Richard Childress Racing News #29, #31, #07

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AT&T to sue NASCAR to place logos on #31:

The cell-phone industry's ruthless fight has spilled over into NASCAR, and landed squarely on the hood of Jeff Burton's #31 Chevy. AT&T's wireless unit, formerly known as Cingular Wireless, planned to file a lawsuit later on Friday in Atlanta's U.S. District Court against NASCAR.

The suit will center around AT&T's sponsorship on the #31 Chevrolet driven by Burton. The car has traditionally been sponsored by Cingular, with its familiar orange paint scheme. Though federal regulators approved AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth and its wireless unit Cingular on Dec. 29, NASCAR will not allow AT&T logos to appear on the #31 car because it would violate its current agreement with Sprint Nextel, which owns the naming right to NASCAR's top series. "We're filing a lawsuit to protect the right to transition from Cingular to AT&T on the #31 car," AT&T spokesperson Clay Owen said Friday afternoon.

NASCAR officials were not immediately available for comment. Burton's car will continue to sport the Cingular Wireless paint scheme for this weekend's Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.(

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Harvick and Martin to race at Iowa:

#29-Kevin Harvick and #01-Mark Martin will race at Iowa Speedway this year. Harvick, driving for Richard Childress Racing, will race in the tracks first NASCAR race, the NASCAR Grand National East-West Sunday, May 20. Martin, driving for Ginn Racing, will race Friday night, July 13, in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series race. The announcement was made by Iowa Speedway Vice President and General Manager, Craig Armstrong.(Iowa Speedway site)

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Iowa gets IRL race: The IndyCar Series will make its first 2007 visit to Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, for a race at the new ?Rusty Wallace Signature Series Track.?

The inaugural IndyCar Series event at Iowa Speedway is scheduled for June 22-24, 2007 and will feature the IndyCar Series running a 250- lap race on June 24 and the Indy Pro Series running 100-mile event on June 23. The announcement was made in conjunction with an IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series compatibility test that included 2003 IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing and 2005 Indy Pro Series champion Wade Cunningham of Brian Stewart Racing.

 The 7/8-mile tri-oval has a track width of 60 feet with 12-14 degree compound banking in the turns. The front stretch features 10 degrees of banking and the backstretch has 4 degrees of banking. Iowa Speedway is the first track to ever have the SAFER Barrier installed around the entire perimeter of the race track and first to use the New-Age SAFER Barrier, which does not have a concrete wall behind the energy absorbing barrier. Additionally, Iowa Speedway will also be the first racetrack to have state-of-the-art camera angles ? with audio -- embedded in the racing surface similar to how current race facilities have miniature cameras in the walls.(Iowa Speedway/PR site)

[Woody]

From NASCAR.com
CONCORD, N.C -- Kevin Harvick earned another $1 million payday Saturday night, winning the Nextel All-Star Challenge after Matt Kenseth got caught speeding and brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch took each other out of contention.

That made Jimmie Johnson, a two-time All-Star race winner, the last driver for Harvick to contend with.

But Johnson barely mounted a challenge, staying in line behind Harvick until the final lap at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Johnson made one attempt at a pass, Harvick blocked it, then drove off to his second win of the season.

Harvick's other victory also was a jackpot -- he earned $1.5 million for winning the season-opening Daytona 500.

"To win a Daytona 500 and the All-Star race, that's pretty cool," Harvick said in Victory Lane.

Harvick, who was second to Johnson last season, scored his first All-Star victory in seven tries and gave car owner Richard Childress his first win in the non-points event since Dale Earnhardt in 1993.

"You are the man," Childress radioed Harvick.

It capped a hugely successful weekend for Childress, who said Friday he had formed an engine alliance with Dale Earnhardt Inc. Then AT&T won an injunction to get its logos placed on RCR driver Jeff Burton's car.

The car has been sponsored by Cingular, but AT&T has been fighting to get on the hood since the two companies merged. NASCAR denied the request, citing its exclusivity agreement with series sponsor Nextel, but a U.S. district judge allowed RCR to put the AT&T logo on the car Saturday morning.

