Roger Penske offers impassioned defense of his 2 drivers

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/roger-penske-offers-impassioned-defense-2-drivers-185020059--nascar.html

lol.

Ryan: NASCAR v. Stewart is complicated mix of politics, policy and possibly personal
12 Comments ?
By Nate RyanApr 21, 2016, 11:30 PM EDT

Welcome back, “Smoke!”

Now, shut up. It’s how we do things here.

There has been much talk for the past year about how the NASCAR garage — where Tony Stewart finally will return this weekend — was a changed place.

Kumbaya! Collaboration! Cooperation!

Contentious?

It seemed the happy land of productive driver councils and collective rules decisions until Thursday afternoon, the day after Stewart spoke out – strongly – about the recent spate of loose wheels in Sprint Cup.

The dangerous trend is the direct result of a decision NASCAR made last year to stop policing the fastening of five lug nuts per wheel. Though stiff penalties remain if wheels come loose, teams are incentivized for skipping lug nuts and risking driver and fan safety in the hopes of gaining positions.

Stewart, who sits on the ballyhooed driver council and also has a larger seat at the table as a co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, had the temerity to suggest that 1) this was an unwise concept; 2) someone eventually would be injured, making it worse; and 3) NASCAR immediately should take action.

NASCAR agreed with the swift response – fining Stewart $35,000 for conduct unbecoming, or in NASCAR Rule Book parlance, “disparaging leadership.”

The stunning move came roughly six hours after the three-time Sprint Cup champion had announced his comeback this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.

Rather than celebrating the return of a mega-personality whose charisma and magnetism sorely have been missed (in a series that also has lacked the starpower of retired Jeff Gordon), NASCAR shifted the focus to familiar scorn.

Despite encouraging stars to showcase their personalities, NASCAR also has made a habit of fining them.

Denny Hamlin was docked $25,000 in March 2013 for comments about the new Gen 6 car’s quality of racing. In 2011, when NASCAR still was penalizing drivers in secrecy, Brad Keselowski lost $25,000 for badmouthing fuel injection, and Ryan Newman was fined for denigrating the integrity of racing at Talladega Superspeedway.

But in Stewart’s case, the fine was for what, precisely?

It’s hard to say. The infraction was vague, and the offending words went unspecified. The most inflammatory things Stewart said were:

“With all the crap we’re going through with all the safety stuff, and for them to sit there and sit on their hands on this one. If you only want us to put one lug nut on, then give us hubs that have one lug nut like an IndyCar or Formula One car and then we don’t have to worry about it.

“But this is not a game you play with safety, and that’s exactly the way I feel like NASCAR is treating this. This is not the way to do this.”

Is that worthy of a $35,000 sanction?

Consider these quotes before you answer.

“I feel like it’s a ticking time bomb.”

“We’re going to hurt someone. For what purpose?”

“We absolutely did the wrong thing a year and a half ago when NASCAR said we’re not going to police lug nuts anymore.”

Those were the strong opinions of Greg Biffle, who spent much of a Thursday morning interview on SiriusXM blasting the practice of allowing teams to skip lug nuts. He wasn’t punished.

There was no explanation from NASCAR why Stewart was fined while Biffle wasn’t.

There hardly was any official explanation of Stewart’s punishment from NASCAR beyond a spreadsheet that listed the date, offender, dollar amount and rule violated as if it were a parking citation.

So what made Stewart’s situation different?

Was it beyond a matter of policy … but also personal?

Stewart wasn’t punished in mid-January when he challenged the presence of NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France on race weekends.

“I want to see (France) walking through the garage more,” Stewart told SiriusXM’s Dave Moody. “I want to see him being more active than just showing up and patting the sponsors on the back and going up in the suite. I want to see him down there in the trenches with everybody and understanding what’s truly going on. I think that’s where he needs to be for a while.”

In multiple sessions with reporters, Stewart referenced a meeting he had with France at Pocono Raceway last summer.

“Brian France cautioned me on making too many suggestions last year,” he said. “So I’m going to try to keep my ideas to myself a little bit.”

The comments were made a few weeks before NASCAR announced new rules and punishments for behavior.

They also came roughly a week before Stewart fractured his back and fell off the radar for nearly three months. Though he frequently began appearing at the track, he had spoken only a few times with reporters before a 15-minute group interview Wednesday.

In his first extensive session with the media, Stewart managed to say something that rubbed France the wrong way.

“Nobody has led, done more and achieved more in safety than we have,” France told the Associated Press Sports Editors organization at a Thursday meeting in New York shortly before Stewart’s penalty was announced. “It is a never-ending assignment, and we accept that. We do take offense that anything we do is somehow leading toward an unsafe environment, so he’s wrong on that.”

Few would suggest Stewart is always right. He is a firebrand whose passion sometimes overrides the meaning and message of his crusades. But his compassion also is legendary within NASCAR, and his purposeful rants are rooted in good faith.

Speaking out vociferously as he did Wednesday is what he does.

Punishing drivers for doing that?

Thursday showed that’s what NASCAR still does, too.
http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2016/04/21/ryan-nascar-v-stewart-is-complicated-mix-of-politics-policy-and-possibly-personal/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs

Column: NASCAR stumbles again, looks more and more clueless
By PAUL NEWBERRY (AP National Writer)
April 22, 2016 5:42 PM

AP - Sports

So much for trying to be inclusive, NASCAR.

At a time when other sports are leading the charge toward a brighter social future, the good ol' boys seem intent on returning us to a more divisive era.

Might as well bring back those Confederate flags, while they're at it.

NASCAR has been on quite a roll - from blacks-were-so-happy-during-segregation revisionist Phil Robertson delivering a political endorsement posing as prayer before a Texas race, to Tony Stewart being fined $35,000 for having the gall to question whether the governing body cared about the possibility of a tire flying into the crowd - and bumbling Chairman Brian France is taking the sport to entirely new depths.

While not at all hesitant about joining white supremacist groups in publicly supporting Donald Trump for president, France took his sweet time getting around to addressing a new law in North Carolina that essentially formalizes discrimination against lesbian, gay and transgender people.

After no comment on the issue for the better part of a month, despite Charlotte being the sport's epicenter, France was finally given the chance to take a stand during a meeting Thursday with the Associated Press Sports Editors.

France whiffed completely.

He started out by bragging that NASCAR opposed a similar law in Indiana, before devolving into some tortured logic about why NASCAR wouldn't do the same in North Carolina.

''In this instance, we take the position that any discrimination, unintended or not, we're on the other side, we don't like that,'' France said. ''We are working, including myself, behind scenes to the extent, again, we're not a political institution, we don't obviously set political agendas and write laws, but to the extent we can, express our values to policy makers - in this case, North Carolina, we will and we do.''

That mess of an answer was especially striking, given what NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said when he spoke to APSE journalists. Silver made it clear the NBA would move next year's All-Star Game out of Charlotte without significant revisions of the law.

NASCAR could deliver an even more forceful economic blow, given the organization has offices and its hall of fame in Charlotte, most of the teams are based in the area, and Charlotte Motor Speedway is host to one of the biggest races of the year on Memorial Day weekend.

But France wasn't going there.

Not even close.

''We try to be part of a solution, not part of a bunch of threats. Truthfully,'' he said, his nose likely growing on every word. ''But we're very direct about it and I think, we just do our part. We always like to think we take a lot out of the communities that run our events and do business in North Carolina. Case in point, when we're asked to put back into these communities, be a part of these communities, big decisions and small decisions, we want to be there doing that.''

As if realizing he was getting backed into a corner, France concluded by trying to make the case that NASCAR really didn't have that much influence over the affairs of North Carolina, which would be news to taxpayers who helped fund the money draining Hall of Fame.

''We're just one small piece of the fabric,'' he insisted. ''We want to play our role but not overstate our role.''

Of course, NASCAR was willing to take a much more decisive stand when Stewart, a three-time Cup champion and one of the sport's most outspoken figures, had the nerve to criticize a potential safety hazard. At a sponsor appearance Wednesday, Smoke complained about the organization not policing teams that don't apply all five lug nuts during pit stops, a tactic that gets their cars back on the track quicker but has led to a rash of loose wheels the last two races.

Instead of thanking Stewart, NASCAR quickly doled out a ludicrous fine for criticizing the organization. Some of Stewart's fellow drivers were so outraged that they quickly agreed to go in together to pay the $35,000.

What should make this lack of coherent leadership even more troubling to NASCAR fans is the sport isn't exactly thriving at the moment. Television ratings are slumping, fewer cars are entering races, and tracks are plagued by thousands of empty seats.

Just this past weekend at Bristol, the bull-ring of a track that once had a wait list for tickets, the place looked about half full. Not counting rainouts, TV ratings were the lowest for the track's spring race since it moved to Fox in 2001, continuing a disturbing trend that began with the season-opening Daytona 500.

Stock car racing has always been viewed through a regional, homogenous microscope, going back to his bootlegging roots in the Jim Crow South. France has tried to shore up that image at times, most notably working to stamp out the prevalence of the Confederate battle flag in the wake of the Charleston massacre. But these latest developments are indicative of a sport increasingly out of touch with the modern world.

The NFL made it clear that future Super Bowls might not be held in Atlanta if the state approved a religious exemptions law, a stand that helped push the governor into a veto.

The NBA is following a similar path in North Carolina.

Then there's NASCAR, which is clearly heading in the wrong direction.

---

Paul Newberry is a national writer for The Associated Press. Write to him at pnewberry(at)ap.org or at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .

Driver Council agrees to pay Tony Stewart $35,000 fine

Tony Stewart's peers will pay the $35,000 fine NASCAR levied against the three-time champion for criticizing the series about a potential safety hazard during races. The nine-member driver council said in a statement released by Denny Hamlin it agreed to equally pay the fine. Stewart is a member…

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/driver-council-agrees-pay-tony-stewart-35-000-123431294--nascar.html

Column: NASCAR clouding its image with politics
By JENNA FRYER (AP Auto Racing Writer)
April 11, 2016 7:00 PM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- There are Democrats who enjoy NASCAR. Jews and atheists and women, too.

You wouldn't know it lately, not after several events this season, including the invocation before Saturday night's race at Texas Motor Speedway. Duck Commander founder Phil Robertson used the address to pray ''that we put a Jesus man in the White House'' and noted that ''alright Texas, we got here via Bibles and guns.''

Robertson, a star of ''Duck Dynasty,'' has publicly voiced his support for Ted Cruz in the presidential race. His son, Willie, has endorsed GOP front-runner Donald Trump, and the family has always been vocal with its conservative beliefs. It shouldn't have been a surprise when Robertson used his time on stage to push an agenda.

Yet in many ways it was because NASCAR has tried for the last several years to present itself as a sport that embraces diversity, that no longer tolerates many of the racial stereotypes so often associated with the sport.

Last year, NASCAR chairman Brian France took a strong stance against the presence of Confederate flags at race tracks and said he would do everything in his legal power to prevent them from being displayed. It was a progressive move and unusual.

Sports are supposed to be entertainment, after all, and most fans don't tune in expecting or wanting to see soapbox speeches. It's why the stick-and-ball leagues try to stay neutral. When they do embrace America, it's done in safe ways such as the singing of ''God Bless America'' or recognizing military personnel. The logos for Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NFL are all red, white and blue, and league leaders tend to avoid politics and polarizing positions in an effort not to offend fans who don't share their views.

NASCAR has always been the exception.

The France family, which owns the series, has long welcomed political candidates at their events and has a history of making public endorsements. NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. endorsed George Wallace for president. Brian France last month endorsed Trump, and even recruited a handful of drivers to attend a Trump rally in Georgia.

The Trump endorsement was met with significant backlash and France said he was disappointed that his record on promoting diversity had suddenly been called into question. He has spent at least the last decade trying to help his family business shed its image as a sport for intolerant rednecks, but there is no away around it: His Trump endorsement put those efforts at risk.

Then came the Robertson commentary on Saturday night, which Texas Motor Speedway officials said Monday they did not know was coming.

The Robertsons and Duck Dynasty had a three-year sponsorship agreement with the speedway, and the contract allowed the family to fill all honorary roles however they chose. The Robertsons even had a lesser-known family member sing a cringe-worthy version of the national anthem, but Will Robertson's vocals were the least of NASCAR's problems after the stump speech from the family patriarch.

His stance, coupled with France's endorsement of Trump, presents a confusing picture of what NASCAR represents.

There are many who oppose the act of giving an invocation before every race because they don't like religion shoved down their throats, but the pre-race prayer is a longtime tradition that NASCAR doesn't seem to have any interest in abandoning. In Texas, it happened to give Robertson the chance to promote his conservative views, which ultimately are a reflection on NASCAR.

Three years ago, the Texas speedway allowed the National Rifle Association to be the title sponsor of its spring race just months after NASCAR participated in a deal that put a car in the Daytona 500 that specifically honored the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting.

It was an embarrassing mixed message and NASCAR swiftly issued guidelines requiring approval for race naming rights. The policy gives NASCAR the option to reject a sponsor if its ''brand has been tarnished by controversy, crisis or circumstance such that its association with the event would damage the NASCAR brand or the image of the sport.''

Whether Robertson violated that clause Saturday night is a matter of opinion. Either way, NASCAR needs to take a serious look at the message that is being delivered each week and how entering the political arena is clouding the image France wants to project.

https://sports.yahoo.com/news/column-nascar-clouding-image-politics-222808573--nascar.html

NASCAR tracks unite, ask fans not to fly Confederate flag

http://news.yahoo.com/nascar-tracks-jointly-ask-fans-not-fly-confederate-153329132--spt.html

NASCAR's position on Confederate flag changes
Jeff Gluck, USA TODAY Sports 12:25 a.m. EDT June 28, 2015

In a statement Saturday, chairman Brian France targets flag's removal from tracks' infields

NASCAR's position on the Confederate flag has evolved as CEO Brian France works to distance the sport from what he said Saturday was an "offensive and divisive symbol."

In a statement Saturday, France reiterated the sport's policy preventing the use of the flag in any official capacity -- a stance that drew headlines Tuesday when NASCAR backed the removal of the Confederate flag from South Carolina's Capitol grounds.







USA TODAY

Gluck: NASCAR should ban Confederate flag from all tracks now


"In all areas that NASCAR controls on a given race weekend, the flag has no presence," France said. "We have been clear in support of this position throughout our industry and to those across the country who have called for the eradication of the Confederate Flag."







USA TODAY

Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Confederate flag: 'It's offensive to an entire race'


But France went a step further than NASCAR's Tuesday statement on the issue, this time indicating the sport is looking into how it can reduce the flag's presence among fans who might fly it in the infield.







FOR THE WIN

NASCAR supports removal of Confederate flag from South Carolina capitol


"We will be as aggressive as possible to disassociate NASCAR events from an offensive and divisive symbol," France said. "We are working with the industry right now to achieve that goal."

NASCAR's earlier statement had indicated it would not act when it came to fans flying the flag on their own at races.

It said Tuesday that NASCAR "recognizes that freedom of expression is an inherent right of all citizens."

Saturday's statement seemed to show France's thinking on the flag issue has been taken a step further.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2015/06/27/nascar-confederate-flag-infield-brian-france/29404041/

Kurt Busch Leads 291 Laps in Richmond Victory
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSAPRIL 26, 2015, 6:44 P.M. E.D.T.

RICHMOND, Va. — Kurt Busch has spent time this year in a Delaware courtroom, then on NASCAR's sidelines as he served a three-race suspension for an alleged domestic assault on a former girlfriend.

Now he has made a trip to Victory Lane, where Busch hoped his victory Sunday at Richmond International Raceway will help him close one of the messiest chapters of his volatile career.

"Standing on the truth the whole time, that gave me the feeling of when I do get back to the car, it's going to be easy to focus, and I think I've shown that," said Busch, who still has a no-contact order against him that was issued in February by a Delaware Family Court judge. The judge ruled that Busch likely assaulted ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll in September.

The 2004 series champion dominated the rain-delayed NASCAR Sprint Cup race that was originally scheduled for Saturday night under the lights.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver led a career-best 291 of the 400 laps on the 0.75-mile oval, outrunning teammate Kevin Harvick over the final dozen laps to end a 35-race winless streak.

Earlier in his return, he said he was trying too hard.

"I think I might have been driving too hard, too much of a chip on my shoulder, so to speak," he said, adding that he realized last weekend that there is danger in driving along the line that separates effectively aggressive and overly aggressive.

One week later, he's already secured a spot in NASCAR's 10-race playoff.

"We're winners in April. It feels good," he said. "Plenty of time to do fun things to build the team up, get stronger, learn from all these races coming up and continue to go forward."

"Like (team owner) Gene Haas said: One win is great. I want four or five more."

Harvick, meanwhile, finished in the top two for the seventh time in nine races, but said he had to rally after his car struggled on one set of tires and drifted back into the pack.

The race looked much like the Xfinity Series event Friday night in which Denny Hamlin led 248 of 250 laps and only lost the lead during green flag pits stops. This time, there were actual green flag lead changes, but only two — when Busch passed Joey Logano after 94 laps to take the lead, and when Jamie McMurray passed Busch after 262 laps.

Busch regained the lead under caution and never relinquished it, beating Harvick to the finish by 0.754 seconds. The victory was the 26th of Busch's career and second at Richmond.

Jimmie Johnson rallied from a No. 36 starting spot to grab third. McMurray was fourth and pole-sitter Logano, who led the first 94 laps, was fifth. Rookie Chase Elliott, making his second start in NASCAR's premier series, finished 16th.

McMurray's pass came during a series of green flag stops, and when a caution came out on lap 270, only three cars were on the lead lap, including Busch, who had just pitted. He stayed out, regained the lead and slowly pulled away from Justin Allgaier, who got up front because of the green flag stops.

"We just had a really good car after 40 or 50 laps," McMurray said. "Really, for us to have a shot at winning, we had to have a long green-flag run at the end."

Harvick was closing on him in the final laps, but "just ran out of time," he said.

The day was especially disappointing for Denny Hamlin, who grew up about 20 miles from the track and had a dominating Friday, qualifying second and leading 248 of 250 laps in the Xfinity Series race.

That, however, was before rain all day Saturday washed all the rubber off the track, and when the race began Sunday, Hamlin began fading immediately. He went a lap down after 236 laps and finished 22nd.

Joey Logano wins pole for Richmond
By Nick Bromberg
16 hours ago

Defending Richmond winner Joey Logano will start first for Saturday night's race.

Logano outpaced former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin for the top starting spot, his third pole position of the season. He's previously started first at Atlanta and Martinsville.

Hamlin has won twice at Richmond, though his last win at the track came in 2009 when he led 299 laps.

Kurt Busch will start third while AJ Allmendinger starts fourth and Kevin Harvick will start fifth.

Logano won last year's race after an awesome four-car battle for the win. Because why not, here it is again. It doesn't get old.

Matt Kenseth wins pole at Bristol

Matt Kenseth's streak of fast cars at Bristol is continuing.

Kenseth won his second career pole at the half-mile track on Friday, beating out Brad Keselowski for the top spot.

While Kenseth's last pole came in 2005, he's been very good at Bristol in recent years, even if his finishes don't completely show it. Kenseth has led laps in the last seven Bristol races and had one of the best cars in last yea's spring race despite sustaining damage early in the race after he was run into from behind.

Carl Edwards, winner of last year's race after an accidental pressing of the caution lights button and a fortuitously-timed rain shower, qualified third. Kevin Harvick was fourth while Denny Hamlin was fifth. David Ragan, teammate to Kenseth, Edwards and Hamlin, qualified 11th.

Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne rounded out the top eight, which means the first four rows for Sunday's race are filled with drivers who have previously won at Bristol.

Logano on pole; Elliott to make debut

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/12572765/joey-logano-edges-ryan-newman-martinsville-pole

Brad Keselowski passes Kurt Busch for win at Auto Club Speedway

NASCAR conspiracy theories are ridiculous. No, NASCAR wasn't rigging races for Jimmie Johnson during his five-year title run. No, the sport doesn't manipulate things to benefit Dale Earnhardt Jr. whenever possible. The list goes on.

But if you want to make a conspiracy theory based on what you saw as a television viewer of Sunday's race at Auto Club Speedway. you've got it pretty easy. You may not be right, but you can believe there was something amiss in the final laps in California without much effort.

Brad Keselowski won the race as he made a last-lap pass of Kurt Busch after Greg Biffle crashed back in the pack as the leaders took the white flag. However, NASCAR didn't throw a caution. But this isn't the only piece if you're choosing to make a conspiracy theory. Rather it's the final one and the one that will be the highlight of the race played over and over.

Busch, who NASCAR suspended for three races less than two days before the Daytona 500, was second to Matt Kenseth with 15 laps to go. After a restart with 43 laps remaining, drivers were jockeying to make it to the end without having to stop for fuel again. While the race for the lead wasn't necessarily the most intense, it was setting up to be dramatic, as it was unclear just how many cars would be able to make it to the end without stopping.

The thought of a fuel-mileage race disappeared with a caution for debris. Via the Fox broadcast, it was apparently for debris near the exit of pit road, but you'd never know that if you weren't at the track and looking at it yourself. Fox never showed the debris.

Busch grabbed the lead off the ensuing restart from teammate Kevin Harvick, winner of the previous two races. If Busch won – and he led 65 laps after starting on the pole – he'd be virtually guaranteed a spot in the Chase just two races after being reinstated. He was suspended indefinitely after a Delaware county commissioner ruled he "more likely than not" committed an act of abuse against his ex-girlfriend. A little more than two weeks later Busch wasn't criminally charged by the Delaware attorney general's office. Six days later, he was back in NASCAR.

He was holding off Harvick as the laps wound down, and with two laps to go, another caution for debris happened. It was allegedly in turn four, and this was the only camera shot provided of the corner following the caution.

https://twitter.com/NickBromberg/status/579773859500421120/photo/1

Busch, Harvick and a host of others pitted. They both took two tires, coincidentally the number of green flag laps they'd have to get past the three cars that didn't pit and into the lead. Not long after the green waved, Busch was in the lead with Harvick just behind him.

The caution came out again on the backstretch. This time, it was for Kyle Larson's rear bumper on the track after he hit the wall. Nothing to conspiracize over there.

It set up what was ultimately the final restart, and Keselowski, who was seventh after taking four tires when Busch and Harvick took two, was within striking distance after a half-lap. He was on Busch's bumper as they crossed the start-finish line for the white flag. But right as they did, Biffle's car was spinning off turn four.

A caution before the leaders crossed the line would necessitate another restart. A caution on the last lap, similar to what happened at the Daytona 500, when NASCAR rightfully called a caution as Joey Logano was leading, meant the field was frozen and Busch would win.

There was no caution. Keselowski, rather than Busch, is a virtual lock for the Chase after five races.

At best, the events leading to Keselowski's win looked like a mass of inconsistencies building to a two-minute highlight finish from an otherwise fun three-hour race. And NASCAR realized that, sending Sprint Cup Series director Richard Buck to address the assembled media at the track after the race to explain the final laps.

"You know, we don't have any favorites," Buck said. "We try to keep every emotion out of it. Safety's number one. We have over a hundred years worth of experience in the tower with [NASCAR officials] Mike Helton, Robin Pemberton, David Hoots, myself. Between us we work very closely in a very dynamic way to identify the situation and look for the solution to it, then that solution is backed up by multiple layers. So we feel very, very confident about our actions."

However, at worst, the appearance of the inconsistent actions give the tinfoil hat set – a vocal minority that may have a few more members after Sunday's race – plenty of points to draw conclusions about race manipulation by the sport's sanctioning body.

It's inexcusable. The simple fact that Buck was available to media to explain debris cautions and post-race process speaks to the immediate perception issue NASCAR and Fox created.


Sometimes #Nascar doesn't tell TV right away where the debris is, & never say what it is. We look for it but it may be gone by then.
— Mike Joy (@mikejoy500) March 23, 2015

And really, it's a simple fix. All debris causing cautions should be shown by televison cameras. If it can't, NASCAR should be in immediate communication with the television production truck with explicit reasoning of why the debris couldn't be shown. Broadcasters should then relay that information to fans as soon as possible.

Everyone benefits from that scenario. Fans know what's going on and feel a sense of transparency. The television broadcast doesn't look incompetent or lacksadaisical about informing viewers of the events transpiring on screen. And NASCAR minimizes any wacky conclusions fans can draw about why a caution was thrown for no visible reason.

But it's a scenario that's apparently easier said than done, given the preponderance of debris cautions in recent years.

As NASCAR and its tracks are now being reactive over track safety in the wake of Kyle Busch's accident, Sunday's race is the perfect time to be reactive about the way debris cautions are presented to viewers. Conspiracy theories shouldn't be as easy, and the level of difficulty has nothing to do with those that make them.


http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/brad-keselowski-passes-kurt-busch-for-win-at-auto-club-speedway-002110667.html

Caution flag spoils Kurt Busch bid
Updated: March 22, 2015, 8:54 PM ET
By Bob Pockrass | ESPN.com

FONTANA, Calif.-- Kurt Busch appeared set to earn his first Sprint Cup victory of the season before a caution with less than two laps remaining in the scheduled 200-lap race ended up foiling those plans Sunday at Auto Club Speedway.

The debris caution came out for what NASCAR said was a piece of metal between turns 3 and 4. Busch, no doubt in frustration of seeing a potential Auto Club 400 win slip away, radioed to his team: "WWE," a reference to the popular wresting shows and staged results.

Busch ended up pitting with most of the rest of the lead-lap cars, but he only took two fresh tires in anticipation of a two-lap dash to the finish that is NASCAR's "overtime" procedure.

Brad Keselowski, who had taken four fresh tires, ended up passing Busch for the win with the help of another caution for an obvious piece of debris -- a rear bumper cover that came off one of the cars.

Busch, in just his second race back after a three-race suspension, was diplomatic afterward.

"We just got hung out on the yellows at the end," Busch said. "When do you pit to put four tires on, when do you pit to put two tires on? That last restart I just didn't get the job done."

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series director Richard Buck said Sunday afternoon that the officials in race control had enough confirmation from their officials in the area that there was a piece of metal on the track. Because drivers tend to use the entire width of the speedway surface at this track, any piece of metal on the track surface typically results in a caution, Buck said.

Buck said the piece of debris was hit by another car after he had called for the caution.

"If there's any question whatsoever, we're going to throw the caution," Buck said. "There was a lot of paper flying around today, a lot of paper trash and plastic bags and those kinds of things. We got definite confirmation that it was debris and it looked like a piece of metal.

"It's strictly a process that we go through [to call a caution]. We don't have any favorites. We try to keep every emotion out of it. .. We feel very, very confident about our actions."

On the last lap, Greg Biffle spun on the frontstretch. NASCAR opted to let the race play out instead of ending the race under caution, and Biffle was able to drive away before the leaders had circled the 2-mile track. At Daytona earlier this year, NASCAR threw the caution on the final lap in order to get safety vehicles on to the track and tend to the drivers involved.

"Safety is No. 1; we always make our best effort to let it race back and we had a well over a mile [remaining]," Buck said. "The leaders were coming off of [Turn] 2. We had multiple people watching. ... Biffle got it started back up and got it turned around and headed off.

"We had two folks in the flagstand that were right there on top of it. We had a bird's-eye view from their perspective that there was no debris right there so we could let it come back to a natural finish."

Kurt Busch earns Fontana pole

FONTANA, Calif. -- When Tony Gibson and his crew got paired with Kurt Busch for the final three races last year, it suddenly went from the job of developing Danica Patrick into a stock-car racer to returning Busch to a championship contender in 2015.

Then two days before the Daytona 500, those championship hopes evaporated as Busch was suspended after a Delaware family court commissioner determined he had committed an act of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend last September.

So when Busch, who has called the allegations a fabrication, was reinstated March 10, about a week after prosecutors declined to file charges and given a waiver from the NASCAR requirement that a driver must start every race to be eligible for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, the Stewart-Haas Racing team all of sudden had those championship dreams in the front of their minds.

"We didn't get the start that we wanted," pole winner Kurt Busch said of this season, "and here we are now, so let's just stay the course and run our pace."
"We won the lottery right there," Gibson said last week after Phoenix. "We all believed in our heart the truth and we knew it. So that's what we rest on. We knew eventually we'd get him back, and we just had to have fast cars when he comes back."

Busch needed just 10 days to prove why the crew feels that way. He finished fifth last Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway in his first race back since the suspension and then went out and won the pole Friday for this weekend's race at Auto Club Speedway.

"They are such a strong group and have been together for many, many years and we just need to bridge from where we were last year in those final three races into 2015," Busch said. "We didn't get the start that we wanted, and here we are now, so let's just stay the course and run our pace."

The 2004 Sprint Cup champion reminded everyone why team co-owner Gene Haas started a fourth car for Busch in 2014 and had his company, southern California-based Haas Automation, sponsor the embattled driver. Haas even brought Busch to the company headquarters Thursday.

"Thank you Gene for believing in me," Busch said. "This is my job: Come to the track, drive the car and put it up on the pole and go for wins.

"That is what Gene has told me to do from the get go and I'm glad I have this chance to go back out there and live up to why he hired me."

Busch's speed of 185.142 mph in the final round of qualifying was just enough to earn the Auto Club 400 pole over SHR teammate Kevin Harvick (185.047), winner of the last two races and four of the last six dating back to his 2014 championship run.

Joe Gibbs Racing's Matt Kenseth (184.986) and David Ragan (184.886) will fill the second row. Chip Ganassi Racing's Kyle Larson will start fifth. Failing to qualify were Travis Kvapil and Reed Sorenson.

The teams will have two practices Saturday in preparation for the race Sunday, and Busch has said he has been "putting the blinders on and focusing on the car" in the last 10 days.

"I called [Busch] every day, even when he was suspended," said Gibson, whose team had respectable races the first three events with Regan Smith as the replacement driver. "We talked every day. He was in our debriefs. He was part of our team. I kept [saying] the whole time, 'You're our driver, you're a guy and this is your team.' That has been our mentality since Day 1."

That mentality probably had as much to do with the pole as the fast cars.

"I'm proud of this company," Gibson said. "Stewart-Haas Racing stuck behind us through all this stuff and has been our biggest supporters. That's all behind us now. Nothing but win right now."

Surprise! Not really - it's Harvick on the pole at Phoenix

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- The statistics show that Kevin Harvick is the driver to beat at Phoenix International Raceway.

His speed, coupled with the unbelievable momentum he's had since late last season, shows he may not be beatable at all in the desert.

Harvick won the pole Friday at Phoenix, where he's won four of the last five races and six for his career. His lap of 140.751 mph in his Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet gave him his first ever Sprint Cup pole at the track he loves.

It was yet another milestone for the defending NASCAR champion and his No. 4 team, coming off Harvick's first career victory at Las Vegas.

''To get that first pole with these guys and celebrate anything that we hadn't done ... every week is just a new adventure,'' Harvick said. ''It's pretty special to be a part of a group of guys like this.''

Asked what it will take to beat him Sunday, Harvick smirked. From the back of the room, second-place qualifier and Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano waited, ''Tell us the secret!'' he yelled to Harvick.

Harvick didn't sound as if there is a surefire way to keep the No. 4 out of victory lane.

''There's just so many circumstances that you can't control, so many things that can go wrong, mistakes that you can make,'' Harvick said. ''We can make some bad decisions as we go through practice and miss the balance when we start the race. There's just a lot of things that can go wrong.''

Logano heard what Harvick was saying loud and clear.

''I don't know if you noticed his answer - the only was he can get beat is him screwing up. I don't know if you heard that,'' Logano said. ''Sounds like it will take a mistake or crash or strategy call.''

But Logano, who has a win among his three top-10 finishes this season, isn't giving up. His Team Penske Ford has been just as consistent as Harvick so far this year, and if he can hang with Harvick over a long run Sunday, he believes he has a chance.

''We work hard to make our cars faster than his, and we have been getting closer,'' Logano said. ''I feel like the last three times we have been here we have been a second-place car. That next step is a pretty big step to try to find more speed.

''We can do it. We are not that far off. We are just a little off. We are in the ballpark.''

But Harvick is on a roll that's not been seen in some time. He opened the season with a second-place finish to Logano in the Daytona 500, was second at Atlanta, then finally won last week at Las Vegas. Dating back to last season, has six consecutive top-two finishes, has won three of the last six races dating to last season, and used his win at Phoenix last year to catapult his championship run.

''Kevin Harvick is in one of the strongest sequences that I've ever seen in our sport,'' said SHR teammate Kurt Busch.

Jamie McMurray qualified third and thought he might have had a shot at the pole, only to be outdone by Harvick.

