Nextel Cup driver Greg Biffle crashed during a Goodyear tire test Thursday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Biffle said about the crash, "During a tire test this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway I cut a right front tire and made heavy contact with the wall.  As a result of the incident, I dislocated my shoulder and have been advised by my doctors to remain in Mooresville today for further assessment of the injury.  It is for that reason that I will be unable to attend this year's NASCAR Busch Series Banquet.  I would like to extend my sincerest apologies to NASCAR, the Busch Series and Ameriquest for my absence.  It was a privilege and a great pleasure for me to continue to be a competitor for Roush Racing, Ameriquest, Brewco Motorsports and Ford Motor Company in NASCAR's Busch Series this season.  I love racing in the Busch Series and I plan to continue to do so for many years." SCR

Matthew Blaylock

 

 

 

 

MOORESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA – A 4,000-square foot expansion to the ever-expanding Key Motorsports, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race shop is nearing completion.

 

The expansion to one of the two 9,000-square foot racing facilities that sit on the 5.5-acre property in the new Mooresville Performance Park owned by team owner Curtis W. Key, Sr., will bring to 16,000 square feet the amount of workspace from which the fledgling race organization will now operate.

 

Key Motorsports operated in the Mooresville area before from 1995 to 1999 when Key owned a NASCAR Busch Series operation. His most recent NASCAR project had been based in Chesapeake, VA since Key re-entered the race industry in 2003 as a NCTS owner after a 4-year absence. Key is the owner and founder of Curtis Key Plumbing Contractors, Inc. that is based in Chesapeake, and the 10,000-square foot shop in which his race team operated in 2004 and 2005 was built on the campus of the plumbing business.

 

Key purchased the new Mooresville tract and buildings last year and has been changing its make-up since moving in a year ago. The other building is leased to Mac Hill Motorsports, a NASCAR Busch Series and USAR Hooters Pro Cup racing operation.

 

The new addition will house a paint booth and provide added fabrication space for the team that completed its very first full season of NCTS competition in 2006 with its #40 Chevrolet Silverado race fleet. Standout rookie Busch Series driver Shane Huffman and veteran Derrike Cope drove the Key Motorsports machines in the last six races and had some excellent outings. Chad Chaffin, rookie Ryan Moore and Tim Fedewa also drove for Key this past year.

 

“We’re continuing to make progress and give the boys what they need to get this race team to the next level,” said Key, who is also planning to make an announcement shortly on his 2007 season driver selection. After running un-sponsored for most of the 2006 season, Key is also hoping to announce sponsor signings for his race team for 2007 following the holidays. SCR

 

 

 

 

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Dale Ferguson has joined JR Motorsports to serve as Lead Engineer of the No. 88 Navy Accelerate Your Life Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS team for 2007 NASCAR Busch Series season.

 

Ferguson, 35, comes to JR Motorsports after spending the last year and a half working on the Haas CNC Racing Busch Series program. The Milton, W.V., native brings an engineering degree from the West Virginia Institute of Technology and more than 10 years of experience to the Navy team.

 

“I’m excited to join the JR Motorsports team for the 2007 season,” Ferguson said. “I was able to watch the team in action this year and I’m looking forward to becoming a part of JR Motorsports and working with Shane (Huffman) and the whole Navy crew. I think I can bring a lot to the organization and help them run even better next year.”

 

“Dale is a great addition to our team,” said JR Motorsports Busch Series crew chief Wes Ward. “It’ll be nice to have an engineer onboard to help us with research and development. This year we had to outsource a lot of our engineering support, so it’ll be good to now have those capabilities in house. Dale’s a great engineer and racer and with his help we will continue to make great strides in 2007.” SCR

 

 

 

 

LAS VEGAS – Testing tires is pretty boring stuff for most drivers, but this week’s two-day Goodyear test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway left Kyle Busch excited and Greg Biffle with a headache.

       

The two drivers spent Wednesday and Thursday testing tires to help the tire manufacturer find the proper tire combination for the new 20-degree banking at LVMS. It will determine which tires Goodyear brings back for the NASCAR-sanctioned test Jan. 29-30 as well as for the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup event on March 11.

       

“There are a lot of neat characteristics to the track,” said Busch, a Las Vegas native. “It’s still pretty wide and a great racing surface. It’s wide enough that we’ll be able to run two and three wide. The transitions from the corner to the straightaways and then the straightaways to the corners are awesome. It’s a great layout.”

