March 28, 2008 - Sponsor Suing Robby Gordon

• The Associated Press's Jenna Fyer reports that the Vanguard Integrity Professionals security software firm is suing Robby Gordon to remove its logos from his uniforms and equipment as part of a contract dispute that began when the Dakar Rally was canceled because of terrorism threats. Vanguard Integrity Professionals is suing Gordon in U.S. District Court in California over the sponsorship of Team Gordon in the Dakar Rally and is asking for $1.15 million back from the driver. The company went public with the dispute Wednesday because it wants Gordon to immediately cease using its logos in his NASCAR ventures, and claims the driver was only authorized to promote Vanguard outside the United States. “We want the world to know that Vanguard is no longer associated with Team Gordon,” the company said in a statement released to The Associated Press. Gordon could not immediately be reached for comment. Vanguard had a three-year agreement with Team Gordon to sponsor his Dakar efforts through 2010, and company founder Ronn Bailey was scheduled to race as Gordon’s teammate. But the Amaury Sports Organization canceled the event the day before its Jan. 5 start because of “direct” threats of terrorism from al-Qaida-linked militants, and Gordon was outspoken in his belief that at least a portion of the 16-day trek should have continued. Vanguard, which produces software designed to protect its customers from cyber-terrorism attacks, believed the threats were legitimate and agreed with the cancellation.

Earnhardt, Jr. To Make NNS Appearance At Texas

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s entry in next week’s O’Reilly 300 will mark his first appearance in a Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway since he captured the 1999 series championship. Earnhardt Jr. will be driving the No. 5 Go Daddy Chevrolet for Junior Motorsports in the O’Reilly 300, which will feature more than a dozen NASCAR Sprint Cup stars pulling double duty for the Samsung 500 race weekend on Saturday, April 5. Earnhardt has made two Nationwide Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, including one that resulted in a career milestone, and both came during his run to consecutive championships in that series. En route to his title in 1998, Earnhardt captured his first career Nationwide Series victory at TMS and followed with a 10th-place finish at “The Great American Speedway!” during his 1999 championship run.

Report: Teams Won't Swap Points

• According to the Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle, several teams decided not to petition NASCAR about swapping car owner points, forcing some of the sport's high-profile teams to qualify each week on speed. Roush Fenway Racing and Petty Enterprises thought about switching points between teammates to make sure Roush's Jamie McMurray and Kyle Petty had exemptions into the starting lineup. In the end, they decided to take the gamble. Roush could have moved points from Matt Kenseth to McMurray since Kenseth could use a past champion's exemption. Petty could have swapped points with Bobby Labonte , who also has a past champion's exemption.

March 27, 2008 - Rahal Out Of Season Opener

• ESPN.com is reporting that Graham Rahal, the son of former Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal and one of the more recognizable names coming from Champ Car, won't be racing Saturday in the Gainsco Auto Insurance Indy 300. The Rahal entry withdrew after a late-practice crash left the team without enough time to repair the race car. With a dearth of equipment due to the merger, Newman/Haas/Lanigan, Rahal's team, has no backup car for the season's first race. Rahal's teammate, Justin Wilson, will drive the other NHL entry in the race. Rahal's accident came in the final practice session for the Champ Car teams. The car suffered extensive damage when it spun into the wall.

Indiana Icebreaker This Saturday

• The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series annual Indiana Icebreaker is set for this Saturday night at Brownstown Speedway. Hot laps are to begin at 5:30 p.m., following an autograph session.

Key Motorsports Returning To NNS

• For the first time in nearly 10 years, Key Motorsports is returning to NASCAR Nationwide Series action. Team owner Curtis W. Key Sr. said he plans to enter a Chevrolet Monte Carlo in a handful of races in 2008, beginning May 2 at Richmond Int'l Raceway. Jeff Green, the 2000 champion of the series then sponsored by Busch, has been hired by Key to drive the car. Green has earned 16 victories and 87 top-five finishes in 254 career starts in the developmental series. The last race in this division in which a Key Motorsports car ran was at RIR in September 1998, when American Speed Association Series late model champion Kevin Cywinski qualified 19th and finished 25th in a Ford. It was the 35th and last start for a Key Motorsports car in this division, a program that spanned parts of six seasons and came just a few months before Key was forced to shut down his race business in 1999.

