http://www.thatsracin.com/102/index.xml Motorsports News from ThatsRacin.com en-us Copyright 2008 ThatsRacin.com Homepage 60 Wed, 14 May 2008 12:45 EDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive Workbench webmaster@thatsracin.com http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/9264.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/9264.html Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:54 EST Chad Knaus loves his job.<p/>"I do," said Knaus, crew chief for Jimmie Johnson in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. "I love every aspect of it."<p/>What's not to love when you've won the past four races and go into Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway leading second-place Jeff Gordon by 86 points?<p/>"When everything's going right," Knaus said, "and your driver is switched on, and your team's switched on, and the engine's going right and all that stuff is jelling the way it's supposed to, things like this can happen."<p/>Being in the title hunt is nothing new for Knaus and the team he's assembled. This is the fifth consecutive season Johnson has gone into the final race first or second in the standings.<p/>"The thing I'm proudest of is if you look over our history as a team, we've been able to battle for the championship every year," Knaus said. This is Johnson's sixth season and he's never finished outside of the top five in points.<p/>"The thing that is the coolest about that is we haven't battled the same team," Knaus said. "We've battled (Matt Kenseth), (Kurt Busch), (Gordon). Everybody's had their turn out there, and we've been the team that's been the most consistent. I love that. I love that we've got staying power."<p/>As good as the Johnson-Knaus pairing has been, until last year they had not been able to clear that final hurdle to the championship. That applied stress, to the point that late in '05 season team owner Rick Hendrick had to make them realize what they were heading toward losing.<p/>"Rick was afraid we were going to kill each other at one point," Johnson said. "When you want something so bad, and it slips through your fingers. ... We were watching (Tony Stewart) just outperforming us, and it was just driving us nuts."<p/>"We wanted it so bad we were blinded," Knaus said.<p/>Knaus said one thing he learned from that crisis was the team can't always be run with the accelerator wide open.<p/>"We used to be the team that went out there and tried to be the fastest for the whole race," Knaus said. "... But we really didn't get we wanted to from that kind of effort.<p/>"So, beginning at the end of last year and this year, we adopted a new mentality to just kind of ride and find a position to be in so at the end of the race the car is in good shape, that Jimmie is not worn out."<p/>Johnson's car has been right and Knaus has made the right calls late in victories at Martinsville, Va., Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix. If the No. 48 wins Sunday, it would be the first time anyone won five straight since Richard Petty in 1971.<p/>All Johnson needs is a finish of 18th or better if Gordon wins and leads the most laps. Johnson has finished worse than 14th once is his past 15 starts.<p/>"When I was younger, I did want to be a championship-winning crew chief," Knaus said. "I can remember thinking about it and dreaming of it. It's something that I've always wanted."<p/>Sunday, he could double up on that dream -- loving every minute of it. http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/3097.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/3097.html Wed, 21 Feb 2007 18:46 EST It appears there was something that failed NASCAR's post-race inspection after Sunday's Daytona 500 -- the uniform and helmet worn by race winner Kevin Harvick.<p/>Responding to complaints from Sunoco, the official fuel supplier of NASCAR, the sanctioning body has been in discussions with Harvick's Richard Childress Racing team the past several days to address Sunoco's concerns over the branding of Shell-Pennzoil's sponsorship on Harvick's uniform and helmet.<p/>In response to those complaints, Harvick can no longer wear the driver's helmet used in Sunday's race -- which featured a prominent Shell logo -- and his uniform had to be redone to include less prominent Shell logos, multiple sources confirmed.<p/>Before Sunday's Daytona 500, sources confirmed Harvick was asked by NASCAR if he would wear a jacket over his uniform during Daytona 500 introductions, which he agreed to do.<p/>During Speedweeks, officials with Sunoco logged several complaints with NASCAR regarding the Shell logos on Harvick's helmet and uniform. They peaked when Harvick's victories in Saturday's Busch race and Sunday's Daytona 500 produced several newspaper headlines utilizing the Shell name and many photographs of the Shell logos.<p/>Sunoco signed a 10-year deal in 2003 to become the official fuel supplier for all three of NASCAR's national series -- Nextel Cup, Busch and Trucks.<p/>As part of the deal, no new fuel suppliers are allowed to sponsor NASCAR teams, NASCAR officials said. Shell-Pennzoil was allowed to join RCR and Harvick's No. 29 Chevrolet this season because the sponsorship was of its automotive lubricants.