Riggs Signs With Haas/CNC Racing
Scott Riggs has signed a contract with Haas/CNC Racing to drive one of the team's two Chevrolets in 2008, sources close to the team confirmed to ESPN.com Tuesday. The team is expected to issue a statement Wednesday. It is unknown whether Riggs will pilot Haas/CNC's No. 66 or No. 70 or who will back the team financially.

Sources said current drivers Jeff Green and Johnny Sauter will be evaluated throughout the remainder of the 2007 season and a decision as to whom Riggs will replace will be made at the end of the year. There has been some speculation that ousted Chip Ganassi Racing driver David Stremme is a candidate for the other Haas/CNC Chevy. (espn.go.com)

M&M's Moves To No. 18 Team
Mars U.S. announced today a three-year partnership with M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies as the sponsor of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team and driver Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning in 2008.

“I can’t wait to climb behind the wheel of the M&M’S® car next season,” Busch said. “M&M’S Racing has been a fan favorite for years in the sport and it’s an honor to drive for one of the most recognized brands in the world. My focus is to win, and I know that everyone at Mars shares that vision as well. I want to thank the associates at Mars U.S. for this opportunity and look forward to a winning relationship.”

During the 2008 season, Mars U.S. brands will serve as the primary sponsor of JGR’s No. 18 Sprint Cup Series team for a total of 30 point races. Mars will feature the popular M&M’S® Brand colors beginning with the 50th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17. SNICKERS® and PEDIGREE® also will serve as primary brand sponsors for several races. Additionally, COMBOS®, TWIX®, SKITTLES®, STARBURST and MILKY WAY® brands will provide support as associate sponsors.

Interstate Batteries will serve as a primary sponsor of the No. 18 Sprint Cup team for six point races.

“We are excited to welcome Kyle Busch as the driver for M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies,” said William Clements, director of sponsorships and sports marketing for Mars Snackfood U.S. “The opportunity to partner with a championship-level organization in Joe Gibbs Racing, and a proven talent in Kyle Busch, sets the stage for an exciting year for M&M’S® consumers and fans. On behalf of our 40,000 associates worldwide, I welcome Kyle and Joe Gibbs Racing to the Mars, Incorporated family and look forward to seeing M&M’S® in victory lane with the No. 18 team.”

“Mars has had a longstanding commitment to the sport of NASCAR and we are extremely pleased to welcome them to our organization,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR. “Their interests mirror those of my family with their involvement in both motorsports and football. With their well-known brands, such as M&M’S® Chocolate Candies, I believe they are a natural fit for our team of corporate partners. We look forward to the new relationship between JGR, Kyle Busch and M&M’S® and believe it will be successful for all parties both on and off the track.”

The 2008 season will mark the 15th year for Mars U.S. as a primary sponsor in NASCAR’s premier racing division. The famous candy maker joined the series in 1990, running its first three seasons under the SNICKERS® Brand moniker. After serving as an associate sponsor for four seasons, the company returned with the SKITTLES® Brand colors in 1997 before transitioning to M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies in 1999.

Franchitti Signs With Ganassi
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced reigning Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series Champion Dario Franchitti has signed a multi-year deal with the organization to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) beginning in 2008. Franchitti will become the first European driver in the 59-year history of NASCAR to join the series full time when he assumes the driving duties of No. 40 Dodge Avenger next season.

“Any time you can sign a driver of Dario’s caliber you have to be thrilled,” said Team Owner Chip Ganassi, who now fields cars for three former Indianapolis 500 winners (Juan Pablo Montoya-2000, NNCS; Dan Wheldon-2005, IndyCar; and Franchitti-2007). “Dario is a world-class driver. He is a proven winner, an Indianapolis 500 champion and an accomplished individual that will be a super teammate to both Juan Pablo and Reed.”

