June 26, 2008 - McMahan In WoO No. 6 Seat

• Veteran sprint-car racer Paul McMahan is returning to the World of Outlaws full-time. McMahan has been hired to drive Lonnie Parsons' No. 6 on the tour, replacing Tim Shaffer who split with the team June 18. McMahan, who lost his ride with Tony Stewart Racing after last season, has raced for four different team owners — Rick Ferkel, Tom Busch, Brian Sperry and Lanny Nichols — this season. McMahan takes over the Casey's Store entry Friday night at River Cities Speedway.

June 24, 2008 - Kalitta Motorsports To Race At Norwalk

• According to the Associated Press, despite the death of teammate, family member and friend Scott Kalitta in a crash Saturday, Kalitta Motorsports drivers Doug Kalitta (a cousin), Dave Grubnic and Hillary Will have decided to compete this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. “We’re a race team, and that’s what we do,” said Jim Oberhofer, the team’s general manager. “Scott was a drag racer to the core, and he would want us to compete in Norwalk, so we’re going to go racing this weekend. Our thoughts will of course be with his wife, Kathy, and his sons, Corey and Colin, and (father) Connie, but we feel it’s the right thing to do.” The 46-year-old Scott Kalitta, driving a Top Fuel entry, died from multiple injuries suffered in an accident during the fourth round of qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, N.J.

June 23, 2008 - Biffle Signs Extension

• According to ESPN, Greg Biffle has reached an agreement on a three-year deal with Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Childress Racing is getting close to naming a driver for its fourth Sprint Cup team in 2009. Biffle met with Roush Fenway officials this week to iron out final details. He said a formal announcement, including a new deal with 3M, could be unveiled next week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Martin On The Move?

• Several media outlets are reporting that oft-retired Mark Martin's tenure with DEI will come to an end after this season, making way for Aric Almirola to take over full-time in the No. 8. There is speculation that he could join Rick Hendrick, replacing Casey Mears in the No. 5 and make one last full-time run at a Sprint Cup championship.

June 18, 2008 - Roush Fenway Makes Nationwide Changes

• Roush Fenway Racing announced today that effective immediately, Drew Blickensderfer will assume crew chief duties with the No. 60 Nationwide entry with driver Carl Edwards.  Pierre Kuettel assumes crew chief duties with the No. 17 Nationwide entry to be driven by Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray.

Richert To Work For Speed

• Speed has hired veteran NASCAR crew chief Doug Richert to provide analysis for multiple NASCAR programs, with a lead role during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in the weekly news program "The Speed Report." “I'm thrilled to death to have a shot at this side of the sport,” said Richert, who, as a 20 year old, won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 1980 with legendary driver Dale Earnhardt. “This is something my wife and I have always talked about, but the timing and the demand of the crew chief position didn’t let it work.” Richert, who served as crew chief for three-time champ Ron Hornaday and 2003 NCTS Rookie of the Year Carl Edwards in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, also will work in the Speed booth for select NCTS races, spelling Michael Waltrip.

June 12, 2008 - Stewart Pledges Michigan Earnings To Flood Victims

• Tony Stewart has pledged this week's race winnings to help flood victims in his hometown of Columbus, Ind. Whatever Stewart’s portion of the race winnings are in the LifeLock 400, he’ll donate them to the American Red Cross in Columbus, with the money specified for flood assistance.  Those wishing to join Stewart in helping those affected by the floods throughout Indiana can call 812-379-9551 or send checks payable to The American Red Cross, 931 Repp Drive, Columbus, IN 47201.  If writing a check, write “Indiana Flood & Tornado Relief” on the memo line. On Monday, he visited the Columbus Public Works garage and thanked all those who had been working around the clock to help restore the town’s infrastructure.  He also stopped by his old junior high school, which the American Red Cross had converted into a shelter for flood evacuees.  There, Stewart chatted with those who had to call the gymnasium floor their temporary home, and allowed them a short distraction from the headaches and worry that came when rising flood waters significantly altered their lives. “I went down on Monday and visited the guys at the city garage who have been working long hours trying to get the streets and everything cleaned up.  I just went there and told all those guys, ‘Thanks’.  Most of those guys have been working 24-hour shifts getting everything cleaned up.  We went by the junior high I used to go to, and that’s where the Red Cross has their shelter put up, and I went in there to try to lift everybody’s spirits up and just visit with everybody.  Everybody is doing a really good job.  They had 500 people in that shelter on Saturday night, and they were down to 35 people by Monday afternoon.  It’s just hard.  A lot of these people have lost everything, and I just wanted to let them know we were thinking about them.  Just spending a couple of minutes with them made them smile, and it seemed like it made them feel better.”

