2008 Sprint Cup Series Schedule Announced
The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule was announced today, a 36-race slate that kicks off with the 50th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 17 at Daytona International Speedway. The 2008 season also marks NASCAR’s 60th year as stock car racing’s longest operating sanctioning body.

Following the “Great American Race” the series travels to Southern California, then to the bright lights of Las Vegas before returning to the southeast for races at Atlanta and Bristol. The first scheduled off date for the series will be in March during the Easter holiday. Following the race in Martinsville, the series makes another swing to the southwest, racing at Texas and Phoenix in early April. The second scheduled off weekend occurs in mid-April. The series then picks back up with races at Talladega, Richmond and Darlington prior to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

“By running five consecutive points events before the first scheduled break in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the 2008 schedule is designed to be even more fan friendly,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France.

Another adjustment to the 2008 schedule is that the Chicago race will be run Saturday night. “Night racing provides an additional element of intrigue and excitement,” said France. “Running under the lights at Chicagoland on a Saturday night will be even more exciting for the fans in the stands as well as those watching from home.”

Other key dates:

* The 30th annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona will be held on Feb. 9.

* On Sunday, July 27, the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will be held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

* On the evening of Saturday, Sept. 6, Richmond International Raceway will be the last opportunity for drivers to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

* The week after Richmond, on Sunday, Sept. 14, New Hampshire again will have the kick-off event in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which covers the season’s last 10 races and determines the series champion.

* On Sunday, Nov. 16, Homestead-Miami Speedway will again host the season finale, where the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will be crowned. 2008 Sprint Cup Schedule

Stewart Bows Out Of Nationals
Tony Stewart has bowed out of what would have been his second attempt at the Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals crown this week. The two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion will not race in the event, which runs Thursday through Saturday, but will sign autographs for the first 750 fans to fill Knoxville Raceway's grandstands for Thursday's show.

"As much as I wanted to race in the Late Model Nationals at Knoxville, I thought it would take away my main focus of winning a Nextel Cup championship," Stewart, who will compete in Sunday's Cup race at Kansas Speedway, said in a news release Monday night. "We have over 400 people back at Joe Gibbs Racing pouring everything they have into giving me the best race cars possible to win a third championship. I owe it to them to remain healthy and focused on achieving that goal."

Stewart ranks second in the Chase for the Nextel Cup Championship point standings. He finished second to Brian Shirley in last season's Late Model Nationals after starting 17th. Unlike last year, he will race in the Busch race Saturday at Kansas, further complicating matters regarding Knoxville. "I sincerely apologize to anyone who was looking forward to seeing me race at Knoxville, and I hope that my fans can understand my reasons for not competing," Stewart said.

NASCAR's Ryan Newman and Ken Schrader are slated to race at Knoxville this week.(desmoinesregister.com)

Bowyer-Newman In Dirt Race
Nextel Cup series championship contender Clint Bowyer will join fellow Cup driver Ryan Newman in competing in the Oct. 10 Jani-King Southern Showdown at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway. The World of Outlaws Late Model Series event kicks off Bank of America 500 Week and features a possible $30,000 first-place prize for the winner of the 50-lap feature.

Prior to joining Richard Childress Racing in 2004, Bowyer won numerous races and championships on both dirt and paved short tracks in the Midwest, including the 2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Midwest Region crown.

The Jani-King Southern Showdown's unique format rewards the winner according to the number of positions advanced during the main event. The top-three finishers in each of the six heat races advance directly to the main event and they will draw for starting positions. If the driver who wins the 50-lap finale submitted an official entry form prior to Sept. 15, he will receive the $10,000 first-place prize along with an amount equal to $1,000 multiplied by his starting position.

Other early entries for the Oct. 10 Jani-King Southern Showdown include Scott Bloomquist, Chub Frank, Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, Josh Richards, Steve Shaver, Clint Smith, Earl Pearson Jr., Mike Balzano and Ricky Weeks. Tickets are available by calling the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.

Jason Leffler Replaces David Green
Red Horse Racing announced that three-time National Midget Champion Jason Leffler will race the No. 1 RFMS/Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in five of the six remaining events on the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule. Leffler will hand the wheel over to Brandon Whitt when the Series’ hits Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 27th due to a scheduling conflict and his commitments in the NASCAR Busch Series.

“We are very thankful to David Green for helping us get our feet back under us,” said General Manager and Team Owner, Tom DeLoach. “David helped us move forward as we continue to grow Red Horse Racing but we’re still trying to find out what we need to do to make our team better. We’re making changes to make our program stronger as we prepare for a Championship run in 2008. Our intent is to have Jason in the RFMS/Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra for the balance of the year with the exception of Atlanta due to a scheduling conflict.”

Leffler has made 40 career starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since making his Series’ debut in 2000. Leffler has accumulated one win, 16 top-five, and 25 top-10 finishes. He last raced in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2004. Leffler’s first race with Red Horse Racing will be Saturday, October 6th during the Mountain Dew 250 at the 2.66-mile oval of Talladega Superspeedway.

“I’m really looking forward to returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the No. 1 RFMS/Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra,” said Leffler. “I am very excited to drive for RFMS and Red Horse Racing. This is a team who has won races in the series, and I’m hoping that I can help them return to Victory Lane!”

Leffler, a native of Long Beach, California, is a versatile driver who has raced in all three of NASCAR’s top tier divisions since making his entrance onto the NASCAR scene in 1999. Leffler has 62 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series starts and 147 NASCAR Busch Series starts to his credit. Leffler currently races full-time for Braun Racing in the NASCAR Busch Series where he currently sits fourth in the Championship title chase.