''The No. 4 car is just on a roll,'' McMurray said. ''It stinks to be a part of it and have to finish behind him, but it's pretty awesome to see the results that team is having.''

Matt Kenseth was fourth and followed by Ryan Newman, Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards.

Busch, back from a NASCAR suspension that spanned the first three races of the season, qualified eighth. He'll be making his season debut on Sunday, and is grateful it comes at the first short track on the NASCAR schedule.

Busch has yet to compete in the 2015 rules package, but thinks he's not at a huge disadvantage to his competitors because no one has raced it on a short track yet. He also has more experience at Phoenix than he does anywhere else on the circuit.

''I don't feel like I am too far behind,'' he said. ''It's an even playing field with the new package and everyone at a track less than a mile-and-a-half.''

Busch lifted by warm reception from race team upon return

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Kurt Busch, buoyed by a warm reception from his race team, was finally back in a car Friday preparing for his first race of the season.

There was very little rust: He advanced into the final round of qualifying and will start eighth in Sunday's race at Phoenix International Raceway.

''It's not me,'' Busch said. ''It's the team.''

Busch was suspended the first three races of the season for an alleged domestic assault of a former girlfriend. NASCAR reinstated him this week, and Stewart-Haas Racing promptly put him back in the No. 41 Chevrolet.

''It's always a little different going out there for your first lap of the year,'' Busch said. ''It all felt normal today, and to be in the top-10, that's a great start. But there are all kinds of things to learn and feel with the car.

''I'm looking forward to the next three weeks. I had three weeks to sit and watch, and now I'm back on my game.''

He seemed to genuinely appreciate being back in a car and among his peers.

''The seat, the belts and just the love from the crew guys, it's been pretty cool the way the garage feels like a fraternity,'' he said after his first practice session. ''It's nice to see good friends.''

Busch was suspended two days before the season-opening Daytona 500 after a Delaware judge ruled he likely assaulted Patricia Driscoll in his motorhome in September at Dover International Speedway. He lost two rounds of appeals on the eve of the season-opening Daytona 500, then missed NASCAR's biggest race of the year.

He also was suspended for races at Atlanta, one of his favorite tracks, and Las Vegas, his hometown.

The 2004 champion said it was ''torture'' not being able to race.

It was the third suspension of his career, and led NASCAR to insist that Busch participate in a road to reinstatement program.

His path to reinstatement accelerated last week when the Delaware attorney general declined to charge Busch, and health care expert recommended to NASCAR Busch's immediate reinstatement.

Busch, who remains on indefinite probation, has denied Driscoll's allegations.

His focus, he insisted Friday, is just getting back to racing and a regular routine.

''It was good just to get back in the seat and shake hands with all the guys,'' Busch said. ''Having the support of Stewart-Haas, it's been like family. Then to see the other crew members that I know, and some that I don't know, who shake my hand and say 'welcome back,' it feels good.''

After missing the first three races, he's got some adapting to do to the new 2015 rules package.

''I have to learn the car and the feel, because it looks like the lap times are so tight,'' he said, noting that one slight miss in first practice had him 17th on the speed chart.

Reigning NASCAR champion Kevin Harvick believes SHR will benefit from Busch's return. Regan Smith drove the No. 41 in the first three races, with a best finish of 16th at both Daytona and Las Vegas.

Harvick, meanwhile, won last weekend at Las Vegas and has two runner-up finishes.

But SHR teammates Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick are not yet up to the same speed. Stewart has had two wrecks and was 33rd last week at Las Vegas, where he was vocal in his displeasure with the rules package.

Patrick's best finish was 16th at Atlanta.

''To have Kurt back in the car is an asset to everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing from a performance side,'' Harvick said. ''Everything that he does inside that race car is a benefit to us.''

Patrick also believes the organization can utilize Busch's strengths to help all four cars. Busch has 25 career wins and is considered one of the smartest drivers in the garage.

''He's very fast, he's really technical - he talks way over my head about stuff about the car,'' she said, adding that having the regular SHR lineup together for debriefs and competition meetings will be a help.

NASCAR reinstates Kurt Busch; grants him waiver for Chase
By JENNA FRYER (AP Auto Racing Writer) 1 hour ago AP - Sports


CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- NASCAR lifted its suspension of Kurt Busch on Wednesday and ruled the former champion can compete in the title Chase should he qualify.

Busch missed the first three races of the season when NASCAR suspended him over an alleged domestic assault on his ex-girlfriend, but the Delaware attorney general last week declined to charge him for the September incident with Patricia Driscoll.

NASCAR said Busch remains under indefinite probation, but had complied with its reinstatement requirements.

''We have made it very clear to Kurt Busch our expectations for him moving forward, which includes participation in a treatment program and full compliance with all judicial requirements as a result of his off-track behavior,'' NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell said.

O'Donnell said when it became clear Busch would not be charged, it ''removed a significant impediment'' to his reinstatement.

''He has fully complied with our reinstatement program during his suspension and the health care expert who conducted his evaluation recommended his immediate return,'' O'Donnell said.


Busch will return to his Stewart-Haas Racing team this weekend at Phoenix.

''We appreciate the steps Kurt Busch has made while following NASCAR's process for reinstatement,'' SHR general manager Joe Custer said. ''He has taken this path seriously, which allowed him to return to our race team. With his reinstatement and the conclusion by the Delaware Attorney General to not file charges, our focus is on the future.''

His return was also cleared by Chevrolet, which had suspended its relationship with Busch. SHR is a Chevrolet team, and Jim Campbell, vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports, said the manufacturer ''will continue to monitor the situation.''

Team co-owner Gene Haas had indicated on Sunday the team's top concern was Busch's championship eligibility.

The new Chase for the Sprint Cup championship format introduced last season gives drivers an automatic berth into the 16-driver field with a victory during the regular season. But, a driver must be ranked inside the top 30 in points to use that automatic berth.

Busch currently has no points in the No. 41 Chevrolet, a car Haas pays for out of pocket specifically for Busch.

Busch still must comply with guidelines set by Family Court Commissioner David Jones, who granted the no-contact order for Driscoll that led to his Feb. 20 suspension, two days before the season-opening race at Daytona. Jones wrote in his opinion that he believed there's real possibility Busch will lash out again and has a propensity to lose control in response to disappointing or frustrating situations involving racing.

Jones ordered Busch to be evaluated to see if there is a ''treatable mental health condition.'' He also said Busch must follow any suggested treatment plans.

Busch is appealing Jones' ruling, and NASCAR will allow that to play out.






?
?
?
?
.

Kurt Busch won't be charged
Updated: March 5, 2015, 8:59 PM ET
By Bob Pockrass | ESPN.com

Suspended NASCAR driver Kurt Busch will not face criminal charges over the alleged assault of ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll at Dover International Speedway in September.

The decision by the Delaware attorney general's office, announced Thursday morning, might not affect Busch in the interim because he is under suspension by NASCAR. The sport indefinitely suspended the Stewart-Haas Racing driver before the Daytona 500 -- a decision that was upheld on appeal -- after a family court commissioner issued a detailed opinion Feb. 20 saying that Busch had committed an act of domestic violence against Driscoll.

"I am grateful that the prosecutors in Delaware listened, carefully considered the evidence, and after a thorough investigation decided to not file criminal charges against me," Busch said in a statement. "I wish to thank my family, friends, fans, and race team who stood by me throughout this nightmare with their unwavering support.

"Thanks also goes to my legal team for making sure that the truth got out and was fully provided to the prosecutors. As I have said from the beginning, I did not commit domestic abuse. I look forward to being back in racing as soon as possible and moving on with my life."

NASCAR hasn't announced the guidelines for Busch's reinstatement but is using a domestic violence expert to help determine his path. Busch has agreed to the NASCAR guidelines.

NASCAR said in a statement that Busch remains suspended.

"He has accepted the terms and conditions of a reinstatement program and is actively participating in the program," NASCAR's statement read. "Kurt Busch's eligibility for reinstatement will continue to be governed by that program and the NASCAR rule book, though the elimination of the possibility of criminal charges certainly removes a significant impediment to his reinstatement."

The decision not to file criminal charges followed a lengthy investigation that began after Driscoll filed a complaint with police Nov. 5. The police completed its investigation in late December, but prosecutors had continued to look into the case.

"While I respect the process, I am disappointed that full justice was not served here," Driscoll said in a statement. "My family and I take a measure of solace in the Order of Protection From Abuse granted by [family court] commissioner [David] Jones, who ruled my account of the facts was the most credible."

The Delaware Department of Justice issued a statement Thursday saying it determined that meeting the burden of proof "beyond a reasonable doubt" would have been too difficult to obtain.

"After a thorough consideration of all of the available information about the case, it is determined that the admissible evidence and available witnesses would likely be insufficient to meet the burden of establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Busch committed a crime during the September 26th incident," the statement said. "Likelihood of meeting that high burden of proof is the standard for prosecutors in bringing a case. For this reason, the Department of Justice will not pursue criminal charges in this case."

Mark Dycio, an attorney for Driscoll, said in a statement that police investigators recommended Busch be prosecuted. Busch told investigators, according to a Dover Police Department detective's testimony during the family court hearing, that Driscoll's "head tapped the wall" when he cupped her cheeks.

"Mr. Busch testified in open court that he squeezed Patricia's face, and admitted to police that he slammed her head against the wall in the process," Dycio said. "Given that these admissions establish an assault took place, and that investigators recommended Mr. Busch be prosecuted, it seems impossible that the attorney general's office made this decision on burden of proof grounds."

The burden of proof is different in the criminal and civil cases that stem from this incident.

Spokesmen for the Dover Police Department and the Delaware attorney general's office declined to comment on what police investigators recommended.

"The Dover Police Department conducted a thorough investigation into the allegations made against Mr. Busch and forwarded all of the details and findings to the Delaware Attorney General's Office in late November. We respect the decision made by the Attorney General's office and have no further comment at this time," the statement read.

Driscoll sought and obtained a protective order in family court in Kent County, where the burden of proof was a "preponderance of the evidence" that Busch committed an act of domestic violence.

"Patricia and I are very disappointed that Kurt will not be prosecuted for the abusive acts he committed in September," Driscoll attorney Carolyn McNeice said in a statement. "The AG's decision, however, only makes the order that we received for protection from abuse that much more important.

"As you can see, in some cases, this is the only protection the victim will get. This civil no-contact order is a critical tool for protecting victims."

The hearing on the protective order included two days of testimony in December and two more in January, where Busch and Driscoll testified about what happened that night. Driscoll testified that Busch put a hand on her neck and another on her face and smashed her head into the wall of his motor home three times.

Busch testified that he cupped her cheeks and repeatedly asked her to leave. He testified she entered his motor home uninvited a week after their four-year relationship ended.

Both sides tried to discredit the other, with Driscoll saying Busch had issues with alcohol and depression in the weeks leading up to the incident (he testified that he had not been drinking that night); she also testified about an unreported 2012 assault. Busch said he should have been the one who was afraid and that Driscoll, a defense contractor and CEO of the Armed Forces Foundation, was a mercenary and trained assassin.

