NASCAR notebook

Notebook: Labonte will drive for JTG/Daugherty in 2011

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(July 28, 2010)

Bobby Labonte’s concerns about an uncertain future in NASCAR Sprint Cup racing have been settled.

JTG/Daugherty Racing, which fields Toyotas in partnership with Michael Waltrip Racing, will put Labonte behind the wheel of its No. 47 Camry for a full 36-race Cup schedule next season, the team announced Wednesday.

Labonte, 46, the 2000 Cup champion, made his 600th consecutive start in the series and his 602nd overall in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he finished 31st in James Finch’s No. 09 Chevrolet after sustaining damage in a wreck on the first lap.

Labonte started the season with TRG Motorsports, drove for Robby Gordon at New Hampshire and has spent the past three races in Finch’s car. Labonte will return to TRG’s No. 71 Chevrolet for Sunday’s Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway.

At JTG/Daugherty, Labonte will fill a void left by Marcos Ambrose, who on Tuesday announced his departure from the organization at the end of the season. Ambrose is the leading candidate to fill one of the empty seats at Richard Petty Motorsports, according to sources, though the driver denied he has already reached an agreement with RPM.

“JTG/Daugherty Racing is a solid race team that has come close to winning races with Marcos Ambrose, and I’m looking forward to developing our new partnership in 2011,” Labonte said.

“The team is thriving, and their technical alliance with MWR is intact. It’s great to have next year already set in stone so when this season ends we can begin focusing on next year right away.”

Carlson new president at Hendrick

Marshall Carlson will assume the duties of president and chief operating officer of Hendrick Motorsports, team owner Rick Hendrick announced Wednesday. Carlson, 37, was named executive vice president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports in 2005.

The office of president has been vacant since the death John Hendrick, Rick Hendrick’s brother, in the crash of a Hendrick plane en route to Martinsville in October 2004. Carlson is Rick Hendrick’s son-in-law.

“Marshall has the ability to plug into every aspect of our industry, from competition to marketing, at an extremely high level,” Hendrick said. “He’s versatile from a business perspective, and there’s a high degree of respect for him throughout the organization because of the way he treats people.”

Roush update

Jack Roush, co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing, remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition following a plane accident Tuesday night at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis. Roush is under observation for facial injuries sustained in the accident, Roush Fenway Racing said Wednesday.

His passenger, Brenda Stricklin, was treated at a local hospital and released Wednesday afternoon.

New spotter for Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon will have a new spotter this week at Pocono, after the hiring of Jeff Dickerson, who split with driver Kyle Busch earlier this month after an association that dates to Busch’s days at Hendrick Motorsports.

Dickerson replaces Shannon McGlamery, who has spotted for Gordon since 2007.
 
Owners meet at HMS

NASCAR is concerned about the state of stock car racing, and so are team owners, as evidenced by a town hall-style meeting Tuesday at Hendrick Motorsports involving at least 10 teams.

Team owners and representatives met at HMS to discuss how to improve the industry without raising costs, according to The Associated Press. NASCAR was aware of the meeting, the AP reported.

NASCAR By The Numbers

NASCAR Number

By Bill Marx
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(July 28, 2010)

978: Miles between Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, and Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. The Nationwide race is Saturday night in Iowa, and the Sprint Cup race is Sunday afternoon in Pennsylvania. Eight drivers are expected to make the commute to compete in both races: Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards, Paul Menard, Kyle Busch, Reed Sorenson, Kevin Harvick, Michael McDowell and Joe Nemechek.

Rowdy.com Podcast – July 29

On today’s show:

• Is everybody leaving Richard Petty Motorsports?
• Why Mark Martin is angry.
• Jeff Gluck lays the hammer down on NASCAR.

To listen to the podcast, please click here.

Star Mazda Autobahn Double Header Live on HDnet

Autobahn Country Club / Joliet, IL (July 27, 1010 ) — The battle for the 2010 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear roars into the second half of the 13-race season with Rounds 8 & 9 at this weekend’s HARRAH’S Autobahn Grand Prix presented by MAZDA.  Fans can watch the action live on HDnet as drivers battle for the inaugural VISITFLORIDA Cup a 7-race championship-within-a-championship sponsored by Florida’s official tourism corporation.  The broadcast, airing both Saturday, July 31 and Sunday August 1, begins with a half-hour pre-race show beginning at 12:30 pm Central / 1:30 pm Eastern, followed by three hours of live racing, including the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda and the Playboy MX-5 Cup.  The two 45-minute Star Mazda Championship races are both scheduled to start at 3:05 pm Central / 4:05 pm Eastern.

