Las Vegas Has 41 Drivers Sscheduled To Test

The Las Vegas test will be the last tuneup before the season begins. Credit: Autostock

Teams can test during two of the three scheduled days

From Track Press Release
January 25, 2006
06:24 PM EST (23:24 GMT)

LAS VEGAS -- Las Vegas Motor Speedway has received 41 entries for NASCAR Preseason Thunder Las Vegas.

This test session, which many NASCAR drivers are calling the most important of the season, will take place Jan. 30, 31 and Feb. 1. Each team will be allowed to test for two of the three days.

"The test at Las Vegas really shows us how the [cars] will perform at 1.5-mile tracks," said Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 Dodge. "The 1.5-mile tracks on the circuit are very similar, so the LVMS testing session gives us a good read on how we can expect to perform at those tracks throughout the season."

In addition to preparing for the March 12 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, there will be many different agendas.

Several drivers, including Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, Michael Waltrip, Scott Riggs and Bobby Labonte, will be getting used to working with their new teams. All seven of the rookie-of-the-year candidates, including Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer and Reed Sorenson, will take part in the test. Ford drivers will be getting the feel of the new Ford Fusion. And Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne will be looking to find some speed on an LVMS oval that was not very friendly to them last year.

For reigning Nextel Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and third-year driver Brian Vickers, it will be their first time in a stock car this year. Vickers missed Daytona testing after undergoing surgery on a hernia, while Stewart skipped Daytona to participate in the Chili Bowl Sprint Car event in Oklahoma.

The following drivers are scheduled to test Jan. 30-31: Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Robby Gordon, Jeff Green, Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett, Travis Kvapil, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Elliott Sadler, Hermie Sadler, Ken Schrader, Brent Sherman, Reed Sorenson, David Stremme, Martin Truex Jr., Michael Waltrip and Scott Wimmer.

The following drivers are scheduled to test Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Greg Biffle, Dave Blaney, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Terry Labonte, Sterling Marlin, Jeremy Mayfield, Casey Mears, Joe Nemechek, Ryan Newman, Kyle Petty, Scott Riggs and Brian Vickers.

Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart and J.J. Yeley will test Jan. 30 and Feb. 1.

Busch finds comfort level on and off track

Kurt Busch and crew chief Roy McCauley are the happy new faces behind the No. 2 Dodge. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

Busch finds comfort level on and off track

Move to Penske gives 2004 champ new outlook on racing, life

NASCAR.COM
January 29, 2006
11:19 AM EST (16:19 GMT)

Life in the Nextel Cup Series begins anew for Kurt Busch in 2006.

For the first Chase champion in 2004, last season was marred by driver-owner animosity after Busch announced he had signed a deal with Penske Racing South beginning in 2007. A run-in with an Arizona sheriff's office and subsquent suspension from owner Jack Roush for the final two races of the year tainted the season.

"I was very surprised that it got that personal," Busch said of the reaction to his defection. "With the way everything came about, maybe I could have done it a different way, but I thought the best approach was to notify [Roush] early on so they could get their sponsors lined up and do the things they had to do. It just kinda gets weird over there every now and then."

As it turned out, Busch's departure from Roush Racing was expedited a year early when Chip Ganassi released Jamie McMurray from his contract, allowing McMurray to step into Busch's car (previously the No. 97, now the No. 26) and freeing Busch to take over the retired Rusty Wallace's No. 2 Dodge.

"I am very happy," Busch said. "I just look forward to driving the Miller Lite Dodge. It's fun to smile and walk around with a Miller Lite suit on knowing the guy in charge is Roger Penske ... and I'll be known as the Penske guy and move on from there."

Not only will those on the Nextel Cup circuit find Busch with a different team, but he'll also have a different attitude.

"There are so many new things, things that I look forward to," Busch said. "Roger calls me three or four times a week, and I have that relationship open ... having that rapport, it's been great. I feel comfortable with it, but yet there's so much to learn.