"At great risk to my personal and professional reputation, I have spoken candidly, at length, and on the record, to a variety of outlets in an effort to correct the distortions and sensationalism that have unfortunately marked the coverage of this painful time in my family's life," Driscoll said in her statement. "I would urge anyone covering this case to stick to the well-established facts. Giving further air to baseless and discredited accusations about me does a disservice to the public and reduces a serious matter for law enforcement into tabloid gossip."

Busch is appealing Jones' ruling in family court that Driscoll's testimony was more credible, and his attorneys have supplied new evidence that they believe shows Driscoll was lying and that she was out to destroy the career of the 2004 Cup series champion.

The family court decision was enough for NASCAR to act two days before the Daytona 500. Busch, who has 25 career Cup victories, lost both of his Feb. 21 appeals to NASCAR to be reinstated.

"We will continue to exhaust every procedural and legal remedy we have available to us until Kurt Busch is vindicated," Busch attorney Rusty Hardin said Feb. 21. "Along the way we intend to continue to call attention to the facts and witnesses that will shed light on Ms. Driscoll's true character, motivations and history."

SHR co-owner Gene Haas, whose machinery company (Haas Automation) has logos plastered across Busch's firesuit and car, has been a staunch supporter of Busch but has not commented since the suspension.

"We appreciate the thoroughness of the Dover Police Department's investigation into the allegations made against Kurt Busch and respect the time the attorney general put into his decision," SHR executive vice president Joe Custer said in a statement.

"They are the experts in these matters and the decision not to pursue charges is an important one. We're currently working with NASCAR to understand how this impacts Kurt's reinstatement process."

Chevrolet Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell said the company has not reinstated its personal services agreement with Busch.

"Our relationship with Kurt Busch remains unchanged," Campbell said in a statement. "He remains suspended, and we will continue to monitor all aspects of this situation."

Regan Smith has filled in for the first two races of the season and will drive the No. 41 car this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Joey Logano wins Daytona 500

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/daytona-500-tk-210803630.html

Kurt Busch case a product of the post-Ray Rice world in sports
By Dan Wetzel
14 hours ago
Yahoo Sports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Kurt Busch has never been arrested for allegedly assaulting his one-time girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, on Sept. 26, 2014, inside his motorhome at Dover International Speedway.

Kurt Busch has never been charged with that crime. Kurt Busch has never been convicted of that crime. Kurt Busch never settled the case, in part, because there is no case to settle. There have been no criminal or civil charges filed against him.

What did happen was a commissioner of a family court in Delaware issued an order of protection on Monday to keep Busch away from Driscoll, followed by an explanation of the decision on Friday.

That led to NASCAR suspending the driver immediately and indefinitely, including for Sunday's Daytona 500. Busch appealed twice and lost twice in a matter of six hours on Saturday. The 36-year-old's career, which features 25 Sprint Cup victories and one championship, might be done.

The decision by commissioner David Jones came after an expansive hearing process in which the commissioner determined Driscoll's story (that Busch strangled her inside his motorhome) was more believable than Busch's story (that he simply cupped her head and asked her to leave) in part because of photos of injuries on her neck, in part because Driscoll presented testimony in a more believable way (in the commissioner's determination) than Busch and in part because Busch's explanation was deemed "simply implausible."

Fair enough. A restraining order should always err on the side of caution, and reading Jones' extensive ruling, it's a reasonable conclusion. Busch certainly could've done it and keeping these two apart is definitely a good idea.

Still, as Busch kept showing up at NASCAR headquarters on Saturday, as the roar of race cars echoed from the Daytona International Speedway across the street, it was also reasonable to keep repeating that he's never been arrested, charged, found actually guilty or anything else in this case.

A restraining order is a restraining order, understandably easy to obtain – many are granted within a single day and need only minimal evidence. And while NASCAR believes it is fully within its rights to suspend Busch, this feels like a deal that, for better or worse, never would have occurred even one year ago.

"Just because the NFL dropped the ball so badly on Ray Rice, then Kurt Busch is going to be made an example?" said Gil Wagner, 37, a Busch fan from West Chicago, Ill., who sat outside NASCAR headquarters holding a sign of support. (The driver never saw it when he exited from a different door.)

"Kurt Busch is innocent until proven guilty," Wagner said. "I believe NASCAR is overstepping their bounds. I'm not for domestic violence at all but he hasn't been proven guilty. They make up the rules as they go along."

Maybe not make them up, but certainly apply them as they see fit. After all, NASCAR announced Busch's suspension inside the Daytona media center, while right outside the green flag was about to drop on a truck series race which featured Travis Kvapil, who in January 2014 pleaded guilty after being arrested for domestic assault.

Kvapil received probation from the court, but never a suspension from NASCAR. So guilty gets nothing, but not getting charged earns an indefinite suspension?

Blaming everything on Roger Goodell can get a little old, but this is clearly a new era in sports and a league such as NASCAR that is so dependent on corporate sponsorship appears to be employing a suspend-first-ask-questions-later policy.

Perception and appearance matter and it's not a good look to have a possibly domestic abuser in your biggest race or have someone scribble "Ray Rice" on a window looking into Busch's garage stall here this week.

The Rice case is completely different though. The ex-Baltimore running back was arrested at the time. There was video of him punching his girlfriend in the face in a casino elevator. He eventually reached a deal with a local prosecutor.

Kurt Busch had none of these opportunities, just a chance to fight the restraining order, not because, his defense team stated, he wanted anything to do with his ex-girlfriend but because of the fear that his career would be ruined.

They were right on that one.

"I hate Kurt Busch [as a driver]," said NASCAR fan Teri Belgio of Naperville, Ill., who was also outside the hearing, "but he's gotten a raw deal here."

The Busch supporters – fans or otherwise – are not in favor of domestic violence. No one is. Everyone wants it eradicated. That isn't the argument. If Busch is guilty, make him pay criminally and every other way.

What if he isn't though?

NASCAR previously said it would wait for a criminal charge to be made before making a determination.

"If charges are filed, that will change our equation, and we will look at that," NASCAR chariman Brian France said last November. "We'll stay the course, let the investigation be completed, and then we'll react."

Then suddenly it went with the family court decision, not any criminal charge? Did the fact that Driscoll made a major media push this week, where she did extensive interviews with all sorts of national outlets, play a role here?

The family court process was pretty good, with witnesses called and evidence submitted, but it also allows for a very low bar of relevance.

Jones, for instance, specifically cited a magazine story that noted Busch's "notorious" on-track "temper" as evidence that he is capable of assaulting Driscoll.

"In their 2014 NASCAR Driver profile, Athlon sports described [Busch] as ‘incredibly volatile' and observed he had a tendency to ‘lose it' on the race radio with his crew chief," Jones wrote in his decision.

Kurt Busch may be 100-percent guilty and may soon be charged and convicted of the crime, but citing Athlon Magazine as a character witness (that can't even be cross-examined) and mentioning the highly-common act of a driver screaming at his crew chief during a race suggests this was less than the ideal process.

NASCAR didn't care. Not any of them three times. Even if no criminal charges are filed, the suspension stands.

"We have significant and strong evidence that contradicts the Commissioner's conclusions," Busch's attorney Rusty Hardin said Saturday, after Busch lost his first appeal. "In the end, we are confident that Kurt will be vindicated and he will be back racing. Until then we will continue to fight on his behalf by ensuring that the entire truth is known."

What that truth is remains to be seen. He might be guilty as hell. What is no longer in question is how sports organizations now aren't waiting to pull the trigger – after years of being too lax.

Cheer it or complain about it, after Ray Rice and Roger Goodell, that's just how it's going to be.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/kurt-busch-case-a-product-of-the-new-world-order-in-sports-010702964.html





?
?
?
?

.

Obama Orders Chevrolet and Dodge Out Of NASCAR - Car News

With their racing budgets deemed “unnecessary expenditures,” GM and Chrysler are ordered to cease racing operations at the end of the season.

BY JARED GALL, ILLUSTRATION BY ERIC WOODWARD
April 2009



In a move sure to spark outrage, the White House announced today that GM and Chrysler must cease participation in NASCAR at the end of the 2009 season if they hope to receive any additional financial aid from the government. Companies around the globe—Honda and Audi, to name two—have drawn down racing operations, and NASCAR itself has already felt the pinch in the form of reduced team spending. A complete withdrawal from America’s premier racing series is expected to save more than $250 million between GM and Chrysler, a substantial amount considering the drastic measures being implemented elsewhere.

“Automakers used to operate on the principle of ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday,’ but the Auto Task Force’s research just doesn’t validate that as true,” said the statement from President Obama. While fans have decried the Car of Tomorrow for heavily limiting what little personalization the cookie-cutter series had previously allowed to participating manufacturers, and drivers have slammed its brick-like aerodynamics and unpredictable handling, even the governmental oversight committee sees that the full-scale regulation of the cars leaves the manufacturers very little space for research and development. “NASCAR is a racing series that regulates down to the smallest detail of the cars, where a car badged a Chevrolet or Dodge differs only marginally from a Ford or a Toyota. There’s no technological development to speak of.”

The statement goes on further to say the same demand will be made of Ford if it asks for government assistance. “In order to receive this money, corporations must demonstrate they will spend it wisely. Racing has been said to improve on-road technology, but frankly, NASCAR almost flaunts its standing among the lowest-tech forms of motorsport. NASCAR is not proven to drive advancements that transfer from the racetrack to the road, and this nation’s way forward does not hinge on decades-old technology. We need new, and we need innovation.”

The President realizes this will be an unpopular call, but stands behind the decision, saying, “This is an obvious cut to make, but it is not an easy one. This administration is not ignoring the tremendous sentimental value and emotional appeal NASCAR holds for so many Americans. But now is not the time for sentiment and nostalgia; now is a time for decisive financial action. If our automotive industry is to emerge from this recession intact, then these difficult decisions must be made.”

Both Chevrolet and Dodge see the move as only temporary, and fully expect to resume racing in NASCAR as soon as they have stabilized and the government’s hand in their operations is minimized. “There is nothing really to say at this point,” said one representative, who wished to remain anonymous. “We’ve been doing this since the beginning, and we always assumed we’d be doing this until the end. Heck, nobody ever thought to think that there would be an end. But we ain’t done. As soon as this is over, we’re taking back our spot at the top.”

NASCAR officials remain tight-lipped about the call, but sources say series president Mike Helton and team managers are exploring several options, including other manufacturers to fill Chevrolet and Dodge’s vacated positions. Given the company’s recent interest in motorsport and the steady cash-flow and V-8 engine provided by its new Genesis sedan, sources indicate that NASCAR is pinging Hyundai to gauge the Korean company’s interest in occupying a spot in NASCAR. “Toyota was not well-received their first year in the sport, nor was their first season an easy one,” the source says. “But they learned, they applied the lessons, and they have proven very competitive this year.”

