http://www.kentucky.com/614/index.xml News, sports, and entertainment from Kentucky.com en-us Copyright 2008 Kentucky.com Thatand#39;s Racin 60 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:15:54 EDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's Workbench webmaster@kentucky.com http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/456391.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/456391.html Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:15 EDT
Elledge was most recently at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. He was released after serving a brief stint with Juan Pablo Montoya earlier this season.

"Jimmy is a successful and very well-known crew chief in the NASCAR garage," said Jay Frye, Red Bull Racing's vice president and general manager. "He'll be able to provide the experience and leadership for AJ and the No. 84 team to be competitive on a weekly basis."

Elledge has also worked with Casey Mears, Reed Sorenson, Kenny Wallace, Bobby Hamilton and Dale Jarrett.

"Of all the crew chiefs in the Cup garage, Jimmy is one of the only ones I...ve spoken to and had a chance to get to know," Allmendinger said. "When I drove a few Nationwide races at Ganassi last year, Jimmy was always helpful. He...s a guy with a lot of crew chief experience and has a good knowledge of these race cars, so I...m looking forward to turning this season around together."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/455953.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/455953.html Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:30 EDT
According to NASCAR's most recent entry list for this weekend's Nationwide race at Chicagoland Speedway, Franchitti is now driving the No. 40 in Friday night's Dollar General 300, replacing rookie Bryan Clausen, who was originally scheduled to be in the car.

Reached by phone Tuesday night, John Olguin, Ganassi's vice president of marketing and communications, said he could not confirm Franchitti was in the car this weekend.

Sources close to the situation told the Observer Clausen has been informed by Ganassi officials he would not be in the car for one or two weeks.

Franchitti, who started the 2008 Sprint Cup season driving the No. 40 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, lost his ride last week when Ganassi shut down the team because of lack of sponsorship.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/455721.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/455721.html Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:10 EDT
Truex was fined 150 driver points after his car.s roof did not conform to NASCAR specifications. That drops Truex Jr. from 14th to 18th in the standings and leaves him 238 points out of the top 12. The top 12 drivers after 26 races qualify for the 10-race Chase.

Car owner Teresa Earnhardt of Dale Earnhardt Inc. also was fined 150 points by NASCAR.

Crew chief Kevin Manion was fined $100,000. Manion and car chief Gary Putnam were both suspended for the next six Sprint Cup races, meaning they cannot return to the track until a race at Auto Club Speedway in California on Aug. 31. Both also are on probation until Aug. 27.

On Thursday, before opening practice for the Coke Zero 400, NASCAR impounded the primary car DEI built for Truex to run in the race Saturday night. Truex was allowed to use his backup car. He started 35th and finished 17th.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/455414.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/455414.html Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:26 EDT
1. (1) Kyle Busch - car No. 18

Six wins in the first half. You can use two words to summarize that: Any questions?

2. (2) Carl Edwards - car No. 99

Could he have won Daytona without last caution? Could, yes. Would, who knows?]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/455244.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/455244.html Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:01 EDT
That it happened to Ganassi, a multi-car owner who just six weeks ago won the Indianapolis 500, was a wake-up call to every team owner not named Childress, Gibbs, Hendrick or Roush.

These are tough economic times, and the sagging market is finally affecting NASCAR in nearly every facet of the industry.

When the season opened at Daytona International Speedway in February, 53 cars attempted to make the race. On the return trip last weekend, only 45 cars showed up, six of which lacked full sponsorship and are operating on shoestring budgets. And there were huge swaths of empty seats in the grandstands for Saturday night's main event.

It all coincided with the June car and truck sales reports, which forecast gloom and doom for NASCAR's participating automakers.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/454371.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/454371.html Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:16 EDT
Last November, they reached the deal in exchange for Smith agreeing to keep Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord.

Smith had threatened to move the facility following a dispute with Concord over his plans to build a drag strip at the track. After the threat, the city quickly reversed course. Smith is now building the $60 million drag strip and proceeding with a $200million expansion of the speedway.

The city and county will meet in closed session to discuss such details as the structure of the incentives, their revenue sources, project lists and legal issues, City Manager Brian Hiatt and County Manager John Day said.

The boards expect to hold public hearings on the plan before voting on it. Incentives will cover road improvements around the track as well as noise abatement at the drag strip.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453935.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453935.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:09 EDT
POOLE'S REAR-VIEW MIRROR

Every car owner who had his race car damaged in the wreck that ended Saturday night's race should send the bill for fixing it or replacing it to NASCAR. Those wrecks never should have happened because the race should have been over when Jeff Gordon spun as the green-white-checkered began.

