Johnson Survives Martinsville Massacre

Johnson Leads Gordon * CIA Stock Photo

Same result, different race. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon traded the lead several times in the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday but in the end it was Johnson that prevailed. The race ended with a green-white-checkers finish with Johnson in the lead, Ryan Newman was running second and Jeff Gordon was in third place. On the restart Newman got up along-side Johnson but on the white flag lap, a spin by David Ragan in Turn 2 ended the race. Newman never got the chance to deal with Johnson. Newman settled for second and Gordon was forced to take the third spot. For Johnson, it his seventh victory of 2007 and the 30th of his 215 race career. It is Johnson's fourth win at Martinsville and his third straight at the last short track race of the season. Johnson is the first driver to win three in a row at Martinsville since Rusty Wallace did it in 1994-95. Johnson and Gordon have won eight of the last ten races at Martinsville Speedway.

There was some mild controversy about the final position of Kyle Busch. It appeared that he had passed Gordon for the third spot when Ragan spun but NASCAR referred to the last scoring loop and Gordon had the edge over Busch. Matt Kenseth brought his Ford home fifth followed by Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Juan Pablo Montoya, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick to round out the top ten. Johnson tightened up the points race a bit, he picked up a total 15 on Gordon and still sits second in the standings. Gordon has a margin of 53 over Johnson and 115 over Clint Bowyer. Johnson led a total of 147 laps but Gordon was the lap leader at 168 of the 505 run on Sunday. The race featured a record setting 21 cautions for a total of 127 laps. The Nextel Cup Series moves to the Atlanta Motor Speedway next Sunday, October 28th, for the 33rd race of a 36 race schedule. The 2006 Bass Pro Shop 500 was won by Tony Stewart.
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)

Skinner Wins Martinsville For Fifth Victory

Photo Courtesy Toyota

Jack Sprague had a plan going into the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. The plan was to stay out on all the cautions and coast to victory in the end. Terry Cook had the same plan and when Sprague and the entire field pitted on lap 25, Cook stayed out and took the lead. It appeared that Cook's plan was working better until he and Sprague got to beating on each other with 65 laps to go. While the two were fighting to regain control, Mike Skinner shot through the hole, taking the lead in the process. Despite many caution periods (13 altogether), one red flag, tons of sheet metal strewn along the frontstretch, Skinner fought off all the advances of Sprague who was running second and held on to win his fifth race of the 2007 Craftsman Truck Series season. It was his third victory at Martinsville and the 24th of his 150 Truck Series race career. Skinner is the second driver to sweep a season at Martinsville in the series.

Sprague, beaten and battered settled for second while Ron Hornaday Jr. was third. Rounding out the top ten were David Starr, Rick Crawford, Mike Bliss, Chad Chaffin, Ted Musgrave, Dennis Setzer and Johnny Benson. The race featured several "Big Ones", normally reserved for tracks like Daytona or Talladega. With nine laps to go, at least ten trucks piled up coming off the fourth turn, and then on the final lap, same thing, but this time it appeared to be 10 or 12 trucks. The frontstretch resembled a beach with all the speedy dry that was poured all over the track.

Jacques Villeneuve and Dario Franchitti drove fairly good races but Dennis Setzer wrecked Franchitti and Clint Bowyer wrecked Villeneuve. They both retired from the race on lap 157. Hornaday Jr. came into the race leading Skinner in the point standings by 14 and leaves trailing Skinner by 11 points. It is the fourth change in the point lead in the past five races. Toyota clinched the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Manufacturer's Championship on Saturday -- their championship in the past two years.

Doug Richert Fired
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Brian Vickers and crew chief Doug Richert have parted company, according to an item on the Team Red Bull Web site.

Richert and Vickers have worked together all season on the No. 83. The team's research and development manager, Randy Cox, will take over the crew chief role with the team starting this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Cox has worked with drivers Kenny Wallace and David Stremme in the Busch Series in the past. The No. 83 team is outside the top 35 in owners points and has been forced to make each race based on qualifying speed this season. Vickers has made the field for 19 of the 32 races.

"In any NASCAR Nextel Cup Series organization, the crew chief and driver are the two key forces that make a race team competitive, and there must be a balance in both personalities and methods for achieving goals," Competition Director Elton Sawyer said. "Individually, each person can be strong at their job, but if they aren't efficient collectively, then changes must be made so both sides can reach their optimum potential.

Steve Hmiel Quits DEI
Dale Earnhardt Inc. and director of competition Steve Hmiel have parted company. Hmiel’s responsibilities have been redistributed throughout the organization and his replacement will be named soon. “I have enjoyed a wonderful association with Dale Earnhardt Inc. over the past nine years,” said Hmiel. “It is time for me to pursue other endeavors and reestablish new goals for myself.”