If Hyundai does indeed join the series, there will no doubt be a steep learning curve, and the move would leave Ford the lone domestic battling a pair of Asian makes in America’s most popular racing series. We wonder, however, how long NASCAR could hold that title without two of its most storied participants.


http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/motorsports/obama_orders_chevrolet_and_dodge_out_of_nascar_car_news

Jimmie Johnson to drive for Randy Moss in trucks debut

Jimmie Johnson, the two-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, will make his Truck Series debut on Aug. 20 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson, the two-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, will make his Truck Series debut on Aug. 20 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Jimmie Johnson, coming off his victory in last Sunday's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, has added a pair of races to his 2008 schedule.

In addition to his duties behind the wheel of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, the two-time reigning Sprint Cup champion will make his Truck Series debut in Bristol on Aug. 20 — driving for NFL star Randy Moss. Johnson will drive the No. 81 Kobalt Tools Silverado fielded by Randy Moss Motorsports.

Johnson also will drive the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet fielded by Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen on Aug. 9.

In Nationwide, Johnson has made 88 starts, with his only victory in 2001 — his second and final full season in the former Busch Series — at Chicagoland.

"Watkins Glen and Bristol are two tracks where I really want a win," Johnson said. "I enjoy racing (on the road course) at Watkins Glen and, for some reason always seem to be a little better there than Sonoma. We've had some top-fives, so, hopefully, this will put us in the win column.

"As for the trucks, I am really looking forward to that. I have never run a truck race, so it should be fun. Heck, my brother Jarit has run more than me. But it's going to be a good time."

Obama Gets NASCAR Proposal

Barack Obama wants to run laps around the competition, but now he’s taking that ambition to new levels.

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee’s campaign is in talks to become the lead sponsor for a race car in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series, Sports Illustrated reports.

The magazine reported Friday that Obama’s campaign is considering sponsoring a BAM Racing car at the Pocono race this August in Pennsylvania.

Asked about the report, Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki told FOX News, “We get a lot of good ideas every day, but there are no such agreements in place at this time.”

Team spokesman Rhett Vandiver told The Associated Press on Friday that the team has made a sponsorship proposal to the Democratic presidential hopeful’s campaign, and has made similar proposals to the campaign of Republican John McCain and at least one third-party candidate.

BAM Racing is a small team that rarely get much camera time. The team is not guaranteed a position in August and still needs to qualify to compete.

The upcoming race is set for swing-vote territory in Pennsylvania.

Should the deal with Obama come together, it is believed to be the first time a presidential campaign has sponsored a car in NASCAR’s top series — and a fairly bold move within a sport whose competitors spend all year turning left on the track but tend to lean to the right politically.



The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Report: Stewart to be granted release from JGR
by FOXSports.com

Updated: July 9, 2008, 2:23 AM EST 172 comments
add this RSS blog email print
Two-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is expected to be granted his official release from Joe Gibbs Racing Wednesday, according to a report by the Charlotte Observer.


The report merely confirms what regular FOXSports.com readers have known for months — that Stewart is leaving the only NASCAR home he's ever known.

Mike Arning, a spokesman for Stewart, said an announcement concerning Stewart's future would be made Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.

While his deal runs through 2009, Stewart will reportedly be released from his contract obligations with JGR at the end of this season. It is expected to be announced soon that Stewart will join Haas CNC Racing.

"We're just going to look at everything out there," Stewart said in April in announcing he'd test the market. "A wise person once told me it doesn't cost a dime to listen, so right now we're all ears."

While exploring his options, Stewart was most intrigued in potential ownership opportunities and he's had an offer on the table since April to purchase the fledgling two-car team of Haas-CNC Racing. By owning his own team, Stewart believed he could ensure a spot for himself in NASCAR long after his driving days.

JGR is expected to replace the 37-year-old Stewart, one of NASCAR's most celebrated drivers, with 18-year-old phenom Joey Logano with Home Depot staying on board as the sponsor.

Assuming Stewart does buy Haas-CNC, he'll re-establish his long relationship with Chevrolet. The partnership was partially fractured this season when Gibbs moved to Toyota. General Motors continued to sponsor the sprint cup teams that Stewart also owns.

Gene Haas, owner of the two-car team, began serving a two-year prison sentence for tax evasion in January. The team fields a car this season for Scott Riggs, and a second entry that has been piloted by several drivers. Neither car is in the top 35 in points, and the team was devastated in May by stiff NASCAR penalties for bringing illegal cars to a race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Stewart is expected to gut the organization and bring in his own people, including a second driver. Fellow Indiana native Ryan Newman is among those rumored to be in line to join Stewart's team next season.

Stewart will have followed in the footsteps of another high-profile driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., in leaving a long-time team. Earnhardt left Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2007 to join Hendrick Motorsports.

Stewart, who has failed to win a Sprint Cup race this season, has notched at least two victories every year since his rookie of the year campaign in 1999. He does have five top-five, and eight top-10 finishes in 18 starts this year. He is in his 10th season driving Gibbs' No. 20 car. He and crew chief Greg Zipadelli have been together since the start in NASCAR's longest active driver-crew chief pairing,

For his career, Stewart has 32 series wins, and won the Cup title in 2002 and 2005.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tony Stewart is GONE!

Another 'Yawner'

Early in the race it was Biffle and Edwards. No action except where Elliot Sadler crashed and took out Martha Stewart, Denny Hamhocks, and Darling Earnhardt Jr.

Kyle took control later in the race and it was his to lose, but he kept calm and brought another win to the Rice-burner stables of Joe Gibbs.

Dover Race Winner


Congrats again to Kyle Busch !!

Darlington Race Winner


Kyle Busch - Congrats yet again

Kyle Busch says "it was racin'"

When Kyle Busch bumped Dale Jr. at the Richmond race, everyone thought it was Kyles fault. But when you look at the replays, it clearly shows that Dale was also crowding Kyle. Just hard racing between two drivers that wanted to win. Hard to accept for Jr fans, yet easy to accept for Kyle fans.

Was nice to see Mark Martin finish so well. He almost took 2nd place from Kyle Busch, but 3rd is not bad for someone who is racing a few races this year.

Michael Waltrip was forced to sit out the rest of the race, or as NASCAR calls it, he was 'PARKED' for ramming Casey Mears. He basically rammed and pushed him for a good half of the straightway, something that was uncalled for. Michael is fighting for survival for his team, his sponsors, and the 35th spot.

Denny Hamlin. What a tough race for him - again. Leads almost all the laps until a tire starts going down in the final laps. Then he allows the tire to get torn up to show either his frustration or to help his teammate. Either way, NASCAR had him sit for two laps where he finishes 25th. Tough luck, but if you would have come in for two tires before and not stopped on the track, you could have been better off.

Another great race from Richmond.
Congrats to Clint Bowyer.

Richmond Race Winner


Clint Bowyer - Congrats on your 2nd win! You deserved it!

First NASCAR Team starts Drug Testing

The Hot Pass: Harvick steps up for drug testing
by Lee Spencer
Lee Spencer is a senior NASCAR writer for FOXSports.com.
Updated: April 25, 2008, 8:59 PM EST
TALLADEGA, Ala. - Following Aaron Fike's recent admission of drug abuse behind the wheel of a race car, his former employer, Kevin Harvick, took a proactive stance and implemented a random drug testing program for all KHI employees — starting with himself, his drivers and his crew chiefs.

Harvick announced his plans last Tuesday at the company's competition meeting and was pleased that his principals agreed voluntarily.

"After the whole drug testing thing in Phoenix, we went home and changed the whole policy that we have at our company," Harvick said. "All the drivers and crew chiefs volunteered to take a random drug test. We did that, then we put an outside company to put a random drug test and policy in place. The whole company will be tested within a week. We have got most of them done and haven't had any failures yet, so that is a good thing."

Harvick believes that a sport-wide testing policy would alleviate any doubt that competitors have about fellow drivers racing under the influence. A system could be put in place as part of the mandatory preseason driver's physical. Crews could follow suit during testing at Daytona before hard cards — NASCAR's annual garage pass — are distributed. Harvick suggests taking the program one step further by performing random drug testing at infield care centers following on track wrecks and incidents.

"That is something that we can probably fix here by just putting a policy in place that if you want to get a hard card, you have to get tested by teams — they have an outsource come in and randomly drug test all the teams as they submit their approvals for a hard card you have to send your drug test with it," Harvick said. "That would make it a lot easier on NASCAR. If you go to the infield care center, it should be just like the drug policy at a lot of the shops. If you wreck or something and have to go through the infield care center, it should be standard procedure to take a drug test as you go through there. If you have been through there 10 times in 10 weeks, that should be a standard procedure. I think that would fix a lot of the questions that we have and be a pretty simple solution.

"I am proud that we went home and made ours right. We are considered a drug-free environment at KHI and we have a facility that handles that testing for us, it is a pretty simple procedure. I have learned a lot about drugs over the last week and a half and how you can and can't handle things legally. Luckily our drivers were nice enough to volunteer their time to go to the drug testing facility so Hornaday, Sprague, Cale Gale and myself and all our crew chiefs went over there and got that all handled. So hopefully everyone will follow suit. It will be good for our garage. I really think the hard card thing would fix a lot of our problems."

When the dominoes start falling

With Tony Stewart contemplating his next move, other drivers are waiting for the dust to settle. Names like Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr. are all in the mix with contracts expiring at the end of the season. According to Dale Earnhardt Inc., officials, Truex still has an option year, but Newman Edwards and Biffle are free and clear.



Biffle said that other than the No. 20 ride possibly becoming available, there's nothing about Stewart's deal that's holding up his decision.

"I'm negotiating with Roush Fenway for an extension on my current contract, so I don't think what he's trying to do or going to do makes a difference," Biffle said. "(I am) sort of in a holding pattern. We're not in a big hurry to get it done, I think. We're in that negotiation period, and like I said, I'm pretty confident that we're going to be able to get to common ground on what I want and what they want."

Like Stewart, Biffle, 38, has ownership possibilities on the table as part of his negotiations. It's a challenge the veteran finds exciting. Ownership is just the latest perk used to attract top name drivers to teams.

"I have had offers of ownership of more than one team in the garage, and it's definitely an intriguing offer," Biffle said. "There's a lot of things to consider when you're an athlete in you're in the position that we are in. Both Tony and I are, let's say, we're at the 60-percent point in our career. We're not Kyle Busch, you know, 21 or 22 years olds.

"At some point we need to start thinking about how long we want to be involved in this sport and what we want to do in the future. So those ideas to stay involved in the sport are very intriguing to us. And I'm sure part of Tony's thinking is, when I'm done driving the 20 car, or whatever car, what am I going to do in the future? And he's probably watching out for himself, thinking ahead, and somebody's made an offer or whatnot, and he's considering it."

Que sera

Denny Hamlin had heard the rumors of Stewart's possible departure but concludes, "It is what it is."

"If he chooses to go, he chooses to go," said Hamlin, who has jumped from 15th to sixth in the point standings in the last three races. "But if he doesn't, we're going to definitely keep him as our team leader."

