Nascar

NASCAR faces a dilemma about its racing

"Dustin Long ()" — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0500

FORT WORTH, Texas -- A race that featured 58 lead changes boring? Two cars upside down in the final laps and the talk is about single-file racing earlier in the event?

NASCAR faces a dilemma about its racing.

Complaints by some fans about last week's Talladega race points to a deeper issue about competition: What is good racing and are fans seeing it this season?

Biffle: Meetings with NASCAR officials productive

"Dustin Long ()" — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0500

FORT WORTH, Texas --Greg Biffle said he was pleased with the conversations in a recent follow-up meeting to the town hall sessions NASCAR officials held five months ago.

Newman would like to ground NASCAR

"Dustin Long ()" — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0500

FORT WORTH, Texas --Ryan Newman stresses that the car needs to be changed before the Sprint Cup series returns to Talladega next April to limit the likelihood of it getting airborne.

NASCAR official blasts TV coverage of Talladega race

"Dustin Long ()" — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0500

A NASCAR official criticized ABC's broadcast of Sunday's Talladega race, stating in a blog that the network "missed a lot of very good racing."

ABC defended its coverage in a statement Tuesday, saying: "We feel we had a strong telecast. We're not going to comment on the article."

Fans want Talladega nightmare to end

"Dustin Long ()" — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0500

Let them race. It's the mantra from fans on Internet message boards, comment sections and even Twitter. A short, simple declaration to NASCAR after what fans saw in Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Yet, some fans are discovering what drivers have said for years: Restrictor-plate racing is not true racing.

Rules change, Talladega stays the same

"Dustin Long ()" — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0500

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Ryan Newman does not want to be a daredevil, but when it comes to restrictor-plate racing, he's gone airborne about as often as a circus performer shot out of a cannon.

There, it's OK. The rocket man lands in a net, waves to the crowd and waits to perform the next night.

At Talladega, no one knows where a driver will go or how many times he'll roll.

NASCAR 2009

"Staff Reports" — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:32:28 -0500

NEXT RACE: Dickies 500
Track: Texas Motor Speedway, Ft. Worth, Texas
Practices: 1 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Saturday(Speed)
Qualifying: 4:30 p.m. Friday (Speed)
Race: 3:30 p.m. Sunday
TV: WXLV-45 at 2:30 p.m. Sunday

Late dash to 6th place has Johnson feeling better

"Dustin Long ()" — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0500

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Jimmie Johnson moved closer to a record-breaking fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup title Sunday as a last-lap crash collected his two nearest rivals.

It's Talladega, so danger lurks

"Dustin Long ()" — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- The Native American medicine man prayed. He burned ceremonial offerings and asked that balance be restored to Talladega Superspeedway, a place where drivers race on an edge so sharp, disaster is a constant companion.

Teammate bumps Kyle Busch to trucks win

"Dustin Long ()" — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Kyle Busch got a generous bump from teammate Aric Almirola a few hundred yards from the finish to win the NASCAR Camping World Trucks race at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday.

Sprint Cup lineup

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

Sprint Cup

AMP ENERGY 500

(At Talladega Superspeedway)

(Talladega, Ala.)

Lap length: 2.66 miles

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevy.

2. (5) Mark Martin, Chevy.

3. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevy.

4. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevy.

5. (42) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevy.

NASCAR notes: Driver: Probation a fair punishment

"Dustin Long ()" — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0400

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- AJ Allmendinger, arrested early Thursday for driving while impaired, said he had to take a breathalyzer for NASCAR before he could practice Friday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway.

NASCAR cars must undergo stringent reviews

"Dustin Long ()" — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0400

CONCORD -- It's 7:45 a.m. Tuesday. School buses clutter local roads. The sun climbs over the horizon. The front doors to NASCAR's research and development center are locked.

Not for long.

Earnhardt will keep crew chief in 2010

"The Associated Press" — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:50:02 -0400

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — Dale Earnhardt Jr. will keep his crew chief next season.

Hendrick Motorsports says Lance McGrew will stay with the No. 88 team in 2010.

McGrew took over the job on an interim basis in May when Tony Eury Jr. was fired after a horrendous start to the season.

NASCAR reacts to RPM driver's arrest

"The Associated Press" — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0400

MOORESVILLE (AP) — NASCAR placed driver AJ Allmendinger on probation Thursday following his arrest earlier in the day on a charge of drunken driving.

NASCAR driver arrested for DWI

"The Associated Press" — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:27:16 -0400

MOORESVILLE (AP) — NASCAR driver A.J. Allmendinger was arrested early this morning on a charge of drunken driving.

Mooresville police said Allmendinger failed a field sobriety test after he was pulled over.

Sadler to drive Ford at Talledega

"Jenna Fryer ()" — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:35:30 -0400

CHARLOTTE (AP) — Richard Petty Motorsports is finalizing elements of its 2010 program, beginning this weekend when Elliott Sadler will race a Ford at Talladega Superspeedway.

Behind the scenes, the team is also shoring up its lineup.

Gibbs gets Busch new crew chief

"Dustin Long ()" — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0400

A combination that seemed unbeatable last year won't be together after this weekend when Kyle Busch gets a new crew chief.

Joe Gibbs Racing announced Tuesday that Dave Rogers will replace Steve Addington as Busch's crew chief beginning next week at Texas.

Kyle Busch's crew chief dumped

"Jenna Fryer ()" — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:02:32 -0400

CHARLOTTE (AP) — Kyle Busch will have a new crew chief after this weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway, with Joe Gibbs Racing replacing Steve Addington on Tuesday after a season that fell far short of expectations.

NASCAR holds off throwing caution flag

"Dustin Long ()" — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0400

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — For the second time during the Chase, NASCAR officials delayed throwing a caution flag Sunday on the last lap even though a car remained near the finish line.

Hamlin wins, doesn't get fooled again

"Dustin Long ()" — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0400

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — After more than three hours of rootin'-tootin' racin' where tire marks were plastered on cars like sponsor decals, Sunday's finish appeared set to match the earlier action.

A two-lap shootout pitted Denny Hamlin against his Martinsville Speedway rival, Jimmie Johnson, as Juan Pablo Montoya lurked behind.

Montoya nudges fans into good mood

"Dustin Long ()" — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0400

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Juan Pablo Montoya's third-place run might have been the most entertaining part of Sunday's race even for a Martinsville Speedway crowd that enjoyed the win by Virginian Denny Hamlin.

Past racing stars discuss its future

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0400

It was to have lasted 30 minutes. Instead, they talked for nearly an hour, discussing the state of NASCAR, drivers and racing. They raised their voices, interrupted each other and even sprinkled in a little bit of salty language.

Sprint Cup Lineup

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0400

TUMS Fast Relief 500

(At Martinsville Speedway, Va.)

Lap length: .526 miles

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (39) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 96.795.

2. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 96.519.

3. (1) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 96.509.

4. (5) Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 96.504.

Johnson and Knaus' win total is entering some fast company

"Dustin Long ()" — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0400

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Ten years after Ray Evernham's revolutionary career as a crew chief ended, a protégé is about to break one of his long-standing records.

Chad Knaus, one of six crew chiefs in the Chase who have worked for Evernham at some point in their career, is nearing the victory total Evernham amassed with Jeff Gordon.