       

Biffle said Wednesday that he is looking forward to racing on the new layout. But his test ended early on Thursday when he made hard contact with the wall between turns one and two. The impact knocked the fuel pump off the car and made for a fiery scene. Busch, who was closely following Biffle, helped the veteran driver from his car. Biffle wasn’t injured, but decided to discontinue testing for the day.

       

“That was a really hard hit and we lost a good car,” Biffle said. “But I’m O.K.”
       

Unofficially, the drivers were clocked at speeds near 187 miles per hour, but Biffle said that may pick up to closer to 190 once the Nextel Cup teams start qualifying in March. Kasey Kahne holds the track qualifying record of 174.904 mph set in 2004. SCR

 

 

 

 

CONCORD, NC – Veteran ARCA RE/MAX Series owner and driver Andy Belmont announced today that his company Andy Belmont Racing has signed Bill Catania as a driver for the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series season.

 

Bill Catania, 30, was born the same year Andy Belmont made his first racing start. Catania began racing at regional dirt tracks in 1993 at the age of seventeen, making a move to asphalt racing at the end of 2001. Between 2003 and 2005, Catania competed in no less than 40 late model events per year earning Rookie of the Year honors at Holland Speedway and recognition as a consistent top-ten competitor week after week. 2006 was a year of transition for Catania, familiarizing himself with the ARCA RE/MAX Series by attending multiple events with ABR and spending time at Belmont’s Concord, North Carolina based shop.

 

Catania made his first ARCA RE/MAX Series attempt at the September running of the Hantz Group 200 at Toledo Speedway with DirectBuy on board as his primary sponsor – posting a competitive time, but missing the field by one qualifying spot.

 

“Bill is a very talented racer and business person and I am proud to have him as part of our line-up. My goal over the past 10 months has been to re-energize and rebuild Andy Belmont Racing – and Bill is an important part of building our new organization, stated Belmont.”

 

Professionally, Catania is known for co-founding popular Internet and motorsports marketing company RaceFan, Inc. As President of RaceFan Marketing, Catania managed such clients as Valvoline, US ARMY, PRIMEDIA, and MBNA America. Since his departure from RaceFan in 2003, Catania has written three books under the RaceQuest banner that teach race teams, race tracks and series promoters how to find and manage racing sponsorship. Today, Catania is an Account Manger at BENSUR :: Creative Marketing Group, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, and co-founder and principal of Wireless Loyalty, LLC, a newly formed mobile marketing firm also based in Erie, Pennsylvania.

 

“BENSUR will serve as the marketing arm of Andy Belmont Racing, helping ABM’s marketing partners maximize their sponsorship dollars,” stated Catania. BENSUR is a full service agency, offering graphic design, web programming, strategic marketing, and broadcast capabilities.

 

During the months of November and December, Catania has logged over 100 laps at Lowe’s Motor Speedway as a student at Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track Driving School. Catania will test the ABR Ford Taurus at Daytona International Speedway December 15 – 17 in preparation for the February 10 season opening Daytona 200, along with multiple short track and intermediate test dates.

 

Building depth in his seasoned team, Belmont recently acquired the assets of the No. 62 ARCA RE/MAX Series team owned by Bob Aiello. Aiello will stay on with the team in an advisory position and will also make himself available as a consultant to other racing programs.

 

“We are very fortunate to bring together such a talented group of people,” said Belmont. Barry Owen is working with us getting our cars together. NASCAR Busch East Series standout Joey McCarthy is working on some of our projects right now as well. Scott Lopez had made the move from the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series to ABR and his influence has been great to our team. Everything appears to be working and working well. We have a very interesting group right now. We also have half of a dozen students from the NASCAR Technical Institute and that’s been a big help. The students have some of the basics down and are eager to learn more. They have the will and the want to be a part of racing and that is huge. Youthful enthusiasm is a key component in any program that is growing.”

 

“Andy Belmont is one of the most versatile and skilled racing personalities in the sport,” stated Catania. “Not only is he capable of building and managing his own equipment, but he has proven his skills behind the wheel, and in the boardroom – I feel blessed to have him as a mentor as I advance my racing career to the next level” SCR

 

 

 

 

Beginning Feb. 17, ESPN2 will be the new home of the NASCAR Busch Series with select races to air on ESPN on ABC.

 

ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer has called the NASCAR Busch Series “one of the jewels in the rough of the (full NASCAR) deal,” and fans will notice a new shine on the gem with ESPN’s elevation of the series. With its multi-media platforms and the same standards and quality of production as the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series including use of High Definition cameras, SportVision enhancements and state-of-the-art graphics, ESPN is poised to provide a tremendous experience for viewers.

