NASCAR Daily News Headlines * December 20, 2008

Logano Takes First Laps At Daytona

"I'm doing it," Logano said of his busy Speedweeks 2009 schedule. "I'm running both races and then I've got the Nationwide race ... then running the Cup race. Between all that, I've got my hands full."

Toss in the Daytona 150-mile qualifying races, and Logano will be racing five events during Speedweeks. "I'm just getting as many laps as I can and learn as much as I can," Logano said. "I've got a big year ahead on the Cup side ... whatever I can do to make myself better."

Logano, who was signed to Joe Gibbs Racing's driver development program in 2005, has generated plenty of buzz since he began racing at the age of 6. He already has amassed a long list of accomplishments including winning the 2007 Camping World East championship and more recently winning in his ARCA debut in May at Rockingham and winning in just his third Nationwide Series start in June at Kentucky.

Logano, who is replacing Tony Stewart in the No. 20 Toyota, will next try to add youngest Daytona 500 winner to that list. The current record is owned by Jeff Gordon, who won the Daytona 500 in 1997 at the age of 25 years, six months and 12 days.

Logano began his indoctrination to Daytona on Friday, the first of a three-day ARCA test with close to 50 other cars. Driving the No. 25 Toyota of Venturini Motorsports, Logano clocked in at 179.569 mph in his first laps around the legendary motorsports facility.

Recession Hits Indy

Earlier this week, the speedway began making changes as it closed its 45-year-old hotel, the Brickyard Crossing Inn, where some drivers used to stay in May and scenes from Paul Newman's movie "Winning" were shot. That decision cost 15 full-time employees their jobs. Speedway officials join a growing group of sports leagues and teams that have been forced to cut back.

Last week, the well-financed NFL announced it would lay off 10 per cent of its staff. The NBA, NASCAR teams and the company that runs Major League Baseball's Internet division also have announced layoffs. The NHL hasn't laid off workers, though it is under a hiring freeze.

But auto racing, whose teams, tracks and races are often funded by major corporate sponsorships, could be especially vulnerable. The Indy Racing League replaced its fuel provider with a Brazilian-based Ethanol company last month. The new company, APEX-Brasil, has agreed to pay an undisclosed sponsorship fee and purchase TV time. One sign of trouble came Thursday when race promoters announced that the IRL's September event in Detroit would be cancelled, in part because of the economic crisis. They hope to put the race back on the schedule in 2010.

Plus, after a strong season in which Danica Patrick became the first woman to win an IndyCar race, Graham Rahal became the youngest driver to win a major open-wheel race and the re-unification of the former Champ Car and the IRL series reinvigorated interest in the series, the number of cars racing next season could drop.

"I expect that it will be down some, it will probably be similar to pre-unification levels," Nation said. "A lot of these deals don't get done until early in the year."

All of it could make the year more competitive off the track for series and speedway officials. "We are as challenged, I will assure you, as most other industries," said Terry Angstadt, president of the IRL's commercial division. "When our job, all day, every day, is to make sure our business is well-supported financially, that's part of our responsibility."

Other concerns include ticket sales.

The speedway has already seen a decline in advance ticket sales for NASCAR's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and is now offering a discounted rate for tickets purchased by Dec. 26. Nation attributes the decline, partly, to the tire problems that turned last year's race into a series of 10-to 12-lap shootouts. Tickets for the Indianapolis 500, the track's signature race, have been selling at a better pace, Nation said.(Canadian Press)

SPEED Re-Signs Despain

“Very few people can step from one motor sports discipline to another with the ease and proficiency that Dave manages on a weekly basis,” said SPEED President Hunter Nickell. “Dave has worked hard to become one of the true icons in racing and SPEED is privileged to have him continue as part of our team.”

Closing in on 450 episodes of his popular fan-participation show Wind Tunnel, Despain has interviewed everyone who is anyone in the world of racing. Three-time NASCAR champ Darrell Waltrip has made the most guest appearances (9), followed by Jeff Gordon (7), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (7), Funny Car king John Force (6) and open-wheel veteran Paul Tracy (6). Longtime motor sports writer Robin Miller has enjoyed the most co-hosting appearances at 13.

"I love the fact that the voices on Wind Tunnel cover the entire racing spectrum; from the fans in the stands, to the folks watching on TV, to the big time stars putting on the show to the movers and shakers who make it all happen,” Despain said. “We stick our noses into every nook and cranny of racing and always seem to find something interesting."

The Wind Tunnel format has proven popular in the garage area, as many of the players tune in on Sunday evenings to get their fix.

“Dave is a hardcore racer and that’s why I like to watch his show,” said 2007 Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick. “He isn’t shy about giving his opinions, even if they aren’t popular, and I like a guy who isn’t afraid to say what he thinks.”

Drag racing legend Don “the Snake” Prudhomme agrees, saying: “(Dave) certainly doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s refreshing to watch a show that isn't afraid to tackle the problems facing all the different racers and sanctioning bodies. Despain's knowledge of motor sports stretches across all forms of racing.”

“What can you say that hasn’t already been said about Dave Despain?” said U.S. Army NHRA Top Fuel champ Tony Schumacher. “The guy flat out knows racing, whatever form it is. He’s a complete professional. Needless to say, I always enjoy being a guest on Wind Tunnel. The interviews are more like conversations than a typical Q&A, which clearly puts one at ease. I’m happy that Dave is continuing on with SPEED.”

Aware of the economic challenges facing all of motor sports in 2009, Despain feels confident that there will be plenty of reasons to smile on Sunday evenings. “This will be a tough year for a lot of people in the racing world,” Despain said. “We're not going to hide from that reality, but we'll also do our best to find something good to talk about and to remind ourselves why we fell in love with racing in the first place."

Wind Tunnel opens its 2009 season Feb. 15 at 9 p.m. ET.

SPEEDtv.com will upgrade its Wind Tunnel interactive destination, adding streaming Web content that will extend the show 15-30 minutes to allow Dave to answer more viewer mail and phone calls. Additional stats, photos, editorial content and video, including exclusive Dave Take 2 clips, show archives and “best of” clips also will be available.

SPEED is the nation's first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 78 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country and, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEEDtv.com, the online motor sports authority.

Gibbs Rehires Brad Coleman

"I never would have left Gibbs in the first place, but the team just didn't have the sponsorship available to put me in a full-time Nationwide ride in 2008 and we felt like I needed the seat time," Coleman said in a team release.

Coleman left JGR after the 2007 season to accept a full-time ride with Baker Curb and the No. 27 Ford. In November of that year Coleman also agreed to a Cup Series deal with Hall of Fame Racing. The plan was for Coleman to be a full-time test driver in 2008, run a limited amount of races late in the season in a second HoF car, and compete full time as a teammate to the No. 96 Toyota in '09.

Coleman made one start this past season, at Michigan, but it was in the 96 after Hall of Fame fired J.J. Yeley. Coleman was the last qualifier in and finished 38th, three laps off the lead. HoF turned to veteran Ken Schrader and JGR teen sensation Joey Logano for the rest of the year, and Coleman eventually was released.

"I am grateful for both of the opportunities I had this year and appreciative to the owners and sponsors of each team," Coleman said. "But I can tell you I have never been so happy in my life as when I got the call from Gibbs to come back. This is not only a world-class race team with great equipment, but it is the finest group of people I have ever worked with."