May 16, 2008 - Andretti Green Buys Toronto Grand Prix Ass'n, IndyCar To Return In '09

• Andretti Green Promotions has formed a wholly-owned Canadian company, Andretti Green Toronto, ULC (AGT), and has completed the purchase of the assets of the Grand Prix Ass'n of Toronto Corp. The terms of the purchase agreements will not be disclosed. Andretti Green Toronto is operating out of a Toronto-based office and will run its first IndyCar Series event in 2009. The Grand Prix Association of Toronto owned and operated the Grand Prix of Toronto. Throughout its history, the event was one of the marquis stops on the North American Indy car racing landscape, running under the CART and Champ Car banners from 1986 through 2007.

Viso, Power Wreck Have Practice Crashes

• According to the Associated Press, rookie driver E.J. Viso and Will Power crashed Friday during practice for the Indianapolis 500. Viso, a 23-year-old Venezuelan, hit the wall first. He had completed only one lap early in the session and was still building speed when he lost control going into the third turn, struck the outside wall with the rear of his car and spun across the track. He got out of the car on his own and appeared to be unhurt. Less than 30 minutes later, Power -- who had turned the second-fastest lap of the day at 223.039 mph -- spun and slid into the wall, sending up a cloud of flame and debris. The 27-year-old Australian also appeared to escape injury.

May 15, 2008 - Edwards Is Humpy's Pick

• Lowe's Motor Speedway President H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler named Carl Edwards as his pick to win Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Wheeler revealed his selection today in uptown Charlotte with assistance from a pack of four-legged friends, including Princess, the back-flipping dog. "Carl Edwards is a racer's racer in the mold of Dale Earnhardt and Cale Yarborough," said Wheeler. "He will put his car in places angels fear to tread and beneath that big smile and his trademark back flip, Carl has an abnormal fire in his heart to win that I have seldom seen." Known for his promotional flair and Karnac-type ability, Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, has correctly picked the winner of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race 10 times in the past 19 races.

Fisher's New Team Hits Sponsorship Snags

• According to the Associated Press, sponsorship deals for Sarah Fisher's 2008 IndyCar Series season, including the Indianapolis 500, fell through when a new energy-drink manufacturer and its parent company reneged on its contract without payment, sending Fisher scrambling for sponsorship. An Indianapolis-based sports radio station also became involved on Fisher's behalf, holding a telethon and helping to raise money for the financially strapped team. Fisher, voted three times by the fans as the IRL's most popular driver, has been able to land sponsorship from IUPUI and its new race engineering program and Kansas-based Hartman Oil.

May 14, 2008 - Schrader In 33 For 600

• Ken Schrader will attempt to qualify Richard Childress Racing's No. 33 Camping World Chevy for the May 24 Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Schrader, 57, of Fenton, Mo, made his Cup Series debut in 1984 and ran his first full Cup Series season in 1985. After 20 full seasons in NASCAR's premier division, the veteran racer has tallied one win, six top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 44 starts at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Camping World's blue and gold paint scheme will adorn the No. 33 Chevrolet Impala SS.

Jarretts Inducted At LMS

• NASCAR champions Ned and Dale Jarrett were inducted into Lowe's Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler's Court of Legends Tuesday as part of the week-long festivities leading up to Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The event will be Dale Jarrett's final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

May 13, 2008 - McCumbee, Terry Labonte To Fill In For Kyle Petty

• Petty Enterprises has announced its driver lineup for the No. 45 Marathon/Wells Fargo/PVA Dodge for the races beginning with the June 1 event at the Dover (Del.) International Speedway through the July 12 event at the Chicagoland (Ill.) Speedway. Kyle Petty is scheduled to step away from the car at Dover to attend his daughter’s wedding. Petty will also return to the broadcasting booth to cover the NASCAR Sprint Cup events that will air on TNT Sports, which begin with the June 8 event at the Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.  Petty made his TNT Sports broadcasting debut in 2007 to rave reviews and accolades. Petty will return when the series makes its annual mid-summer trek to the Indianapolis (Ind.) Motor Speedway. Chad McCumbee will bookend Petty’s hiatus by getting behind the wheel of the No. 45 Dodge at Dover and Chicagoland. He previously filled in for Petty at Pocono and the Michigan International Speedway in 2007 and at the Texas Motor Speedway last month.  McCumbee’s best finish for Petty Enterprises came at Pocono when he came home 25th. In two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Dover, McCumbee has a high finish of 13th, which came in 2007.  The Chicagoland race will be his debut on the 1.5-mile oval. For the remaining five races, Petty will turn the reins of the No. 45 Dodge over to a familiar friend and competitor.  Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Terry Labonte, will become a teammate to his younger brother, 2000 series champion Bobby, for only the second time in their Sprint Cup careers.  The Labontes are the only brothers to both win the series championship and have combined to win 43 Sprint Cup races.

