Car of Tomorrow testing wrapped up Wednesday at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) as Thursday was washed out due to rain.  Denny Hamlin led the first two test sessions Wednesday and Jimmie Johnson led the third. Hamlin’s 122.170 mph in the first test session was the fastest recorded speed during Wednesday’s test. SCR

Matthew Blaylock

Separate incidents during the World of Outlaws event on Saturday night at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., resulted in fines for two teams.

The Kasey Kahne Racing team was fined and put on probation for the remainder of the 2007 season when a crew member violated Rule 9.m and p in the World of Outlaws Sprint Series Rule Book by initiating a physical altercation on the track.

Additionally, TMAC Racing Inc. was fined and placed on probation for the remainder of the 2007 season for language in a post-race interview deemed inappropriate and detrimental to the sport of sprint car racing.

Both teams are eligible to appeal their penalties. SCR

CONCORD, NC – When the 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model returns to action March 23-25 with its three-night, three-state ‘March Through Dixie,’ eligible regional and local drivers will be looking to pad their earnings each evening with a cool $500 in cash.

The popular World of Outlaws Bonus Bucks Program, which will be in effect at every 360 OTC WoO LMS event in 2007, will provide an extra $500 to the highest-finishing driver in the A-Main who has never won a 360 OTC WoO LMS feature and does not rank among the top 12 in the tour’s current point standings.

“We want to encourage more regional and local drivers to come out and support the series when we visit their areas,” said Tim Christman, the director of the 360 OTC WoO LMS. “Sweetening the pot with the ‘World of Outlaws Bonus Bucks’ gives them another incentive to shoot for as they test their skills against the touring World of Outlaws stars.”

Dozens of regional and local drivers will chase the ‘Bonus Bucks’ in each of the events that comprise the upcoming ‘World of Outlaws March Through Dixie’ weekend, which stops at Baton Rouge Raceway in Baker, La., on Fri., March 23; Columbus (Miss.) Speedway on Sat., March 24; and North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia, Ala., on Sun., March 25.

Offered at selected 360 OTC WoO LMS events in 2006, the World of Outlaws Bonus Bucks Program has been expanded this season to include all A-Mains listed on the tour’s ambitious schedule.

The 2007 campaign’s first ‘Bonus Bucks’ winner was Jimmy Mars of Menominee, Wis., who added $500 to his eighth-place earnings in the 360 OTC WoO LMS season opener on Feb. 18 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla.

Registered contenders for this year’s 360 OTC WoO LMS Rookie of the Year Award will be eligible for the World of Outlaws Bonus Bucks Program, provided they do not win an A-Main in 2007 or rank among the top 12 in the current tour point standings. That means a 360 OTC WoO LMS rookie contender will have up to $750 in bonus cash available to them at each tour event, combining the $500 in ‘Bonus Bucks’ and the $250 top-finishing rookie prize that is on the line in all series A-Mains. SCR

Pittsburgh, PA – The Nicorette 300 Busch Series Race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 17th will be dedicated in memory of NASCAR legend Benny Parsons (1941-2007).  In celebration of “BP”, the Parsons family will be honored and recognized as Grand Marshals of the Nicorette 300.  Parsons’ brother, Phil Parsons, a former Cup driver and current Speed TV broadcaster will represent the family at the race serving as Grand Marshal. 

In 2006, Benny Parsons was one of six NASCAR legends to serve as Grand Marshals of the Nicorette 300 alongside Richard Petty, David Pearson, Ned Jarrett, Buddy Baker, and Donnie Allison.  Parsons, a supporter of Nicorette’s NASCAR smoking cessation programs, was a former smoker himself and had recently accepted an invitation by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare to serve as Grand Marshal for the 2007 Nicorette 300. The Nicorette 300 is the only NASCAR race to ever be sponsored by a smoking cessation product.

“Like his other fans, we at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare were deeply saddened by the loss of Benny Parsons," said Steve Kapur, Senior Brand Manager, Promotional Marketing at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. “In our three years in the sport, we have proudly coached thousands of race fans on how to quit smoking at our Winner’s Circle Exhibit and helped over 185 NASCAR team members, officials and media quit smoking through our QUIT Crew program.  We are honored to dedicate this year’s Nicorette 300 in Benny’s memory and welcome his brother, Phil Parsons to help start the race.”