There are a variety of intriguing story lines among the ranks of Star Mazda Championship drivers.  Three different drivers have won the last three races, including Frenchman Tristan Vautier (#38 Andersen Racing / Moulin TP / Cecibon / Circuit du Laquais Mazda) in Race 7 / Round 2 at New Jersey Motorsports park on June 27, Brazilian Caio Lara (#19 JDC Motorsports / MLD / ATW Mazda) in Race 6 / Round 1 at NJMP and Conor Daly (#22 Juncos Racing / INDECK / The College Network / Merchant Services Ltd. Mazda) in Round 5 at 7/8ths mile Iowa Speedway on June 19.

Of course, Daly also won the three races prior to that (including the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and O’Reilly Raceway Park), becoming one of only four drivers in the 20 year history of the Star Mazda Championship to have won four races in a row (Joey Hand in 1999, Michael McDowell in 2004 and Raphael Matos in 2005).  As a result, he currently leads the championship battle with 289 points, 41 points ahead of his nearest competitor…. and he did finish 3rd and 5th in this event last year. 

Given, however, that Star Mazda awards 44 points to the winner of a race, and six races remain in the season, Daly’s string of wins is a substantial accomplishment, but his lead in the championship points battle is scarcely commanding. 

Currently second in the championship is Norwegian racer Anders ‘The Viking’ Krohn (Anders ‘The Viking’ Krohn (#47 Andersen Racing / Norse Cutting & Abandonment / Trallfa / Colosseum Mazda) with 248 points.  Krohn has yet to win a race this season, but he started from the pole in the season-opener at Sebring and has put together a record of three podium finishes and seven top-5s.  Driving for a different team in 2009, Krohn finished 10th and 12th at Autobahn. 

Also well-placed in the points battle, though this is his rookie year and he, too, has yet to win a race, is Brazilian racer Joao Victor Horto (#18 Team Apex / Wabash Capital Investments Mazda).  With four podiums and six finishes in the top-7, Horto has 234 points and is making the most of the excellent equipment given him by Team Apex, also in its first season of Star Mazda competition.  Frenchman Tristan Vautier, the only driver other than Daly to have won more than one race this season, is 4th in the championship with 226 points.  He won the season-opener at Sebring, and the most recent Race 2 / Round 7 at New Jersey, but suffered a mechancial problem while leading Round 3 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca that relegated him to 13th, and his other finishes include a pair of 6ths, an 8th and a 9th.  That said, he is always fast in practice and the race, and must be considered a serious contender at Autobahn.  Fifth in the championship with his breakthrough win in Race 1 / Round 6 at New Jersey is the likeable young Brazilian racer Caio Lara, a third-year driver in the Star Mazda Championship.

Also keep an eye on a hungry young driver named Connor De Phillippi, driving the #11 JDC Motorsports / MAZDASPEED Motorsports / Skip Barber Mazda.  He won the 2009 Skip Barber Pro Series and is driving in the 2010 Star Mazda championship with backing from the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder, the unique and prestigious automaker-backed program that helps champions at each level of open-wheel racing move up the ladder.  He has four top-5s and has finished in the top-8 at every race so far this year; he is currently 6th in the championship with 220 points.

Three reigning champions from open-wheel ‘ladder series’ will be part of the 23+ car Star Mazda Championship field at the Autobahn Grand Prix.  Included are 2009 Skip Barber Pro Series winner Connor De Phillippi, 2009 F2000 champion Chris Miller(#85 JDC Motorsports / Miller Milling / Red Line Oil) and 2009 Venezuelan FF1600 champion Carlos Linares (#20 Linares Racing / Instituto Nacional De Deportes).