Franchitti will immediately begin a stock car development program similar to the one CGRFS teammate Montoya engaged in just over a season ago when he attempts to qualify a CGRFS-prepared No.42 Target Dodge in Friday’s ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway. Franchitti now teams with Montoya, a fellow Indianapolis 500 Champion and former CART competitor. The duo took the 1999 CART title to the wire, with the current pilot of the No.42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge winning via a tiebreaker in the season finale.

The 34-year-old joins CGRFS with impressive open-wheel credentials. Franchitti recently captured the 2007 Indianapolis 500 title, becoming only the second Scottish-born driver to win the race (Jim Clark in 1965), before going on to win the 2007 IndyCar Series Championship over Ganassi driver Scott Dixon in the final turn of the season. With over 180 starts under his belt between the CART and IndyCar Series resulting in 18 wins, 17 poles, 63 top-five and 95 top-10 finishes (1997-2007), Franchitti is the winningest driver in U.S. open-wheel history from Great Britain. He also captured the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring in the LMP2 Class earlier this season in his first ever American Le Mans Series start – much like Montoya did in February at the Rolex 24 At Daytona for CGRFS in his first sports car start.

“I’ve always admired Chip’s teams having competed against them over the years, and recently paid particular attention to Juan’s successful transition this season,” said Franchitti. “This is a great opportunity to join one of NASCAR’s premier teams.”

Franchitti began racing karts in 1984 at age 11, landing his first crown in the Scottish Junior Kart Championship. After securing back-to-back British Junior Kart championships (1985-1986), the Scottish Kart championship (1988), the Formula Vauxhall Junior Championship (1991) and the British Formula Vauxhall Lotus Championship (1993), he competed and won in the British Formula 3 Championship (1994) and the FIA International and German Touring Car Championships (1995-1996) before making the move to CART in 1997.

The addition of the Scot to Chip Ganassi Racing Teams’ stable of drivers furthers the team’s international appeal, which now represents seven countries across five series (United States-Reed Sorenson-NNCS, Bryan Clauson-NBS, Scott Pruett-Grand Am, Rob Finlay-Grand Am, Chris Festa-Indy Pro Series; Colombia-Montoya-NNCS; Scotland-Franchitti-NNCS; New Zealand-Scott Dixon-IndyCar; England-Dan Wheldon-IndyCar; Canada-Michael Valiante-Grand Am; and Mexico-Memo Rojas-Grand Am).

Franchitti will pilot the No. 40 Dodge Avenger next season while running for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Raybestos Rookie of the Year title along with an assortment of NASCAR Busch Series races.

Smith Wants Divorce From Concord
Lowe's Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith said he wants a divorce from Concord. Smith said today his lawyers are looking into how he can get "un-annexed" from the city after Concord City Council members voted Monday to stop him from building a $60 million drag strip at his motorsports complex in the city. Smith said if he has to, he will spend the $350 million it would take to build a new oval track and drag strip outside of Concord. "We are trying to run a business here and we are trying to grow that business," Smith said. "Concord has said, `We are not going to allow that to happen.'"

In August, Smith announced plans to build the drag strip, saying at the time that racing would begin next spring. Smith started grading his land about a week ago, but has not applied for permits to build a drag strip. The council's vote Monday changed the zoning on Smith's property to bar drag strips. Last week, Smith said city officials weren't doing enough to back motorsports and threatened legal action if the council intervened in his project.

City council members voted unanimously Monday night to halt construction on the drag strip amid complaints from residents who said the drag strip could create disruptive noise in their neighborhood. Concord bills itself and the surrounding area as the cradle of the motorsports industry. In addition to the speedway and adjacent dirt track Smith owns, the area is home to numerous NASCAR teams and related businesses. Padgett noted Monday night that he has a NASCAR custom license plate on his car. But residents who can already see construction for the drag strip from their backyards organized opposition during the past week, telling council members they were worried about noise.(thatsracin.com)

Bruton Smith May Close Lowe's
(Bruton) Smith threatened Tuesday to build a bigger and better version of Lowe's Motor Speedway elsewhere in the Charlotte area if he's not allowed to separate himself from the jurisdiction of Concord, the city which annexed the track several years ago. Smith, the track's chairman, is steamed because the Concord city council voted Monday night to change zoning laws to specifically halt work on a $60 million drag strip Smith has planned for property near the 1.5-mile oval track that opened in 1960.

