Biffle Wins At Kansas
It was a strange day at the track. It was a race that was cut from 267 laps to 210 laps and then it was so dark in the Kansas City area that the race ended under a yellow flag, no green-white-checkers. It was a race that ended in controversy. Greg Biffle was the leader when the final caution came out with four laps to go, yet he ran out of fuel before he got to the start-finish line. Biffle eventually crossed the line but didn't maintain pace car speed. The live leaderboard on NASCAR.com showed Clint Bowyer as the winner but NASCAR had other ideas. None-the-less, Biffle was awarded the victory in the LifeLock 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. NASCAR said the field was frozen at the yellow -- but in the past a driver had to keep up with the pace car and if he ran out of fuel, then the second place runner was normally declared the winner. Barring any revisions in the outcome it will be the first win this year for Biffle and the 12th victory in his 179 career races.

Hometown favorite Clint Bowyer finished the race in the runner-up spot and Jimmie Johnson, who drove from the 42nd starting position, was third. Johnson's teammates Casey Mears and Jeff Gordon were fourth and fifth respectively. Kevin Harvick brought his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet home in sixth followed by Reed Sorenson, Elliott Sadler, Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to round out the top ten. Johnson moved into the NASCAR points lead by six over Jeff Gordon and nine over Clint Bowyer. The Nextel Cup Series moves to Talladega Superspeedway next Sunday, October 7, 2007 -- for the UAW-Ford 500. Television coverage is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.
To read the full article...     (Insider Racing News)
For full final race results...     (Insider Racing News)
For top-40 Nextel Cup drivers points...     (Insider Racing News)

Kyle Busch Wins Busch Series Race
Kyle Busch was served a speeding penalty just before half-way through the Yellow Transportation 300 at Kansas Speedway on Saturday. The penalty didn't slow Busch down, in fact it only served as motivation for the young driver. Busch caught and then passed the leader Matt Kenseth with 23 laps to go. Once Busch was at the point, it was his job to keep it but Kenseth raced him hard, battling side-by-side for ten laps before Busch was able to secure the victory. It was his third win this year in the Busch Series and the tenth of his career.

“I got to thank Matt for racing me clean," said Busch. "Being able to race him and beat him was pretty special. He’s beat me a few times.” Busch has won three of the last six races in the series. Kenseth held on for second place and a good run by Casey Mears, put him in the third spot. Hometown favorite Clint Bowyer drove from the rear of the field to finish fourth and Jamie McMurray was fifth. Denny Hamlin finished sixth followed by Paul Menard, Jeff Burton, Brian Vickers and Greg Biffle to round out the top ten.

Points leader Carl Edwards got into a spat with Matt Kenseth that left Edwards with a flat left front tire, an altercation that Edwards claimed that Kenseth did it purpose. On a restart Edwards passed Kenseth on the right and it appeared that Kenseth moved up to touch Edwards -- to show his displeasure. Later on lap 151 something broke on the No. 60 Ford of Edwards. He hit the wall head on and when he climbed from his wrecked vehicle, he gave Kenseth two thumbs up, a sarcastic here's to you gesture.

"Something came loose in the front end and I (was) real, real loose in. I think my sway bar was – something broke, I thought. I overcorrected and turned into the fence. That was a pretty hard hit. It hurt a little bit,” said Edwards. "The reason I was mad, someone like a teammate would race me like that. He may or may not have done it on purpose. He’s my teammate and we’ve really got a good relationship, so hopefully we can get by this.” MORE. “It is difficult. There is a lot of pressure. I’ve got great fans, and I do have great teammates. And, Matt’s done a lot for me. Hopefully, that’s just a one-time deal, a little lapse there that he might’ve had. We’ll move on.”

Kenseth acted like he didn't have a clue as to what was going on.

"If I spun him out or something I guess I would, (feel a need to smooth things out with Edwards) but I don’t really feel like I did anything wrong," said Kenseth. "My job’s not out there to get out of his way all of the time; we’re supposed to race each other like we always race each other and race each other with respect. And I thought I left him enough room. I mean, he kind of took a cheap run out there, which any of us could’ve done because it was a slow start, but, gosh, whatever it was, 70 miles into the race, 90 miles into the race, I didn’t know why we had to be really four-wide going into turn one on a re-start when we were all in line. So, I thought I left him enough room, and we did make just barely any contact and it was just bad luck that I got his tire, and everything else that happened to him I don’t really think was my fault.”

