The Final Lap with Kerry Murphey

Truex Hit with 150 point loss

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 8, 2008) – NASCAR has issued penalties, fines and suspensions to the car No. 1 team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of rules infractions found last week at Daytona International Speedway.

The car driven by Martin Truex Jr., was found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-3.8A (roof of the car does not conform to the specifications) of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rule book.

As a result, Truex Jr. and car owner Teresa Earnhardt have been penalized 150 championship driver and 150 championship owner points, respectively. Both the crew chief, Kevin Manion, and the car chief, Gary Putnam, have been suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, suspended from NASCAR until Aug. 27 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Additionally, Manion has been fined $100,000.

The infractions were discovered July 3 during opening day inspection.

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Statement from Dale Earnhardt Inc. Regarding No. 1 Team Fine

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 8, 2008) – Following NASCAR’s announcement that it has fined the Dale Earnhardt Inc. No. 1 car 150 car owner points, 150 driver points and issued a $100,000 fine for crew chief Kevin Manion, as well as a six-race suspension for Manion and car chief Gary Putnam, Dale Earnhardt Inc. vice president of motorsports operations John Story issued the following statement:

“We are still trying to understand how the car fit our templates multiple times at the shop, but we respect NASCAR’s determination that one of our cars did not exactly conform to their template at the track. We have not decided if we will pursue our options to appeal. Under NASCAR’s rules, we have 10 days to notify the sanctioning body of any appeal.”

Mid-Season Review

Action Packed First Half Highlighted By Kyle Busch Dominance

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 8, 2008) – Kyle Busch capped off the first half of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with what has become a very familiar routine – the bow.

Busch’s victory bows have been plentiful this season. He has won six times, and the victories have come at different styles of tracks – proof of Busch’s versatility and driving ability.

The news gets better for Busch. In NASCAR Sprint Cup history, 20 drivers have won six or more races through the first 18 events – 14 have gone on to win the series championship.

Even with Busch’s prosperity, the first half has seen a rare combination of competitive balance and singular success, as the following statistics prove:

    • 10 different race winners
    • 11 different pole winners
    • 46 drivers have led at least one lap
    • 74 drivers have attempted to qualify for at least one NSCS race
    • All four manufacturers are in the top 12
    • All four manufacturers have won at least three races

Race Recap: Kyle Busch Wins Daytona

Race Recap: Kyle Busch Takes Sixth Win In Daytona Thriller

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. -- Fireworks started the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola Saturday night. Fireworks ended the race as well, both on and off the track.

In a wild and wooly finish so typical of races at Daytona International Speedway, Kyle Busch won by a whisker over hard-charging Carl Edwards with a chain-reaction accident behind them sending up a cloud of smoke that covered the track.

The race ended in a green, white, checkered finish after a spectacular night of racing that more resembled a Saturday night short track event where rubbing fenders and banging bumpers is a rule rather than exception. The bumping continued on a restart when Edwards tapped Gordon, who was second at the time, in the rear and sent him spinning off the track.

The untimely collision sent Gordon from second to 31st in the race rundown.
Following Busch and Edwards across the finish line were Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer, David Ragan, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Brian Vickers, Mark Martin and Travis Kvapil.

Kasey Kahne was 11th after racing with the leaders most of the night before a sideswipe with another driver cut a tire and forced him to make an unscheduled pit stop.

Former Indy 500 winner Sam Hornish, Jr., was next after another impressive run. Hornish kept his Dodge in contention throughout the 160-lap event before being caught up in the late race melee that scattered car parts all over the track. Michael Waltrip, Dave Blaney, Paul Menard and several other drivers were a part of the domino-type accident at the end. So was J. J. Yeley, who kept the Home Depot Toyota in contention after relief driving for Tony Stewart, who was under the weather and had to climb out of his car shortly before the halfway point.

Denny Hamlin, winner of Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide race, ran with the fastest cars before a shunt with this year's Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman ended his chances. Newman's night wound up a nightmare. He was involved in three accidents, the last one crippling his already-damaged machine.

Hamlin wound up 30th with Newman 36th.

It was Busch's sixth win of the season and he managed to do it after almost spinning out himself. A mishap earlier in the race put him way back in the pack but he made it back to the front by the end. He heads to Chicago still leading the NASCAR Sprint Cup points chase by a comfortable margin.

Thriller @ Daytona: Busch Wins

Daytona under the lights certainly didn't disappoint as one of the most exciting races of the year.

CUP SERIES | DAYTONA
(unofficial)
10 Mark Martin
9 Clint Bowyer
8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. led the most laps
7 Kasey Kahne had a severe tire rub
6 Robby Gordon
5 David Ragan
4 Kurt Busch second top 5 in a row
3 Matt Kenseth comeback continues
2 Carl Edwards

VICTORY LANE - KYLE BUSCH WINS

1 Kyle Busch wins a wreck-filled thriller for his 6th win of the 2008 season, second straight plate win (Talladega) and now leads the points by 182. Kyle Busch had a scare early on when he complained of a steering problem, and his 18 machine fell off the pace. Kyle fought back after going from 3rd to 37th from that problem.

OTHER STORIES ON THE DAY

-Dale Earnhardt Jr. is now 2nd in points after Jeff Burton was involved in a spin and a wreck.

-David Gilliland was looking to be a feel good story running top 5, even second for a time, but was caught up in a wreck with Jeff Burton and Ryan Newman.

-Greg Biffle wrecked and finished dead last

-Jeff Gordon was the dominant car and was spun running second heading into the Green-White-Checkered flag

-Two restrictor plate "BIG ONES" happened late in the race, including one that ended the race under caution. Among the casualties were Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, J.J. Yeley (filling in for Stewart) and more.

