DEI Drops Appeal
Dale Earnhardt Inc. dropped its appeal of penalties levied against Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his crew chief for illegal modifications made to the Car of Tomorrow. The appeal was scheduled to be heard Wednesday, but the team informed NASCAR on Tuesday it will not fight the penalties.

Earnhardt was docked 100 points and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was fined $100,000 and suspended six races after NASCAR discovered illegal brackets on the rear wing of the No. 8 Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway.

Eury has maintained the brackets were old and inadvertently landed on the car. NASCAR officials said that explanation is not plausible. While admitting the car was not in compliance, DEI planned to argue that the penalties were too severe. But NASCAR officials countered with a March 21 rule amendment that outlined the penalties that would be levied for infractions on the COT.

Because DEI initially filed an appeal, Eury was allowed to work last Saturday night's All-Star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Suspensions do not begin until the appeals process is complete.

Earnhardt will work the next six races with car chief Tony Gibson calling the shots.(ap.org)

James Hylton Takes 1st Quarter Spirit Award
James Hylton, the 72-year-old stock car competitor who attempted to qualify for this year’s Daytona 500, has been selected as the first-quarter recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association/Pocono Spirit Award.

Hylton found himself in the national spotlight during 2007 Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway when he attempted to become the oldest driver to qualify for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series’ season-opening Daytona 500. The two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series winner nearly pulled off the feat, finishing 23rd in one of the two Gatorade 150-mile qualifying races.

While disappointed that he was unable to make his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start since 1993, Hylton, who has 601 career starts in the series, vowed he would be back.

“If I’d have turned this deal down,” Hylton said of his Daytona effort, “when I got to be an old man, I’d look back and say, ‘I should have taken that chance.’”

Hylton received 44 votes cast by the membership.

Jimmie Johnson, the defending NASCAR Nextel Cup champion and driver of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet, received 15 votes.

Former Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton received one vote as did Patti Petty, who along with husband Kyle, founded Victory Junction Gang Camp.

The NMPA/Pocono Spirit Award, which has been presented annually since 1992, recognizes character and achievement in the face of adversity, as well as sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports. Four quarterly winners are selected, with one overall Spirit award winner chosen by a vote of the NMPA membership at year’s end. The award will be presented during the group’s annual dinner and awards ceremony in January, 2008.

Banquet Dates Announced
For 2007, the accents are on both tradition and innovation, regarding NASCAR’s postseason national series awards ceremony swing.

First, the traditional:

For the 27th consecutive year, the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion will be feted amid the bright lights of New York City, with the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Awards Ceremony set for the world-famous Waldorf=Astoria hotel on the evening of Friday, Nov. 30.

“Honoring our NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion at the Waldorf has created many memories through the years,” said NASCAR Chairman/CEO Brian France.

“It’s a perfect fit – the nation’s No. 2 sport recognizing its champion in the nation’s No. 1 market. It’s also a perfect footnote to what promises to be another great season.”

Complementing the Waldorf show will be the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Media Luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 29 at Cipriani, in Manhattan. This will be the second year of a new format for this long-standing event, which is highlighted by several prominent presentations, including NASCAR’s year-end contingency awards.

In addition:

The NASCAR Busch Series Awards Banquet will take place on Friday, Dec. 7, at the Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Portofino Bay is located near the new NASCAR Sports Grille at City Walk, within the Universal Orlando complex.

And finally, regarding innovation, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Awards Banquet is set for Monday, Nov. 19 at a new site where excitement is inherent: The Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Fla.

All three national series end their seasons at Homestead-Miami Speedway on the weekend of Nov. 16-18.