50 Cup teams run COT through paces at BMS By NASCAR.COM February 28, 2007 10:23 AM EST type size: + -During the break in the Nextel Cup Series schedule this weekend, a project that has been seven years in the making will have the opportunity for a full scale walk-through at Bristol Motor Speedway. Fifty Cup teams are scheduled to test Car of Tomorrow models on Wednesday and Thursday at Bristol. The test session is the third of seven scheduled Cup sessions this season. Previous tests this year have been conducted at Daytona and Las Vegas, while Richmond (April 3-4), Lowe's (May 7-8), Dover (May 14-15), and Talladega (Sept. 10-11) will host tests later in the year. "I just feel strongly that opening up a wider space of air will help the competition, help the drivers be able to pass better than they are able to now." -- Ned JarrettThe COT will make its race debut March 25 in the Food City 500 at the infamous .533-mile Bristol short track. That race marks the first of 16 events the COT will be on track in 2007, as NASCAR's new safety-oriented car will race at oval tracks less than 1.5 miles, along with the two road course events and the October race at 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway. "The Bristol test should be a good dress rehearsal for the race teams, drivers and NASCAR as we prepare for the first Car of Tomorrow race later next month," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition. "It should provide the teams with a good opportunity to fine tune their set ups and become more familiar with how their cars are going to handle and give NASCAR the chance to have a trial run in getting its inspection process for the new car all buttoned up." When the COT was introduced, it was met with a truckload of critics. It's too boxy, they said. It's a regression in technology. The changes can be made to the current cars. Today, the arguments have grown to include budget concerns, timeline issues and downright ugliness. But there's one argument that'll never hold merit in Gary Nelson's eyes. "Whatever argument people use, they can't argue the safety side of it," said Nelson, who at the time was NASCAR's vice president of research and development. "I sleep at night because we know this is a safer car

24 hours after Juan Montoya agreed to race for Chip Ganassi in the 2007 Nextel Cup series he was released from his Formula One (F1) team of McLaren-Mercedes. Seeing that he is now released from that contract it seems that the main concern is now when will we see him in a Nextel Cup Car? Currently plans are under way to have Formula One star Juan Montoya in a NASCAR Busch Series or Nextel Cup race by the middle of next month. Ganassi said the important thing for Montoya is getting comfortable with his new car and surroundings, whether it's in testing or in a simulator or just observing at the track. So for the rest of us we will just have to wait and see if he can have the same sucess as fellow IRL drivers Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon or even road course expert Jeff Gordon.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to Stafford Motor Speedway on May 26, for the annual Connecticut Classic 150. James Civali, a former competitor at Stafford in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series SK Modified ranks, will also return to Stafford sitting third in the series point standings.

Civali also currently leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings. After a couple Top-10 finishes in the first two events of the season Civali is hoping to continue his early season success in the Don King owned Ramar-Hall/Liberty Limousine Chevrolet. King and Civali teamed up in the off season after Civali mad a few starts in the family-owned modified last year. by Mark Mockovak

Welcome to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series teleconference. We're glad you could join us. First a bit of housekeeping. This week's Nextel Wake-Up Call begins at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the Lowe's Motor Speedway infield media center. Rick Hendrick will be the guest. A second wake-up call follows at 1:15 p.m. on Thursday with Goodyear's Stu Grant and the crew chief for the No. 16 National Guard Ford, which is Roush Racing's Doug Richert.

Jimmie Johnson is fresh off his latest victory at LMS, last week's All-Star Challenge. This week's Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend is a NASCAR tradition that dates to 1960. Jimmie is writing his own history at LMS. He won three straight Coca-Cola 600s, five out of the last six races at LMS, and four consecutive races there. Sunday night he'll try to become the first driver to win four straight Coca-Cola 600s and only the 10th driver to win four consecutive times in the same event.

Jimmie, what is your perspective on what you've accomplished in one of NASCAR's marquee events?

Posted by: BGerhart

With 43 drivers in the starting field of every NASCAR Nextel Cup race, there's no escaping the hard truth that every workday ends with one guy basking in Victory Lane and 42 heading home in a funk. Who consoles a stock-car racer after his day has been ruined by a blown tire, an ill-handling racecar or contact with a concrete wall?

In many cases: their pets.

“It doesn't matter what kind of day I've had on the racetrack or at home,” says two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, whose Chihuahua, Kayle, fits in one hand. “Kayle helps change my mood in a hurry.”