Should Stewart leave, Hamlin, 27, would become the senior driver on the Gibbs' roster. Hamlin considers Stewart "a good role model" and expects he would take on a similar role with up-and-comer Joey Logano as he eases into NASCAR's upper divisions.

When Stewart becomes a team owner, would Hamlin consider driving for him?

"I could probably drive for him," Hamlin said. "I think so. I think we have a lot of the same personality, so he could kind of put up with my crap at times."

Allmendinger digging Sprint Cup return

AJ Allmendinger has never stopped coming to the racetrack. He just hasn't been behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup Series car since March 4.

That changed this weekend at Talladega when Mike Skinner, the driver who stepped in for Allmendinger after the Las Vegas Cup race, and the Craftsman Truck Series went off to Kansas Speedway.

Allmendinger practiced the No. 84 Red Bull Toyota on Friday and will attempt to qualify on Saturday. During his sabbatical, the 26-year-old made the most of the experience. It gave the sophomore a better idea of "what goes on outside the race car".

"When I'm in the race car, I'm complaining about how bad the car is and things like that," said Allmendinger, who was fastest in Happy Hour of the cars required to qualify on time. "You're not really seeing what the team is doing to fix that.

"To be on the outside of it and have another set of eyes to help Ricky (Viers, crew chief) and see what he goes through more — it will give me a lot better understanding when I'm in the race car to know what they're doing. That's just probably going to keep me calmer and give me more confidence about what's going on and just help me all around. Hopefully it also helps the team all around."

Your business' name here

Carl Edwards' sponsor Office Depot is offering the opportunity for a company of 99 employees or less to be "the Official Small Business of NASCAR". The winning company will have its logo placed on the TV panel of the No. 99 Ford for one race and positioned on the car for the remainder of the season.

"In both business and racing, succeeding is a team effort," Edwards said. "This year, Office Depot's 'Official Small Business of NASCAR' promotion really reflects that approach because small business owners can leverage the support of their friends and family to help them have the best chance of winning."

Starting on Sunday, business owners can enter the contest at officedepotracing.com.

Around the garage

Johnny Sauter will drive the No. 70 Chevrolet at Richmond next weekend...

Hearing that the Caterpillar sponsorship currently at Bill Davis Racing will end up on the No. 31 Chevrolet at Richard Childress Racing next year, replacing AT&T...

Sprint Cup Series director John Darby said he doesn't anticipate the restart procedures to change for top tour any time soon. There has been some speculation that lap down cars will go to the rear and the leaders would start in double-file formation...

NAPA could be the heir apparent to replace Craftsman tools as the sponsor for NASCAR's Truck Series.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/8073690/The-Hot-Pass:-Harvick-steps-up-for-drug-testing

Stewart won't own part of JGR

Gibbs would help Stewart for team
by Lee Spencer
Lee Spencer is a senior NASCAR writer for FOXSports.com.
Updated: April 27, 2008, 3:05 PM EST
TALLADEGA, Ala. - Joe Gibbs joked he'd rather be at Talladega Superspeedway than in the war room at the NFL draft.

Until the Tony Stewart inquisition began.

With Stewart's plans undeclared for 2009 and beyond, Gibbs and his heir apparent, son J.D., the current president of Joe Gibbs Racing, made several aspects of their senior driver's negotiations clear.

First, JGR has "had no conversations on (Stewart) leaving before the contract is up." J.D. Gibbs noted that the company has too much time invested with sponsor Home Depot and the team after a 10-year relationship to break up the band, with the contract running through the end of 2009.

"I would say from our standpoint, if someone was saying for him to come out next year — we would have a problem with that," Gibbs said. "If someone was saying, 'Hey, let's leave next year and come over here,' I think we would have a problem and that's the same thing in any sport. Those conversations really haven't come up between us. We've just focused on the next couple of years. He's got a lot of options for 2010 and beyond."

There has been speculation that if Stewart can't be released from his contract that he would possibly begin the ownership process, but continue to wheel the No. 20 in 2009. Gibbs said he hasn't "thought about it, but there's probably some stuff there we could look at."

Secondly, JGR was not surprised that Stewart was looking at other options. Stewart is a franchise driver, and certainly someone in his position must review potential opportunities. One of the biggest delays in Stewart's contract the last time around was the division from the profit of souvenirs. Expect drivers of the caliber of Stewart and Carl Edwards to place a greater emphasis in building the off-track prospects.

Although Stewart has made it clear that money is not a priority, he's taken a hit on sales of merchandise due to his association with Toyota.

Another aspect of Stewart's portfolio is the desire for ownership. J.D. said that was not likely with JGR, but there could be other options.

"I think our deal is kind of set the way it is," Gibbs said. "I think there's some stuff we could do to get him started with his own team if that's what he really wanted. I think there might be some possibilities there. It could be a number of things and again, it's kind of new to us. But there's a lot of stuff we could do there as far as engines, cars, bodies — we could do a lot of things to help him in the future if that is something he felt like he wanted to do."

Coach Gibbs says that from the first time he met Stewart, more than a decade ago on the tarmac of the Columbus (Ind.) Airport, that his priority has been about winning. Gibbs still believes that his company can offer drivers a consistent operation to accomplish that goal.

Regardless of what happens, J.D. believes for all concerned that the sooner Stewart makes his decision, the better it will be for everyone.

"I think that's the same with all our guys," Gibbs said. "We were working on this last year some, so it's not like this is something we're just starting on. The sooner we could get this put to bed, the better."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/8079596/Gibbs-would-help-Stewart-for-team

AARONS 499 Winner


Kyle Busch - Congrats!

Nationwide Series Preliminary Entry List Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Provided by NASCAR Statistics -
Mon, April 14, 2008 @ 01:48 PM Eastern

Corona Mexico 200 presented by Banamex
0 Joe Fox Charlotte, NC TBA Chevrolet Johnny Davis
1. 1 Mike Bliss Milwaukie, OR Miccosukee Resort Chevrolet James Finch
2. 01 Kertus Davis Gaffney, SC RaceGirl Chevrolet Johnny Davis
3. 2 Clint Bowyer Emporia, KS BB&T Chevrolet Richard Childress
4. 4 Landon Cassill Fairfax, IA Miccosukee Resort Chevrolet James Finch
5. 05 Brett Rowe Barborsville, WV CertainTeed/31-W Insulation Chevrolet Wayne Day
6. 5 Adrian Fernandez Mexico City, ME Lowe's Chevrolet Rick Hendrick
7. 6 David Ragan Unadilla, GA Discount Tire Ford Jack Roush
8. 7 Mike Wallace St. Louis, MO GEICO Toyota Bob Germain
9. 9 Patrick Carpentier Joliette, QC, CA AAPA Dodge George Gillett
10. 09 Kevin O'connell Newport Beach, CA General Environmental Mgmt./Taleo Grill Susan O'Connell
11. 11 Jason Keller Greenville, SC America's Incredible Pizza Company Bryan Mullet
12. 12 Sam Hornish Jr Defiance, OH Penske Truck Rental Dodge Roger Penske
13. 16 Colin Braun Ovalo, TX 3M Ford Jack Roush
14. 17 Erik Darnell Beach Park, IL CitiFinancial Ford Jack Roush
15. 20 Kyle Busch Las Vegas, NV Doosan Infracore Toyota Joe Gibbs
16. 22 Ruben Pardo Mexico City, ME TBA Dodge Armando Fitz
17. 24 Brian Simo Carlsbad, CA Hefty Chevrolet John McGill
18. 25 Boris Said Carlsbad, CA No Fear/ Team Smithfield Ford Ed Rensi
19. 27 Brad Coleman Houston, TX Carino's Italian Grill/Ford Fusion Ford Mike Curb
20. 28 Kenny Wallace St. Louis, MO TBA Chevrolet Jay Robinson
21. 29 Scott Wimmer Wausau, WI Holiday Inn Chevrolet Richard Childress
22. 30 Stanton Barrett Bishop, CA TBA Chevrolet Chris Lencheski
23. 31 Stan Barrett Bishop, CA TBA Chevrolet Stanton Barrett
24. 32 Michel Jourdain Mexico City, ME Visit Mexico Toyota Todd Braun
25. 33 Ron Hornaday Jr Palmdale, CA RoadLoans Chevrolet Delana Harvick
26. 37 Burney Lamar West Sacramento, CA TBA Ford Gary Baker
27. 38 Jason Leffler Long Beach, CA Great Clips Toyota Ralph Braun
28. 40 Scott Pruett Sacramento, CA Fastenal Dodge Floyd Ganassi
29. 41 Kyle Krisiloff Carmel, IN Polaroid Dodge Chip Ganassi
30. 47 Kelly Bires Mauston, WI Clorox Ford Jodi Geschickter
31. 49 Robert Richardson Jr McKinney, TX TBA Chevrolet Jay Robinson
32. 52 Scott Gaylord Lakewood, CO TBA Chevrolet Jimmy Means
33. 55 Mike Potter Johnson City, TN TBA Ford Mark Arellano
34. 59 Marcos Ambrose Launceston, AU Kingsford Hickory Charcoal Ford Tad Geschickter
35. 60 Carl Edwards Columbia, MO Scotts Ford Jack Roush
36. 61 Kevin Lepage Shelburne, VT TBA Ford Charles Shoffner
37. 64 Max Papis Como, IT Atreus Homes & Communities Chevrolet Ed Rensi
38. 66 Steve Wallace Charlotte, NC Atreus Homes & Communities Chevrolet Rusty Wallace
39. 81 D.J. Kennington St. Thomas, CA MC2/NPPL Dodge Pat MacDonald
40. 84 Jose Luis Ramirez Mexico City, ME TBA Dodge Troy Williams
41. 86 Antonio Perez Guadalajara, ME TBA Dodge Troy Williams
42. 88 Brad Keselowski Rochester Hills, MI U.S. Navy Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt Jr.
43. 89 Morgan Shepherd Conover, NC Victory In Jesus Dodge Cindy Shepherd
44. 90 Chris Cook Phoenix, AZ TBA Chevrolet Marcia Parsons
45. 91 Larry Gunselman Snohomish, WA TBA Ford Stacey Humphrey
46. 98 Alex Garcia Caracas, VE Dixien/Omni Source Corp. Chevrolet Alex Garcia
47. 99 David Reutimann Zephyrhills, FL Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Michael Waltrip

www.stptools.com

CHDT Corporation (CHDO)has an official license with Armor All / STP to manufacture and market the tools. There are something like 55 different tools and accessories to choose from. Some are in stores now with the bulk to hit Kragen in May.
U

Have to look for that. Do you have a link?

Dadd

Have you heard about STP Power Tools yet? They're coming to Kragen. They'll be sponsoring #81 DJ Kennington at Talladega!
U

Helton defends substance-abuse testing policy
Associated Press
Updated: April 12, 2008, 11:29 PM EST

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) - The call earlier this week for regular random drug testing by some of NASCAR's biggest stars apparently will not change the sanctioning organization's current policy of testing only for "reasonable suspicion."

