Archive for July 7th, 2007

DAYTONA, FL - JULY 07: Jamie McMurray, driver of the #26 IRWIN Marathon Tools Ford, leads Kyle Busch, driver of the #5 CARQUEST/Kellogg's Chevrolet, and Ryan Newman, driver of the #12 alltel Dodge, during the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2007 in Daytona, Florida.   (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jamie McMurray;Kyle Busch;Ryan NewmanDriver edges Kyle Busch by a bumper in Pepsi 400, his 1st win in 166 races

Teammates Stewart, Hamlin wreck, argue

Posted by on July 7th, 2007

REFILE - CORRECTING RACE TO PEPSI 400 NEXTEL CUP SERIES    The number 11 car driven by Denny Hamlin (L) and the number 20 driven by Tony Stewart tangle near the start/finish line during running of the Pepsi 400 NEXTEL Cup Series race at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida July 7, 2007.     REUTERS/Doug Murray (UNITED STATES)Pepsi notebook: Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin hardly acted like teammates Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway. First, they wrecked each other. Then, they blamed each other. Now, they have to deal with the fallout.

Stewart, Hamlin wreck early at Daytona

Posted by on July 7th, 2007

Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin hardly acted like teammates Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway.

First, they wrecked each other. Then, they blamed each other. Now, they have to deal with the fallout.

Stewart, the two-time defending Pepsi 400 champion, ran into the back of Hamlin on lap 14 and ended up knocking both cars out of contention at NASCAR’s most revered track.

Hamlin was leading the race and Stewart was right behind on a slippery track.

Teaming up may be only way to survive

Posted by on July 7th, 2007

In unity, there is strength. Lee Spencer says the best way for mid-level Nextel Cup teams to survive is to join forces.

Notes: No. 55 crew to work in Reutimann pit

Posted by on July 7th, 2007

In an effort to put the best team forward, the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing crew will pit David Reutimann’s car in tonight’s Pepsi 400.

NASCAR to change name of top series

Posted by on July 7th, 2007

NASCAR’s top series is changing its name for the second time in five years, switching from Nextel Cup to the Sprint Cup starting in 2008.

It’s only the third name change in NASCAR’s 60 years, but had been expected since Nextel merged with Sprint in August 2005. NASCAR allowed Nextel one name change in the 10-year contract it signed with the telecommunications giant before the 2004 season.

Bourdais still strong in Champ Car; eyeing F1

Posted by on July 7th, 2007

If Sebastien Bourdais goes to Formula One next season, the Champ Car World Series will have plenty of reasons to remember him.

The 28-year-old Frenchman, aiming for an unprecedented fourth consecutive Champ Car title, grabbed the pole for Sunday’s Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto by edging Justin Wilson with fewer than 10 seconds left in the final qualifying session on Saturday.

It is his third pole of the season and the 28th of his Champ Car career, now in its fifth season.

Nextel Cup to be called Sprint Cup in 2008

Posted by on July 7th, 2007

NASCAR’s top series is changing its name for the second time in five years, switching from Nextel Cup to the Sprint Cup starting in 2008.

NASCAR’s top series is changing its name for the second time in five years, switching from Nextel Cup to the Sprint Cup starting in 2008.

It’s only the third name change in NASCAR’s 60 years, but had been expected since Nextel merged with Sprint in August 2005. NASCAR allowed Nextel one name change in the 10-year contract it signed with the telecommunications giant before the 2004 season.

While I understand NASCAR’s next visit to Pocono Raceway isn’t until early August, I just wanted to alert readers to the next Nextel Cup race that the Herald will be covering.

Starting Friday, Aug. 3, the I’ll be reporting and blogging from Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., during the Pennsylvania …