NASCAR is looking at putting smaller fuel cells in the cars at Lowe's Motor Speedway to force cars to pit somewhere between 35-40 laps, due to the tire wear with the new surface. NASCAR may also do this in the future at all road races to break up the pit strategies and could also use the smaller fuel cells when they return to Atlanta in the Fall.
-- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Goodyear officials confirmed that it will conduct another tire test at Lowe's Motor Speedway next Tuesday, a week after a two-day test on the newly resurfaced 1.5-mile oval. Rick Heinrich, project manager for Goodyear, said that the tires showed a little more wear than Goodyear would have liked, but that could be expected as Goodyear attempts to create a compound that will work on the track. All of the Nextel Cup teams are scheduled to test May 1-3 and then Busch Series teams will test May 8-10.
-- SceneDaily.com
Ward Burton was back in the garage at Martinsville Speedway on Friday wishing he were wearing a driving suit instead of jeans. "I've been carrying on some communication, seeing what kind of dominoes need to fall to get back in," he said, adding that he no longer is as insistent on getting a Nextel Cup ride as he was last year. "I'm getting a little more open-minded to the possibility of another series," he said, indicating that he'd be willing to make a comeback in the Craftsman Truck or Busch series. Burton, a five-time Cup winner who hasn't raced since the fall race at Phoenix in 2004, said he enjoyed his year layoff, but he's ready for it to end.
-- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Think Richard Petty in the late 1960s and early '70s. Or maybe Dale Earnhardt a decade later. Or even Jeff Gordon as the '90s closed out. Then you'll get an idea of what James "Bubba" Stewart is to Supercross and Motocross racing. "Actually I have an interest in NASCAR for sure," Stewart said. "People look at it differently, but I consider what we're doing, with all the different people in the industry and all the guys racing, I think that's NASCAR."
-- NASCAR.com
Rookie Denny Hamlin was none too pleased with the veteran moves of Mark Martin at Martinsville. Hamlin started near the rear of the field, but had made his way into the top 10 when he tussled with Martin, then a lap down, on Lap 208 and hit the Turn 4 wall. "I respect Mark Martin like no other. I understand he's trying to get his lap back, but gosh, you've got to give room to the lead lap cars," Hamlin said. Martin "was a lap down and he bounced off the wall and came into me. This isn't the first time. At Las Vegas he ran me into the wall."
-- Charlotte Observer
Tony Stewart barely had the energy to climb the fence after winning Sunday's DirecTV 500 at the Martinsville Speedway. He was so tired he needed a minute to catch his breath after climbing to the starter's stand and waving the checkered flag. But no matter how much it wore him out, Stewart said as long as he keeps winning, he'll keep climbing.
-- Florida Times-Union
It took a lot of effort, but Sterling Marlin came away with two objectives completed Sunday. Marlin ran the full race and earned his best finish of the season -- 14th -- in his first year with MB2 Motorsports. He also moved to 33rd in car owner points, assuring a spot in the field at Texas.
-- Charlotte Observer
Kyle Busch hasn't won this season, but he keeps putting himself in places where he might. Busch finished fifth Sunday, his fourth top-10 of his sophomore season. Only once in six races has he finished worse than 12th. He is tied for fourth in points with Kasey Kahne, 101 behind leader Johnson. Busch was passed on the final lap by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
-- Charlotte Observer
In his debut race with the Drive for Diversity program and Joe Gibbs Racing, 15 year-old Marc Davis won the Limited Late Model stock car race at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway last Saturday night. In doing so, he became just the second African-American to win a stock car race at Hickory, joining former Joe Gibbs Racing development driver Chris Bristol who won at the famed short track last April.
-- jayski.com
David Starr held the lead through eight restarts over the final 121 laps yesterday to win for the fourth time in the Craftsman Truck Series. Starr drove the last 185 laps on the same tank of fuel and tires, and had little trouble holding off Ted Musgrave in the final eight-lap green flag run to the finish in the Kroger 250. It was the second consecutive truck race at Martinsville Speedway that set records for cautions.
-- The Tennessean
Chip Ganassi Racing has hired veteran crew chief Brad Parrott to head up Ganassi's seven-race Busch Series deal with driver Casey Mears this season. Parrott most recently worked for Roush Racing and driver Carl Edwards in the Busch Series.