-J.J. Yeley filled in for Tony Stewart who had been battling flu-like symptoms throughout the day. Tony went to the infield care center.

-Paul Menard was the pole sitter, the first of his career

Race Recap: NNS @ Daytona

Race Recap: Hamlin Powers No. 20 Car To Ninth 2008 Victory

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 4, 2008) -- Same car. Same racetrack. Different driver.

The cast of characters in Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 20 Toyota is such a successful game of musical chairs that even Dale Earnhardt Jr. got confused.

Tony Stewart took the No. 20 Camry to victory lane to open the NASCAR Nationwide Series season at Daytona International Speedway in February. The car, sans Stewart, returned to the winner's circle in Friday night's Winn-Dixie 250 with Denny Hamlin behind the wheel.

Hamlin held off teammate Kyle Busch, Earnhardt Jr. and Clint Bowyer in a green-white-checkered-flag finish -- the seventh of the season in the series -- to win his second Nationwide race in the No. 20 car and his third of the season overall. In his final appearance this season in the car, which has won nine races with four different drivers, Hamlin notched the eighth NASCAR Nationwide Series victory of his career.

Busch stayed in line behind his teammate over the final two laps and came home second, followed by Earnhardt, Bowyer and Brad Keselowski. Kasey Kahne, Scott Wimmer, David Stremme, David Ragan and Mike Bliss completed the top 10.

Hamlin wins Daytona NNS Race

Denny Hamlin wins the Nationwide Series race at Daytona Friday night. It's the 9th series win for the Joe Gibbs Racing #20 car using 4 different drivers. Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Joey Logano. Denny picks up win #3 for the season, and it's his first at Daytona.

1 Denny Hamlin

2 Kyle Busch

3 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

4 Clint Bowyer

5 Brad Keselowski

6 Kasey Kahne

7 Scott Wimmer

8 David Stremme

9 David Ragan

10 Mike Bliss

Cup Series Lineup: Daytona

Paul Menard sits on the Pole for Saturday night's Cup race at Daytona International Speedway

1 15 Paul Menard
2 8 Mark Martin
3 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4 78 Joe Nemechek
5 70 Johnny Sauter
6 6 David Ragan
7 60 Boris Said
8 01 Regan Smith
9 18 Kyle Busch
10 10 Patrick Carpentier
11 28 Travis Kvapil
12 22 Dave Blaney
13 84 AJ Allmendinger
14 29 Kevin Harvick
15 11 Denny Hamlin
16 5 Casey Mears
17 20 Tony Stewart
18 09 Sterling Marlin
19 17 Matt Kenseth
20 43 Bobby Labonte

FREE AUDIO REPORT - Full coverage of the Mark Martin announcement to drive the #5 in '09, plus Ganassi ends #40, Moss starts Truck team, Truex is toast, plus more stories from Daytona. RUNNING TIME: About 6 minutes

-FREE AUDIO - The Final Lap CHAT Show #21 - Biffle stays, Mears goes, Tony ??, plus we talk about Carpentier's first pole, Kurt Busch's rainy win, and Daytona under the lights this weekend. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Paul Northrop. RUNNING TIME: About an hour

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Team Release: Martin Joins Hendrick

MARK MARTIN TO JOIN HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS
35-TIME RACE WINNER WILL DRIVE FULL 2009 SEASON IN NO. 5 CHEVROLETS

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 4, 2008) - Mark Martin, a 35-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner and the all-time leader in NASCAR Nationwide Series victories, has signed a two-year agreement to drive for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2009.

Martin will race the full 2009 Sprint Cup schedule in the No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolets, becoming teammates with Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. It will mark his first full season of Cup competition since 2006, when he finished ninth in points.

A Batesville, Ark., native, Martin also is slated to run a partial Sprint Cup schedule for Hendrick Motorsports in 2010, sharing the No. 5 Chevys with a to-be-determined second driver. Martin will enter 26 events, including the non-points Budweiser Shootout and NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

Official: Martin to Drive #5 in 2009

OFFICIAL: MARK MARTIN TO DRIVE FOR HENDRICK FULL TIME IN 2009

Rick Hendrick and Mark Martin took to the stage at the Daytona International media center to make things official. Mark Martin will drive the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy for the full schedule in 2009. Mark hopes for a chance at getting his first Cup Series Championship. Rick Hendrick said this was 15 years in the making, and Mark said most of this deal was done by text messaging, a sign of the times I guess.

Happy 4th of July!

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Randy Moss Motorsports to Debut

Daytona Beach, Florida (July 3, 2008) - Randy Moss, NFL All Pro wide receiver with the New England Patriots, will make his debut as a NASCAR team owner on July 19 in the Built Ford Tough 225 at Kentucky Speedway. Moss has purchased a 50-percent stake in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team owned by long-time series participant David Dollar. Dollar’s team, known as Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, will be renamed Randy Moss Motorsports effective immediately.

“We looked at a lot of different options and we’ve decided to align with David Dollar’s team rather than build an operation from scratch,” Moss said. “He has an existing team with a state-of-the-art shop, all the parts and pieces it takes to do this and do it well, and some of the best people in the Craftsman Truck Series garage area. The team has contended for championships in the past and has won a lot of races. We really believe that we’ll come out of the gate competitive with a chance to win.”

As Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, the team has won 13 races with drivers Dennis Setzer, Bobby Labonte, and Clint Bowyer. With Setzer at the wheel, the team finished second in the series standings from 2003 through 2005. The team has entered each race in 2008 with drivers A.J. Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Landon Cassill, Erin Crocker, Timothy Peters, Regan Smith and Scott Speed. The team has three top-ten finishes so far in 2008; Speed scored a tenth-place finish at Martinsville while Cassill has finishes of ninth at Charlotte and third at Milwaukee.