"All the time I'm meeting the people and developing relationships with them, whereas before it was just race the car, get in the car, make sure the sponsor is happy and go to the next race.

Now I'm realizing there's more to it than just going around in circles and going fast."

But Busch still plans on going fast. Question is, can he go as fast in Penske's Dodge as he once did in Roush's Ford, when he compiled 14 victories, 40 top-fives and 73 top-10s in the past four years?

"Dodge didn't have the success it wanted to last year, whether it was the lack of rear downforce or too much front downforce," said Busch, who won as many races in '05 (three) as all the Dodges. "Going to Atlanta doing a tire test for Goodyear was very beneficial for our team. We'll make adjustments for that and do what we think we need to do for a full 500-mile race."

Beginning at Daytona.

"At Daytona, I believe the Charger is going to be the car to beat when we show up for race time at Speedweeks," Busch said. "The Chevrolets might be fast in practice and they might sit on the front row, but I believe the Chargers, the way the Penske cars have been racing on the plate tracks ... is going to be pretty tough as well."

Busch doesn't buy into the theory that Penske is a notch below the Roushes and Hendricks of the NASCAR world.

"I think I know computers," he said. "The programs I've seen created to help race cars and technology I've kept up with. I've got 'em downloaded on my laptop so that I can tinker with them and understand and try to throw in equations, but I am behind with the times with the way Penske operates."

Busch will be teamed with veteran crew chief Roy McCauley, who helped Penske teammate Ryan Newman win six of nine Busch Series races with eight top-fives last year.

"Now it's time to see what we can do on the Cup level. It'll be a challenge," Busch said. "I think Roy is a great guy, and I look up to him and his experience level.

"I just can't have him stretching me on fuel and tires like he did in the Busch Series in the Cup Series. I have to help with some of the experience level I have to balance him out and make him a better all-around crew chief."

He already believes he is a better all-around Busch.

"People ... have helped me understand you don't have to be so uptight," Busch said. "It's definitely an eye opener to know you can have a relationship with the team as well as race competitively."

NASCAR Car Of Tomorrow?

We'll just have to wait and see...
this could prove to be quite interesting....













The Car of Tomorrow will make
its debut in 2007 at Bristol.

Credit: Dave Rodman/NASCAR.COM

Car of Tomorrow to make race debut in 2007

Implementation gradually introduces race vehicle to schedule

From Press Release
January 23, 2006
06:02 PM EST (23:02 GMT)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR announced Monday that the Car of Tomorrow will begin competition in 2007. Teams will use the newly designed race car for 16 events next season, beginning with the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway -- currently the fifth event on the Nextel Cup Series schedule.

A five-year project overseen by NASCAR vice president for research and development Gary Nelson, the Car of Tomorrow offers important safety and performance upgrades. It also addresses cost reduction, providing teams with a more efficient car to produce and tune.

"The Car of Tomorrow represents one of the sport's most significant innovations, and we feel everyone involved in NASCAR will experience the benefits," NASCAR president Mike Helton said. "No subject is more important than safety, and while the Car of Tomorrow was built around safety considerations, the competition and cost improvements will prove vital as well."
Aside from the 2007 Bristol events, teams will use the Car of Tomorrow at Phoenix, Martinsville, Richmond, Dover and New Hampshire.

It will also see action at Darlington, the fall event at Talladega and road-course events at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen.

With the exception of the 2.66-mile Talladega track and the two road courses, all tracks where the Car of Tomorrow will debut in 2007 are short tracks.

The 2008 Car of Tomorrow implementation schedule includes 26 events -- adding both races at Daytona, California, Pocono, Michigan, the spring event at Talladega and at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Teams will run the entire 2009 schedule with the Car of Tomorrow, adding both events at Atlanta, Lowe's Motor Speedway and Texas, plus events at Chicagoland, Kansas, Las Vegas and Homestead-Miami. The rollout schedule could be sooner.

