This Week In NASCAR: Champion's Week and Banquet Take Center Stage

David Ragan Wins Busch Rookie Title

Willie Allen Earns Craftsman Truck Rookie of the Year

Allen's season was highlighted by a spectacular 6th place run at Talladega Superspeedway. The finish matched Allen's career best finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and landed him at the top of the Rookie of the Year standings, a spot that he would retain for the remainder of the season. Allen is able to put a checkmark next to his goal for the 2007 season and is already looking ahead to improve next year.

It's been a long hard road for Allen. From Go-Karts to Late Models and finally to the big leagues of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Through it all, Allen knows that he could have never done it alone.

Hornaday Collects $1,137,044 Check

Hornaday, the second driver to win three series championships, was honored along with Kevin Harvick Inc. owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick and crew chief Rick Ren. Both KHI and Ren are celebrating their first championship. Hornaday’s winnings pushed his career total to $5,297,266, second on the all-time list behind fellow three-time champion Jack Sprague (No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota) ($6,846,738). The champion’s season winnings include special awards from Chevrolet, Goodyear and Sunoco.

More than $1.8 million in point fund awards were distributed to the top 20 drivers in the final NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series point standings. Runner-up Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) won $997,980 for the season. That total is the fourth highest all-time and the highest for a non-champion driver. Skinner’s race winnings of $737,520 is also a new record.

Willie Allen (No. 13 ThorSport Chevrolet) was the 2007 Raybestos Rookie of the Year, topping Tim Sauter (No. 07 Lester Buildings Chevrolet). Allen became the first rookie to win the award in a Chevrolet since Travis Kvapil in 2001.

Johnny Benson (No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) was named the Most Popular Driver for the second consecutive season. He is the first driver to repeat, and only the second driver to win the award more than once. Hornaday was named Most Popular Driver in 1997 and 2005.

College Honors Richard Petty

Opening in the fall of 2008, the modified U-shape building consists of almost 15,000 square feet of new space, providing 10 work stations in addition to a state-of-the-art paint booth and additional work space. The front of the building, one of the “legs” of the U, comprises over 5,000 square feet of renovated classroom, office and computer lab space. Petty Enterprises has agreed to donate Petty memorabilia to be placed in the lobby area to enhance the building and to honor Mr. Petty.

Don Ashley, program head and instructor for Automotive Systems Technology, stated, “Our students will benefit from this spacious facility and will be inspired by meeting in the Richard Petty Education Center to take automotive systems technology and autobody repair classes.”

Dan Moore, program head and instructor for Autobody Repair, commented that “Mr. Petty’s association with our automotive programs will not only raise the profiles of these fine programs but will add greatly to the pride we already feel at RCC about being an important part of Randolph County.”

Those interested in the Automotive Systems Technology program may contact Don Ashley at Don Ashley or 633-0320. Those interested in the Autobody Repair program should contact Dan Moore at Dan Moore or 633-0322.

NASCAR Fan Wins Roush Mustang At Homestead

This customized edition of the Roush Mustang has the Carl Edwards’s No. 99 logo stitched into the upholstery and a special paint scheme that includes the signatures of both Carl Edwards and Jack Roush.

In addition to the thrill of driving on the racetrack with Carl Edwards behind-the-wheel, LaGrange’s VIP experience in Miami included pit and garage access at Homestead-Miami Speedway and the opportunity to watch the Ford 400 featuring Edwards and the rest of the Nextel Cup field from both the No. 99 Office Depot pit box and from a suite above the grandstand.

Kahne Is Second On Turkey Night

Several other drivers with NASCAR ties competed in the event, including Chip Ganassi Racing development driver Bryan Clauson (sixth), Braun Racing driver Jason Leffler (seventh), Penske Racing development driver Billy Wease (ninth), Bill Davis Racing development driver Bobby Santos (22nd), Roush Racing development driver Ricky Stenhouse (29th) and Ford Racing development driver Stephanie Mockler (31st). Santos won the 40-lap USAC Sprint race. Kahne finished 13th in that race.(scenedaily.com)

December Testing At Las Vegas Motor Speedway

“The new banking has already made for some very exciting racing,” said LVMS general manager Chris Powell. “The unbelievable finish between Jeff Burton and Kyle Busch in the Busch race this past year may have been the best finish in the speedway’s history. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race this past September, we had an incredible duel between Johnny Benson and Travis Kvapil over the final few laps.”

These five drivers will help Goodyear select a tire for the UAW-Dodge 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event on March 2, 2008.

“Our Budweiser team is looking forward to the Goodyear tire test with the new car (COT) at Las Vegas,” Kahne said. “We’re anxious to work with Goodyear to develop a tire that will provide the competitive and exciting racing fans expect at Las Vegas. The success we achieve for Goodyear at Las Vegas also will be very valuable at the other mile-and-half tracks like Texas and Lowe’s Motor Speedway.”

The test is not open to the public.

Tickets for both the UAW-Dodge 400 and Sam’s Town 300 NASCAR Nationwide (formerly Busch) Series event are on sale now by calling the speedway’s box office at 1-800-644-4444 or online at (www.lvms.com). Neon Garage, Lucky 7 parking and Driver Introduction passes also are available.

Judge Urges ISC and Kentucky Speedway to Bargain

NASCAR and ISC lawyers asked Bertelsman for a summary judgment Monday, arguing the speedway has insufficient evidence to prove NASCAR and ISC worked together with other tracks to keep the Kentucky track from acquiring a NASCAR Nextel Cup race. Bertelsman said he won't rule on the motion until January at the earliest. A March 4, 2008 trial date already has been set. "If you want to, now would be a good time to return to mediation," Bertelsman said. The two sides met for five hours in June with no success, and Bertelsman said it was his understanding neither side wants to settle.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said it was "premature" to say whether NASCAR and ISC would be willing to return to mediation. Cincinnati lawyer Stan Chesley, a co-counsel for the track, said track officials are "always willing to sit down and talk."

In the lawsuit, the speedway alleges NASCAR conspired to leave the Sparta, Ky., track and some other tracks out of the coveted Nextel Cup schedule despite their superior amenities. The speedway is asking ISC be ordered to sell at least eight of the 12 tracks it owns that host Nextel Cup races and that the Kentucky speedway be awarded in excess of US$200 million in damages.(canadianpress.google.com)

Lowe's Motor Speedway Will Stay In Concord

Smith's decision to stay in Concord caps a seven-week saga involving one of Cabarrus County's biggest taxpayers, its biggest tourist draw and a signature sports venue in the Charlotte region. Still undisclosed, however, are exactly which incentives Smith will receive, and what he'll spend on track improvements.

Smith declined to give details in a brief interview Wednesday night but said there were many reasons he is staying in Concord. A big one, he said, was the number of appeals by residents, merchants and others -- "many thousands" of people -- to not close the speedway after 47 years in Cabarrus County. "It's just been amazing," Smith said. "That kind of thing makes you feel a strong obligation."

Since early October, the speedway's future has been in jeopardy after Smith threatened to close it and build another track elsewhere in the Charlotte region. The billionaire's threat was in response to an Oct. 1 vote by the Concord City Council blocking construction of a drag strip on speedway property. City leaders wanted more data on how noise would affect nearby residents, but Smith instead began considering other locations for the speedway.

As Smith said he was being courted by other communities offering land and tax breaks, Concord leaders began to backtrack. They reversed their drag strip vote and made appeals to keep the track open, including asking the state to name a road after Smith.

City, county and state officials also began working with Smith on incentives for him to renovate and upgrade the speedway. After several days of negotiations, Smith met again with local officials Wednesday, speedway spokesman Scott Cooper said, then told track employees late in the day of "an agreement in principle" to stay in Concord.

"It answers the big question," Cooper said. "We'll get into the meat and potatoes here Monday afternoon. Bruton Smith and public officials are to hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Monday at the speedway to reveal more details of their deal."(thatsracin.com)

Sprint Nextel Sponsors Most Dramatic Moment Award

Throughout the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season race fans were able to log on to www.nascar.com to vote for the most dramatic moments from each weekend’s race. This list was then narrowed down to five moments that fans began voting for on Nov. 20. Votes can be cast on the website or by texting NASCAR to number 7777 from any Sprint or Nextel handset and following the received instructions. Fans can vote as often as they like to increase their favorite driver’s chances of winning. Voting concludes on Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. ET. Standard text messaging charges apply.

“The Nextel Most Dramatic Moment Award is a great way for us to celebrate our passion for the sport while showcasing our technological capabilities through handset voting,” said Dean Kessel, director of NASCAR Nextel Cup Series marketing for Sprint Nextel. “We appreciate the concept of the award because it allows fans to have a direct impact and leave their mark on the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Season.”

The 2007 Nextel Most Dramatic Moment Award finalists are: