Christian Science Monitor

Craig Hibdon, an instructor at the NASCAR Institute of Technology, holds up a dial caliper that can measure engine parts to one-thousandth of an inch: "A nice little tool," he tells students in his NASCAR Engines I course.

Next door, at PIT Instruction and Training, coach Andrew Carter models proper hip placement, footwork, and weight distribution to achieve a 13-second pit stop.

And down the road at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, graduates are shopping their motorsports-engineering degrees among the many racing teams based in their school's backyard.

It's all part of a wider boom in NASCAR-oriented college-level courses being offered throughout the South and particularly in greater Charlotte, home to Lowes Motor Speedway and scores of NASCAR team headquarters - and it's one of myriad ways that the NASCAR craze has transformed this region.

Chicago Sports: "The promoter of Montreal's race track is lobbying to bring NASCAR to Canada and says his facility is the best place to host the stock cars.

Normand Legault said he's had preliminary talks with NASCAR executives in an effort to bring the United States' top racing series to the road course at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

'I would love to have it here. It is a super, super show,' Legault said. 'I am quite sure Canadian fans would take to NASCAR racing just like a match to dry wood.'

NASCAR expanded into Mexico this year, staging a junior division Busch Series race at a road course in Mexico City. Although executives have explored reaching into Canada, NASCAR repeatedly has said it has no plans to do so. The focus is currently on bringing a race to New York City and expanding into the Pacific Northwest. "

danicaracing.com: With all the media attention it is easy to forget that Danica Patrick will make just her sixth IRL IndyCar Series start this weekend and will run just her seventh oval race of her racing career. Patrick, currently ninth in the championship, has become the focus of an international media blitz, which has included all the major US television networks, front page stories in most major US daily newspapers and the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Patrick’s cover of SI marks the first time an IndyCar driver has been the feature on the cover since June of 1985 when Danny Sullivan graced the cover for his Indy triumph. Eighteen years ago Al Unser Sr. made the cover of SI as a inset in 1987 when he captured his fourth Indianapolis 500 victory. So when can we expect to get something like that in Nascar.
Photo courtesy of danicaracing.com

]]> 2005-06-18T10:00:01Z 2005-06-03T13:29:19Z tag:www.nicheblogs.net,2005:/nascar//12.352 2005-06-03T13:29:19Z

In a time when everyone is serious about professional athletes using illegal substances, NASCAR suspended Shane Hmiel yesterday after he failed a drug test for the second time in as many years.Mercury News: "NASCAR suspended Busch Series driver Shane Hmiel...

Loyd loyd.schutte@gmail.com Busch In a time when everyone is serious about professional athletes using illegal substances, NASCAR suspended Shane Hmiel yesterday after he failed a drug test for the second time in as many years.

Mercury News: "NASCAR suspended Busch Series driver Shane Hmiel indefinitely Thursday for his second violation of the racing organization's substance-abuse policy.

Results were positive from a banned-substances test on Hmiel following Busch qualifying at Lowe's Motor Speedway at Concord, N.C., last month, according to a statement issued by NASCAR.

Hmiel, 25, first was suspended in September 2003 and sat out the rest of that season. NASCAR reportedly has tested other drivers over the past two years, but Hmiel is the only driver suspended for substance-abuse violations. NASCAR did not specify the substance in either of Hmiel's suspensions."

]]> 2005-06-07T10:00:01Z 2005-05-23T19:21:34Z tag:www.nicheblogs.net,2005:/nascar//12.324 2005-05-23T19:21:34Z

So if you get tired of watching the Nextel Cup series or the Busch series on TV and you live in the greater Tri-State area then maybe it's time you get a little down-and-dirty and get back to the roots...

Loyd loyd.schutte@gmail.com So if you get tired of watching the Nextel Cup series or the Busch series on TV and you live in the greater Tri-State area then maybe it's time you get a little down-and-dirty and get back to the roots of racing. Tim over at Reveries has a great snippit on rough-and-ready racing at the Orange County (home of Orange County Choppers) Speedway outside Middleton, New York.