"All of our engineering staff and each of the teams and manufacturers that contributed will now be able see the product of their hard work in competition," Nelson said. "Many of the obvious safety and competition benefits have been a topic since the beginning of this project. We think one of the major benefits is yet to be realized as the car owners begin to build a more cost-efficient race car."

The next round of Car of Tomorrow on-track testing will be scheduled following Speedweeks in Daytona, with officials from the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., refining car components and performance baselines.

The Car of Tomorrow is a collaborative effort, with Nelson's team leading the way.

Manufacturers, teams and industry suppliers all contributed during the design phase, with Nextel Cup Series teams and drivers offering important feedback during the latest round of on-track testing.

NASCAR's prototype car, built by the Research and Development staff, is driven by director of cost research Brett Bodine, a former Nextel Cup competitor and team owner.

The Car of Tomorrow began as a design five years ago, progressing through simulation, laboratory and wind-tunnel tests. Of primary significance are the safety innovations -- the Car of Tomorrow is four inches wider and two inches taller than current NASCAR race cars. The driver compartment, or "roll cage," has been shifted three inches to the rear. The driver's seat has been shifted four inches to the right, allowing more protection from a driver's side impact. More "crush-ability" is built into the car on both sides, ensuring even more protection.

The Car of Tomorrow exhaust system is another safety innovation. It runs through the body, diverting heat away from the driver and exiting on the right side.

Another important Car of Tomorrow feature is performance -- how the car handles in traffic and reacts to downforce. The project represents the latest move by NASCAR to reduce current cars' aerodynamic dependence, and several innovations have addressed it:

• The windshield is more upright, designed to increase the amount of drag, thereby slowing the cars.

• The more box-like front bumper, which is three inches higher and thicker, catches air rather than deflecting it, another way to slow the car.

• The air intake is below the front bumper, which eliminates the problem of overheating. Wind-blown trash can cover current car grilles, blocking air flow.

Several components -- both those built into the Car of Tomorrow and those being tested -- will make the car easier to drive in traffic. Some of those components also are bolt-on, bolt-off pieces that teams can use to tune their cars, making them cost-efficient as well. Those include:

• The "splitter," a flat shelf below the front bumper that can be adjusted.

• A wing, like those commonly used in sports car series, also is a possibility. It fits on the car's rear deck lid, in the same spot where the spoiler is bolted.

• The spoiler, a NASCAR staple, is a straight line on the Car of Tomorrow, rather than curved, as on current cars. A straight spoiler yields more stability in traffic.

"We designed this car to run for a long time, at road courses, short tracks, intermediate-sized tracks all the way to Daytona," Nelson said. "You would be able to run the same foundation car, the frame, the cage, the body, all of the components that today are being swapped around as the cars are purpose-built for certain types of tracks. We're eliminating that with this car."












A rear view of the Car of Tomorrow.

Credit: Nate Mecha/HSP












Areas such as the spoiler/wing can be adjusted on the car.

Credit: Nate Mecha/HSP

Countdown To Daytona!

NASCAR Racing In The Know...

Here is a complete list of Nextel Cup Series drivers who have raced in an official NASCAR points event since 1975.

A-Z Nextel Cup Series Drivers

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y

Unleaded Fuel For NASCAR?

NASCAR is planning to use a Sunoco unleaded fuel in 2008, according to a newspaper report.

Credit: Autostock

Report: NASCAR to use unleaded fuel in 2008

The Associated Press
January 20, 2006
09:08 AM EST (14:08 GMT)

NEW YORK -- NASCAR will begin using unleaded fuel in its cars and trucks beginning in 2008, The New York Times reported Friday.

The racing series has used high-octane leaded fuel for decades, but has been testing a new fuel for a few months, the newspaper said. NASCAR has been searching for an alternative for years, even though it is exempt from the 1970 Clean Air Act -- which required all automobiles to use unleaded fuel.

Still, NASCAR was criticized by advocacy groups for its continued use of leaded fuel.

