Roush seeks stability with leadership changes
April 18, 2006Jack Roush told Jeff Hammond that he wants an engineer to work with young Jamie McMurray while crew chief Jimmy Fennig mentors several first-year Busch crew chiefs.
Graves steps down as team manager, Stremme gets new crew chief in Ganassi shakeup
April 18, 2006Andy Graves, the first employee hired by car owner Chip Ganassi when he started his NASCAR operation, resigned as team manager Tuesday as part of a shakeup within the three-car operation. The move comes one day after Jeff Vandermoss was replaced as crew chief on rookie David Stremme's struggling team. Graves, who began his career as a crew member on Jeff Gordon's famed "Rainbow Warriors" team and worked his way up to crew chief for Terry Labonte, joined Ganassi's operation in 2000.
Martin thrilled with Lowe's repaving
April 18, 2006If there's anything wrong with the freshly paved surface at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Mark Martin would be the driver to find it. It took him one lap in a street car Tuesday to learn his favorite race track was as good as ever. "Most everybody in motorsports knows that this is the race track that sets the standard in my world - it's the greatest race track to me - and the new pavement looks beautiful," he raved. "The race track still has every bit of the same personality as it did.
Hall of Mark
April 18, 2006NASCAR driver Mark Martin opens his new museum at his car dealership in Batesville, Arkansas.
Governor, racers tout Darlington
April 18, 2006Gov. Mark Sanford knows what Darlington Raceway has done for South Carolina, and what it still can do as long as Nextel Cup keeps returning to the Palmetto State.
McMurray needed new-school change
April 18, 2006Larry McReynolds says Jamie McMurray's No. 26 team needed a change. But he questions Jack Roush's decision to take crew chief Bob Osborne away from Carl Edwards while removing title-winning crew chief Jimmy Fennig from a Cup pit box.
49 drivers on Phoenix Nextel Cup entry list
April 18, 2006NASCAR NEXTEL Cup SeriesSubway Fresh 500Preliminary Entry List - NumericalPhoenix International Raceway - Phoenix, Ariz. Provided by NASCAR Statistical Services - Monday, April 17, 2006 @ 08:59 PM Eastern Car # Driver Hometown Team Owner 01 Joe Nemechek Lakeland, FL U.S. Army Chevrolet Nelson Bowers 1 Martin Truex Jr. # Mayetta, NJ Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Chevrolet Teresa Earnhardt 02 Brandon Ash Umpqua, OR Sprinter Trucking, Inc. Dodge Ed Ash 2 Kurt Busch Las Vegas, NV Miller Lite Dodge Roger Penske 4 Scott Wimmer Wausau, WI AERO Exhaust Chevrolet Larry McClure 5 Kyle Busch Las Vegas, NV Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet Rick Hendrick 6 Mark Martin Batesville, AR AAA Ford Jack Roush 07 Clint Bowyer # Emporia, KS Sylvania Chevrolet Richard Childress 7 Robby Gordon Orange, CA Jim Beam Chevrolet Robby Gordon 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kannapolis, NC Budweiser Chevrolet Teresa Earnhardt 9 Kasey Kahne Enumclaw, WA Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Ray Evernham 10 Scott Riggs Bahama, NC Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge James Rocco 11 Denny Hamlin # Midlothian, VA FedEx Express Chevrolet J.D. Gibbs 12 Ryan Newman South Bend, IN Alltel Dodge Roger Penske 14 Sterling Marlin Columbia, TN Waste Management Chevrolet Nelson Bowers 16 Greg Biffle Vancouver, WA National Guard/Subway Ford Geoffrey Smith 17 Matt Kenseth Cambridge, WI DeWalt Ford Mark Martin 