Reveries:

Primal Races. "This is about as far away from Nascar Nextel Cup racing as a fan can get," writes Dave Caldwell in The New York Times, referring to the races at the Orange County Fair Speedway outside Middletown, New York. "The track, 70 miles northwest of Manhattan, is more dimly lighted than a high school football field ... As the racers rumble around corners, they stir wind-whipped clouds of clay dust," driving "stubby slingshot dragsters, with cockpits surrounded by flat panels that make the cars look like cartoon versions of sedans, and they spend most of their time skidding through turns." No "scoreboards or big-screen televisions" here, but you can catch all the action by tuning into an announcer via an on-premise FM station.

The spectators, well, many of them watch the races from their own cars or trucks, paying anywhere between $10 to $27 to "park on a hill overlooking the five-eighths-mile oval." Yes, kind of like a drive-in movie. But you've got to get there real early to get a parking spot. Only 300 spots and if you want one, plan on showing up at least "three hours before the first race." Because you can count on guys like John Noyes beating you to it. John's been coming to the drive-in track every Saturday "for years," tailgating with neighbors while waiting to watch his nephew take to the speedway. This year, the season runs from April 16 through September 17, and John says he won't miss a one, "unless I get sick or something."

]]> 2005-06-06T10:00:01Z 2005-05-23T04:05:56Z tag:www.nicheblogs.net,2005:/nascar//12.320 2005-05-23T04:05:56Z

Mark Martin wins the All-Star Race and $1 million dollars! BBC Sports: "Mark Martin claimed Nascar's annual All-Star race for the second time at Concord, North Carolina on Saturday. The 46-year-old won the 90-lap race, which is broken into three...

Loyd loyd.schutte@gmail.com Mark Martin wins the All-Star Race and $1 million dollars!

BBC Sports: "Mark Martin claimed Nascar's annual All-Star race for the second time at Concord, North Carolina on Saturday.

The 46-year-old won the 90-lap race, which is broken into three parts, ahead of Elliot Sadler and Brian Vickers.

Martin was second behind Sadler on a restart with 19 laps left, but Sadler bumped him as he pulled away and Martin was able to dash into the lead.

'I'll be back next year if you give me a ride,' said Martin, who picked up $1m in prize money.

As an All-Star winner, Martin is eligible to enter the challenge every year even if he does not compete in the regular season."

]]> 2005-06-04T10:00:01Z 2005-05-20T23:39:39Z tag:www.nicheblogs.net,2005:/nascar//12.316 2005-05-20T23:39:39Z

NASCAR: "NASCAR Day is being celebrated across the United States today, as the largest annual charity event of NASCAR is bringing together fans from all walks of life for the common cause of helping young people. For a $5 donation,...

Loyd loyd.schutte@gmail.com NASCAR: "NASCAR Day is being celebrated across the United States today, as the largest annual charity event of NASCAR is bringing together fans from all walks of life for the common cause of helping young people.

For a $5 donation, fans can receive a commemorative 2005 NASCAR Day lapel pin and have the opportunity to wear their favorite NASCAR apparel to work today. Proceeds go to the three NASCAR Day designated charities -- Victory Junction Gang Camp, Speedway Children's Charities, and Speediatrics. Each organization shares the common denominator of improving the lives of children in need.

More than 2,500 companies nationwide are participating in NASCAR Day, more than triple last year's number. There is corporate participation in all 50 states, with more than 1 million corporate employees exposed to NASCAR Day. To date, 25 Governor's Offices have officially proclaimed May 20 as NASCAR Day in their respective states.

It's still not too late for fans to participate in NASCAR Day. Pins may be purchased at all AutoZone Stores across the country, at SunTrust Bank branches in the southeast and on NASCAR.com"

In addition to the nine races announced earlier this year, Office Depot will appear as the primary sponsor on the No. 99 Ford for eight additional races this season. The schedule includes both races at Dover, the two road course tracks (Infineon and Watkins Glen) and the second races at Pocono, Bristol, Martinsville and Phoenix. With the addition of these races, Office Depot will appear on Edwards' No. 99 Ford for six of the final 10 races in the 'Chase for the NEXTEL Cup.'
"

Mercury News: "Clouds of smoke pouring from open grills will have a Golden Triangle flavor for 100,000-plus NASCAR fans on hand in Charlotte, N.C., this weekend and in the future.