Gary Nelson, NASCAR's vice president for research and development, told the Times that the fuel, Sunoco 260 GTX, will be used in Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck events. Nelson also said it is already being used in the Grand American road racing series.

"Sunoco came up with a formula that really seems to do the job," Nelson said. "It does a very good job inside the engine."

The move followed an appeal by the advocacy group Clean Air Watch to the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday to begin testing the air quality for lead at NASCAR events," the Times reported.

"It sounds like it's a step to bring NASCAR into the 21st century with stopping use of an old-century fuel," said Frank O'Donnell, executive director of Clean Air Watch.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Stewart Sent To Hospital After Chili Bowl Crash

X-rays revealed no broken bones, CT scan negative


NASCAR.COM
January 14, 2006
02:22 PM EST (19:22 GMT)




TULSA, Okla. -- Tony Stewart, the reigning champion in the Nextel Cup Series, was taken to a local hospital for a preliminary examination after he flipped his Midget car in the opening laps of last night's qualifying race for the 20th annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Raceway.


Complaining of pain in his right arm after the crash, Stewart was taken to the hospital where X-rays revealed no broken bones and a CT scan proved negative.

In a precautionary measure, Stewart was fitted with a cast until a more extensive evaluation can be made by his own doctors on Monday.

"I'm a little sore," said Stewart. "The doctors were great and did a pretty thorough evaluation of me. They didn't find anything broken, but just to be sure, they fitted me with a cast that I'll wear until I meet with my doctors on Monday. It looks a lot worse than it is.

"In no way should this affect my upcoming test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, my plans to compete in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona or my participation in Daytona Speedweeks."

Stewart also flipped in a hot laps session on Wednesday night. After the accident, his qualifying race appearance was switched from Wednesday to Friday.

Busch, Edwards Test Tires At Atlanta!

Former teammates Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch got together

again Tuesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway for a tire test. Credit: Autostock

Goodyear selects former teammates for two-day trial

By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
January 10, 2006
04:43 PM EST (21:43 GMT)

HAMPTON, Ga. -- Kurt Busch officially became Rusty Wallace's replacement on Tuesday when he climbed into the No. 2 Dodge for the first time.

Busch and Carl Edwards were the two drivers selected for a two-day Goodyear tire test at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and the chance to run at the 1.54-mile track was a coveted one since NASCAR placed heavy restrictions on testing for the 2006 season.

"I feel a bit rusty right now for a few different reasons," Busch said. "Just getting back into the car. I was a bit nervous at first. It's been fun so far."

In 2006, Nextel Cup teams are allowed to test at only Charlotte, Daytona, Las Vegas, Richmond, Homestead-Miami and Indianapolis.

Busch said he was surprised when Goodyear officials contacted Penske Racing last week about participating in tire test at AMS, but he welcomed the chance to get acclimated to the Dodge on a high-speed downforce track like Atlanta.

"It definitely feels different," Busch said. "The car turns better than what I am used to, but the rear end doesn't stick as good. I think that is where the Dodge needs to make some changes and see if we can't get the rear end to stick a little bit better, and then we can race hard on these fast tracks."

The two teams got a tremendous break with the weather, as Busch and Edwards tested in near-perfect conditions at Atlanta.

"It's a great time to test. It'll give us a good read," Busch said. "It's a matter of adjusting to balance."

Edwards, who won both races at AMS in 2005, said he was just trying to shake off the cobwebs.

"The last race we won here, the fastest line was right up by the fence, and I am not even running that right now," Edwards said. "We're just kind of doing a test. [crew chief Bob] Osborne and I just talked about kind of just knocking the rust off from not being in the racecar for a while."

The test continues Wednesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It is closed to the public.

NASCAR Acceleration 2006

This is HUGE....

...Get READY...

...It's Almost HERE!