18 J.J. Yeley # Phoenix, AZ Interstate Batteries Chevrolet Joe Gibbs 19 Jeremy Mayfield Owensboro, KY Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Ray Evernham 20 Tony Stewart Rushville, IN The Home Depot Chevrolet Joe Gibbs 21 Ken Schrader Fenton, MO Motorcraft Genuine Parts Ford Glen Wood 22 Dave Blaney Hartford, OH Caterpillar Dodge Bill Davis 24 Jeff Gordon Pittsboro, IN DuPont Chevrolet Rick Hendrick 25 Brian Vickers Thomasville, NC GMAC Chevrolet Mary Hendrick 26 Jamie McMurray Joplin, MO Crown Royal Ford Georgetta Roush 29 Kevin Harvick Bakersfield, CA GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Richard Childress 31 Jeff Burton South Boston, VA Priosec OTC Chevrolet Richard Childress 32 Travis Kvapil Janesville, WI Tide/Downy Chevrolet Cal Wells 34 Chad Chaffin Smyrna, TN Oak Gloves Chevrolet Brad Jenkins 38 Elliott Sadler Emporia, VA M&M's Ford Robert Yates 40 David Stremme # South Bend, IN Lonestar Dodge Felix Sabates 41 Reed Sorenson # Peachtree City, GA Target Dodge Chip Ganassi 42 Casey Mears Bakersfield, CA Texaco/Havoline Dodge Chip Ganassi 43 Bobby Labonte Corpus Christi, TX Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge Richard Petty 45 Kyle Petty Randleman, NC Wells Fargo Dodge Kyle Petty 48 Jimmie Johnson El Cajon, CA Lowe's Chevrolet Jeff Gordon 49 Brent Sherman # North Barrington, IL Serta Dodge Beth Ann Morgenthau 51 Mike Garvey McDonough, GA Marathon AmericanSpirit MtrOil Chevrolet Joe Auer 52 Steve Portenga Sparks, NV Pro30.com/Taco King Dodge Rick Ware 55 Michael Waltrip Owensboro, KY NAPA Dodge Doug Bawel 61 Kevin Lepage Shelburne, VT RoadLoans.com Ford Jeff Stec 66 Jeff Green Owensboro, KY Best Buy Chevrolet Gene Haas 74 Derrike Cope Spanaway, WA MyGuardian911.com Dodge Raynard McGlynn 78 Kenny Wallace St. Louis, MO Furniture Row Chevrolet Barney Visser 88 Dale Jarrett Hickory, NC UPS Ford Robert Yates 89 Morgan Shepherd Conover, NC Dutch Quality Stone/Racing w/ Jesus Dodg Cindy Shepherd 92 Chad Blount Walkerton, IN TBA Dodge Bob Jenkins 96 Tony Raines LaPorte, IN DLP® HDTV Chevrolet Bill Saunders 99 Carl Edwards Columbia, MO Office Depot Ford Jack Roush
Fisichella lifted by engine boost
April 18, 2006Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella is hoping to benefit from a new, improved engine at this weekend's San Marino GP.
Del Monte added to Midland squad
April 18, 2006Midland sign Fabrizio del Monte as a test driver.
Lavilla secures Thruxton double
April 18, 2006Gregorio Lavilla wins both British Superbike races at Thruxton.
Roush trio, Penske drivers among top names needing to get on the gas - quickly
April 18, 2006Matt Kenseth proved last year that a driver can have a horrible start to the season and still recover in time to make the Chase for the championship. Stuck near the bottom of the standings, he used a frantic summer push to put himself back into contention. As the Nextel Cup series starts a stretch of 14 straight races, several top-name drivers will have to follow Kenseth's model or risk being shut out of the playoffs.
Busch beat: Wallace replaces Keller, Wimmer loses ride
April 18, 2006Phoenix Racing on Monday decided to make a driver change in the No.1 Miccosukee Resort Dodge effective this weekend at Phoenix. Mike Wallace will take over driving duties from Jason Keller on an interim basis as Phoenix Racing evaluates their program. "We have the utmost respect for Jason and his accomplishments in the sport and wish him the very best," said James Finch, owner of Phoenix Racing Inc.