NASCAR News 2009

[Unklescott]

With so much happening this silly season where do you start? This one really shocked me. I like Elliot Sadler and I wish him the best of luck this year.

Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site - NASCAR Sprint Cup News Page

Sadler replaced by Allmendinger? UPDATE: AJ Allmendinger is set to replace Elliott Sadler in the #19 Dodge in 2009, multiple Gillett Evernham Motorsports team sources told ESPN.com on Saturday. GEM CEO Tom Reddin told team employees and sponsors the news just before Christmas, causing some sponsors to consider leaving, according to team sources. Reached for comment Saturday, GEM spokesman Drew Brown chose not to comment. Sources also said Ray Evernham, who founded the team and sold majority ownership to George Gillett, cleared out all personal possessions from the team's shop, including the 2002 Brickyard 400 trophy he won as owner of Bill Elliott's #9 Dodge. Calls placed to Evernham and Sadler's representation were not immediately returned.(ESPN.com)(12-27-2008)
UPDATE: Allmendinger will join Kasey Kahne in the flagship #9 GEM Dodge and newcomer Reed Sorenson, who will pilot the #43 Dodge following the imminent announcement of the merger between owner George Gillett and Richard Petty.
AND Sadler? Sadler's possibilities are rumored to include the #41 Chevy at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing or the #77 Dodge at Penske Racing should Sam Hornish Jr. replace Helio Castroneves in the IRL IndyCar Series [who faces a trial and possible jail over IRS charges].(FoxSports), no word on who would drive the #10 Dodge of GEM in 2009.(12-28-2008)

[Google]

 

[sarannan]

The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the 61st season of professional stock car racing in the United States, which began at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida with the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a race for the top six teams of the four brands in the 2008 season on February 7th, with the first points race being the 2009 Daytona 500 to be held on February 15th. The 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup will start on September 20th with the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, and ending November 22nd with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida.

[Unklescott]

Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site - NASCAR Sprint Cup News Page

General Motors Corp. has struck a tentative deal to sell its Saturn brand to former race car driver and auto dealer Roger Penske. Penske, who owns the Penske Automotive Group dealership chain, told reporters on Friday that he plans to offer all 350 Saturn dealerships new franchise agreements. He says Saturn's 13,000 employees will stay on with the company for at least the immediate future. He declined to name the price for the deal. Penske says GM will continue to produce Saturn vehicles, though he is in discussions with manufacturers worldwide about building the vehicles going forward.(AP/ESPN)(6-5-2009)

[Little Sew&Sew]

So . . . . Kyle Busch "declines to comment" . . . . again.

Grow up!

[Lil Bit]

Originally Posted by Little Sew&Sew

So . . . . Kyle Busch "declines to comment" . . . . again.

Grow up!

My granddaughter pouts when things done go her way too, but she's only 2.
Kyle is really a talented driver too. It's just a shame he has to be such a butt.

[MissThing]

Originally Posted by Lil Bit

Kyle is really a talented driver too. It's just a shame he has to be such a butt.

I'm not even sure he's a talented driver. As DW says, he's the only guy that can drive three wide all by himself. Me, I think he's dangerous, to himself and to others, and basically doesn't know (doesn't want to learn) how to race Sprint. He needs to mature, and I don't believe he has it in him. He really needs a good sit down with his brother.

[Lil Bit]

Originally Posted by MissThing

I'm not even sure he's a talented driver. As DW says, he's the only guy that can drive three wide all by himself. Me, I think he's dangerous, to himself and to others, and basically doesn't know (doesn't want to learn) how to race Sprint. He needs to mature, and I don't believe he has it in him. He really needs a good sit down with his brother.

Kurt can be a bit of an idiot too, although he has matured over the years. When I say talented, I mean he can drive any type of track. Now, he's reckless and quite frankly, dangerous to himself and all the other drivers on the track. I think what needs to be done is to park him for a couple of races. That may get through to him. Maybe not. The days of the "Intimidator" are over. The problem is, no one bothered to tell Kyle.

[daddyzgirl]

Here we go again: NASCAR: Jeremy Mayfield again tests positive for meth - Racing - SI.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- NASCAR said Jeremy Mayfield once again tested positive for methamphetamine and asked the federal judge who lifted the driver's drug suspension to reinstate the ban.

