Jeremy Mayfield Will Appeal Judge’s Decision in Lawsuit
Suspended driver Jeremy Mayfield, as expected, will appeal a judge’s decision that ruled in favor of NASCAR in his lawsuit over a May 1, 2009, drug test that he says was a false positive for methamphetamines. Mayfield filed the notice of appeal last Thursday in federal court and has 40 days to file the actual argument for his appeal. Depending on how quickly briefs are filed in the case, a hearing could come in May in Richmond, Va., but more than likely it will come no earlier than September. Mayfield has denied using methamphetamines and contends that the drug-test findings that prompted his suspension resulted from a combination of the prescription drug Adderall, which is used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and over-the-counter Claritin-D allergy medicine. U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen ruled … Read entire article »
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Geoff Smith retires from Roush Fenway; Steve Newmark new president
By Tripp Mickle Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service After spending more than 20 years guiding Roush Fenway Racing’s evolution from a small, 70-person shop to a 500-person operation, longtime Roush Fenway Racing president Geoff Smith is retiring. This is his last week with the team. Roush Fenway Racing announced Monday that Smith, 64, will be replaced as president by Steve Newmark, who joined the team in April as senior vice president of business operations. Newmark spent 12 years as an attorney with Charlotte-based law firm Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson. He was part of the legal team that worked with the NCAA, CBS and Turner to complete their 14-year, $10.8 billion media deal earlier this year. “The task this organization has before it has never been more difficult,” Smith said. “It’s going … Read entire article »
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Stewart Announces Application Process for Children’s Hospitals to Become Beneficiaries of 2011 Prelude to the Dream
ROSSBURG, Ohio – The seventh annual Prelude to the Dream all-star dirt Late Model race at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio is slated for June 8, and just as last year’s event benefited four of the nation’s top children’s hospitals, the 2011 edition will do the same – with a slight twist. Applications are now being taken for children’s hospitals from across the nation to win one of the coveted four primary beneficiary spots of the Prelude to the Dream. An application can be downloaded at www.TonyStewartFoundation.org. Hospitals have until Jan. 21 to return a completed application. “We received a tremendous number of e-mails and phone calls from hospitals after the 2010 event asking how they could become a part of the next Prelude to the Dream,” said Tony Stewart, the two-time … Read entire article »
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Drivers say Daytona is now more like Talladega
Speeds during the Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway have reached 197 mph in the draft, and drivers say they expect more Talladega-style racing on the newly paved Daytona International Speedway. Drivers were comfortable with those speeds, although NASCAR might decrease the size of the restrictor plate for the full test Jan. 20-22. Of the 18 Sprint Cup teams that attended the test Wednesday, 14 remained for the second and final day of the test on the 2.5-mile oval. The restrictor plate used during the test had 15/16th-inch holes, which were 3/32nds of an inch smaller than the plate used last July at Daytona but the same that was used at Talladega. “You’re doing the same speed (as in the past), but you’re doing it in a completely different way,” Jeff Burton … Read entire article »
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Smoother Daytona greets Cup drivers
The newly repaved Daytona International Speedway surface, as expected, has more grip than the rough, aged one that had gone 32 years without a repaving. Sprint Cup drivers got their first chance to drive race cars on the new surface Wednesday, the first day of a two-day tire test for Goodyear. Eighteen teams elected to participate, while more than 40 are expected for the NASCAR open test scheduled for Jan. 20-22 at the 2.5-mile oval. Drivers apparently were comfortable going three-wide around Daytona, which is narrower than Talladega and typically featured two-wide with only occasional three-wide racing in the past. “It is going to make for more exciting racing, more aggressive racing,” Jeff Gordon said. “I don’t think we’re going to see the two-car bump-drafting (for separation from the pack) like we saw … Read entire article »
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Eighteen drivers expected at Daytona for Goodyear tire test on Dec. 15-16
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – At least 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers will participate in the two-day Goodyear tire test on the new racing surface at Daytona International Speedway in advance of the 53rd running of the Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 20. The test will be the first time race cars will turn laps on the new asphalt of Daytona International Speedway, which was repaved for only the second time in its history. The Goodyear tire test will be open to the public with free access to the Oldfield Grandstands through the lobby of the Daytona International Speedway ticket office. Drivers scheduled to participate in the test include: 2010 Daytona 500 champion Jamie McMurray Brad Keselowski Mark Martin Jeff Gordon Dale Earnhardt Jr. David Ragan Kurt Busch Casey Mears Matt Kenseth Bill Elliott Paul Menard Jeff Burton Juan Pablo … Read entire article »
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NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Set for May 23
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has announced that the 2011 Induction Ceremony for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s second class will be held on Monday, May 23. Joining the inaugural class of Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson and Richard Petty will be Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson and Lee Petty. The Induction Ceremony is open to the public and will be held the evening of May 23, 2011 at the Charlotte Convention Center’s Crown Ballroom, which is connected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis and interested fans should visit NASCARHall.com for more details on next year’s class, upcoming appearances, ceremony details and the Induction Dinner on May … Read entire article »
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Richard Childress Named 2010 Owner of the Year by the Sporting News
WELCOME, N.C. – Richard Childress, the 12-time NASCAR championship team owner of Richard Childress Racing, has been named the Sporting News 2010 Owner of the Year. It is the third time Childress has earned the distinction. He was the magazine’s first owner of the year in 2001 and won the award again in 2006. All three of Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams made The Chase for the Sprint Cup this season after being shutout for the championship run in 2009. Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team earned three victories and were championship contenders all the way to the closing laps of the final race before finishing third in the point standings. Clint Bowyer and the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper team earned two victories during The Chase and … Read entire article »
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Tony Stewart Presents The Stewie Awards
LAS VEGAS — Winners of the fourth annual “Stewie Awards” were announced Thursday night by two-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart on SIRIUS XM Radio in front of a live audience at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The 2010 Stewie Award winners were decided by fans who voted for the best, boldest and funniest moments of the NASCAR season. Winners in 10 categories, including Best Original Drama, Best Driver2Crew Chatter and Best Vocal Performance, were honored. The winners of the 2010 Stewie Awards: Golden Stewie Award -Selected by Stewart and co-host Matt Yocum and honoring a legendary figure from the Golden Era of racing Former NASCAR owner, stuntman and film producer/director Hal Needham. “Stewie” Lifetime Achievement Award The late Jim Hunter, NASCAR’s former VP of corporate communications who passed away in October. The award … Read entire article »
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