<p/>Sunoco's complaints are based on the extent Shell-Pennzoil's branding is seen as promoting its gas product over its automobile lubricants.<p/>"In exchange for providing a quality product for all three series, Sunoco was granted exclusivity in the fuel category at the track," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said.<p/>"We're always trying to work with our sponsors and teams to navigate through any challenges, especially the automotive lubricant category which is closely aligned with fuel."<p/>A message seeking comment from Sunoco's media contact, Jerry Davis, remained unreturned late Wednesday.<p/>Until a new helmet can be designed, Harvick is expected to wear the helmet he uses in Busch Series races, sponsored by another company. Harvick's new uniform should be ready for this weekend's race at California, sources said. http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/9279.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/9279.html Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:25 EST Plans to have former top NASCAR drivers competing in a racing equivalent to golf's "seniors tour" are being made by a group based in Mooresville, N.C.<p/>Ten races are planned in the inaugural 2008 season for the Old School Racing Champions Tour, beginning with a debut scheduled for May 18 at Concord Motorsport Park.<p/>David Pearson, Dick Trickle, Harry Gant, Geoffrey Bodine, Dave Marcis and James Hylton are among the drivers who have been signed up, according to Gene Weaver, a managing partner of the venture.<p/>"I have been an ARCA truck series owner for many years and we have a few wins under our belt," Weaver said. "But Old School Racing is the most exciting thing I’ve ever been involved with."<p/>Former winners in any of NASCAR's top three series are eligible to race, as are former Automobile Racing Club of America, former IndyCar or Championship Auto Racing Teams champions or former Indianapolis 500 winners as long as they are not still racing full time in any of those series.<p/>"These drivers are legends in auto racing and I hope that OSR can provide a platform that will allow us to show them how much we appreciate what they have done for this sport," Weaver said.<p/>Races are scheduled for tracks three-quarters of a mile or less. The first season has dates scheduled at such tracks as Concord, Hickory Motor Speedway, South Boston (Va.) Speedway, Eldora Speedway in Ohio.<p/>Each driver can compete in only six of the 10 scheduled events, and the points will be determined by a driver's five-best finishes. Each driver will represent a charity and half of each race's purse will go to those charities.<p/>To learn more about the Old School Racing series, visit the organization's web site at www.osrct.com. http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/3050.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/3050.html Mon, 19 Feb 2007 07:03 EST Jeff Burton was a little torn.<p/>He is a teammate to winner Kevin Harvick at Richard Childress Racing, but also spent several years as a teammate to Mark Martin at Roush Racing.<p/>"As good as I feel for RCR and Kevin, I feel that bad for Mark," said Burton, who finished third. http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2993.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2993.html Fri, 16 Feb 2007 21:42 EST DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Where did all the Nextel Cup drivers go?<p/> For one qualifying session at least, Cup drivers – who dominated the Busch Series last season – were shut out of the top starting spots in a Busch race.<p/> Joe Gibbs Racing development driver Aric Almirola, who is running a combination of Busch and Cup races this season, won the pole for Saturday’s Orbitz 300 at Daytona International Speedway.<p/> Close behind were series regulars Jason Leffler and Jon Wood. In fact, Martin Truex Jr. (fourth) was the only Cup regular in the top five.<p/> The pole is the second of Almirola’s short career, but this will be the first time he gets to drive in the race and start from the front.<p/> Last season, Almirola substituted for Cup regular Denny Hamlin in qualifying for the Milwaukee Busch race and won the pole, but Hamlin returned in time to drive the car in the race.<p/> “I just saw (JGR president) J.D. Gibbs and asked him if it was OK if he lets me race this time. He said I could and I’m really excited about tomorrow,” Almirola said.<p/> “We did some things to help our handling in the race. We knew it would hurt our qualifying effort, but they surprised the heck out of me. I sure didn’t think we would get the pole.”<p/> Almirola is scheduled to run 22 of the 35 Busch races this season for JGR. He also plans to attempt his Cup debut at the March 11 race at Las Vegas.<p/> Leffler came close to giving Toyota its second pole in as many days and first in Busch competition. Jack Sprague won the pole in a Toyota on Thursday for the Truck Series race.