The positive result from a July 6 random test was included in a U.S. District Court filing Wednesday that included an affidavit from Mayfield's stepmother, who claimed she personally witnessed the driver using methamphetamine at least 30 times over seven years.

Mayfield once again denied ever using the illegal drug.

"I don't trust anything NASCAR does, anything (program administrator) Dr. David Black does, never have, never will," Mayfield told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

Lisa Mayfield said she first saw the driver use meth in 1998 at a race shop in Mooresville, N.C. She said Mayfield cooked his own drugs until the ingredient pseudoephedrine was taken off the shelves and it became too difficult for Mayfield to obtain the ingredients. She said her stepson then began to purchase meth from others.

"Between 1998 and 2005, I am personally aware that Jeremy used methamphetamines often," she said in her affidavit. "I was concerned about his heavy use and talked to his father about it. I saw Jeremy use methamphetamine by snorting it up his nose at least 30 times during the 7 years I was around him. Jeremy used methamphetamine not only in my presence, but also when we were both in the presence of others."

Mayfield angrily contested his stepmother's account.

"Now they got this lying (expletive) to tell lies about me, someone I am embarrassed even uses the Mayfield name. She's tried everything she can do to get money out of me, I won't help her, so I guess she found a way to get money from NASCAR by giving them an affidavit full of lies."

In the affidavit, Lisa Mayfield said she married Mayfield's father in a 2003 ceremony immediately following Mayfield's marriage to his wife, Shana.

Lisa Mayfield said the driver told her he used meth before a season-ending NASCAR awards ceremony while driving for Ray Evernham. She also said Mayfield used meth during a 1999 trip to Myrtle Beach that preceded a race at nearby Darlington Raceway.

"We left Myrtle Beach and traveled to Darlington for the race," she wrote. "I saw Jeremy using methamphetamine again when we reached Darlington."

Mayfield was suspended May 9 for failing a random drug test conducted eight days earlier. NASCAR later said he tested positive for methamphetamine.

He sued, and U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen issued an injunction July 1 that allowed Mayfield to return to competition.

Mullen based his decision on Mayfield's argument that the testing system is flawed and there was a reasonable likelihood of a false positive. He also gave NASCAR the right to test Mayfield at any time.

NASCAR did just that July 6 at Mayfield's home and said in its filings that the "A" sample had levels of methamphetamine consistent with habitual users who consume high doses.

"My only comment is that's their result," Mayfield attorney John Buric said. "But what I want you to keep in mind is that test was performed by the defendants in the case. Aegis Laboratories and Dr. Black are defendants in this case. I don't know if NASCAR has the right to ask the defendant to test Jeremy's urine sample. It ought to be done independently, but NASCAR didn't do that."

On July 6, Mayfield also had a second test at a lab chosen by his attorneys. Buric said that test came back negative but was sent back to the lab Wednesday for "reconfirmation" after the NASCAR test results were received.

The filing also claims Mayfield and his attorneys have failed to select a qualified laboratory to test the backup "B" sample.

Buric acknowledged the two sides are still haggling over a lab for the B sample and said NASCAR rejected the lab they picked.

Mayfield's lawyers also filed their response Wednesday to NASCAR's motion last week to overturn Mullen's injunction.

The brief, which didn't include the results of Mayfield's latest drug case, argued NASCAR was trying to "fashion the rules to their liking" by not meeting the requirements needed to overturn the ruling. Mayfield's lawyers argued Mullen had correctly ruled that Mayfield faced irreparable harm from a suspension and doubts remain about the accuracy of NASCAR's testing policy.

"NASCAR is absolutely corrupted by power, and it's untenable motion to stay should be denied," his lawyers wrote.

[Lil Bit]

I don't know what to make of this. I need more facts, but I'd say it's going to be pretty hard for Jeremy to get any owner to take a chance on him and let him in one of their cars even if they don't ban him from driving.

[Margaritaville]

This whole story really bothers me. I never paid that much attention to him as a driver until he and his wife were shown on "Nascar Drivers:360" or something like that a few years back. It was aired on Fox during the period of the year that they had the rights to NASCAR coverage. It showed drivers and their wives in their everyday lives, and I really liked Jeremy and Shana. I never would have suspected him of illegal drug use - time will tell, I guess.