The Star Mazda Championship also features a race-within-a-race for Expert (ages 30 -44) and Master (45 and older) Series drivers; company presidents and entrepreneurs in high-speed, wheel-to-wheel battles with top young drivers from around the world.  Top Expert Series drivers include Texan J.W. Roberts (#65 Team GDT / General Data Tech Mazda) who leads the points battle with four in-class wins.  Top Master Series racers include points leader Gerry Kraut (#55 JDC Motorsports / Dougherty & Co. / Dougherty Funding LLC Mazda, as well as Walt Bowlin (#23 AIM Autosport / Tampa Bay Jaw Surgery Mazda).    Leading the Master Series is Gerry Kraut (#55) from North Oaks, Minnesota; other competitors include Puerto Rican racer Carlos Conde (#31 Team GDT / Pronto-GMT / Olympus Securities Mazda), Dom Bastien (#37 Andersen Racing Mazda) of West Palm Beach, Florida and, from Tarpon Springs, Florida, Walt Bowlin (#23 AIM Autosport / Tampa Bay Jaw Surgery Mazda).

Unique local racers competing this weekend span the spectrum from a 19 year-old female champion to a 50 year-old former competition acrobatic pilot and soybean meal trader from the Chicago Board of Trade.  Ashley Freiberg of Homer Glen, Illinois, is a 19 year-old rising star who has already made history as the first female driver to win both a regional Skip Barber Championship and a Skip Barber Championship national race.  She has also driven midgets and stock cars and was an instructor at the AMG Driving Academy teaching female Olympic Silver Medalists and X-Games World Champions how to drive.

Jeff Garibotti, 50, is a Chicago native, soybean meal trader at the Chicago Board of Trade and former competitive acrobatic pilot who will be making his professional racing debut in the Star Mazda Championship race at Autobahn.  A member at Autobahn since it opened in 2004, Garibotti will be competing in the ‘Master Series,’ a race-within-a-race for drivers aged 45 and older who battle wheel-to-wheel battle at 160 mph with top young racers from around the world.  Drivers aged 30 – 44 compete in the Expert Series.

Bob Kaminsky of Homer Glen, IL (#28 Team Apex / Air Tigers, Inc.) is competing in the Master Series category with the hot new Team Apex.  He is a highly-experienced racer with over 42 national championship race victories to his credit and holds professional racing licenses with SCCA (Sports Car Club of America), IMSA (International Motor Sports Association), Champ Car, and the Indy Racing League.  In 1997, after racing eight or nine years, he won a Formula Mazda championship, which got him an Indy car test where he earned his Indy car license.  Kaminsky is the owner of Air tigers, Inc. a heating and air conditioning company that features a fleet of service vehicles painted in tiger stripes.

This weekend’s venue is just like a country club, but with a racetrack instead of a golf course.  Located in Joliet, IL, the Autobahn country Club is a membership facility that offers enthusiasts the opportunity to drive their high-performance cars at high speeds an environment that is safe, scenic and challenging.  Also offered are driving instruction and corporate events, as well as race weekends like the HARRAH’S Autobahn Grand Prix presented by MAZDA.  Five different racing series will be on the program for the HARRAH’S Autobahn Grand Prix presented by MAZDA, including the Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup and the USF2000 National Championship presented buy Mazda.  There will be two 45-minute Star Mazda Championship races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.  Both will get the green light for the Series’ traditional Formula 1-style ’standing start’ at 3:05 pm.  Drivers and teams will start arriving in the Chicago/Joliet area on Wednesday, July 28.  There is a ‘test day’ on Thursday, July 29, with official practice beginning on Friday, July 30. 

Star Mazda Championship drivers benefit from two separate but complimentary development programs.  The MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder will provide financial backing for the Star Mazda champion to move up to a funded drive in a Mazda-powered race car in 2011.  And the IndyCar’s ‘Road to Indy’ program is designed to provide a clearly-defined path for drivers whose goal is to race in IndyCars and the Indy 500.  The 2011 prize package includes an Indy Lights test for the series champion with a top team in the series.

Star Mazda drivers are competing for $1.5 million in prizes, including a MAZDA-backed drive for the 2011 season in the next step up the motorsports ladder, $100,000 in cash, a test with a top team in the Indy Lights series and the VISIT FLORIDA Cups, a 5-weekend, 7-race championship-within-a-championship in which the driver scoring the most points wins a personalized Florida dream vacation.

Off the track … with Justin Allgaier

From the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(July 28, 2010)

Sporting News goes behind the scenes—and off the track—with 2009 Nationwide Series rookie of the year Justin Allgaier.

My first car was … a ’95 Camaro Z28.