-- ThatsRacin.com
Roush Racing announced Friday that Matt Puccia has been named crew chief of its No. 50 NASCAR Truck Series Ford. The truck will be driven by "Roush Racing: Driver X" standout, David Ragan.
-- ThatsRacin.com
-- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Goodyear officials confirmed that it will conduct another tire test at Lowe's Motor Speedway next Tuesday, a week after a two-day test on the newly resurfaced 1.5-mile oval. Rick Heinrich, project manager for Goodyear, said that the tires showed a little more wear than Goodyear would have liked, but that could be expected as Goodyear attempts to create a compound that will work on the track. All of the Nextel Cup teams are scheduled to test May 1-3 and then Busch Series teams will test May 8-10.
-- SceneDaily.com
Ward Burton was back in the garage at Martinsville Speedway on Friday wishing he were wearing a driving suit instead of jeans. "I've been carrying on some communication, seeing what kind of dominoes need to fall to get back in," he said, adding that he no longer is as insistent on getting a Nextel Cup ride as he was last year. "I'm getting a little more open-minded to the possibility of another series," he said, indicating that he'd be willing to make a comeback in the Craftsman Truck or Busch series. Burton, a five-time Cup winner who hasn't raced since the fall race at Phoenix in 2004, said he enjoyed his year layoff, but he's ready for it to end.
-- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Think Richard Petty in the late 1960s and early '70s. Or maybe Dale Earnhardt a decade later. Or even Jeff Gordon as the '90s closed out. Then you'll get an idea of what James "Bubba" Stewart is to Supercross and Motocross racing. "Actually I have an interest in NASCAR for sure," Stewart said. "People look at it differently, but I consider what we're doing, with all the different people in the industry and all the guys racing, I think that's NASCAR."
-- NASCAR.com
Rookie Denny Hamlin was none too pleased with the veteran moves of Mark Martin at Martinsville. Hamlin started near the rear of the field, but had made his way into the top 10 when he tussled with Martin, then a lap down, on Lap 208 and hit the Turn 4 wall. "I respect Mark Martin like no other. I understand he's trying to get his lap back, but gosh, you've got to give room to the lead lap cars," Hamlin said. Martin "was a lap down and he bounced off the wall and came into me. This isn't the first time. At Las Vegas he ran me into the wall."
-- Charlotte Observer
Tony Stewart barely had the energy to climb the fence after winning Sunday's DirecTV 500 at the Martinsville Speedway. He was so tired he needed a minute to catch his breath after climbing to the starter's stand and waving the checkered flag. But no matter how much it wore him out, Stewart said as long as he keeps winning, he'll keep climbing.
-- Florida Times-Union
It took a lot of effort, but Sterling Marlin came away with two objectives completed Sunday. Marlin ran the full race and earned his best finish of the season -- 14th -- in his first year with MB2 Motorsports. He also moved to 33rd in car owner points, assuring a spot in the field at Texas.
-- Charlotte Observer
Kyle Busch hasn't won this season, but he keeps putting himself in places where he might. Busch finished fifth Sunday, his fourth top-10 of his sophomore season. Only once in six races has he finished worse than 12th. He is tied for fourth in points with Kasey Kahne, 101 behind leader Johnson. Busch was passed on the final lap by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
-- Charlotte Observer
In his debut race with the Drive for Diversity program and Joe Gibbs Racing, 15 year-old Marc Davis won the Limited Late Model stock car race at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway last Saturday night. In doing so, he became just the second African-American to win a stock car race at Hickory, joining former Joe Gibbs Racing development driver Chris Bristol who won at the famed short track last April.
-- jayski.com
David Starr held the lead through eight restarts over the final 121 laps yesterday to win for the fourth time in the Craftsman Truck Series. Starr drove the last 185 laps on the same tank of fuel and tires, and had little trouble holding off Ted Musgrave in the final eight-lap green flag run to the finish in the Kroger 250. It was the second consecutive truck race at Martinsville Speedway that set records for cautions.
-- The Tennessean
Chip Ganassi Racing has hired veteran crew chief Brad Parrott to head up Ganassi's seven-race Busch Series deal with driver Casey Mears this season. Parrott most recently worked for Roush Racing and driver Carl Edwards in the Busch Series.
-- ThatsRacin.com
Roush Racing announced Friday that Matt Puccia has been named crew chief of its No. 50 NASCAR Truck Series Ford. The truck will be driven by "Roush Racing: Driver X" standout, David Ragan.
-- ThatsRacin.com