NASCAR tells you it sometimes has to throw a caution for debris because officials aren't sure if something on the track is dangerous or not. So how could NASCAR be sure Gordon could get his car going again before the entire field came back around to where it was sitting, or that Gordon was not in need of any assistance?

It couldn.t, of course.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453734.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453734.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:09 EDT
There must be a simpler way to say that.

.I won the biggest race of my life,. Herbert says.

His reaction time . .018 off the line . was phenomenal. More phenomenal was the presence of his 10-year-old daughter, Jessie. It was her first race of the season. Usually reserved, she sprinted to her dad, and both were overcome with emotion. In Herbert's arms was Jessie and in his eyes were tears.

He adds: .I could just hear my son James saying, .Yeah, Dad!' ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453498.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453498.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:45 EDT
Then he made two costly mistakes.

First, Gordon moved up the track and allowed eventual winner Kyle Busch to pass him for the lead with four laps to go in the Coke Zero 400. Then, the four-time Cup Series champion had a sluggish restart with two laps remaining and got spun into the infield when he tried to block Carl Edwards.

What looked like a top-five finish all of a sudden became a 30th-place showing.

"It's unfortunate," Gordon said. "We had such a strong run. I'm more made that I let (Busch) get around me when I tried to go up and get that high line. I should have stayed on the bottom. My car was so good around the bottom. I'm more mad at myself than anything else."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453429.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453429.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:09 EDT
Busch saved his No. 18 Toyota on the apron of the race track and fought his way back into contention. He then took the lead with a pass on the low side of Jeff Gordon and held on through the mayhem of a wreck-filled green-white-checkered finish.

Busch won for the second time in three races and for the sixth time this season because he was barely ahead of Carl Edwards when a caution came out for a big wreck during the two-lap dash to the checkers.

The multicar crash that finally ended it was actually the second wreck after the final restart. Just as the leaders took the green, Carl Edwards got into Jeff Gordon and sent Gordon's car down toward the entrance to pit road. As Gordon tried to refire his Chevrolet, NASCAR allowed the field to keep racing.

Edwards mounted a challenge to Busch's outside and was almost even with the leader's Toyota as the white flag flew. But Busch was just in front on the inside in Turn 1 when the big wreck broke loose, and Busch, who finished second by a whisker in this race a year ago, was a winner again]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453372.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453372.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:09 EDT
Jon Wood took the green flag, then drove straight to his garage.

They were among a handful of drivers who made the 43-car field, but faced an uphill battle because they were forced to stick with qualifying setups for the Coke Zero 400. It was a calculated decision that got them into the race and gave them a chance to earn some much-needed points, but it also left them little chance to do much at NASCAR's most famous track because no changes could be made between qualifying and the race.

Wood didn't even bother to try to keep up. He drove his No. 21 Ford to the garage after the first lap for major changes. He eventually got back on the track but was eight laps down and well out of contention.

Allmendinger had even worse luck. He blew a right-front tire on lap 20, hit the wall and then watched his No. 84 Toyota get towed to the garage for good.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453367.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453367.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:09 EDT
Ryan Newman, who won the season-opening Daytona 500 in February, got spun by Jamie McMurray early in Saturday's Coke Zero 400. Pole-winner Paul Menard got his right-rear fender taped drastically to repair body damage.

Greg Biffle and Juan Pablo Montoya wrecked and brushed the wall on lap 70, and both cars ended up in the garage for major repairs.

Even Cup Series points leader Kyle Busch had trouble. Busch saved a potential wreck on lap 83 after his car wiggled through a turn, then he dropped to the back of the field and complained that his steering wheel was misaligned - a major issue when drivers are trying to keep their cars straight at nearly 200 mph.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453309.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453309.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:26 EDT
Stewart fell ill early Saturday morning with flu-like symptoms and wasn't able to finish Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, exiting his No. 20 Toyota under caution on Lap 72 and being replaced by driver J.J. Yeley.

Between multiple visits to the infield care center, Stewart participated in his hospitality functions Saturday, attended the mandatory drivers' meeting and prerace introductions.