My dream car is … If I could figure out how to put my racecar on the street, I’d do it.

My average freeway cruising speed is … probably 75.

The best cruising music is … I have a very eclectic listening style. It might be country, rock, Christian—you just never know what’s going to be on the radio when you’re riding with me.

When I get a flat I … get very upset. I hit a pothole last year on the way home from Texas, and it was not the highlight of my day. But I changed the tire myself.

Hybrids are … the wave of the future, and it’s very important to save the environment.

I change my oil … every 3,000 miles. We have great Mobil 1 oil, so if I go a little longer, it doesn’t really matter that much.

My No. 1 car tip is … understand your car and know how to drive it before you get behind the wheel.

My No. 1 pet peeve with fellow motorists is … stupid drivers. And driving slow in the fast lane is horrible.

The last time I got a speeding ticket was … never. I figure one’s coming before long, but I tend to try to drive pretty safely.

On a scale of 1-10 my road rage rating is … I’d say 5. I’m pretty conservative.

I wouldn’t be caught dead in … a hearse.

— Reid Spencer, Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

Roush’s plane-crash injuries not life-threatening

Roush’s plane-crash injuries not life-threatening

Special to Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(July 27, 2010)

Jack Roush has been hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries suffered from a crash that occurred as he attempted to land his plane Tuesday night at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh , Wis., according to a statement from Roush Fenway Racing and a statement posted on the website of the Experimental Aircraft Association.

The EAA’s annual AirVenture event is this week in Oshkosh.

The Raytheon Premier jet, registered to Roush Fenway Racing, was split in half during the landing accident, which occurred at about 7:15 p.m. ET.

According to the EAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the two occupants on board were team co-owner Jack Roush and Brenda Stricklin, who each exited the aircraft following the accident. Both were transported to local hospitals. Roush was in serious but stable condition with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the Roush Fenway Racing statement. Stricklin also was hospitalized with injuries not considered life-threatening, according to the EAA.

Jason McDowell, an aviation photographer who was at the airport, tweeted a photo of Roush exiting the plane with a bloody face.

Roush nearly lost his life while piloting a small plane near Troy , Ala. , on his 60th birthday on April 19, 2002. He hit a power line and landed upside down in eight feet of water. The longtime NASCAR team owner was not breathing when he was rescued and sustained a broken leg, a collapsed lung and head injuries.

Sporting News Power Poll

Sporting News Power Poll after Indianapolis

By the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(July 27, 2010)

Sprint Cup points leader Kevin Harvick returned to the top of the Sporting News Power Poll this week. Harvick finished second Sunday at the Brickyard for his series-high 14th top 10. Race winner Jamie McMurray climbed eight spots to fifth after posting consecutive top-five finishes for the first time since the final three races of 2008. The weekly poll is a collaboration of Sporting News and Rowdy.com.

1. Kevin Harvick (last week: 4th) Far and away the most consistent driver all season, and he nearly won his second race at the Brickyard.

2. Jeff Burton (2nd) When the pay window opened, Burton was there again, and he finished sixth for his third straight top 10.

3. Clint Bowyer (7th) RCR has the Brickyard figured out, but Bowyer is also driving very well. It was his second straight fourth-place finish, giving him three top fives this season.

4. Tony Stewart (10th) Smoke is still looking for a win, but he’s killing ’em with top fives.

5. Jamie McMurray (13th) The Chase is far-fetched for McMurray, but he wouldn’t trade his two major wins for a spot in the top 12.

6. Greg Biffle (19th) One of the two fastest machines at Indy, and the Roush cars seem to be turning better than they have in more than a year. Perhaps a flicker of hope for the Chase?

7. Jeff Gordon (1st) Never in the mix at Indy; two cut tires made it worse.

8. Carl Edwards (3rd) New equipment casts some light at the end of the tunnel for the Roush boys.

9. Jimmie Johnson (5th) Finished outside the top 10 for the third consecutive race, the second time Johnson has done that this season.

10. Kyle Busch (14th) After causing a wreck on Lap 1, Busch rebounded for a top 10. But the Gibbs cars appear to be in a midsummer swoon.

11. Kurt Busch (11th) Busch recorded his first Brickyard top 10 for Roger Penske. His other three date back to the Roush days.