Mark Martin finished third and was followed by Burton, Tony Stewart, Johnny Sauter and Kenseth. Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr., who got into the race by winning the Nextel Open, rounded out the top 10.

Kenseth had the field covered, leading 37 laps and winning the first and third segments. But he was flagged for speeding off pit road as he tried to beat Jeff Gordon out after the last stop.

"I got so busy with those other cars, I looked down and I was 200 [RPM] over," Kenseth said.

The All-Star race is usually good for some drama, and it came 18 laps from the finish when brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch wrecked each other.

Kyle Busch, who led 23 laps over the first three segments, was trying to pass his older brother on the outside when Kurt Busch drifted down and the two made contact. Kurt Busch surged ahead, Kyle Busch spun, tapped his brother, and both cars bounced off the wall (watch video).

"I was waiting for the day when we got together, and we did, and we were racing for a million bucks," Kurt Busch said. "That was a bummer, to have my little brother pull that move on me. Maybe I should have given an inch instead of taking an inch from him, but hey, that's what the All-Star race is all about.

"We'll see what we can do to discuss it, but right now I'm not eating any Kellogg's anytime soon."

While Kyle Busch was back in the garage, things fell apart for mighty Hendrick Motorsports.

Winners of eight of the last nine points races, Hendrick saw three of its four cars fall out of contention in a matter of minutes. Jeff Gordon got a flat tire to fall off the pace, then Casey Mears and Denny Hamlin made contact to bring out the third caution of the race.

It left Johnson, the defending race winner, as Hendrick's only hope. And after three mediocre segments, it didn't appear he would challenge for the win.

But he was in third after the Busch brothers wrecked and wasted little time working into second while Martin settled into third.

It stayed that way for several laps, as neither Johnson or Harvick stepped out of line. Only when Harvick appeared to have it in the bag did Johnson make his move.

"I kept chasing him on the bottom, trying to force him to make a mistake, but he drove a solid race," Johnson said. "On the last lap I thought, 'I've got a cushion behind me, let me just try it.' After 1 and 2, I got right to the 29's bumper and I was like, 'Why didn't I try that a lot sooner?' But that's racing."

[Woody]

UPDATE

From NASCAR.com
ATLANTA -- A federal judge and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to grant NASCAR's requests for a stay to prevent Jeff Burton's No. 31 car from racing Saturday with the AT&T logo.

The first ruling, issued Saturday just hours before the Nextel All-Star Challenge in Concord, N.C., was the second in two days from U.S. District Judge Marvin Shoob. On Friday, Shoob issued a preliminary injunction barring NASCAR from stopping AT&T Inc. from placing its brand on Burton's Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

 Following the second denial for a stay, NASCAR filed an emergency motion for a stay with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, which also denied the request.

Ramsey Poston, NASCAR's managing director for corporate communications, said NASCAR will continue the legal fight.

"NASCAR is disappointed that the request for a stay was not successful," Poston said. "We will continue to explore every legal avenue available to us. In the meantime we will honor the court's ruling."

In its written order Saturday, the 11th Circuit ruled all briefs in the appeal must by filed by June 25. The appeal is expected to be heard in July.

In its request for an emergency stay, NASCAR argued that allowing Burton to race with the AT&T brand "will virtually 'moot' NASCAR'S appeal of right by allowing AT&T ... to spend tens of millions of dollars in advertising targeted at NASCAR fans showing the AT&T logo on the No. 31 car."

NASCAR has tried to prevent the Cingular logo from being changed to the AT&T logo on Burton's car. AT&T is the sole owner of Cingular and is rebranding the cell phone company's name to AT&T.

After Friday's ruling, AT&T announced Burton's car would be repainted in time for Saturday night's race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. That decal switch already was completed by Saturday afternoon.

