NASCAR Daily News Headlines * August 14, 2008

ISC Wants Second Date For Kansas

"We're very excited about the prospect of a second Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway," Kansas Speedway President Jeff Boerger said in a news release. "A second Sprint Cup race and a Hard Rock Hotel & Casino would be a tremendous benefit to not only Wyandotte County, but to the state of Kansas. An additional race weekend and our Hard Rock property would increase tourism in the area and have a significant economic impact on both Wyandotte County and the state."

Boerger said the track currently has an economic impact of $243 million to the area, with an additional $111 million if a second Cup race is granted.

An ISC spokesman said the company would ask to have a date from another of its tracks moved to Kansas, though he did not say from which track it would be moved. ISC owns 12 tracks, including seven that have two Cup races: California, Daytona, Martinsville, Michigan, Phoenix, Richmond and Talladega. ISC tracks that have one date are Chicagoland, Darlington, Homestead-Miami, Kansas and Watkins Glen.(scenedaily.com)

Southern 500 Back To Darlington

"The timing really is good with us celebrating our 60th year of racing next year," Browning said. "It just seemed to make sense."

The Southern 500 was a shaky startup venture when it was first run on Sept. 4, 1950. But over the next five-plus decades, it became a Labor Day staple for NASCAR drivers, fans and their families to spend the final summer holiday in South Carolina's steamy Pee Dee region. After 2003, that date was given to California Speedway with its larger layout and population center.

"Although it's not on Labor Day, it is a 500-mile race at Darlington," Browning said. "And that's another way of our continuing to tie back into our history and our tradition."

Another Southern 500 was run in 2004, but in November. Darlington has held just one Sprint Cup weekend since 2005, each sponsored by the Carolina Dodge Dealers Association. When the sponsorship agreement ran out this spring -- and with the track's once hobbled future on the rise -- Browning thought it was time to bring back the old name.

Browning said he's in talks with potential title sponsors for next year's race, and one told him the return of the former race name was an important selling point. Next season, Darlington will celebrate its 60th year since Harold Brasington carved the misshapen superspeedway out of farmland.(espn.go.com)

Newman Will Be Named Second Stewart Driver

The agreement was reached after Joe Gibbs Racing was unable to nail down sponsorship to start a fourth team featuring Newman.

Joey Logano, the 18-year-old phenom, is expected to step into the 20 car being vacated by Stewart after this season.

Stewart, who recently took over 50 percent of Haas CNC Racing, will drive the No. 14 sponsored by Office Depot and Old Spice. Newman will drive the No. 4, with Burger King, U.S. Army and UPS being mentioned as potential sponsors.

Newman also was pursued by Evernham Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing and Petty Enterprises after announcing he would not return to Penske Racing next season. Newman will be reunited with Matt Borland, now the competition director at Stewart-Haas. Borland was Newman's crew chief at Penske for 12 of his 13 Cup victories.(espn.go.com)

Coleman Makes Cup Debut

For 20-year old Brad Coleman, historic Michigan International Speedway (MIS) in Brooklyn, the 2-mile D-shaped oval nestled in the scenic Irish Hills region, will serve as the setting for his Sprint Cup Series debut.

Coleman, who will drive the No. 96 DLP HDTV Toyota Camry in Sunday’s 3M Performance 400 at MIS, has built a solid resume as he’s risen through the racing ranks. In 43 Nationwide Series starts, he’s scored three top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He won his first career Nationwide Series pole in April 2007 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and scored his best Nationwide Series result in June 2007, when he finished second at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

In addition to his experience in the Nationwide Series, the Houston-born Coleman also has nine starts in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, with two top-five finishes at MIS among his eight total top-fives, three poles and a win at Kentucky Speedway, all of which came in 2006. In 2005, Coleman competed in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series and finished fourth in the track championship at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C., while earning the most points of any rookie driver that season.

At age 16, Coleman teamed with fellow 16-year-olds Colin Braun and Adrian Carrio to finish seventh in the GT class at the prestigious 24 Hours At Daytona on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course at Daytona International Speedway. The trio was the youngest ever to compete in the endurance classic.

Coleman’s racing career began when he was 12 after being discovered at a Houston-area indoor karting center by fellow Texan Price Cobb, the veteran racer who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1990 with co-drivers John Nielson and Martin Brundle. While working as a crew member on Cobb’s Toyota Atlantic Series team, Coleman continued to compete in karts. He advanced through open wheel’s Fran-Am 1600 Series and the Star Mazda Championship Series before turning his attention to stock cars in 2005.

Everyone starts somewhere. For Coleman, it was a Houston-area karting center. And the latest phase is about to begin at Michigan

Coleman Leaves Baker Racing

Coleman is leaving the team to take over Hall of Fame Racing’s No. 96 Sprint Cup Series Toyota, Baker Curb said in a news release. That announcement was made last week.

Also, Baker Curb announced that chief engineer Jeff White has replaced Shawn Parker as crew chief for the No. 27 Ford team. Parker decided to leave the team last week, as well, and Watkins Glen was his last race. Parker is still looking for a new position in the sport.

“I’m sad to see both Brad and Shawn go,” team co-owner Gary Baker said in a news release. “However, I understand they are making the right decisions for their careers. It has been great to work with them this season, and I wish them only the best.”

Baker and recording industry executive Mike Curb bought Brewco Motorsports last year and moved the team from Central City, Ky., to Nashville, Tenn.

The team fielded two cars for most of this season, though the No. 37 entry has been sidelined in the last several races.

Coleman finished 10th at Watkins Glen in his last race with Baker Curb. He is 16th in the Nationwide standings, with two top-10 finishes. (scenedaily.com)

Two Nationwide Teams Penalized

Almquist was fined $5,000 for violating Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and 20A-5.10.1B(6) (combined thickness of the throttle shaft and throttle plate was less than the specified thickness of 0.197 inches) of the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rule Book.

Wolfe was fined $1,000 for violating Section 12-4-A, 12-4-Q and 20A-16.5.1B (fuel line, from the fuel cell to the filter, exceeded the maximum specified size).

Both infractions were discovered during opening-day inspection on Aug. 8.

No. 30 Team Penalized

Additionally, driver Todd Bodine and owner Stephen Germain have been penalized 25 championship driver and owner points, respectively.