Foyt Tabs Simmons

• Veteran Jeff Simmons was hired Monday to drive the second A.J. Foyt Racing entry in the Indianapolis 500. The No. 41 Dallara was originally assigned to Foyt’s son, Larry Foyt, who instead will focus on his job as team director. The 31-year-old Simmons, whose best finish in three previous starts at Indianapolis was 11th last year, will drive the car for the first time Wednesday when practice resumes for the May 25 race. His teammate is veteran Darren Manning. Simmons drove for Foyt in the developmental Indy Lights Series in 2004, finishing second in the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis. He moved up to the IndyCar Series the next year and drove the past two years with Rahal Letterman Racing. His best career finish was sixth last year at Texas Motor Speedway.

May 9, 2008 - Roth Hires Curry

• Roth Racing has hired IndyCar Series veteran Larry Curry as chief engineer. Curry comes to Roth Racing from Vision Racing, where he was the team manager. As chief engineer, Curry will not only oversee the setups for the Nos. 24 and 25 race cars driven by Jay Howard and Marty Roth, respectively, but also will set about restructuring the engineering department.

Donoso Joins Moore Racing

• Team Moore Racing announced on May 8 that rookie Pablo Donoso will join the Firestone Indy Lights team beginning with the Firestone Freedom 100 on May 23 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Donoso will be teammate to veteran driver Jeff Simmons. Donoso, 23, will take his first laps with TMR at a test session May 9 at The Milwaukee Mile. The Chilean has run the first four races of the season and sits 19th in points with a best finish of 12th at Kansas Speedway in April.

May 8, 2008 - Chevy Unveils Midget Engine

• Chevrolet's all-new Midget racing engine was unveiled Tuesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by GM representatives and United States Auto Club (USAC) team owner Tony Stewart. Designed by GM Racing specifically for the USAC National Midget Car Series, the new purpose-built, four-cylinder Chevrolet racing engine will initially power Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers Tracy Hines and Levi Jones in upcoming events. The new Chevy Midget engine will be available to all USAC competitors through independent engine builders. The new methanol-burning 166ci (2.7-liter) Chevy Midget racing engine produces more than 350 horsepower. The lightweight, inline four-cylinder engine employs an aluminum block and cylinder head with two valves per cylinder. Per USAC rules, the Chevy Midget engine is equipped with mechanical fuel injection and utilizes an electronic ignition system. "The Chevy Midget racing engine is definitely going to be an asset to Tony Stewart Racingm," said Stewart. "Having the Chevrolet bowtie on the engine and not just on the side of the car as a sponsor is indicative of how much technical support the brand has given our program. In the past, we've competed with engines that were based on Chevy parts but weren't necessarily a Chevrolet engine. The Chevy Racing engineering and marketing staffs have really embraced the TSR racing programs, and the debut of this new engine is the start of another exciting new chapter in our relationship."

Stewart Doubts Return To Indy 500

• Asked about a possibility of his return to the Indianapolis 500, Stewart responded: "There's part of me that thinks running at Indy and in IndyCar is a chapter of my life that is closed, and then there is the emotional part of me that says, 'Never say never.' I don't know if I will ever get in an Indy car again, but if that happens, it's obviously going to be a long way down the road because I have a lot of commitments on the NASCAR side. If I was going to come to Indianapolis again, I don't want to come and show up and run the month of May. If I am going to do it, I need to start at Homestead, and I need to run all the races leading up to the month of May to really feel like I am being fair to the team and being fair to myself, and have enough time in the car to where when we show up in the month of May, we are ready to go. Where I am comfortable in the car, I'm comfortable with the people I am working with and feel like I am in tune and up to speed with the technology of the setups and what is going on. As long as I am driving a stock car, that basically takes that part of it out of the equation. I'm not going to be one of these guys who just shows up and runs the Indy 500. I've ran the Indy 500; I want to win the Indy 500. I honestly don't believe in the era of the driver that you can just come in on a one-off race and do that. It's virtually impossible. You can't come in and expect as good as the guys doing it every week."

May 7, 2008 - Super Aguri Bows Out

• The financially strapped Super Aguri F-1 Team is officially out of Formula One. The team, which owes engine and support supplier Honda around £100 million, had fought tooth and nail for its survival for many months. A takeover by Magma Group, funded by Dubai money, collapsed last month and Honda were lukewarm about an 11th hour rescue bid from Germany's Weigl Group. The team was effectively created to give an F1 seat to Japanese driver Takuma Sato, who was dropped by Honda in 2005, while Briton Anthony Davidson was chosen for the

Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton (left) with IndyCar driver Sarah Fisher.