<p/> “We have an experienced team and did pretty well last year. The stuff Toyota has brought, whether horsepower or engineering help, it’s really helped Braun Racing get to the next level,” Leffler said.<p/>“We think we’ll close the gap between the big teams and the Busch-only teams and we’ll look for good things in the race.”<p/> Wood, entering his third full season in the series, has been among the fastest in practices this week, but did not expect to qualify well. <p/> “We did no qualifying runs to speak of whatsoever, either in the test or (in practice). We focused primarily on race runs, so it was pretty astonishing that we were able to qualify that way as well,” Wood said.<p/> “The speeds we ran are a testament to the preparation done at the shop.”<p/> Cup driver Kevin Harvick, who won his second series championship in dominating fashion last season, will start 31st. http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2760.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2760.html Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:28 EST (Phoenix, AZ) – Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber has announced the hiring of two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup stars to the PIR ticket sales team. Carl Edwards and Bobby Labonte will join the PIR staff for one day and will sell tickets for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ at the PIR Ticket Office from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, February 21. <p/>“I’ve closely watched the developing careers of both Carl and Bobby and have been impressed. I think they have the right stuff to make a real impact as members of our ticketing staff,” said Sperber. “If they really apply themselves and take advantage of this opportunity, they just might be able find steady work in NASCAR racing.”<p/>The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ is scheduled to be the first night race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season, and fans looking to secure a spot under the lights can purchase their tickets directly from Carl and Bobby beginning at noon. <p/>Driver interaction is limited to ticket sales, and the drivers will only sign autographs for fans purchasing tickets. The PIR Ticket Office is located in Avondale, at 125 S. Avondale Blvd., Suite 200. <p/>Edwards, the driver of the No. 99 Office Depot Ford for Roush Racing, is a four-time winner in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. His record at PIR is notable, with finishes in the top five in both NEXTEL Cup events and both Busch Series events on the one-mile oval in 2006. The 27-year-old also won from the pole in the November 2005 Busch Series event at PIR.<p/>Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NEXTEL Cup Series champion, drives the No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge for Petty Enterprises and has eight top-10s in 16 career NEXTEL Cup starts at PIR. Labonte is one of the most respected veterans in the sport entering his 15th full season of racing at the NEXTEL Cup level.<p/>Bright Lights. Big Party. NASCAR at Night! NASCAR action heats up when the lights come on for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ Weekend at PIR, April 19-21, 2007. The party kicks off under the lights for Thursday’s Phoenix 150 NASCAR AutoZone West Series race. Friday night’s fiesta is the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 NASCAR Busch Series race. Then, the action reaches its pinnacle when the cars and stars of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series take the track for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™, the first night race of the 2007 NEXTEL Cup Season. Tickets are now on sale for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ weekend at PIR and can be purchased by calling 602-252-2227, 866-408-7223, or by going online at www.racetickets.com For additional information on the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ Weekend, visit www.phoenixraceway.com or call 623-463-5600. http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2759.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2759.html Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:27 EST SPEED recently completed deals with BFGoodrich Tires, Alltel Wireless and Sunoco, adding the companies to an already impressive list of companies deeply involved in SPEED programming for 2007.<p/>BFGoodrich will present The SPEED Report (Sundays at 8 p.m. ET) as well as the inaugural SPEED Performance Awards on Feb. 8 at 9 p.m. ET. Alltel comes on-board as presenting sponsor of the popular Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain (Sundays at 9 p.m. ET).<p/>“BFGoodrich Tires is very proud to be a presenting sponsor of The SPEED Report and inaugural SPEED Performance Awards,” said Tom Jupena, marketing communications manager for BFGoodrich Tires. “Our association with these programming elements on SPEED provides the perfect platform to convey our brand message to a dedicated and loyal audience.” <p/>Sunoco, the Official Fuel of NASCAR, will join SPEED by sponsoring a pit strategy feature in network pre-race coverage.