 

“We are as excited as the fans to launch our NASCAR coverage starting with the NASCAR Busch Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway,” said ESPN executive vice president of content John Skipper. “Having the NASCAR Busch Series entirely on one network is really going to serve the NASCAR fan and allow us to tell a story all year long. The strength of the NASCAR Busch Series significantly enhances all of our content offerings and brings tremendous value to ESPN2 and ESPN on ABC.”

 

In addition to all 35 NBS races, the networks will telecast practice and qualifying from 17 races, the season-ending banquet and a season preview and review specials.  There will also be a dedicated pre-race program for each race called NASCAR Busch Series Countdown as well as comprehensive coverage of the Busch Series in ESPN2’s NASCAR news and information program, NASCAR Now.  And, for the first time in televised motorsports, all will be produced in High Definition.

 

To help fans prepare for the new season, NASCAR Now will debut on Feb. 5, marking the network’s first-ever daily program solely dedicated to NASCAR, delivering the latest race news and information. Also on Feb. 5, ESPN Original Entertainment (EOE) will start a countdown of the “100 Defining Moments” in NASCAR history. These 30-second vignettes will lead to ESPN and ESPN on ABC’s airing of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, beginning July 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

 

ESPN’s comprehensive NASCAR Busch Series coverage will extend to ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes, SportsCenter, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPNRadio, ESPN360, ESPN International and EOE, among other ESPN platforms.

 

“Having ESPN2 showcase the excitement and anticipation of the season-opening Daytona 300 from Daytona International Speedway is the perfect way to open the NASCAR Busch Series season,” said speedway president Robin Braig.  “We’re excited to have ESPN’s multi-media platforms showcase this great event to millions of fans around the world.”

 

In 2006, Chevy driver Kevin Harvick captured the coveted NASCAR Busch Series season title by a record margin of 824 points over Carl Edwards.

 

“It is great that ESPN is rejoining NASCAR,” said Harvick. “I think it will help the sport and with ESPN’s full-season broadcast of the Busch Series, I believe it will help owners secure more sponsorship dollars for their Busch programs. I also think that ESPN will bring a lot of new features to their broadcast that will entice more fans to join the world of NASCAR.”

 

ESPN2 will become the motorsports destination for NASCAR Busch Series fans with more than 500 hours of motorsports programming in 2007. SCR

 

 

 

 

Evernham Motorsports has announced the paint schemes for the No. 9 Dodge driven by Kasey Kahne and the No. 19 Dodge driven by Elliott Sadler. The paint schemes will be almost identical and that both will carry the distinctive bold red color of the Dodge brand and signature Ram logo on the hood. 

 

Kahne’s racing colors will flip from 2006 to 2007, moving the red from the top side of the Dodge Charger to the bottom and bringing white to the hood and roof areas of the car. The number will again be black on the sides and roof of the Dodge Charger.

 

Kahne’s 2007 Dodge Charger will feature the classic Ram head and Dodge Dealers logo on the hood while sporting Dodge independently on the rear quarter panels.

UAW and McDonald’s will be represented in front of the rear wheels, and Stanley Tools again will be on the c-post. Mopar and Freightliner show behind the rear wheels underneath the rear quarter panels while Siemens, Valvoline, vitaminwater, PPG and Bosch will grace the b-post.

 

Sadler’s Dodge Charger will be the reverse of Kahne’s, with red adorning the hood and roof areas of the car and white on the lower portions of the side panels, growing more dominant as it reaches the rear of the car and eventually fully covering the back end from the rear quarter panel. 

 

The door number will be black as well, sporting a uniformity that is important to Ray Evernham.

 

Sadler’s Dodge Charger also will feature the classic Ram head and Dodge Dealers logo on the hood while sporting Dodge independently on the rear quarter panels.

 

UAW will be represented in front of the rear wheels, as is on Kahne’s Dodge Charger, with Stanley Tools on the c-post and Siemens adorning the deck lid. Mopar and Freightliner show behind the rear wheels under the rear quarter panels while Siemens, Valvoline, Coca-Cola, PPG and Bosch will grace the b-post. SCR

Matthew Blaylock

 

 

 

 

Michael Waltrip Racing named its trio of NASCAR Nextel Cup crew chiefs today. Matt Borland, Larry Carter and David Hyder will lead the organization's three teams in 2007.

 

Borland moves over from Penske Racing South to be crew chief for Dale Jarrett on the No. 44 Toyota. Carter will be crew chief for David Reutimann's No. 99 team, with Hyder working with Waltrip on the No. 55.

