension with NASCAR last year. Financial terms of NBC's deal were not available, but sources familiar with it said it was as much as a 50% increase from what ESPN paid for the Sprint Cup series and half of the Nationwide Series. Turner's package of six Sprint Cup races, as well as the first half of the Nationwide Series, remain available, according to sources. Fox is considered a likely bidder for both those packages. Turner and ESPN, which are in the seventh year of eight-year agreements valued at $2.74B overall, had an exclusive negotiating window with NASCAR that ended July 14. When they did not finalize extensions, NASCAR turned to NBC. ESPN and Turner both were interested in keeping the rights, but were not willing to pay as much as NBC was offering, sources said. (full story at the Sports Business Daily)
UPDATE - announcement: NASCAR and NBC Sports Group announced today they have reached a comprehensive agreement that grants NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series events, select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content beginning in 2015. Financial terms of the agreement, which runs through the 2024 season, were not disclosed.
With this partnership, NBC's 20 Sprint Cup race schedule includes becoming the exclusive home to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR's final 10 races of the season, including its season-ending championship event which will return to network television in 2015 for the first time since 2009. Of NBC Sports Group's 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, seven will be carried on NBC annually, with 13 airing on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN). Four of NBC Sports Group's 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series races will air on NBC, with 15 airing on NBCSN.
In addition to rights to NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series races, NBC has also obtained exclusive rights to practice and qualifying sessions for NBC's national series events during their portion of the season, as well as rights to broadcast the NASCAR K&N Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series, the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and NASCAR's season-ending banquets. Further, NBC has been granted Spanish-language rights, certain video-on-demand rights and exclusive TV Everywhere rights for its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events.
Summary of key NBC Sports Group Exclusive Rights  2015-2024:
· Final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races (7 on NBC, 13 on NBCSN)
· Final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series races (4 on NBC, 15 on NBCSN)
· NASCAR K&N Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events
· NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series events
· NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and season-ending banquets
· 'TV Everywhere' live-streaming rights for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series
· Spanish-language broadcast rights on Telemundo and Mun2 for national series events and NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series.(NASCAR)
ESPN Statement on NASCAR Statement from John Skipper, President of ESPN: "ESPN has enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial relationship with NASCAR. We have tremendous respect for the France family, the drivers and all in the sport and wish them well. We will continue to serve NASCAR fans through SportsCenter and our other news platforms as we continue to enhance our industry-leading collection of quality assets. We are looking forward to the start of our Sprint Cup season and will continue with our deep commitment to the highest quality coverage."(ESPN)(7-23-2013)

ESPN's NASCAR Sprint Cup Coverage Rolls Out at Indianapolis: ESPN begins its coverage of the final 17 races of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule with a live, flag-to-flag telecast of the Brickyard 400 at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 28. ESPN's multimedia platforms will surround the race telecast on television, radio and online. The telecast from Indianapolis is presented by Golden Corral and begins with the NASCAR Countdown pre-race show at 12noon/et from the Speedway's iconic Pagoda. The program will set up the race with interviews and features before the race's green flag flies at 1:19pm/et. In addition to the race, ESPN will televise NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying on Saturday, July 27, at 2:00pm/et and ESPN2 will air NASCAR Sprint Cup practice Saturday at 9"00am/et.
Also from Indianapolis, ESPN will televise the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, with NASCAR Countdown at 4:00pm/et and the green flag at 4:50pm/et. NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Jimmie Johnson will visit the ESPN telecast booth for part of the race.
ESPN will use 72 high definition cameras at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including four Ultra Hi Motion cameras for replays and unique action shots. One will be mounted on pit wall near the "Yard of Bricks" that make up the start/finish line at the Speedway while another robotic Ultra Hi Motion camera will be mounted to provide a low shot in the first turn. Two others will be in the second and fourth turns. Eight cars competing in the race will carry onboard cameras and ESPN also will have a helicopter camera for overhead shots in the Brickyard 400 and for all 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup race telecasts.
Four former NASCAR Sprint Cup champions, including two NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers, will be an integral part of ESPN's coverage team for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, including lead analyst Dale Jarrett, the 1999 driving champion and newly elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, who will work with two-time champion crew chief Andy Petree and lap-by-lap announcer Allen Bestwick in the booth. Marty Reid will be the lap-by-lap announcer for the remainder of ESPN's NASCAR Nationwide Series race telecasts this season beginning with Indianapolis.
NASCAR Countdown will feature analysis by 1989 champion driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace and three-time champion crew chief Ray Evernham, with host Nicole Briscoe and NASCAR team owner Brad Daugherty. The Countdown team will interact with the booth during the telecast of the race. Pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch.
For the 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, ESPN will again utilize NASCAR NonStop, a split-screen commercial format that brings more racing action to viewers. The format, which ESPN used for the first time in 2011, shows the advertisement on the left side of the screen and a continuation of racing action on the right side. ESPN's scoring ticker continues to move across the top of the screen, allowing NASCAR fans to follow the running order of the race during the breaks. NASCAR NonStop takes effect at or near the halfway point of the race, with the first half of the race presented in the traditional commercial break format.(ESPN)(7-23-2013)

Childress has partial funding for a fourth team: Team owner Richard Childress was asked about plans for next year during a media teleconference Monday:
Q: At New Hampshire when we talked to you about the lineup and sponsorship, you said definitely Menard and Burton, question mark, possibly a fourth driver. A couple weeks down the road, after the Budweiser announcement, do you have an idea when you would like to nail things down and have an announcement ready for 2014 on the driver and sponsorship lineup?
Childress: That's a good question. Right now we're finalizing some final things. We have sponsorship on a third and we actually have some sponsorship on a fourth. But having it all finalized and put together, it could be a couple of months down the road before we have everything ready to do some announcing on any of that.(NASCAR)(7-23-2013)

Dillon returns to the #33 at Indy: #33-Austin Dillon will make his first-career Brickyard 400 start on Sunday afternoon, but grew up attending races at the historic track with his grandfather and car owner Richard Childress. Dillon recalls riding in the pace car as a young child and joined the Victory Lane festivities with Paul Menard in 2011 and Kevin Harvick in 2003. As a driver, Dillon participated in the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year, posting a fifth-place finish. Dillon will be teaming up with agriculture company Mycogen Seeds for the Brickyard 400. Mycogen Seeds is one of America's fastest-growing seed companies, offering leading genetics for farmers in corn, soybeans, silage corn, sunflowers and canola.(RCR)(7-23-2013)

Indianapolis Motor Speedway News & Notes:
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway has existed since 1909, and is the original "Speedway," the first racing facility to incorporate the word into its name.
• With a permanent seating capacity for more than 250,000-plus people and infield seating that raises capacity to an approximate 400,000, it is the largest and highest-capacity sporting facility in history.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was August 6, 1994  won by Jeff Gordon.
• There have been 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; one per year from 1994 through 2012.
• 128 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; 102 in more than one.
• Four drivers have competed in all 19 races at Indianapolis: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.
• Rick Mast won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Indianapolis in 1994 with a speed of 172.414 mph.
• 16 drivers have Coors Light poles at Indianapolis, led by Jeff Gordon with three.
• Two drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Indianapolis: Jeff Gordon (1995 and 1996) and Ernie Irvan (1997 and 1998).
• 11 different drivers have won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, led by Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson with four each.
• Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to have posted consecutive wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2008 and 2009).
• Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Indianapolis in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with eight; followed by Richard Childress Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing with three each.
• Four different manufacturers have won at Indianapolis; led by Chevrolet with 14 victories; followed by Ford with three, Dodge and Pontiac each have one. Chevrolet has won the last 10 consecutive NSCS races at Indianapolis.
• Only two of the 19 (10.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis have been won from the Coors Light pole: Kevin Harvick (2003) and Jimmie Johnson (2008).
• The third starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (three) than any other starting position at Indianapolis.
• Three of the 19 (15.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis have been won from the front row: two from the pole and once from second-place.
• 11 of the 19 (57.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis have been won from a top-10 starting position.
• Three of the 19 (15.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Indianapolis was 27th, by Jeff Gordon in 2001.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace leads the series in runner-up finishes at Indianapolis with three; followed by Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth with two each.
• Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at Indianapolis with 11; followed by Tony Stewart and Mark Martin with six each.
• Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-10 finishes at Indianapolis with 15; followed by Mark Martin with 11.
• Juan Pablo Montoya leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Indianapolis with a 6.167.
• Tony Stewart leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Indianapolis with an 8.214.
• Six of the seven active NASCAR Sprint Cup race winners at Indianapolis Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Jeff Gordon won the Brickyard 400 in his first start at Indianapolis.
• Jamie McMurray competed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway seven times before winning in 2010; the longest span of any the seven active NASCAR Sprint Cup winners.
• Mark Martin and Jeff Burton lead the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Indianapolis without visiting Victory Lane at 19.
• Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was the August 3, 1997 race won by Ricky Rudd over Bobby Labonte with a MOV of 0.183 second.
• Only one of the NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis have resulted with a green-white-checkered finish (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2004 (160/161).
• None of the 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been shortened due to weather conditions.
• Qualifying has not been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Reed Sorenson (07/29/07) is the only driver to post his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Paul Menard (07/31/11) is the only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver to have posted his first career win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Indianapolis with 477 laps led in 19 starts.
• Danica Patrick will attempt to become the first female driver to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Patrick does have one start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at IMS; she started 20th and finished 35th (7/28/2012). Shawna Robinson (8/5/01) is the only other female driver to attempt to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Indianapolis, but she failed to qualify for the event.(NASCAR)(7-23-2013)

Fox expected to take first half of NNS schedule in 2015: The rights to the first half of the Nationwide schedule have not been publicly announced, but NASCAR chairman Brian France let slip in a Tuesday conference call with reporters that there will be Nationwide races on Fox Sports 1. "We will have both Cup and Nationwide on FOX Sports 1 at some level," France said during the call. ESPN currently broadcasts the entire Nationwide schedule.(Associated Press)(7-23-2013)

Dillon fastest in second practice at Eldora: #39-Austin Dillon was fastest during the second practice during the test day at Eldora Speedway on Tuesday night. Dillon had a top speed at 83.164 mph. #3-Ty Dillon was second. The remainder of the top-10 were: #30-Kyle Larson, #52-Ken Schrader, #13-Tracy Hines, #34-Ryan Newman, #19-Dave Blaney, #9-Ron Hornaday, Jr., #29-Ryan Blaney, and #4- Jeb Burton. See complete results on the Eldora practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(7-23-2013)

Larson fastest in first practice at Eldora: #30-Kyle Larson led the way in the first practice during the test day on the dirt at Eldora Speedway. Larson had a top speed at 91.626 mph. #19-Dave Blaney was second on the speed chart, followed by #29-Ryan Blaney, #39-Austin Dillon, #3-Ty Dillon, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #7-John Wes Townley, #51-Scott Bloomquist, #9-Ron Hornaday, Jr. and #60-Dakoda Armstrong. Multiple trucks spun during the session including John Wes Townley, Jeb Burton, Ron Hornaday Jr., Darrell Wallace, Jr., Max Gresham, and Bryan Silas. See complete results on the Eldora practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(7-23-2013)

Cobb's father attempting Eldora: Veteran dirt track racer, Joe Cobb, father of regular Camping World Truck Series driver, Jennifer Jo Cobb, will make his big-league NASCAR debut in an attempt to qualify for the Carcash Mudsummer Classic presented by CNBC Prime's The Profit. The 66-year old Kansas City, Kansas resident competes weekly at Lakeside Speedway, a 1/2 mile dirt oval situated just a few miles north of the Kansas Speedway. Joe Cobb began racing in 1976 and has been instrumental in nurturing his daughter's career. Joe Cobb has found sponsorship support from Koma Unwind Relaxation Drink, Cool Shirt and GetAuctionAccess.com.(JJC Racing PR)(7-23-2013)

Bowles, Wauters partner for Eldora: Wauters Motorsports announced today that they have teamed with Jason Bowles and Valvoline Premium Blue for the inaugural running of the Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway. Bowles finished 13th in the 2012 Nationwide Series point standings and, this season, became a test driver for Michael Waltrip Racing. He is a champion and 10-race winner in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West division. Thrush & Son, Contractor Rush and K&L Ready Mix will also adorn the #5 Chevy Silverado as associate partners for Wednesday night's event.(Wauters Motorsports PR)(7-23-2013)

Indy making security changes for Brickyard: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will more than double the number of entrance lanes for fans attending Sunday's Brickyard 400 NASCAR race following lengthy delays for fans before the Indianapolis 500. The speedway said Monday it's increasing the number of entry gates from 11 to 18 by converting some exit-only gates. The total number of entrance lanes will top 160. The speedway also said in a release that it's hiring more staff with crowd-flow experience, adding better signage directing fans to gates and express lanes, and will direct fans to less crowded gates. Heavier security after the Boston Marathon bombings angered thousands of Indy 500 fans who stood in line for up to two hours, with some told to lug coolers back to their cars parked blocks away because of new size restrictions.(Associated Press)(7-23-2013)

Gordon & Stenhouse, Jr. appearing at Pocono's Tricky Triangle Club: Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Jeff Gordon, and two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., are scheduled to make appearances at Pocono Raceway's "Tricky Triangle Club" prior to the start of the GoBowling.com 400 on Sunday, August 4. "The Tricky Triangle Club" is a pre-race ticket add on, located inside the Raceway's Chalet Village, which features a Pre-Race Pit Tour Pass, lunch, beverages, four beer tickets (for adults ages 21 and over), a welcome bag including a race program and diecast, giveaway prizes, interactive games and access to driver/celebrity questions-and-answer sessions. A Sunday ticket is required to attend the "Tricky Triangle Club" and requesting autographs from drivers is strictly prohibited.(Pocono Raceway)(7-23-2013)

Entry List for the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 Sprint Cup Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is posted, 45 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #19-Bliss, #21-Bayne, #32-Hill, #33-Dillon, #40-Cassill, #51-Allmendinger, and #95-Speed. #19-Bliss & #40-Cassill would had to get in by speed and be in the top 36 in speed as the team is too far down the owners points list to use a provisional.
See the full entry list at my Jayski's Indy Entry List

Vickers says win helps him for next year: #55-Brian Vickers' victory last week could provide a boost to his long-term future at Michael Waltrip Racing. "It definitely helped," Vickers said. "How could it not?" Vickers, who won last Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race for MWR at New Hampshire, is in discussions with the team about a full-time ride next season. He has been driving part-time for Waltrip's team for the past two seasons, and has a full-time ride with Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series. Vickers says he's optimistic about a deal coming together because he, Waltrip and sponsor Aaron's all want it to happen -- but he knows it would be unwise to assume anything until a contract is in place. Vickers says the team is exploring the possibility of adding other sponsors to help split the bill with Aaron's.(Associated Press)(7-22-2013)

Josh Wise to compete in Triathlon UPDATE: On Sunday, the only fuel that will get NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Josh Wise to the finish line will come from within his own body. Normally sitting inside the #35 MDS Transport Ford on Sundays, the 30-year-old driver for Front Row Motorsports and triathlete will instead be swimming, cycling and running in his first half Ironman triathlon in Racine, Wis. Longer than a standard triathlon, the 70.3-mile half Ironman will include a 1.2-mile swim in Lake Michigan, a 56-mile bike course and a 13.1-mile run. The idea of competing in triathlons started in a light-hearted conversation with fellow NASCAR driver Scott Speed. "Scott got me into road cycling a few years ago, and we started joking about how we were going to add swimming and running and do a triathlon," Wise said. "And it turned into us actually doing a sprint triathlon last summer. It was a blast." Wise has been training for the July 21 event in Racine for about a year. At the most intense part of his training, Wise was swimming five miles, biking 150 miles and running 20 miles per week.(Front Row Motorsports)(7-20-2013)
UPDATE: Wise finished the Triahlon in 5:21:06. His swim time was 35:35, bike time 2:41:08 and run time 1:56:28. He was 64th in his age group and 394th overall. There were nearly 2300 participants.(7-22-2013)

Starr driving the #55 at Indy: Viva Motorsports with Frank Cicci announced veteran NASCAR driver David Starr will be in the driver's seat of the #55 car for the upcoming Nationwide Indiana 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With Striping Technologies on the quarters and Chasco Constructors on the hood, the black and red Chevy Camaro will hit the famed racetrack for the first time this weekend. Striping Technologies, L.P. of Tyler, Texas provides safety services including highway striping, traffic signals, signage, pavement marking and installation to general contractors, business owners and government agencies. Founded in 1979, Chasco Constructors is a progressive commercial general contracting and construction management firm serving central Texas. This will be the first Nationwide Series start of 2013 for Starr, who has been focusing on his Camping World Truck Series campaign.(Viva Motorsports with Frank Cicci)(7-22-2013)

Entry List:There are 42 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's Nationwide Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A few notes:
David Green is entered in the #00 for SR2;
Kevin Harvick will be in the #21 for RCR;
Ken Butler will drive the #24 for SR2;
Cole Whitt returns to the TriStar #44;
David Starr will drive the #55 normally driving by Jamie Dick;
The Mike Harmon #74 is TBA;
Kevin Swindell and the #98 team are entered.(7-22-2013)
See the complete list on the Indianapolis entry list page.

KBM to honor Leffler: Long-time Kyle Busch Motorsports partner Flexco will be paying tribute to Jason Leffler during this week's Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway. The worldwide leader in the manufacturing of belt conveyer products will incorporate "A Tribute to a Great Racer" featuring a picture of Leffler into their normal branding on the side of Scott Bloomquist's #51 ToyotaCare Tundra. Flexco was an associate sponsor on the #18 Tundra last season when Leffler registered six top-10 finishes across nine starts. (Kyle Busch Motorsports PR)(7-22-2013)

Shear resigns? UPDATE: SPEED reporter Ray Dunlap posted on his Twitter Sunday night that Johnny Sauter's crew chief Joe Shear, Jr. has resigned as crew chief on the #98 Toyota. No word from the team on a replacement for Wednesday's race at Eldora Speedway. Shear recently served a four-race suspension, returning for one race in Iowa. During that time, Jesse Saunders and Dan LeMasters worked together to call the shots for the ThorSport Racing team.(7-21-2013)
UPDATE: Crew chief Joe Shear, Jr., has left the ThorSport Racing Camping World Truck Series team, just one race after serving a four-event suspension for illegal fuel cell modifications discovered at Kansas Speedway in April. Shear resigned his position Friday, just five days before the series' first-ever dirt track race at Eldora Speedway. He and driver Johnny Sauter ranked fifth in the Truck Series championship standings, just 52 points behind ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton. Sauter was docked 25 points for the fuel cell violation at Kansas, knocking him from the series lead. "Joe has been my crew chief for a long time and my friend for even longer," said Sauter today. "I guess there were some disagreements over the direction of the team, and he felt like it was time for him to move on." Sauter declined to comment on specifics of the split, but sources close to the team say difficulty hiring qualified personnel to work at ThorSport's Sandusky, Ohio shop, debates over the correct technological path for the team and an inability to address issues with their over-the-wall pit crew all played a role in Shear's departure. Truck chiefs Jesse Saunders and Dan LeMasters, who replaced Shear during his suspension, are expected to oversee the team this week at Eldora, with no word yet on a permanent replacement. Calls placed to ThorSport Racing for comment today were not immediately returned.(Godfather Motorsports)(7-22-2013)

Busch to appear in The Bog before Cheez-It 355 at The Glen: Kyle Busch will entertain fans in The Bog at Watkins Glen International on Sunday, August 11, at the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen. Fans that purchase The Bog hospitality have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session with the driver of the #18 M&Ms Toyota Camry. The Bog presented by Red Cat is located inside Turn 11. Guests are treated to a trackside view, Sunday morning cold pit access and motorsport personality Q&A sessions throughout the weekend. Patrons also enjoy upgraded food options and receive drink vouchers. For $150, guests enjoy all The Bog has to offer Saturday and Sunday. Saturday-only or Sunday-only passes are available for purchase for $85.(WGI)(7-22-2013)

Hendrick employee featured on SportsCenter Sunday: Hendrick Motorsports is one of the most successful racing teams in NASCAR, fielding cars for former NASCAR Sprint Cup champions #48-Jimmie Johnson and #24-Jeff Gordon as well as #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. and #5-Kasey Kahne. A part of the team's continued success is engineer Richie Parker, who works behind-the-scenes at the team's North Carolina headquarters. But as ESPN's Tom Rinaldi reports for SportsCenter Featured, Parker is a remarkable story of success in his own right: born without arms, his determination and talent have led him to the top of NASCAR. The feature will air during ESPN's flagship news and information program SportsCenter on Sunday, July 21, at 10:00am/et on ESPN2.(ESPN), see a preview clip here.(7-21-2013)

Pastrana tries to get Edwards, Stenhouse to base jump: Travis Pastrana uses his connections in extreme sports to help fund his car for the Nationwide Series. That's just fine with owner Jack Roush, as long as Pastrana doesn't bring along any of his teammates to one of his more exhilarating expeditions. Pastrana planned a base-jumping trip for Sprint Cup star #99-Carl Edwards and fellow Roush driver #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. But it all fell apart, and a smiling Pastrana said Saturday he suspected the 71-year-old Roush might have been behind the failure. "I guess someone at the office got a hold of it the day before we left because I ended up showing up to the base-jump place all by myself," Pastrana said with a chuckle. "So I assume he's OK with me doing it but he doesn't want me dragging the rest of the crew into that shenanigans."(Associated Press)(7-21-2013)

Logano wins at Chicago: #22-Joey Logano, the only full0time Cup driver in the race, won the STP 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. #12-Sam Hornish, Jr. finished second followed by #3-Austin Dillon (who won the Nationwide Dash4Cash), #11-Elliott Sadler, #20-Brian Vickers, #77-Parker Kligerman, #6-Trevor Bayne, #21-Justin Allgaier, #5-Brad Sweet, and #33-Matt Crafton. There were 6 cautions for 32 laps and 5 lead changes among 12 leaders. Complete results are on the Chicago race results page (pdf).(7-21-2013)

Chicago Race Fast Facts:
Joey Logano(i) won the 3rd Annual STP 300, his 20th victory in 118 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. Logano's 20th series victory ties him with Greg Biffle for 15th on the all-time wins list.
This is his second victory and sixth top-10 finish in 2013.
This is his second victory and fourth top-10 finish in five races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Sam Hornish Jr. (second) posted his fourth top-10 finish in four races at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his 14th top-10 finish in 2013.
Austin Dillon (third) posted his third top-10 finish in three races at Chicagoland Speedway. Dillon also claimed the Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash award for the second race in a row.
Kyle Larson (12th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Sam Hornish Jr. leads the point standings by 7 points over Regan Smith.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(7-21-2013)

Driver standings following Chicago:
1) #12-Sam Hornish Jr. 632
2) #7-Regan Smith 625, -7
3) #3-Austin Dillon 624, -8
4) #11-Elliott Sadler 612, -20
5) #31-Justin Allgaier 610, -22
6) #20-Brian Vickers 587, -45
7) #32-Kyle Larson # 579, -53
8) #2-Brian Scott 567, -65
9) #6-Trevor Bayne 563, -69
10) #77-Parker Kligerman 563, -69
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(7-21-2013)

Owner Standings following Chicago are posted (pdf).(7-21-2013)

Hornish on pole at Chicago: #12-Sam Hornish, Jr. won the Coors Light Pole for the STP 300 at Chicagoland Speedway with a speed of 178.341mph. #11-Elliott Sadler will start second. The rest of the top 10: #3-Austin Dillon, #33-Matt Crafton, #60-Travis Pastrana, #20-Brian Vickers, #22-Joey Logano, #6-Trevor Bayne, #2-Brian Scott, and #77-Parker Kligerman. Did Not Qualify: #46-Tim Schendel. The starting lineup is posted on the Chicago starting lineup page (pdf).(7-20-2013)

Chicago Qualifying Notes:
Sam Hornish Jr. won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 3rd Annual STP 300 with a lap of 30.279 seconds, 178.341 mph.
This is his second pole in 84 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his first pole and 15th top-10 start in 2013.
This is his first pole in four races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Elliott Sadler (second) posted his 11th top-10 start of 2013 and his fifth in eight races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Austin Dillon (third) posted his third top-10 start at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his 15th in 18 races this season.
Alex Bowman (11th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(7-20-2013)

Shear resigns?: SPEED reporter Ray Dunlap posted on his Twitter Sunday night that Johnny Sauter's crew chief Joe Shear, Jr. has resigned as crew chief on the #98 Toyota. No word from the team on a replacement for Wednesday's race at Eldora Speedway. Shear recently served a four-race suspension, returning for one race in Iowa. During that time, Jesse Saunders and Dan LeMasters worked together to call the shots for the ThorSport Racing team.(7-21-2013)

Atlanta names Marketing and Promotion Manager: Dustin Bixby has joined Atlanta Motor Speedway as the track's Marketing and Promotion Manager. A native of a Crofton, Md., Bixby comes to AMS after spending the past 10 years with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL, the Premiere AA Hockey League, where he was most recently the Vice President of New Media Sales and Communications. Bixby will play an integral role in all marketing and promotional efforts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, ranging from the AdvoCare 500 NASCAR weekend and the Aug. 10 Global Rallycross Atlanta event to grassroots racing series at the Speedway such as Thursday Thunder and Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine. During his time with the Gladiators, Bixby oversaw the team's broadcasting and media relations department in addition to managing the team's new media and online sales efforts. He was named the ECHL's Media Relations Director of The Year for the 2006-2007 season. A 2001 graduate of the University of Delaware, Dustin and his wife Jessica reside in Lawrenceville.(AMS)(7-21-2013)

Kelly to make Cup debut at Watkins Glen: Australian ace Owen Kelly will realise a boyhood dream when he makes his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut for Phoenix Racing at the famous Watkins Glen road course in New York State on Sunday, August, 11. Kelly will become the eighth Australian to compete in the highest level of NASCAR competition and will join fellow Tasmanian and full-time Sprint Cup driver Marcos Ambrose on the grid in the Cheez-It 355. Kelly fell into favouritism for the seat in the #51 entry after an impressive performance in Kyle Busch's JGR #54 Monster Energy car in the Nationwide race at Road America last month where he qualified second and finished fourth, despite running out of fuel while challenging for the lead. The week following the Watkins Glen race, Kelly will be back behind the wheel of Busch's #54 Nationwide car at Mid Ohio  the Joe Gibbs Racing operation has provided its blessing for Kelly's Sprint Cup debut with Phoenix Racing.(Owen Kelly PR)(7-20-2013)