March 26, 2008 - McDowell Set For Sprint Cup Debut

• Michael McDowell will make his long-awaited Sprint Cup Series debut with Michael Waltrip Racing at this weekend's Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway. As the 23-year-old steps into the No. 00 Toyota Camry, Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership announces today that their partnership will continue with the Michael Waltrip Racing team through Richmond International Raceway.

Long Beach Grand Prix Contract Extended

• The Associated Press reports that the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will run through at least 2015 after the city council gave unanimous approval. The current contract with the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, which would’ve expired in 2010, was extended to 2015, with an option to run through 2020 if approved by the council. The downtown street race has been run annually since 1975, starting with a Formula 5000 event before becoming a stop on the Formula One schedule for eight years. CART, which later became the Champ Car World Series, took over the event in 1984. With the recent unification of the two American open-wheel series, Long Beach will become a part of the IRL IndyCar Series schedule.

March 20, 2008 - Power Fastest At IRL Test

• According to an Associated Press report, Australian Will Power was fastest Wednesday on the road course at Sebring International Raceway as several former Champ Car World Series teams took part in their first IRL IndyCar Series test. Six cars, representing three of the former Champ Car teams, took part in the first of two days of testing on the 1.66-mile circuit. Several other teams making the transition to the newly unified American open-wheel series, including eight-time series champion Newman/Haas/Lanigan, were unable to get their cars ready in time for this test, but are expected to take part in an oval test next week prior to the season-opening race March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Power, driving for KV Racing Technology, turned a fast lap of 52.969 seconds. That would have placed him fifth among the holdover IndyCar teams that tested here earlier this month. Bruno Junqueira, driving for Dale Coyne Racing, was runner-up on Wednesday with a lap of 53.234, followed by Conquest Racing’s Franck Perera at 53.492, KV’s Oriol Servia at 53.586, Coyne’s Mario Moraes at 54.612 and Conquest’s Enrique Bernoldi, who made only four laps, at 58.738.

Stewart Gets Waxed

• Stewart made good on a longtime bet with his buddy Harvick. After some teasing about his hirsute torso, Stewart said a year ago on SIRIUS that if Harvick was able to raise $100,000 for the Victory Junction Gang Camp, he would agree to have his back waxed. Having reached the stated goal with fan donations and a matching contribution from Harvick himself, Stewart made good on his promise, undergoing the painful procedure last night live on SIRIUS as Stewart's co-host, Matt Yocum, and Harvick provided rip-by-rip commentary for SIRIUS listeners nationwide. Thanks to late donations by Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs, who pledged $15,000, and Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, who donated $10,000, the total raised for Victory Junction Gang Camp surpassed $125,000. Asked during the procedure if the pain was worse than hitting the wall at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Stewart laughed and said, "Yeah, it does actually. It does hurt worse than hitting the wall at Vegas. It just isn't lasting as long." To hear audio clips and see photos from the show, visit www.sirius.com/nascar.

March 19, 2008 - Red Bull To Sell Toro Rosso

• Eurosport reports that Red Bull will sell their Toro Rosso before 2010 because of a change in the F1 regulations, co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz has confirmed."The regulations are being changed for 2010. By then there can be no more synergies in either the design or the construction of our Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso teams," he said. "For that reason I see it as essential that we concentrate on one team. We will not be selling Toro Rosso during the 2008 season, but before 2010." Italian-based Toro Rosso, formerly Minardi, are co-owned by Austrian energy drink billionaire Mateschitz and compatriot Gerhard Berger. Mateschitz also owns the Red Bull Racing team and both teams' cars are designed by Red Bull Technology under the guidance of former McLaren technical director Adrian Newey. While Toro Rosso use Ferrari engines, Red Bull are powered by Renault. But both teams share the same facilities at races and testing. The 2010 rules will outlaw the use of so-called "customer cars," where one team uses a chassis provided by another, and ensure that all teams entered in the constructors' championship build and design their own racers.

ARCA Reaches New TV Deal

• Officials of the ARCA racing sanctioning body and MavTV have announced a one-year agreement under which MavTV will air at least six ARCA RE/MAX Series events in 2008. The events scheduled for broadcast include both races at Salem Speedway, the spring event at Toledo Speedway, Berlin Raceway, the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile-dirt and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds mile-dirt. The events will be packaged into tape-delayed, one-hour programs. In addition, MavTV will re-air ARCA RE/MAX Series superspeedway programming previously aired on SPEED TV. MavTV, a new network with male-oriented programming targeting men 18-54, has already secured 30 distribution deals and launches in 75 markets across the United States. MavTV’s universe is currently 20 million households.

