Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, David Gilliland, David Stremme and Mark Green - subbing for Michael Waltrip - tested tires at Daytona today, which was interrupted by rain throughout the day.

UPDATE:
NASCAR fans will be able to watch live coverage of Wednesday’s media announcement by Dale Earnhardt Jr. on cable channel ESPNEWS and on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s signature broadband service. Coverage from Dallas begins at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Veteran open-wheel racer Patrick Carpentier tested with the No. 10 Valvoline Evernham Racing Nextel Cup team Monday at Kentucky Speedway.
Crew chief Rodney Childers directed the test, which Carpentier said allowed him to take 160 laps in a Cup car.

Former Formula One champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve is scheduled to make his NASCAR debut, driving Bill Davis Racing’s No. 27 Toyota in Saturday’s Smith’s Las Vegas 350 Craftsman Truck Series race.

NASCAR might be better off requiring less media advertising from a potential sponsor to replace Busch for NASCAR’s main support series, Anheuser-Busch Vice President Tony Ponturo said Tuesday.
Speaking following the announcement that Budweiser would sponsor Kasey Kahne next year in the Sprint Cup Series, Ponturo said his company has no interest in reconsidering its decision [...]

UPDATE:
Marcos Ambrose has chosen family over money, turning down the chance to compete in this weekend’s Nextel Cup race in Delaware [Dover]. The former V8 Supercar champion was entered to drive a #77 Robby Gordon Motorsport Ford at the race at Dover International Speedway. The deal was meant as a payback after Ambrose and Gordon [...]

Budweiser announced Gillett Evernham Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne will become the next world-class racer to take the wheel of the iconic red Budweiser car when the 2008 Sprint Cup season kicks off in February. “Budweiser has a long and storied history with NASCAR and some of its most successful drivers. We’re excited about Kasey’s ability [...]

Michael Waltrip hired Dr. Eric Warren as technical director, the first of many moves he hopes will strengthen his three-car team. Warren, who has a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from North Carolina State University, spent the last five years as technical director at Evernham Motorsports. He was replaced midway through this season as team owner [...]

UPDATE 3:
Officials from Anheuser-Busch and Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced Tuesday in a news conference that Budwesier would be the prime sponsor for Kasey Kahne in the team’s No. 9 Dodge beginning in 2008.
Budwesier moves from Dale Earnhardt Inc., where it sponsored Dale Earnhardt Jr.

If you’re a Dale Earnhardt fan and you like chocolate, you’ll likely love the new “collector edition” Hershey bars that will hit the market in January.
Hershey Co. unveiled four bars featuring different images of Earnhardt, two Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar designs, one Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almonds bar design and one Kit Kat wafer bar [...]