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Drivers and tracks are trying different ways to reach fans and get them to attend races during these economic times.

Kevin Harvick and Martinsville Speedway have put together a plan that will provide discounted tickets to Kevin Harvick fan club members for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck races at the speedway later this month.

Harvick is making Martinsville Speedway his home track. His Nationwide and Truck team's shop is located in Kernersville, less than an hour from the track.

The ticket deal is $33 off regular price, matching the team's Nationwide car number. Two-day packages for the Cup and Truck races are $66 for Harvick's fan club members. Cup tickets are $44. Truck tickets are $4 off regular price, matching one of the numbers of Harvick's trucks.

Although Harvick's fame would allow him to do something on a grander scale, he says it's important to do something for local fans and a local track.

"The first thing you want to protect are the things that are immediately around you," he said.

For information on Kevin Harvick's fan club, go to www.kevinharvick.com. For more on ticket packages at Martinsville Speedway, go to www.martinsvillespeedway.com

Among some other programs being done: Denny Hamlin is buying at least four tickers to each race and offering them to fans on his Web site, www.dennyhamlin.com. Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns tracks such as Bristol, Atlanta and Lowe's Motor Speedway, recently announced driver/fan forums at the track the day of the Cup race.

ALWAYS WORKING: Tony Stewart's eighth-place finish at Atlanta on Sunday helped him climb to sixth in the points. Not bad after moving from Joe Gibbs Racing to take over part ownership of a team that struggled to get a car in the top 35 in car owner points last year.

"It is strong already and it is going to be really strong," Stewart said of his team.

Things have not been so good for teammate Ryan Newman. Engine problems relegated him to a 22nd-place finish.

About 30 minutes after Sunday's race, Stewart was still in his driver's uniform looking over parts of Newman's engine with officials from Hendrick Motorsports, which supplies engines to the team.

EXTRA RACING: While this is an off weekend for all three of NASCAR's top series, Cup driver David Ragan will be racing. He's entered to run the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified race Sunday at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro. Ragan has raced a late model at Caraway but never a modified.

TIRE TEST: Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Bobby Labonte and Elliott Sadler are scheduled to do a Goodyear tire test today at Darlington Raceway.

SUSPENSION: The crew member who chased a tire across pit road, forcing NASCAR to throw a race-changing caution at Atlanta Motor Speedway, was suspended four races.

Jimmy Watts, the gas man for Marcos Ambrose's crew, was also placed on probation through the end of the year. Frank Kerr, the crew chief for the No. 47 Toyota, was also placed on probation because NASCAR deemed him responsible for the actions of the team.

PIT STOPS: After the off weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide series resume next weekend at Bristol. The Camping World Truck series resumes March 28 at Martinsville Speedway.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com