 

"We concentrated on pairing personalities to find the perfect qualified individuals for each position," Waltrip said. "Matt is a proven winner, and we're proud to have him.

 

"I've known David for a while and look forward to him leading the NAPA team. I love his enthusiasm and the way he thinks.

 

"Obviously, Larry was vitally important in building our team's and I know he will be instrumental in building David Reutimann's future."

 

Borland led Ryan Newman to 12 wins, 37 poles, 54 top-five and 83 top-10 finishes as well as making the Chase for The Nextel Cup twice.

 

"Dale is a champion, and he has a ton of respect in the garage," Borland Said of Jarrett. "He's obviously proven himself as a driver."

 

Carter joined Waltrip to help him build the operation. He was Rusty Wallace's crew chief at Penske before moving over to the team.

 

"I'm real happy to have him in my corner," Reutimann said. "I needed a veteran crew chief to help me through everything I will experience as a rookie. We get along great and I know we will have success together."

 

Hyder, a former Late Model racer, joined Petty Enterprises as a mechanic in 1999. Three years later he became a car chief for the team in the Cup Series. In 2005, he joined BAM Racing as crew chief for Ken Schrader and this season moved with the driver to Wood Brothers Racing before returning to BAM midseason.

  

   

 

 

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina - Veteran ARCA RE/MAX Series owner and driver Andy Belmont announced today that his company Andy Belmont Racing has acquired the assets of the No. 62 ARCA RE/MAX Series team owned by Bob Aiello.

 

Andy Belmont Racing (ABR) will return to a two-car operation next season fielding Belmont’s familiar No. 1 Ford Taurus, while putting together a competitive program for the No. 62 under the ABR banner.

 

“We’re very excited about the 2007 season,” said Belmont, who now calls Mooresville, North Carolina home. “We’ve been working together with Bob (Aiello, former owner of No. 62) in the past on several projects and now the timing seems right. Bob and I bounced this around a lot late last year and it all kind of came together. We are proud to announce that Aiello will stay on with the team in an advisory position and will also make himself available as a consultant to other racing programs."  

 

Taking over the assets of the No. 62 also provides ABR a strong owner’s point berth heading into the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series season. The No. 62 finished fifth in ARCA RE/MAX Series owner’s points this season. In 22 of the 23 events, the team amassed one win, nine top-fives and nine top-10 finishes including one win.

 

Belmont’s No. 1 reeled in a solid 25th place position in the owner’s points with one top ten finish at Salem Speedway (September) utilizing a host of drivers this season. The duo’s standings virtually lock them into the first five events for 2007.

 

“We’re in a very good point’s position as we prepare our cars for Daytona,” explained Belmont. “In this age of racing in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, the competition is very tough, while we don't plan to use the provisional system, the fallback position offers some comfort should the unexpected ever arise. However, we’re making some great changes to our organization this off season and I’m definitely pumped about the future of ABR.”

 

Belmont continued, “The off season testing that we have done so far seems to have really helped. We have taken the opportunity to experiment with some things that we just couldn't test under race conditions last year and I believe it will help out in the long run. We have tested some rookie drivers and are trying real hard to get the communication worked out between the team and the drivers. We will go to the test at Daytona with a couple of different people steering the cars as we keep searching for the right folks to drive the ABR race cars.”

 

The team is busy building new “hot rods” for next season’s events allowing the team to catch up with the ever changing technology the teams now face in the RE/MAX Series. ABR has been reconnected with some of its past employees, proving that the 2007 could be the most competitive season for ABR yet.

 

“We are very fortunate,” said Belmont. Barry Owen is working with us getting our cars together. NASCAR Busch East Series standout Joey McCarthy is working on some of our projects right now as well. Scott Lopez had made the move from the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series to ABR and his influence has been great to our team. Everything appears to be working and working well. We have a very interesting group right now. We also have half of a dozen students from the NASCAR Technical Institute and that’s been a big help. The students have some of the basics down and are eager to learn more. They have the will and the want to be a part of racing and that is huge. Youthful enthusiasm is a key component in any program that is growing.”

 

Andy Belmont Racing is expected to announce its alignment of drivers and sponsorship lineup in the near future. SCR

 

 

 

 

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Bill Davis Racing (BDR) announced today that Bobby Santos III will run a combination of 15 ARCA RE/MAX and NASCAR Busch Series events in 2007. Santos is scheduled to compete in 10 ARCA RE/MAX races in the No. 02 machine, in addition to five events in Busch Series competition.