<p/>“I think advertisers are attracted to the way SPEED is integrating products into a wide variety of motor sports and automotive lifestyle programming,” said Todd Siegel, Sr. VP of Advertising Sales. “We have permission to go one step further than a lot of these successful companies can go with traditional entertainment television programming. Motor sports fans understand sponsors and advertisers are part of the fabric of the sport, which gives us a little more room to play.”<p/>Returning for their second seasons with SPEED, The Home Depot will continue to be presenting sponsor of NASCAR RaceDay-- Built by The Home Depot, the network’s highly rated live NASCAR Nextel Cup Series pre-race show. Jean giant Wrangler comes back as presenting sponsor for Trackside Live.<p/>“We’re always looking for ways to differentiate The Home Depot brand while providing exciting programs that appeal to our customers and associates," said Roger Adams, senior vice president & chief marketing officer of The Home Depot. "The format of NASCAR RaceDay -- Built by The Home Depot affords us a unique opportunity to have an additional touch point with the passionate fan base as well as heighten our exposure as the “Official Home Improvement Warehouse of NASCAR.””<p/>Also returning for a second season with multiple impact sponsorships is NASCAR series title sponsor Sprint Nextel, back with entitlement of the SPEED flagship series Inside NEXTEL Cup, as well as an aggressive slate of NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge promotional initiatives.<p/>“SPEED is an ideal partner in all of our NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series initiatives,” said Dean Kessel, director of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series marketing for Sprint Nextel. “We work together to identify the best approach to bring the sport as close to fans as possible.”<p/>“Our deals go well beyond simply running commercials,” Siegel added. “The depth of integration and the impact is trend-sending in the industry.”<p/>To that end, SPEED recently completed landmark production deals with Microsoft and its Xbox 360 brand, as well as Toyota for branded entertainment projects in 2007.<p/>Two Roads to Baja, which debuted earlier this month, featured a pair of Toyota FJ cruisers in an hour-long special focusing on the legendary off-road endurance race. And on Feb. 21 at 11 p.m. ET, SPEED will air the first episode of Forza Motorsport Showdown, a four-part series which brings the popular Xbox 360 game to life with a series of real races with real drivers. With Microsoft as a production partner, SPEED landed Valvoline as a presenting sponsor for the series.<p/>“This was the first time SPEED had been approached about doing a video game-based reality series offering a $100,000 grand prize – while providing a wider appeal to a more youthful audience,” said Robert Ecker, VP of Programming for SPEED. “To Microsoft Games Studios’ credit, they didn’t want this to be an infomercial about Forza Motorsport 2. They wanted this to be a stand alone show with its own reality twists and uninhibited drama. It’s a very refreshing approach.”<p/>Several advertisers opted for extensive Internet positioning on SPEEDtv.com as part of their 2007 buys. BF Goodrich sponsored the four-week fan video voting for the SPEED Performance Awards and will maintain a home-page presence for the remainder of the year.<p/>For Two Roads to Baja, SPEEDtv.com ran an eight-minute “supertease” on its home page leading up to the premiere of the special.<p/>Motorcycle giants Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha also have chosen SPEEDtv.com with targeted efforts. Kawasaki sponsors the motorcycle racing section of the site, Suzuki will sponsor a consumer section and Yamaha sponsors the AMA Superbike and AMA Supercross SPEED On-Demand Online, enabling fans to watch replays of the races online for free.<p/>In other branded-content deals, the Castrol Engine Block, Go Rving and Sears Tools of the Trade also return in 2007.<p/>SPEED is the nation's first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 74 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2758.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2758.html Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:25 EST CORNELIUS, N.C. (February 5, 2007) – David Reutimann is prepared to run the entire NASCAR Busch Series schedule for the first time in his career behind the wheel of the No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry during Toyota’s inaugural year. After competing in the Series for five years on a limited basis, Reutimann is poised to campaign for the championship title with Michael Waltrip Racing under the direction of Crew Chief Jerry Baxter. <p/>“We can come out of the gate strong and win races,” Reutimann said. “We have Toyota’s support and the team is in tact from last season. Jerry and I were able to work together several times last year and have a good relationship. He’s the right guy for the job there’s no doubt about it. Our team is capable of making a serious run for the championship.” <p/>Last season, Reutimann showed