Graham Rahal considering NASCAR?
Gilbert Sam, Jr.
http://www.racewayreport.com
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Hendrick Motorsports concerned about axle problems: There is some
concern at Hendrick Motorsports that the broken axle that left #88-
Dale Earnhardt Jr. with a 32nd-place finish on Sunday at Auto Club
Speedway could be a more widespread problem. Earnhardt's crew chief,
Lance McGrew, said the axle of race winner Jimmie Johnson was about
six laps from breaking and that issues were discovered on other HMS
cars during Saturday's final practice. "Oh, absolutely," McGrew told
ESPN.com on Tuesday. "I'm sweating this weekend along with Atlanta,
which is historically really bad on axles. To say there's not a stir
about it would be an understatement." McGrew said so far no
explanation has been found for the extreme wear. He said the problem
first surfaced during Saturday's final practice when the left rear
axle on Mark Martin's car, which shares a shop with the Earnhardts,
looked "really bad." He said all four HMS teams replaced the axles
before the race. "Ours wore out and [Johnson] barely finished the
race," McGrew said. "There's no smoking gun, which is aggravating for
us. But we'll get to the bottom of it."(ESPN.com)
http://www.racewayreport.com/news/hendrick.html
Graham Rahal considering NASCAR? Forgive Graham Rahal for not having
the Olympic-like spirit that's sweeping through the Izod IndyCar
Series. He, like many other U.S. hopefuls, doesn't have a ride for the
upcoming season, and it hurts. "Every minute going by and by seems to
cause more of a concern," Rahal said Tuesday from his home outside
Columbus, Ohio. "I should be there." There would be Barber Motorsports
Park, where drivers with contracts are scheduled to begin testing
today for the season opener next month in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Rahal
said the chances of participating in that race are "zero," leading him
to meet next week with NASCAR officials to see if there's something
available for him in stock car racing. "It's a shame, but that's the
way it is," he said. "Imagine trying to find a sponsor (on short
notice). Can anyone say 'impossible'? Quite simply, you can't do
it." (Indianapolis Star)
http://www.racewayreport.com/news/misc.html
Auto Club Speedway hopes to keep second Cup date: Auto Club Speedway
may lose one of its two annual races, but it won't be without a fight,
speedway president Gillian Zucker said. With more than 40,000 empty
seats serving as a background during last Sunday's Auto Club 500,
Zucker promised to be "kicking and screaming and clawing and
scratching for two dates" next year, knowing that her parent company,
International Speedway Corp., already has plans to add a second racing
weekend to Kansas Speedway. ISC owns 11 tracks on the Sprint Cup
Series schedule and is a partner on an 11th. Since NASCAR said it
probably won't expand the schedule beyond its 36 regular season races,
giving Kansas a second date likely will come at the expense at another
ISC property. "I think every track has to be concerned that it could
come from them," Zucker said Sunday. (Savannah Morning News)
http://www.racewayreport.com/news/california.html
Kim Kardashian, Carroll Shelby to serve as grand marshall in Sunday's
NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: Automobile legend Carroll
Shelby and television star Kim Kardashian will serve as co-grand
marshals for Sunday's Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at
Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Kardashian and Shelby will share the
microphone when it comes time to give the command to start engines.
"Of course, I will have my rooting interest during the race,"
Kardashian said, referring to Tommy Baldwin Racing's No. 36 Chevrolet
driven by Mike Bliss, which will feature a special paint scheme,
celebrating the launch of her new fragrance. "But I'm really looking
forward to meeting all the drivers. It's such a tremendous honor to
serve as co-Grand Marshal and I'm really looking forward to
experiencing a Sprint Cup race up close." Kim stars in the E! network
television series, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, on Sunday nights.
Shelby has raced and designed cars for more than 50 years and is known
throughout the world for his legendary Cobra and Shelby GT350. His
company, Shelby Automobiles, Inc. is headquartered in Las Vegas and
also is the sponsor of Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at LVMS.
Tickets for Sunday's Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race,
Saturday's Sam's Town 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series event, the fabulous
Neon Garage fan experience and Thursday and Friday's Dirt Track events
may be purchased by calling the LVMS ticket office at (702) 644-4444
or online at www.LVMS.com. Follow LVMS on Facebook and Twitter. (LVMS
PR)
http://www.racewayreport.com/news/lasvegas.html
Red Bull Racing donates cars to college: Mooresville-based Red Bull
Racing has donated a Sprint Cup Series Toyota from its fleet to Rowan-
Cabarrus Community College’s Motorsports Management Technology
program. The NASCAR Sprint Cup team fields cars for drivers Brian
Vickers and Scott Speed. The donated car will serve as a laboratory
for students in the Motorsports Management program, allowing them to
see how Sprint Cup Series cars are designed and manufactured, said
Richmond Gage, program head for Motorsports Management at the school.
The program eventually plans to build an engine and transmission for
the car and also use it for show purposes at college and community
events, Gage said. (ThatsRacin.com)
http://www.racewayreport.com/news/red_bull_racing.html
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