March 18, 2008 - Report: Trickle Has Heart Surgery

• According to a report from Wirphotos.net, Dick Trickle has undergone heart surgery that included the insertion of two stints/shunts. Trickle won't be able to wheel a car this season in the Midwest as he had planned, per doctor orders. Trickle has drove a car prepared by Tim Rothe over the last couple a seasons and has told Tim Rothe not to prepare a car for him as he will be taking this year

Logano To Make Nationwide Debut At Dover

• The Hartford Courant reports that Joe Gibbs Racing developmental driver Joey Logano will make his Nationwide Series debut May 31 at Dover. Until then he pretty much, grudgingly, has to play the part of racing fan. Logano will compete in all but three of the final 22 Nationwide Series events this season. He will miss the Nationwide Series events at New Hampshire International Motor Speedway (June 28), Daytona International Speedway (July 4) and Chicagoland Speedway (July 11). Logano said he does not have approval yet to run Daytona and that Tony Stewart has sponsor obligations to run Chicagoland and New Hampshire. Logano said missing out on the event at New Hampshire was a tough one to swallow considering it’s the track closest to home and a place where he swept the two Camping World East Series events in 2007.

Shark Energy Team 'Slows' Operations

• Kenny Wallace and Fitz Motorsports have parted ways, and the No. 36 Shark Energy Drink team will at least temporarily slow operations. Wallace drove the car in the first five Nationwide Series events this season. A number of different factors led to the decision. "Sponsor money for the No. 36 Dodge was based on distribution of Shark Energy Drink," said team owner Armando Fitz. "While the initial response was terrific, it's taking longer than anticipated to generate enough funding to run the No. 36 car competitively in the Nationwide Series. "We're going to scale the No. 36 team back and put a full effort toward our No. 22 Supercuts Dodge," Fitz added. "Kenny Wallace has an opportunity to drive for another Nationwide Series team and we certainly don't want to hold him back. Kenny has been a great friend and supporter of our program, and he deserves to be racing full time." Fitz Motorsports will customize a race program for Shark Energy Drink as more distribution outlets are found and product is sold." Rusty Wallace said on "NASCAR Now" tonight that Kenny will drive the No. 28-Jay Robinson Border Patrol car.

Miller To Make Debut

• Chase Miller makes his 2008 Nationwide Series debut Saturday driving the #9 Valvoline Dodge at Nashville Superspeedway. The 21-year-old Georgia finished 22nd at the 1.3-mile tri-oval in June – his first race with the Gillett Evernham Motorsports team.

Baker Curb Seeking Sponsors

• Baker Curb Racing is working towards securing sponsorship for its No. 37 Nationwide Series team for the remainder of the season, which is currently a guaranteed entry based on Owner's Points. The team has a variety of Cup and full-time Nationwide drivers interested in driving for the team once sponsorship is secured. So far the team has seen Brad Baker and Greg Biffle behind the wheel this year. For more information on sponsorship opportunities contact Baker Curb Racing. "Even back when Mike [Curb] and I were first talking about this deal last fall, we recognized that the odds were stacked against us as a stand-alone team. We decided to do it anyway and we’re coming face-to-face with some of those odds right now," [team owner Gary] Baker told the Bristol Herald Courier.

March 17, 2008 - Chrissy Wallace NCTS Debut Could Come March 29

• NASCAR.com has reported that if Germain Racing can pull it off, 19-year-old Chrissy Wallace will make her NASCAR debut later this month at Martinsville Speedway -- the same place her father made his 1990 debut. Mike Wallace plans to spot for Chrissy should she be entered in the March 29 Truck Series race. Germain Racing doesn't have the deal completed and still needs a motor for her truck. But Chrissy Wallace tested at Martinsville earlier this week and was 11th on the speed charts following Wednesday afternoon's session. "For Chrissy to have this opportunity while my career is still going strong, this means I may have the opportunity to race against her in NASCAR's top series and it is really a neat thought," Wallace said. "Somewhere along the line, I'd like to race against her in the trucks or in our series, and it would probably be the first time in history that a father races against his daughter in a major NASCAR touring series." Wallace was scheduled to make the 300th start of his Nationwide Series career Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway. He made his debut at Martinsville in that series, finishing sixth.