 

“Keeping an eye out for young talent has become an important part of every race team, and we think Bobby has a good future ahead of him in this sport,” commented team owner Bill Davis. “We’re looking forward to working with him to build his skills in a stock car and get him ready for even bigger things in the future. He was impressive in his first outing with us and I think it will be interesting to see what he can do next year.”

 

Santos, 21, made his Bill Davis Racing debut in the ARCA RE/MAX event at Iowa Speedway in October. After posting an impressive 10th-place qualifying run, he went on to finish sixth on the 7/8-mile tri-oval, one of only seven drivers remaining on the lead lap when the checkered flag waved.

 

“I’m really looking forward to this opportunity,” said Santos. “This is my first chance to race stock cars and I can’t think of a better place to start than Bill Davis Racing. We had a good race at Iowa Speedway earlier this season and if the way things went there is any indication of the way things will go in the future, then I can’t wait to get the season started. I’ve raced my whole life and this is the opportunity that I’ve been waiting for.”

 

The third-generation driver began his racing career driving Quarter Midgets at the age of four before moving to Supermodifieds when he was a teenager. Specializing in open wheel competition, he spent the past several years running among the United States Auto Club (USAC) ranks. 2006 was a breakout year for the Franklin, Mass., native, who won 11 features in USAC competition, five of which were USAC National races. At Stafford (Stafford Springs, Conn.) Speedway, Santos won both the Midget race and then went on to win the PRA Big Car feature after starting last, securing himself a $50,000 bonus. Santos also won The Night Before the 500 event at Indianapolis Raceway Park in August. SCR

 

 

 

 

CONCORD, N.C. - Roush Racing announced today the 2007 racing schedule for the No. 26 Ford Fusion driven by Jamie McMurray.  Next year's roster will include 28 races with Crown Royal and 10 races with IRWIN Industrial Tools on the No. 26 Ford.  The first race for Crown Royal will be the season-opening Daytona 500.  IRWIN Industrial Tools will run its first race on March 18th at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"It's great to have Crown Royal and IRWIN Industrial Tools back on the No. 26 car in 2007," McMurray said.  "The commitment and dedication they have shown to this team is beyond words, and everyone on the team is just really excited to have these two great sponsors on board again with us.

"It's been a really rewarding experience to help both Crown Royal and IRWIN Industrial Tools with initiatives such as the 'Safe Rides Home' program.  And with IRWIN Tools I have been able to attend tradeshows and visit some historic factories where the workers love watching and supporting the No. 26 car every weekend.  It's very cool to be a part of these programs, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to help promote these world-class brands to the millions of NASCAR fans."

IRWIN Industrial Tools was the primary sponsor for 11 races in 2006.  The best finish for McMurray piloting the IRWIN Industrial Tools Ford Fusion came at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2006, where he posted a season-high finish of second place.

"Everyone at IRWIN Industrial Tools is extremely excited about the 2007 season and continuing our strong support for Jamie McMurray and the entire No. 26 Roush Racing team," said Eric Pinkham, Director of Motorsports, Newell-Rubbermaid.  "We look forward to a fresh start and are already eager to get started."

During the 2006 season, McMurray ran 18 races in the No. 26 Crown Royal Ford Fusion.  McMurray's best finish in the Crown Royal paint scheme came at Watkins Glen, where he posted a third-place finish.

"We are excited to have Jamie McMurray behind the wheel of the No. 26 Crown Royal Ford Fusion for a second year," said Jim Lorenz, Senior Brand Manager, Crown Royal. "With a new paint scheme, more primary races than ever and exciting programming that will bring more attention to the brand's 'Be A Champion. Drink Responsibly.' message, Crown Royal is primed for an exciting 2007 season."

Below is the lineup for the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season:

2/18 - Daytona - Crown Royal
2/25 - California - Crown Royal
3/11 - Las Vegas - Crown Royal
3/18 - Atlanta - IRWIN Industrial Tools
3/25 - Bristol - Crown Royal
4/1 - Martinsville - IRWIN Industrial Tools
4/15 - Texas - Crown Royal
4/21 - Phoenix - Crown Royal
4/29 - Talladega - Crown Royal
5/5 - Richmond - Crown Royal
5/12 - Darlington - Crown Royal
5/19 - All-Star - Crown Royal
5/27 - Charlotte - IRWIN Industrial Tools
6/3 - Dover - Crown Royal
6/10 - Pocono - Crown Royal
6/17 - Michigan - Crown Royal
6/24 - Sonoma - Crown Royal
7/1 - New Hampshire - IRWIN Industrial Tools
7/7 - Daytona - IRWIN Industrial Tools
7/15 - Chicago - Crown Royal
7/29 - Indianapolis - Crown Royal
8/5 - Pocono - Crown Royal
8/12 - Watkins Glen - Crown Royal
8/19 - Michigan - IRWIN Industrial Tools
8/25 - Bristol - IRWIN Industrial Tools
9/2 - California - Crown Royal
9/8 - Richmond - Crown Royal
9/16 - New Hampshire - Crown Royal
9/23 - Dover - IRWIN Industrial Tools
9/30 - Kansas - Crown Royal
10/7 - Talladega - IRWIN Industrial Tools
10/13 - Charlotte - Crown Royal
10/21 - Martinsville - Crown Royal
10/28 - Atlanta - Crown Royal
11/3 - Texas - Crown Royal
11/11 - Phoenix - IRWIN Industrial Tools
11/18 - Homestead - Crown Royal SCR