Nationwide logo Unveiled

Nationwide Logo

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and Nationwide Insurance unveiled the logo for the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The introduction of the new logo is the latest step for the series’ transition to Nationwide as its title sponsor, after 26 years of sponsorship by Anheuser-Busch’s Busch brand. NASCAR and Nationwide announced a seven-year partnership agreement on Oct. 3, which also made the insurance company the official auto, home and life insurance provider of NASCAR. The logo was designed by St. Louis, Mo.-based Jump Co., following collaboration between NASCAR and Nationwide.

“The logo is simple yet extremely effective in delivering a completely new look to the branding of the series,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s chief marketing officer. “It’s good to be able to place a ‘face’ to a name now.”

"Nationwide is pleased to be able share the new NASCAR Nationwide Series logo today," said James Lyski, chief marketing officer for Nationwide. "Over the next several years, Nationwide intends to make this series the finest entertainment experience in racing."

The quest for the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series championship will begin on Feb. 16, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway. The series, which features 35 races at 26 tracks located in 20 states and two countries – Canada and Mexico – is exclusively broadcast on ESPN2 and ABC.

Greg Biffle Marries Longtime Girlfriend Nicole Lunders in Southern Style
At just around 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, October 17th, Greg Biffle and his longtime girlfriend Nicole were pronounced husband and wife in a little white chapel at the Palmetto Bluff Resort in South Carolina.

The couple met in the spring of 1998 and began dating officially later that summer. Last Christmas, Greg decided it was time to propose and Nicole happily accepted. Plans were made for an autumn wedding at the southern resort located about 20 minutes from Savannah.

Greg and Nicole exchanged vows with just over 100 of their family and friends on hand for the ceremony. Katie Kenseth served as the matron of honor and Rodger Ueltschi, a childhood friend of Greg’s, served as the best man. Also included in wedding party were Michele Lunders (sister-in-law of the bride), Kris Rondeau (friend of the bride), Amy Wilson (friend of the bride), Jeff Biffle (brother of the groom), Tony Lunders (brother of the bride) and Matt Kenseth (friend of the groom). The newlyweds also included three other family members, Foster, Gracie and Savannah (two boxers and a rescue dog), in the post-wedding photos.

The bride was escorted down the aisle by her father Russ and wore a custom backless white dress with a Chantilly lace overlay by Bonaparte NY and designer Junko Yoshioka. The bridesmaids wore lavender dresses by Vera Wang. Following the ceremony, guests were invited to have cocktails on the lawn where the setting could well have been the backdrop for a scene in “Gone with the Wind”. Guests were treated to a six-course dinner at the Palmetto Bluff Inn and a reception with drinks and dancing followed.

The Biffles would like to extend their sincerest gratitude to everyone in the NASCAR family for their best wishes at this joyful time.

Hendrick Motorsports Wins Appeal
Car owner Rick Hendrick responded to Tuesday's decision by the National Stock Car Racing Commission (NSCRC) to overturn sanctions levied by NASCAR against Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 Busch Series team. The three-member NSCRC panel was unanimous in rescinding the penalty, which was issued following the team's Sept. 29 NASCAR Busch Series victory at Kansas Speedway.

"Obviously, we're pleased with the decision," Hendrick said. "We appreciate the commission giving us the opportunity to present the facts and send a clear message about our performance at Kansas. "The team prepared a race-winning car that met every rule in the book. It's important that our fans, our sponsors and our competitors know that's the case."

Racing Commission Overturns Decision
On October 23, 2007, the National Stock Car Racing Commission heard and considered the appeal of Hendrick Motorsports regarding the No. 5 NASCAR Busch Series car driven by Kyle Busch. The appeal concerned a penalty issued by NASCAR following post-race inspection on September 29, 2007 for the NASCAR Busch Series event at Kansas Speedway.

The infractions concerned Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR Rule Book “Actions detrimental to stock car racing”; Section 12-4-Q “Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the car, car parts, components, and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules” and Section 20A-5.9.D(4): “Unapproved intake manifold modifications to the plenum area.”

The penalty assessed was:

$10,000.00 fine for crew chief Michael Bumgarner.

The Appellants argued that the manifold design had been previously approved, the manifold in question had successfully passed a number of previous inspections, and that modifications permitted under the current NASCAR Busch Series manifold rules were largely subjective in this area when it came to enforcement.

In deciding the Appeal, the Commission considered several factors:

Therefore it is the unanimous decision of the National Stock Car Racing Commission to rescind (overturn) the original penalty assessed by NASCAR.

Joey Logano Wins Toyota All-Star Showdown
Joey Logano capped off his rookie season in the NASCAR Grand National Division the same way he started it: In Victory Lane. Logano, the 17-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing development driver, picked up his biggest victory Saturday night winning the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. He held off fellow Busch East driver Peyton Sellers, who turned 24 Saturday, following a green-white-checkered finish to the 250-lap event that has been dubbed the ‘Daytona 500 of short-track racing.’

"I just had a great race tonight," Logano said. "My crew, they picked it up a ton. To be able to run up front all night, this team is unbelievable. ... I just have a lot of confidence. That's what you have to have to win. We came here knowing we can win and that's what we did."

Two-time West Series champion Mike Duncan finished third in a frantic finish, edging defending race winner Matt Kobyluck at the start-finish line. Eddie McDonald followed closely in fifth. Brian Ickler over overcame a mid-race mechanical problem that put him a lap down prior to the 200-lap break to drive his way back up to sixth. Eric Holmes, Mike Olsen, John Salemi, and David Mayhew rounded out the top 10.

Logano won six times during the Grand National regular season – including his first career start in the West Series at Phoenix International Raceway in April. He became the first rookie to win a NASCAR Busch East title and set the record as series’ youngest champion.

Race Honors Adam Petty
Music City Motorplex president Joe Mattioli has designated the 25th annual race, Nov. 2-4, the Adam Petty Memorial All-American 400. The event will pay tribute to Adam, who lost his life in May of 2000 at age 19 in a crash at New Hampshire Speedway. The race also will promote the Victory Junction Gang Camp which Adam’s family established in his memory. The camp is free and available to youngsters who are battling life-threatening ailments.

“The Petty name is synonymous with stock car racing and good works,” Mattioli said. “They have given so much to this sport, and I wanted to take this opportunity to give something back. This track has a tremendous history, and the Pettys are woven into that history,” Mattioli, continued, who has a tradition of recognizing and honoring the sport’s retired legends and other notable personalities. "The Petty family’s ties to Nashville span four generations. That’s impressive, and I want to make sure it’s never forgotten.” Lee Petty, Adam’s great-grandfather, raced at the historical Fairgrounds track during its early years, and was followed by fan favorite Richard. Adam’s dad, Kyle, also logged laps around the famed five-eights-mile oval.

“We are honored that the Motorplex is doing this for Adam,” said Patti Petty, Adam’s mother. “He loved to race at Nashville and we loved to watch him race there. He grew up watching both his dad and granddad race there. The Petty family has a lot of cherished memories of Nashville.”

“This track has a tremendous history, and the Pettys are woven into that history,” said Mattioli, who has a tradition of recognizing and honoring the sport’s retired legends and other notable personalities.

“The Petty family’s ties to Nashville span four generations,” Mattioli said. “That’s impressive, and I want to make sure it’s never forgotten.” Lee Petty, Adam’s great-grandfather, raced at the historical Fairgrounds track during its early years, and was followed by fan favorite Richard. Adam’s dad, Kyle, also logged laps around the famed five-eights-mile oval.

Adam had been in Nashville for a Busch race at the Superspeedway in Gladeville a month before his fatal crash. Talented, bright and charismatic, Adam was being groomed to carry on the legacy of NASCAR’s First Family when tragedy severed the racing lineage. Since his loss, the racing community has rallied around the Victory Junction Gang Camp, with NASCAR and many of its top drivers making contributions. Mattioli said he wants to do his part. “What the Pettys have been able to do with the camp takes my breath away,” he said. “The family’s commitment and desire to help others is an inspiration to all of us.”

Richard, whose 200 major-league victories stand as a record that will likely never be equaled, said Nashville was always a special place to him. The Adam Petty Memorial All-American 400 promises to provide a dramatic finish to what has been a successful 49th season at the Motorplex. Started in 1981 by the late Bob Harmon, the race quickly gained a national reputation as the “Super Bowl of Short-Track Racing.” Over the years it has lived up to its billing, with such celebrated champions as Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace, Butch Lindley, Jeff Purvis, and many other prominent racers.

“This race has great history and I think it has an equally great future,” Mattioli said. “I’m a big believer in taking what’s been successful in the past and building on it.”

Edwards-Kenseth Spar After Race
Roush Fenway Racing drivers Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth got into a heated verbal exchange while both were leaving Martinsville Speedway on Sunday night.

Kenseth was about to be interviewed by Speed Channel reporter Bob Dillner in the area of Turn 4 near the access tunnel when Edwards came up to Kenseth to complain about an on-track incident in the race.

The two exchanged words and Edwards appeared to raise his hand as if to strike Kenseth, but pulled away. Part of the incident was captured by Speed’s cameras and shown on the network’s post-race programming, “NASCAR Victory Lane” and “Speed Report.”