Sale of Phoenix Racing still pending UPDATE - SOLD: The sale of #51-Phoenix Racing is not yet complete, but team general manager Steve Barkdoll said the organization is continuing to build cars for future races. Team owner James Finch had hoped to have completed the sale of his team by Monday. If he does not sell the team, he will close the shop in two weeks after the July 28 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Barkdoll said he is confident the team will be sold and continue racing. AJ Allmendinger will drive for the team for the Brickyard 400 and if the team continues operating, the current plan is to have him in the car the following week at Pocono, Barkdoll said.(Sporting News)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE: James Finch isn't one for counting unhatched chickens. "We're in a holding pattern until (Wednesday)," Finch said Tuesday as he tried to finalize the sale of his Sprint Cup racing team, Phoenix Racing. "They've sent in some paperwork today, and they're supposed to wire some money (Wednesday). Until then I don't have anything to say until (Wednesday). "Hopefully by (noon) or 1 o'clock I can tell you the deal." Rumors have persisted that Harry Scott, co-owner of Turner Scott Motorsports that competes on NASCAR's Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series, is the potential buyer. Finch, however, neither has confirmed nor denied that, and he has offered few clues as to who the prospective buyer might be.(News Herald)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE 2: It's sold. With those two words, James Finch announced the sale of Phoenix Racing on Wednesday. Finch declined to name the buyer, explaining that the new owner preferred to make an announcement of his own either Friday or Monday. "I can't tell you yet," Finch said. Finch added that he will assist the new owner through the Sprint Cup race at Atlanta on Sept. 1. That race will mark the end of Finch's 23-year run as a Sprint Cup and Nationwide team owner. "They wanted the help," Finch said. "They've never run any Cup races or anything like that, so I'm going to help them. I don't want to say a whole lot. They've got a sponsorship and a driver they want to introduce later in the year."(News Herald)(7-17-2013)
UPDATE 3: Phoenix Racing owner James Finch confirmed Thursday night that he has sold his team - though he would not disclose to whom. Although Finch elected not to divulge the names of the new owners, FOX Sports reported on June 29 that Harry Scott, co-owner of Turner Scott Motorsports, will partner with a group that also includes current sponsor Brandt, which supports the racing efforts of NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Justin Allgaier, to buy the team. Brandt is an agricultural retailer and manufacturer based in Springfield, Ill., and has backed Allgaier since 2011. The 27-year-old Riverton, Ill. native, who is currently fourth in the NNS point standings, is expected to drive the #51 Chevy over the final 10 races of the season. While A.J. Allmendinger was expected to compete in six of the final seven races for Phoenix Racing, Finch said he wanted the opportunity to continue "showcasing the talent" of aspiring NASCAR racers as well. Australian Owen Kelly, 36, who finished fourth at Elkhart Lake in the Nationwide Series Road America race on June 22 driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, will make his Cup debut in the #51 Chevy at Watkins Glen on Aug. 11. Ryan Truex, 21, was scheduled to make his Cup debut with Phoenix at Dover prior to breaking his shoulder blade on March 31. Finch plans on running Truex at Bristol on Aug. 24.(Fox Sports)(7-20-2013)

Josh Wise to compete in Triathlon: On Sunday, the only fuel that will get NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Josh Wise to the finish line will come from within his own body. Normally sitting inside the #35 MDS Transport Ford on Sundays, the 30-year-old driver for Front Row Motorsports and triathlete will instead be swimming, cycling and running in his first half Ironman triathlon in Racine, Wis. Longer than a standard triathlon, the 70.3-mile half Ironman will include a 1.2-mile swim in Lake Michigan, a 56-mile bike course and a 13.1-mile run. The idea of competing in triathlons started in a light-hearted conversation with fellow NASCAR driver Scott Speed. "Scott got me into road cycling a few years ago, and we started joking about how we were going to add swimming and running and do a triathlon," Wise said. "And it turned into us actually doing a sprint triathlon last summer. It was a blast." Wise has been training for the July 21 event in Racine for about a year. At the most intense part of his training, Wise was swimming five miles, biking 150 miles and running 20 miles per week.(Front Row Motorsports)(7-20-2013)

Scott fastest in happy hour: #2-Brian Scott was quickest during happy hour for the STP 300 with a speed of 173.751mph. He was followed by: #3-Austin Dillon, #99-Alex Bowman, #6-Trevor Banye, #60-Travis Pastrana, #33-Matt Crafton, #21-Dakota Armstrong, #43-Michael Annet, #12-Sam Hornish, Jr., and #5-Brad Sweet. All 41 drivers participated in the session. See complete results on the Chicago practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(7-19-2013)

Smith fastest in first practice: #7-Regan Smith was fastest during opening practice at Chicagoland Speedway with a speed of 175.953mph. #60-Travis Pastrana was second, followed by:#99-Alex Bowman, #31-Justin Allgaier, #3-Austin Dillon, #77-Parker Kligerman, #6-Trevor Bayne, #2-Brian Scott, #20-Brian Vickers, and #22-Joey Logano. All 41 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Chicago practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(7-19-2013)

Golf with Hamlin at Michigan: The time is now to let your talent drive you to victory. And you just might win a chance to play golf with NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin. On Thursday, July 25 Hamlin will be at Thousand Oaks Golf Course in Grand Rapids, Mich. as part of the NASCAR Victory Tour to celebrate racing at Michigan International Speedway. Whether you are a golfer or a fan of NASCAR, the day will be filled with activities for anybody. WBBL will broadcast live at the driving range for two hours, inviting listeners to the course for an opportunity to be Hamlin's caddy for the day. A specially designed Hamlin banner will be hoisted and fans can take their shots to hit the banner with a golf ball. Contestants who hit the banner will have their name put into a drawing for the chance to caddy for Hamlin. The activities do not stop there. Michigan International Speedway will hold three golf-themed contests  long-ball drive, closest to the pin and a putting challenge  beginning at 12:30pm. The winner of each contest will earn a right to play a hole of golf with Hamlin. You don't want to miss your chance to golf with Hamlin.(MIS)(7-20-2013)

NASCAR suspends use of aerial cameras by networks: Friday, NASCAR suspended the use aerial camera systems in response to the accident cause by a Fox camera at Charlotte Motor Speedway. NASCAR's statement: "Pending further investigation of the cable camera system incident during the NASCAR race in Concord, North Carolina in May, NASCAR has decided, in collaboration with its broadcast partners, to suspend all media partner usage of aerial camera systems that hang over race tracks during its sanctioned events. The safety of our competitors and our fans remains NASCAR's number one priority, and until total evaluation and analysis have been completed, usage of this particular technology enhancement and any similar enhancements, has been suspended."(NASCAR)(7-19-2013)

Bruno Senna looking to test in NASCAR: After stints in Formula One with HRT, Renault and Williams between 2010 and last year, Bruno Senna, the nephew of Grand Prix legend Ayrton Senna switched to sports care at Le Mans with Aston Martin for 2013. The 29-year-old has now told O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper that his options for 2014 are open. "Continuing with Aston Martin is one of the best options I have," said Senna. "But I also want to see if I can test in NASCAR. It was already supposed to happen at the beginning of the year. I am going to have some meetings to see what is the best way forward. I also have options for Indy (cars), stock and NASCAR. What is not lacking is open doors." Senna admitted to having some safety concerns with sports cars, particularly after his teammate Allan Simonsen crashed and died in the recent Le Mans 24 hours.(Autoweek)(7-19-2013)

Stewart causes large wreck in sprint car race UPDATE: The most well-known driver in the winged-sprint car race Tuesday at Canandaigua Motorsports Park almost became the show-stopper. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart was right at the center of a crash that involved 15 cars on lap 7 of the 25-lap feature race on the half-mile oval dirt track. Stewart, seen later chatting with crew members of other teams, said in an interview over the track's public address system that the accident was his fault. Alysha Ruggles, a 19-year old driver from Canandaigua, was taken to Thompson Hospital in her hometown because of pain in her lower back caused by the accident. Witnesses said that Ruggles' car hit the wheel of another, went into the air 20 to 30 feet and came to a stop 50 to 60 feet later. Crew members for the car driven by Paul Kinney of Canastota said that they believed Kinney was taken to Rochester General Hospital. Kinney had pain in his back and legs but his exact injuries were unknown. "I have never seen anything this bad in a sprint car race, I don't think, or this many cars being taken out in one wreck," said sprint car driver Mike Stelter of Webster. "At least Tony Stewart manned up and said he caused the wreck. "He tried to put the car where it didn't belong. He said it was his fault for trying to force the issue, I guess is a good way to say it."(Democrat and Chronicle)(7-18-2013)
UPDATE: Alysha Ruggles, the 19-year-old who suffered a compression fracture in her back during a sprint-car race Tuesday in a race with Tony Stewart, is home from the hospital. Ruggles, whose mother took her to the hospital after she began complaining of back pain following the accident, suffered a compression fracture in her back, according to the (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle. "Right now, she has to take it one day at a time," Wendy Ruggles told the newspaper. "We had a big scare; she was close to being paralyzed."The track's Facebook page posted that Ruggles was released from the hospital Thursday. "To quote our Alysha Ruggles - she said 'Everyone needs to stop blaming Tony, it was a racing accident,'" the track said on its Facebook post. (Sporting News)(7-19-2013)

Entry list: There are 36 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Wednesday's dirt race at Eldora Speedway. Only the top-20 in owner's points are locked in for this event.
Notable entries include many standout dirt racers:
Tracy Hines in the #13;
Dave Blaney in the #19;
Kyle Larson in the #30;
Ryan Newman in the #34;
Austin Dillon in the #39;
JR Heffner in the #44;
Scott Bloomquist in the #51
Ken Schrader in the #52;
Kenny Wallace in the #81;
UPDATE: Joe Cobb is now listed as the driver of the #10.(7-19-2013)
See the complete list on the Eldora Speedway entry list page

New Hampshire TV Ratings: For the second straight year, ratings and viewership inched up for NASCAR's summer race at New Hampshire. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Camping World RV Sales 301 from New Hampshire earned a 3.2 U.S. rating and 4.907 million viewers on TNT Sunday afternoon, up 3% in ratings and viewership from last year (3.1, 4.8M), and up 10% and 8%, respectively, from 2011 (2.9, 4.6M). The 3.2 rating is the highest for the race since 2009 (3.5). Sunday's race was the second of the NASCAR on TNT "Summer Series" to have an increase over last year. The other was the rain-delayed June 30 race from Kentucky.(Sports Media Watch / Bloomberg/ Media Life Magazine)
See past races for 2013 and 5-year comparison chart on the 2013 NASCAR TV Ratings page.(7-19-2013)

No Limits Wild Asphalt Run returns to Texas Motor Speedway: The second annual No Limits Wild Asphalt Run Half Marathon & 5k benefiting Speedway Children's Charities-Texas Chapter will be held Saturday, Oct. 26, at Texas Motor Speedway. Texas Motor Speedway and its 1,500-acre site will once again provide the backdrop for a competitive, sanctioned layout that showcases many of the signature elements of the state's largest sports venue, including the final lap coming on the famed 1.5-mile oval. The running event, which will begin at 8:00am/ct, also will serve as the official kickoff of race-week festivities for the AAA Texas 500 NASCAR tripleheader set for Oct. 31 through Nov. 3. The motorsports-themed event, produced by The Cowtown Marathon organizers in a partnership with Texas Motor Speedway, drew more than 1,500 runners from 13 states for last year's half marathon and 5k. The one-day running event and expo raised more than $100,000 for Speedway Children's Charities-Texas Chapter.(TMS)(7-19-2013)

Keselowski Nominated For Two ESPY Awards by ESPN UPDATE: Penske Racing driver Brad Keselowski continues to be recognized for his remarkable run to the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) championship. On Thursday, ESPN announced that Keselowski has been nominated for two awards during this year's ESPY Awards Presentation that will be held on Wednesday, July 17 at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles. After a five-win season in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge that concluded with the first NSCS championship for Penske Racing, it comes as no surprise that Keselowski received a nomination for Best Driver. In an impressive, late-season push over the last 20 weeks of the 2012 NSCS season, Keselowski scored 17 top-10 finishes  including three wins  to secure the title. Over the 20-year history of the ESPY's Best Driver category, 14 of the 20 winners have come from NASCAR competition. Following a toe-to-toe battle with five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson for the title, Keselowski and the #2 Miller Lite team will also be in the running for the Best Championship Performance award. With the two nominations, Keselowski could become the first Penske Racing driver to win an ESPY. "When you think of the ESPYs, you think of the 'Who's Who' in the world of sports," said Keselowski. "Just to receive a nomination along with some of the biggest athletes in the world is one of the biggest honors I have received. If we are able to take home just one of the trophies it would be quite an accomplishment for the team, our sponsors and Penske Racing." The 2013 ESPY Awards will air live on ESPN on Wednesday, July 17 at 9 pm/et. Fans can visit espn.go.com/espys/2013/ to cast their votes. Voting will end at 7 pm/et on July 17.(Penske Racing)
Other drivers up for the Best Driver award: Ryan Hunter-Reay of IndyCar; Tony Kanaan of IndyCar and Sebastian Vettel of Formula One Others nominated for Best Championship Performance: Joe Flacco (Super Bowl MVP), LeBron James (NBA Finals MVP) and Pablo Sandoval (World Series MVP).(6-30-2013)
UPDATE Ryan Hunter-Reay was selected as Best Driver and LeBron James as Best Championship performance.(7-18-2013)

Stewart causes large wreck in sprint car race: The most well-known driver in the winged-sprint car race Tuesday at Canandaigua Motorsports Park almost became the show-stopper. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart was right at the center of a crash that involved 15 cars on lap 7 of the 25-lap feature race on the half-mile oval dirt track. Stewart, seen later chatting with crew members of other teams, said in an interview over the track's public address system that the accident was his fault. Alysha Ruggles, a 19-year old driver from Canandaigua, was taken to Thompson Hospital in her hometown because of pain in her lower back caused by the accident. Witnesses said that Ruggles' car hit the wheel of another, went into the air 20 to 30 feet and came to a stop 50 to 60 feet later. Crew members for the car driven by Paul Kinney of Canastota said that they believed Kinney was taken to Rochester General Hospital. Kinney had pain in his back and legs but his exact injuries were unknown. "I have never seen anything this bad in a sprint car race, I don't think, or this many cars being taken out in one wreck," said sprint car driver Mike Stelter of Webster. "At least Tony Stewart manned up and said he caused the wreck. "He tried to put the car where it didn't belong. He said it was his fault for trying to force the issue, I guess is a good way to say it."(Democrat and Chronicle)(7-18-2013)

Tyler Walker pleads not guilty in drug, high speed case: A professional racing driver who allegedly led officers on a high-speed highway pursuit and his female passenger entered not guilty pleas on drug and evading police charges Tuesday in 5th District Court. Timothy Tyler Andrew Walker, 33, and Raelle Hann McDonald, 30, who both list the same Hermosa Beach, Calif., address with the court, waived an evidentiary hearing in the case and asked the court to accept the pleas through their attorney, Douglas Terry. Walker and McDonald didn't appear with Terry in court. Terry informed Judge Eric Ludlow that his clients are free on bail and asked the court to set a review hearing in the case. Ludlow scheduled the hearing for Sept. 5 at 10:30 a.m. Walker is charged with three felonies and five misdemeanors and McDonald is charged with two felonies and three misdemeanors stemming from their Jan. 30 arrests on an Interstate 15 ramp at Exit 6. Walker gained fame during the past decade as a driver in the World of Outlaws sprint car series, then as a NASCAR sprint car and truck series driver. After 28 runs with NASCAR, he was suspended from racing for reportedly violating the series' drug policy in 2007, but continued to race in other venues until the month of his arrest. Officers reported that during subsequent investigation they found evidence of marijuana, methamphetamine, hashish and an open bottle of vodka in the vehicle where both occupants might have had access to them, as well as multiple new and used pipes for consuming the drugs.(Spectrum of St. George)(7-18-2013)

Newman to run Truck race at Eldora: Sprint Cup Series star and former Camping World Truck Series winner Ryan Newman will return to the NCWTS for the first time in over two years for the Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway on July 24. Newman will pilot the #34 Oral-B/Aggressive Hydraulics/WIX Filter Silverado for Turner Scott Motorsports. Newman has four previous starts in the NCWTS, collecting one victory, one pole and four top-five finishes. Newman's most recent NCWTS start was at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the fall of 2011, where he started and finished fifth while competing for Turner Scott Motorsports. Newman participated in a recent test session for Turner Scott Motorsports on July 8 at 311 Motor Speedway in Pine Hall, N.C. Turner Scott Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series crew chief Chris Carrier will be calling the shots atop the pit box for Newman in the Inaugural Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway.(Turner Scott Motorsports PR)(7-18-2013)

Pillow Pets returns to the #6 at Indy: In addition to a hundred thousand race fans, thousands of Pillow Pets are set to invade Indianapolis next week when the NASCAR Nationwide Series rolls into the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Pillow Pets will once again serve as the primary sponsor on Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne's #6 Ford Mustang, as the Pillow Pets look to take over Indiana's capital city. Throughout the race weekend, Roush Fenway social channels will highlight the Pillow Pets' trek through Indianapolis that will include stops around the city's most recognizable landmarks. Fans are encouraged to monitor the Invasion for chances to win their very own Pillow Pet.(Roush Fenway Racing)(7-18-2013)

Larson to run Eldora truck race: It was officially announced today that Kyle Larson will drive for Turner Scott Motorsports in the first ever Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway. The 20-year-old will pilot the #30 Clorox Chevy Silverado at the series' first ever race on dirt on July 24 in Rossburg, Ohio. Larson, who drives full time for TSM in their #32 Nationwide Series entry, has one previous NCWTS start this season at Rockingham Speedway. Larson qualified the#30 Chevy Silverado in the third position before dominating the race and earning his first win in one of NASCAR's top-three series. Larson also competed in four Truck Series races for TSM in 2012, tallying one top five, three top 10s and 91 laps led. Larson's racing background, which has been predominately on dirt tracks in open-wheel competition, is no stranger to victory at Eldora Speedway. The Elk Grove, Calif. native became one of only two drivers to ever sweep the USAC Four Crown Nationals with wins in the Midget, Sprint Car and Silver Crown divisions in 2011. Larson also captured victory in the USAC Midgets at Eldora in 2012..(See an image on the #30 team paint scheme page)(Turner Scott Motorsports PR)(7-18-2013)

Martinsville Speedway Security honored for Innovation and Leadership: Martinsville Speedway brought home two awards on Wednesday from the National Sports Safety and Security Conference in Orlando, Fla. Martinsville won both the Facility of Merit Award and the Security Professional of the Year Award, given to Matt Brannock, the track's director of operations. The National Center for Sports Safety and Security at the University of Southern Mississippi recognized Martinsville for its innovation in addressing traffic issues surrounding its two NASCAR race weekends. Martinsville is located in a lightly populated area and the surrounding area grows into a small city of tens of thousands when fans come to town for its events. One of the major problems is traffic congestion throughout the weekend, Martinsville and local law enforcement have employed a system to expedite traffic, while still allowing local residents movement within the community. Brannock was honored with the prestigious National Sport Safety and Security Professional of the Year Award, along with seven other recipients. Among his accomplishments since joining Martinsville in September of 2011, Brannock has enlisted community groups to help ensure better communication and service with fans onsite at the track.(NASCAR)(7-18-2013)

Sale of Phoenix Racing still pending UPDATE - SOLD: The sale of #51-Phoenix Racing is not yet complete, but team general manager Steve Barkdoll said the organization is continuing to build cars for future races. Team owner James Finch had hoped to have completed the sale of his team by Monday. If he does not sell the team, he will close the shop in two weeks after the July 28 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Barkdoll said he is confident the team will be sold and continue racing. AJ Allmendinger will drive for the team for the Brickyard 400 and if the team continues operating, the current plan is to have him in the car the following week at Pocono, Barkdoll said.(Sporting News)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE: James Finch isn't one for counting unhatched chickens. "We're in a holding pattern until (Wednesday)," Finch said Tuesday as he tried to finalize the sale of his Sprint Cup racing team, Phoenix Racing. "They've sent in some paperwork today, and they're supposed to wire some money (Wednesday). Until then I don't have anything to say until (Wednesday). "Hopefully by (noon) or 1 o'clock I can tell you the deal." Rumors have persisted that Harry Scott, co-owner of Turner Scott Motorsports that competes on NASCAR's Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series, is the potential buyer. Finch, however, neither has confirmed nor denied that, and he has offered few clues as to who the prospective buyer might be.(News Herald)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE 2: It's sold. With those two words, James Finch announced the sale of Phoenix Racing on Wednesday. Finch declined to name the buyer, explaining that the new owner preferred to make an announcement of his own either Friday or Monday. "I can't tell you yet," Finch said. Finch added that he will assist the new owner through the Sprint Cup race at Atlanta on Sept. 1. That race will mark the end of Finch's 23-year run as a Sprint Cup and Nationwide team owner. "They wanted the help," Finch said. "They've never run any Cup races or anything like that, so I'm going to help them. I don't want to say a whole lot. They've got a sponsorship and a driver they want to introduce later in the year."(News Herald)(7-17-2013)

Kyle Busch calls Newman 'idiot' UPDATE Newman responds, Busch backs away: #78-Kurt Busch kept his cool after being involved in a wreck with Ryan Newman that ended his chances of winning Sunday's Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire, but his younger brother didn't. #18-Kyle Busch took several shots at Newman, who earlier in the week learned this would be his last season with Stewart-Haas Racing. "I really hate it that Kurt got tore up and I felt like he had the best car here today," Kyle said to ESPN of his brother, who led a race-high 102 laps. "He was definitely good. He could definitely roll the long runs for sure and I was proud of those guys, but man just stupidity. I mean Ryan Newman is the biggest stupid idiot out here. And he's a big ogre and he can do whatever he wants because he can probably kick anybody's butt, so no sense in getting into a fight with him. But glad he is out of a job." The incident occurred on lap 226 of 302. It turned a potential win into a 31st-place finish that dropped Kurt from ninth to 14th in the standings. Kurt didn't mention Newman after the incident, but said he got hit from behind. The driver behind him was #20-Matt Kenseth. Newman, who finished 39, said Kurt took himself out. "I guess [Kenseth] had a little influence on it," Newman said. "We were kind of in a bad spot having a little bit older tires. ... Just a lot of disrespect from a bunch of guys on restarts. What comes around goes around."(ESPN)(7-15-2013)
UPDATE: Ryan Newman wasted little time responding to Kyle Busch calling him an "ogre" and "the biggest stupid idiot out here" following Sunday's Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Newman fired back Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR radio saying, "We know he's not very bright."
"I'm sure if I rearrange his face I might fix it," [Newman] said. "He's frustrated finishing third [actually second] or wherever he was after hitting me first and then giving me a little rub down the straightaway. Just imagine how I feel. It is what it is. We know he's not very bright. He's a heck of a talent, but not very bright."
Does that mean Newman, who is 19th in the standings and 36 points outside the top 10 needed to guarantee a spot in the Chase, might take revenge against Kyle who is seventh in points? I never said that," Newman told SiriusXM. "If he's going to run his mouth, he better be able to back up running his mouth. It seems like after his comment about me not having a ride it seems like he has way more to lose than I do." (ESPN)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE 2: Kyle Busch responded Tuesday on Twitter:
"I want to clarify that I was answering what I felt was two separate questions asked to me at the same time in an interview following the race in Loudon. The first was about how fast Kurt was and the second was how I felt about Ryan Newman blaming me for him getting wrecked.
First I answered the Kurt part. He was fast... Great to see them running well... Was a shame to see him crashed... Nowhere there did I place blame on who wrecked who. I didn't see it and I still haven't seen it.
My second answer came from being upset over an incident I had with RN on the track during the race. I answered it in the same response, but it was intended as a completely separate answer.
I was upset because I felt RN raced me poorly, making contact and causing damage to my RF fender that affected the handling on my racecar. This isn't the first time that I've been raced poorly by RN either, which added to my frustration. All this built up and allowed my emotions to spill over for how I felt. I'm not sorry for how I feel in those moments, but could have expressed it better and certainly my comments about someone's livelihood went too far.(7-17-2013)

Richard Petty Motorsports may get new landlord: Boris Said is selling his race shop in Concord, NC. Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal. But in this case, it's currently the home of Richard Petty Motorsports. "We're looking at our options right now," said RPM director of operations Sammy Johns. "It's nothing that's a surprise. We're working through it.' Johns is optimistic that RPM, which has leased the property since 2010, will continue a similar relationship with the new owner.(Fox Sports)(7-17-2013)

Fox asking for increased fees for Fox Sports 1: Sports Business Daily reported yesterday that FOX Networks will ask cable and satellite providers to pay 80 cents per month per subscriber for the newly rebranded Fox Sports 1, with carriage fees climbing to $1.50 monthly over the life of multi-year contracts. Affiliates currently pay approximately 23 cents per month for SPEED. FOX has already inked a new deal with Comcast Cable, but major carriers Time Warner Cable, DirecTV and Dish Network have reportedly balked at the price increase. Fox Sports 1 - formerly known as SPEED - will televise college football and basketball, NASCAR racing, UFC mixed martial arts events and sports news programs.(Godfather Motorsports)(7-17-2013)

Keselowski and Logano making TV appearances:#2-Brad Keselowski and Penske teammate #22-Joey Logano are set to showcase their acting skills on the small screen. Keselowski will appear in the comedy series "Sullivan & Son" (Thursday, July 18, 10pm/et/pt, TBS) while Logano plays a role in an all-new episode of the hit comedy "Lab Rats" (Monday, July 22, 9pm/et/pt, Disney XD).
On Thursday, July 18, Keselowski joins the cast of "Sullivan & Son," appearing as himself, the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. In the episode "Rumspringa," Keselowski gets into a minor fender bender with Ok Cha (Jodi Long) when he's unable to successfully parallel park his car. The incident occurs right outside Sullivan & Son (the family bar for which the show is named), so the comical skirmish is briefly brought inside.
Then on Monday, July 22, Logano will be a part of Disney XD's sports-themed "Monday Night Overdrive" when he guest stars on the hit comedy series "Lab Rats." In the episode, which is entitled "The Bionic 500," Logano will appear as himself and do what he does best: drive a race car. When Donald Davenport (Hal Sparks) and his new obnoxious neighbor Pierce agree to settle their differences with a stock car race, Davenport is shocked to learn that Pierce has enlisted Logano to race for him.(NASCAR)(7-17-2013)

Gerber Collision sponsoring Wallace: Gerber Collision & Glass, the leading automotive collision repair company in Chicago, has joined driver Mike Wallace and JD Motorsports with Gary Keller for Sunday's STP 300 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL. Wallace's #01 Chevy will carry Gerber colors for the 4th consecutive year in Sunday's Nationwide Series race, one of the featured events of the Nationwide season and a highlight of the 2013 Chicagoland Speedway schedule.(JD Motorsports)(7-17-2013)

Giffords to make NNS debut at Iowa UPDATE: Ryan Gifford, a 24-year old African-American stock car racer, will make his NASCAR national series debut at Iowa Speedway on Aug. 3, his first start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The Winchester, Tenn., native will be in the #33 Menard's/Rheem Chevy Camaro of Richard Childress Racing, a car already driven this year by the all-star likes of Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, and Camping World Truck Series title contender Ty Dillon, grandson of team owner Richard Childress. A formal announcement is expected Wednesday afternoon. It's a one-race deal aimed at gauging Gifford's development and will be part of an Iowa doubleheader weekend. On Aug. 2, he will compete in the NASCAR K&N East Series (think Class AA baseball) event, where he is a full-time driver. He's currently fourth in the championship standings with a win at the Richmond International Raceway. That victory is what inspired Childress to give Gifford an opportunity in the Nationwide Series. Gifford's relationship with Childress runs deeper than most. He is also a race shop employee of former RCR vice president Mike Dillon, Childress's son-in-law and father of Ty and Nationwide Series title hopeful Austin. Gifford moved in with the Dillon family in 2008, when as a teenager he came to North Carolina seeking a NASCAR ride. In the years since he has driven for both Team Dillon and RCR in lower-level stock car series. It was Gifford's prowess in a Dillon-prepared dirt late model that first earned a ride with RCR in the K&N East Series in '09.(ESPN)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE: Richard Childress Racing announced that NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver and NASCAR Next member Ryan Gifford will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Iowa Speedway in the #33 Menards/Rheem Chevrolet. With backing from the third-largest home improvement store in the United States, the 23-year-old driver is set to compete in his first-career national series event at the Newton, Iowa, track on Aug. 3. Gifford is in his fourth full season of competition in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, where he notched his first win at Richmond International Raceway earlier this year. Gifford also drives a late model on the dirt circuit for Team Dillon Racing (TDR).(RCR)(7-17-2013)

International on the #32 at Chicago: For the first time this season, Kyle Larson's #32 Camaro will sport the orange and black paint scheme of International. Formed in 1902, International is a leading producer of medium trucks, heavy trucks and severe service vehicles. International's products, parts and services are sold through a network of nearly 1,000 dealer outlets in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico with more than 60 dealers in 90 countries throughout the world.(Turner Scott Motorsports)(7-17-2013)