Clinton Visits Brickyard, Fisher

• Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage of driver Sarah Fisher on Tuesday as she awaited results from her own race in Indiana’s primary. Fisher has endorsed Clinton, and the two chatted and laughed as they walked into the driver’s garage, where Fisher introduced Clinton to her team and presented her with a racing helmet Tuesday morning. As media members urged Clinton to wear the helmet, she looked at it for a moment, then asked Fisher how long it takes to put on. “Real quick if you’re in a hurry,” Fisher said to laughter. Clinton declined to predict the winner in Indiana’s presidential primary during her 20-minute visit to the garage, saying it would be like trying to guess the Indianapolis 500 winner before the race begins. “Life is unpredictable, racing is unpredictable, politics is unpredictable, so I’m going to wait and see what the voters have to say,” she said.

May 2 - Martinsville Makeover Under Way

• Fans and competitors will be the beneficiaries of more than $2 million in improvements set for Martinsville Speedway before the October 19th running of the TUMS QuikPack 500. Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell announced the projects Thursday afternoon. He said work will begin on them in the next few weeks and will be completed by the fall event. The centerpiece of the track enhancements will be a new, state of the art scoreboard. Campbell also announced that pit road would be resurfaced, the fourth-turn pit gate will be reconfigured to include SAFER barrier technology and portable chair seats surrounding the track will be replace with individual stadium seats.

Figge Joins Tafel Racing

• Tafel Racing announced today the addition of American Alex Figge to its 2008 driver lineup. The former Champ Car driver will share the No. 73 Tafel Racing Ferrari F430 GTC with owner/driver Jim Tafel for the remainder of the American Le Mans Series season. Figge, who has seven career Series starts in the GT1 class, will make his GT2 debut with the Cumming, Ga.-based organization at the Utah Grand Prix on May 18. To date, the resident of Denver, Colo. has an American Le Mans Series career- best finish of third (Portland, 2005).

Jim France Honored By Pocono

• James C. (Jim) France, vice chairman/executive vice president of NASCAR and chairman/CEO of International Speedway Corporation (ISC) has been named the 2008 recipient of Pocono Raceway’s Bill France Award of Excellence. The Pocono Raceway Bill France Award of Excellence has been presented annually to the person, corporation or organization that has made outstanding contributions to the sport of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing. This prestigious award, first presented in 1977, is dedicated to the inspiration of William H.G. France, founder of NASCAR. Jim France is the son the late William H.G. (“Big Bill”) France and, brother of former president and chairman/CEO of NASCAR, the late William C. (“Bill Jr.”) France. He grew up in the early years of stock car racing, living and learning every aspect of the sport from his own experiences, and from his father and brother.

May 1 - No. 28 Paired With Long-Ago Sponsor For Darlington

• Fayetteville, N.C.'s Lafayette Ford will sponsor the Yates Racing No. 28 driven by Travis Kvapil in the May 10 Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway. Lafayette Ford and the No. 28 car have a storied history. Fred Lorenzen, NASCAR’s “Golden Boy” of the 1960s, scored virtually all of his wins with sponsorship from the dealership while driving for the Holman-Moody team. In 1964, he won five consecutive starts, with the last being the Rebel 300 at Darlington.

Lazier To Drive For Hemelgarn

• Former Indy 500 winner Buddy Lazier will drive for the Hemelgarn Johnson race team in a bid for his 16th start at the speedway. Lazier, who won the 1996 Indy 500 with car owner Ron Hemelgarn, hasn’t driven in the IRL since he finished 19th at Indianapolis last year for Sam Schmidt Motorsports, his only race of the season. “It’s nice to be back together,” he said of the one-race deal with Hemelgarn. “It’s a last-minute program, but we’re going to make the best of it. I think we’ll have a strong race car and we’ll be a factor on race day.” Practice for the May 25 race begins with the Rookie Orientation Program on Sunday and Monday. Veterans will begin practicing on Tuesday, four days before the first of four days of qualifying. Lazier will be in the No. 91 Dallara - the same number he drove as a winner in 1996.

Speed, ESPN Classic To Simulcast NNS From Richmond

• By special arrangement, Speed is adding a live simulcast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 from Richmond International Raceway on Friday, May 2, with pre-race coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET, followed by race coverage at 7:30 p.m. ET. “Speed is happy to lend a hand to NASCAR and one of our fellow NASCAR television partners,” said Speed President Hunter Nickell. “It’s a great way for Speed and ESPN to come together to best serve the race fan.” The race will also be broadcast on ESPN Classic and on the Web on ESPN 360.