June 11, 2008 - Former Official Suing NASCAR

• ESPN has reported that Mauricia Grant, a former NASCAR official in the Nationwide Series, is suing NASCAR for $225 million, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination. According to the report, the 32-year-old Grant, who is black, worked as a technical inspector responsible for certifying cars in NASCAR's second-tier Nationwide Series from January 2005 until her termination. In the lawsuit, she alleged she was referred to as "Nappy Headed Mo" and "Queen Sheba" by co-workers, was often told she worked on "colored people time" and was frightened by one official who routinely made references to the Ku Klux Klan. In addition, Grant said she was subjected to sexual advances from male co-workers, two of whom allegedly exposed themselves to her, and graphic and lewd jokes. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, lists 23 specific incidents of alleged sexual harassment and 34 specific incidents of alleged racial and gender discrimination beginning when she was hired in January 2005 through her October 2007 firing. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said the organization had not yet reviewed the suit. "As an equal opportunity employer, NASCAR is fully committed to the spirit and letter of affirmative action law," Poston said, adding NASCAR has a zero tolerance policy for harassment." In the lawsuit, Grant said she complained numerous times to her supervisors about how she was treated, to no avail. On one occasion, Grant said Nationwide Series director Joe Balash, her immediate supervisor, was dismissive of her complaints, explaining her co-workers were "former military guys" with a rough sense of humor.

Andersson Dies In Car Crash

•  Eurosport reports that former Toyota Formula One team principal Ove Andersson has died in a car crash in South Africa while competing in a classic car rally. The 70-year-old Swede, a former rally driver who led Toyota into F1 in 2002, was driving a 1957 Volvo in the Milligan Vintage Trial when he was involved in a head-on collision on a blind corner.

June 6, 2008 - Skinner, Marks On Front Row In Texas

• Mike Skinner will start on the front row for the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series race at Texas for the eighth straight time after qualifying second Thursday night. Rookie Justin Marks will start on the pole in the Sam’s Town 400 on Friday night after a qualifying lap of 176.961 mph in his Toyota. He is the first rookie polesitter in the series since 2006. Marks will be in only his 13th trucks race, but did race at Texas last November. He finished 23rd.

Raikkonen Considering Retirement

• World drivers’ champion Kimi Raikkonen has admitted he is considering retirement from Formula One once his current contract with Ferrari expires at the end of 2009. Speculation has been mounting as to who will drive for Ferrari in 2010, and Raikkonen did nothing to quash it when he was asked about his plans. “I still have a contract until the end of next year,” Raikkonen said during Thursday’s Canadian Grand Prix press conference. “I haven’t made any decision as to whether I will keep going or not."

Murder Charge Filed

• According to The Associated Press, a man was charged with murder Tuesday in the death of an IndyCar team mechanic during a fight last month outside a bar. David “Davey” Evans, 63, a crewman with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, died May 4 outside the Kazablanka Bar, which is attached to the hotel where team members were staying for the Indianapolis 500. James P. Brackin of Indianapolis was charged Tuesday and was being held without bond on one count of murder, said Matthew Symons, a spokesman for Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi. A pretrial conference was scheduled in Marion Superior Court for July 8. Symons said Brackin had an attorney, but the attorney’s identity could not be ascertained after courthouse hours. Witnesses said after Brackin and Evans argued inside the bar about a woman, Brackin followed Evans outside, jumped on a table and kicked him in the head, according to a probable cause affidavit. When police arrived, they found Evans unconscious on the deck outside the bar, and he was pronounced dead at Wishard Hospital about 40 minutes later. The next day, Brackin denied going out to the deck but later began crying and told Detective Tom Lehn, “If I did something to him I didn’t mean to do it,” the affidavit said. Brackin could face 45 to 65 years in prison if convicted.