Kevin Harvick overcame a bout with the flu and a wrecked race car to earn his second consecutive victory in the exhibition Budweiser Shootout on Saturday night.

Too ill to travel to Daytona International Speedway for the opening of Speedweeks, Harvick turned his Chevrolet over to Richard Childress Racing teammate Clint Bowyer for the first practice of the season. But Bowyer was caught in an early accident that destroyed the No. 29 and forced the team to pull out its backup.

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The first official day of NASCAR practice also produced the first official wreck of the season.

Near the end of Thursday’s first Budweiser Shootout practice session, Denny Hamlin hit Mark Martin’s car from behind. Seven cars became involved in the wreck and several others scattered into the infield grass.

“Yeah, it’s aggressive bump-drafting,” said Greg Biffle, who was involved in the wreck.

“That’s what we were looking for, aggressive bump-drafting. Trust me, we’re not finished.”

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Richard Petty’s wife, Lynda, has been diagnosed with CNS (Central Nervous System) Lymphoma. Mrs. Petty will be treated at the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Medical Center. “We are thankful for the medical team at Duke. My wife Lynda is in good hands,” Richard Petty said Thursday in a team statement. “The doctors and our family are very optimistic that the treatment for this cancer will be successful.” The Petty family appreciates the support from family, friends, and fans as well as the continued respect for their privacy during this time.

Solidifying an ownership alliance with Doug Yates and Yates Racing, Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins announces a name change to the organization. With the addition of Yates, the team will now officially be titled Front Row Motorsports with Yates Racing. Doug Yates will be the listed owner of the #37 and #38 Ford Fusions, with Bob Jenkins remaining the listed owner of the #34 Ford Fusion. The team will remain headquartered in Statesville, N.C. The alliance secures all three entries into the top 35 in owner points heading into the opening weekend of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. It also reunites Yates with his former drivers David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil. Continue reading ‘Front Row Motorsports Announces Partnership with Doug Yates’

The head of Toyota’s racing effort says the company’s massive recall announced this month and subsequent losses won’t affect the manufacturer’s NASCAR teams. “Our program is pretty well set,” Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development, said Friday. “Our program involves technical support more so than writing checks. TRD is very good at managing our budgets. … I honestly don’t think there will be any impact on the motorsports program. But we, like everybody, have to be smart and keep our programs where they’re success-oriented that reward winning, that reward good results and not just be out there for fun.” Continue reading ‘Toyota says recall won’t affect NASCAR’

Toyota dropped out of Formula One racing because of the world-wide recession.

Because of the disaster that’s struck the Japanese company in recent days, the question must be asked: how long will Toyota continue to pour millions into North America motorsport? Continue reading ‘Are Toyota’s days in NASCAR numbered?’

NASCAR has worked to reduce its own costs, two sources within the company have told the Observer and ThatsRacin.com. The salaries of some supervisors have been cut, along with the budgets of some departments, the sources said. Travel spending to get NASCAR officials and haulers to and from races was also cut, the newspaper and its racing site were told. Asked specifically about such moves, NASCAR’s Poston offered this statement:

“Last week, the NASCAR executive team met with the media to publicly discuss the business of the sport and relevant topics related to our business,” Continue reading ‘NASCAR to make internal budget cuts’

International Speedway Corp. saw its net income drop 95 percent from $134.6 million in 2008 to $6.8 million in 2009, with its 50 percent stake in merchandise company Motorsports Authentics costing $77.6 million on its 2009 balance sheet, according to its year-end financial report issued Thursday. The losses for Motorsports Authentics, owned 50-50 by ISC and track-operating rival Speedway Motorsports Inc., include an ISC write-down of its half of the worth of the company by $69.3 million and operating losses for 2009 of $8.3 million. ISC also announced that it believes Motorsports Authentics’ value of goodwill and intangible assets is zero as the company has not been able to pay guarantees under its current license agreements. Continue reading ‘Motorsports Authentics bogs down ISC’s 2009 finances’

NASCAR is cutting by about 10 percent the race winnings it will award teams in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series this season, officials confirmed on Friday. The reduction is part of cost-cutting measures that will alleviate some of the financial burdens on tracks that have suffered during a tough economic environment that has forced them to cut ticket prices with declining attendance.

“Last year we launched an industry-wide effort to help the sport manage budgets in this economy,” NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Friday. Continue reading ‘NASCAR cutting race purses to all three series’

NASCAR officials met with team principals on Tuesday to discuss upcoming initiative for the new season. One subject discussed was the possibility of a one-day test at Talladega before the Charlotte open test on March 23-24. Sprint Cup Series director John Darby confirmed that NASCAR is looking for a date. The one-day session at the superspeedway will help determine which restrictor plate will be used at the track and will allow teams to use spoilers instead of a rear wing. Continue reading ‘NASCAR talks to teams about Talladega tire test’

Defending, four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson crashed and suffered some bruising Thursday in opening practice for this weekend’s Rolex 24 At Daytona at Daytona International Speedway. Johnson crashed in the left-hand kink area of Daytona’s 3.56-mile road course driving the #99 Bob Stallings Chevy Riley Daytona Prototype. Continue reading ‘Johnson suffers bruises in wreck at Rolex 24 practice’

Furniture Row Racing will put the finishing touches on its technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing this week. A meeting is scheduled on Friday between principles of the two companies in hopes to strengthened the single car operation at FRR and in essence create a satellite fourth car for RCR. Continue reading ‘Furinture Row, RCR expected to finalize alliance’

What is power? In athletics it is usually thought of as bulging muscles and dominating performance. But in sports today, power has a different meaning, as well: the earning potential of athletes, owners, agents, communities, and brands, ranging from breakfast cereal to beer. Continue reading ‘Seven Cup drivers on America’s 100 Most Powerful Athletes list’

SPEED will open its 2010 Daytona Speedweeks coverage Feb. 4 with live coverage of Budweiser Shootout practice, the Budweiser Shootout Selection Show and the Fourth Annual SPEED Performance Awards. On Feb. 6, SPEED will bring race fans live and exclusive coverage of Danica Patrick’s stock car debut, as the popular open wheel racer makes her first ARCA Racing Series start for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports race team. Continue reading ‘SPEED sets Daytona Speedweeks Schedule’

Dale Earnhardt was honored with the Achievement in Motorsports Tribute Award Monday night at the 4th Annual North Carolina Motorsports Industry Awards hosted by the North Carolina Motorsports Association (NCMA). For the first time all seven of Dale Earnhardt’s former crew chiefs gathered on stage for a fireside chat moderated by long time Earnhardt gas man and Sirius NASCAR radio show host Danny “Chocolate” Myers. Continue reading ‘Dale Earnhardt and others honored by North Carolina Motorsports Association’