Sprint Nextel Corp. sponsors NASCAR's premier series, the Nextel Cup, and has exclusive rights as the telecommunications company for the series. Attorneys argued the only exceptions are companies, including Cingular, that already sponsored cars when Nextel reached its agreement with NASCAR.

San Antonio-based AT&T became the full owner of Atlanta-based Cingular when it completed its purchase of Atlanta-based BellSouth Corp. in December.

Cingular argued that its rights included changing its brand name to AT&T.

"The court concludes that the continued appearance of the Cingular brand on the No. 31 car, unaccompanied by any indication that Cingular now does business as AT&T, is likely to confuse NASCAR fans," Shoob wrote.

Shoob also concluded that AT&T has shown it will suffer irreparable harm in the form of loss of goodwill and loss of exclusive rights to renew its sponsorship agreement unless the court issues the injunction.

"We intend to vigorously protect our sponsorship from these unfounded claims of AT&T," Sprint Nextel marketing director Dean Kessel said in a statement Saturday.

NASCAR argued Nextel was entitled to exclusivity through its 10-year, $700 million investment that began in 2004. It also said it could be sued by Sprint Nextel if the court granted the injunction in favor of AT&T.

"Regardless of whether Sprint Nextel could or may bring suit against NASCAR, the court finds that the threat of such a suit does not outweigh the actual and imminent irreparable harm plaintiff will suffer if the court does not issue an injunction," Shoob said in his ruling.

The No. 31 car has been sponsored by Cingular Wireless LLC since 2001. Cingular had been a joint venture of AT&T and BellSouth before AT&T purchased BellSouth.

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Daytona 500, NEXTEL All Star Challenge....next up Coca-Cola 600!!!

It's a Richard Childress Racing insurgence

[Woody]

I hope so!  RCR has been stronger this year than many years in the past.  And of all the teams out there, RCR is about the only one to give Hendricks a run for their money when it comes to the chase!

*Just a sidenote-does anyone know who gave Rick Hendricks his first Nascar win?  (hint-it was a Busch series race)

























Dale Earnhardt Sr.!!! 5/28/83 Charlotte Motor Speedway   ::hittingself::

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That would be the late, great Dale Earnhardt my friend!!!

It was May 28th, 1983 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Lowe's), in the Charlotte Mello Yello 300. Dale started 3rd in the Hendrick owned #15 Pontiac and won the race earning $9,100 for the day.

Top Ten Results from that race:

1-Dale Earnhardt
2-Neil Bonnett
3-Bill Elliott
4-Harry Gant
5-Bobby Allison
6-Jack Ingram
7-Joe Ruttman
8-Tommy Houston
9-Davey Allison
10-Joe Kelly

This was the same year that the legendary Sam Ard won 10 races on his way to an easy championship. The Series was the Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series in 1982-83