Get complete Tune in Schedule:
http://www.nascar.com/promos/2006/acceleration/index.html#schedule

Young Thunder

Cup life begins in earnest for rookies Martin Truex Jr., David Stremme and Reed Sorenson

as they take to the Daytona track for first day of Preseason Thunder testing.

Trio of rookies set to begin Cup life full time

Truex, Stremme, Sorenson to take part in first day of Daytona tests

By B. Duane Cross, NASCAR.COM
January 7, 2006
11:44 AM EST (16:44 GMT)

The weather forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-70s, but if you listen closely Thunder is rolling through the winds at Daytona.

The Nextel Cup drivers hit the track at 9 a.m. Monday for the first of six days of testing in preparation for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 19. Odd-numbered owners'-points drivers will test Jan. 9-11, while even-numbered owners'-points drivers are scheduled for Jan. 16-18.

Truck Series drivers will be at the track Jan. 13-15, and the Busch Series will wrap Preseason Thunder on Jan. 20-22.

Among the seven Cup rookies, three will be among the drivers in the first test session. Two-time defending Busch Series champion Martin Truex Jr., David Stremme and Reed Sorenson will shake down their new rides as they embark on their first full season of Cup racing.

"The testing is three days of us trying to make as many runs as we can to collect as much data as we can on our cars," said Kevin Manion, crew chief for Truex and the No. 1 Chevrolet team. "We're going to see what works, and what doesn't work.

"From there, you just try to apply as much as possible to the race car through the weeks leading up to the Daytona 500."

Among the three first-session rookies, Truex has the most Cup experience -- nine races, but he has seven DNFs in those starts. He made his series debut Oct. 31, 2004, at Atlanta, and finished 37th after an engine failure. His best finish to date is a seventh-place showing in the 2005 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.

Manion and Co. actually began crafting their Daytona car in late July. This is their first official test as a full-time Cup team. "We're just excited to get back to the race track," he said. "We worked hard all December and took a few days off for the holidays. We're happy to get back to the racing part now.

"A month from the day we test, we head back to Daytona for Speedweeks. Like I said before, if you have a good test the month will fly by. If not, then you have some more work to do when you get back to the shop."

Stremme, who finished 13th in the Busch Series standings last year, has four Cup starts (with three DNFs). He was 16th in his big-league debut on July 10, 2005, at Chicago, but crashed-out at in the fall events at Richmond, Charlotte and Homestead.

He and Sorenson are new drivers with Ganassi this year, filling the seats vacated by Sterling Marlin and Jamie McMurray.

"I am really excited about this upcoming season," Stremme said. "I have a new crew chief [Jeff Vandermoss] and he and I have spent a lot of time during the offseason getting ready and talking about setups. We also have a group of guys on the team who are excited about the upcoming season, and that feeling has made the atmosphere in the shop really positive and fun to be around.

"I think we are going to have a really good season and I am looking forward to taking the No. 40 to Victory Lane."

Getting there, however, will be a battle against not only the cream of the veterans' crop, but Stremme will have to beat-back the challenge of an on-the-come rookie class. "This year's rookie class is going to be a tough one, probably one of the best rookie classes there has been in a while in terms of competition.

"I think the rookie race is also going to hit close to home since my teammate Reed and I are going head-to-head for the honor. I won the Busch Series honors (2003) and I know what it means to get this award. I would like to see a good competition for the majority of the season."

Sorenson finished fourth in the Busch Series standings as a rookie in 2005, a year that included two wins, 12 top-five finishes and 19 top-10s. His first foray in to Cup racing came Oct. 30, 2005, at Atlanta -- a crash-induced 41st-place finish. Sorenson's only other start came at Homestead in the season finale (28th).

"I can't wait to get down to Daytona and strap into the No. 41 Dodge for the first time," Sorenson said. "I'm anxious to get those first couple of laps in to see how we stack up against the rest of the competition. The Ganassi organization builds great superspeedway cars and the engine department brings plenty of horsepower.