Newman to appear at Martinsville Party Plaza: Ryan Newman, one of the fastest and most popular NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, will make an appearance in the new Martinsville Speedway Party Plaza prior to the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 on October 27. Newman, who has racked up an incredible 49 pole victories in his dozen seasons on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit, will join four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray and rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the Party Plaza. The drivers will appear at different times and each will participate in an emceed question and answer session during their appearance. The Party Plaza is a new addition to Martinsville Speedway's race-morning lineup and will feature live music, a DJ and children's activities, including a bounce house and a rock-climbing wall. There will be food vendors in the Party Plaza selling great treats. Pepsi products will be available for purchase. There will be a beer garden with an assortment of beer at affordable prices. Admission to the Party Plaza, which also includes a Pre-Race Track Pass to walk along the front-stretch of Martinsville Speedway, is just $49.(Martinsville Speedway)(7-17-2013)

Sale of Phoenix Racing still pending UPDATE: The sale of #51-Phoenix Racing is not yet complete, but team general manager Steve Barkdoll said the organization is continuing to build cars for future races. Team owner James Finch had hoped to have completed the sale of his team by Monday. If he does not sell the team, he will close the shop in two weeks after the July 28 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Barkdoll said he is confident the team will be sold and continue racing. AJ Allmendinger will drive for the team for the Brickyard 400 and if the team continues operating, the current plan is to have him in the car the following week at Pocono, Barkdoll said.(Sporting News)(7-16-2013)
UPDATE: James Finch isn't one for counting unhatched chickens. "We're in a holding pattern until (Wednesday)," Finch said Tuesday as he tried to finalize the sale of his Sprint Cup racing team, Phoenix Racing. "They've sent in some paperwork today, and they're supposed to wire some money (Wednesday). Until then I don't have anything to say until (Wednesday). "Hopefully by (noon) or 1 o'clock I can tell you the deal." Rumors have persisted that Harry Scott, co-owner of Turner Scott Motorsports that competes on NASCAR's Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series, is the potential buyer. Finch, however, neither has confirmed nor denied that, and he has offered few clues as to who the prospective buyer might be.(News Herald)(7-16-2013)

Crew Member Reinstated by NASCAR: NASCAR has reinstated former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew member Jackson L. Dodson II upon his successful completion of NASCAR's Substance Abuse Policy Road to Recovery Program. Dodson had been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR on May 9, 2013 for violating the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy.(NASCAR)(7-16-2013)

Tryson out at BK Racing: Crew chief Pat Tryson has parted ways with BK Racing. Tryson, a 17-year veteran of the Sprint Cup Series, most recently worked with David Reutimann and the #83 Toyota at BKR. The team is 32nd in the points standings. "Pat's a great resource in the sport," said BKR co-owner Ron Devine. "We asked Pat to come in at a time when we were trying to get up to speed, and, for now, we've just decided to go in a slightly different direction. We're comfortable where these teams are progressing. We're still a very young team  only about 16 months old. But I feel good about where we're going. We wish Pat all the best. He has a lot of talent." Tryson has been replaced by Doug Richert. Richert worked as Landon Cassill's crew chief at BKR last season. However, his career as a Sprint Cup crew chief began in 1980 with the late Dale Earnhardt.(Fox Sports)(7-16-2013)

Kyle Busch calls Newman 'idiot' UPDATE: #78-Kurt Busch kept his cool after being involved in a wreck with Ryan Newman that ended his chances of winning Sunday's Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire, but his younger brother didn't. #18-Kyle Busch took several shots at Newman, who earlier in the week learned this would be his last season with Stewart-Haas Racing. "I really hate it that Kurt got tore up and I felt like he had the best car here today," Kyle said to ESPN of his brother, who led a race-high 102 laps. "He was definitely good. He could definitely roll the long runs for sure and I was proud of those guys, but man just stupidity. I mean Ryan Newman is the biggest stupid idiot out here. And he's a big ogre and he can do whatever he wants because he can probably kick anybody's butt, so no sense in getting into a fight with him. But glad he is out of a job." The incident occurred on lap 226 of 302. It turned a potential win into a 31st-place finish that dropped Kurt from ninth to 14th in the standings. Kurt didn't mention Newman after the incident, but said he got hit from behind. The driver behind him was #20-Matt Kenseth. Newman, who finished 39, said Kurt took himself out. "I guess [Kenseth] had a little influence on it," Newman said. "We were kind of in a bad spot having a little bit older tires. ... Just a lot of disrespect from a bunch of guys on restarts. What comes around goes around."(ESPN)(7-15-2013)
UPDATE: Ryan Newman wasted little time responding to Kyle Busch calling him an "ogre" and "the biggest stupid idiot out here" following Sunday's Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Newman fired back Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR radio saying, "We know he's not very bright."
"I'm sure if I rearrange his face I might fix it," [Newman] said. "He's frustrated finishing third [actually second] or wherever he was after hitting me first and then giving me a little rub down the straightaway. Just imagine how I feel. It is what it is. We know he's not very bright. He's a heck of a talent, but not very bright."
Does that mean Newman, who is 19th in the standings and 36 points outside the top 10 needed to guarantee a spot in the Chase, might take revenge against Kyle who is seventh in points? I never said that," Newman told SiriusXM. "If he's going to run his mouth, he better be able to back up running his mouth. It seems like after his comment about me not having a ride it seems like he has way more to lose than I do." (ESPN)(7-16-2013)

Pastrana to have X Games scheme for 2 races: X Games medalist Travis Pastrana's #60 Roush Fenway Racing Mustang will have an X Games Los Angeles paint scheme for the NASCAR Nationwide races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Iowa Speedway. "X Games are the single biggest action sports event in the world," Pastrana, a 17-time medal winner, said in a release. "I've been able to make a career out of having fun and pushing the limits because of the platform provided by this event. I love everything about it." Beside promoting X Games Los Angeles, which will be held Aug. 1-4, the paint scheme highlights the different races Pastrana will be competing in the next few weeks. After the July 27 NNS race in Indianapolis and the Aug. 3 race in Iowa, he will compete in the Ford RallyCross event Aug. 4 at X Games L.A. in Irwindale, Calif. (in a Dodge Dart).(ESPN), see an image of the car on the #60 team paint schemes page.(7-16-2013)

Giffords to make NNS debut at Iowa: Ryan Gifford, a 24-year old African-American stock car racer, will make his NASCAR national series debut at Iowa Speedway on Aug. 3, his first start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The Winchester, Tenn., native will be in the #33 Menard's/Rheem Chevy Camaro of Richard Childress Racing, a car already driven this year by the all-star likes of Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, and Camping World Truck Series title contender Ty Dillon, grandson of team owner Richard Childress. A formal announcement is expected Wednesday afternoon. It's a one-race deal aimed at gauging Gifford's development and will be part of an Iowa doubleheader weekend. On Aug. 2, he will compete in the NASCAR K&N East Series (think Class AA baseball) event, where he is a full-time driver. He's currently fourth in the championship standings with a win at the Richmond International Raceway. That victory is what inspired Childress to give Gifford an opportunity in the Nationwide Series. Gifford's relationship with Childress runs deeper than most. He is also a race shop employee of former RCR vice president Mike Dillon, Childress's son-in-law and father of Ty and Nationwide Series title hopeful Austin. Gifford moved in with the Dillon family in 2008, when as a teenager he came to North Carolina seeking a NASCAR ride. In the years since he has driven for both Team Dillon and RCR in lower-level stock car series. It was Gifford's prowess in a Dillon-prepared dirt late model that first earned a ride with RCR in the K&N East Series in '09.(ESPN)(7-16-2013)

Coulter returns to the #54: A familiar name will return over the door of the Monster Energy Camry this weekend, that of a young driver tackling the 1.5-mile D-shaped, tri-oval of Chicagoland Speedway, for the first time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Kyle Busch Motorsports driver Joey Coulter will have the wheel of the #54 Toyota on Sunday with Joe Gibbs Racing in the STP 300 event. It will be the second of three Nationwide Series races this season in which Coulter is supporting the JGR/KBM Monster Energy program, initially at Talladega Superspeedway, this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway and again September 21 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.(Kyle Busch Motorsports)(7-16-2013)

Fast Fixin' on the #2: Fast Fixin' will adorn the #2 Chevy Camaro this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Under the AdvancePierre Foods umbrella, Fast Fixin' is the fast, fun way to feed the family that's always a winner from start to finish. This Sunday, Scott will not only vie for the chance to drive to Victory Lane, he'll be racing for a $100,000 bonus as part of Nationwide Insurance's Dash 4 Cash program.(RCR)(7-16-2013)

STP sponsoring Annett at Chicago: Coming off of his first top-five of the season, Michael Annett is headed to Chicagoland Speedway with a new look. The Richard Petty Motorsports driver will introduce the STP Ford to the NASCAR Nationwide Series at the one-and-a-half-mile track. STP is a long-time supporter of Richard Petty and the #43 and will also serve as the title sponsor for the NNS event this weekend. The Des Moines, Iowa native has six starts at Chicago, accumulating one top-five (Summer 2012) and three top-10 finishes (Summer 2011, 2012 and Fall 2012). His average starting position is 17.7 and his average finishing is 11.3. Annett posted his best start of eighth at the track in the fall of last year and earned his best finish of fifth that summer. (Richard Petty Motorsports)(7-16-2013)

Martinsville celebrates Vickers' win with special offer: Brian Vickers has a bit of a love affair with Martinsville Speedway. He came to the track as a child with his father. His very first stock car race was on the venerable half-mile oval when he was a teenager. And since he began his NASCAR Sprint Cup comeback in the spring of 2012 after a medical leave for a serious health issue, Martinsville is the track where he has consistently shined. In his three Martinsville starts since his return Vickers' average starting position is 3.6 and he has an average finish of 12.3. Vickers' comeback took on storybook proportions Sunday when he won his first Sprint Cup event since being sidelined with life-threatening blood clots in 2010. To help celebrate that win and his affinity for Martinsville Speedway, the track is offering a special $55 Brian Vickers Package. For $55, Vickers' car number, fans can get a ticket in the Bill France Tower for the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 on October 27 and a Pre-Race Track Pass, which allows admission to the front stretch on Sunday morning. The Pre-Race Track Pass gives fans the opportunity to get a close look of what happens along pit road on race morning.(Martinsville Speedway)(7-16-2013)

NASCAR to unveil changes on Monday UPDATE: NASCAR is set to unveil a set of initiatives on Monday which will include several changes to its research and development and competition areas, sources familiar with the changes told the Observer. NASCAR has scheduled briefing with members of the media on Monday at its research and development center in Concord in which it is expected to address the changes. According to sources, among the changes to be adapted include ending the practice of NASCAR inspectors being assigned to specific series; a change to the process for approval of parts; and a change to the process of how and how often cars are inspected each weekend at the race track. A reshuffling or reclassification of some responsibilities of personnel is also likely, sources said.(Charlotte Observer)(7-15-2013)
UPDATE: NASCAR plans to automate its rule book and revamp its appeals process in a wide-ranging effort to bring more clarity to race teams and fans. The governing body outlined several initiatives Monday it expects to implement in its three major series before the start of the 2015 racing season. The effort started eight months ago and will be an ongoing process to keep up with technology and fan interests, said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations.
That includes converting its rule book from a word document to computer automated-design drawings that can be easily accessed by race shops to see what's allowed and what isn't. Penalties will be specifically spelled out for each type of infraction. When a rule is broken and a team appeals, NASCAR wants more experts on the panel instead of some who might not have as strong a background regarding the infraction.
O'Donnell also discussed innovations geared to the racing fans. He said NASCAR wanted to keep in synch with what people drive on the streets so their experience can match somewhat with their favorite Sprint Cup driver on the track.
Another area was shifting more inspection responsibility to NASCAR's Research & Development operation away from the track, freeing up more time for race teams to practice instead of waiting to have their cars looked at. NASCAR inspectors, who are assigned to individual series, in the future would be trained to handle all events, either in Sprint Cup, Nationwide or Camping World trucks.
There might also be locked-in times for on-track inspections, meaning fans would know when their favorite cars are getting put under the microscope and be on hand to watch.
O'Donnell said NASCAR would also improve information fans can access about pit stops, although he wasn't yet sure if it would be limited to online access, a component at each track for fans at the stands, or both.(Associated Press)(7-15-2013)

ESPN launches new commmerical to promote NASCAR coverage: With ESPN's coverage of the final 17 races of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starting July 28 at the Brickyard 400, the network is launching a brand campaign to promote the race and build anticipation for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The first spot, "Burnout," debuts Monday on ESPN as well as on social media. The 30-second ad, produced in collaboration with creative agency Wieden + Kennedy New York, emphasizes the NASCAR legacy each champion aims to build, with the tagline "43 Drivers. 12 Spots. 1 Champion." It showcases a victory burnout, with glimpses of cars belonging to some of the greatest racers in history, including Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Bill Elliott and Jimmie Johnson.(ESPN)(7-15-2013)

Shepherd could race again in Cup; has ride for 2014 Daytona 500: At 71, Morgan Shepherd took the wheel of the #52 Toyota in the Camping World RV 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and became the oldest driver to start a race in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series. Shepherd said he's working on sponsorship to race again this season, possibly the August race at Pocono. He added he's "already got a promise" for a ride in the 2014 Daytona 500.(Associated Press)(7-15-2013)

New Hampshire Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2013 Camping World RV Sales 301: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Sunday's race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at 1:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 4:30 PM (all times are EST). Did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage. TNT was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 120
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 63
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 61
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 63
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 0
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 31
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 4 min. 5 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 1:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 4:30 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 210
Minutes of race broadcast: 149
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 61
Minutes of 'Side-by-Side' commercials (split-screen): 0
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 3
Total race brdcst time 149 Total comm. brdcst time 61
See past races and links to full report at 2013 TV Commercials page.(7-15-2013)

#55 team looking for owners' championship: For the first time since the Chase for the Sprint Cup format was introduced in 2004, there's a distinct possibility that there might be different players in the drivers' and owners' championships. With Brian Vickers' win at Loudon, the #55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota--driven by Mark Martin, team owner Michael Waltrip and Vickers this year--moved into the second provisional wild card spot for the owners Chase. Since the three drivers all run part-time schedules, they're not a factor in the drivers' championship, but the car could win the owners' title since its active in every race. MWR executive vice president Ty Norris said MWR and #55 crew chief Rodney Childers have had their eyes on the owners' prize for a long time. "One of the very first things we talked about was racing for an owner's championship; let's shake up the system. We'll have multiple drivers but if we can win some races and be in a situation where we can run for an owner's championship, that can be just as remarkable as running for a driver's championship."(NASCAR Wire Service)(7-15-2013)

Kyle Busch calls Newman 'idiot': #78-Kurt Busch kept his cool after being involved in a wreck with Ryan Newman that ended his chances of winning Sunday's Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire, but his younger brother didn't. #18-Kyle Busch took several shots at Newman, who earlier in the week learned this would be his last season with Stewart-Haas Racing. "I really hate it that Kurt got tore up and I felt like he had the best car here today," Kyle said to ESPN of his brother, who led a race-high 102 laps. "He was definitely good. He could definitely roll the long runs for sure and I was proud of those guys, but man just stupidity. I mean Ryan Newman is the biggest stupid idiot out here. And he's a big ogre and he can do whatever he wants because he can probably kick anybody's butt, so no sense in getting into a fight with him. But glad he is out of a job." The incident occurred on lap 226 of 302. It turned a potential win into a 31st-place finish that dropped Kurt from ninth to 14th in the standings. Kurt didn't mention Newman after the incident, but said he got hit from behind. The driver behind him was #20-Matt Kenseth. Newman, who finished 39, said Kurt took himself out. "I guess [Kenseth] had a little influence on it," Newman said. "We were kind of in a bad spot having a little bit older tires. ... Just a lot of disrespect from a bunch of guys on restarts. What comes around goes around."(ESPN)(7-15-2013)

Entry List:There are 42 cars on the preliminary entry list for Sunday's STP 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. A few notes:
Ken Butler will drive the #00 for SR2;
Tanner Berryhill returns in the #17;
Dakota Armstrong will drive the #21 for RCR;
Matt Crafton will drive the #33 for RCR;
Juan Carlos Blum will drive the Mike Harmon #74;
Kyle Fowler returns to the #79.(7-15-2013)
See the complete list on the Chicago entry list page.

Vickers wins New Hampshire: #55-Brian Vickers won the Camping World RV Sales 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for his 1st win of 2013 and 3rd career win.
#18-Busch finished 2nd followed by #31-Burton, #2-Keselowski, #43-Almirola, #48-Johnson, #29-Harvick, #99-Edwards, #20-Kenseth, and #24-Gordon.
The race ended under a green-white-checker finish after a late caution. #14-Stewart restart second but ran out of gas and finished 26th.
#78-Busch led the most laps with 102 of 302 laps, but spun midway through the race and finished 31st.
There were 10 lead changes among 6 drivers and 12 cautions for 58 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 98.735mph. NASCAR no longer announces the track attendance.
See race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Unofficial New Hampshire Race Results page (pdf) and check out the New Hampshire Penalty Report (pdf).(7-14-2013)

2013 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:
[after New Hampshire, race 19 of 36]
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson [4 wins], 696
2) #15-Clint Bowyer, 640, -56
3) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 623, -73
4) #29-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 622, -74
5) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 578, -118
6) #20-Matt Kenseth [4 wins], 576, -120
7) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 576, -120
8) #16-Greg Biffle [1 win], 545, -151
9) #2-Brad Keselowski, 529, -167
10) #5-Kasey Kahne [1 win], 523, -173
Wild Cards:
WC1) #56-Martin Truex Jr. [1 win], 11th in points (-2 out of 10th)
WC2) #14-Tony Stewart [1 win], 13th in points (-5 out fo 10th)
2012 Chase drivers out of top 12
#24-Jeff Gordon, 12th in points (-2 out of 10th)
#11-Denny Hamlin, 25th [missed 4 races with injury], -126 out of 20th
(ties broken by 1sts, 2nds, 3rd, etc)
See drivers championship points standings on the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings (pdf) and the owner points standings on the Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
For Official Results & Points, see the Official Daytona Race and Points Report.(7-14-2013)

Race Fast Facts - New Hampshire:
Brian Vickers won the 21st Annual Camping World RV Sales 301, his third victory in 271 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
There have now been 11 different winners in the last 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire.
This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in 2013. Vickers' last victory was on Aug. 16, 2009 at Michigan, a span of 75 starts.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in 16 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Kyle Busch (second) posted his seventh top-10 finish in 17 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is his 11th top-10 finish in 2013.
Jeff Burton (third) posted his 14th top-10 finish in 37 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It was his best finish this season.
Jimmie Johnson leads the point standings by 56 points over Clint Bowyer.(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(7-14-2013)

NASCAR explains decision to not issue Daytona penalties: Typically when NASCAR blows the whistle and confiscates parts and pieces from a team, it comes back a few days later and announces a penalty. So when NASCAR on Wednesday said it would not penalize 16 Sprint Cup teams and 15 Nationwide teams found with illegal roof-flap spacers last week at Daytona International Speedway, it certainly raised eyebrows.
All cars at New Hampshire have the correct spacers in them, NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said Friday. Roof flap are designed to keep cars on the ground during spins and crashes at high speeds. "We realize 31 teams didn't roll over on Monday morning before the week and decide to do that," Pemberton said. "It's our job to do some research, talk to some different teams and get to the bottom of it. We came to the conclusion that it's probably not the first time stuff like that is run. & As the years have evolved in the 17 years of running roof flaps, the kits were updated but old parts and pieces sometimes weren't deleted out of the kit." NASCAR will work with Roush Industries to "update and upgrade some of the parts and pieces in that kit," Pemberton said. NASCAR wants all the teams to have the same spacers because those are the ones that it uses when doing roof-flap testing. Pemberton indicated that the fact recent major penalties were significantly decreased on appeal wasn't given significant weight in deciding not to penalize teams.(Sporting News)(7-14-2013)

Who will be Harvick's crew chief at Stewart-Haas? Sources say that Budweiser signed off with [Stewart-Haas Racing] in the last month  after opting not to introduce a fourth different driver in seven seasons. Although [Stewart-Haas Racing] and Kevin Harvick declined to name a crew chief for the #4 team, [Michael Waltrip Racing's #55] Rodney Childers has been mentioned as the lead candidate.(Fox Sports)(7-14-2013)

American Ethanol renews as Iowa Truck Race Sponsor: Officials of Growth Energy and Iowa Speedway jointly announced today that their multi-year sponsorship agreement of the track's 'American Ethanol 200' Camping World Truck Series race has been extended for another racing season. "Growth Energy's stakeholders the producers and supporters of American Ethanol are pleased that we have renewed our entitlement sponsorship with one of Iowa Speedway's premier events, the 'American Ethanol 200', presented this year by the Enogen brand," said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis."Together, we are able to emphasize the power and performance of American Ethanol while clearly demonstrating the positive economic and environmental benefits of reducing our dependency on foreign oil." Iowa Speedway Chairman Conrad Clement was equally enthusiastic about the promotional partnership renewal with Growth Energy. "The 'American Ethanol 200' has become one of the mainstays of our racing season, and that has given us the ability to highlight the importance of Ethanol to race fans throughout the United States," Clement said. "With Growth Energy's continued partnership next year, Iowa Speedway will also play an increasingly important role in showcasing the viability of corn-based Ethanol in all forms of motorsports."(Iowa Speedway PR)(7-14-2013)

Final practice for the Camping World RV 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over after 60 scheduled minutes, the top five, slowest and any notes
#55-Vickers 133.417
#88-Earnhardt, Jr. 133.212
#20-Kenseth 133.207
#48-Johnson 133.096
slowest: #32-Schrader 128.911 & #52-Shepherd 126.694.
notes: #1-McMurray blew a left rear tire and slapped the wall late in practice.
See fastest speeds, 10-lap averages, laps run on the New Hampshire practice 3 speeds (pdf).(7-13-2013)

First Saturday practice for the Camping World RV 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over after 55 scheduled minutes, the top five, slowest and any notes
#78-Busch 133.497
#20-Kenseth 133.469
#18-Busch 133.347
#15-Bowyer 133.245
#99-Edwards 133.217
slowest: #36-Yeley 128.398 & #52-Shepherd 127.248.
The start of the session was delayed by 5 minutes while NASCAR dried some "weepers" on the track.
There is no TV coverage of this practice.
See fastest speeds, 10-lap averages, laps run on the New Hampshire practice 2 speeds (pdf).(7-13-2013)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Camping World RV 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have been made.
Pole sitter #2-Keselowski chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #78-Busch took pit stall 3.
#88-Earnhardt, Jr., who starts 3rd took the 32nd pit stall.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #99-Edwards, who starts 6th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on the Pit Stall Selection chart.(7-13-2013)

Newman will not return to Stewart-Haas UPDATE - Options for 2014: Tony Stewart was asked about the status of #39-Ryan Newman Friday morning after the announcement that Kevin Harvick was joining Stewart-Haas next season:
WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WITH NOW HAVING THREE DRIVERS FOR NEXT YEAR HOW DOES THIS IMPACT RYAN NEWMAN, HIS PROGRAM, ARE YOU GUYS READY TO EXPAND TO A FOURTH TEAM?
"No, we are not ready to expand to a fourth team. Unfortunately, this will be the last year that we have Ryan (Newman) with us. That's probably what has made this a bittersweet day. I'm bringing in another one of my friends to the organization, but also knowing that I'm losing a friend at the end of the year to the organization. The number one thing when Ryan and I spoke is that our friendship will not change. This was a business decision that was Gene's (Haas) as well as mine and it was a hard decision. There is a personal side and there is a business side. For Ryan and I we had to put the personal bit of it aside to work through the business part. I'll do everything I can to help Ryan in any way I can moving forward to try to help him in his effort to find another team next year. I'm behind him 100 percent. I believe in him 100 percent. I truly wish we were able to facilitate four teams at this time. We are just not able to do that. Down the road I'm sure if that becomes a possibility that he will most definitely will be on the list to fill the fourth seat again."(Chevy PR)(7-12-2013)
UPDATE: From Ryan Newman's media availability Friday:
IN YOUR MIND WHAT WOULD BE AN IDEAL SITUATION FOR YOU IN 2014?
"I don't know. There are organizations out there that are capable of winning championships and capable of racing I guess into the Chase to give themselves and opportunity at a championship. It's obvious that there are some seats that are moving around and becoming available and potentially coming available. To me I first and foremost want to be wanted for my ability. Ability behind the wheel as well as what I can do for the sponsors. That is the most important part. There are a lot of things to be considered, but I was sincere when I said it I want to be someplace where I'm wanted. I want to be wanted for my abilities and the desires that we have as common goals to win a championship.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMITMENTS FROM ANY OF YOUR CURRENT SPONSORS TO GO WITH YOU TO WHATEVER RACE TEAM YOU MAY END UP AT? DO YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE YOU WILL BE IN CUP NEXT YEAR?
"I have no idea on any part of it. There are no answers that I have. Obviously, I have my own homework to do. I have no answers with respect to any of that at this point."(Chevy PR)
AND: Nemwan has been looking for 2014 opportunities since signing a one-year extension with SHR last fall but said it was stressful to have "no idea" where he'd land. Though he wouldn't confirm whether he would bring sponsorship, SHR apparently isn't retaining Quicken Loans, the primary sponsor of Newman's #39 for 18 races this season, and there's been speculation they might follow the driver to another team. In January, Roger Penske said he had talked to the Detroit-based company about adding a third car with Newman to his team. Newman, though, said he wouldn't be interested in just any team that had an opportunity. An option for Newman could be RCR, which will need a new driver for its #29 Chevy after 13 consecutive seasons with Harvick. Team owner Richard Childress said the team had funding for three cars next season and possibly could add a fourth depending on sponsorship. "We've got most everything lined up," he said before practice Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "Something can always fall through, but we feel very good about that."(USA Today)
AND Ford's Jack Roush, who has a three-car operation that could easily expand back to four, said he was interested in talking with Newman about the situation. Roush said he would be interested in hiring Newman if there were sufficient sponsorship. Newman has some sponsorship himself. A plus for Roush is that Newman is an engineer like Roush. And depending on what Matt Borland, Newman's current crew chief, decides to do, that could also be a plus for Roush. Borland was also Newman's crew chief during his years with Roger Penske.(MikeMulhern.net) (7-13-2013)

Kurt Busch focused on making chase; also working on 2014: #78-Kurt Busch talked to the media Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:
ARE YOU ANY CLOSER TO WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE DOING NEXT YEAR? DOES IT MATTER THAT YOU ARE KIND OF IN LIMBO ABOUT NEXT YEAR THROUGHOUT THIS RACE FOR THE CHASE?
"It's been one thing I've been trying to answer in my own mind. We have these eight weeks to focus on, get into the Chase but then it's not going to change anything if we're in the Chase because I want to run for the championship. But also contract negotiations and things are in discussion, but you try not to let that weigh any of what's going on right now. Right now is the most important thing. Living in the present. That's some of the things going on behind the scenes too. There are a lot of irons in the fire. It's good to run well. Being in the top 10 in points is an accomplishment. Now we've just got to close the door behind us and make sure we are part of the group that is in it." (Chevy PR)(7-13-2013)