To honor Parsons’ life, fans attending the Nicorette 300 will take part in a ”Celebration of BP” during pre-race ceremonies.  NEXTEL Vision will air a special video montage featuring highlights from Parson’s racing and broadcasting career as well as memories from many of his friends within NASCAR.  NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch, and Craftsman Truck Series racecars will carry a special “BP-72” contingency sticker throughout the Nicorette 300 weekend to remember Parsons and his car number “72.”

“Benny understood the dangers of smoking having quit cold turkey over 30 years ago and his support of Nicorette inspired NASCAR fans to quit smoking.” said Phil Parsons, Benny Parsons’ brother and this year’s 2007 Nicorette 300 Grand Marshal.  “I am honored to have the opportunity to represent Benny and all that he stood for with Nicorette.”

Parsons was the 1973 NASCAR Champion and recorded 21 victories, including the 1975 Daytona 500 and the 1980 Coca-Cola 600, in a 21-year career that included 283 top-10 finishes in 526 starts.   He later became a popular figure on NASCAR telecasts, first with ESPN and most recently with NBC and TNT. Parsons also hosted Performance Racing Network's "Fast Talk with Benny Parsons."

Phil Parsons has had a distinguished career in racing and now in broadcasting.  He raced for 13 years in the Cup Series and is currently a commentator on Speed TV where he will broadcast the Craftsman Truck Series race the Friday night prior to the Nicorette 300.

"It’s fitting for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare to dedicate the Nicorette 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Benny’s memory,” said Ed Clark, President and General Manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway. “Benny had a tremendous impact on the sport and supported Nicorette’s efforts to help fans lead healthier lives.  We will truly have a memorable race weekend in March.” SCR

Central City, KY – Brewco Motorsports announced Tuesday that it is teaming up with ARCA RE/MAX Series Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Phillip McGilton for his inaugural full season of competition. 

The team and driver have already started the 2007 season on a high note: In only his seventh ARCA RE/MAX start, McGilton scored a ninth place finish in the season-opening ARCA 200 at Daytona International Speedway on February 10, 2007. This tied his previous best finish of ninth at Kansas Speedway in July 2006.

“It was a great start to our season,” said McGilton. “The Brewco Motorsports team put together a great car. I am really excited about driving for a team like Brewco that has a reputation for putting some of the best equipment on the track in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. We have already started preparing the No. 47 SI Performance Ford Fusion for the next race so we’ll be ready to add another top-10 finish to our credit and move ahead in the point standings.”

McGilton leads the 2007 ARCA R/MAX Series Rookie-of-the-Year battle.

“We are excited to be competing in all 23 scheduled races this year in the ARCA RE/MAX Series with Phillip McGilton,” said Clarence Brewer Jr., owner and founder of Brewco Motorsports. “We recognize Phillip as an extremely talented young driver with the ability to be very successful. He is an up-and-coming star in our sport and our whole team is looking forward to seeing him in Victory Lane this year. We know he is a strong contender for the Rookie of the Year honors as well.”

McGilton is a graduate of Fast Track High Performance Driving School at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway. He is coming off the heels of a successful limited schedule in ARCA RE/MAX competition last year, where he posted a top-ten finish at Kansas and had several solid performances following. McGilton, who is originally from Marion, Illinois, is married with three daughters.

Next up for McGilton and the No. 47 SI Performance Ford Fusion team will be the Construct Corps-Palm Beach Grading 250 at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Florida on March 24. SCR

Edwards, a small business owner himself as the entrepreneur behind a new record label Back 40 Records, fully understands the impact that effective marketing and national exposure can have on the potential success of a business. 

“I think it’s awesome that Office Depot is continuing to give this type of unique opportunity and tremendous exposure to small businesses,” Edwards said.  “It’s the American dream to start a business and grow it and make it work.  And there are so many small businesses out there.  I think it’s really neat that Office Depot is allowing one of them to get national recognition, be the official small business of NASCAR, come to the races, and have a decal on the back of our race car. That’s pretty cool and judging from the reaction of the winners in the past two seasons, it’s been a lot of fun for them.” 

For more information on the Small Business of NASCAR promotion or to enter, please visit www.officedepotracing.com. SCR

BRISTOL, Tenn. – If you’ve ever dreamed of hanging out with your favorite driver while experiencing the rush of riding around The World’s Fastest Half-Mile in front of nearly 160,000 fans, you’ll have the opportunity to do both at the Food City 500 on March 25.

The “Ride of a Lifetime” online auction returns for the Food City 500 and 15 lucky individuals will get the opportunity to take a ride with their favorite Nextel Cup star during pre-race introductions on March 25, courtesy of Chevrolet and Speedway Children’s Charities. Proceeds benefit the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities.