progress each race and finished in the top-10 four times in 12 starts while sharing driving responsibilities with Waltrip in the 99 entry. Due to Reutimann’s progression and relentless pitches to drive the Aaron’s Dream Machine solely, Waltrip agreed to step out of the car to focus on his ownership of Michael Waltrip Racing and his duties as driver of the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry. Thanks in part to Waltrip and Aaron’s President Ken Butler, Reutimann will now have his first chance to be a championship contender in the NASCAR Busch Series. <p/>“During the course of Michael filming commercials, I asked him when I was going to have my turn driving the Aaron’s Dream Machine,” Reutimann said. “I was able to test the car a few times thereafter, which fortunately led to me racing the car.” <p/>Reutimann’s road to the NASCAR Busch Series has been a winding one. In 2002, the Zephyrhills, Fla., native had one motor, one car and one shot at making a lasting impression. Reutimann debuted that car at Richmond International Raceway as a NEMCO Motorsports entry and he did not disappoint.<p/>“Joe Nemechek gave me my first shot and I owe him a lot,” Reutimann said, who finished 16th in his debut with NEMCO Motorsports. “Joe’s crew chief at the time was Brian Pattie, who was a childhood friend of mine. We raced together growing up. He was instrumental in making the deal happen. Also, a family friend (Buddy Smith) helped me buy a car for my first race. Those guys took a chance on me when nobody else would. I’ll never forget that.”<p/>In October 2003, Reutimann earned his first career NASCAR Busch Series pole award by qualifying a car for NEMCO Motorsports and Greg Biffle at Memphis Motorsports Park. Reutimann was uncertain of his future at the time, but a call from Darrell Waltrip a few days later changed his life. Reutimann took a detour from the NASCAR Busch Series to drive for Darrell Waltrip Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series finishing as high as third in the championship points standings last season with Jason Overstreet as his crew chief.<p/>“I’ll never forget driving through the Daytona International Speedway tunnel for my first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race,” Reutimann said. “I can remember a time when I didn’t have a pass to get into the pits and that wasn’t long ago. We would have to sit in the grandstands if we wanted to watch a race. My first race there with my truck team was pretty special.”<p/>Success with Waltrip’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team opened a door wide open for Reutimann at Michael Waltrip Racing. Entering his fourth season, Reutimann reenters Daytona International Speedway’s tunnel this time as both a full-time NASCAR Busch Series driver and a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competitor. Reutimann’s lifelong dreams that his family has strived for over the years have finally come true.<p/>“I never thought something like this could happen to a guy like me,” Reutimann said. “If it can happen for me, it can happen for anyone.” http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2755.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2755.html Sat, 03 Feb 2007 17:07 EST In a year when the status quo appears to be an endangered concept in Nextel Cup racing, where might the 2007 season's biggest surprise might come from?<p/>The obvious candidates for a bounce-back year that begins as teams are Roush Racing teammates Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, who missed the Chase in 2006 after finishing second and third, respectively, in the standings a year earlier.<p/>These days, is it possible for a team to come from off the stock-car racing radar to a position of competitive prominence in just one year? Perhaps not, but today for consideration we offer the possibility that Bill Davis Racing might come close in 2007.<p/>Davis is the only car owner in the Toyota camp with a victory as a car owner on his resume, and in Jeremy Mayfield he also employs the only Toyota driver for 2007 who has ever been part of the Chase.<p/>Dave Blaney, who'll drive the No. 22 Camrys owned by Davis, is the lone Toyota driver who finished in the top 35 in last year's standings. That means he's guaranteed a starting spot in the Daytona 500 and the next four races of the new season. Only Dale Jarrett, as a former series champion, also has that protection among Toyota's drivers.<p/>Since Ward Burton won the Daytona 500 and a race at New Hampshire in 2002 with that No. 22 team, Davis-owned cars have only two top-five finishes – a third by Scott Wimmer in the 2004 Daytona 500 and a fourth by Blaney last September at Richmond.<p/>But after years of wandering in a manufacturer wildnerness, running Dodges without any factory backing while awaiting Toyota's Cup arrival, there's a buzz within Davis' High Point-based operation even if there's not much of one from the outside.