"The most important aspect of the test, for me, will be getting some practice running in the draft. I don't have a lot of superspeedway experience, so I'm looking forward to getting out there with a group of cars to get a feel for how the car handles in the draft and how to work myself around in the pack."

Sorenson said he knows the jump to Cup racing is a big step, but is eager to flip the switch. "The transition to the Nextel Cup Series isn't going to be an easy one, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. I've only got two starts in a Cup car so I've got a tremendous amount to learn.

"I've got good teammates in Casey Mears and David Stremme to bounce things off of and [crew chief] Jimmy Elledge is one of the best in the business. He did an incredible job helping Casey develop as a driver and I'm looking forward to working with him and getting some of that same guidance."

Sorenson also will be among those competing in both the Cup and Busch series. "It's going to be a busy year, but I believe the extra seat time will help me grow as a competitor.

"I think the most important aspect of running both is getting familiar with the tracks because I've only run on most of them once or twice. Also I feel some of the set-ups from the Busch car will translate over to the Cup car and visa versa."

Terry Labonte Announces Farewell In 2006

Terry Labonte will actually run 17 races in the 2006 Nextel Cup Series. Credit: Autostock

Labonte announces slate for 2006 farewell tour

Two-time champ will start on 'Shifting Gears -- Lone Star Style' ride

Team Press Release
January 6, 2006
07:32 PM EST (00:32 GMT)

CONCORD, N.C. -- On Thursday, Hendrick Motorsports unveiled its 2006 schedule of two-time champion Terry Labonte, who will appear in 10 races with the organization during his final year of Nextel Cup Series competition.

The team will again campaign its No. 44 Chevrolets with primary sponsorship from Kellogg Company, GMAC and Carquest Auto Parts. Kellogg's will continue its 12-year relationship with Labonte as primary sponsor in half of the planned events.

"This is an opportunity for me to have a little more fun," said Labonte, 49, who has 22 career Cup victories and two series championships (1984 and 1996) to his credit. "I've been fortunate to do this for nearly three decades and I'm excited to go back to some of the places that have meant so much to me, my team and my family over the years."

Labonte, who began racing at the Cup level in 1978, will appear at six different venues during his 2006 Hendrick Motorsports "Shifting Gears -- Lone Star Style" schedule, including multiple races at Texas Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway.

A Corpus Christi, Texas, native, Labonte will compete April 9 at Texas Motor Speedway, followed by dates at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Chicagoland Speedway.

The July 23 event at Pocono will open the second half of the 10-race slate, prior to dates at California Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway.

The final race of Labonte's storied career will come Nov. 5 at Texas Motor Speedway.

• Labonte is also slated to run the season's first five races for the upstart Hall of Fame Racing team -- the No. 96 Chevrolet co-owned by Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach -- as well as the road courses at Sonoma and Watkins Glen.

Three Cities Finalists For NASCAR Hall Of Fame

Official Release
January 5, 2006
06:26 PM EST (23:26 GMT)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR announced Thursday that three cities -- Atlanta, Charlotte and Daytona Beach -- are still under consideration for serving as the host site for the sport's first officially sanctioned Hall of Fame.

Kansas City and Richmond were the two other cities that had submitted proposals to NASCAR and been involved in the process since the early part of 2005.

"NASCAR is extremely appreciative of the time, effort and commitment put forth by the cities of Kansas City and Richmond," said Mark Dyer, NASCAR vice president for licensing. "Both of their proposals were outstanding and the passion and enthusiasm the people involved showed for the NASCAR Hall of Fame has made a lasting impression on all of us.

"We'd like to thank Gov. Sebelius of Kansas and Gov. Warner of Virginia, along with all of the other people who put so much work into this project. Both of these cities are extremely important to our sport and should be congratulated for their efforts.

"As we move forward in this process, we believe it is necessary to focus our attention on the three cities of Atlanta, Charlotte and Daytona Beach. Based upon the proposals that we have reviewed internally for the past several months, we believe these three cities provide us with the best opportunity to build and develop a world-class NASCAR Hall of Fame for our millions of loyal fans."