Harvick discusses move to Stewart-Hass: From Kevin Harvick's Friday media availability:
HOW EXCITED ARE YOU THAT BUDWEISER IS GOING TO FOLLOW YOU TO STEWART-HAAS RACING?
"Obviously, it's nice to officially all the speculation about numbers and teams and as far as the sponsorship, obviously we've had three years with Budweiser and looking forward to moving forward with them as a sponsor. It's been an interesting process just from the fact that we really haven't been involved in much of anything on the sponsorship side of it just for the fact that when we did the deal with SHR we were knowing that we were having to move forward for a year here and we wanted to make sure that we did a good job with RCR so it's nice to be in a position to not have to go out and be a part of that whole process and be able to focus on racing a car and getting the performance and doing the things that we need to do at RCR. It's worked out well and those guys at SHR took full responsibility to have the car funded and that made my life a lot easier."
WHY WAS THE MOVE MADE WITH BUDWEISER?
"I signed a deal with Stewart Haas Racing and everybody was pretty sensitive to the fact that we still had another year. For those guys to take the responsibility and say, if we don't have the sponsorship then the car will be on the race track and will be funded. There's something to be said about having that guarantee of money behind the car and being able to be on the race track and for me kind of with the transition and wanting to do a good job this year and they were very sensitive to me wanting to be competitive on the race track.
WERE YOU CONFIDENT THAT BUDWEISER WOULD GO WITH YOU?
"Basically what happened was we decided that was what we wanted to do from a team standpoint. We went to the team at SHR, we worked out my contract and they basically guaranteed what the car would have on it on the race track and they basically took full responsibility to figure out what direction they wanted to go from a sponsorship standpoint and how to make it go around. It didn't have one dollar of sponsorship when I signed the contract."
ARE YOUR OTHER SPONSORS COMING OVER? RHEEM, JIMMY JOHN'S?
"Look I have no idea. That was the intriguing part about the SHR (Stewart-Haas Racing) piece of it was the car is going to be on the track and they said you go do your job and finish your year and race the cars as hard as you can and do a good job for Richard (Childress) and we will worry about the rest of it.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA CREW CHIEF WISE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? WILL YOU HAVE INPUT INTO THAT?
"I'm sure we will sit down and talk about crew chiefs and things because obviously those will have to happen before we get to December. We will talk about a direction and that will be probably the extent of the conversation moving forward. Everybody is sensitive to wanting to make sure that we do a good job this year at RCR and they do a good job in their current situation.(Chevy PR)(7-13-2013)

Hall of Fame Attendance Down Again: The NASCAR Hall of Fame's attendance in its third year was 176,838, a 10 percent decrease compared with the year before, according to the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which manages the racing museum. The CRVA hasn't finished a detailed financial analysis of the hall, so it's unknown how it fared financially. It lost money in its first two years of operations. The attendance numbers cover the fiscal year that ended June 30. In the hall's first year, it attracted 272,000 fans. Second year attendance was 197,410. The decrease isn't a surprise, as museums and attractions often see attendance declines after opening. Attendance often stabilizes in the fourth year of operation. Improving the hall's financial performance is more important than ever for the CRVA, whose funds have been depleted to help the Carolina Panthers. The City Council this year voted to give the Panthers $87.5 million for stadium renovations in exchange for a six-year "hard tether" to keep the team in Charlotte. The money for the Panthers came from the city and the CRVA's Convention Center fund, which comes from a 3 percent hotel/motel tax and a 1 percent tax on prepared food and beverages in Mecklenburg County. With a significant part of the CRVA's future revenues going to the Panthers, the CRVA has less financial breathing room to pay for Hall of Fame operating losses.(Charlotte Observer)(7-13-2013)

Sadler not happy with Smith after New Hampshire: An angry #11-Elliott Sadler told #7-Regan Smith he wasn't going to win the Nationwide Series championship after Smith turned Sadler while they battled for third on the final restart Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Sadler finished 18th in The Profit 200 while Smith held on for an eighth-place finish. "He just said he lost control of his car," Sadler said afterward. "I don't know why he has to race us that way. I don't race him that way. He admitted he lost control of his car and took us out." Losing those 15 spots at the end of the race, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver fell from third to fifth in the standings, 24 points behind Smith. "You will not win this championship, mark my word," Sadler yelled at Smith afterward in the garage. Smith took the blame. "The 20 (of Brian Vickers) went to block him and he went down to block me and I had a run on the inside so I went in there and got way down on the flat (of the apron)," Smith said. "I lost the nose of my car and then slid sideways trying to keep off of him initially there and when I did, it snapped back into him and took him out. It's my fault. I hate that happened. You can't take it back."(Sporting News)(7-13-2013)

Busch wins at New Hampshire: #54-Kyle Busch won the CNBC Prime's The Profit 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for his 7th win of the season (in 14 races) and 58th of his Nationwide career. The race took 3 green-white-checker attempts to finsh and ran a total of 213 laps. #20-Brian Vickers finished second followed by #3-Austin Dillon (who claimed the Nationwide Dash4Cash), #2-Brian Scott, #43-Michael Annett, #6-Trevor Bayne, #12-Sam Hornish, Jr., #7-Regan Smith, #18-Matt Kenseth, and #99-Alex Bowman. There were 7 cautions for 27 laps and 6 lead changes among 3 leaders. Complete results are on the New Hampshire race results page (pdf).(7-13-2013)

New Hampshire Race Fast Facts:
Kyle Busch won the 24th Annual CNBC Prime's The Profit 200, his 58th victory in 258 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his seventh victory and 12th top-10 finish in 2013.
This is his fourth victory and fifth top-10 finish in eight races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
This is Busch's fourth win from the Coors Light Pole this season, tying Sam Ard's record for wins from the pole in a season, set in 1983.
Brian Vickers (second) posted his second top-10 finish in three races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is his ninth top-10 finish in 2013.
Austin Dillon (third) posted his second top-10 finish in three races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Alex Bowman (10th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Regan Smith leads the point standings by 5 points over Sam Hornish Jr.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(7-13-2013)

Driver standings following New Hampshire:
1) #7-Regan Smith 594
2) #12-Sam Hornish Jr. 589, -5
3) #3-Austin Dillon 582, -12
4) #31-Justin Allgaier 574, -20
5) #11-Elliott Sadler 570, -24
6) #20-Brian Vickers 548, -46
7) #32-Kyle Larson # 546, -48
8) #2-Brian Scott 534, -60
9) #6-Trevor Bayne 526, -68
10) #77-Parker Kligerman 525, -69
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(7-13-2013)

Owner Standings following New Hampshire are posted (pdf).(7-13-2013)

Busch on pole at New Hampshire:#54-Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole for the CNBC Prime's The Profit 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a speed of 131.916mph. #20-Brian Vickers will start second. The rest of the top 10: #5-Kasey Kahne, #7-Regan Smith, #2-Brian Scott, #31-Justin Allgaier, #22-Joey Logano, #18-Matt Kenseth, #11-Elliott Sadler, and #77-Parker Kligerman. Did Not Qualify: #89-Morgan Shepherd, #74-Mike Harmon. The Rick Ware #15 of Carl Long withdrew after qualifying to get #92-Dexter Stacey in the race. The starting lineup is posted on the New Hampshire starting lineup page (pdf).(7-13-2013)

New Hampshire Qualifying Notes:
Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 24th Annual CNBC Prime's The Profit 200 with a lap of 28.873 seconds, 131.916 mph.
This is his 30th pole in 258 NASCAR Nationwide Series races, tying Mark Martin for the all-time series pole record.
This is his fourth pole and 10th top-10 start in 2013.
This is his second pole in eight races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Brian Vickers (second) posted his 10th top-10 start of 2013 and his third in three races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Kasey Kahne (third) posted his third top-10 start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is his third in seven races this season.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(7-13-2013)

Peters wins Iowa: #17-Timothy Peters won the American Ethanol 200 at Iowa Speedway on Saturday night. #51-Erik Jones was second. #31-James Buescher, #9-Ron Hornaday, #94-Chase Elliott, #88-Matt Crafton, #32-Miguel Paludo, #54-Darrell Wallace, Jr., #18-Joey Coulter, and #60-Dakoda Armstrong complete the top-10. There were five caution flags for 26 laps, and six lead changes among five drivers. Complete results are on the Iowa race results page (pdf).(7-13-2013)

Iowa Race Fast Facts:
Timothy Peters won the 5th Annual American Ethanol 200 presented by Enogen, his sixth victory in 149 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2013.
This is his second victory and third top-10 finish in six races at Iowa Speedway.
Erik Jones (second) posted his first top-10 finish in his first race at Iowa Speedway. It is his third top-10 finish in 2013.
James Buescher (third) posted his third top-10 finish in six races at Iowa Speedway.
Darrell Wallace Jr. (eighth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Matt Crafton leads the point standings by 38 points over Jeb Burton
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(7-13-2013)

Driver standings following Iowa:
1) #88-Matt Crafton, 357
2) #4-Jeb Burton, 319, -38
3), #31-James Buescher, 317, -40
4) #3-Ty Dillon, 309, -48
5) #98-Johnny Sauter, 305, -52
6) #29-Ryan Blaney, 290, -67
7) #32-Miguel Paludo, 285, -72
8) #17-Timothy Peters, 281, -76
9) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 280, -77
10) #54-Darrell Wallace, Jr., 272, -85
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(7-13-2013)

Owner Standings following Iowa: are posted (pdf).(7-13-2013)

Quiroga on pole for American Ethanol 200 at Iowa: #77-German Quiroga earned his first career pole by taking the top spot for Saturday night's race at Iowa Speedway. Quiroga set a new track record at 138.620 mph. #32-Miguel Paludo was second, followed by: #3-Ty Dillon, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #19-Ross Chastain, #29-Ryan Blaney, #51-Erik Jones, #98-Johnny Sauter, #18-Joey Coulter, and #17-Timothy Peters. Darrell Wallace, Jr. spun during his lap, but suffered only minor damage to his truck. See complete results on the Starting lineup (pdf) page.(7-13-2013)

Iowa Qualifying Notes:
German Quiroga won the Keystone Light Pole Award for the 5th Annual American Ethanol 200 presented by Enogen with a lap of 22.724 seconds, 138.620 mph (a new track record).
This is his first pole in 15 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first pole and fifth top-10 start in 2013.
This is his first pole in his first race at Iowa Speedway.
Miguel Paludo (second) posted his sixth top-10 start of 2013 and his third in four races at Iowa Speedway.
Ty Dillon (third) posted his second top-10 start at Iowa Speedway. It is his seventh in nine races this season.
German Quiroga (first) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Statistics)(7-13-2013)

Paludo fastest in final practice: #32-Miguel Paludo led the way in final practice on Saturday at Iowa Speedway. Paludo ran a fast lap at 137.333 mph. #19-Ross Chastain was second. He was followed by: #18-Joey Coulter, #77-German Quiroga, #3-Ty Dillon, #31-James Buescher, #98-Johnny Sauter, #29-Ryan Blaney, #62-Brendan Gaughan, and #94-Chase Elliott. #99-Bryan Silas wrecked during practice, causing heavy damage to the rear of his truck. All 35 of the entered trucks participated in the session. See complete results on the Iowa practice 3 speeds page (pdf).(7-13-2013)

American Ethanol to return as Iowa race sponsor in 2014: Officials of Growth Energy and Iowa Speedway jointly announced today that their multi-year sponsorship agreement of the track's 'American Ethanol 200' Camping World Truck Series race has been extended for another racing season. "Growth Energy's stakeholders  the producers and supporters of American Ethanol  are pleased that we have renewed our entitlement sponsorship with one of Iowa Speedway's premier events, the 'American Ethanol 200', presented this year by the Enogen brand," said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis."Together, we are able to emphasize the power and performance of American Ethanol while clearly demonstrating the positive economic and environmental benefits of reducing our dependency on foreign oil." Iowa Speedway Chairman Conrad Clement was equally enthusiastic about the promotional partnership renewal with Growth Energy. "The 'American Ethanol 200' has become one of the mainstays of our racing season, and that has given us the ability to highlight the importance of Ethanol to race fans throughout the United States," Clement said. "With Growth Energy's continued partnership next year, Iowa Speedway will also play an increasingly important role in showcasing the viability of corn-based Ethanol in all forms of motorsports." (Iowa Speedway PR)(7-13-2013)

Camping World pondering series sponsorship beyond 2015: Camping World president and CEO Marcus Lemonis, whose title sponsorship of NASCAR's Truck Series runs through 2015, says he expects to make a decision on whether to extend his commitment by the end of this year. In part, the decision depends on the participation of an as-yet-unnamed company featured on "The Profit," the CNBC show on which Lemonis serves as both venture capitalist and mentor in turning around small businesses that seek his help. "Our deal goes through 2015--I think it was a six- or seven-year deal (actually seven)," Lemonis said Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway during a press conference to promote the TV show. "But we are in talks, and one of the connections--it's kind of ironic--but one of the tipping points (is) whether Camping World will extend that deal or not& "In one of the episodes, there is an integration of NASCAR into one of the shows that you'll see. And having one of these particular companies be part of our extension will be kind of the tipping point of whether we extend or not." Lemonis also wants to reserve judgment until he sees whether the transition of SPEED to Fox Sports 1, a broader-based sports network, changes the level of visibility of the Camping World Truck Series. "I think the France family and Steve Phelps and all the folks (NASCAR president) Mike Helton--have done a fantastic job of taking Camping World to the next level," Lemonis said. "When it comes to the Truck Series, I think the bigger question that I have right now is 'What is the new SPEED/FoxSports network going to look like?' "Is it going to change the viewership? Are the ratings going to change? Is it going to be shuffled around? Because today on SPEED, the Camping World Truck Series is THE program (the Saturday night Truck race at Iowa). I want to just be sure that I'm not going to get shuffled to the bottom of the pack." (NASCAR Wire)(7-13-2013)

Sauter's fuel cell confiscated UPDATE 3: Inspectors confiscated the fuel cell from Truck Series points leader Johnny Sauter this weekend at Kansas Speedway and will review it the first part of next week. NASCAR did not say what issue was found with the fuel cell, which was taken Thursday during the opening day inspection. Any potential penalties would also be handed down next week. Sauter won the first two races of the season at Daytona and Martinsville, and finished fourth at Rockingham. He stayed out of trouble in a crash-filled race Saturday at Kansas to finish fifth, maintaining a 12-point lead over Matt Crafton in the series standings.(Associated Press)(4-21-2013)
UPDATE: NASCAR announced penalties and fines to the #98 team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as a result of rule infractions at Kansas Speedway. The #98 truck was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4K (if in the judgment of NASCAR Officials, race equipment that has been previously verified or previously approved and/or sealed by NASCAR for use in an event, pursuant to sub-section 8-6 and/or 8-12, has been altered, modified, repaired, or changed in any manner); 20B-16 (once a fuel cell or fuel cell components have been certified, modifications of any kind will not be permitted to the fuel cell or fuel cell components); and 20B-16.1B (standard black, safety foam with minimum free-standing height of eight (8) inches, acceptable to NASCAR Officials, and used as provided by an approved fuel cell manufacturer, must be used: Fuel cell safety foam modification.) of the 2013 rule book. As a result of this violation, crew chief Joel Shear has been fined $10,000 and suspended from NASCAR competition until the completion of the next four (4) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events. He has been placed on NASCAR probation until December 31. The team has also been docked 25 championship driver (Johnny Sauter) and 25 championship owner (Mike Curb) points. The violations involving the #98 truck occurred in opening day inspection.(NASCAR)(4-24-2013)
AND:The penalty knocked Sauter out of the points lead and dropped him into a tie with Jeb Burton with 149 points through four races. The punishment moves Matt Crafton, who won Saturday at Kansas, into first by 13 points through four races.(USA Today)(4-24-2013)
UPDATE 2: Crew chief Joe Shear begins his four race suspension at Charlotte. Jesse Saunders is listed as acting crew chief.(5-16-2013)
UPDATE 3: Crew chief Joe Shear Jr. is back in the garage (at Iowa Speedway) after a two-month, four-race absence via a penalty for a technical violation at Kansas in April.(ThorSport Racing PR)(7-13-2013)

Keselowski wins New Hampshire pole: #2-Brad Keselowski won the pole for the Camping World RV Sales 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with speed of 135.922mph (a new track record) for his 1st pole of 2013 and 3rd of his career. #48-Johnson is on the outside pole, followed by #78-Busch, #88-Earnhardt, Jr., #18-Busch, #24-Gordon, #99-Edwards, #11-Hamlin, #5-Kahne, and #31-Burton. No drivers missed the race as there were 43 entries for 43 starting spots. See the starting lineup, qualifying results & order, pole progression on the New Hampshire Starting Lineup & Qualifying Page.(7-12-2013)
UPDATE: #48-Johnson's time was disallowed after he failed post-qualifying inspection. The car was too low in the front end. He will start in the rear of the field.(7-12-2013)

Qualifying Fast Facts - New Hampshire:
Brad Keselowski won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 21st Annual Camping World RV Sales 301 with a track-qualifying record lap of 28.022 seconds, 135.922 mph.
Ten drivers had a faster qualifying speed than the previous track qualifying record of 28.165 seconds (135.232 mph).
This is Keselowski's third pole in 144 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. His first career pole also came at New Hampshire.
This is his first pole and eighth top-10 start in 2013. Keselowski's last pole was at Charlotte in May of 2011, 78 races ago.
Jimmie Johnson (second) posted his 11th top-10 start of 2013 and his 15th in 23 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Kurt Busch (third) posted his 14th top-10 start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is his seventh in 19 races this season.
(NASCAR Statistics)(7-12-2013)

Childress planning on at least 3 teams in 2014: Richard Childress Racing will have at least three Sprint Cup teams and possibly four in 2014. There has been speculation that RCR might shrink from three to two teams after losing Kevin Harvick and primary sponsor Budweiser to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. Team owner Richard Childress told ESPN.com on Friday that he will have a lineup of Jeff Burton, Paul Menard and "question mark." "We're going to have three race teams for sure," Childress said between practices at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "Not 100 percent on a fourth." Asked if the third team would be fielded by grandson Austin Dillon, who has run six Cup races this season in anticipation of moving up from the Nationwide Series next year, Childress reiterated, "question mark." Childress recently said Ryan Newman, in his last year with SHR with Harvick filling out that three-driver lineup, is a candidate for the #29. He also has left open the possibility that Dillon, who drives the 3 made famous by Dale Earnhardt at RCR, could drive the #3 in Cup. Kurt Busch also has been mentioned as a potential candidate at RCR. Busch is ninth in points for Furniture Row Racing that has an alliance with RCR. Sources said RCR has a gentleman's agreement not to pursue Busch. Furniture Row general manager Joe Garone said negotiations to re-sign Busch are on hold as the single-car team attempts to make the Chase for the first time.(ESPN)(7-12-2013)

Coverage of Qualifying for the Camping World RV 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is scheduled for Friday, July 12, 2013 at 3:40pm/et.
Television (TV): SPEED, 3:30pm/et
Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN), 3:30pm/et
Scheduled Qualifying Re-Air: 8:00pm/et

Qualifying Order for the Camping World RV 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is posted. 44 cars/drivers are listed.
The first of the drivers scheduled to go out is #15-Bowyer.
The final driver scheduled to go out is #33-Cassill.
Fastest in first practice, #2-Keselowski, is scheduled to qualify 30th.
Qualifying order is set by a random draw, held about an hour before the first practice.
See the full qualifying order on the New Hampshire Qualifying Page.(7-12-2013)

Friday practice for the Camping World RV 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over after 95 minutes, the top five, slowest and any notes
#2-Keselowski 135.491
#18-Busch 134.439
#11-Hamlin 134.439
#1-McMurray 134.387
#88-Earnhardt, Jr. 134.259
slowest: #36-Yeley 128.143 & #52-Shepherd 124.793.
#42-Montoya got into the wall on his second lap and will have to go to a backup. The session was delayed by workers repaired the SAFER barrier.
There were a couple cautions during the session because of "weepers" on the track.
This is the only practice session for today. Qualifying is scheduled for 3:40pm/et and will be televised by SPEED.
See fastest speeds, 10-lap averages, laps run on the New Hampshire practice 1 speeds (pdf).(7-12-2013)

Newman will not return to Stewart-Haas: Tony Stewart was asked about the status of #39-Ryan Newman Friday morning after the announcement that Kevin Harvick was joining Stewart-Haas next season:
WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WITH NOW HAVING THREE DRIVERS FOR NEXT YEAR HOW DOES THIS IMPACT RYAN NEWMAN, HIS PROGRAM, ARE YOU GUYS READY TO EXPAND TO A FOURTH TEAM?
"No, we are not ready to expand to a fourth team. Unfortunately, this will be the last year that we have Ryan (Newman) with us. That's probably what has made this a bittersweet day. I'm bringing in another one of my friends to the organization, but also knowing that I'm losing a friend at the end of the year to the organization. The number one thing when Ryan and I spoke is that our friendship will not change. This was a business decision that was Gene's (Haas) as well as mine and it was a hard decision. There is a personal side and there is a business side. For Ryan and I we had to put the personal bit of it aside to work through the business part. I'll do everything I can to help Ryan in any way I can moving forward to try to help him in his effort to find another team next year. I'm behind him 100 percent. I believe in him 100 percent. I truly wish we were able to facilitate four teams at this time. We are just not able to do that. Down the road I'm sure if that becomes a possibility that he will most definitely will be on the list to fill the fourth seat again."(Chevy PR)(7-12-2013)

Qualifying Order for the Camping World RV 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is posted. 44 cars/drivers are listed.
The first of the drivers scheduled to go out is #15-Bowyer.
The final driver scheduled to go out is #33-Cassill.
Qualifying order is set by a random draw, held about an hour before the first practice.
See the full qualifying order on the New Hampshire Qualifying Page.(7-12-2013)

#4 for Harvick in 2014? UPDATE Budweiser moves to SHR with Harvick in 2014: Stewart-Haas Racing has applied for the trademark for the (4) Standard Character Mark or the #4. Supposedly to be used by Kevin Harvick when he moves over to Stewart-Hass Racing in 2014. You can see the trademark application / info at uspto.gov (serial #85911811)(4-30-2013)
UPDATE: For more than 30 years Budweiser has sponsored some of NASCAR's top race car drivers. The King of Beers will continue its rich tradition in the sport by joining Kevin Harvick as he moves to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014 to drive the #4 Chevy SS in the Sprint Cup Series.
"Over the last three years, Kevin has been an amazing ambassador for Budweiser, both on and off the track," said Blaise D'Sylva, vice president of media, sports and entertainment marketing, Anheuser-Busch. "We value that level of commitment, and we're proud to join him at Stewart-Haas Racing next season."
Under the terms of the deal, Budweiser will serve as primary sponsor of the #4 Chevy for 20 races as well as the Budweiser Duel during Budweiser Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway. Budweiser will serve as a major associate sponsor for the remaining races on the Sprint Cup Series schedule.
With the move to Stewart-Haas Racing next year, Harvick will utilize the #4. The transition to the team comes as Harvick enters his 14th year in NASCAR's top series. Thus far, he has earned 21 Sprint Cup Series wins, 96 top-five and 198 top-10 finishes.(Budwesier PR)(7-12-2013)

Cassill to drive #40 in select races: The #40 will once again compete on the Sprint Cup Series circuit when Landon Cassill pilots the joint effort for team owners Joe Falk and Mike Hillman. Beginning with the upcoming Brickyard 400, the #40 will run select Sprint Cup races throughout the remainder of the 2013 season. Cassill, who has competed in 15 of the 18 Sprint Cup events this season for Circle Sport Racing in the #33 Chevy SS, will switch to the # 40 with Austin Dillon scheduled to drive the #33 in the Brickyard 400. "With ABC and ESPN picking up the Sprint Cup television broadcasts beginning with Indy, including three network primetime events, we felt the opportunity was right to field the # 40 car at select venues for the remainder of the season," Joe Falk said. "Mike Hillman has done a herculean task of getting our Gen-6 program up to speed with help from Landon and Richard Childress Racing, and it was a point of pride when Landon started alongside race-winner Tony Stewart at Dover earlier this season. We believe fielding the #40 allows companies looking at the sport that thought only a Truck or Nationwide sponsorship was in their budget to now have the opportunity to showcase their brands on the sport's biggest stage."(Circle Sport)(7-12-2013)

#14 going all black: Tony Stewart is back in black. The #14 Mobil 1 Chevy he drives for Stewart-Haas Racing is all black for this weekend's Camping World RV Sales 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. It's a fitting paint scheme since Stewart is often lights out in Loudon. And the mood of Stewart's competitors typically darkens whenever the three-time Sprint Cup champion walks into the Granite State's garage area.(TrueSpeed Communications), see an image of the car on the #14 team paint schemes page.(7-12-2013)

Benson to join Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame: Johnny Benson Jr. followed his father's lead into the world of stock car racing, and he ended up chasing his own dreams right up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup level. Todd Sweeris got his love for table tennis from his parents, and he went far as well. He twice played in the Olympics. Benson and Sweeris will now follow their folks straight into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame. Hall officials announced its Class of 2013 Thursday, July 11, and it includes a pair of second generation inductees in Benson and Sweeris. Benson and other inductees will be inducted into hall of fame during the organization's annual dinner ceremony at the Gerald R. Ford Museum on Oct. 8. Benson earned championships in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series (1995) and the Camping World Trucks Series (2008). He also ran eight seasons in NASCAR's top level, the Sprint Cup Series, with his lone victory coming at Rockingham, capturing the Microwave Popcorn 400 in 2002. He launched his career by winning the 1989 Berlin Raceway Late Model championship. His father was inducted into the hall of fame in 2001.(MLive.com)(7-12-2013)

Smith fastest in happy hour: #7-Regan Smith was quickest during happy hour for the CNBC Prime's The Profit 200 with a speed of 129.860mph. He was followed by: #12-Sam Hornish, Jr., #77-Parker Kligerman, #2-Brian Scott, #20-Brian Vickers, #11-Elliott Sadler, #6-Trevor Bayne, #31-Justin Allgaier, #33-Paul Menard, and #18-Matt Kenseth. All 43 drivers participated in the session. See complete results on the New Hampshire practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(7-12-2013)

Smith fastest in first practice: #7-Regan Smtih was fastest during opening practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a speed of 128.156mph. #18-Matt Kenseth was second, followed by: #54-Kyle Busch, #20-Brian Vickers, #22-Joey Logano, #31-Justin Allgaier, #11-Elliott Sadler, #2-Brain Scott, #12-Sam Hornish, Jr., and #5-Kasey Kahne. 41 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the New Hampshire practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(7-12-2013)

Gaughan fastest in second practice: #62-Brendan Gaughan was fastest in second practice at Iowa Speedway on Friday. Gaughan had the fastest lap at 136.464 mph. #19-Ross Chastain was second quick. #77-German Quiroga, #32-Miguel Paludo, #4-Jeb Burton, #98-Johnny Sauter, #3-Ty Dillon, #54-Darrell Wallace, Jr., #51-Erik Jones, and #9-Ron Hornaday, Jr. close out the top-10. 32 teams participated in the session. See complete results on the Iowa practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(7-12-2013)

Jones fastest in first practice: #51-Erik Jones was fastest during opening practice at Iowa Speedway on Friday. During what is being considered a test day for all of the teams, Jones led the way with a speed of 134.979 mph. #29-Ryan Blaney was second, followed by #19-Ross Chastain, #17-Timothy Peters, #9-Ron Hornaday, #5-Tim George, Jr., #4-Jeb Burton, #32-Miguel Paludo, #54-Darrell Wallace, Jr., and #62-Brendan Gaughan. 30 of the entered 35 teams participated in the session. See complete results on the Iowa practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(7-12-2013)

