NASCAR sent a memo to Sprint Cup teams this week putting a limit on the amount of rear adjustment being made to create more sideforce.

Teams have been increasingly adjusting the rear housing in an attempt to close the gap on the No. 99 car of Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards, who has won three times on intermediate tracks this season.

The adjustment basically has the back tires turned to the right with a rear toe adjustment, allowing the car to enter the turns with more speed. It’s not visibly noticeable on the turns, but on the straightaways the car appears to be crabbing down the track sideways. Continue reading ‘NASCAR limits teams on rear axle adjustment to prevent ’sideways’ cars’

The future of Kentucky Speedway is expected to be addressed during a “major announcement” scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Concord, N.C.  Sources close to the speedway confirmed to the Enquirer tonight [May 21st] that Kentucky Speedway officials have been in talks with Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman and chief executive officer O. Bruton Smith about selling or partnering with the Sparta track owned by Jerry Carroll and his partners. Continue reading ‘Report: Bruton Smith to buy all or part of Kentucky Speedway’

*A Driver Named Mears Is Defending Champion — In Charlotte
*Kahne Looks For Follow-Up To All-Star Win
*Strategy A Key In NASCAR’s Longest Race
*Hornish, Allmendinger Boosted By All-Star Efforts
*600 Has Legacy Of Historic ‘Firsts’ Continue reading ‘Charlotte Coca Cola 600 preview’

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves said Wednesday he doesn’t plan to leave the IRL’s IndyCar Series for NASCAR any time soon. Continue reading ‘Castroneves refutes story that he will go to NASCAR’

UPDATE:

Ganassi driver Juan Montoya is not happy at all with the firing of Jimmy Elledge, his crew chief.

“I wasn’t really part of it, so, I am pretty frustrated,” Montoya said. “They told me ‘We are thinking of getting rid of Jimmy’ and I said ‘Don’t do it.’ Next thing I knew, they did. That’s what happened. You are going to have to ask somebody else about it, because I wasn’t involved in this.” Continue reading ‘Ganassi fires No 42 crew chief Jimmy Elledge-UPDATE’

Kevin Harvick has received a crash course on privacy laws, learned how long different drugs stay in the system, and tested the drivers and crew chiefs on the teams he owns.

A month after the startling admission by former Craftsman Truck Series driver Aaron Fike that he used heroin on the day of races, Harvick has jumped ahead of NASCAR by requiring the drivers and crews on his Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series teams to submit to drug tests. Continue reading ‘Harvick drug tests his teams, drivers’

Aflac Incorporated announced its signing of a full-season multi-year primary sponsorship of Roush Fenway Racing driver Carl Edwards and the #99 Ford Fusion. Additionally, Aflac continues its relationship as the official supplemental insurance company for Roush Fenway Racing and Carl Edwards. Continue reading ‘Aflac announces multi-year sponsorship of Edwards No 99′

One racer giving to his fellow competitor has been part of the family atmosphere of NASCAR racing for 60 years. But the actions of Kevin and DeLana Harvick at this weekend’s Carquest Auto Parts 300 exemplify helping your fellow man. Continue reading ‘Harvick gives Shepherd Nationwide car for Lowe’s, Jarrett buying tires’

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. announced today that H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, chief operating officer and president of Speedway Motorsports and president and general manager of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, is retiring from both positions following the Coca-Cola 600. A decision will be made on Wheeler’s successor in the near future by the Speedway Motorsports, Inc. board of directors. Continue reading ‘“Humpy” Wheeler to retire after Coca Cola 600′

DENISE MALOOF: Welcome to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teleconference ahead of Sunday’s Coca Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Our guest today is Mark Martin, former Coca Cola 600winner from 2002. Mark, welcome. Continue reading ‘Coca Cola 600 Interview: Mark Martin’

Driver Helio Castroneves, who is seeking to win his third Indianapolis 500 this weekend, said he is considering following several other open-wheel racers and moving to NASCAR but has made no decision yet. Continue reading ‘IndyCar star Helio Castroneves ponders move to NASCAR in 2009′

Petty Enterprises announced the plans to celebrate “The King” Richard Petty’s 50th anniversary in NASCAR. The plan includes Petty getting back into a racecar and turning laps at Chicagoland Speedway. On July 12, 1958, Petty made his first NASCAR start in the old Convertible Division at Columbia Speedway in Cayce, South Carolina. On July 12, 2008, Petty Enterprises and the entire NASCAR community will celebrate the anniversary of that race at the Chicagoland Speedway, where the Sprint Cup Series is competing in the Life Lock 400. Continue reading ‘A Golden Anniversary fit for “The King”’

It was a matchup NASCAR could only dream of: Melanie Troxel and Ashley Force going head-to-head in the first all-female Funny Car elimination round.

Troxel won the round, made it to the finals and ultimately claimed the title Sunday at Thunder Valley Nationals — making her the first woman in NHRA history to win in both its nitro classes. Troxel downplayed the significance of her matchup with Force, trying hard to remove gender from the historic moment.

“Everybody wants to make a big story about Ashley and I running against each other,’’ she said. “For me, it’s not about the other female out here. I think it’s pretty sad if we have to just compare ourselves against each other.’’

She’s right, of course. Female competitors are no longer a sideshow in most forms of racing, and Troxel’s championship proved women are succeeding at a consistent pace.

Except in NASCAR, that is. Continue reading ‘NASCAR still looking for its Danica Patrick, Ashley Force’

NASCAR officials won’t alter the minimum age limit for drivers in the Cup series for next season.

Series officials talked before the season about possibly raising the minimum age limit from 18 to 21 but decided against it.