"I am dumbfounded by the whole thing," Smith said. "If it sounds like I feel like I am a victim in this, I do feel like the victim. I don't know why the mayor of Concord dislikes racing the way it appears that he does."

Concord Mayor Scott Padgett would argue his city has done a great deal to embrace the motorsports industry, and also would point out his constituents in the area have a right to express their fears that a drag strip would bring unreasonable noise and other disruption to their neighborhood.

The area around the speedway isn't the first place a battle over how much growth is too much has been fought, and it won't be the last. Growth unquestionably has a winning record in such fights, and one reason is growth is usually spurred by Smith and other rich people like him. That means Smith has enough money that at almost any time he can do just about what he wants. There's no question if Smith decided he'd rather sink $350 million into building a new racing complex somewhere else than kowtow (in his mind) to the elected leaders of Concord, he has the money to make that happen.(thatsracin.com)

Hillenburg Buys Rockingham
Andy Hillenburg, a former racer who owns a driving school, submitted the winning bid of $4 million for the North Carolina Speedway when it went on the auction block today (Tuesday). Hillenburg has said that he wants to bring a lower-tiered racing event to the former NASCAR speedway. NASCAR abandoned the track in 2004.

Owner Bruton Smith, a Charlotte billionaire and speedway tycoon, unloaded the 250-acre piece of racing history, which is north of Rockingham, about 100 miles southwest of Raleigh. The speedway has stood practically empty since Smith's Speedway Motorsports Inc. shifted its last scheduled race to a track in Fort Worth, Texas.(thatsracin.com)

Knaus Wins Crew Chief Award
Through the mayhem of rain delays, a race shortened from 267 to 210 laps and wrecking cars, Chad Knaus, crew chief for the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team, avoided all prevailing problems to snare a top-five finish in the LifeLock 400 at Kansas Speedway. For Knaus and driver, Jimmie Johnson, the day would begin with adversity, having to start the race from the rear of the field in a backup car. However, the duo did not allow Mother Nature, their back of the pack start nor the multiple pile ups occurring around them to dampen their day. For his calm under the storm and race day come from behind finish, Knaus was awarded the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race.

After a practice session mishap on Saturday that had Johnson hitting the wall with the No. 48 Chevrolet, Knaus and his Hendrick Motorsports crew went to work on their backup car. Within 15 minutes, Knaus had Johnson back on the track setting cause for the race as the wrecked primary car was rolled onto the hauler. Knaus and Johnson had already shown they would be tough to handle this weekend, having won the pole for the 400 mile race. Throughout the day, Knaus called for steady changes to the car’s setup, in an effort to give Johnson every opportunity to climb to the front. After a lengthy mid-race rain delay parked the racecars for more than an hour, one of two red flags for the race, Johnson proved the team was definite championship contenders, racing his way to a third place finish and the top of the Nextel Cup standings.

At the conclusion of the race Knaus gave credit to his team and driver for staying focused during the race. “We really didn’t have a play by play strategy at the start of the race,” admitted Knaus. “The team gave us great pit stops and Jimme [Johnson] really drove a great race. The car was very fast all day. We managed to stay out of trouble and it may have been a different story if the light had not stopped the race.”

A panel of judges including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser, Kenny Francis and a WYPALL* Wipers spokesmen, all agreed Knaus’ effort stood out. “Those guys rolled out a backup car that looked as fast, if not faster, than their primary,” commented Francis on the No. 48 team’s effort. “Chad had something going on all weekend. Great job to come from the back the way they did.

As the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race, Knaus received $1,000.