Eldora tire developement a challenge for Goodyear: For Goodyear, the challenge of building tires for NASCAR is a diverse undertaking. Making safe and competitive tires as the exclusive supplier for NASCAR's top three national series means developing tires for race tracks ranging from one-half mile to 2.66 miles long, on concrete and asphalt, and surfaces as rough as a cheese grater and as smooth as glass. This season, with the Camping World Truck Series adding the dirt track of Eldora Speedway to the schedule, the challenge got even bigger. The inaugural "Mudsummer Classic," scheduled for Wednesday, July 24 at the half-mile track in Western Ohio, will be the first NASCAR national series race held on dirt in more than 40 years. But for Goodyear, who has been involved in a wide array of racing disciplines over the years, it was just a matter of dipping into the playbook and coming up with a solution. The new "Wrangler" tires that Goodyear will bring to Eldora for the Truck Series are based upon a dirt modified tire in its tire line. However, the NASCAR dirt tire has been widened to 11 inches (from 10 inches) to provide a larger contact patch with the track and give the trucks more grip. The two primary differences from the standard race tires run on ovals in NASCAR's top three series is that the Eldora tire will be a bias ply tire and feature a tread pattern. The bias ply tire construction is not as stiff as the radial tire used on paved NASCAR ovals, therefore it is more compliant and more able to envelope the irregularities of a dirt surface. As far as the tread, the Eldora tire features Goodyear's G23 pattern, which is a standard block pattern. It has grooves and biting edges to help evacuate dirt from underneath the tire, giving the trucks more grip. The tread compound itself is on the "softer" end of the spectrum, which will also help with grip. While the Eldora right-side tire will basically remain the same height as a NASCAR tire run on asphalt tracks, the left-side is a little shorter to build in more stagger, which will help the trucks turn better. For Goodyear, the tire development process started last October with a test on the 10-inch tire at Eldora with track owner and three-time Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, former Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon, and his brother and current Truck Series contender Ty Dillon. In addition to seeing how the tread pattern evacuated the dirt and the compound put down rubber, it was important that there were no clearance issues which could lead to the tires rubbing against the truck or its suspension parts. Once Goodyear produced the 11-inch tire, Ty Dillon went back to 311 Speedway, a dirt track in Pine Hall, NC. When everything checked out with that test, Goodyear had its Eldora tire.(Goodyear PR)(7-12-2013)

Daytona to be featured on Travel Channel show: Daytona International Speedway and the Daytona 500 form the background for the series premiere of "Adam Richman's Fandemonium" on the Travel Channel. The show will air 10pm/et Sunday. In the series, Richman is on a mission to explore the world of ultimate super fans and the extremes they go to in order to celebrate their passion. According to a Travel Channel release, during Sunday's episode, Richman cultivates the Speedway infield to experience the "wild festivities, atmosphere and environment that the fans create and revel in."(Daytona Beach News Journal)(7-12-2013)

Roush starting to scale back: Having achieved nearly everything he'd wanted in his racing career, [Jack Roush] the 71-year-old captain of industry prefers to revel in others' success in the dusk of his NASCAR career. "There aren't so many firsts left for me, but I've not lost my passion for competition or my desire to operate at the top of my game," the founder of Roush Fenway Racing told USA TODAY Sports. "I just look forward to enjoying vicariously the success of drivers winning their first race or championship, and the crew chiefs and engineers able to share in those firsts. It's less about me and more about being a parent or a grandparent to them."
Once the Sprint Cup Series' quintessential hands-on team owner, Roush quietly is moving toward the sidelines. After a quarter-century of owning stock-car teams that have 314 wins in NASCAR and two championships in its premier series, Roush still works seven days a week but doesn't set his alarm for dawn anymore. He no longer spends 90 minutes before every race tinkering with each of his cars' carburetors, which have been excised from stock-car racing by electronic fuel injection. The mechanical wizard & has been marginalized somewhat by advances in technology. The survivor of two plane crashes has eased into a role he jokingly labels as public and human relations manager.
"I've gone from wanting to be the mechanic that I hoped everyone else would be to now I'm the point-and-grunt guy," Roush said with a laugh, "hopefully, I'll become less viable before I'm gone. The challenge is to give up the management and decision-making at the right time." Within the next five years, the plan is he won't attend every team meeting or race anymore, scaling back to spend more time with five grandchildren who range in age from 8 months to 12 years old.
"He's trying to empower the folks running the team on a daily basis," team president Steve Newmark said. "I suspect that is sometimes hard for him, but he's doing it of his own accord, which is great because you see a lot of patriarchs that hold on for too long and don't leave the company in a good state. He's focused very much on making sure the company continues regardless of the level of his involvement." So is there a clear plan for the enterprise once Roush steps away? "There's no written plan," Newmark said. "We'll welcome his leadership as long as we can get it."Read much more at USA Today.(7-11-2013)

Allmendinger running Grand-AM race at Indy: AJ Allmendinger is returning to Indianapolis Motor Speedway  but in a Grand-AM car for longtime friend Michael Shank. Allmendinger will race in the Brickyard Grand Prix on July 26 in the #6 Michael Shank Racing Ford-Riley. He'll co-drive with Gustavo Yacaman. Allmendinger led laps earlier this year in the Indianapolis 500 and might have had a chance to win the race if his seat belt had not come undone, forcing him to make an unscheduled pit stop. He wound up seventh. Allmendinger has been racing for Shank since 2006, when he was part of the Rolex 24 At Daytona team.(Associated Press)(7-11-2013)

Monopoly on the #1 at New Hampshire: Monopoly Game at McDonald's! It's back for its 21st year this summer. This weekend at New Hampshire, #1-Jamie McMurray will drive a Monopoly Game at McDonald's Chevrolet SS to promote the start of the in-store game that runs from July 16 - August 12. There's even more reason to be excited with two $1 million cash prizes  And one lucky customer could win $1 million instantly on the Big Mac.(Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing)(7-11-2013)

New Hampshire Tire Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series will run the same Goodyear tire codes at New Hampshire this weekend . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that teams in these two series ran at New Hampshire last year . . . this tire set-up was confirmed at a Goodyear test at New Hampshire on May 14-15 . . . drivers and teams participating in that test were Clint Bowyer in the No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota, Jeff Burton in the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Jeff Gordon in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Matt Kenseth in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and Joey Logano in the No. 22 Penske Racing Ford . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at New Hampshire.(Goodyear), see tire codes, pressures, set limits on the New Hampshire Race Info page - Goodyear section.

Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post them] and what chassis were selected by the team to run at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on the New Hampshire Race Info page - Chassis selection area.

Limited camping spaces available at Atlanta: Atlanta Motor Speedway is encouraging fans to take advantage of a very limited number of reserved camping spaces and secure their camp sites for the AdvoCare 500 weekend Aug. 30- Sept. 1. Spaces are still available in several campgrounds on Speedway property for Labor Day Weekend for RV, tent and pop-up units, including a small quantity of spots in the Speedway's infield. Fans are encouraged to act fast and reserve their camping spots now and take advantage of the opportunity to experience a weekend of NASCAR night racing on one of racing's most exciting tracks. Trackside RV spaces are also available for race weekend. These spaces, which overlook the Speedway from either turn one or the backstretch, are the only currently available spaces on track property during race weekend offering complete water, electrical and sewer hook-ups. Spaces come with ten admission tickets and pre-race pit passes for each day of racing. Reserved camping spaces outside the Speedway start as low as $100.(AMS)(7-11-2013)

No penalties after Daytona: Following a thorough review, NASCAR announced Wednesday that it will not assess penalties to the teams that had to change out the spacers that support the hinge bar of the car's roof flaps last week at Daytona International Speedway. There were 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams and 15 NASCAR Nationwide Series teams that were involved. "We examined this from every aspect we possibly could and determined that there would be no penalties involved," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "Based upon our inspection and subsequent review, it was our determination that the functionality and safety aspects of the roof flaps were not compromised and the on track competition would not be impacted. Moving forward we will work with the roof flap manufacturer and the race teams to evaluate and optimize the associated installation hardware, review the process in its totality and communicate in a timely manner to the garage area any revisions that we determine need to be made."(NASCAR)(7-10-2013)

Gordon in favor of mid-week races: NASCAR will run its first race on dirt since 1970 in two weeks at Eldora Speedway, so is it time for series officials to consider another change some might call radical? A former series champion thinks so. #24-Jeff Gordon says he's for running mid-week races. "I would love to see that,'' Gordon said. "I think when "Monday Night Football' ends, we should start "Monday Night Racing.' But that is just me. Of course I came from "Thursday Night Thunder,' and ... (it) was ridiculously successful back in the day. I am not saying we need to do it every week, but if we could find the right week in the schedule and mix it up, make it special, and make it make sense for the fans at home as well as the ones that could attend, then I think it would be awesome.'' Gordon said he would be for returning the summer Daytona race to July 4, regardless of what day that is, instead of running it the Saturday night after the holiday. Gordon said he's not received as favorable response from NASCAR. The Camping World Truck Series will run three mid-week races this season. They competed June 27 (Thursday) at Kentucky. They'll run July 24 (Wednesday) at Eldora and Aug. 21 (Wednesday) at Bristol.(Motor Racing Network)(7-10-2013)

ISC to continue cutting track seats: International Speedway Corporation already has decreased the capacity of its tracks by 17 percent from 2007-2012, cutting capacity from 1.1 million to 909,000. And it pledges more cuts. Daytona International Speedway, which once had 168,000 grandstand seats and currently seats 147,000, will seat a mere 101,000 (not including suites) by 2016. ISC, whose stock is primarily controlled by the NASCAR-owning France family, told financial analysts last week that it plans to decrease capacity at several more racetracks. Other tracks cutting capacity points to at least a 25 percent reduction from 2007. Company officials said seats without views of pit road don't deliver as good of an experience. Or seats too far from many of the midway areas or the prerace activities don't allow fans to take advantage of those amenities.
In order to create urgency and worry among ticket buyers, ISC will cut the number of seats available. They don't want fans to wait on the weather. They want fans nervous that if they don't buy early, at best they will end up disappointed with their seat, or at worst, out of luck because the race sold out. ISC's answer is to decrease the number of seats. In some ways, that is an acknowledgment that fewer people attend live sporting events overallpurchasing habits of sports fans have changed and packed grandstands at facilities that can hold 125,000 will never again exist.(Sporting News)(7-10-2013)

Waltrip participating in Goodwood Festival of Speed: Michael Waltrip is ready to spread the NASCAR message across the Atlantic Ocean as the two-time Daytona 500 champion makes his second appearance in front of 150,000 global motorsports enthusiasts at the 20th annual Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. Waltrip will drive a 2012 # 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota at the annual festival that features a hill climb by historic motor racing vehicles. The Goodwood Festival has become one of the largest and most diverse motorsports events in the world. The festival includes everything from modern concept cars to historical vehicles dating back to 1902, along with racecars from all disciplines. NASCAR stock cars, Formula 1 Grand Prix racers, Le Mans style cars and various forms of motorcycles will all make their run up the hill at Goodwood. The # 15 Waltrip will drive in England this month won three races in 2012 and finished second in the Chase for the Sprint Cup with Clint Bowyer behind the wheel.(MWR)(7-10-2013)

Ambrose to drive at Mid-Ohio: Richard Petty Motorsports announced it will enter Marcos Ambrose in the Nationwide Children's Hospital 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series event on Saturday, August 17, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The announcement was made today while Ambrose joined NASCAR officials at a visit to the Ohio State Capitol in Columbus. Ambrose will drive the #9 Stanley Ford and be a teammate to Michael Annett in the #43 Pilot Travel Centers Ford. Ambrose, who will also be competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Michigan the same weekend, will be making his 76th career NASCAR Nationwide Series start. He is a four-time winner in the series, all on road course circuits. Ambrose has also collected four poles, 16 top-10 and eight top-five finishes. This will be his first race at the Mid-Ohio track.(Richard Petty Motorsports)(7-10-2013)

Kimmel to pilot #13 in Iowa UPDATE: Frank Kimmel's ThorSport Racing team has called upon him to drive the #13 Toyota Tundra in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series American Ethanol 200 this Saturday at Iowa Speedway. And, just like Kimmel's ARCA car, the truck will be sponsored by Ansell and Menards. "It's really exciting - of course to get back in a truck - but all my guys that work on the ARCA cars will be crewing the truck at Iowa," Kimmel said.(ARCARacing.com)(7-9-2013)
UPDATE: Frank Kimmel, the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards championship leader and three-time winner this season, will make his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start in nine years, this weekend for ThorSport Racing in Saturday's American Ethanol 200 presented by Enogen at Iowa Speedway. Kimmel will drive a #13 Toyota Tundra with a primer-gray paint scheme typical to the #13 this season, highlighted with Menards' signature Day-Glo orange "swoosh" stripes with an identical Ansell / Menards sponsorship package. Kimmel has 12 career Truck Series starts, the most recent in 2004 for owner Bob Keselowski, for whom he had his career-best eighth-place finish that season, at Daytona. Kimmel is a guaranteed starter at Iowa thanks to his truck being tied for 16th in the series' owners' standings. ThorSport's #13 truck was driven in the series' first seven races by Todd Bodine and in its last race by NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title contender Brett Moffitt of Grimes, Iowa, who has a conflicting K&N race this weekend while the Trucks race at his home track. Kimmel was already scheduled to be in Iowa to coordinate the running of a 200-lap Frank Kimmel Street Stock Nationals race on Friday. (See an image on the #13 team paint scheme page)(ThorSport PR)(7-10-2013)

Wallace lands four-race sponsor: Quad Cities-based Adrian Carriers Racing announced today the signing a four-race agreement with driver Steve Wallace to compete in the Camping World Truck Series. Wallace, the 26 year-old son of NASCAR Hall of Famer, Rusty Wallace, will take the wheel of the #97 Adrian Carriers / Liz Girl Logistics Chevy for the first time this Saturday in the American Ethanol 200 at Iowa Speedway.(Rusty Wallace Inc. PR)(7-10-2013)

Changes at Green Light UPDATE 2: Veteran truck series owner Bobby Dotter has called on NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driver CJ Faison to pilot the #81 Toyota Tundra at Kentucky Speedway. This will be Faison's second ever start in the Camping World Truck Series after making his debut just weeks ago at Dover. Faison takes over this week for David Starr, who has been behind the wheel of the SS Green Light Racing #81 for the first seven races of the year, is taking a break from the seat while continuing to secure additional sponsorship for the balance of the 2013 NCWTS season. Thursday night's race will mark the 300th consecutive start for the SS Green Light Racing team, a historic streak that dates back to 2001. Former Nationwide Series driver Mark McFarland will guide the rookie driver in his second NCWTS start from atop the pit box. In 2003, McFarland drove one race for the SS Green Light Racing team finishing 12th at Richmond. McFarland currently crew chiefs for Faison during his K&N effort. Todd Peck will make his sixth career NCWTS start at Kentucky behind the wheel of the National Arthritis Foundation #07.(SS Greenlight Racing PR)(6-25-2013)
UPDATE: Jimmy Weller confirmed on his Facebook page that he would be behind the wheel of the #81 in Iowa. "We will make our first career Camping World Truck Series start in the American Ethanol 200 at Iowa Speedway on July 13. Thank you to our sponsor Grime Boss and Mr. Gaulding and Bobby Dotter for working hard to put this all together," Weller wrote. Weller, who has a background in sprint and midget cars, ran the 2012 season in the K&N Pro Series East for Dave Blaney Racing.(6-28-2013)
UPDATE 2: For the second straight race, SS Green Light Racing owner Bobby Dotter has called on a NASCAR K & N Pro Series East driver to fill the seat of the #81 Toyota Tundra. This week, in the American Ethanol 200 at the Iowa Speedway, Jimmy Weller will make his debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with support from Grime Boss Heavy Duty Hand Wipes. Weller is a second-generation driver from Ohio who has made 20 starts in the NASCAR K & N Pros Series East over the last couple seasons. Since beginning his driving career in 2002, Jimmy has run in several different divisions including modifieds and sprints on dirt and numerous late models on asphalt. The SS Green Light #07 will have another K & N Pro Series East driver making his debut in the NCWTS as Josh Reaume takes the wheel at Iowa.(SS Greenlight Racing PR)(7-10-2013)

Eldora race gets sponsor: Eldora Speedway officials and Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO of Camping World and star of CNBC Prime's "The Profit", announced today that 1-800 CarCash will serve as title sponsor of the inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race July 24 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. CarCash sells your vehicle at the highest possible price without any hassle. Immediate payment is guaranteed, and there is no obligation to purchase another vehicle. The CarCash Mudsummer Classic presented by CNBC Prime's "The Profit" will run under the lights on Wednesday, July 24, marking the return to a dirt track for a national NASCAR series for the first time in 42 years.(Eldora Speedway PR)(7-10-2013)

Boles named president at Indianapolis: Doug Boles has been named president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Boles was put in charge of the facility in a Tuesday announcement made by Hulman & Co. CEO Mark Miles. Boles has been interim chief operating officer since early this year and replaces Jeff Belskus as president of IMS. Miles made official a handful of personnel moves on Tuesday that he'd been discussing for some time. Belskus will continue as president of Hulman & Co. and add chief financial officer to his duties. Robby Greene is returning to IMS Productions after filling in as COO of IndyCar since late last year. Miles said he's still looking for a president of Hulman Motorsports Properties.(Associated Press/ESPN)(7-10-2013)

Kansas Speedway hosting BBQ contest during Grand Am race: Adding to the festive atmosphere at Kansas Speedway's inaugural GRAND-AM Road Racing events, track officials have announced a Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned state championship during the race weekend. Thirty teams will participate in the contest and most will start cooking on the afternoon of Aug. 17 in Kansas Speedway's infield. Race fans with an infield general admission ticket will have access to the contest, along with the recently announced Trapt concert. A limited number of teams will be offering samples and/or selling barbeque. A grand champion and reserved champion will be crowned, along with the top five in each category  chicken, pork ribs, pork butt and brisket.(Kansas Speedway)(7-10-2013)

Shepherd to set record for oldest driver: Brian Keselowski Motorsports will have Shepherd piloting the #52 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Camping World RV 301 on July 14, 2013. "This is truly a milestone, great opportunity and I thank all who are involved to help make this happen. My first Sprint Cup race since 2006. Will be good to be back for such a historical day. Plus I love racing at New Hampshire", said Shepherd. Shepherd will be making history by being the oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup driver ever to start a NASCAR Sprint Cup event. Shepherd is honored to carry the SupportMilitary.org on the #52 and is currently seeking additional sponsorship for this historical event.(MorganShepherd.com)
AND Morgan Shepherd is set to become the oldest driver to start a NASCAR Sprint Cup race this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The 71-year-old Shepherd is listed as the driver of the #52 Toyota owned by Bob Keselowski. There are 43 cars listed on the preliminary entry list that NASCAR released Monday. Unless there are any additions, every car will make the field for Sunday's Camping World RV Sales 301. He would surpass Jim Fitzgerald as the oldest starter in a Cup race. Fitzgerald was 65 years, 6 months, 20 days when he ran at Riverside, Calif., in June 1987. He finished 17th. Shepherd last ran a Cup race in Sept. 2006 at New Hampshire, finishing 42nd. He's run in four Nationwide races this season with a best finish of 35th at Talladega and Kentucky.(Motor Racing Network), see Oldest & Youngest records and by track on my Youngest/Oldest Race/Pole Winners page.(7-9-2013)

Top 12 Driver Rating at New Hampshire:
Tony Stewart............................ 111.7
Jeff Gordon.............................. 109.9
Jimmie Johnson....................... 105.8
Denny Hamlin........................... 104.8
Clint Bowyer............................... 97.2
Dale Earnhardt Jr....................... 96.9
Ryan Newman............................ 94.9
Kevin Harvick............................. 92.8
Kasey Kahne.............................. 91.8
Jeff Burton................................. 91.6
Kurt Busch................................. 89.6
Kyle Busch................................. 89.6
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (16 total) among active drivers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Formula combining the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.(NASCAR)

New Hampshire Facts & Stats: · Groundbreaking for New Hampshire International Speedway, as New Hampshire Motor Speedway was originally named, was Aug. 13, 1989.
· The 1.058-mile oval is located on approximately 1,200 acres; the multi-use complex is the largest sports facility in New England.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on July 11, 1993  won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace.
· Speedway Motorsports, Inc., agreed to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob and Gary Bahre on January 11, 2008 and then renamed the track New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
· There have been 36 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; one per year from 1993 through 1996 and two per year since.
· 146 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; 120 in more than one.
· Four drivers have competed in all 36 races at New Hampshire: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Joe Nemechek.
· Mark Martin won the inaugural Coors Light pole at New Hampshire in 1993 with a speed of 126.871 mph.
· 18 drivers have Coors Light poles at New Hampshire, led by Ryan Newman with six.
· Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at New Hampshire: Ken Schrader (1997 sweep); Jeff Gordon (1998-1999); Rusty Wallace (1999-2000); Ryan Newman (twice  2003-2004 and 2011 sweep); Juan Pablo Montoya (2009-2010).
· 21 different drivers have won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, led by Jeff Burton with four.
· Two drivers have posted consecutive wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2003 sweep) and Kurt Busch (2004 sweep).
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with nine; followed by Roush Fenway Racing with seven.
· Five different manufacturers have won at New Hampshire; led by Chevrolet with 18 victories; followed by Ford with 11.
· Jeff Burton is the only driver to win the July race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway three consecutive years in a row (1997, '98 and '99).
· Five of the 36 (13.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at New Hampshire have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Ryan Newman in 2011.
· The Coors Light pole is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (five) than any other starting position at New Hampshire.
· Eight of the 36 (22.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at New Hampshire have been won from the front row: eight from the pole and seven from second-place.
· 19 of the 36 (52.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at New Hampshire have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Nine of the 36 (25.0%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at New Hampshire have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at New Hampshire was 38th, by Jeff Burton in 1999.
· Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart are tied for the series lead in runner-up finishes at New Hampshire with five each.
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at New Hampshire with 16; followed by Tony Stewart with 14.
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-10 finishes at New Hampshire with 21; followed by Tony Stewart with 17.
· Ryan Newman leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at New Hampshire with an 8.045.
· Denny Hamlin leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at New Hampshire with a 7.929.
· All 15 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners at New Hampshire Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Ryan Newman and Joey Logano won at New Hampshire in their second appearance.
· Mark Martin competed at New Hampshire Motor Speedway 25 times before winning in 2009; the longest span of any the 15 active NASCAR Sprint Cup winners.
· Bobby Labonte leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at New Hampshire without visiting Victory Lane at 36.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was the July 1, 2007 race won by Denny Hamlin over Jeff Gordon with a MOV of 0.068 second.
· Only one of the NASCAR Sprint Cup races have resulted with a green-white-checkered finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2006 (300/308).
· Four of the 36 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was June 28, 2009  the race was called on Lap 273, 28 circuits shy of the 301 scheduled laps.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway four times: 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2009.
· Three NASCAR Sprint Cup active drivers have made their first career start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Jeff Burton (9/14/93), Joe Nemechek (7/11/93), and Joey Logano (9/14/08).
· Brad Keselowski (9/19/10) is the only active driver to post his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
· Four active NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers have posted their first career win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Joe Nemechek (9/19/99), Ryan Newman (9/15/02), Clint Bowyer (9/16/07) and Joey Logano (6/28/09).
· Jeff Gordon leads all active NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers in laps led at New Hampshire with 1,316 in 36 starts.
· Danica Patrick will attempt to become the first female driver to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Patrick does have one start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at NHMS; she started 18th and finished 14th (7/14/2012).(NASCAR)(7-9-2013)

Sad News - Walter Edward Bagley: Walter Edward Bagley (father of MRN's Mike Bagley) of Dover, DE passed peacefully at home Sunday July 7, 2013. He was 67. He had served in the United States Army Reserves for 6 years. Mr. Bagley had worked for Safeway Supermarkets in Delaware and Maryland for over 20 years, then owned and operated Walt's Dairy Bar and Blue Hen Catering in Dover. He also owned and operated The Latest Scoop Ice Cream Shop in Rehoboth. Mr. Bagley was also a seasonal employee for Delaware Parks and Recreation and DNREC Fish and Wildlife. He was a 32 Degree Mason and was presently serving as treasurer for Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing. Mr. Bagley held the office of President for both Kent Ecumenical Food and Crisis Fund and the Salvation Army Advisory Board.
More info about services, donations, condolences on my Sad News Page)(7-9-2013)

Corey LaJoie signed by Richard Petty Motorsports UPDATES - Ryan Truex too: Richard Petty Motorsports has signed a development deal with Corey LaJoie and plans on putting the 21-year-old in a few Nationwide races later this season and running a full series schedule next year, pending sponsorship. "It definitely takes a lot of weight off my shoulders,'' LaJoie told Motor Racing Network on Saturday morning. "We've been working so hard on a shoe-string budget. It's cool that somebody takes notice and invest in me and, hopefully, push me to the next level. I'm really excited to be a part of their family.'' LaJoie, son of two-time Nationwide champion Randy LaJoie, has run a limited schedule with his family's operation this season. He'd run only two NASCAR K&N Pro Series races this season before getting a chance to race in Saturday night's K&N Pro Series East race at Bowman-Gray Stadium and defend last year's win. LaJoie said he plans to run a few ARCA races later this year and will receive engines, technical support and a pit crew from RPM. His first ARCA race likely will be next month at Chicagoland Speedway.(Motor Racing Network)(6-1-2013)
UPDATE: Richard Petty Motorsports confirmed Sunday it has signed Ryan Truex to a development deal, the second young driver to join the organization this week. Truex joins Corey LaJoie, who also signed a development deal. Sponsorship will determine their programs, Sammy Johns, RPM's competition director, told Motor Racing Network. The 21-year-old Truex has run 35 Nationwide races the past three seasons for a variety of teams, including Michael Waltrip Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing. He had two top-five finishes and nine top 10s. He's run three Camping World Truck Series races, including Daytona this season. He placed 28th in that race, his only start in any of NASCAR's national series this season. Truex, the brother of Martin Truex Jr., was scheduled to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut at Richmond but had to miss that after breaking his collarbone in two places on Easter. Ryan Truex had hinted in recent days on Twitter that he'd been hired. He tweeted Saturday that "I will say that my future is finally clear and secure.'' The changes are part of the growth Richard Petty Motorsports is seeking to make. "I think we're changing as a company,'' Johns said. "There have been a couple of years where we were just trying to keep the doors open. We've got a lot better footing on that. Our Cup programs are starting to run better and we're starting to look like we can possibly be Chase contenders."(Motor Racing Network)(6-2-2013)
UPDATE 2: Ryan Truex, says on Twitter, that Richard Petty Motorsports is looking for sponsorship to run him at Bristol in August.(7-9-2013)

Brett Butler making Nationwide debut: It has been a long three years away from racing for Brett Butler but that all ends this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Brett returns to NASCAR competition behind the wheel of the #24 Toyota as he makes his Nationwide Series debut for the SR2 Motorsports team. The Georgia native will be supported by fellow Georgia companies - 5 Star Lodge and Stables and Taylor Brooks Salons. Butler will be making his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut and his debut at the 1-mile flat oval of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The start on Saturday will be his 20th career start in the NASCAR ranks as he has 19 career starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with the last coming back in the 2010 season.(Integrity Sports Marketing)(7-9-2013)

Ryan Preece to make NNS debut at New Hampshire UPDATE: Multiple sources have confirmed to RaceDayCT that NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver Ryan Preece will attempt to make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut in the New England 200 on July 13 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Preece is expected to race a car owned by Tommy Baldwin Racing. Preece, reached Monday evening, said that he could not confirm or deny that he would be on the entry list for the event at NHMS. Reached Monday, Baldwin would only say that he has had some talks with Preece about the possibility of doing something together. A formal announcement is expected Tuesday. The 22-year old Preece, who was one of 13 drivers announced last Friday to be part of the 2013 NASCAR Next program.(RaceDayCT)(6-11-2013)
UPDATE: Tommy Baldwin Racing welcomes NASCAR Next driver Ryan Preece as he prepares to make his stock car debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Ryan Preece, a Connecticut native, has finished as the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Championship runner-up twice. In addition, he has an impressive 12 pole awards and five wins. Currently, he is tied for the points lead in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and is leading the points at Stafford Speedway. East West Marine will proudly be represented on the #8 Chevy with Tommy Baldwin Racing.(Tommy Baldwin Racing PR)(6-11-2013)
UPDATE 2: TeamSLR & Tommy Baldwin Racing will field a car for Ryan Preece this weekend in Saturday's CNBC Prime's The Profit 200 at New Hampshire Motorspeedway. Ryan will be driving the #8 East West Marine Chevy with Crew Chief Zach McGowan calling the shots.TeamSLR continues to develop its program in partnership with TBR as the Team prepares for more races in the coming months.(Team SLR)(7-9-2013)