The online auction, which begins March 2 on the Speedway’s web site at www.bristolmotorspeedway.com, allows fans to bid for a ride with one of 15 NASCAR superstars prior to the start of the sold-out Food City 500. Winning bidders will climb into the bed of a Chevrolet pickup truck with their driver and make one lap around “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”

“The auction has been a tremendous success over the past several years, raising about $65,000 each year,” said Claudia Byrd, chairperson of the charity’s Bristol Chapter. “And I can’t thank the drivers enough for taking part in this. This fundraiser provides an excellent way to give race fans the chance to live a dream and more importantly, it generates funds that will impact the lives of children in this region for years to come.”

In addition to the ride of a lifetime, winning bidders will have the opportunity to purchase two tickets to the Food City 500. 

Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton, Elliott Sadler, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Bobby Labonte and Kyle Petty make up the list of drivers on the auction block.

For the first time, winner bidders will get even more for their money as more incentives have been added to the Ride of a Lifetime Experience. Winning bidders who bid $5,000 will earn an on-property parking pass, bidders who reach $7,500 will receive two hot pit passes, a $10,000 bid gets the winner two club suite seats and $15,000 will get the winner into the driver’s meeting.

The online auction goes live at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 2 and will end on Friday, March 16. Participants bidding in the online auction must be at least 18 years of age. Although two Food City 500 tickets may be purchased by the high bidder, only ONE person may ride with a driver.

The winning bidder may elect to give up his or her ride to a family member or friend. This will be permitted with the stipulation that the person riding is at least 12 years old. Fans wishing to participate but lack Internet access may do so by mailing bids to:

“Ride of a Lifetime” Auction                     
Bristol Motor Speedway
P.O. Box 3966
Bristol, TN  37625

Payment for winning auctions must be received in full by Wednesday, March 21, 2007. Payment methods available include cashier’s check, money order, VISA, MasterCard or Discover. Winning bidders will receive a full refund, with the exception of ticket cost, in the event of inclement weather and cancellation of driver introductions. SCR

DOVER, Del. - The "Monster Makeover" continues as Dover International Speedway is currently in the midst of adding new elements in the first phase of its multi-year capital improvement project. Two new structures have been erected at Dover including a new skybox complex featuring Velocity, a luxury suite option for individual race fans, and a 2,100 square foot addition to the infield media center.

Updated construction photos are posted on www.DoverSpeedway.com every Wednesday.

Dover race fans will notice a vast array of improvements to the facility in 2007 including widened walkways behind the Allison, Petty and Earnhardt grandstands; six newly renovated restroom facilities; additional paved handicapped parking areas; expanded bus parking; continued beautification and landscaping of the entire property; a new grandstand sound system with improved audio quality for broadcasting and music; and a new alcohol- and tobacco-free Family Seating Section.

The existing hospitality tent villages at Dover have been combined and will now be situated behind turn one, on the north end of the facility. With the relocation of the village, an expanded, fan friendly midway will be created behind turn four and will feature exhibits, vendors, and Monster Mile and NASCAR team merchandise.

The new skybox complex will include 12 new suites, each with a premium view of pit road, victory lane and the entire one-mile concrete oval at Dover International Speedway. The new complex is also home to Velocity, an all-inclusive suite now available to individual fans at the Monster Mile. A limited number of tickets to Velocity are still available and include access to all three days of the NASCAR tripleheader race weekend, appearances by NASCAR personalities, convenient parking, pit and garage tours, unlimited food and beverages, high quality audio and video, and many other premium amenities.

A 2,100 square foot addition to the infield media center is also well underway with insulation and drywall now in place. Located inside turn one, the infield media center accommodates local, regional and national media who cover races at Dover. The expansion will add 60 seats for working media; 18 flat-panel televisions; a larger, revamped dining area; additional restrooms; two new interview rooms; and a new work area for Dover public relations staff.

Most improvements will be completed in time for the June 1-3, 2007 NASCAR race weekend.

Architectural and engineering work for the next phase of the Monster Makeover, slated for 2008, is continuing. Details will be released later this season after bids have been received and contracts awarded. SCR

NASCAR officials won't rule out the possibility that the "car of tomorrow" might run full time in 2008 instead of another partial Nextel Cup season.

With more than 50 Nextel Cup teams testing at Bristol Motor Speedway today in preparation for the new model's debut in the 2007 race, talk about the difficulty of teams and drivers competing with two models is growing.

