Archive for February 14th, 2007

Earnhardt tries to keep focus on racing

Posted by admin on February 14th, 2007

He’s NASCAR’s most popular driver, with a devoted fan base known as The Red Army. He’s mobbed at tracks, stars in commercials with Jay-Z and routinely is invited everywhere from the MTV Music Awards to parties with the Playboy playmates. Yet for a long time, Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn’t seem to realize his worth.

Penske still looking for first NASCAR title

Posted by admin on February 14th, 2007

Roger Penske is the same suave, silver-haired titan whose open-wheel team has won 14 Indianapolis 500s, 10 series championships and more than 100 races over the past three and a half decades. His various racing teams have won 20 national championships. But in NASCAR: Zero.

Waltrip’s crew chief suspended indefinitely

Posted by on February 14th, 2007

Michael Waltrip will be racing Thursday in the Gatorade Duel if his car passes inspection in time, but Lee Spencer reports his crew chief David Hyder was suspended indefinitely and fined $100,000 while his team was docked 100 championship points.

Henry, Roush pursuing more championships

Posted by on February 14th, 2007

When Boston Red Sox majority owner John Henry and NASCAR team owner Jack Roush began talking about a partnership more than three years ago, both teams were notorious for falling painfully short of winning championships.

Now they’ve both got titles and plan on winning plenty more together under a new banner: Roush-Fenway Racing.

“I think owners get into sports for one reason: You want to win championships,” Henry said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press.

Driver Matt Kenseth and car owner Jack Roush expressed outrage Wednesday over NASCAR’s decision to dock the team 50 championship points before the season-opener Daytona 500.

Fellow car owner Ray Evernham was equally frustrated by the sport’s tough stance on rule-breakers.

Even drivers not involved in NASCAR’s cheating crackdown were concerned about whether the governing body was going too far by suspending four crew chiefs Tuesday for failed inspections.

Drivers, owners baffled by crackdown

Posted by admin on February 14th, 2007

Driver Matt Kenseth and car owner Jack Roush expressed outrage Wednesday over NASCAR’s decision to dock the team 50 championship points before the season-opener Daytona 500.

Qualifying races could be wild

Posted by on February 14th, 2007

Kenny Wallace really wants to be in Sunday’s Daytona 500.

“If I get to the last lap of my 150-mile qualifying race on Thursday with a chance to make the 500, I’ll finish the race on my roof if that’s what I have to do to get in,” Wallace said.

Wallace, in the first of two races, will be one of 22 drivers vying for four starting positions - two from each event - Thursday.

Duel 150 lineups: Race 1

Posted by on February 14th, 2007

Duel 150 lineup: Race 2

Posted by on February 14th, 2007

Expect Nemechek, Skinner to Duel at Daytona

Posted by on February 14th, 2007

Some are racing for a better starting position. Some are racing to make the Daytona 500 field. Mike Skinner falls into the second group, and Jeff Hammond thinks he’s a Duel 150 darkhorse (Thursday, 2 p.m. ET, SPEED).