 

 

 

 

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Discount Tire, also known as America's Tire, the largest independent tire dealer in America, announced today its title sponsorship of the No. 6 Discount Tire Ford Fusion for the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series with Roush Racing.

"Our participation in NASCAR and our association with Roush Racing echoes our commitment to being the best tire and wheel retailer in the world," said Discount Tire's senior vice president Michael Zuieback.  "In each of our 650-plus stores across the country, our people provide customers with the best price, advice and service, like a winning pit crew.  It's a great rallying point for our people across the country. The partnership with Roush Racing and driver David Ragan promises great success."

David Ragan will be the fulltime driver and will make his first start in the No. 6 Discount Tire Ford Fusion at Daytona International Speedway when the 2007 Busch Series season begins in February.  Ragan ran two Busch Series races during the 2006 season in the No. 50 Ford at California and Dover.
 

"We are pleased to have Discount Tire join our team with David Ragan in the Busch Series for 2007," said team owner Jack Roush.  "David has a bright future ahead of him and I am pleased that Discount Tire has signed on to be a part of it.  It is our goal to ensure a successful program for Discount Tire both on and off the track."

Ragan recently shared a ride with Mark Martin in the No. 6 Scotts Ford F-150, as well as the No. 50 Roush Racing Ford F-150.  In 17 starts he earned one top-five and seven top-10 finishes, as well as one pole.

"I am very excited to have Discount Tire on the Busch car in 2007," said Ragan.  "It is an amazing opportunity to be able to run fulltime in the Busch Series next year and I am thrilled to be able to represent Discount Tire and all of their employees.  My goal for next year is Rookie of the Year.  I know that will be a huge undertaking, but I am confident in the assembled No. 6 team and believe we have a chance to prove something." SCR

 

 

 

 

World Financial will return as primary sponsor of the No. 60 Ford for four races in 2007. The No. 60 Ford driven by Carl Edwards in the NASCAR Busch Series will carry World Financial as primary sponsor at Fontana in February, April Phoenix, September Dover and November Phoenix. In addition to those four races they will also sponsor Todd Kluever in the season finale at Homestead-Miami in November.

 

"I'm thrilled to have World Financial Group back on my Busch car," Edwards said. Edwards won with World Financial as sponsor at Phoenix a couple of years ago. SCR

Matthew Blaylock

 

 

 

 

CONCORD, N.C. - Roush Racing announced today that beginning in 2007, The Scotts Miracle-Gro® Company will reunite as a sponsor with Carl Edwards on the No. 60 Roush Racing Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Busch Series.

"I'm really looking forward to having the Scotts Miracle-Gro® Company back on my car in 2007," Edwards said.  "I've been very lucky to have great sponsors throughout my career, including Scotts.  Everyone from Jim Hagadorn on down loves the sport and they are all very supportive of the program.  I won my first Nextel Cup race with Scotts last year and had a lot of success with them.  I feel honored to represent Scotts and I look forward to taking them back to victory lane in the No. 60 Ford Fusion in 2007 and contending for a championship."

The relationship between Edwards and the Scotts Miracle-Gro® Company dates back to 2004 when Scotts sponsored the No. 99 Nextel Cup entry for six races.  In 2005, Scotts once again sponsored Edwards in the No. 99 Ford for 11 races and got the surprise of a lifetime when Edwards won his first career Nextel Cup race at Atlanta in March.  Edwards beat out Jimmie Johnson by inches while claiming his second win of the weekend in the green, black and white Ford (he also won his first career Busch race that same weekend, the first driver ever to do so).

"The Scotts Miracle-Gro® Company is thrilled to team up with Carl Edwards and Roush Racing as the primary sponsor of the No. 60 Ford Fusion in the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series," said Rich Sorota, Sr., vice president & general manager, marketing.  "Carl is such a genuine spokesperson and representative for our leading lawn and garden brands," Sorota continued.