March 14, 2008 - Drivers Are Faster At Darlington Test

• The Associated Press's Pete Iacobelli reported from Darlington, S.C. on Thursday that Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman not only found a smoother surface this week at Darlington Raceway, they found about 18 more miles per hour. Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports' Chevrolet, Biffle's Roush Fenway Racing Ford and Newman's Penske Racing Dodge took part in a Goodyear Tire test session at Darlington, which had just finished repaving its 58-year-old layout for the first time in 13 years. Track president Chris Browning said all three racers were unofficially hitting 200 mph at the end of Darlington's backstretch. Browning had said data from a tire test last year that showed an unofficial top speed of 182 mph. The fabled "Lady in Black" underwent an extensive makeover in the offseason, including a resurfacing.

Report: NASCAR Movie In The Works

• The Los Angeles Times reports that Gary Ross, who directed the horse-racing movie "Seabiscuit" in 2003, has made a deal with Universal Pictures to film an as yet untitled drama depicting a NASCAR driver. The movie centers on a young driver who develops a mentor/rival relationship with an older driver he grew up idolizing, Ross told the publication Daily Variety. NASCAR has agreed to cooperate with the production, enabling Ross to shoot scenes during upcoming races and use the sport's footage of races and drivers.

McLaren Fires Coughlan

• According to Eurosport, McLaren has finally dismissed chief designer Mike Coughlan, the man at the center of the spy controversy that cost them $100 million and last year's Formula One title. The team confirmed at the Australian Grand Prix on Friday that the Briton, who triggered the scandal when a 780 page dossier of Ferrari technical information was found at his home, was no longer an employee.

March 13, 2008 - Pirelli Antes Up In Grand Am

• The top teams in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 will be eligible for $300,000 in cash bonuses during the 2008 season under the Rolex Series’ Pirelli PaceSetters program that goes into effect today. At the end of the season, the Italian tire manufacturer will award a $100,000 bonus to the top Daytona Prototype team. Last season’s top-15 Daytona Prototype teams and top-10 GT class teams are eligible for the 2008 Pirelli PaceSetters program. Teams earn bonuses for activities such as attending autograph sessions and displaying the PaceSetters flag in their garage area. In addition to monetary bonuses, participants in the Pirelli PaceSetters program will be eligible for other at-the-track bonuses, including priority rig parking upon arrival at events and preferred pit selection. Pirelli also announces that it will provide, free of charge, three sets of rain tires to each team that competed in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and also commits to run the entire 2008 Grand-Am schedule. These tires are in addition to the free set of rain tires that Pirelli provided each team that competed in January’s season-opener.

Midwest All Stars Add Two Dates

• The O'Reilly Midwest All Star Series has added two dates to the 2008 series schedule.  The additions will include stops at Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, Indiana on June 7, and Mt. Vernon Speedway in Mt. Vernon, Illinois on Sept. 6. These additional dates push the Midwest All Star Series schedule to 24 events in 2008 and gives drivers additional seat time at well known tracks on the schedule.  Mt. Vernon Speedway will now host the Midwest All Star Series twice this season adding value to fans and drivers alike. As if the additional seat time wasn't enough in preparation for the Hoosier Fall Classic at Lawrenceburg Speedway, the winner's check for the June 7th event has been increased to $3000 to win.  The added Lawrenceburg date will now serve the "Best in the Midwest" sprinters four times in 2008.

Hartford Signs Up With Ganassi

• The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., will sponsor the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 40 Dodge Charger driven by Dario Franchitti on March 16 at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. In addition to the primary paint scheme in Bristol, The Hartford will continue to be featured on the No. 40 Dodge as an associate sponsor for the remainder of the 2008 season. Furthermore, Franchitti and Ganassi’s IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon will both carry The Hartford’s iconic stag logo on their fire suits throughout the NASCAR Sprint Cup and IRL IndyCar Series seasons, respectively.