Tony Eury Sr. Interim Crew Chief
JR Motorsports Director of Competition Tony Eury Sr. has been named interim crew chief of the No. 88 Navy team and driver Brad Keselowski for the remainder of the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series season, replacing Wes Ward. JR Motorsports has chosen not to renew Ward’s contract, and is giving him the opportunity to pursue other options. With the help of car chief Ricky Cade, Eury will serve in an interim capacity until a full-time replacement has been determined for 2008.

Eury joined the JRM staff on June 27. He has over 15 years experience as a crew chief, working with such drivers as Dale Earnhardt, Neil Bonnett, Steve Park, Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr. throughout his longtime tenure at Dale Earnhardt Inc. Eury will continue to serve his primary role as Director of Competition throughout this interim assignment.

Busch Series To Be Nationwide Series
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced today that Nationwide Insurance will become title sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, replacing Anheuser-Busch’s Busch brand at the start of the 2008 season. Nationwide Insurance will also become the official auto, home and life insurance provider of NASCAR.

The seven-year agreement gives Nationwide Insurance the exclusive rights to tie its brand to the most popular form of motorsports in the U.S. Nationwide Insurance will enjoy the support of the most brand-loyal fans in all of sports, including 2.7 million who annually attend races of the series, which features 35 points events at 26 tracks across North America, including Mexico City and Montreal.

“We are thrilled that we had the opportunity to select a partner in Nationwide Insurance who is as excited as NASCAR about taking the NASCAR Nationwide Series to even higher levels of popularity,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “Nationwide Insurance is an ideal partner for NASCAR, advocating safe driving, and already serving millions of NASCAR fans with its auto, health, and life insurance. The company has a real passion for NASCAR, which will benefit our fans and all the participants in our industry.”

“Nationwide is excited about this long-term partnership and recognizes that NASCAR has the most loyal and dedicated fan base of any sport,” said James Lyski, Chief Marketing Officer for Nationwide. “We look forward to putting tremendous energy and resources into supporting this sponsorship and advancing the profile of the NASCAR Nationwide Series.”

The NASCAR Nationwide Series, broadcast on ESPN2 and ABC is stronger than ever. The series is the third highest-rated regular-season sport on cable television. Viewership in 2007 to date vs. 2000 is up 52%. The 2005 and 2006 seasons were the most viewed in series history.

Nationwide Insurance, which will generate approximately $200 million in annual media exposure through its sponsorship, is already serving millions of NASCAR fans with auto, home, and life insurance. Nationwide Insurance has had a partnership with track operator Speedway Motorsports Inc., for the past eight years, providing “On Your Side” information guides, transportation services and fan pit stops.

“Nationwide is a company that helps consumers plan for their futures, so they can achieve their dreams,” Lyski said. “The NASCAR Nationwide Series provides a unique environment for Nationwide to extend its On Your Side brand promise, not only to race fans, but to the next generation of outstanding NASCAR drivers pursuing their dreams of competing at the highest level.”

NASCAR fans are more likely to feel loyal towards an insurance company that is a sponsor, according to the ESPN Sports Poll. Additionally, NASCAR fans are more likely to have automobiles, be homeowners, and have children in the household, according to Simmons National Consumer Survey research.

Nationwide Series Schedule Released
As NASCAR celebrates its 60th anniversary, the 2008 season will bring a new name – the NASCAR Nationwide Series to the nation’s second-most popular series. Nationwide Insurance was announced today as the new series sponsor. In 2008, the series – currently known as the NASCAR Busch Series but in its final year of sponsorship from Anheuser-Busch – will again start its season at Daytona International Speedway (Saturday, Feb. 16) and end at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Saturday, Nov. 15).

For the second consecutive season, there will be two international events. The series will return to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on Aug. 2. And for a fourth consecutive year, the schedule includes a race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course in Mexico City, Mexico. However, for the first time in the brief history of the event, it will move from its previous date on the first Sunday in March to April 20.

Some of the key changes to the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule include: