NASCAR Daily News Headlines * November 21, 2009

Volkswagen Looks At NASCAR

Top NASCAR officials confirmed to AP that Hans-Joachim Stuck met with the sanctioning body on Saturday at the track. The officials requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the meeting.

Volkswagen officials expressed interest in entering a racing series, but indicated they are more inclined to pick a series that showcases technology, according to a person who attended the meeting but also requested anonymity. NASCAR features competition over technology.

A second option for Volkswagen could be the Grand-Am Road Racing Series, which is owned by NASCAR and uses foreign engine makers.

Earlier this season, NASCAR chairman Brian France said the sanctioning body is open to accepting new manufacturers into the stock car series. The only requirement is that manufacturers must have production plants in the U.S.

Volkswagen has a plant under construction in Tennessee, and the facility is scheduled to build mid-size sedans in 2011. That coincides with NASCAR's tentative plans to replace carburetors on Cup Series cars with fuel injection.

NASCAR held a Nov. 3 meeting with representatives from all four current manufacturers, as well as engine builders from five race teams and two independent suppliers to discuss the potential move to fuel injection.(nascar.com)

Final Phoenix Ratings Down 8.3%

The Nationwide Series' final national household coverage rating was 1.1, down from the 1.3 rating earned for last year’s race that also aired on ESPN2, the network said.(scenedaily.com)

Hamlin To Have Knee Surgery

“There’s tears in there,” he said. “[The surgery is to] basically scope it out. I just have problems with it when I get out of the car, it really is stiff and the joints really hurt, so it’s something that needs to be done for the long run.”(scenedaily.com)

Kyle Busch Wins Final Nationwide Race

Two laps after a restart on Lap 163, after pitting for new tires, Busch passed Edwards for the lead and held it the rest of the way, despite a caution for Jason Leffler's contact with the wall on Lap 184. -- "We made some adjustments to the car that really brought it to life," Busch continued. "I was able to pass those guys on that restart and get up towards the front and lead those laps, and when that last caution came out, Carl did the exact same thing I just did." -- Edwards came to the pits for tires under caution on Lap 186 and restarted eighth on Lap 190. Despite a strong run into the third turn on the final lap, his bid for the win fell just short. -- "I thought we were going to win the race on that last restart, but the 18 (Busch) was just too fast on those (old) tires," Edwards said.

Jeff Burton finished third Saturday, followed by Joey Logano and Hamlin. David Reutimann, Ryan Newman, Steve Wallace, Scott Speed and Matt Kenseth completed the top 10. Keselowski finished 12th. Edwards was runner-up to Busch in the final points standings followed by Keselowski, Leffler and Mike Bliss. Justin Allgaier, sixth, won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award. He was followed by Steve Wallace, Jason Keller, Brendan Gaughan and Michael Annett in seventh through 10th, respectively.

Saturday's race wrote a new chapter in the rivalry between Keselowski and Hamlin, who had dominated the headlines with their on-track and off-track shots last weekend at Phoenix. In the NASCAR Nationwide race there, Keselowski repaid a tap from Hamlin by spinning his adversary. Hamlin promised retaliation at Homestead, and made good on his threat on Lap 34, sending Keselowski spinning down the frontstretch. NASCAR held Hamlin in the pits for one lap for rough driving, but Hamlin subsequently regained the lost circuit when NASCAR called a debris caution on Lap 91. --