There are just two races left until the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship field is set. As the Cup cars roll into Atlanta and battle against Tropical Storm Lee, it was talk about next season that led the news this week. Sports Business Daily reported Friday that UPS would be scaling back its NASCAR sponsorship to just 4-8 races next season with the #99 team at Roush Fenway Racing. The team declined comment on the report. In other news, Rockingham Raceway will reportedly announce on Thursday that they will play host to a Camping World Truck Series race in 2012. And finally, Roush Fenway Racing announced this week Fastenal would become a primary sponsor for 17 races on Carl Edwards car beginning in 2012. This is the NASCAR week that was, August 28 to September 3, 2011.
All roads lead to Rome
NASCAR Fan Council chasing shadows
Danica Patrick begins her IndyCar farewell tour at Infineon Raceway
Several drivers decline invite to White House due to scheduling
Vintage Insiders
Calling All Angry Race Fans…
Ratings Oddities and Anomalies in NASCAR
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It was Clint Bowyer and Danica Patrick who led the news this week after Marcos Ambrose finally got his first Cup Series win last weekend at Watkins Glen. Reports out last week said IndyCar and part-time Nationwide Series driver Danica Patrick would formally announce her full-time move to NASCAR in 2012 next week. Reports indicate a full-time Nationwide Series run with JR Motorsports and part-time Cup schedule with Stewart-Haas. In other news, Clint Bowyer’s future at Richard Childress Racing remains in question as rumors swirl about his 2012 plans. Teams mentioned with Bowyer include Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports. This is the NASCAR week that was, August 14 to 20, 2011.
Slugfests at Bristol
Rusty Wallace leads Montreal Mess
Nasty wrecks ramp up the ongoing safety discussion
Are driver antics giving NASCAR a black eye? Or enhancing the sport?
Thank Goodness for Kyle Busch
What Does Kenny Francis Do?
NASCAR is going left and right this weekend as the Cup and Nationwide Series head to the Finger Lakes region of New York and Watkins Glen International. Joe Gibbs Racing led the news this week as they announced they would be combining engine efforts beginning in 2012. Toyota Racing Development will build all engines out of Costa Mesa, California. In other news, two Earnhardt Ganassi Racing employees were arrested in suburban Charlotte on marijuana trafficking charges. Both were fired from the team and indefinitely suspended by NASCAR. This is the NASCAR week that was, August 7 to 12, 2011.
Hydration and Porta Potties
Breaking down the Joe Gibbs Racing’s changes with its engine program
Glen Wood, on the pole through NASCAR history
ESPN’s Goals for Watkins Glen
The Deadly Sins of Tire Changing
Is NASCAR Success Tied to Geography
NASCAR headed to the land of open wheel racing this weekend for the Brickyard 400. It was Travis Pastrana who led the news this week after he broke his right foot and ankle in a motorcycle wreck games. The accident delayed Pastrana’s much anticipated NASCAR Nationwide Series debut this weekend at Lucas Oil Raceway Park. In other news, Richard Childress Racing announced this week Luke Lambert would replace Todd Berrier as crew chief for Jeff Burton. Burton has languished this season, sitting 25th in the points without a single top-10 finish. And finally speculation continues about the future of Carl Edwards at Roush Fenway Racing. Officials from Ford said this weekend they had an unspecified offer to Edwards to keep him at Roush. Edwards has remained mum on his plans. This is the NASCAR week that was, July 24 to 30, 2011.
Indy breaks with tradition to rebuild Brickyard
Edwards keeps coy on future; Gordon predicts what could happen
Allen Bestwick: The Quiet Man
Alumni Spotlight: Jay Adamczyk (Jayski), ’97
X Games Star Travis Pastrana could lure youth to NASCAR
Nobody To Blame In Petty/Allmendinger Spat
Roush’s New Website Kind of Disappointing
The Cup Series was off this week, but the sport was still rolling. Richard Petty Motorsports announced crew chief Mike Shipplet would be replaced by Greg Erwin. Erwin recently left the #16 car at Roush Fenway Racing. In other news, ESPN announced this week NASCAR TV veteran Allen Bestwick would takeover play-by-play duties for the network’s Cup Series broadcast. Marty Reid will takeover Nationwide Series and IndyCar Series play-by-play duties full time. This is the NASCAR week that was, July 17 to 23, 2011.
NASCAR’s boosters ought to know better
Preparation, performance and perseverance
Bestwick To Call ESPN Sprint Cup Races
Brickyard Ticket Sales Down?