Edwards will enter his third full-season in the NASCAR Busch Series beginning in 2007.  Edwards marked his rookie season in the series with four poles, five wins, 15 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes in 2005.  In addition, Edwards finished third in the overall point standings and claimed Rookie-of-the-Year honors.  Through 35 races in 2006, Edwards has posted two poles, four wins, 15 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes and finished second in the overall point standings behind Kevin Harvick.  Edwards, along with crew chief Pierre Kuettel and the No. 60 Scotts Miracle-Gro® team, will chase their first Busch championship starting in February at Daytona International Speedway. SCR

 

 

 

 

Roush Racing has announced that Arby’s will sponsor the No. 17 Ford driven by Matt Kenseth for 13 races during the 2007 Busch Series season. In addition to the 13 Busch races Arby’s will also be the primary sponsor on Kenseth’s No. 17 Ford Nextel Cup car at the spring Bristol race. Arby’s will start the sponsorship of Kenseth in February at Daytona. SCR

Matthew Blaylock

 

 

 

 

Team Red Bull has hired veteran Doug Richert to serve as Brian Vickers' crew chief on the No. 83 Toyota in 2007, the team announced Wednesday.

 

Richert moves to TRB from Roush Racing, where he'd served as Greg Biffle's crew chief since 2003, when he joined the team that fall. Richert won two races with Biffle in '04, six in 2005 and two this year.

 

They finished second together in points in '05, but Biffle failed to make the Chase For The Nextel Cup this season, and owner Jack Roush elected to move Pat Tryson to be crew chief for Biffle's team next season.

 

That left Richert looking for a new opportunity, and he found it at TRB.

 

"The Cup series has gotten so much more competitive these days," Richert said in a team release. "Starting from scratch is no easy task, but once the team gets some chemistry and momentum going, we'll hopefully be able to do some exciting things."

 

Vickers moves to TRB from Hendrick Motorsports, where he won the Busch Series championship in 2003 before moving to Nextel Cup full time the following year. Vickers earned his first Cup win this past season.

 

"Dough has worked with practically a Who's Who list of drivers in this sport and he knows what it takes to be consistently successful at this level," Vickers said. "What an awesome feeling to know he's in my garage now."

  

   

 

 

MARTINSVILLE, VA – Martinsville Speedway is offering gift certificates for sale just in time for Christmas.

           

The gift certificates are good for the purchase of tickets for any of Martinsville Speedway’s big race weekends in 2007.

           

The certificates are printed on high-quality paper with a racing-themed background.

           

To purchase a gift certificate or for more information, call 1.877.RACE.TIX or visit racetickets.com.

 

Martinsville Speedway has four exciting weekends of racing action scheduled for 2007.

           

The season kicks off with the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 weekend on March 30-April 1. Carilion Pole Day is scheduled for March 30, the Kroger 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on March 31 and the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race on Sunday, April 1.

           

The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Craftsman Truck series will return to Martinsville on October 19-21. Carilion Pole Day will be on October 19, followed by the Kroger 200 on October 20 and the SUBWAY 500 on Sunday, October 21.

           

The powerful open-wheeled NASCAR Whelen Modified Series returns to Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, September 1 for the Whelen 300, the only night event held annually at Martinsville.

           

The most prestigious NASCAR Late Model Stock race, the Bailey’s 300, will be run on Sunday, September 20. SCR

 

 

 

 

Basketball fans know Brad Daugherty as an accomplished and well-known NBA and college basketball star, but few may know of Daugherty’s lifelong passion of NASCAR racing.

 

Daugherty’s racing interests date back to his childhood when he met Richard Petty at the Daytona International Speedway in 1977. Daugherty would later choose to wear Petty’s number – 43 – throughout his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

 

Now, Daughterty has joined the ESPN and ABC team of hosts, analysts and pit reporters in 2007 to provide what he describes as the “fan’s perspective” in the network’s comprehensive, multimedia coverage devoted to NASCAR.

 

“I’m just really excited about being able to get involved on this level,” said Daugherty. “I have a little bit of technical and ownership experience, but mostly, I am a fan.”

 

In his second year in the NBA, Daugherty took a serious interest in racing and in 1987, co-founded a late-model stock race team with driver Robert Pressley in Asheville, N.C. The team raced in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the NASCAR Racing Series, winning the regional championship in 1987 and 1988. In 1989, they joined the NASCAR Busch Series and earned the team’s first major victory at the Orange County Speedway in North Carolina.

 

While continuing to play pro hoops, Daugherty supported and mentored several up-and-coming drivers as an owner in the NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, explaining that he wanted to nurture their talents and see their careers grow. Drivers included the late Kenny Irwin Jr., Wayne Anderson and Kevin Harvick. Irwin won two Craftsman Truck Series races driving for Daugherty in 1997, the first at Homestead-Miami Speedway in March and the second at Texas Motor Speedway in June.

 

"I hope to draw in a new audience,” he added. “NASCAR is a sport that business-wise, has to continue to grow and go international. It needs to broaden horizons and I hope my presence gives fans even more reason to turn it on and watch.”

 

A long-time fan of the sport, Daugherty will sit alongside fellow commentators on two new shows -- NASCAR Countdown and NASCAR Now. NASCAR Countdown will immediately precede all NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series races televised on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, while NASCAR Now, the network’s first-ever daily program solely dedicated to NASCAR, will deliver the most up-to-date news and information each weekday. NASCAR Now will debut on ESPN2 on Feb. 5, 2007.

 

“It’s like taking a fan out of the stands and into the booth,” said Daugherty. “I’m as interested in the stories and sagas as the competition. I know those little pieces that nobody talks about.”

 

Daugherty played eight seasons in the NBA for the Cavs, who selected him as the No. 1 pick in the 1986 draft. A five-time NBA All-Star, Daugherty averaged 19 points and 9.5 rebounds a game during his pro career.  He shot 53.2 percent from the field and 74.7 percent from the line, marks rarely seen by other centers. 

 

In 41 NBA playoff games, he averaged 19.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.  At 6’11” and 245 pounds, Daugherty was widely known as one of the best passing big men in professional basketball during his playing days.

 

The Black Mountain, N.C. native’s career with the Cavaliers was cut short due to recurring back problems. He sat out the last part of the 1994 season, and missed all of the following two years, before retiring from the NBA.

 

Daugherty left the racing business in 1999, but remained an avid fan of the sport, and is thrilled with his new role as an analyst for ESPN and ABC.

 

A 1986 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Daugherty‘s basketball career took off as a Carolina Tar Heel where he began as a 16-year-old freshman. By his senior season, he was a first-team All-American selection, averaging 20.2 points and nine rebounds per game, while shooting 64.8 percent from the floor. He also scored in double figures in 32 of his team’s 34 games.

 

Daugherty previously served as a college basketball game sideline reporter and analyst for ESPN and ABC (1999-2001), covering the ACC conference telecasts.

           

Before ESPN, Daugherty served as a game analyst for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers from 1996-1998 on the Hometown 43/Cavaliers Television Network and in those same years did limited work as an analyst for the San Antonio Spurs. SCR

 

 

 

 

MOORESVILLE, NC – Chad McCumbee and Green Light Racing are proud to announce their intentions for chasing the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship during the 2007 season.  After a successful rookie season in the #08 Green Light Racing Chevrolet, McCumbee will once again be behind the wheel for the team that finished second in the series’ Rookie of the Year standings in 2006.

 

“I am really excited about next year,” said McCumbee.  “It is really nice to know what you are going to be doing next year and to be able to start preparing things for the next racing season even though the 2006 season just ended.  I can’t thank Bobby (Dotter) and Gene (Christensen, co-team owners) enough for allowing me the opportunity to live my dream.”

 

McCumbee finished his rookie season in the Craftsman Truck Series with three top-10 finishes and nine top-15 finishes, with a season-best seventh-place result at both Nashville Superspeedway (TN) and Atlanta Motor Speedway (GA).  With Green Light Racing in 2007, the 21-year-old now looks forward to the opportunities to build on the success the team found in their first full season together.

 

“I think that we will be pretty successful next year, and we will definitely be up front competing for some wins.  We really want to be able to finish in the top-10 in points and if we bring homes those wins, maybe have a shot at the championship.  Those are some of our goals for next year.  We will work really hard in the off-season to improve anything that we can and we should be really competitive next year. “

 

Green Light Racing Owners Bobby Dotter and Gene Christensen are also enthusiastic to have McCumbee coming back on board as the team strives to grow on the success built in the 2006 season.

 

“For not really knowing what to expect when this year started, it was just really a pleasure to work with Chad,” said Dotter.  “He just performed better than most any driver ever has in our equipment and we are obviously very excited for next year.

 

“The entire year, Chad never wrecked any of our trucks and there were three of them that he really got to liking. So we still will have those, and we will have some new equipment and should just be able to make improveme