NASCAR officials have been hearing that for some time, and speculation has been rampant that the series would move up the schedule for running the model in all series races. The car of tomorrow will be used in 16 races this season and is currently slated for 26 of the 36 points races in 2008.

"We're hearing a lot of talk already about it and understandably so," Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said of changing to a full schedule with the model in 2008. "It's difficult to run the two programs. It's difficult for our side to run two programs knowing what rules apply to what car."

Would the sanctioning body consider making that change?

"If the garage says, 'Look we're all in,' we're all in," he said.

Charoltte, North Carolina - Veteran racecar driver Damon Lusk officially announced today the unveiling of his new company, Race City Steel.

Race City Steel (RCS) is a North Carolina based company that was founded by racers for racers. Race City Steel carries the latest materials needed to get your racecar off the ground and to the track. RCS carries any and all types of round, square, rectangular, angled and solid tubing. They cater to race teams in the Charlotte, Mooresville, Concord and surrounding areas. Their delivery schedule is very flexible and they thrive on getting their customers their products the same or next business day.

“We’re very excited about the launch of Race City Steel,” said founder and CEO Damon Lusk. “We haven’t been open very long, but we’re already attracting a lot of race teams within our areas. We are here to help. Our company strives on helping you build a winning product."

Race City Steel (RCS), also carries sheets of aluminum, steel, plastics and lexan. For machine shops, RCS will cut and deliver your materials to desired length and width. “Our customer service shows that our customers are number one. We feel that we offer very attractable prices with race proven products, and our goal is to grow Race City Steel to a house hold name in the racing industry,” continued Lusk.

In addition to running RCS, Lusk will continue to compete in the ARCA RE/MAX Series carrying associate sponsorship from Race City Steel. The logos will be found on the car, driver, crew uniforms and race equipment.

“Race City Steel is going to be around a long time,” added Lusk. “By carrying the logos with us as we race, it’s another way to draw new business clients and keep our name out there, it works all the way around.”

Lusk will look to pick up the pieces from his season opening finish at Daytona International Speedway earlier this month which saw a flawless top-five performance turn havoc with an incident five laps from the finish. The two-time ARCA RE/MAX Series winner will again pilot a Dodge Charger under the LB Motorsports banner in Lakeland at USA International Speedway on March 24.

“We’re heading into 2007 with two goals, get back into Victory Lane, and finish what we started in Daytona. This is a breath of fresh air not only to be involved with LB Motorsports, but grow RCS in the process." SCR

LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s ever-improving vehicle flow for its March 9-11 NASCAR Weekend should be even better for this year’s event, according to LVMS officials.

Over the past few years, the 215 Beltway, new interchanges and wider roads have helped make ingress and egress from the speedway’s property a constantly improving experience for race fans.

“The combination of better traffic planning, cooperation from all areas of transportation and law enforcement and the continued education of our race fans has dramatically improved vehicle flow over the past several years,” said LVMS general manager Chris Powell.

Race fans are encouraged to arrive early. This year’s Sam’s Town 300 NASCAR Busch Series race will begin at noon Pacific Time, which is three and a half hours earlier than last year’s event. Race fans also are reminded to turn their clocks forward on Saturday night in recognition of Daylight Saving Time.

Local fans living in the northern and western parts of the valley are encouraged to use the 215 Beltway.

“We have seen a steady increase in the number of cars using the 215,” Powell said. “This is the best way for many of our local fans to come and go. We’ve noticed that vehicle flow on the beltway has improved dramatically from year to year.”

Speedway officials also are encouraging as many race fans as possible to use buses and shuttles such as Citizens Area Transit (CAT) for transportation to the races.

The speedway will continue to crack down on the fraudulent use of handicapped placards. Speedway security will be checking the validity of handicapped passes on each vehicle.

“We take caring for the handicapped very seriously at the speedway,” Powell said. “It’s important to us that handicapped fans coming to our race are not inconvenienced by those who are perfectly capable of parking in the general parking area.”

General parking is free at LVMS.
       

The race weekend kicks off with qualifying for both the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 and Sam’s Town 300 on Friday, March 9. The Sam’s Town 300 NASCAR Busch Series race will be held Saturday, March 10. There also will be two nights of USAC Sprints and Dirt Late Models on the half-mile dirt track Thursday, March 8 and 9. The UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 will cap the weekend on Sunday, March 11. SCR

The No. 14 over-the-wall crew of Rick Crawford won Friday night’s Checkers/Rally’s Double-Drive Thru Challenge during the Craftsman Truck race at California Speedway. The team spent 90.546 seconds on pit road. SCR

Regan Smith’s No. 4 over-the-wall crew tallied its first win in the Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge by spending the least amount of time (182.510 seconds) on pit road during Saturday’s Busch Series event at California Speedway. Smith is a Ginn Racing teammate of Mark Martin. SCR

Mark Martin’s pit crew took top honors in the Checkers®/Rally’s® Double Drive-Thru Challenge following Sunday’s (Feb. 25) Nextel Cup Series race at California Speedway.  The No. 01 Army crew secured their second consecutive win this season, taking an early lead in the competition.

“I don’t know what you can say about these guys, except that they are awesome to work with,” said Martin, driver of the 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet®.  “The Army crew keeps coming through with fast stops when we need them.  They did a good job all day and got me to the checkered flag with a top-five finish.  It was another great team effort.”

Pit crew coach Lance Munksgard added, “I’m so proud that Checkers/Rally’s is recognizing our crew for all their effort. They’ve worked hard to become one of the fastest teams on pit road and I think winning two-in-a-row this season proves that they are.”

Checkers/Rally’s will award Martin’s team $11,150 for winning the weekly award.  An additional $111,150 will be presented to the pit crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race Nextel Cup schedule.

The No. 01 over-the-wall crew, which spent 297.758 seconds on pit road, includes: Scott King (jackman), Colin Pasi (front-tire carrier), Charlie Brock (front-tire changer), Dwayne Moore (rear-tire carrier), Dave Woodhead (rear-tire changer), Danny Harrington (gasman), Scotty Hazlett (catch can) and J.D. Hilton (windshield).  The team’s crew chief is Ryan Pemberton.

To win the Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge, teams are required to finish on the lead lap while spending the least amount of time on pit road. Checkers/Rally’s is in its third season as title sponsor for the pit crew challenge. SCR

Fox's broadcast of Sunday's Auto Club 500 Nextel Cup race from California Speedway earned an overnight Nielsen Media Research rating of 6.2 and a 11 share, Street and Smith's SportsBusiness Daily reports.

The 6.2 tied last year's 6.2/12 overnight rating, but it was 12.7 percent lower than the 7.1 Fox earned for the race in 2005.

CONCORD, NC – Clint Smith is building some nice momentum for this year’s 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series.

Taking advantage of a month-long break in the schedule of the national tour he’ll chase in 2007, Smith scored a convincing $10,000 victory in Sunday’s eighth annual ‘Bama Bash 75’ at Green Valley Speedway in Glencoe, Ala.

Smith, 41, of Senoia, Ga., captured the Southeast’s early-season dirt Late Model special for the third consecutive year. He also finished second in the event’s 2004 edition, behind fellow 360 OTC WoO LMS star Rick Eckert of York, Pa.

“We’ve had some pretty good success in the ‘Bama Bash,’” bottom-lined Smith, the only 360 OTC WoO LMS regular who entered the weekend program at the three-eighths-mile oval. “It’s a good way to get the year started.”

Smith pulled off a clean sweep of the ‘Bama Bash’ action, posting fast time, winning the dash and leading all 75 laps of the A-Main from the pole position. He turned back periodic bids in the feature from 2004 WoO LMS champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., who settled for second place.

Tim Busha of Boaz, Ala., finished third, followed by Ray Cook of Brasstown, N.C., and Randy Weaver of Crossville, Tenn.

Smith’s triumph came one week after he unsuccessfully attempted to pass Bloomquist for position late in the 50-lap 360 OTC WoO LMS season opener at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., forcing him to be satisfied with a sixth-place finish to kick off the tour’s ’07 campaign.

“Scott was tough, but we just had the position on the racetrack on him,” said Smith, one of the Southeast’s most decorated dirt Late Model racers. “We followed him last week (at Volusia), so it’s nice to turn the tables.

“Scott’s already won two big ones this year, so maybe it’s good to spread the wins around a little bit,” he added with a smile. “He’s been ending up with a lot of trophies, so I’ll take one once in a while.”

Smith’s first win of 2007 came behind the wheel of the JP Drilling/Cliburn Tank Lines/J&J Steel GRT car he debuted in the 360 OTC WoO LMS opener on Feb. 18. The machine is working very much to his liking.

“We had some little new-car issues at Volusia (a brake problem and leaking oil tank), but we came from 13th to (finish) sixth and I felt like we had one of the fastest cars out there,” said Smith. “We took it home and fixed those little problems, and it was excellent (in the ‘Bama Bash’).”