Upbeat Shane Hmiel says he’s lucky to be alive, hopes to walk again while recovering from crash
Adventures In Bad Race Team Ideas… Or Why America’s Racing Team Won’t Work Like They Plan
New Nationwide Series Car Debut A Success
It was traffic that led the news early this week after issues at the inaugural Cup race at Kentucky. Track officials were roundly criticized for a break down in traffic control that led to hours long waits getting into and out of the track and fans getting turned away because of a lack of parking. In other news, Roush Fenway Racing announced this week Matt Puccia would replace Greg Erwin as crew chief of Greg Biffle’s #16. The team didn’t give a reason for the switch. And finally, after initially announcing he would not be running this weekend, Germain Racing formed an “alliance” with Randy Moss Motorsports to put series champion Todd Bodine in the #5 International Trucks sponsored Toyota. This is the NASCAR week that was, July 10 to 6, 2011.
Enhanced audio has TV viewers buzzing
Bruton Smith apologizes, but say SMI not totally at fault for Kentucky traffic fiasco
NASCAR officials explain warnings to drivers
Golden Tate tweets on Jimmie Johnson
We all love racing families – but cop cars and fainting goats?
Uh Oh, The Sponsor Big Wigs Are Here
‘Chasing’ Uniformity Across All Three Series
Changes to the Brickyard weekend next year led the news this week after NASCAR announced the addition of Grand-Am Road Racing and the Nationwide Series to Indianapolis in 2012. The move takes the Nationwide cars from the Lucas Oil Raceway Park, a place they have raced since 1982. In other news, Ford officials said this week that the company will utilize the Ford Fusion in the Cup Series when the cars are redesigned for 2013. Ford initially submitted the Mustang as their model of choice. This is the NASCAR week that was, July 3 to 9, 2011.
Watching IndyCar’s TV Disaster
Track mogul Bruton Smith keeps busy
To disappointment of short track officials, NASCAR looks to re-energize Brickyard weekend
Lucas expects to renegotiated rights deal after track loses its NASCAR races
Cup officials discuss Daytona racing, fuel injection, and more…
Which two drivers are going to grab the wild card spots?
Hey Bud, Don’t Lay Down On Me
The Trucks at Pocono? Really?
It was sponsors who led the news this week. Crown Royal announced on Tuesday that they would be ending their sponsorships of Roush Fenway Racing and NASCAR at the end of the season. The company said they would continue their sponsorship of NASCAR’s Richmond event. In other news, GoDaddy.com was sold this week. Despite the move, a company spokeswoman said the new investors would continue their relationship with NASCAR and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick. And finally, Sprint announced this week they would be rolling out a $3 million summer promotion – The Sprint Summer Showdown – that would reward the a driver, a fan and a charity of the driver’s choice. This is the NASCAR week that was, June 26 to July 2, 2011.
Wide Open Coverage Glimpse of Future
In NASCAR Social Media Here To Stay
Red Bull Racing Team fires crew member for twitter posting
Speed gets lien against Red Bull
In spite of late-race fireworks that wasn’t racing
Start-And Park Has Become A Mode Of Survival
A Chilling Effect? Or Business As Usual?
The announcement on Tuesday that Red Bull would be exiting NASCAR a the end of the season dominated the news this week. Team Vice President and General Manager Jay Frye said they were seeking outside investors to take over. Without investors, the future of team driver Brian Vickers remains unclear. In other news, NASCAR announced penalties for Joe Gibbs Racing following the discovery of unapproved oil pans at Michigan. All three Crew Chiefs were put on probation until the end of the year and fined $50,000; in addition all three car chiefs and team Vice President of Competition Jimmy Makar were put on probation until the end of the season. This is the NASCAR week that was, June 19 to 25, 2011.
Pride of NASCAR: Harry Hyde (video)
Future of SPEED Again an Issue
When Oil Pans Put On A Little Weight
Kelley Earnhardt discusses sponsorship struggles, Danica & Dale Jr.
Toyota hopes to keep Red Bull team
If You Can’t Beat Them, Steal Their Crew Chief
Did Kasey Make The Right Choice?
The NASCAR Hall of Fame led the news this week as it announced its third class. Being inducted next year are crew chief Dale Inman, three-time Cup Series champions Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough, team owner Glen Wood and modified champion Richie Evans. In other news, silly season started to heat up this week with rumors about the 2012 plans of sponsor UPS and drivers Carl Edwards and Danica Patrick. UPS and Edwards are both in the final year of their contracts with Roush Fenway and Danica Patrick is deciding whether or not to make a full time jump to NASCAR. This is the NASCAR week that was, June 12 to 18, 2011.
Why SportsCenter Hates NASCAR
Roush doesn’t fault Childress; Shane Hmiel Update
Fans pack Bowman Gray Stadium for great racing
Miller on Danica, Andretti Autosport, Brickyard 400
Cheat? Or Get Fired?
Loudon Getting ‘Concorded’ By Bruton Smith