<p/>"We've never gotten the credit we deserve," Davis said. "And I guess that's OK. There's no use getting your feelings hurt, that's the way it is. ...We think we're probably the most underrated and most under-recognized team in the garage. Back when we were in the top 10 in points and winning races it wasn't a fluke. We were a good, solid race team. And we'll be back there."<p/>Burton finished ninth in 1999 and 10th in 2000 in Davis' cars, but since Burton left after the 2003 season the best finish for the team was the 26th that Blaney had a year ago.<p/>"Can we make a 10- or 12-position jump? Yes, we easily can," Blaney said. "But I am not going to constrain us to that. I am not going to put any limits on us. We may start really strong and do way better than that. But the big thing is our team needs to improve, should improve and I think will improve. Just how much we can get, we'll see."<p/>Davis had only one full-time team in the past three years, but this year he'll try to get Mike Skinner in a third car in the Daytona 500 along with Blaney and Mayfield. Skinner and Johnny Benson will also drive Davis-owned trucks and figure to be in the championship picture in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.<p/>"We have great guys at our place and Gail (Davis' wife) and I were never willing to give up," Davis said. "We've always worked hard and stayed focused. The past couple or three years it would have been easy, I guess, to give up and go home to our nice life in Arkansas. We didn't want to do that. We knew where we were headed. We're going to have a lot of success in the next couple of years."<p/>Tommy Baldwin, who was Burton's crew chief for BDR's best years in Cup, is back with the team as competition director. Veteran crew chief Kevin Hamlin will lead Blaney's team, while Mayfield teams with Derrick Finley in the No. 36 Toyotas.<p/>"Nobody really knows right now what to expect out of us, so there's not really a lot of pressure," said Mayfield, who signed on at BDR after being ousted from his ride at Evernham Motorsports during the 2006 season.<p/>"Toyota has supplied us with all of the resources to get the job done and it's up to us now as teams to do that for them. I feel like the pressure on me is my own pressure."<p/>Davis said his teams are as ready for this season as they have been for any year since he came into Cup in 1993.<p/>"We've probably got at least 15 or 16 cars ready," Davis said. "We're way down the road, we've tested better than we've ever tested. We're set. We have the best people, far and away, that we've had."<p/>Blaney has an understated demeanor that in many ways fits with what has been BDR's low profile. But somebody, whether it's this season or whenever, is going to be the first driver to win a Nextel Cup race in a Toyota and Blaney doesn't see any reason he can't be that guy.<p/>"We can certainly sneak up on some people this year, that's sort of my plan," Blaney said. "Everybody is fired up over there and we have something to prove. Mayfield and I feel the same way, and so does Bill.<p/>"We're ready." http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2754.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2754.html Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:38 EST HOMESTEAD, Fla. - The fatal midair collision of two helicopters at Homestead-Miami Speedway following a November 2005 stock car race likely happened because the pilots failed to see each other, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded.<p/>The pilot who was killed was flying with a burned out landing light, making his craft more difficult to see, the board said Thursday. The pilot who survived failed to stay clear of the normal landing path at the raceway and the track failed to hold a safety briefing for the pilots, the NTSB said.<p/>The pilots were landing to pick up passengers after the NASCAR championship race and were the only people on board.<p/>One helicopter, a six-seat Aerospatiale operated by Biscayne Helicopters of Miami, approached from the southeast. The other, a six-seat Eurocopter, piloted by Johnny Campiglia, 24, of Pompano Beach, and operated by Heliflight Inc., of Fort Lauderdale, arrived from the west, the safety board said.<p/>The Aerospatiale overtook the other helicopter, its left skid colliding with the rotor blades of the Eurocopter, the safety board said. The Aerospatiale pilot said he never saw the other aircraft. "I felt a shudder and then the aircraft started to vibrate significantly," he told investigators.<p/>The Aerospatiale landed on grass, coming to rest on its side. Campiglia's copter rammed into two recreational vehicles and burst into flames, killing him.<p/>Both were aiming for helipads at the speedway's southwest corner. The area was full of flashing lights from other helicopters and nearby police cars, the board said. Fireworks that had been set off at the race left smoke in the area.<p/>Daryl Martin, president of Biscayne Helicopters, said Friday that he disagrees with the NTSB report and is trying to contact the organization to see whether he can rectify it.<p/>"I kind of feel that the report is incomplete," Martin said. "The report stated our pilot didn't follow procedures, but he did."