McDonalds on the #32: For the first time this season, Kyle Larson's #32 Camaro will sport the McDonald's golden arches. McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with more than 34,000 locations serving more than 69 million customers in 119 countries each day. More than 80% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women.(Turner Scott Motorsports)(7-9-2013)

Two Dollar General cars at New Hampshire: Dollar General will have not one, but two yellow and black Toyota Camrys vying for the win in Saturday's 200-lap NASCAR Nationwide Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Nationwide Series championship contender Brian Vickers will be piloting his familiar #20 Dollar General Toyota while Matt Kenseth will be behind the wheel of the #18 Dollar General-sponsored Camry. Kenseth will also be driving for Dollar General in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series event at New Hampshire.(Joe Gibbs Racing)(7-9-2013)

Hackenbracht making debut with TriStar: Chad Hackenbracht is boiling over with anticipation and excitement, as he approaches his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut this weekend in the CNBC Prime' s The Profit 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Hackenbracht, who was supposed to make his debut last month at Iowa Speedway but instead made his first Camping World Truck Series start in Texas, is geared up and ready for his debut in the Granite State. Hackenbracht's family owned company, Tastee Apple, Inc., will be on the hood of the #44 Toyota Camry and veteran Crew Chief Greg Conner will be calling the shots. Hackenbracht previously competed in the ARCA Racing Series for three seasons and showed a lot of success with a win at Pocono Raceway in 2012 and eight top-five and 22 top-10 finishes in 47 career starts.(TriStar Motorsports)(7-9-2013)

Oath Keepers returns to the #79: Jeffrey Earnhardt is headed to New Hampshire Motor Speedway to drive the #79 Oath Keepers Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Nationwide Series CNBC Prime the Profit 200 this Saturday, July 13th. New Hampshire is considered Go Green Racing's home track because of the teams New England origin. "I'm excited to race for Archie's team in their backyard and having Oath Keepers Live Free or Die on the car is as New Hampshire as you can get" said Jeffrey. "Oath Keepers is a patriotic organization of Americans in law enforcement, military and first responders and they spread their message through grassroots fundraising so it's very personal and I sincerely appreciate that they chose us to be their race team."(Earnhardt PR)(7-9-2013)

Kligerman racing for a cause at New Hampshire: #77-Parker Kligerman will be racing for a worthy cause at the upcoming NASCAR Nationwide Series CNBC Prime's "The Profit" 200 taking place at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 13. Kligerman's sponsor, North American Power, will donate $1,000 for every lap lead - up to ten laps - to the Speedway Children's Charities with the funding directed toward CHaD, Children's Hospital at Dartmouth and David's House. This Friday, July 12, Speedway Children's Charities have selected a special family to participate in "Hot Laps," at NHMS, where Parker will take them around the track in the "Pace Car," and give them a taste of what it's like to be a real NASCAR driver. "We are thrilled to be able to provide this "Once in a Lifetime" experience to a family. We hope to put big smiles on their faces and help them forget about their day-to-day struggles," said Cheryl LaPrade of Speedway Children's Charities.(Kyle Busch Motorsports)(7-9-2013)

Kimmel to pilot #13 in Iowa: Frank Kimmel's ThorSport Racing team has called upon him to drive the #13 Toyota Tundra in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series American Ethanol 200 this Saturday at Iowa Speedway. And, just like Kimmel's ARCA car, the truck will be sponsored by Ansell and Menards. "It's really exciting - of course to get back in a truck - but all my guys that work on the ARCA cars will be crewing the truck at Iowa," Kimmel said.(ARCARacing.com)(7-9-2013)

Harper Brush on the 19 in Iowa: Harper Brush, a Cequent Consumer Products brand, will serve as the primary sponsor of the #19 BKR entry this week for the first and only time of the 2013 NCWTS season. Harper Brush has been making brushes and brooms in America since 1900. Based in the heart of America, Harper's Fairfield facility in Iowa uses quality components to build products that stand the test of time, just like the Harper brand.(Brad Keselowski Racing PR)(7-9-2013)

NHMS First Responder Tickets Donated by Hendrick Motorsports in Honor of Sean Collier: Hendrick Motorsports has made a $5,000 donation to assist New Hampshire Motor Speedway in hosting first responders and their families during the track's July 11-14 NASCAR weekend. The donation was made in memory of Sean Collier, the MIT police officer who was killed April 18 during the Boston Marathon bombing. Collier's brother, Andrew, is a machinist in the Hendrick Motorsports engine department. The North Carolina-based race team fields the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars driven by Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne, and each of the four cars will carry a special decal in memory of Sean Collier during the July 14 Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "The Collier family and everyone affected by what happened in Boston continue to be in our thoughts," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "Track partners like New Hampshire not only put on great events for our fans, but they're also terrific corporate citizens. What they're doing to recognize and remember our first responders will make for a very special weekend."
"It means a lot for New Hampshire Motor Speedway to honor first responders," said Andrew Collier "They're on the front lines of our communities, and it's extremely important to remind them how much they're appreciated. My family continues to be blown away by how truly amazing the NASCAR community is. This is another example of that."
Andrew Collier has started a petition to designate a federal holiday in honor of first responders. People can sign the petition at www.change.org/firstresponders. In addition to the donation from Hendrick Motorsports, several corporations have stepped up to assist in bringing first responders to the NASCAR races at NHMS. The list includes Rexel, STIHL, United Site Services, Nokian Tyres, Ruger Firearms, Petroleum Equipment, Hampshire First/NBT Bank, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Whelen and F.W. Webb. "So far, we have delivered 2,250 tickets to first responders and the program will run right up to race weekend," said Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "We are proud of the response from our corporate partners and we greatly appreciate the support of Rick Hendrick and his organization." NHMS has also created a special T-shirt featuring the "Boston Strong" motto. The shirts will be on sale throughout the Camping World RV Sales 301 weekend with part of the proceeds going to the One Fund, supporting survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing. Good seats are still available for all weekend events, including the July 13 CNBC Prime's "The Profit" 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the July 14 Camping World RV Sales 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Tickets may be purchased by calling the New Hampshire Motor Speedway ticket hotline at (603) 783-4931 or online at www.nhms.com.(NHMS)(7-9-2013)

Entry List for the Camping World RV 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is posted, 43 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #52-Morgan Shepherd, #51-Allmendinger, #47-Bobby Labonte, #19-Bliss & #32-Schrader. Since only 43 drivers are entered, all will make the race.
See the full entry list at my Jayski's New Hampshire Entry List & Rules page

Overnight Daytona TV Ratings: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 race from Daytona International Speedway averaged a 3.2/7 on Saturday night for the Daytona 400. That's up +3% over last year's 3.1/6 for the same event and ranks as the highest-rated event of the weekend on both broadcast and cable. See past races for 2013 and 5-year comparison chart on the 2013 NASCAR TV Ratings page.(7-8-2013)

Daytona Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2013 Coke Zero 400: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Saturday's race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at 7:30 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 10:39 PM (all times are EST). Did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage. TNT was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 95
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 55
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 94
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 55
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 1
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 1
Number of times TNT utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 1
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 21
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 3 min. 5 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 7:30 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 10:39 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 189
Minutes of race broadcast: 143
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 46
Minutes of 'Side-by-Side' commercials (split-screen): 1
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 0
Total race brdcst time 143 Total comm. brdcst time 46
See past races and links to full report at 2013 TV Commercials page.(7-8-2013)

Blue scheme for Gordon at Michigan in August: Jeff Gordon is scheduled to run a blue and white #24 Standox Chevy for Michigan Speedway on August 18. Standox is a leading manufacturer of automotive refinishing paints with its headquarters in Wuppertal, Germany, the company offers innovative and environmentally compatible product systems in over 80 countries. Standox is part of Axalta Coating Systems, which is the new name of DuPont Performance Coatings which was acquired by The Carlyle Group on February 1, 2013. See an image of the scheme on the #24 Team Schemes page.(7-8-2013)

Late caution sends debris behind pit wall injury a crew member: Saturday night was the usual when it comes to a Daytona finish. Drivers going 3 wide all the way thru the finish, and when that happens you can count on wrecking. Well, it didn't disappoint. As the cars were coming thru the tri oval and taking the checkers, there was a big spin that left multiple cars slamming into the wall and some even made their way down towards the front of pit road. What happened next was scary and dangerous. As the cars were spinning on the track, a few cars made there way down towards the front of pit road. The first three pit boxes were the 18, 22, and 13. As the cars were spinning, debris was flying all over the place. Front Tire Changer Jay Hackney of the #22 car was standing in front of their box watching the final lap. "I was up at the front where I usually stand to watch a race and I remember the cars wrecking right in front of us. About that time, me and a few other guys see this piece of debris come flying at our box." By the time the guys could turn their heads and take cover, it was to late. A piece of debris from one of the cars had broke lose and came flying at the #22 box like a bullet. The debris hit the box, then bounced off and caught Jay in the wrist. Rear Tire Carrier Trent Cherry was standing on the back part of the box. "I remember seeing a blur coming flying by and hearing it hit the box. The next thing I know I was looking at our Jack Man, who was right beside me, then looked farther down the wall and saw Jay holding his wrist." After everything calmed down Jay was able to check his wrist and make sure he was OK. The scary part was what could of happened. "This is one of those accidents where you think what if. If that piece of debris hits one of our guys in the chest or head, it wasn't going to be good. We got lucky tonight."(Pit Talks)(7-8-2013)

Target Racing Program Reaches 100 Wins in Pocono: The Target Racing Program, which began with Target and Chip Ganassi Racing in 1990, reached the 100-win mark today in Pocono with Scott Dixon's win at Pocono Raceway. The first win for the program came in 1994 with Michael Andretti's Indy car victory at Surfers Paradise, Australia when the team was just a two-car open wheel program. Ninety nine wins later, the program's umbrella includes involvement in not only in the IZOD IndyCar Series, but in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. The partnership between Target and Chip Ganassi Racing is one of the longest consecutive team partnerships in motor racing history.
90 wins came in Target-sponsored Indy cars; 5 wins came in Target-sponsored sports cars (Daytona Prototype category); 5 wins in Target-sponsored stock cars; Juan Pablo Montoya first took Target to a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory lane in 2010 [his other win came in a car sponsored by Texaco]. Casey Mears (3  2003) and Reed Sorenson (1  2004) led Target-sponsored ARCA cars to victory. Montoya is the only driver in the program to score wins in Indy cars, sports cars and stock cars. Said Chip Ganassi: "As one of the longest consecutive team partnerships in motor racing history, we're thrilled to celebrate this 100th win with Target. We're looking forward to the next 100 wins."(EGR)(7-8-2013)

Entry List:There are 43 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's CNBC Prime's The Profit 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. A few notes:
Kasey Kahne returns to the #5;
Ryan Preece will attempt to make his NNS debut in the #8;
Carl Long is entered in the Rick Ware #15;
Matt Kenseth returns to the JCR #18;
Stanton Barrett is entered in the #23;
Chad Hackenbracht will make his first start in the TriStar #44;
The #74 is TBA.(7-8-2013)
See the complete list on the New Hampshire entry list page.

Entry list: There are 35 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's American Ethanol 200 at Iowa Speedway. Some notes include:
Todd Bodine is back in the #13;
Erik Jones returns to the #51;
The #81 and #84 are TBD - Jimmy Weller is expected in the 81;
Chase Elliott is in the #94;
Steve Wallace is in the #97; (7-8-2013)
See the complete list on the Iowa Speedway entry list page

NHMS to honor first responders: In honor of the survivors of the Boston Marathon and in honor of the many first responders who risk their lives each and every day in their own communities, New Hampshire Motor Speedway VP and GM Jerry Gappens made a few special announcements about the upcoming race weekend, July 11-14. "We have reached out to some of our corporate partners and they are contributing money to allow us to host thousands of first responders and their families at the races," says Gappens. "So far, we have delivered 2,000 tickets and the program will run right up to race weekend. We are using the platform of the largest sporting event to get this message out; to say thanks to the first responders."
In addition, NHMS has created a special tee-shirt which will be on sale all weekend long, to raise funds for the survivors of the Boston Marathon. Emblazoned with the "Boston Strong" motto, the speedway expects to sell out of the shirts. "We will use the venue, and the 100,000 people who will visit, to be a platform for the survivors," explains Gappens. "Race fans love tee-shirts, and they love a purpose. We expect these shirts will sell in big numbers. And in addition, our chapter of Speedway Children's Charities will take steps to help the young people who have been affected by these recent tragic events."
"Our champion first responders always go the extra mile without giving a second thought to what might happen to them," explained Gappens. "Our race this summer is the 301, going the extra mile in honor of our heroes."(NHMS)(7-8-2013)

Jeff Gordon heads to Pocono to take in Indy Car race: #24-Jeff Gordon couldn't resist seeing Indy cars race at Pocono Raceway, which is why he made a stop at the track today on his way home from Daytona International Speedway, where NASCAR raced Saturday night. Gordon lives in New York City. "I can't even imagine coming down that long straightaway and bouncing into Turn 1," he said before today's Pocono 400. "Two hundred and 20 miles per hour around this place, that's why I'm here. I can't fathom that kind of speed." Marco Andretti's pole speed (221.273 mph) was more than 41 mph faster than Joey Logano's stock car track record set last year. Gordon couldn't remember the last IndyCar race he attended, but he figured it was before he reached the Cup Series in 1992. Gordon came to the track with his son, Leo, who will be 3 next month. Gordon said his wife, Ingrid, saw a television ad for the IndyCar race and encouraged him to witness it. So he worked out travel arrangements.(Indianapolis Star)(7-7-2013)

Football at Daytona International Speedway? Is NASCAR's most famous race track ready for some football? Or basketball? Or even hockey? Daytona International Speedway president Joie Chitwood III thinks it will be after a $400 million renovation, and he is more than a little bit interested in making it happen. "We're spending $400 million improving our facility," Chitwood told Yahoo! Sports Saturday. "Why wouldn't we? We can look at soccer, football, music," he said. "We can do anything. The opportunities are limitless." The idea of football at the place made famous by the Daytona 500 seems far-fetched, with the emphasis on far: The Speedway is so mammoth  it seats more than 100,000 in the frontstrech  that it's tough to imagine being able to making out the numbers on the backs of players' uniforms from the sweeping grandstand. Yet Chitwood points out that when it holds Supercross events, fans are seated on the track here. So once the renovation is complete and the place is more intimate, he says, "the door is wide open."(Yahoo Sports)(7-7-2013)

Johnson wins Daytona: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway for his 4th win of 2013 and 64th career win.
#48-Johnson led the most laps with 94 of 161 laps. Pole sitter #18-Busch got in a late wreck and finished 12th, leading 30 laps
#14-Stewart finished 2nd followed by #29-Harvick, #15-Bowyer, #55-Waltrip, #78-Busch, #1-McMurray, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #13-Mears and #39-Newman.
There were 18 lead changes among 11 drivers and 6 cautions for 27 yellow flag laps and an 8.53 red flag to clean up the track after a wreck late in the race.
The average speed was 154.313. NASCAR no longer announces the track attendance.
See race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Unofficial Daytona Race Results page (pdf) and check out the Daytona Penalty Report (pdf).(7-6-2013)

2013 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:
[after Daytona, race 18 of 36]
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson [4 wins], 658
2) #15-Clint Bowyer, 609, -49
3) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 588, -70
4) #29-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 585, -73
5) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 548, -110
6) #20-Matt Kenseth [4 wins], 540, -118
7) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 533, -125
8) #16-Greg Biffle [1 win], 516, -142
9) #78-Kurt Busch, 501, -157
10) #14-Tony Stewart, 499, -159
Wild Cards:
WC1) #56-Martin Truex Jr. [1 win], 11th in points (-6 out of 10th)
WC2) #5-Kasey Kahne [1 win], 12th in points (-9)
2012 Chase drivers out of top 12
#2-Brad Keselowski, (the 2012 champ), 13th
#24-Jeff Gordon, 14th in points
#11-Denny Hamlin, 26th [missed 4 races with injury], -122 out of 20th
(ties broken by 1sts, 2nds, 3rd, etc)
See drivers championship points standings on the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings (pdf) and the owner points standings on the Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).

Won Daytona 500 & July Daytona race in the same year:
1962: Fireball Roberts
1968: Cale Yarborough
1969: LeeRoy Yarbrough
1982: Bobby Allison
2013: Jimmie Johnson

Race Fast Facts - Daytona:
#48-Jimmie Johnson won the 55th Annual Coke Zero 400 , his 64th victory in 417 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his fourth victory and 12th top-10 finish in 2013.
This is his third victory and 11th top-10 finish in 24 races at Daytona International Speedway.
#14-Tony Stewart (second) posted his 14th top-10 finish in 30 races at Daytona International Speedway. It is his sixth top-10 finish in 2013.
#29-Kevin Harvick (third) posted his 11th top-10 finish in 25 races at Daytona International Speedway.
#17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (11th) was the highest finishing rookie.
#48-Jimmie Johnson leads the point standings by 49 points over #15-Clint Bowyer.
Jimmie Johnson becomes the first driver since NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison in 1982 to sweep the Daytona 500 and the Coke Zero 400 in the same season.(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(7-6-2013)

Economaki Named Third Squier-Hall Award Recipient: Known for more than 50 years as the "Dean of American Motorsports," the late journalist and broadcaster Chris Economaki has been named the third recipient of the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. Economaki will be honored during NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony festivities on Jan. 29, 2014 and featured in an exhibit in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
Economaki, who died last year at age 91, was the editor, publisher and columnist for National Speed Sport News for more than 60 years, a weekly racing publication he began selling at race tracks at the age of 14. He began his television broadcast career with ABC in 1961 and with CBS Sports helped make the Daytona 500 one of racing's marquee events.
Economaki was among eight nominees voted upon by a panel comprised of NASCAR and NASCAR Hall of Fame executives, journalists, public relations representatives and former drivers. The Squier-Hall Award was created in 2012 to honor the contributions of media to the success of the sport. Legendary broadcasters Ken Squier and Barney Hall, for whom the award is named, were its initial recipients.
"Chris Economaki dedicated his life to covering motorsports, and his exceptional talent for storytelling brought NASCAR to millions of readers and viewers for more than 60 years," said Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO. "Though we all miss seeing him at the race track every week, we're proud that Chris' legacy will continue to live through this well-deserved award."
The son of a Greek immigrant who was born in Brooklyn but spent most of his life in Connecticut, Economaki participated in the growth of automobile racing from its pre-World War II small-town and county fair circuits. He worked at the sport's grassroots, alongside many historic promoters  including NASCAR founder Bill France  and went on to cover most of the 20th and 21st centuries' greatest figures.
Economaki's National Speed Sport News "three-dot" column was a weekly must-read throughout the motorsports industry. He eschewed technology for decades, hammering out his copy on an old, manual typewriter while others in the media centers tapped on computer keyboards. Few, however, matched Economaki's insights  or his many reliable sources.
He appeared in several racing-themed motion pictures and was part of the CBS broadcast team that won a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Special (the 1987 Daytona 500). He was awarded the 1990 NASCAR Award of Excellence and NASCAR Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998. Economaki is a member of several halls of fame including the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) Hall of Honor, Eastern Motorsports Press Association (EMPA) Hall of Fame and the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Hall of Fame.(NASCAR)(7-6-2013)

added all 43 schemes that are running the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona race: #1 Cessna American Salute, #2 Miller Lite - NASCAR Unites, #5 Henrcikcars.com, #7 Florida Lottery, #9 Stanley, #10 GoDaddy.US, #11 FedEx Ground, #13 GEICO, #14 Bass Pro Shops / Ducks Unlimited, #15 Peak Blue DEF, #16 3M Statue of Liberty, #17 Fifth Third, #18 Interstate All Battery Center, #20 Husky Tools, #21 Motorcraft / Quick Lane, #22 Shell-Pennzoil, #24 Axalta Coasting, #27 Rheen / Menards, #29 Budweiser Folds of Honor, #30 Lean1, #31 Kwitset, #32 C&J Energy, #33 LittleJoesAutos.com, #34 Peanut Patch, #35 MDS Transport, #36 Golden Corral Patriotic, #38 Long John Silver's, #39 Outback Steakhouse, #42 Target, #43 U.S. Air Force, #47 Scotts Product, #48 Lowe's Dover White, #51 Retro, #55 Aaron's, #56 NAPA Batteries, #78 Furniture Row / Beautyrest, #83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper, #87 Royal Teak Collection, #88 National Guard, #93 Burger King / Dr. Pepper, #95 Leavine Family Racing, #98 Phil Parsons Racing, and #99 Subway Aahvacado

#18 Crew Chief says illegal roof flaps offer no advantage: A crew chief for one of the 31 cars cited Thursday by NASCAR for illegal roof flaps said the modification has "no advantage" at Daytona International Speedway. "There are no gains being made on superspeedways," Dave Rogers, crew chief for #18-Kyle Busch, said Friday on The Morning Drive SiriusXM program. "The advantage is 3 ounces of weight you saved up high in your roof." Busch's #18 Toyota was one of 16 Sprint Cup cars that were delayed from starting practice until changing the spacers, which NASCAR said weren't compliant with the rulebook. Spokesman Kerry Tharp said the spacers support the hinge bar on the roof flaps, which deploy during a spin to help keep a car from going airborne.(USA Today)(7-6-2013)

Statue of Liberty scheme for Biffle: The #16 3M Ford of Greg Biffle has a special patriotic look for the holiday weekend. The Statue of Liberty is featured on both sides of the car and the overall theme of the car is red, white and blue.(RFR), see images of the car on the #16 Team Schemes page.(7-6-2013)

Rheem colors for Menard at Daytona: The #27 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet SS of Paul Menar will sport a different look this weekend carrying a special paint scheme combination of Rheem red and black, in addition to Menards yellow (RCR). See an image of the car on the #27 Team Schemes page.(7-6-2013)

Ground Broken on Daytona International Speedway redevelopment project: #16-Greg Biffle and #21-Trevor Bayne have each recorded major career milestones at Daytona International Speedway, but today they achieved a racing distinction that will never again be matched. The team of Biffle, who won the Coke Zero 400 here in 2003, and Bayne, who became the youngest-ever winner of the DAYTONA 500 in 2011, captured the firstand onlyDAYTONA Rising 500, a competition featuring massive construction equipment in place of stock cars that bestowed upon the winners the honor of being the first to officially break ground on the DAYTONA Rising project, a historic, multi-year redevelopment of the nearly mile-long, 54-year-old frontstretch at the "World Center of Racing."
The DAYTONA Rising 500the 500, in this case, signifying the approximate size of the race course (500 feet)pitted pairings of current and former NASCAR drivers, as well as crew chief Larry McReynolds, in a test of competitive driving skills by guiding branded, 20-ton Cat 950K Wheel Loaders through a series of obstacles and construction-site skill tests. In addition to Biffle and Bayne, the teams included drivers #31-Jeff Burton and #39-Ryan Newman, as well as McReynolds and NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip.
The winners of the DAYTONA Rising 500 earned the honor of breaking ground on the Speedway's unprecedented redevelopment project, which will officially begin on Monday, July 8 following this weekend's Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola and is expected to be completed for January 2016, in time for the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 58th DAYTONA 500.
"An historic project like DAYTONA Rising, which will reimagine an iconic American venue like Daytona International Speedway, demands a groundbreaking like no other," said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "In keeping with the Speedway's tradition, we wanted to find an innovative way to honor history and create memorable moments for our fans, which is ultimately what the DAYTONA Rising project is all about. We can't wait to get started."
The DAYTONA Rising project, which was officially approved by International Speedway Corporation on June 18, is designed to enhance the overall experience for the Speedway's fans, marketing partners and the motorsports industry by creating a world-class facility with premium amenities. The vision for the frontstretch redevelopment places an emphasis on enhancing the complete fan experience, beginning with five expanded and redesigned fan entrances, or injectors, along International Speedway Boulevard. Each injector will lead directly to a series of escalators and elevators that will transport fans to any of three different concourse levels, each featuring spacious and strategically-placed social "neighborhoods" along the nearly mile-long frontstretch.
A total of 11 neighborhoods, each measuring the size of a football field, will enable fans to meet and socialize during events without ever missing any on-track action, thanks to an open-sightline design throughout each concourse and dozens of added video screens in every neighborhood. The central neighborhood, dubbed the "World Center of Racing," will celebrate the history of Daytona International Speedway and its many unforgettable moments throughout more than 50 years of racing.
Every seat in the Speedway frontstretch will be replaced with wider and more comfortable seating, with more restrooms and concession stands throughout the facility. At the conclusion of the redevelopment, Daytona International Speedway will be comprised of approximately 101,000 permanent seats with the potential to increase permanent seating to 125,000. For more information, please visit www.DaytonaRising.com and redevelopdaytona.com.(DIS)(7-6-2013)

Kyle Busch wins Daytona pole: #18-Kyle Busch won the pole for the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway with speed of 193.723mph for his 3rd pole of 2013, 1st at Daytona [and on a resrtictor plate track] and 13th of his career. Busch has won three times from the pole out of 13 tries.
#20-Kenseth starts on the outside pole, followed by #15-Bowyer, #5-Kahne, #56-Truex Jr., #27-Menard, #55-Waltrip, #48-Johnson, #17-Stenhouse Jr. and #16-Biffle. No drivers missed the race as there were 43 entries for 43 starting spots.
See the starting lineup, qualifying results & order, pole progression on the Daytona Starting Lineup & Qualifying Page.(7-5-2013)

Qualifying Fast Facts - Daytona:
#18-Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 55th Annual Coke Zero 400 with a lap of 46.458 seconds, 193.723 mph.
This is his 13th pole in 311 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his third pole and 15th top-10 start in 2013.
This is his first pole in 18 races at Daytona International Speedway.
#20-Matt Kenseth (second) posted his 13th top-10 start of 2013 and his ninth in 28 races at Daytona International Speedway.
#15-Clint Bowyer (third) posted his fifth top-10 start at Daytona International Speedway. It is his eighth in 18 races this season.
#17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (ninth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.(NASCAR Statistics)(7-5-2013)

Earnhardt Jr. talks about the #3 possibly returning to Sprint Cup in 2014: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.met with media at Daytona and discussed the #3 car, the Team Chevy transcript in part:
Q) ALL THINGS SEEM TO INDICATE THAT THE NO. 3 CAR WILL RETURN IN CUP NEXT YEAR. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE SEEN IT RUN IN OTHER SERIES. WHAT WILL IT MEAN TO SEE IT IN CUP NEXT YEAR AT THIS TRACK?
Earnhardt Jr.: "I think it will be great. It was an iconic number for my father and it means a lot to a lot of his fans. This sport doesn't really retire numbers and all the numbers have history tied to them for several different reasons. The #3 is no different. I think that for Austin (Dillon) a kid like Austin in this regard any kid that wants to come up through the ranks and he drove the #3 in dirt racing and he drove the #3 in his Truck series and Nationwide series. He has earned the right to run that number as long as he wants. It could have been anybody, but it's Austin. It could have been any kid coming up through the ranks that had ran that number and that's his number. Maybe he's not even an Earnhardt fan maybe that is just his number. He wants to run it I think it's not really fair to deny somebody that opportunity. I'm okay with it. I know that might not be the way a lot of people feel or some people feel, but I'm sure it's the minority that feels that way. I think that a lot of people will be telling Austin positive things about it."(Team Chevy)(7-5-2013)

