Notes | Seats and Smith and more

Sunday, Mar. 08, 2009

HAMPTON, Ga. - Big patches of empty seats under the Atlanta Motor Speedway press box on Sunday prompted Jeff Gordon to say he was "a little baffled."

"I know there's a lot of race fans around here," Gordon said. "I've been hearing that they were going to have some empty seats. It's hard to say. It's really hard to say. ...This place should be packed."

"We are far from immune from what's going on in our economy," said Carl Edwards, who finished third. ...I'm just glad for the fans that are here."

"Atlanta has had a tough time," said Dale Earnhardt Jr. "...I would hate to see them lose a race, which I ain't saying they will. ...It is a great race track with a lot of history."

SMITH OPENS UP: In a 45-minute session on Friday, Speedway Motorsports Inc. head man Bruton Smith opined on topics from President Barack Obama to Homestead-Miami Speedway and race start times.

Noting that SMI's Bristol Motor Speedway was having trouble with corporate ticket sales, Smith said, "They're afraid that Obama might shoot them or something."

Lobbying for NASCAR to return the season's final race weekend to his company's Atlanta track, Smith faulted Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the finales are now held.

"Why would you have the last race of the year in some god-forsaken area that is north of Cuba?" he asked.

Smith added that the Daytona 500 should not have started as late as it did, said Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., was in the wrong place and that he finds Formula One racing boring.

"Watching grass grow was more interesting," he said.

NO WEEKEND SWEEP: Kyle Busch, the defending champion in Atlanta who was coming off a win last week in Las Vegas, finished 18th while his older brother Kurt enjoyed the win.

"It just was a bad day. We have them," said crew chief Steve Addington.

"We didn't have a good car today from the start. ... It was just no grip out of the race track. We started making gains on it there at the end. We could make it last for about 30 laps and then that would go away."

PLANS ON HOLD: Kyle Busch has looked into buying a team in NASCAR's Truck or Nationwide series, but that will wait.

The 23-year-old Busch already owns a Late Model team, and he's more concerned at the moment with getting that financial house in order.

"We've got to get a better business model," he said. "I spent way too much money last year on my Late Model team. I'm trying to get a better idea of what's going on there. As soon as I get a better plan going and I'm not blowing through my sponsorship money, I may take a look at something else."

ELLIOTT ENTANGLED: Georgia native Bill Elliott finished 36th. He was unable to avoid a collision with Sam Hornish Jr., who hit the wall on lap 201.

"It's just a shame," Elliott said. "We didn't have a terrible race car."

CHASE AMONG CHAMPS: Chase Elliott, Bill's son, was among those crowned in Atlanta Motor Speedway's winter series for Legends, Bandolero and Roadster cars Saturday.

Atlanta track president Ed Clark wrapped up his third title, too, while Martinsvile (Va.) Speedway chief Clay Campbell finished fourth in his Roadster debut.

The Associated Press, McClatchy-Tribune News Service and ThatsRacin.com contributed.

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