But NASCAR president Mike Helton said the reaction by the drivers to the published report that former truck and Nationwide driver Aaron Fike used heroin the same day he drove in some races is a positive sign for the stock car sport.

Referring to the story in the April 21 edition of ESPN The Magazine, Helton said, "When you have a headline like that and the other athletes rare up on it and react like they did, that's a positive thing.

Relive the action

"The (NASCAR) community polices the community," Helton added in an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway. "The positiveness of all the drivers talking and everything, I think, echoes the responsibility that exists in this sport to avoid all that and to police all that. That's why we think that the reasonable suspicion policy works as an umbrella from a NASCAR perspective."

Helton said he does not know of any policy that can guarantee that no driver will ever race while under the influence of some substance any more than anyone could guarantee that an athlete in another sport will not abuse something on game day.

"The other part though is the fact that when we do find a situation and we do authenticate the abuse of a substance, it is a severe reaction," Helton said. "It's not just a couple of weeks off, it's a very severe, career-changing reaction from us that I think speaks loudly."

Helton added the substance-abuse policy that NASCAR has had in place for more than two decades has worked very well, with the help of the teams and the drivers.

"There are a lot of random drug testing policies or substance-abuse policies in our sport and they come through the car owners," he said. "We're different than other sports where we have multiple layers of independence. That's why we feel like the reasonable suspicion element that NASCAR implements has served its purpose and works well.

"But we know of car owners that have random testing programs with their employees. So those elements are already there. ... There's a lot of ways to attack this animal and a lot of ways to do it, but the shared responsibility between the competitors, the car owners and NASCAR, I think, works."

REMEMBERING BRIENNE

NASCAR officials wore black arm bands and there was a moment of silence during prerace ceremonies Saturday to honor the memory of series inspector Brienne Davis, killed Thursday in a car accident in North Carolina.

The 28-year-old Davis, one of the few full-time female inspectors in the stock car sport, joined NASCAR in 2004 and traveled throughout the racing season, inspecting carburetors and manifolds. She was scheduled to work this weekend at the Phoenix track.

SAFETY FIRST

There has been a debate for years over whether NASCAR should follow the example of the open-wheel series and the NHRA and have a full-time safety team instead of relying on local medical personnel at each of its racetracks.

Asked about it this week, Jeff Burton said he thinks NASCAR's system is working just fine.

"I'm not one of those people that believes ... that I have to look at a familiar face to get good care, that I have to look at a familiar face to have a competent person doing the job," said Burton, one of the most outspoken and articulate drivers in NASCAR.

NASCAR does employ four doctors full-time as medical liaisons who work with the tracks to see that the medical coverage is as effective as possible when it is needed.

"I do think we have to have a group of people that understand all the little nuances that go with us every week, but I don't believe that every single person needs to be with us every week," Burton said. "I think that we gain benefit from drawing on the information that people in Arizona have, people in Michigan have, people in Florida have. I think there's some real advantages to that."

He added, "I'm really comfortable with our safety, medical (people) ... .when we have an incident on the track and how they respond to it."

SPARK PLUGS

Among the celebrities on hand for Saturday night's Subway Fresh Fit 500 were Subway spokesman Jared Fogle, who acted as the Grand Marshall; basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry, the honorary pace car driver; skiing champion Bode Miller; and IndyCar star Danica Patrick. ... The green flag used to start the race previously flew for one day over the 447th Air Expeditionary Group of the U.S. Force in Baghdad.

SUBWAY FRESH FIT 500 Winner


Jimmie Johnson

2008 Unofficial Driver Standings: Subway Fresh Fit 500
Subway Fresh Fit 500 | Phoenix International Raceway | Race 8 of 36


RANK +/- DRIVER POINTS BEHIND STARTS POLES WINS TOP 5 TOP 10
1 -- Jeff Burton 1215 Leader 8 0 1 3 6
2 +1 Kyle Busch 1135 -80 8 1 1 4 5
3 +1 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1129 -86 8 1 0 3 6
4 +2 Jimmie Johnson 1116 -99 8 1 1 4 4
5 -3 Kevin Harvick 1115 -100 8 0 0 2 4
6 +1 Denny Hamlin 1078 -137 8 0 1 3 5
7 -2 Tony Stewart 1057 -158 8 0 0 3 5
8 +3 Clint Bowyer 1044 -171 8 0 0 2 5
9 -- Carl Edwards 1041 -174 8 0 3 4 5
10 -2 Greg Biffle 1039 -176 8 0 0 3 5
11 +1 Kasey Kahne 929 -286 8 0 0 0 4
12 -2 Ryan Newman 915 -300 8 1 1 2 3
CHASE FOR THE SPRINT CUP - CURRENT CONTENDERS
13 +1 Jeff Gordon 907 -308 8 2 0 3 3
14 +2 Martin Truex Jr. 897 -318 8 0 0 0 2
15 -2 Matt Kenseth 869 -346 8 0 0 1 4
16 +3 Juan Montoya 857 -358 8 0 0 0 0
17 -2 Kurt Busch 851 -364 8 0 0 1 1
18 +3 Bobby Labonte 834 -381 8 0 0 0 0
19 -2 David Ragan 828 -387 8 0 0 0 1
20 -2 Brian Vickers 828 -387 8 0 0 0 1
21 +1 David Gilliland 820 -395 8 0 0 0 1
22 +1 Paul Menard 779 -436 8 0 0 0 0
23 -3 Elliott Sadler 751 -464 8 0 0 0 1
24 +2 Casey Mears 741 -474 8 0 0 0 1
25 -1 Travis Kvapil 737 -478 8 0 0 0 1
26 -1 Jamie McMurray 730 -485 8 0 0 0 1
27 +3 Mark Martin 723 -492 6 0 0 1 3
28 -- Robby Gordon 685 -530 8 0 0 0 1
29 -- Scott Riggs 667 -548 8 0 0 0 0
30 +1 David Reutimann 664 -551 8 0 0 0 0
31 -4 Reed Sorenson 644 -571 8 0 0 1 1
32 -- Michael Waltrip 615 -600 8 0 0 0 0
33 +1 Sam Hornish Jr.* 608 -607 8 0 0 0 0
34 +1 Regan Smith* 554 -661 8 0 0 0 0
35 -2 J.J. Yeley 551 -664 8 0 0 0 0
36 +1 Dave Blaney 543 -672 8 0 0 0 0
37 -1 Jeremy Mayfield 490 -725 7 0 0 0 0
38 -- Dario Franchitti* 489 -726 7 0 0 0 0
39 +1 Mike Skinner 441 -774 6 0 0 0 0
40 -1 Dale Jarrett 367 -848 5 0 0 0 0
41 +2 Patrick Carpentier* 320 -895 5 0 0 0 0
42 -- Joe Nemechek 309 -906 6 0 0 0 0
43 -2 Kyle Petty 296 -919 5 0 0 0 0
44 -- Bill Elliott 274 -941 4 0 0 0 0
45 +2 Michael McDowell* 210 -1005 3 0 0 0 0
46 -1 Ken Schrader 192 -1023 3 0 0 0 0
47 -1 Aric Almirola 179 -1036 2 0 0 0 1
48 -- John Andretti 149 -1066 3 0 0 0 0
49 +8 Johnny Sauter 52 -1163 1 0 0 0 0
50 -1 Kenny Wallace 34 -1181 1 0 0 0 0
51 -- Jeff Green 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
52 -2 A.J. Allmendinger 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
53 -1 Chad McCumbee 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
54 +1 Tony Raines 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
55 -1 Johnny Benson 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
56 -3 Burney Lamar 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
57 -1 Boris Said 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
58 -- Eric McClure 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
59 -- Sterling Marlin 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
60 -- Jacques Villeneuve* 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
61 -- Stanton Barrett 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
62 -- Carl Long 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0

2008 Unofficial Race Results : Subway Fresh Fit 500
Subway Fresh Fit 500 | April 12, 2008 | Race 8 of 36


FIN ST CAR DRIVER MAKE SPONSOR PTS/BNS LAPS STATUS
1 7 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's 195/10 312 Running
2 24 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet DIRECTV 170/0 312 Running
3 16 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota March of Dimes / FedEx Kinko's 165/0 312 Running
4 3 99 Carl Edwards Ford Aflac 160/0 312 Running
5 4 8 Mark Martin Chevrolet Army Reserve 100th Anniv. / U.S. Army 160/5 312 Running
6 39 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility 150/0 312 Running
7 13 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet National Guard / AMP Energy 151/5 312 Running
8 9 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker 142/0 312 Running
9 18 16 Greg Biffle Ford 3M 138/0 312 Running
10 6 18 Kyle Busch Toyota Snickers 134/0 312 Running
11 30 5 Casey Mears Chevrolet CARQUEST / Kellogg's 130/0 311 Running
12 34 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker 127/0 311 Running
13 11 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Nicorette / DuPont 124/0 311 Running
14 36 38 David Gilliland Ford Yates Racing 121/0 311 Running
15 15 42 Juan Montoya Dodge Wrigley's Big Red 118/0 311 Running
16 8 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal 115/0 311 Running
17 26 44 David Reutimann Toyota UPS 112/0 311 Running
18 17 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Reese's 109/0 311 Running
19 31 77 Sam Hornish Jr. * Dodge Mobil 1 106/0 311 Running
20 14 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Johns Manville / Menards 103/0 311 Running
21 12 20 Tony Stewart Toyota Subway / Home Depot 100/0 311 Running
22 25 84 Mike Skinner Toyota Red Bull 97/0 310 Running
23 35 7 Robby Gordon Dodge MAPEI / Menards 94/0 310 Running
24 32 28 Travis Kvapil Ford Ford. Drive one. 91/0 310 Running
25 40 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 88/0 310 Running
26 28 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA AUTO PARTS 85/0 310 Running
27 33 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull 82/0 310 Running
28 10 66 Scott Riggs Chevrolet Haas Automation 79/0 310 Running
29 23 6 David Ragan Ford AAA Insurance 76/0 310 Running
30 21 40 Dario Franchitti * Dodge Wrigley's Juicy Fruit 73/0 309 Running
31 19 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar 70/0 309 Running
32 43 21 Bill Elliott Ford Motorcraft 67/0 309 Running
33 37 10 Patrick Carpentier * Dodge LifeLock 64/0 308 Running
34 29 00 Michael McDowell * Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine 61/0 307 Running
35 38 01 Regan Smith * Chevrolet DEI / Principal Financial Group 58/0 298 Running
36 5 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Budweiser 55/0 273 Running
37 42 70 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet Haas Automation 52/0 271 Running
38 27 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT NANO Technology 49/0 269 Running
39 22 96 J.J. Yeley Toyota DLP HDTV 46/0 224 Running
40 41 78 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet Furniture Row
/ DenverMattress.com 43/0 208 Running
41 2 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Stanley Tools 40/0 161 Out of Race
42 20 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Target / Glad 37/0 144 Out of Race
43 1 12 Ryan Newman Dodge Alltel 39/5 134 Out of Race