NASCAR hopes to make a final decision on its Hall of Fame site sometime within the first quarter of 2006.

Daytona Beach is one of the three finalists for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

View the Hall Of Fame Presentations: http://www.nascar.com/news/hof/atlanta/

Countdown to Arkansas

By Mark Aumann,
NASCAR.COM
January 4, 200605:52 PM EST (22:52 GMT)

With a group of native sons and daughters as diverse as Johnny Cash, Bill Clinton, Sam Walton, Douglas MacArthur, Eldridge Cleaver and Maya Angelou, it's no surprise the Natural State can't be summed up in one easy statement.

Acquired as part of the Louisiana Purchase and separated from the Territory of Missouri eight years later, Arkansas was the site of a Revolutionary War battle, was occupied by Federal forces during the Civil War and is home of the country's only active diamond mine.

There's Hope in Arkansas, along with the towns of Romance, Apt, Ink, Snowball and Greasy Corner.

Col. Sandy Faulkner wrote a famous song about an Arkansas traveler more than 150 years ago. Collin Raye was on a roll in Little Rock, while fellow country star Lee Ann Womack ended up a little past Little Rock.

Five NASCAR races have been held in Arkansas, but its biggest claim to racing fame comes from a diminutive Batesville boy named Mark Martin.

Best behind the wheel


• Mark Martin, Batesville

Mark Martin's career reads like a storybook: small-town boy becomes big-time star. However, Martin's tale has taken a few twists and turns along the way.

At 15, Martin began racing on the dirt short-tracks of his home state, earning his first victory in his third start and claiming a state championship in 1974. Two years later, he graduated to pavement racing and moved into the American Speed Association ranks in 1977, competing against the likes of Rusty Wallace, Bobby Allison and Dick Trickle.

He was named rookie of the year that season, then went on to capture three consecutive ASA titles from 1978-80.

The next logical step seemed to be NASCAR, so Martin made his debut at North Wilkesboro in 1981, starting fifth and finishing 27th. He proved to be a quick study, winning poles at Nashville and Richmond. So as 1982 approached, Martin was looking forward to his first full-time season in NASCAR's elite division.

On the track, Martin sparkled, with eight top-10 finishes, good enough for 14th in the points. But when his sponsorship failed to materialize, Martin was forced to sell off his assets early in 1983. He ran a 16-race schedule for a variety of owners, then decided to return to ASA, where he was champion again in 1986.

Armed with the desire to have a successful NASCAR career, Martin ran the Busch Series full-time in 1987. It was a win at Dover that caught the eye of Jack Roush, who decided to hire Martin to drive his Cup team for 1988.

Since then, Martin was accrued 35 victories and has finished second in the points four times. After a disappointing 2003 season in which he was winless and finished outside of the top 10 in series points, Martin turned things around the last two seasons, making the Chase for the Nextel Cup and winding up fourth both times.

His decision to retire from full-time racing in the Nextel Cup Series was put on hold near the end of the 2005 season when Roush asked him to return for one final year, giving him one more chance to complete his impressive resume with a Nextel Cup championship.

We wish ...

Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean had become a NASCAR driver.

Jay Hanna Dean of Lucas was the fireballing ace of the St. Louis Cardinals' Gas House Gang, which automatically qualifies him for a position in racing. He won 20 or more game four consecutive seasons, leading the Cardinals to the 1934 world's championship.

After his baseball career, Dean enthralled radio audiences with his colorful idioms and crazy syntax, much like FOX's Larry McReynolds. We can only imagine how Dizzy would have described how "Junior slud in the third turn."

Keeping it on the track

There are currently no NASCAR tracks based in Arkansas.