Daytona Facts and Notes - Friday...poles:
· Fireball Roberts won the inaugural Coors Light pole for the July race at Daytona in 1959 with a speed of 144.997 mph.
· 36 drivers have Coors Light poles at Daytona for the July event, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough with eight. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in poles, with three.
· Three drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles for the July race at Daytona: Cale Yarborough (1970-'71; 1980-'81, 1983-'84), Sterling Marlin (1991-'92) and Dale Earnhardt (1994-'95).
· Eight of the 54 (14.8%) July NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Daytona have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Kevin Harvick in 2010.
· The Coors Light pole is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (eight) than any other starting position in the July race at Daytona International Speedway.
· 15 of the 54 (27.7%) July NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Daytona have been won from the front row: eight from the pole and seven from second-place.
· 40 of the 54 (48.1%) July NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Daytona have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Four of the 54 (7.4%) July NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Daytona have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· Qualifying for the July race has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway three times: 2007, 2009, and 2010.
· Five active drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Daytona International Speedway: Greg Biffle (2/15/04), Kevin Harvick (7/6/02), Jimmie Johnson (2/17/02), Paul Menard (7/5/08) and Danica Patrick (2/24/13).
(NASCAR)(7-5-2013)

New PEAK look for Bowyer at Daytona: The #15 MIchael Waltrip Racing Toyota of Clint Bowyer will carry a PEAK's BlueDEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid paint scheme Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway. PEAK's BlueDEF brand is making its first appearance on the #15 in 2013. PEAK appeared on the #15 at Talladega and will so in two more races in 2013.(MWR)(7-5-2013)

Hendrickcars.com returns to the #5 at Daytona: Hendrickcars.com returns as a primary partner for Kasey Kahne and the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS this weekend at Daytona. Hendrickcars.com offers more than 25,000 new and pre-owned vehicles, including trucks, SUVs, commercial vehicles and motorcycles. Hendrickcars.com also features classic cars, available for purchase, from Rick Hendrick's personal collection.(HMS), see images of the car on the #5 Team Schemes page.(7-5-2013)

Peanut Patch on the the #34 at Daytona: #34-David Ragan will go to Daytona International Speedway this week with a standout partner and a car that knows how to find Victory Lane. The bright yellow and green colors of Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts return to the #34 Ford this weekend in NASCAR's first race at a restrictor plate track since Ragan's dramatic win at Talladega Superspeedway on May 5. Retail partner Winn Dixie will join Peanut Patch on the car for Saturday night's Coke Zero 400. Ragan's #34 Ford Fusion for the 400-mile race will be the same car that surged to the front on the final lap of the Talladega race to capture Front Row Motorsports' first win in team history (Front Row Motorsports), see images of the car on the #34 Team Schemes page.(7-5-2013)

Kenseth wins at Daytona: #18-Matt Kenseth won the Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway. #34-James Buescher finished second followed by #11-Elliott Sadler, #1-Kur t Busch, #3-Austin Dillon, #32-Kyle Larson, #12-Sam Hornish, Jr., #7-Regan Smith, #22-Joey Logano, and #6-Trevor Bayne. There were four cautions for 16 laps, one red flag period in the closing laps after a multi-car wreck, and 31 lead changes among 14 leaders. Complete results are on the Daytona race results page (pdf).(7-5-2013)

Daytona Race Fast Facts:
Matt Kenseth(i) won the 12th Annual Subway Firecracker 250, his 27th victory in 255 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his first victory and sixth top-10 finish in 2013. This is his second victory and 10th top-10 finish in 13 races at Daytona International Speedway.
James Buescher(i) (second) posted his third top-10 finish in four races at Daytona International Speedway. It is his first top-10 finish in 2013.
Elliott Sadler (third) posted his fourth top-10 finish in nine races at Daytona International Speedway. Kyle Larson (sixth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Regan Smith leads the point standings by 6 points over Sam Hornish Jr.(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(7-5-2013)

Driver standings following Daytona:
1) #7-Regan Smith 558
2) #12-Sam Hornish Jr. 552, -6
3) #11-Elliott Sadler 544, -14
4) #31-Justin Allgaier 543, -15
5) #3-Austin Dillon 541, -17
6) #32-Kyle Larson # 516, -42
7) #20-Brian Vickers 505, -53
8) #77-Parker Kligerman 501, -57
9) #2-Brian Scott 494, -64
10) #6-Trevor Bayne 488, -70
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(7-5-2013)

Owner Standings following Daytona are posted (pdf).(7-5-2013)

Lucky Dogs - Who got a lap back on each caution at Daytona: (and their finish)
Caution 1: #77-Kligerman, 18th
Caution 2: #14-McClure, 24th
Caution 3: #23-Richardson, 32nd
Caution 4: #85-Gerhart, 29th
(7-5-2013)

Austin Dillon on pole at Daytona: #3-Austin Dillon won the Coors Light Pole for the Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway with a speed of 178.934 mph. #60-Travis Pastrana will start second. The rest of the top 10: #33-Ty Dillon, #2-Brian Scott, #12-Sam Hornish, Jr., #31-Justin Allgaier, #1-Kurt Busch, #6-Trevor Bayne, #11-Elliott Sadler, and #5-Brad Sweet . Did Not Qualify: Jeff Green and Blake Koch. Green withdrew, giving Dexter Stacy a starting spot. The starting lineup is posted on the Daytona starting lineup page (pdf).(7-5-2013)

Daytona Qualifying Notes:
Austin Dillon won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 12th Annual Subway Firecracker 250 with a lap of 50.298 seconds, 178.934 mph.
This is his ninth pole in 60 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his sixth pole and 14th top-10 start in 2013.
This is his first pole in four races at Daytona International Speedway.
Travis Pastrana (second) posted his fifth top-10 start of 2013 and his second in two races at Daytona International Speedway.
Ty Dillon(i) (third) posted his first top-10 start at Daytona International Speedway. It is his third in five races this season.
Alex Bowman (12th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
Austin Dillon has won the Coors Light pole in six of the last seven NASCAR Nationwide Series events: Charlotte, Dover, Iowa, Michigan, Kentucky and Daytona. (NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(7-5-2013)

Hertz unveils new car: The Hertz Corporation, the world's largest general use airport car rental brand, and Penske Racing, today introduced the special edition "Hertz Penske GT." The Penske-inspired Ford Mustang GT, with a 5.0 liter V8 engine, joins other American muscle cars in the Hertz Adrenaline Collection and features performance upgrades to give consumers an exhilarating driving experience. The exclusive, limited edition vehicle is available at select U.S. airport locations and was introduced on Friday, July 5, at Subway Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway. In January, Hertz and Penske Racing entered into a multi-year agreement with Hertz serving as a 2013 primary sponsor for select races on the #22 Penske Racing car competing in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series. The #22 Hertz Ford Mustang will race in a special livery mirroring the Hertz Penske GT in the New England 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH on July 13. In its first race, the #22 Hertz Ford Mustang competed at Dover International Speedway on June 1 with Penske Racing's Joey Logano winning the event for his third-consecutive victory at the Monster Mile in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and his first Nationwide Series win driving for Penske Racing. It was Logano's 19th-career Nationwide Series victory and the 199th series victory for Ford Racing. See an image on the #22 team paint scheme page.(Penske Racing PR)(7-5-2013)

Busch running special City Chevrolet, Days of Thunder scheme in Daytona: Kurt Busch will be driving in his final race for Phoenix Racing in Friday, July 5th 's Subway Firecracker 250. Phoenix Racing, Hendrick Automotive Group, Kurt Busch, and the Armed Forces Foundation have partnered to bring the City Chevrolet paint scheme, made famous in the Hollywood blockbuster /Days of Thunder/, back to the track for one more race. The car will feature the Armed Forces Foundation's logo on the rear quarter panels to draw attention to their /Help Save Our Troops /campaign, which focuses on the invisible wounds of war such Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). More than 600,000 veterans suffer from PTSD and one veteran commits suicide every 65 minutes, up from one every 80 minutes the previous year. Additionally, more than 230,000 service members and veterans have been diagnosed with a TBI since 2001. This special paint scheme caps off the Armed Forces Foundation's activities for National PTSD Awareness Month, which is recognized every June with June 27th being National PTSD Awareness Day. City Chevrolet was the primary sponsor on driver Cole Trickle's Chevrolet Lumina in the feature film Days of Thunder. Rick Hendrick, Chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, served as a technical advisor on the film, which follows a fledgling race team and rookie driver trying to succeed in NASCAR. Randy Quaid's character in the film, Tim Daland, is patterned after Hendrick. Trickle was portrayed by actor Tom Cruise. Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet is Hendrick Automotive Group's flagship store. Located just east of downtown Charlotte, N.C., the dealership was one of Hendrick's first. It opened under Hendrick management in 1978 and recently celebrated 75 years in business. See an image on the #1 team paint scheme page.(Armed Forces Foundation PR)(7-5-2013)

Kennedy to make Truck debut at Bristol in August UPDATE: Ben Kennedy, who recently got his first win in the K&N Pro Series East tour on Saturday at 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL, is scheduled to make his national touring series debut in a Turner Motorsports truck at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 21 [in the Camping World Truck Series]. Kennedy is son of International Speedway Corporation president Lesa France and the late Bruce Kennedy and great grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. Kennedy is in his junior year at University of Florida where he's studying sports management.(in part from FoxSports)
AND Kennedy will also drive for the team at Iowa and Homestead-Miami later in the season, hoping for the opportunity to move to the Camping World Truck Series full-time in 2014.(NASCAR.com)(4-17-2013)
UPDATE: Turner-Scott Motorsports, which currently has three drivers among the top-10 in Camping World Truck Series Championship competition, confirmed that young Ben Kennedy will race the #30 Chevy Silverado in the Camping World 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on Friday, September 13 as part of the big Chase kick-off weekend. The event is one of four (Bristol, Iowa, Chicagoland, Homestead-Miami Speedway) events that Kennedy is slated to race as he eyes a full-time move up to the highly competitive truck series in 2014. Kennedy currently holds third in the NASCAR K&N East standings, and already has success behind the wheel of a truck to his credit, having scored two Pro-Truck championships in 2009.(Sunday Group Management PR)(7-5-2013)

Coverage of Qualifying for the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for Friday, July 5, 2013 at 4:10pm/et.
TV: SPEED at 4:00pm/et
Radio: Motor Racing Network at motorracingnetwork.com.
Scheduled Qualifying TV Re-Air: 12:30am/et

Qualifying Order for the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway is posted. 43 cars/drivers are listed.
The first of the drivers scheduled to go out is #56-Truex Jr..
The final driver scheduled to go out is #17-Stenhouse Jr.
Qualifying order is set by a random draw, held about an hour before the first practice.
See the full qualifying order on the Daytona Qualifying Page.(7-4-2013)

Happy Hour practice for the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway is being run, after 45 of 85 scheduled minutes, the top five, slowest and any notes
#83-Reutimann 197.537
#34-Ragan 197.442
#9-Ambrose 197.373
#24-Gordon 197.347
#55-Waltrip 196.721
slowest: #35-Wise 188.462 & #14-Stewart 190.279
only 17 of 43 cars made runs.
See fastest speeds, 10-lap averages, laps run on the Daytona Happy Hour speeds (pdf).(7-4-2013)

Terry Labonte could buy Phoenix Racing: There's been a "For Sale" sign outside of Phoenix Racing for some time now and there seems to be several interested buyers. Apparently, two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte is one of the parties interested in acquiring James Finch's race team. "James been trying to sell that thing for a long time and Terry told me about it, I hope Terry can do it," younger brother Bobby Labonte said Friday at Daytona International Speedway. "I think Terry would like to do it, but you've got to get money to feed the cow." Labonte would join Harry Scott, co-owner of Nationwide Series team Turner Scott Motorsports, and an unidentified potential buyer as those interested in the #51 Chevrolet.(Associated Press)(7-4-2013)

Sixteen Cup teams found with modified roof flap spacers: Sixteen teams found to have modified roof flap spacers (lighter) during NASCAR inspection. Teams listed: #1-McMurray, #2-Keselowski, #9-Ambrose, #11-Hamlin, #13-Mears, #15-Bowyer, #16-Biffle, #17-Stenhouse Jr., #18-Busch, #20-Kenseth, #21-Bayne, #22-Logano, #43-Almirola, #55-Waltrip, #56-Truex Jr. and #99-Edwards. The modified/confiscated roof-flap spacers are on display at Daytona in the NASCAR hauler. NASCAR's Kerry Tharp addressed media on confiscated roof-flap spacers - "Spacers not in compliance with those kits." The roof-flap kits are supplied to teams for #NASCAR by one company (a Roush company) and are not to be changed.(SPEED's, Dustin Long Fox/NASCAR on Twitter)
AND Thirty-one cars, including 16 in the Sprint Cup Series, failed inspection before Thursday's practices at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR confiscated the teams' roof flaps, which are designed to keep cars on the ground during spins and wrecks at high speeds, for further inspection. Penalties could be possible. The roof-flap spacers had been illegally machined down to reduce weight. NASCAR inspectors made those Cup teams install new, unaltered roof flaps before drivers were allowed on the track for the first of two practices. Inspectors then went to the Nationwide garage and found similar issues on 15 cars. "When you find something in one garage, you communicate to the other garage," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said. "We looked into it and this is what we found."(Associated Press)(7-4-2013)

1st Thursday practice for the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway is over, after 80 scheduled minutes, the top five, slowest and any notes
#51-Allmendinger 200.218
#15-Bowyer 200.214
#99-Edwards 199.831
#42-Montoya 199.707
#88-Earnhardt Jr. 199.344
slowest: #32-Labonte 187.527 & #87-Nemechek 187.935
If qualifying gets canceled on Friday, the field would be set by these practice speeds. Since 43 cars are entered, all drivers entered will make the race.
See fastest speeds, 10-lap averages, laps run on the Daytona practice 1 speeds (pdf).(7-4-2013)

Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post them] and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Daytona International Speedway on the Daytona Race Info page - Chassis selection area.

"Troops to the Track" Program at Daytona: The Armed Forces Foundation and NASCAR continue the 2013 Troops to the Track TM program on Saturday, July 6th, by bringing service members of the USS Gettysburg ported at Mayport Navy Station in Jacksonville, FL. The USS Gettysburg and her sister ships are designed to protect carrier battle-groups from all threats - air, surface, or subsurface - while being capable of striking land targets. The Gettysburg's primary mission is to be prepared to conduct prompt, sustained combat operations at sea in support of a carrier battle group or amphibious assault group, protecting those groups from saturation attacks and contributing to power projection ashore. Troops to the Track will be expanded to include service member's families during NASCAR: An American Salute, which begins at the Coca-Cola 600 and runs through the Coke Zero 400 on July 4th weekend. NASCAR: An American Salute is a six-week industry-wide effort to honor and celebrate the service of current Armed Forces members, veterans, and their families.(AFF)(7-4-2013)

Florida Lottery returns on the #36: Looking for a bit of luck this weekend, Tommy Baldwin Racing is hoping that the #7 Florida Lottery car to be driver by Dave Blaney is an instant winner at Daytona International Speedway. After a top-20 finish in the season opening Daytona 500, the Florida Lottery returns for a second trip around Daytona International Speedway with the #7 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevy. Celebrating their 25th anniversary, the Florida Lottery has paid more than $37.7 billion in prizes to winners, enjoyed a mutually-beneficial relationship with more than 13,000 retailers and generated more than $25 billion for education.(TBR), see image of scheme on the #7 Team Schemes page.(7-4-2013)

Special scheme for Harvick; Clydesdales on display at Daytona: Kevin Harvick's #29 Budweiser Chevy will don a special paint scheme this weekend at Daytona to reflect Budweiser's limited-edition red, white and blue packaging. The patriotic packaging represents a special initiative in which the brand will contribute a portion of all sales from May 5 - July 4 to help raise as much as $1.5 million for the Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides post-secondary educational scholarships for families of U.S. military personnel killed or disabled while serving their country. Since 2010, Budweiser has raised more than $5 million for the Folds of Honor Foundation and provided more than 1,000 educational scholarships to the families of soldiers killed or disabled in service. (Donation of 2 cents per case of Budweiser sold, May 5, 2013 to July 4, 2013, with a maximum donation of $1.5 million.)
Budweiser's world famous Clydesdales will be on display in the DIS midway area throughout the Coke Zero 400 race weekend. For nearly eight decades, the Budweiser Clydesdales have been an enduring symbol of Anheuser-Busch's heritage, tradition and commitment to quality. The hitch consists of eight horses, the famous red, white and gold beer wagon and two drivers seated next to the hitch's signature mascot Dalmatian. To qualify for one of the traveling hitches, a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years of age, stand 72 inches at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, have a bay coat, four white legs, a white blaze, and black mane and tail.(RCR), see images of the car on the #29 Team Schemes page.(7-3-2013)

Different look for Danica's #10 at Daytona: Danica Patrick will have a bit of a different look on the #10 GoDaddy Chevy for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) as the car will be its traditional green, but with touches of red, white and blue, along with the logo of "Start with .US" on the hood and rear decklid. The country code domain for the United States of America is .US and, since 2001, Neustar has been providing domain name registry services, critical infrastructure services and policy expertise for .US on behalf of the United States Department of Commerce. GoDaddy has partnered with Neustar for several years on offering domain names that end in .US.(SHR), see images of the car on the #10 Team Schemes page.(7-3-2013)

Stars and Stripes scheme for McMurray: The #1 Cessna Chevy SS of Jamie McMurray will carry a patriotic stars and stripes paint scheme this weekend at Daytona to commemorate the July 4 Independence Day holiday and the celebration of our nation's birthday 237th birthday.(EGR), see an image of the scheme on the #1 Team Schemes page.(7-3-2013)

Daytona Facts and Notes - Thursday:
· Nine of the 10 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series July race winners at Daytona International Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Greg Biffle won the July race at Daytona in his first appearance.
· Michael Waltrip competed in the July race at Daytona International Speedway 16 times before winning in 2002; the longest span of any the 10 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
· Terry Labonte leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Daytona without visiting Victory Lane at 60; followed by Mark Martin with 55.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway for the July race was the July 7, 2007 race won by Jamie McMurray over Kyle Busch with a MOV of 0.005 second.
· Three of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series July races have resulted with a green-white-checkered finish at Daytona International Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2008 (160/162), 2010 (160/166) and 2011 (160/170).
· Only one of the 54 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series July races at Daytona International Speedway has been shortened due to weather conditions  July 6, 1996  the race was called on Lap 117, 43 circuits shy of the 160 scheduled laps.
· Four active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Daytona International Speedway: Trevor Bayne (2/20/11), Greg Biffle (7/5/03), David Ragan (7/2/11) and Michael Waltrip (2/18/01).
· Tony Stewart leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Daytona with 665 laps led in 29 starts.
· Five female drivers have competed in the July event at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Christine Beckers, Lella Lombardi, Patty Moise and Shawna Robinson.(NASCAR)(7-4-2013)

Special look for Yeley ay Daytona: Returning to Daytona International Speedway, JJ Yeley is looking to exceed his 10th place finish from February's Daytona 500. Golden Corral returns to pilot the #36 Chevy for the third time this season. Celebrating the 4th of July weekend, the #36 Chevy has a new look for the weekend  a patriotic red, white and blue design by former Marine Scott Bates. Scott Bates, a former Marine, helped to design the patriotic paint scheme that Yeley will be driving in Saturday Nights Coke Zero 400. Bates, a native of Oklahoma, was stricken with Multiple Sclerosis and is now confined to a wheel chair, with no use of his arms or legs. As a lifelong NASCAR fan, his passion has become to design race cars with his special graphic design device, that he attaches to the brim of his hat. Scott has designed a previous Sprint Car, in 2011, which Yeley drove in Phoenix. In addition to the new colors, Golden Corral will be continuing their "Top 10 Ten Kids Eat Free" promotion. Each time the #36 Golden Corral Chevrolet driven by JJ Yeley finishes in the Top 10 this season, Golden Corral will offer a one day "Kids Eat Free" promotion called "JJ's Mondays" on the Monday Immediately following the top-10 race finish. Kids can enjoy an endless buffet, with the purchase of an adult buffet. With Yeley's success in February with a 10th place finish, things are looking good for the kids eating free across America on Monday.(TBR), see image of scheme on the #36 Team Schemes page.(7-4-2013)

Special Interstate Batteries scheme for Daytona: Kyle Busch will roll into Daytona with a different look gracing the #18 Toyota this weekend  the metallic and reflective green-and-gold scheme for Interstate All Battery Center stores. The Interstate All Battery Center colors this weekend come as the company continues its franchise expansion throughout the U.S., Canada and Latin America. Recognized as a top-50 franchisor by Franchise Business Review, All Battery Center stores provide "Every Battery for Every Need," with more than 16,000 portal power solutions. Interstate Batteries colors are already two-for-two this season with Busch's wins at Auto Club Speedway and Texas (JGR), see image of scheme on the #18 Team Schemes page.(7-4-2013)

Daytona Goodyear Tires Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series will run the same tire set-up at Daytona this week . . . this is the first time these teams will be running either of these two tire codes . . . this tire combination came out of a Goodyear tire test at Daytona on April 16-17 . . . teams and drivers participating in that test were the #1-Jamie McMurray, #5-Kasey Kahne, #10-Danica Patrick, #16-Greg Biffle, #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr., #18-Michael McDowell, #21-Trevor Bayne, #33-Austin Dillon and #99-Carl Edwards . . . compared to what was run at Daytona in February, this tire set-up features a compound change on both sides of the car and a construction change to the left-side to bring it into line with what has been run at other tracks . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Daytona . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire. See tire codes, pressures, set limits and more on the Daytona Race Info page - Goodyear section

NASCAR confiscates roof flaps: Thirty-one cars, including 16 in the Sprint Cup Series, failed inspection before Thursday's practices at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR confiscated the teams' roof flaps, which are designed to keep cars on the ground during spins and wrecks at high speeds, for further inspection. Penalties could be possible. The roof-flap spacers had been illegally machined down to reduce weight. NASCAR inspectors made Cup teams install new, unaltered roof flaps before drivers were allowed on the track for the first of two practices. Inspectors then went to the Nationwide garage and found similar issues on 15 cars. "When you find something in one garage, you communicate to the other garage," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said. "We looked into it and this is what we found." Nationwide drivers facing possible penalties include #6-Trevor Bayne, #20-Brian Vickers, #40-Reed Sorenson and #60-Travis Pastrana.(Associated Press)(7-4-2013)

Kligerman fastest in happy hour: #77-Parker Kligerman was quickest during happy hour for the Subway Firecracker 250 with a speed of 184.00mph. He was followed by: #87-Joe Nemechek, #23-Robert Richardson, #24-Jason White, #1-Kurt Busch, #34-James Buescher, #32-Kyle Larson, #85-Bobby Gerhart, #6-Trevor Bayne, and #7-Regan Smith. Just 21 drivers participated in the session. See complete results on the Daytona practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(7-4-2013)

Sweet fastest in first practice:#5-Brad Sweet was fastest during opening practice at Daytona International Speedway with a speed of 192.769mph.#7-Regan Smith was second, followed by: #77-Parker Kligerman, #3-Austin Dillon, #60-Travis Pastrana, #6-Trevor Bayne, #32-Kyle Larson, #31-Justin Allgaier, #1-Kurt Busch, and #33-Ty Dillon. All 42 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Daytona practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(7-4-2013)

Gold Bond sponsoring Whitt at Daytona: As if having the No. 1 faucet brand sponsor your race car isn't spectacular enough; Cole Whitt and TriStar Motorsports welcome Gold Bond to the team. Gold Bond is one of the top selling medicated powder brands in America and will now serve as Whitt's primary sponsor for the #44 Toyota Camry during Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Gold Bond is a brand known for being powerful, hard-working and trusted since its inception in 1908. Whitt will parade the infamous Blue, Red and Gold logo on his Gold Bond Camry as he takes to Florida's fastest track for the 12th Annual Subway Firecracker 250.(TriStar Motorsports)(7-4-2013)

Stolen vehicles siezed from Harmon's garage UPDATES - arrest warrants issued: Rowan County Sheriff's deputies are watching NASCAR driver Mike Harmon closely, after recovering two cars and five trucks from his two garages Tuesday afternoon. Deputies say Harmon stole the cars from racer Jennifer Jo Cobb at the end of last year. The vehicles were seized from Harmon's shop in Mooresville, and from a storage facility in Catawba County, officials told WBTV. Harmon was arrested two weeks ago in a separate incident, also involving Cobb. Authorities say Harmon broke into Cobb's Mooresville headquarters, and stole her hauler to transport cars and trucks. WBTV spoke with Harmon just moments after he posted bail on the initial charge. "I've never stolen as much as a piece of bubble gum. To be arrested for a felony is ridiculous," Harmon said. Last week, a judge ordered Harmon to stay away from Cobb, though the two both say they plan to finish this year's racing season. As of Tuesday night, Harmon had not been charged for the seven vehicles, and Cobb's hauler was still missing.(WBTV)(5-28-2013)
UPDATE: Arrest warrants have been issued for a NASCAR driver, and his business associate, after investigators say they stole at least seven vehicles from a competitor. According to the Rowan County Sheriff's Office, warrants were issued for driver Mike Harmon and business associate David Novak. Each man is wanted on breaking and entering and larceny after breaking and entering. WBTV was there as deputies recovered two cars and five trucks from Harmon's two garages in late May. Deputies say Harmon stole the cars from racer Jennifer Jo Cobb at the end of last year. The vehicles were seized from Harmon's shop in Mooresville, and from a storage facility in Catawba County, officials told WBTV. Harmon was arrested in mid-May in a separate incident, also involving Cobb. Authorities say Harmon broke into Cobb's Mooresville headquarters, and stole her hauler to transport cars and trucks. Harmon and Novak had not been arrested as of Monday afternoon. At last check, Cobb's hauler was still missing.(WBTV)(6-17-2013)
UPDATE 2: Mike Harmon turned himself in to Cleveland County authorities Monday around 5 p.m. He then posted a $10,000 bond, for both charges combined. Novak had not been arrested as of Monday afternoon.(WBTV)(6-17-2013)
UPDATE 3: Jennifer Jo Cobb had hoped that she would get closer to getting back the NASCAR transporter she believes is rightfully hers on Wednesday, but she was out of luck as the legal case against veteran NASCAR driver Mike Harmon and Cobb's former business partner continues to wind its way through the court system. Harmon and former Cobb business partner David Novak, who are accused of stealing Cobb's hauler and seven race vehicles, had their probable cause hearing, which was scheduled for Wednesday in North Carolina District Court, continued to a later date. Suspects charged with felonies in North Carolina are offered the opportunity for a probable cause hearing before the case is taken to the grand jury for indictment. Another probable cause hearing will be scheduled, although it is possible for the grand jury to meet on the charges before then. Cobb has not missed a race despite losing much of her equipment. Her father will race her truck later this month at Eldora Speedway.(Sporting News)(7-4-2013)

New sponsor for New Hampshire NNS race: New Hampshire Motor Speedway officials announced that "The Profit," a groundbreaking new television reality series that debuts July 30 at 10:00pm/et on CNBC, will be the title sponsor of the CNBC Prime's "The Profit" 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday, July 13. The unique race sponsorship was unveiled by Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO of Camping World, who stars in the series. When Lemonis isn't running Camping World, he goes on the hunt for struggling businesses that are desperate for cash and ripe for a deal. In the past decade, he's successfully turned around over 100 companies. Now he's bringing those skills to CNBC and doing something no one has ever done on TV before & he's putting his own money on the line. In each episode, Lemonis makes an offer; his cash for a piece of the business and a percentage of the profits. And once inside these companies, he'll do almost anything to save the business. Viewers will get to see his personal mantra ring true: "Business success is about the three P's: People, Process and Product." Beginning July 30, "The Profit" will air on Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) on CNBC. Information about the program is available at cnbc.com/the-profit.(NHMS)(7-4-2013)

Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post them] and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Daytona International Speedway on the Daytona Race Info page - Chassis selection area.