March 12, 2008 - Conquest Racing Signs Technical Partnership With Forsythe

• Conquest Racing took another step today in its quest to become a contender in the new IndyCar® Series, signing a technical partnership with Forsythe Performance Research, a wholly owned subsidiary of Forsythe Racing Inc., one of open-wheel racing’s top organizations. The new alliance with Forsythe Performance Research will provide the team with technical and engineering resources for the 2008 season. “We are working very hard on our transition from Champ Car to the IndyCar Series and we are excited about this partnership with Forsythe Performance Research,” said Eric Bachelart, owner of Conquest Racing. “Their knowledge and experience will accelerate our efforts of becoming a front-running team in the IndyCar Series.” Conquest Racing, who enters its second full season of competition in the Indy Racing League, can already claim a podium finish in the Series with a third place by Laurent Redon in 2002 at Fontana . The team looks to add to their past success with rookie Frenchman Franck Perera, who topped the charts at the final Champ Car open-test in Sebring in only his second time in the DP01 car, and a second driver who will be announced shortly.

Commission Upholds Germain Penalties

• National Stock Car Racing Commission Wednesday upheld NASCAR's penalties levied against Germain Racing and its No. 30 truck driven by Todd Bodine.  The appeal concerned three penalties issued by NASCAR following pre-qualifying inspection on Feb. 14, 2008 for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Daytona Int'l Speedway. The infractions concerned Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR Rule Book “Actions detrimental to stock car racing”; Section 12-4-Q “Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the truck, truck parts, components, and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules” and Section 20B-12.9D: “Device designed to reduce the bed panel height at the points of inspection.” The Commission declared that Germain Racing intentionally attempted to circumvent the rules. The penalties — loss of 25 owner points for owner Steve Germain, loss of 25 championship points for Bodine, a $10,000 fine and four-race suspension and probation through the end of the year for crew chief Michael Hillman, Jr. — were upheld.

Car Builder Buttera Dies At 68

• The Associated Press reports that “Lil’ John” Buttera, an innovative creator of hot rods, dragsters and Indy cars who was praised as much for his artistic designs as his engineering, has died. He was 68. Buttera died March 2 at Los Alamitos Medical Center of complications from brain cancer, his son, Chris, said Tuesday. “You couldn’t help but admire him,” Don Prudhomme, who drove winning Buttera cars, told the Los Angeles Times. “He was the best. Not only was he an innovator, he just did things that other chassis builders didn’t do.” Among other things, Buttera pioneered the use of custom parts made from aluminum blocks called billets. In the 1970s, his use of billets for suspension, wheels and other components made for lighter hot rods and sparked a craze for the technology. Clients at his shop in Cerritos, Calif., included racing stars such as Don Schumacher and Shirley Muldowney. He built Schumacher’s 1970 U.S. Nationals-winning Funny Car. Buttera also built a car that competed in the 1982 Indianapolis 500.

March 11, 2008: Report: Goodyear To Change Tires For Texas

• ESPN reports that Goodyear officials will not use the controversial Atlanta tire at Texas Motor Speedway for the Samsung 500 on April 6. TMS president Eddie Gossage said Stu Grant, Goodyear's director of racing, told him they will bring the same tire the NASCAR teams used on the 1.5-mile oval in 2007. Tires became a major issue at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend when Tony Stewart and other drivers criticized the hard tires used for the Kobalt Tools 500. Atlanta is a 1.5-mile, high-banked oval, similar to Texas Motor Speedway, so Gossage was pleased that Goodyear will use last year's tire compound at TMS next month.

March 10, 2008 - Allison Matriarch Dead At 101

• Kittie Allison, mother of NASCAR drivers Bobby and Donnie Allison, has died. She was 101. Allison died Thursday at the Little Flower Catholic Assisted Living Community in Charlotte, N.C. Her funeral will be Wednesday at St. Aloysious Catholic Church in Bessemer, Ala., a spokeswoman for Browns Service Funeral Home said Sunday. Known as “Mom,” Kittie Allison was a fixture on the racing scene and flew to many tracks to watch her son Bobby and Donnie compete. Allison and her late husband, Ed, had 13 children. Eight are still living, along with 25 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter. The burial will be at Highland Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family suggested donations to: Little Flower Assisted Living, 8700 Lawyers Rd., Charlotte, N.C. 28227 or St. Aloysious Catholic Church, 751 Academy Dr., Bessemer, Al. 35022 or Victory Junction Gang Camp: www.victoryjunction.org.

March 7, 2008 - U.S. Grand Prix To Return In '09?