Gone but not forgotten

• Memphis-Arkansas Speedway, Lehi

The track that hosted five NASCAR races between 1954 and 1957 may have been 1.5 miles in length, but it was definitely no cookie-cutter oval. It was a high-banked dirt track that demanded a combination of bravery and skill.

Fonty Flock's pole-winning speed of 100.39 mph for the October 1955 race stands as the only time a driver eclipsed the century barrier there, but the races were almost as fast, with three of the five averaging more than 80 mph. The top drivers of the day were up to the challenge, as 52 cars started the 1954 Mid-South 250 -- and winners there included Buck Baker, Fonty Flock, Speedy Thompson, Ralph Moody and Marvin Panch.

The track closed shortly after the 1957 race when a highway construction project blocked access. When the project was completed, the track was abandoned. One later report claimed a farmer was using the former track's infield ponds for catfish.

A word from our sponsor

• Ranger Boats, Flippin

Ranger Boats, which has been involved in several NASCAR charity events, including raffles for the Victory Junction Gang Camp, Jeff Gordon Foundation, Ryan Newman Foundation and Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation, is the nation's largest manufacturer of premium fiberglass fishing boats.

Going Toward Daytona --> FULL SPEED AHEAD!

NASCAR revs toward Daytona at full speed

NASCAR.COM
January 2, 2006
08:25 AM EST (13:25 GMT)

The Daytona 500 is a little more than six weeks on the horizon, and NASCAR already is stepping on the gas in advance of testing.

There will be four test sessions during Preseason Thunder:

• Jan. 9-11: Nextel Cup (odd owners' points)
• Jan. 13-15: Craftsman Truck (all trucks)
• Jan. 16-18: Nextel Cup (even owners' points)
• Jan. 20-22: Busch Series (all cars)

On Feb. 6, the annual Speedweeks countdown begins to the 48th Great American Race. The first major event of the two-week kickoff is the Budweiser Shootout on Feb. 11.

Qualifying for the Daytona 500 pole is set for Feb. 12, with the Gatorade Duel -- two races to set starting positions 3-36 of the Daytona 500 field -- to be run Feb. 16.

IROC and the Truck Series will start its seasons Feb. 17. The Busch Series will begin its 25th season Feb. 18.

The Cup Series' season-opening Daytona 500 is Feb. 19.

There also are several major changes for the 2006 season:

New testing policy

The policy sets a schedule for when and where Nextel Cup tests are to be conducted. The scheduled tests will be the only opportunities teams will have to test at Nextel Cup tracks. There will be six test locations: Charlotte, Daytona Las Vegas, Richmond, Homestead-Miami and Indianapolis.

Teams still will be able to schedule tests at facilities that do not play host to Cup events, such as Kentucky.

Less impound races

The number of impound races will be drastically reduced for 2006. NASCAR will impound the Nextel Cup cars at five races: both Talladega events, both Richmond events, and the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. NASCAR used the impound rule at 21 of 36 races in '05.

The rule was consistently criticized throughout the year as vastly different weekend schedules led to confusion and large amounts of downtime.

Four-car limit

NASCAR has announced a program that will cap the number of cars under one ownership group. The four-car cap program starts in 2006 and NASCAR is working with groups that control more than four cars to establish a reasonable timeline for compliance.

The four-car limit will extend to owners and any affiliate group, which includes situations where one or more of the car owners is entitled to receive, or actually receives, any financial consideration based upon the performance of the cars entered by the other car owners, or has any revenue sharing or ownership stake in the team.

Tire implants

Goodyear will install computer chips in its Eagle racing radial tires and Wrangler radials to be used in the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck series in 2006. The Radio Frequency Identification unit -- about three inches long and consisting of an antennae that's about the diameter of heavy-duty dental floss with a quarter-inch by eighth-inch chip in the center -- will be used to track inventory initially, though its uses can be expanded to other areas in the future.

The tires, which previously were tracked using bar codes on the "stickers" affixed to the new tires, will be traced using the "RFID" chips implanted in the rubber's sidewall.