The bond between NASCAR's hard-charging drivers and their furry, four-footed pals is the subject of “Pit Road Pets: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets,” a 164-page hardcover book chock-full of anecdotes from nearly 50 NASCAR personalities about how they came to find, and love, their dogs, cats and other critters; handsome pictures of them cuddling together off the track; and, best of all, a strong message with 100 percent of the proceeds donated to a worthy cause.
By The Washington Post

Matt Kenseth
Lowe's Motor Speedway
1.5-mile oval, located in Concord, N.C.
NNCS: Coca-Cola 600
NBS: Carquest Auto Parts 300


FAST FACTS
* Matt Kenseth is the only driver in NASCAR history to win the Coca-Cola 600 as a rookie, when he did so in 2000.
* Kenseth has scored four career victories at Lowe’s Motor Speedway; 2000 Coca-Cola 600, 2004 All-Star Race, and two Busch Series wins.

* Tracking Kenseth’s turnaround; at this point in 2005 compared to this season
Rank Points Behind Wins Top Fives Top 10s
2006 – 3 1592 -94 1 6 7
2005 – 21 1097 -465 0 0 1

* Kenseth has four top-five finishes in six starts in the Coca-Cola 600.
* Kenseth made his first career NASCAR Busch Series start at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May of 1996, driving a Chevrolet for Wegner Racing; he finished 31st.
* Kenseth is 12th in the NBS point standings heading into Darlington despite having  by : MSulka

It took Mike Greenwell 10 years to go from the Green Monster of Fenway Park to the green flag of NASCAR racing.

The former Red Sox outfielder hung up his glove in 1996 eager to start a new athletic endeavor -- racing cars. After a decade spent toiling around in late models, Greenwell will finally make his NASCAR debut in Saturday night's Truck Series event at Mansfield (Ohio) Motorsports Speedway.

10 years after retiring from baseball, former Red Sox outfielder Mike Greenwell will attempt another sports endeavor. This time as a race car driver for NASCAR.

Heading from The Green Monster to the green flag, Greenwell, who hit .303 in his twelve years as a member of the Red Sox has been training for ten years to get to where he is today. by SI.com

NASCAR driver Kyle Busch pleaded guilty Tuesday to improper driving and was fined $150.

The plea, entered in Henrico General District Traffic Court, stems from an incident April 12 in suburban Richmond when Busch was ticketed for reckless driving after he pulled out of a gas station and into a fast-food restaurantBy the Associated Press

Coca-Cola 600 Car…The #22 Caterpillar car Dave Blaney is scheduled to drive this weekend in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway is chassis No. 65. The team was satisfied with the way the car handled in race trim last week during the NEXTEL Open and made the decision to bring the same car back this weekend.



· Backhoe Beauty…The Caterpillar #22 car will sport a special paint scheme for the Coca-Cola 600 this weekend. It will feature the new Caterpillar E-Series Backhoe Loaders. Three models from the Backhoe Loader Line have been updated, including the 416E, 420E and 430E. The newly styled Cat 416E Backhoe Loader has been worked into the design of Bill Davis's #22 car for the Sunday night race. To learn more about all the features of the new Caterpillar E-Series Backhoe Loaders, visit www.CAT.com.MSulka on

May 20 marked my sixth wedding anniversary, and per usual my wife and I celebrated our blessed union at ... luxurious Lowe's Motor Speedway. Nothing fuels the ol' romantic inferno quite like Sunoco 110.

Granted, there are worse places to commemorate the knot, especially considering that this year's go-round included stellar positioning at a Red Hot Chili Peppers set. We're both fans. So somewhere near the midnight hour we moseyed over to Turn 1 to take in the festivities.By Marty Smith

Spencer Clark, who made his Busch Series debut this year, and a crew member were killed in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 in New Mexico, authorities said.

Clark, 19, and Andrew Phillips, 28, were killed when their truck and trailer were hit by a gust of wind as they passed through the mountains just east of Albuquerque on Sunday night. The vehicle lost control and both men were ejected, state police spokesman Lt. Jimmy Glascock said. by ap

According to the National Post, veteran driver Jeff Burton could be the man behind the wheel of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo when it hits the track on June 19 or 20.

The test is seen as a precursor to NASCAR's announcement of a Busch Grand National race at the island circuit in 2007.

Burton, who would be racing at nearby Brooklyn, Michigan on June 18, says he hasn't been contacted for the test but would a willing participant.

"If I'm asked to test (in Montreal), I'll certainly find a way to make it happen," TSN.ca Staff

“Tony Stewart Live” will debut in January on Sirius’ upcoming 24/7 NASCAR channel. The weekly, two-hour show will feature Stewart taking calls from listeners, talking with guests and covering all sorts of motorsports – from NASCAR to open-wheel racing. Matt Yocum, who is a pit reporter for the NASCAR broadcasts on Fox/FX and NBC/TNT, will be Stewart’s co-host.

For those who like nascar this is great.

I dont know i think it is borring.  many think golf is borring but at least they do different shots. nascar just goes around and around.