<p/>Martin said his pilot made four different radio calls announcing his intentions on the approach to the landing site, while the other aircraft wasn't in contact other than initially. Martin said his pilot was not as fault because he was struck from the rear, out of his field of vision.<p/>"This was a bad set of circumstances all the way around," he said about the tragedy.<p/>Heliflight officials couldn't be reached for comment. The company no longer has a listed telephone number or a Web site.<p/>Track officials did not immediately return telephone and e-mail messages. http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2746.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2746.html Fri, 02 Feb 2007 11:26 EST DENVER – Scheduling conflicts this year and the Democratic National Convention next year have prompted the postponement of the 2007 and 2008 Denver Grand Prix.<p/>Champ Car World Series president Steve Johnson said Thursday that he hoped to bring the race back to Denver, where it has been run the past five seasons.<p/>“The strong attendance numbers, the backing the event received from the corporate sector as well as the city and county government, and the support of the people of Denver have shown that a Champ Car event can flourish there,” Johnson said.<p/>This year’s race was postponed because of conflicts with facilities surrounding the temporary street course. Next year’s event was bumped from its August weekend because of preparations for the convention. http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2744.html http://www.thatsracin.com/102/story/2744.html Fri, 02 Feb 2007 10:49 EST A.J. Allmendinger has had a roller-coaster two weeks, from the high of getting married at a five-star Florida resort to the low of crashing a pair of race cars in Las Vegas.<p/>But Allmendinger is no fool. He knew the switch from Champ Car to NASCAR wouldn’t be the smoothest of rides.<p/>“If I expected this to be easy, I would have never done this,” he said Thursday. “My learning curve is steep and I’m going to have to have some pretty thick skin. But I knew that going in.”<p/>That’s how Allmendinger was able to cheer up after a disappointing two-day test in Las Vegas this week.<p/>A cut tire on the first day sent him crashing into the wall and tore up his Toyota Camry. Driver error on the second day cost him his backup, and sent Allmendinger and his new Team Red Bull crew packing for an early cross-country flight back to North Carolina.<p/>It took him a day or two to find any positives in the experience, but he finally did: The accident happened when Allmendinger was utilizing something he had picked up from the first day, and after he had improved his speed by almost 6 mph.<p/>Those small gains will be important in what’s expected to be a bumpy rookie season for the former open-wheel protege.<p/>“It would almost have been easier for me to have never driven a race car before,” Allmendinger said. “It’s a slow learning process, and unfortunately I am diving into the deep end and there have more downs than ups right now. But that’s what will make it sweeter when the wins come – knowing what you went through to get there.”<p/>Allmendinger certainly took his lumps before reaching the top of Champ Car. A former Toyota Atlantic champion and Champ rookie of the year, it took his midseason firing from the RuSport team to get things rolling for him.<p/>He was snapped up days after his firing by Forsythe Championship Racing and scored his first career victory that weekend. He went on to win three straight, five of nine, and even made a run at the Champ Car title.<p/>He also put out feelers in NASCAR, recognizing that the future of racing in this country lies in stock cars. At only 25, he knew he had enough years left behind the wheel to make the transition and put together a successful NASCAR career.<p/>But unlike many young drivers who ease in through the Truck or Busch Series, Allmendinger is going straight to the Nextel Cup Series. It’s not ideal for Allmendinger or Team Red Bull, which will kick off its first season in NASCAR next month.<p/>“Jumping right into Cup, we all know the spotlight will be on me,” said Allmendinger, who also will run 12 Truck races this season. “Everybody has their opportunities to learn, and the only opportunity I had was to jump right in. So I am going for it. I am not scared of it, and I am not nervous about pushing it.”<p/>Allmendinger will have the support of his new bride, Lynne, who agreed to squeeze in their wedding between testing and the Rolex 24 sports car race in Daytona. Married on Jan. 19 in Palm Beach, Fla., the couple had a whirlwind two days at the resort before Allmendinger was off to work again.<p/>With no time for a honeymoon, Allmendinger has promised Lynne a return trip to the resort in December and is thankful she’s so understanding.<p/>“It was a great wedding, something that I was happy to do and get away for a day or two but after it was over it was ‘OK, it’s time to get down to business,’ “ he said. “My main focus is on this team. She knows what she signed up for. I made it plenty clear what we were stepping into and I’m grateful that she’s on board.”