Smith is considering parking his new car until the 360 OTC WoO LMS resumes with the three-night ‘World of Outlaws March Through Dixie,’ which visits Baton Rouge Raceway in Baker, La., on Fri., March 23; Columbus (Miss.) Speedway on Sat., March 24; and North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia, Ala., on Sun., March 25.

But Smith won’t sit idle for the next three weeks. He has trips planned to Cherokee SuperSpeedway in Gaffney, S.C. (this weekend), Columbus (Rebel Challenge on March 9-10) and Cleveland (Tenn.) Speedway (March 17), giving him an opportunity to roll up more ‘Big Mo’ – and pad his bank account – before hitting the road with the Outlaws.

“Winning $10,000 early in the season helps any race team that hasn’t had income for two months (during the winter),” said Smith. “Hopefully we can pick off a few more races before we get back with the Outlaws.”

Smith, who currently ranks sixth in the 360 OTC WoO LMS point standings after one event, will certainly be a favorite when the tour reaches Baton Rouge Raceway. One of his four series wins in 2006, after all, came in March at the three-eighths-mile, semi-banked oval. SCR

FONTANA, California – In only his second race in command of the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion team, interim crew chief Chip Bolin guided Matt Kenseth to a successful defense of his Auto Club 500 title and a sweep of the California Speedway race weekend.  Rallying the No. 17 team from a 25th place qualifying run, the lead engineer-turned crew chief led Kenseth to his second trip to victory lane in less than 24 hours and his first Nextel Cup victory under a crew chief other than Robbie Reiser.  In addition to transforming a lackluster racecar into the fastest car on the track, Bolin displayed the poise and decision-making of a veteran crew chief.  For his pre-race adjustments and impeccable judgment, Bolin won the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race.

Bolin exhibited his expertise within the first 20 laps of the race.  After a wreck involving Scott Riggs, Jamie McMurray and Reed Sorenson on the 7th lap, Bolin called Kenseth enter the pits to fill up on gas and make a minor adjustment to the car.  Just twelve laps later, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s flat tire brought the leaders around to pit road.  Having pitted earlier, the No. 17 car was able to stay on the track and immediately move into 3rd place.  The team never looked back.  

“Our M.O. is to make slight adjustments as we go,” said Bolin after the race. “We fix what we need to as the race goes on.”  In reference to the factors that gave his team the advantage, Bolin stated that it was “the pit stops.  I can’t say enough about the crew and how fast pit stops were.  After that, it was easy.  We just left it up to Matt.”

A panel of voters, including a member of the local media, Tony Eury Jr. and a WYPALL* Wipers representative, agreed that Chip Bolin made the best calls and adjustments during the race.  “For Chip to step up and fill in for Robbie [Reiser] and win was something else,” said Eury Jr.  “He made calls like he had been in charge for years.  Chip and his crew were top-notch.”

As the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race, Bolin received $1,000.  At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. SCR

Matt Kenseth followed up his win Saturday in the Busch race at California with a win Sunday in the Nextel Cup race at California. Kenseth held off Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson on his way to the California sweep. Gordon finished second followed by Johnson in third. Jeff Burton and Mark Martin rounded out the top five. SCR

Matthew Blaylock

San Bernardino County, Calif. - Throughout his successful racing career, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DeWalt) has collected many plaques, trophies and other awards to display on his mantle.  Kenseth was honored today with an accolade that won’t leave California Speedway—a plaque with his likeness, as well as his footprint and signature cemented—literally—into history on California Speedway’s Walk of Fame.

The California Speedway Walk of Fame, which commemorates past NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series winners at California Speedway by setting a plaque with their likeness into a cement fixture, is a monument similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  During the plaque installation ceremony, the driver then has the opportunity to autograph the commemorative piece and place his or her feet into the slab before it dries.  California Speedway began the Walk of Fame tradition in 1998 after Jeff Gordon took the checkered flag at the inaugural 1997 NASCAR Cup event at California Speedway.  The ceremony was a huge success and the tradition has continued ever since.

Today’s ceremony featured a Walk of Fame induction of Kenseth for driving his way to victory at last year’s Auto Club 500 at California Speedway.  It was his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series victory at California to go along with his three NASCAR Busch Series victories at California Speedway.

Along with his name adorning a permanent piece of California Speedway, Kenseth also received a one-of-a-kind gift.  For the past several years, Ohana Kemp Surfboards, a surfboard shaping company out of Orange County, California, has been custom shaping and designing custom boards for all NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series winners at California Speedway (for more information on Ohana Kemp Surfboards, visit www.ohanakemp.com). SCR