Officials with Edwards and Kenseth’s teams could not be reached late Sunday for comment.(thatsracin.com)

Carl Edwards Apologizes
Carl Edwards apologized Tuesday for his actions following Sunday's race at Martinsville Speedway, saying he was wrong to show his anger toward Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth. Edwards was caught on videotape confronting his teammate in a heated exchange and raising his arm and making a fist, after the two banged fenders in the Subway 500.

Edwards said on a NASCAR teleconference that trouble has been brewing between the pair for a while and that it's probably been six months since they've had a conversation. Now, he wants to change all of that. Edwards is hoping that he and his Roush Fenway teammates can do a better job of having a "team spirit," and he says he plans to do his best to communicate better not only with Kenseth, but with all his Roush Fenway teammates. Edwards took full blame for his actions, pledged to get to know his teammates better and analyzed what could have brought on this type of display. He added that he would take the first step toward mending fences.

"I think I can definitely do a better job of showing guys like Matt respect and digging and finding out exactly what they need from me, and I think we can all do a better job of that," he said.

Edwards admits that he and Kenseth, the 2003 series champion, are completely different people who are also each extremely competitive. They are also, in Edwards' estimation, teammates who do not really know one another at all.

"Matt Kenseth and I have not spoken - I don't believe Matt's voluntarily said two sentences to me in the last six months," Edwards said. "That's just how it is. We just don't talk a lot. We don't know one another well enough, and it's my opinion that's what precipitated this stuff is that lack of communication. If it's unreconcilable, it won't be because I'm not trying. I'm ready to do whatever it takes to understand Matt and be good teammates so we can enjoy the success that the people that are doing that are enjoying right now."(scenedaily.com)

Mayfield Replacing Green
Jeremy Mayfield will replace Jeff Green in the Haas CNC Racing No. 66 Chevrolet, effective immediately, team general manager Joe Custer said Monday morning. Mayfield also will join Scott Riggs in the driver lineup for next season but the alignment of the two drivers with car numbers in 2008 has not been determined, Custer said.

Green is 27th in the series points standings. "[Green] did a good job for us, and we appreciate everything he did," Custer said.

Mayfield had announced earlier this year that he would leave Bill Davis Racing, where he has struggled to qualify for races. His replacement in the No. 36 Bill Davis Racing team for this weekend at Atlanta has not been announced.

As far as the status of current Haas CNC Racing driver Johnny Sauter, Custer said Sauter (who is 31st in points) is under contract with the team and that "we're working through that" for 2008.

Getting Mayfield started now will allow him to work with crew chief Harold Holly before the end of the season.(scenedaily.com)

Haas CNC Racing Names Mayfield Driver
Haas CNC Racing announced that Jeremy Mayfield will drive the team’s No. 66 NASCAR Nextel Cup entry for the remainder of the 2007 season, beginning this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Mayfield will also drive for Haas CNC Racing during the 2008 Sprint Cup season although the car he will drive has not been determined.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity with Haas CNC Racing,” Mayfield said. “Every indication is that this is a team with unlimited potential. The shop is state-of-the-art, the equipment is first rate, there is an outstanding relationship with Hendrick Motorsports here, and it’s my challenge to make it all equal success on the track,” he said. “I’m ready to see how far I can take it.”

“We’re very happy to welcome Jeremy Mayfield to Haas CNC Racing,” team general manager Joe Custer said. “Jeremy has a proven success record and we will be relying on his skill, experience, and leadership to improve our overall team performance. Jeremy’s not far removed from being a Chase contender and I know he’s motivated to get back to that level,” Custer said. “We’re confident in our equipment and Jeremy knows how to get it done, so this is a very exciting opportunity for us.”

Peter Sospenzo Hospitalized
Peter Sospenzo, crew chief for the No. 7 Mac Tools Ford, had a mini-stroke Sunday morning and was taken to Martinsville Memorial Hospital according to his driver Robby Gordon.

Sospenzo, 48, joined Robby Gordon Motorsports on September 26. "He's a wonderful man," said Gordon, who finished 39th after he cut a tire on Lap 44. "He's brought a calming side to our race team and we need that."

Sospenzo has been transferred to Lake Norman Regional Medical Center in Mooresville, N.C.(foxsports.com)

DEI Fires Three Employees
Three Dale Earnhardt Inc. employees who allegedly planned and paid for a derogatory banner to fly over Lowe’s Motor Speedway last weekend have been fired. The banner, which read, “How much does Bobby Ginn owe you?” was pulled by a plane and flown over Lowe’s before the start of last Saturday night’s race. The banner was directed at the former NASCAR team owner, who allowed his organization to be acquired by DEI after just one year of ownership, leaving about 100 people out of a job.