However, before the race, Joe Gibbs Racing team president J.D. Gibbs told The Charlotte Observer and ThatsRacin.com it was unlikely that Stewart would be able to finish the race. "He's pretty sick," Gibbs said at the time.

Stewart tried, running in the top 10 virtually the entire time he was in the car. He was running seventh when he pitted under caution and got out of the car.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453299.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453299.html Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:12 EDT
Driver Mike Duvall was at the half-mile dirt track when the incident happened Thursday night and told the Herald-Journal of Spartanburg that 23-year-old Stacy Million is blessed to have survived.

Duvall says fellow driver Josh Hoots was going more than 80 mph when he hit a retaining wall, then flew over it.

Authorities say Million was hit by the car and knocked into a tow truck. She was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover.

Track owner Lennie Buff says the incident has led him to look into changes at the track.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453110.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/453110.html Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:34 EDT
THREE THINGS TO WATCH

1. Teams got only one practice in the afternoon heat on Thursday before racing cars the way they were for qualifying. Adjustments made as Saturday night's race goes along will be vital to success in the Coke Zero 400.

2. Six of the top-eight finishers in the Daytona 500 in February were Dodges, led by Penske Racing teammates Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch. Will the Dodge boys again be the ones to catch on a hotter, slicker race track in July?

3. Can the car leading the race when it takes the white flag hold on to win? That has not happened in the past three races held at Daytona, leading to some of the most memorable finishes in the track-s 50 seasons of racing.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/452727.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/452727.html Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:13 EDT
Another Nationwide Series race, another victory for Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 20 Toyota team. This time it was Denny Hamlin taking the win in Friday night's Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona International Speedway, holding off JGR teammate Kyle Busch in a green-white-checkered overtime.

The wins are coming so fast and so frequent and with so many drivers - four drivers have won nine races in the No. 20 this season - other competitors can't keep track.

In interviews following the race, Dale Earnhardt Jr. continually referred to Tony Stewart's victory. Stewart, for the record, won last week in the No. 20 at New Hampshire.

"I would have liked a one-two finish one way or the other and I figured since I was out front, it was my turn," said Hamlin, who earned his second victory of the season and seventh of his career. "It's just amazing all the hard work that has gone into what this team has accomplished this year."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/452673.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/452673.html Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:32 EDT
The team shut down one of its Sprint Cup teams Tuesday, knocking former open-wheel star Dario Franchitti out of NASCAR's top series and leading to 71 layoffs, but found plenty to celebrate at Daytona International Speedway.

First, Scott Pruett came from behind to win the Grand-Am Series race Thursday night. Pruett, who teamed with Memo Rojas to give Ganassi his fifth series victory this season, edged Alex Gurney in the closest finish in Grand-Am history.

Then, rookie Bryan Clauson won the pole for the Nationwide Series race Friday night. It was the first pole of Clauson's career, and at 19 years, 19 days, made him the youngest series pole winner at Daytona.

"We had a tough week," Clauson said. "We went through the big deal on Tuesday with people losing their job, shut down the 40 car and had a lot of friends in the company that aren't there anymore. It's been a tough weekend all around for our whole organization.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/452664.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/452664.html Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:12 EDT
Busch was making a long run, but had not used a full load of fuel when the tire gave way.

"I am a little concerned," Mark Martin said. "We will have to keep our eyes out and see if that was an isolated problem with (Busch's) car or if there could be some durability issues."

Martin said his car is set up to be loose, so he doesn't expect a problem with his right-front tire.

"If I have a problem I think it will be a right-rear," Martin said. "At least I will go in backward."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/452662.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/452662.html Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:00 EDT
So, naturally, Said had one eye to the sky on Friday.

"The clouds were hovering around all day and I was so nervous about it," said Said, who ran 185.181 mph to earn the No. 7 starting spot.

"Thank goodness we got in and got a chance to qualify."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/452660.html http://www.kentucky.com/614/story/452660.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:34 EDT
.. Tony Stewart knows thunderstorms are always a threat in Florida in July. He's ready if Saturday night's race is delayed. "I don't care if it finishes at 4:30. It could be 6:30, just as long as the sun is not coming up. That's the only condition I have. As long as the sun is not coming up by the time the race ends. I'm not really that much of a sun-coming-up-in-the-morning person."

.. Elliott Sadler has already had a big week. On Tuesday he proposed to his girlfriend, Amanda Prince, who is also from his hometown of Emporia, Va. She said yes, and they've already picked a January date for the wedding.]]>