• Eurosport reports that talks between the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Bernie Ecclestone to resurrect the U.S. Grand Prix may now have begun. Tony George, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, told an audience at the Indiana University business conference in Indiana this week that he is pursuing options to patch up the relationship with the F-1 Chief Executive in time for the Speedway's centennial celebrations in 2009. Speed also reported that Just Marketing, an Indianapolis-based company, has been hired by the IMS to help find a Formula One title sponsor. Just Marketing President Zak Brown said George and Ecclestone have a "strong interest" in reuniting as soon as possible. "If the right sponsors can be put into place, I think this can happen in 2009," he added, insisting that the interest from lucrative potential race sponsors is already "fairly high."

Millican Sets Strip Record

• Six-time IHRA World Champion Clay Millican posted the quickest Top Fuel run in the history of the South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Ga., when he lifted just past the eighth-mile and coasted to a 4.721 elapsed time Thursday during IHRA pre-season testing. “A lot of those racers were having trouble finding the right combination early on,” Millican said. “When we pulled Bobby Lagana’s car up there we were just hoping it would go down. He went out there and went right down the track. The funny thing is – everyone else did too. There’s no question this is a good race track and has a lot of teeth.” Millican estimated the car would have been a mid-4.50 had it run to the finish line. “I had instructions to lift early,” Millican said. “Next time I’m guessing the instructions won’t be the same.” Danny Rowe (6.023) was the quickest of the Pro Modifieds while Robert Patrick (6.319) paced the IHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stocks. Billy Glidden’s 6.763, 208.88 topped the NHRA Pro Stocks.

• Zaxby's restaurants, a chain with its roots in Statesboro, Ga., has signed on as sponsor for the No. 28 Ford driven in Sprint Cup by Travis Kvapil this Sunday in the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Zaxby's also regularly sponsors the No. 09 Ford driven by Kvapil in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

March 6, 2008 - French Still Considering Paris

• According to Eurosport, the chairman of the French Racing Federation Nicolas Deschaux said Thursday that no decision had been made on the venue of the French Formula One race in 2009 following this season's edition at Magny Cours. That race goes ahead on June 22 but Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone last week said he would like to see Paris host a Grand Prix in 2009. Magny-Cours in central France has been much maligned for its comparative lack of hotel infrastructure and traffic problems.

ASA Late Models To Race At Gateway

• The ASA Late Model Series is expected to race this season at Gateway Int’l Raceway, just across the river from St. Louis in Madison, Ill. At 1.25 miles, Gateway will be the longest circuit for the predominantly short-track series, which also races at the Milwaukee Mile. An announcement of the addition to the ASA Late Model schedule is planned for mid-March.

March 5, 2008 - IRL Extends Surfer's Paradise Deal

• The future of the Gold Coast Indy 300 has been secured for at least another six years with a deal being reached with the Indy Racing League’s new-look IndyCar Series and V8 Supercars Australia. Queensland Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Sport, Judy Spence, made the announcement today after a visit to Indianapolis this week by event Chairman Terry Mackenroth and General Manager Greg Hooton. The final piece of the puzzle, which will continue to give V8 Supercars equal billing with the IndyCar Series at the October event, was put in place after positive discussions with V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane this week. Now regarded as one of the world’s iconic motorsport events, the Gold Coast Indy 300 is now secure until and including 2013 with major plans already underway for a massive 20th anniversary celebration in 2010.

ARCA Tests At Rockingham Free, Open To Public

• Competitors in ARCA’s return to Rockingham Speedway will have the opportunity for an open test session, March 21-22. ARCA has not raced at the historic one-mile track since that series’ first and so far only race, in 1973. This year’s Carolina 500 returns the original name of the track’s
Spring race, at 500 kilometers race distance. “We’ve had a lot of people waiting for cars back at Rockingham,” said new track owner and 1995 ARCA champion Andy Hillenburg. “We’ll have race cars on the track from nine to five both days, with a noon to one lunch break,” Hillenburg added. Fans are invited to attend the test sessions both days: “the grandstands and infield will be open to fans and we’re expecting a good turnout to come watch.” Race weekend practice will take place Friday, May 2, with more practice and qualifying on Saturday. The Carolina 500 will take the green flag at noon on Sunday, May 4.