12. Denny Hamlin (9th) Fought to get back on the lead lap to finish 15th after his early overheating problem. But still very disappointing for a guy who has won five races.

13. Matt Kenseth (12th) Kenseth finished outside the top 10 for the seventh straight race.

14. Kasey Kahne (8th) Kahne is 156 points out of the Chase with six races to go. His average finish since the all-star race is 12.8. He needs to do much better if he is to make the Chase.

15. Mark Martin (17th) Showed more speed at Indy than he has in a while but still couldn’t manage a top 10.

16. David Reutimann (6th) Reutimann got caught up in Kyle Busch’s spin on the first lap and finished 28th. The last time he finished outside of the top 20 was in April at Texas.

17. Joey Logano (21st) Some of his best finishes this year have come on some of NASCAR’s toughest (and flattest) tracks. Second at Martinsville and ninth-place runs at Loudon and Indy.

18. AJ Allmendinger (15th) The Dinger finished the race exactly where he started it—in 16th.  At least he’s consistent.

19. Ryan Newman (20th) From two laps down to a top 20—thanks to the wave-around and lucky dog rules.

20. Paul Menard (18th) A decent run on Sunday fuels rumors sending him to RCR for 2011.

21. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (16th) Had what he thought was a top-10 car—until Juan Pablo Montoya crossed his path.

22. Juan Pablo Montoya (22nd) Montoya now has the same number of top 10s as he has finishes worse than 30th—eight.

23. David Ragan (24th) Bad luck masked a pretty strong run for the 6 car.

24. Martin Truex Jr. (23rd) Looked for a while as though he might contend for a Chase spot. Oh, well.

25. Brad Keselowski (NR) No problems with Edwards at least.

NASCAR By the Numbers

NASCAR Number

By Bill Marx
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(July 27, 2010)

1.000: Kasey Kahne’s winning percentage in the truck series. Kahne has started two truck races and won them both—at Darlington and Homestead, the final two races of the 2004 season. He will try to make it three in a row in Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway. Kahne is driving the No. 18 for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Rowdy.com Podcast – July 27

On today’s show:

• Marcos Ambrose is leaving JTG Daugherty Racing at the end of the season.
• No, Jamie McMurray is not dating Chip Ganassi.
• Mystery fines from NASCAR.

To listen to the podcast, please click here.

Marcos Ambrose leaving JTG

Ambrose leaving JTG, could land at Petty Motorsports

Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
(July 27, 2010)

Marcos Ambrose has decided to leave JTG Daugherty Racing at the end of the season, the team announced Tuesday.

Ambrose, in his second full year of Sprint Cup racing for the team, is a disappointing 27th in the standings after finishing 18th last year in his first full season.

Ambrose has been with the team for five years—one season in trucks, two in Nationwide and then two in Cup. Ambrose has recorded five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in his Cup career, which includes 11 races in 2008.

“After five years, I personally felt it was time for a change,” Ambrose said. “I have no firm plans of what will come next for me and my career.

“I would like to continue in NASCAR and finish off what I started, but I have not discounted returning to Australia. I’m grateful to JTG Daugherty Racing for giving me an opportunity to become a NASCAR driver and I wish them the best in the future.”

Even though he has “no firm plans,” Ambrose is a candidate to replace Kasey Kahne in the No. 9 or Elliott Sadler in the No. 19 at Richard Petty Motorsports, sources close to the situation said. Kahne announced he would leave RPM in April and that he had signed to drive the No. 5 car for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2012. Sadler announced earlier this month he would not return to RPM. Neither has announced plans for 2011.

With a career-best second at Watkins Glen last year, Ambrose nearly pulled off his first career Cup win at Infineon Raceway last month but accidentally stalled his car while trying to save fuel late in the race.

Ambrose has two Nationwide victories, both at Watkins Glen, driving for JTG Daugherty Racing.

JTG Daugherty Racing is an affiliate of Michael Waltrip Racing and is based at the MWR shop. Team co-owner Tad Geschickter made the move to Cup with Ambrose after several years in the Nationwide Series.

“Marcos is a friend, and he is a great talent,” Geschickter said. “He will be an asset to his next team. While we hate to see him move on at the end of the season, we will remain focused on winning races with Marcos.”

JTG did not say who would replace Ambrose in its No. 47 Toyota but said it would make an announcement in the “near future” concerning its driver for 2011.