West Point-based 2 Brothers, which entered the highly competitive grilling market in January 2004, has been named the official barbecue sauce of NASCAR, a distinction that company officials and marketers say will be a boon to the company.

'The NASCAR audience is dead on our demographic,' said 2 Brothers President Mike Reilly from his car as he drove from Atlanta to Charlotte for this weekend's All-Star Challenge.

He was taking 30 cases of the sauce for sampling by race fans this weekend.

'We're in the South. If we don't know barbecue, who does, Reilly said."

TSN.ca: "Kurt Busch has been ordered by NASCAR to start behaving like a champion. His first test will be the All-Star race, an event at which Busch has struggled to stay out of trouble.

The defending Nextel Cup champion has had at least two gaffes in the $1-million US race, including triggering an 11-car accident last year that wrecked both Busch and teammate Greg Biffle. He also admitted to intentionally spinning Robby Gordon in 2002 to bring out a caution that would regroup the field and give Busch a chance to win the race."

The Auto Channel: "An overwhelming response from NASCAR fans has prompted Nextel Communications, Inc. to extend fan voting for the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. Fans can continue to cast votes and put an eligible driver into the event until Thursday, May 19.

'The number of fans voting to put a driver into the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge has been tremendous,' said Michael Robichaud, senior director of sports and entertainment marketing for Nextel. 'We want to keep that momentum rolling and allow all fans that would like their say in the outcome to have a chance to vote.'

Nextel's fan-voting program put veteran driver Ken Schrader into the all-star field in 2004, when more than 200,000 fans participated. Race fans have surpassed that number of votes in just three weeks, and to date, more than 300,000 fans have already made a driver selection and this extension allows even more fans to cast their ballot.

'I hope all NASCAR fans will take advantage of the opportunity and vote, even if your favorite driver is already qualified,' said Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Dodge Dealers Charger and is hoping to be voted into the race. 'The NEXTEL All-Star Challenge has produced some exciting finishes over the years. It'll be no different this year. That's the way it is under the lights at Lowe's Motor Speedway with a million dollars up for grabs...strange things happen.'"

To get your vote in go online to www.nextel.com/allstar.

Daytona Beach News Journal: "Call it blind optimism or dogged persistence, but local officials won't let a little thing like no state money stop them from trying to bring the NASCAR hall of fame here.

'We're not going to lose a beat,' John Saboor, executive director of the Central Florida Sports Commission, said Friday afternoon as it looked increasingly likely the Florida Legislature wouldn't deliver the $30 million locals were seeking for the project.

The focus now will shift to private sources of money, said Saboor, noting that supporters had alternatives in mind all along in case state funding fell through. Asked if plans might include loans to be repaid from hall of fame operations and future grants, Saboor said, 'all of the above.'

State funding was considered essential in a feasibility study funded by Daytona Beach officials. Now that the money isn't coming through, it's deemed less essential.

'I am still of the belief that this project can be financed and is extremely viable,' Saboor said."

ESPN: "Kurt Busch hit the wall on the first lap at Darlington Raceway. Then he hit an official with a water bottle, bad-mouthed NASCAR over his radio and ended up in a closed-door meeting with series officials.

'His actions were certainly not befitting of a champion,'' NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said after the Dodge Charger 500. 'He said things that are not fit for print.''

Busch, the defending Nextel Cup champion, finished 37th on Saturday night and dropped two spots in the standings to fourth. He now trails leader Jimmie Johnson by 229 points."

Mansfield News Journal: "The entry list for a typical truck race reads like a who's who of NASCAR. Former Cup standouts like Gaughan, Jimmy Spencer, Bobby Hamilton, Todd Bodine, Ricky Craven, Johnny Benson, Steve Park and Ted Musgrave have joined Skinner, Hornaday and Sprague.

'The Craftsman Truck Series has more competition now than it's ever had,' Gaughan said. 'To win this series is going to be a serious deal from now on. I'd say there are 16 drivers every week now that can win a race. In the past, there were five or six or seven who had a legit shot.'

Adding to the depth are longtime truck standouts like Dennis Setzer, Rick Crawford, David Starr, Chad Chaffin, Matt Crafton and Terry Cook, while up-and-comers like last year's top rookie David Reutimann, Chase Montgomery, Todd Kluever, Tracy Hines and Brandon Whitt make the fields even stronger."