Commission Makes Rulings

• The National Stock Car Commission reduced the penalty assessed Kevin Harvick, Inc. crew chief Charles Wilson (No. 77 Nationwide Series Chevrolet) at Daytona for an unsecured cover for the oil reservoir. The NASCAR's $15,000 fine was reduced to $5,000 and a six-week suspension was cut to four. The Commission also lifted the fine assessed Phoenix Racing crew chief Newt Moore (No. 1 Nationwide Series Chevrolet) for the same oil-reservoir infraction, but added the fine to car owner James Finch. Moore's six-week suspension was also reduced to two weeks, while the Commission upheld the deduction of 25 championship and owner points for driver Johnny Sauter and Finch, respectively. Similarly, Richardson-Haas Motorsports crew chief Robert Edwards (No. 14 Nationwide Series Chevrolet) had his $15,000 fine dismissed and his six-week suspension cut to four for an unsecured cover to the oil reservoir. A $15,000 fine originally levied by NASCAR on Edwards was shifted to car own Carl Haas, which will be payable by Donnie Richardson, majority owner of Richardson-Haas Motorsports.

Also on Wednesday, the Commission upheld the penalties assessed to Nationwide Series driver Kertus Davis (No. 0 Chevrolet), his JD Motorsports team and crew chief Gene Allnutt. They included a $15,000 fine for Allnutt and a six-week suspension, 25 owner points for car owner Johnny Davis and 25 championship points from Kertus Davis. The penalties stemmed from an unsecured cover for the oil reservoir at Daytona.

March 4, 2008 - Commission Upholds Wallace Appeal

• On Tuesday, the National Stock Car Racing Commission upheld the appeal of Rusty Wallace Racing and rescinded the penalties imposed by NASCAR dating from a Nationwide Series post-qualifying inspection on Feb. 15 at Daytona Int'l Speedway. The infractions centered around an oil tank reservoir tank cover on the race car driven by Steven Wallace that "was not fastened securely." After reviewing the testimony and evidence presented during the hearing, the Commission determined that the cover appeared to be fastened. All bolts appeared to be fully engaged. According to the Commission's statement, the slight deflection at one corner of the cover which gave rise to the penalty was arguable, given the overall design of the oil tank reservoir encasement.

Grand Prix of Houston Cancelled

• The Grand Prix of Houston announced today that the 2008 event, originally scheduled for April 25-27 at Reliant Park, has been cancelled. Grand Prix officials made the determination that after the unexpected unification of the Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League and the resulting exclusion of Houston from the schedule, it was not possible to stage the event in 2008. However, Grand Prix officials are already in discussions about the possibility of holding the Grand Prix of Houston in 2009 with the American Le Mans Series and Indy Racing League. "The unification of Champ Car and IRL caught us by surprise, and we were informed that due to the last-minute nature of this unification the Houston date could not be accommodated for 2008," said Michael T. Lanigan, owner and chairman of the Grand Prix. "We are saddened and disappointed to have to make this decision, but we remain optimistic that we will have the opportunity to bring the American Le Mans Series and the Indy Racing League to Houston in 2009." The Grand Prix of Houston was not involved in any way in the unilateral discussions between Champ Car and the Indy Racing League, and despite a contract with Champ Car for 2008 the Houston race was excluded from the schedule. Grand Prix officials explored the possibility of staging this year's event without Champ Car, but it was determined that holding the Grand Prix with only one headlining series would not be possible. Creating the temporary street course at Reliant Park requires tremendous expenditures including multiple grandstands, over three miles of race wall and fencing, fan amenities, media facilities, numerous jumbo screens, and broadcast production; all of these costs would remain essentially the same with only one series.

Skinner To Replace Allmendinger In No. 84 - Temporarily

• Red Bull Racing Team has confirmed that veteran NASCAR driver Mike Skinner will temporarily replace AJ Allmendinger in the No. 84 Red Bull Camry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series effective this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Skinner, a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, currently races full-time in the No. 5 Toyota Tundra. Skinner, a Sprint Cup veteran as well as a Craftsman Truck Series champion, drove the No. 27 Toyota of Bill Davis Racing this past weekend at Las Vegas, qualifying on time and finishing 30th. 

TRD's Aust Announces Retirement Plans

• Jim Aust, who has been responsible for Toyota's motorsports activities in the U.S. for the past decade, has announced his retirement. Aust will step down as vice president, motorsports for Toyota Motor Sales, USA and president and CEO of Toyota Racing Development on June 30. Aust joined Toyota in 1987 and moved to the motorsports division in 1998. Aust's successor at TRD will be announced closer to his retirement date.