A report out of Daytona Beach suggested that NASCAR chairman Brian France was encouraging the city's mayor about its Hall of Fame bid. And Atlanta officials were still hoping that boosting the public contribution from $30 million to $102 million would sway NASCAR.
-- Charlotte Observer
If the NASCAR Hall of Fame is awarded to Charlotte, will NASCAR's offices relocate, too? In a news conference the day before the Daytona 500, France shot down rumors that NASCAR's headquarters might move to North Carolina. However, France purchased a home in the Charlotte area recently, and in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel in 2005, he didn't rule out the possibility of relocating NASCAR's corporate offices.
-- cupscene.com
As Charlotte anticipates the expected Monday announcement that NASCAR's Hall of Fame will be built here, Lowe's Motor Speedway president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler knows the next question will be what that means to the Concord speedway's ability to hang on to the annual NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge. For the past several years, Wheeler has had to deflect speculation that NASCAR may move the all-star race.
-- Charlotte Observer
There was some talk that NASCAR could take away one of its two stops to California Speedway if attendance figures continue to lag. Track president Gillian Zucker scoffed at that idea. There probably won't be any serious talk of NASCAR moving races around again until the proposed tracks in Seattle and New York City are built. Zucker can relax until then.
-- Los Angeles Daily News
Auto racing fans might have a chance to live track-side at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the next two years. An announcement to build two 10-story condominium towers that will overlook the second turn of the track is scheduled for the opening day of the NASCAR weekend. But, according to the Clark County Planning Department, the speedway has not submitted a request for a zoning variance. Without it and approval from Nellis Air Force Base across Las Vegas Boulevard, there will be no towers, county Commissioner Tom Collins said Wednesday.
-- Las Vegas Review-Journal
Second-year Busch Series driver Michel Jourdain Jr. has made a name for himself in racing. But the 29-year-old Mexico City native is no match for horses. Jourdain injured his left leg Tuesday while attempting to pose for a picture on horseback for the Mexican sports tabloid Record. Other Mexican drivers also climbed into saddles for the photo, part of the run-up to Sunday's Busch Series Telcel-Motorola 200 at Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course. Jourdain's team said he will drive Sunday.
-- Chicago Sun-Times
NASCAR is interested in much more than just putting together a good event in Mexico. Racing officials are interested in long-term integration of Hispanics into the NASCAR Nation. When Robbie Weiss, managing director of NASCAR International, talks about the event, he talks about the "Mexico initiative." Weiss said the hope is that NASCAR can build itself into a "relevant part of the Hispanic sports culture" -- both south and north of the Mexican border.
-- Kansas City Star
A victory by a Mexican driver could do nothing but help NASCAR in its bid to win over Hispanic fans. It could happen. Adrian Fernandez, driving a Hendricks Motorsports car, is a definite contender for the victory.
-- Kansas City Star
When four of Elliott Sadler's childhood buddies flew to Las Vegas during Nextel Cup testing, none of them ever expected what a pull of the handle would bring. Sadler's friends won $100,000 at a casino slot machine.
-- NASCAR.com
NASCAR officials say the Car of Tomorrow will control costs because there will be no need to build as many racecars to fit different tracks on the circuit. Some teams have as many as 17 racecars for use at various tracks; they will need perhaps only 10 in the future because there will be so few adjustments allowed from car to car.
-- New York Times
NASCAR officials say that researchers are years away from finding the right specifications for the midsize 1-mile ovals, which is why the Car of Tomorrow will not be used at those tracks until 2009.
-- Charlotte Observer
If the NASCAR Hall of Fame is awarded to Charlotte, will NASCAR's offices relocate, too? In a news conference the day before the Daytona 500, France shot down rumors that NASCAR's headquarters might move to North Carolina. However, France purchased a home in the Charlotte area recently, and in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel in 2005, he didn't rule out the possibility of relocating NASCAR's corporate offices.
-- cupscene.com
As Charlotte anticipates the expected Monday announcement that NASCAR's Hall of Fame will be built here, Lowe's Motor Speedway president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler knows the next question will be what that means to the Concord speedway's ability to hang on to the annual NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge. For the past several years, Wheeler has had to deflect speculation that NASCAR may move the all-star race.
-- Charlotte Observer
There was some talk that NASCAR could take away one of its two stops to California Speedway if attendance figures continue to lag. Track president Gillian Zucker scoffed at that idea. There probably won't be any serious talk of NASCAR moving races around again until the proposed tracks in Seattle and New York City are built. Zucker can relax until then.
-- Los Angeles Daily News
Auto racing fans might have a chance to live track-side at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the next two years. An announcement to build two 10-story condominium towers that will overlook the second turn of the track is scheduled for the opening day of the NASCAR weekend. But, according to the Clark County Planning Department, the speedway has not submitted a request for a zoning variance. Without it and approval from Nellis Air Force Base across Las Vegas Boulevard, there will be no towers, county Commissioner Tom Collins said Wednesday.
-- Las Vegas Review-Journal
Second-year Busch Series driver Michel Jourdain Jr. has made a name for himself in racing. But the 29-year-old Mexico City native is no match for horses. Jourdain injured his left leg Tuesday while attempting to pose for a picture on horseback for the Mexican sports tabloid Record. Other Mexican drivers also climbed into saddles for the photo, part of the run-up to Sunday's Busch Series Telcel-Motorola 200 at Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course. Jourdain's team said he will drive Sunday.
-- Chicago Sun-Times
NASCAR is interested in much more than just putting together a good event in Mexico. Racing officials are interested in long-term integration of Hispanics into the NASCAR Nation. When Robbie Weiss, managing director of NASCAR International, talks about the event, he talks about the "Mexico initiative." Weiss said the hope is that NASCAR can build itself into a "relevant part of the Hispanic sports culture" -- both south and north of the Mexican border.
-- Kansas City Star
A victory by a Mexican driver could do nothing but help NASCAR in its bid to win over Hispanic fans. It could happen. Adrian Fernandez, driving a Hendricks Motorsports car, is a definite contender for the victory.
-- Kansas City Star
When four of Elliott Sadler's childhood buddies flew to Las Vegas during Nextel Cup testing, none of them ever expected what a pull of the handle would bring. Sadler's friends won $100,000 at a casino slot machine.
-- NASCAR.com
NASCAR officials say the Car of Tomorrow will control costs because there will be no need to build as many racecars to fit different tracks on the circuit. Some teams have as many as 17 racecars for use at various tracks; they will need perhaps only 10 in the future because there will be so few adjustments allowed from car to car.
-- New York Times
NASCAR officials say that researchers are years away from finding the right specifications for the midsize 1-mile ovals, which is why the Car of Tomorrow will not be used at those tracks until 2009.