Tire testing continues: Goodyear's busy testing schedule for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series continues this summer with return trips to Kansas Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway in the coming weeks. Goodyear will return for a test at Kansas July 16-17 with the #16 Roush Fenway Racing, #18 Joe Gibbs Racing and #78 Furniture Row Racing teams. Goodyear recently completed a two-day test at Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 18-19 but will return to the 1.54-mile speedway Aug. 6 for a confirmation test with team selections still to be determined. The AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta will be held Sept. 1 and the Kansas Chase race, the Hollywood Casino 400, will be run Oct. 6. Phoenix will be one of the upcoming Goodyear tests along with pre-2014 sessions at Richmond and Las Vegas later this fall.(Motor Racing Network)(7-3-2013)

Speed & Leavine Family Racing return to the track: Several reasons can explain why Scott Speed can't wait for Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at the Daytona International Speedway, but none are more important than another good opportunity to drive the #95 Leavine Family Racing Ford to Victory Lane. Though the team makes selected appearances in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS), the team's strength has come at the two restrictor-plate tracks, including Daytona. A 23rd-place finish at the season-opening Daytona 500 and a ninth-place effort at the Aaron's 499 at the Talladega Superspeedway are the two best finishes for Speed and Leavine Family Racing this year. "Even at Daytona we led laps," Speed said. The team last raced at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26. The five-race break is the longest planned by the third year team. It also gave the team more than a month to make minor adjustments to their #95 Ford Fusion. "This car finished ninth the last time it was on the track, so there's not a lot that has to be done with it," crew chief Wally Rogers said. "This car is fast and it drives really well. More than anything else we've gone over our strategy." Speed has completed 877 of 886 laps in his career at Daytona International Speedway. Speed and Leavine Family Racing's next scheduled race will be the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 28.(Leavine Family Racing)(7-3-2013)

New crew chief for Kvapil: BK Racing has appointed Dale Ferguson as the interim crew chief for the #93 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry of Travis Kvapil. Ferguson joined BK Racing as the Head Engineer after spending several seasons at Rusty Wallace Incorporated. Mike Ford remains with the team and will resume his normal role as the Director of Competition.(BK Racing)(7-3-2013)

NAPA Batteries scheme for Truex Jr.: Martin Truex Jr. will drive the #56 NAPA Batteries Toyota to promote NAPA's "Get Back and Give Back" program at Daytona and New Hampshire. The promotion offers fans great savings on the purchase of a qualifying battery, alternator or starter throughout July. Customers may contribute a portion of the rebate to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund to provide support for the families of U.S. military personnel lost in service to our nation, and for those severely wounded in the performance of their duties in Afghanistan and Iraq. NAPA will donate $1 to Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund for every qualifying rebate redeemed by customers in July. NAPA also is encouraging the public to donate $10  no purchase is needed  to Intrepid by texting the word NAPA to 27722. Consumers can also select to donate (in $5 increments) part or all of their earned mail-in rebate that range from $5 to $25.(MWR), see images of the car on the #56 Team Schemes page.(7-3-2013)

Labonte back in the #47: Bobby Labonte returns to the #47 JTG Daugherty Racing for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Labonte has six top-five, 10 top-10 finishes and has led 70 laps at Daytona International Speedway in 41 starts. The 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion also scored two pole awards in 1998 along with capturing his best finish of second-place in both February and October events at the track that year. Labonte's return: "It's great to be back in the #47 Scott Products Toyota Camry at Daytona International Speedway after a weekend off," Bobby Labonte said. "I am looking forward to racing at Daytona. I know we will not practice a lot. We will probably do a couple shake down runs and that's all. We will not need much practice."(JTG Daugherty Racing)(7-3-2013)

Daytona Facts and Notes - Wednesday:
· Richard Petty leads the series in July race starts at Daytona with 32. Terry Labonte leads all active drivers with 29 starts; followed by Mark Martin with 26.
· 33 different drivers have won the July race at Daytona International Speedway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson with five wins. Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with four.
· Five drivers have posted consecutive wins in the July race at Daytona International Speedway, including three consecutive by David Pearson (1972 - 1974). Tony Stewart (2005-'06) is the only active driver to win consecutive July races at Daytona.
· The Wood Brothers have the most wins at Daytona in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 15.
· Seven different manufacturers have won the July NSCS race at Daytona; led by Chevrolet with 17 victories; followed by Ford with 16.
· A driver has swept both races (Daytona 500 and Coke Zero 400) at Daytona only four times, most recently - Bobby Allison in 1982. Jimmie Johnson won the 2013 Daytona 500.
· Buddy Baker leads the series in runner-up finishes in the July race at Daytona with five; followed by Richard Petty and Sterling Marlin with four. Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Terry Labonte lead all active drivers with two each.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson leads the series in top-five finishes in the July race at Daytona with 13; followed by Richard Petty with 12. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven.
· David Pearson leads the series in top-10 finishes in the July race at Daytona with 19; followed by Dale Earnhardt with 18. Terry Labonte leads all active drivers with 14.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Daytona with a 9.609.
· Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Daytona with a 14.037.
(NASCAR)(7-3-2013)

Kentucky TV Ratings: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Quaker State 400 from Kentucky earned a 2.6 U.S. rating and nearly 4.0 million viewers on TNT Sunday afternoon, up a tick in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (2.5, 3.9M), but down 13% and 20%, respectively, from 2011 (3.0, 5.0M). Though up from last year, Sunday's race ranks as the lowest rated and least-viewed regular Sprint Cup points race on any network this season.(Sports Media Watch / Numbers from Media Life Magazine & Bloomberg). See past races for 2013 and 5-year comparison chart on the 2013 NASCAR TV Ratings page.(7-3-2013)

A.J. Foyt Is Recovering from Hip Replacement Surgery: Motorsportss Legend and 1971 Daytona 500 winner A.J. Foyt, who has not been to an IndyCar race since the Ft. Worth event on June 8th, underwent successful hip replacement surgery on his left hip Monday in a Houston hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. Foyt had been battling pain in his left leg for most of the year. In April, he underwent a laminectomy in the lumbar region of his spine to relieve sciatic nerve pain. He had missed two races (Alabama and Long Beach, Calif.) prior to that surgery as well as the one in Sao Paulo, Brazil immediately after it. The chronic leg pain increased dramatically after he fell while working on his ranch before the Texas race. He had consulted with several doctors before agreeing to the most recent surgery. Foyt will be in the hospital for several days.(PR)(7-3-2013)

Sad News - Gordie McKichan: Mr. Donald Gordon "Gordie" McKichan, age 74 passed away Monday, July 1, 2013. Mr. McKichan was born August 7, 1938 in Middlesex County, Canada. Mr. McKichan served as a crew chief during 1973 and 1974 for driver Earl Ross with Carlings Race Team, and retired as mechanic for NASCAR. Online Condolences, full , donations and info on services at elkinfuneralservice.com.(7-3-2013)

Bandit continues with Kligerman: After a very strong and successful first half of the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, Bandit Industries has signed on with Kyle Busch Motorsports to sponsor Parker Kligerman for several additional races as a primary and associate sponsor. The first race for the new partnership will be July 5 at Daytona International Speedway, where Bandit will serve as primary sponsor with a special "stars and stripes" edition of the #77 Bandit Chippers Toyota. In addition to the July 5 race at Daytona, Bandit will sponsor Kligerman in four additional races. Two of the races will be road courses, where Kligerman proved his talent by finishing third earlier this year at Road America. Bandit will also be with Kligerman at Chicagoland Speedway on September 14, with an additional race still to be determined.(Bandit Industries PR)(7-3-2013)

Annett hopes to open animal sanctuary: Racer Michael Annett visited Best Friends Animal Sanctuary to "learn from the best" as he pursuing his dream of opening an animal sanctuary. In February 2013, Annett's girlfriend, Heidi Spillane, and her mother visited Best Friends. Spillane ended up adoption a dog. So when she and Annett decided they needed more information on developing plans for an animal sanctuary, they knew where to come. The couple came to Best Friends for a compressed "How to Start an Animal Sanctuary" workshop. Their dream is to have a sanctuary somewhere in the Charlotte, North Carolina area."The most important thing people need to know, if they want to help homeless pets, is that the problem starts with people not the animals. It is our responsibility to spay and neuter them. We can build a million sanctuaries but if people are not spaying and neutering their pets there will never be enough homes," Annett said.(Best Friends Animal Society PR)(7-3-2013)

Changes coming to Daytona after the Coke Zero 400: Following the Coke Zero 400, Daytona International Speedway will embark on a journey to create a world-class facility with premium amenities, one that will redefine the event experience for motorsports fans and provide unparalleled amenities for its guests and partners. In early June, the Speedway received approval to redevelop its historic frontstretch through a multi-year project which is targeted for completion in January 2016, in time for the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 58th Daytona 500. While construction for the redevelopment project will begin after the 2013 Coke Zero 400 NASCAR weekend, the Speedway on Friday, July 5, will kick-off the redevelopment project with a ceremonial groundbreaking event  the DAYTONA Rising 500. The DAYTONA Rising 500 is the first and only event of its kind a competition featuring current and past drivers to earn the right to become the official "groundbreakers" of this highly anticipated project. Three teams of drivers are trading in their familiar stock cars for branded CAT 950 Wheel Loaders (featuring stylized numbers) to complete a series of challenges on a unique course behind the frontstretch grandstands near the Sprint Tower. The winning driver(s) will then head to a staged excavator for a ceremonial first dig, complete with confetti, fireworks and flashbulbs.(DIS)(7-3-2013)

Testing at Indy UPDATE: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing are scheduled to test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in preparation for the Crown Royal presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard on Monday and Tuesday (July 1st and 2nd). #11-Denny Hamlin is one driver scheduled to test. The IMS Facebook page says testing is open to the public.
Drivers testing include: #11-Hamlin, #18-Busch, #20-Kenseth, #42-Montoya and #1-McMurray; plus Nationwide teams: #11-Sadler, #20-Vickers, #54-KyBusch. See images of testing at indianapolismotorspeedway.com.(7-1-2013)
UPDATE: NASCAR testing continues from 9am-5pm on Tuesday, with a one-hour break around noon. Fans can watch the test for free from the Hall of Fame Museum parking lot, from the grandstand located inside the track near the Museum and from a small portion of the Turn 2 spectator mounds.(IMS)(7-2-2013)

NMPA Announces Nominees For 2014 Hall of Fame: The National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) announced that there are five new candidates for its Hall of Fame. Those elected by the membership will be inducted in ceremonies in January 2014 in Charlotte, NC.
The nominees for 2104 are:
L.D. Ottinger - Two-time Sportsman champion ('74 & '75), perennial top 10 points finisher in Sportsman/Nationwide Series.
Ray Evernham - Three-time Sprint Cup Series champion crew chief for Jeff Gordon, helped bring Dodge back to NASCAR competition as a team owner in 2001, often described as greatest crew chief of all time.
Mario Andretti - A four-time INDY champion, 1978 F-1 champion, 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner, 1967 Daytona 500 winner; one of two people to win in Formula 1, Indy racing, NASCAR, and World SportscarChampionship. Only driver to win Indy 500, Daytona 500 and F-1 championship.
Joe Gibbs - As a NASCAR car owner, has won three Sprint Cup championships. His drivers have won 105 Sprint Cup and 82 Nationwide Series races (as of 5/23/2013). JGR also has two NNS owner's championships to its credit.
Steve Waid - Four-decade career included stints with daily newspapers before joining staff of Grand National Scene. Rose to position of publisher for the weekly trade paper. Former winner of the NMPA's George Cunningham Award and a recipient of the Henry T. McLemore Award for outstanding lifetime achievement in motorsports journalism.(NMPA)(7-2-2013)

Top 12 Driver Rating at Daytona:
Kyle Busch................................. 97.0
Matt Kenseth.............................. 93.2
Tony Stewart.............................. 93.1
Dale Earnhardt Jr....................... 89.3
Jeff Gordon................................ 88.3
Kurt Busch................................. 88.0
Clint Bowyer............................... 86.6
Jimmie Johnson......................... 85.3
Jeff Burton................................. 84.9
Denny Hamlin............................. 84.5
Ryan Newman............................ 82.8
Carl Edwards............................. 82.7
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2013 races (17 total) among active drivers at Daytona International Speedway.
Formula combining the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.(NASCAR)

Daytona Facts and Notes - Tuesday:
· Groundbreaking for Daytona International Speedway was Nov. 25, 1957. The soil underneath the banked corners was dug from the infield of the track and the hole filled with water. It is now known as Lake Lloyd.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona was a 100-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500 on Feb. 20, 1959  won by Bob Welborn.
· The first summer race at Daytona International Speedway was held on July 4, 1959  won by Fireball Roberts (140.581 mph).
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty won his 200th career race on July 4, 1984 at Daytona.
· Lights were installed in the spring of 1998. However, the July race was delayed until October that year due to thick smoke from wildfires. The second Daytona race has been held under the lights ever since.
· The track underwent a repave in 2010.
· There have been 132 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway since the track hosted its first race in 1959: 55 have been 500 miles, 50 were 400 miles and four 250 miles. There were also 23 qualifier races that were point races.
· 436 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' July race at Daytona International Speedway; 273 in more than one.
(NASCAR)(7-2-2013)

Whelen Engineering Becomes Entitlement Sponsor Of European Stock Car Series: Whelen Engineering, a long-time sponsor and supporter of NASCAR's touring and regional series, became the official entitlement sponsor of the European stock-car series in an announcement Monday morning in Paris. The first race under the newly re-named NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will be this weekend at France's Tours Speedway. The first-of-its-kind, temporary oval is located just outside Paris. The series, which was founded in 2008, is in its second year under the NASCAR banner. The Whelen entitlement sponsorship agreement is through 2019. The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series competes on road courses in France (Circuit Paul Armagnac in Nogaro, Circuit de Dijon-Prenois in Dijon, and the championship round at Circuit Le Mans Bugatti in LeMans), England (Brands Hatch Circuit), Spain (MotorLand Aragón, near Alcañiz) and Italy (Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, north of Milan). Many of those facilities have signed long-term agreements to hold Euro Series races.(NASCAR)(7-2-2013)

NASCAR Green Continues Steady Growth With Addition of Eaton: NASCAR announced a new multi-year official agreement with Eaton, a leader in developing global solutions for today's most critical electrical power management challenges. The new alliance makes Eaton an Official NASCAR Green Partner, with the designation 'Official EV Charging Solution Provider of NASCAR' bolstering the growing roster of companies utilizing the NASCAR Green platform to validate technologies that positively impact the environment. The new collaboration includes the installation of 20 Eaton Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at NASCAR offices in Daytona Beach, Charlotte and Concord. The stations will power electric and plug-in hybrid EVs of NASCAR employees and guests. Eaton is a leading provider of EV charging infrastructure in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, EV charging infrastructure build out is critical given its benefits include lowered Greenhouse Gas and particulate emissions, improved public health, increased energy security and lower operating cost per mile. For example, based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy ratings (fueleconomy.gov), fully charging a Ford Focus EV every day for a year equates to saving 211 trees which equates to the GHG emissions from five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. As part of this collaboration, Eaton joins the NASCAR Fuel for Business Council, which brings together an exclusive group of more than 60 Official NASCAR Partners four times per year to buy and sell products and services from one another. This exclusive business-to-business environment offers unique opportunities for many FORTUNE 500 companies to bypass the time and layers of corporate coordination that may exist and construct customized deals to help address specific business needs.(NASCAR)(7-2-2013)

Bliss gets 5 race sponsor: For the first time this season Mike Bliss will team up with Tweaker Energy Shot for Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Established in 2008, Tweaker Energy Shot is one of the fastest growing energy shot brands in the United States. Based out of Dallas, Texas, Tweaker Energy Shot will not only be on Bliss' #19 Camry at Daytona; they will partner with Bliss at Indianapolis on July 27th, Bristol on August 23rd, Texas on November 2nd and Phoenix on November 9th.(TriStar Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #19 team paint schemes page.(7-2-2013)

New name for July race at New Hampshire: Partnering with the nation's largest retailer of recreational vehicles, New Hampshire Motor Speedway officials announced today that Camping World will be the title sponsor of the track's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, July 14. The Camping World RV Sales 301 is one of the two largest sporting events in New England, both hosted by the one-mile oval. The sponsorship is a two-year agreement. Combining the avid support of race fans who camp at NASCAR events with its far-reaching dealership network and nation's largest online camping store, Camping World continues to market its brand as the strongest in the RV business. With more than 75 locations nationwide and offering over 8,000 products and accessories, Camping World is the brand of choice for NASCAR fans and other recreational enthusiasts. Camping World has been the title sponsor of the NASCAR Truck Series since 2009 and was the previous title sponsor of four races at NHMS, including three NASCAR Nationwide Series races from 2007 - 2009 and the 2008 Camping World Truck Series race. For the past six years, NHMS has been the host site for Camping World's large display and accessories retail store which is located next to the infield tunnel during both NASCAR event weekends.
"This is a natural, tailor-made partnership," said Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager at NHMS. "We have one of the strongest RV camping bases of any NASCAR track, located in a major market (Boston DMA) and a strong platform to help market the Camping World brand and its products. They have had a strong presence here at our track for many years and I am appreciative that Marcus (Lemonis) has chosen our facility to move up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with their marketing plans." Camping World plans to use the sponsorship to strengthen its market share and relationship with the racing community. "Camping World is involved with NASCAR on multiple levels and expanding our sponsorship to the Sprint Cup Series seems like the next logical step," said Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO of Camping World and star of CNBC Prime's "The Profit." "RVing is a huge part of the racing experience. We believe joining the New Hampshire Motor Speedway family will strengthen our relationship with the racing community." Tickets, starting at $29, and on-site camping spaces, starting at $100, for the July 14 Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway are available by calling the ticket hotline at (603) 783-4931 or online at www.nhms.com.(NHMS)(7-2-2013)

Entry List for the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway is posted, 43 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #32-Terry Labonte, #47-Bobby Labonte, #95-Speed, #21-Bayne, #51-Allmendinger. #19-Bliss is NOT entered. Since only 43 cars are entered, all drivers will make the race.
See the full entry list at my Jayski's Daytona Entry List

Hamlin says back is fine, plans to run full season UPDATE: When #11-Denny Hamlin clobbered the Turn 4 wall at Kentucky Speedway on Sunday, the first thought of most who watched had to be, "Oh, no, not the back." Fortunately, there was no basis for concern for the driver who had missed four races earlier this season because of a compression fracture of his first lumbar vertebra. The impact on Lap 147 of the Quaker State 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was severe, and Hamlin was shaken up, but his back was fine. Team owner Joe Gibbs visited Hamlin in the infield care center after the wreck. Hamlin was released shortly thereafter. "I think our cars are so safe, and to show you, in 22 years, we've only had one person miss a race, and that was Denny, when he had the problem earlier this year," Gibbs told the NASCAR Wire Service. "So to be quite truthful, I didn't see it, so I was just going back, and I didn't realize he hit that hard. And so when I got back there (to the garage), he said, 'Man, I've got a headache, like you wouldn't believe.' And he banged his knee on the inside (of the car). Then we went to the care center, and right away, he said, "I started feeling better and better and better." On Monday, Hamlin plans to go ahead with a scheduled test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "They called the doctor over there, he's going to take a look at him before he gets in the car, but I think we are in good shape there," Gibbs said.(NASCAR Wire Service)
AND from a Toyota Racing transcript:
Q) Do you plan to continue with the rest of the season?
Hamlin: "Definitely have to proceed on. I have a test in Indy tomorrow that we're going to do to try to get better and get to performing better. Really today it was the best performance for us in a while. Hopefully at least something to build off of even though we don't have a good finish."
Q) Will you still contend to make the Chase?
Hamlin: "I felt pretty good about the way we were racing today. We were with the right track position, we could run with everybody except for maybe the 48 (Jimmie Johnson). We're just going to try to win races and that's what my job is for the rest of the year is to try to win and do the best I can for my sponsors and my team. Really the biggest thing I was pushing for was to get my team into the Chase. Had an opportunity owner's points-wise to get into the Chase and this is obviously another hit."
Q) How hard was the hit?
Hamlin: "It's very similar to Kansas of last year during the test day of the race weekend. Flat right side hit, especially, you are picking up a lot of speed off of (turn) four here. For me, it didn't go down slowly like the tire did the first time -- this one just blew out solid and quick. Obviously, when I lost steering I hit flat. I would rather hit head-on anywhere than flat up against the wall on these walls."(Toyoya Racing)(7-1-2013)
UPDATE: #11-Denny Hamlin was cleared Monday by doctors who performed tests to see whether the Joe Gibbs Racing driver suffered a concussion in Sunday's crash at Kentucky Speedway. He saw doctors in Indianapolis on Monday morning before a scheduled two-day test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. JGR officials said the driver was cleared for that and to race in Saturday's Sprint Cup race at Daytona International Speedway.(ESPN)(7-1-2013)

Kentucky Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2013 Quaker State 400: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Sunday's race (the race was postponed from Saturday due to rain) Began recording the times at the beginning of the broadcast at 12:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 3:27 PM (all times are EST). Did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage. TNT was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 121
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 59
Number of times TNT utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 0
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 32
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 4 min. 5 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 12:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 3:27 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 207
Minutes of race broadcast: 151
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 56
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 0
Total race brdcst time 151 Total comm. brdcst time 56
See past races, links to full report more on the 2013 TV Commercials page.(7-1-2013)

Testing at Indy: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing are scheduled to test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in preparation for the Crown Royal presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard on Monday and Tuesday (July 1st and 2nd). #11-Denny Hamlin is one driver scheduled to test. The IMS Facebook page says testing is open to the public.
Drivers testing include: #11-Hamlin, #18-Busch, #20-Kenseth, #42-Montoya and #1-McMurray; plus Nationwide teams: #11-Sadler, #20-Vickers, #54-KyBusch. See images of testing at indianapolismotorspeedway.com.(7-1-2013)

SHR scrambles to get a crewman home for the birth of his first child: This weekend driver #14-Tony Stewart of Stewart Hass Racing did something for one of his crewman that some people would call incredible. To those who know Tony, it's simply Tony. Gas Man Justin White of SHR got a surprise text from his expectant wife in the early hours Sunday morning and it was an all out scramble from 3:30 am on. See full story at Pittalks.com.(7-1-2013)

Sad News - Vera Brewer: Vera Brewer, mother of long-time NASCAR crew chief Tim Brewer, passed away on Thursday, June 27th at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home of Winston-Salem, NC. Services were held on Saturday June 29th, with graveside service at Eastlawn Gardens of Memory in Kernersville, NC. online Condolences may be made at hayworth-miller.com. Two other sons Glenn and Jimmy Brewer.(7-1-2013)

Entry List:There are 43 cars on the preliminary entry list for Friday's Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway. A few notes:
Kurt Busch will drive the Phoenix Racing #1;
Brad Sweet remains in the JR Motorsports #5;
Matt Kenseth returns to the JGR #18;
Joey Logano will drive the #22 for Penske;
Ty Dillon will drive the #33 for RCR;
Bobby Gerhart will drive his #85;
Morgan Shepherd is entered again in his #89;
Kevin Swindell will make another start in the #98.(7-1-2013)
See the complete list on the Daytona entry list page.

Sparco sponsoring Smith at Chicago: JR Motorsports announced that Speedco Truck Lube and Tires, which is heavily involved in the JRM late model program, will sponsor Regan Smith's #7 Chevy Camaro in the July 21 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. The addition of Speedco to the primary sponsorship line-up of the #7 team is an expansion of an already prosperous partnership. With Speedco's backing, JR Motorsports produced its first championship as a company last season when Josh Berry took the track title at Motor Mile Speedway. Speedco also serves as a full-season associate sponsor on both JR Motorsports' Nationwide entries.(JR Motorsports)(7-1-2013)

Moen sponsoring Whitt at Daytona: TriStar Motorsports announced that Moen, the No. 1 faucet brand in North America, will debut as a sponsor on Cole Whitt's #44 Toyota Camry during Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Moen, a brand known for performance and excellence, joins Whitt following his season-best performance of the year; eighth at Road America last weekend. Whitt will show off his Moen Camry when he takes to the high banks at the "World Center of Racing" for the 12th Annual Subway Firecracker 250. Whitt will make his fourth start at Daytona for the Subway Firecracker 250; his best finish came last year when he placed fourth.(TriStar Motorsports)(7-1-2013)

Flyover set for Daytona: Coke Zero 400 fans won't hear the roar of high-powered military jets over the Speedway at the end of the national anthem, but they will be entertained with vintage warbirds. As the sequester budget cuts continue to keep military jets grounded, Daytona International Speedway has secured a group of eight World War II-type aircraft to perform the pre-race flyover at the July 6 race. "It will be a little different than a typical military flyover," Speedway President Joie Chitwood said. "It will be fun and appropriate. At the end of the day, we have to make sure our fans like it, and I know they will." The Speedway didn't have to pay for the military flyovers, and officials won't say how much they paid the Florida-based squad known as the "Affordable Warbird." For Bill "Pirate" Mills of Palm Coast, a former decorated U.S. Navy pilot who flew F-18 fighter jets, the performance is extra special since he is based locally. "It's a real nice honor," said Mills, 50, owner of Blue Sky Yakrobatics who has performed in air shows since 2002 and derives his nickname from his former squadron in Operation Desert Storm. For the Coke Zero 400, the warbirds will fly in formation from the west side of the Speedway at Turn 1 and Turn 2, trailing smoke as they head out to the east. The flyover will be "more visual for fans and you can really hear the engines" of the vintage planes, said Mills, president of the technology company TBD Partners and an organizer of the Wings over Flagler air show. Lead pilot, Hank "Hoot" Gibson, a former decorated Navy pilot who flew with Mills in the first Gulf War, said flying at the Coke Zero 400 is even more special for veterans because it's near "Independence Day and celebrating freedom and everything the country stands for." "When NASCAR calls, we pay attention," the 51-year-old from Orange Park said. "This is about the biggest (stage) we've done." The group has performed since 2009 at other sporting events, including American Le Mans Series events; the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville; the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins football games; and the Players Golf Championship.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(7-1-2013)

Speedway Motorsports sees revenues, ticket sales decelerate: The numbers don't lie. Speedway Motorsports Inc., parent company of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, has watched revenues, including ticket sales, drop annually for five years. Race event-related revenue at Speedway Motorsports' eight NASCAR tracks has also dropped each year for the past five years except 2011. The venues staging NASCAR races are in markets such as Las Vegas, Atlanta, Charlotte, San Francisco and Dallas. For the first quarter of this year, Concord, N.C.-based Speedway Motorsports continued to show sluggish revenue results. Total revenues for the first three months of 2013 were $84.2 million, compared to $84.8 million for the same three-month period in 2012. At the Speedway Motorsports tracks, admissions revenues dropped from $188 million in 2008 to $116 million in 2012. Event-related revenue also dropped, falling from $211 million in 2008 to $151 million in 2012. In all, total Speedway Motorsports annual revenues have plummeted from nearly $611 million in 2008 to $490 million in 2012. The one revenue category that saw an uptick was in NASCAR broadcasting rights revenue, which increased from $168 million in 2008 to $192 million in 2012. That's because an eight-year NASCAR broadcasting rights deal provides annual 3 percent increases through 2014, so Speedway Motorsports expects $199 million in 2013. At Speedway Motorsports' eight NASCAR tracks, total permanent seating is about 900,000, with 832 luxury suites. Las Vegas Motor Speedway has 123,000 seats and 102 suites, and sits on 1,030 acres. Speedway Motorsports has discovered that many fans are buying tickets closer to race dates, so the company has increased promotional campaigns to motivate fans to buy tickets earlier and renew season ticket deals.(Las Vegas Review Journal)(7-1-2013)