1983 Race Results

Date Track Pole Winner Race Win Money

2/19/83 Daytona Sam Ard Darrell Waltrip $16,100

2/26/83 Richmond Sam Ard Sam Ard $4,500

3/5/83 North Carolina Dale Earnhardt Dale Earnhardt $7,500

3/13/83 Hickory Tommy Ellis Tommy Ellis $3,000

3/20/83 Martinsville Sam Ard Sam Ard $9,200

4/3/83 North Wilkesboro  Sam Ard $3,250

4/16/83 South Boston Tommy Ellis Tommy Ellis $2,500

4/30/83 Greenville Pickens  Jack Ingram $3,650

5/7/83 Langley  Jack Ingram $3,400

5/14/83 Dover David Pearson Ricky Rudd $5,950

5/21/83 Bristol Sam Ard Morgan Shepherd $3,200

5/28/83 Charlotte  Dale Earnhardt $9,100

6/4/83 South Boston  Tommy Ellis $2,500

6/11/83 Hickory Tommy Ellis Tommy Ellis $2,500

6/18/83 Orange County  Jack Ingram $3,400

6/25/83 South Boston Butch Lindley Tommy Ellis $3,000

7/2/83 Orange County Sam Ard Tommy Houston $2,500

7/6/83 Caraway Sam Ard Butch Lindley $3,400

7/9/83 Orange County  Tommy Houston $3,100

7/23/83 South Boston Phil Parsons Tommy Ellis $2,500

7/30/83 Hickory Sam Ard Sam Ard $3,200

8/6/83 Langley Dale Jarrett Jack Ingram $2,900

8/13/83 Indianapolis IRP Phil Parsons Tommy Houston $7,950

8/20/83 Greenville Pickens Butch Lindley Butch Lindley $2,500

8/26/83 Bristol Phil Parsons Sam Ard $3,450

9/3/83 Hickory Tommy Ellis Tommy Houston $3,000

9/4/83 Darlington Jack Ingram Neil Bonnett $8,100

9/10/83 Richmond Tommy Ellis Morgan Shepherd $4,500

9/11/83 North Wilkesboro Phil Parsons Tommy Ellis $3,250

9/17/83 South Boston Dale Jarrett Sam Ard $6,300

9/24/83 Martinsville Sam Ard Sam Ard $4,250

10/1/83 Orange County Dale Jarrett Sam Ard $3,000

10/8/83 Charlotte Larry Pearson Sam Ard $30,000

10/16/83 Hickory Tommy Houston Jack Ingram $2,900

10/30/83 Martinsville Dale Jarrett Sam Ard $9,150

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Defending World of Outlaws Sprint Series champion Donny Schatz had to take a backseat to 16-year-old Austin Dillon Friday night as a sell-out crowd of more than 14,000 people filled the grandstands at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway for the Eckerd Outlaw Showdown.

Schatz passed Paul McMahan for the lead with just three laps remaining and went on to win the 30-lap sprint car finale, while Dillon, grandson of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team owner Richard Childress, put a familiar black No. 3 back in victory lane by winning the Goodyear Fastrak Challenge late model feature.

"I don't think I've been more nervous trying to win the Daytona 500," Childress said with pride. "Seeing the black No. 3 back up there and my family running it, it's just great. He did a great job tonight and I'm proud of Austin."

Schatz, who started fifth in the 26-car World of Outlaws feature, passed McMahan for the lead on lap 27 and went on to claim his first victory at the four-tenths-mile clay oval since Oct. 5, 2000.

"It's great that the winner didn't come from the front row, and I'm just ecstatic to be that guy," said the Minot, N.D., native.

Schatz was challenging McMahan for the lead when the red flag was waved for an accident on lap 17 and teams were allowed to make adjustments and add fuel. McMahan pulled away on the restart and opened a big margin before Schatz started closing the gap.

"I never adjust on a red," Schatz said. "I try to adjust my head a little bit and get a little more focused. I knew the 20 car was going to get a little bit better. We had an advantage on him coming into the red. We're just glad we hit lapped traffic and had to move around to get by them at the end."

The victory was Schatz's seventh of the season and he continues to lead the series point standings. He earned $10,000 for his evening's work.

McMahan settled for second while Tony Bruce Jr., who started seventh, finished third. Danny Lasoski came home fourth and 20-time series champion Steve Kinser moved forward from the 14th starting spot to take fifth.

There were numerous incidents during the sprint car feature, three of which resulted in the red flag being waved for flipping race cars. Jason Meyers had the distinction of flipping twice, the first time on the initial start and again on lap 17. No injuries resulted.

The eight-lap heat races for the World of Outlaws sprint cars were won by Justin Henderson, Joey Saldana and Randy Hannagan. Henderson also won the Crane Cams Dash to earn the pole for the feature, but his race ended against the outside wall on lap 15.

McMahan topped the 26-car field during qualifying with a lap of 12.223 seconds.

Dillon started seventh in the 24-car Goodyear Fastrak Challenge late model finale and took the lead on lap 20 of the 25-lap race following a side-by-side battle with veteran Jack Pennington and Timbo Mangnum.

"I was racing against a veteran," Dillon said. "Jack Pennington did a great job. He raced me clean."