Edwards finished 38th on the day but still leads the Busch Series by 696 points over David Reutimann, still a healthy advantage with five races remaining in the series.

Busch Series Becomes 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.

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.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series is scheduled for 35 races in 2008 – 26 combination events with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and three in conjunction with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. There are 26 race tracks on the schedule divided among 20 states, Canada and Mexico. The 2008 season will mark the 60th anniversary of NASCAR, which was incorporated on Feb. 21, 1948.
2008 Nationwide Series Schedule

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.

M&M's Signs With Joe Gibbs Racing
Mars U.S. announced On Wednesday 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.

Riggs Released By Gillett Evernham Motorsports
Valvoline Evernham Racing and Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced Wednesday that driver Scott Riggs will not be back in the No. 10 Dodge for the 2008 season. Over the past two seasons the successful partnership between Riggs and Valvoline Evernham Racing has grown Gillett Evernham Motorsports into a three car operation. Together Riggs and Valvoline Evernham Racing have claimed three Nextel Cup Series poles, including a win and a pole in the Nextel Open, nine top 10s, and a finish of 20th in owners points last season. Plans for a replacement driver have not yet been made.

“Scott Riggs has represented Valvoline Evernham Racing well over the past two seasons through his talent behind the wheel and his down to earth personality off the track,” said Jim Rocco, Team Owner of Valvoline Evernham Racing. “Thanks to his efforts, the No. 10 team has accomplished a great deal since starting out as a new team last season. We wish Scott success in the future and know he will be an asset to his new team.”

Riggs signs With Haas CNC Racing
Haas CNC Racing announced on Wednesday that the team had signed Scott Riggs for the 2008 Sprint Cup season. The car Riggs will drive next season (No. 66 or No. 70) will be determined at a later date.

“We’re very happy to welcome Scott Riggs to Haas CNC Racing,” team general manager Joe Custer said. “It’s exciting for us to land a driver with Scott’s leadership experience and great attitude. We’re confident in our equipment, so from a competition standpoint one of Matt’s (Director of Competition Matt Borland) challenges is to find the right personnel combinations to get the most out of it,” Custer said. “ We believe Scott has the ability to get every bit of speed a car can offer. That’s very important to us.”

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.

Hall Of Fame Honors Baker and Hyde
Former driver Buddy Baker and ex-crew chief Harry Hyde will be honored by the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame at its induction ceremonies Oct. 10. Baker, winner of 19 races and 40 poles on NASCAR's Cup series, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Hyde, crew chief for 1970 NASCAR champion Bobby Isaacs, will be awarded the Snap-On Golden Wrench Award for his outstanding contributions to the sport.

"Both of these men brought something different to the sport," said Don Miller, co-founder and chairman of the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame. "Buddy was a second-generation driver who excelled on the superspeedways when the sport was making its transition from the bullrings to the high speed ovals. He was a master of Talladega's high speeds, and his congenial nature made him a fan favorite.(scenedaily.com)

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)

Yates Losing Both Sponsors
Yates needs two sponsors for next season for drivers David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil. Yates acknowledged Friday for the first time that M&M's and Snickers will not return for next season. "M&M's is moving on, and we wish them well," Yates said. "It's been a great opportunity/partnership for us. "The family (MARS) is just great people. I want to thank them, and it looks like they've got some good opportunities in front of them and I wish them the best. This sport is about relationships and taking care of people who took care of you, so I can't say anything but great things about them."

Sponsorship is in the works for both teams next year, Yates said. In July, RYR announced a partnership with the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Champ Car team, but then Robert Yates opted instead to have his son take over the team and solicit Roush's help for sponsorship.

"I feel good about the stuff that is going on," Doug Yates said. "I feel a lot more optimistic today than I did when we were going down a different path." (scenedaily.com)