Week of 11/6/05
NASCAR caps teams to 4 cars in 2006
NASCAR dropped some major rules changes that start in 2006. First, there will be a cap on owners that limit them to having only 4 cars. They will work with teams like Roush Racing to establish a reasonable timeline to play by the new rules. The testing policy has been changed to a specific schedule on certain tracks only. Those 6 test tracks are: Daytona, Las Vegas, Lowes, Richmond, Indy, and Homestead-Miami.
November 10, 2005
Brewco gets sponsor and Green back
Brewco Motorsports has announced that Kimberly-Clark has renewed their sponsorship as the primary for David Green's #27 Busch car for 2006 and 07. David returns next year to drive the car, his 4th season with Brewco. November 10, 2005
Who's hot going into this weekend?
It's hard for Carl Edwards to not make this list, after all he has 2 wins in a row
Denny Hamlin now has 3 top 10's in only 5 career Cup starts, pretty good start
Casey Mears has four top-10 finishes in seven races November 10, 2005
TRACK STATS | PHOENIX
Distance: 1-mile oval
Banking/Turns 1-2:11º
Banking/Turns 3-4:9 º
Banking/Straights: None
Length/Frontstretch: 1,179 ft.
Length/Backstretch: 1,551 ft.
Miles/laps: 312 miles, 312 laps
Last year's poll sitter: Ryan Newman
Last year's winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Up for grabs: $4.8 million November 10, 2005
Pepsi stays on with Gordon until 2010
Pepsi and Jeff Gordon are two things that will go together until 2010 after a new deal with Hendrick Motorsports was announced. Jeff has been associated with the soft drink maker since 1997, and next year the 24 car will carry them on the hood at Talladega and Daytona in July. November 10, 2005
Ford locks up Champ weekend for a while
Ford has also inked a long term deal to be the title sponsor of the season ending weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Championship weekend is now Ford's through 2014 and is the largest sponsorship in the automaker's history. November 10, 2005
11th place million, still close
The battle for the 11th place in points is pretty tight, with Jamie McMurray currently holding the spot, followed by Jeff Gordon 51 points back, Elliott Sadler 52 back, and Kevin Harvick is 81 points out of 11th, which has a total payout of over $1million at the end of the season. November 10, 2005
Phoenix TV Schedule
ON TV
NEXTEL CUP SERIES FINAL PRACTICE @ 6pm Friday on Speed
TRUCK SERIES RACING @ 8pm Friday on Speed
BUSCH SERIES QUALIFYING @ 11am Saturday on Speed
NEXTEL CUP SERIES QUALIFYING @ 1pm Saturday on Speed
BUSCH SERIES RACING @ 3:30pm Saturday on TNT
NEXTEL CUP SERIES RACING @ 3pm Sunday on NBC
All from Phoenix, and all times are eastern. November 10, 2005
Rudd "stepping back", not retiring
Ricky Rudd announced that he is taking a step back from racing at the end of this season and his contract with Wood Brothers Racing. Ricky is leaving the door open to racing in the future and is not officially retiring just yet. This will end his incredible run of 875 races dating back to 1975, 788 consecutive. November 8, 2005
Martin goes 'retro' this weekend
If you're having a hard time finding Mark Martin's car this weekend, it's because he'll be running his retro paint scheme for the the 4th and final time this season. At Phoenix it will be the design from his Winston Cup Car from 1981, be on the lookout for it. November 8, 2005
Truex could clinch at Phoenix
Martin Truex Jr. has a shot at clinching his second Busch Series Championship this weekend. Check out the breakdown, if Martin gains 106 points or more the title is his -or- if he get's 72 points or more and simply starts the race at Homestead he'll also clinch....standing in his way is Clint Bowyer. November 8, 2005
POINT STANDINGS | BUSCH & TRUCK SERIES
BUSCH SERIES
5 Denny Hamlin
4 Reed Sorenson
3 Carl Edwards
2 Clint Bowyer is 84 back of leader
1 Martin Truex Jr.
TRUCK SERIES
5 Mike Skinner
4 Ron Hornaday
3 Todd Bodine
2 Dennis Setzer
1 Ted Musgrave leads by 63 November 8, 2005
Roush releases Busch
Roush Racing has released Kurt Busch from his contract effective at the end of this season, allowing him to move over to drive the Penske #2 car in 2006. Jamie McMurray will move over to Roush next year with Rubbermaid and Crown Royal staying on as the sponsor. These changes opened the door for the Ganassi lineup to change to David Stremme in the #40, Reed Sorenson in the #41, and Casey Mears moves over to the #42. November 7, 2005
Labonte leaves Gibbs #18 at seasons end
Bobby Labonte has announced that he is leaving Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of the season after 11 years with the team. No word yet on where Bobby will land for next year, or who will take over the #18 ride. November 7, 2005
Hamlin nabs #11 Cup ride for 2006
Denny Hamlin will drive the #11 FedEx Chevy full time next season for Joe Gibbs Racing. Denny already has racked up 3 top 10 finishes this season in only 5 Cup series starts. November 7, 2005
POINT STANDINGS | CUP SERIES
1. Tony Stewart Leader?2. Jimmie Johnson -38?3. Carl Edwards -77?4. Greg Biffle -122?5. Mark Martin 123?6. Matt Kenseth -135?7. Ryan Newman -174?8. Kurt Busch -281?9. Rusty Wallace -315?10. Jeremy Mayfield -407?after Texas November 7, 2005
RACE RECAP | TEXAS
RACE RECAP | TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
10 Kurt Busch
9 Elliott Sadler
8 Dale Earnhart Jr. another solid run
7 Denny Hamlin 3rd top 10 in 5 Cup starts
6 Tony Stewart
5 Jimmie Johnson
4 Casey Mears
3 Matt Kenseth led the most laps
2 Mark Martin
VICTORY LANE
It's his second win in a row, 4th on the season, Carl Edwards does the back flip again in front of over 150,000 fans.
OTHER STORIES ON THE DAY
-It was a Roush Racing 1-2-3 finish
-Greg Biffle, another Roush driver had a rough day spinning a couple of times, and even ran into the #22 of Scott Wimmer, Greg finished 20th
-Poll sitter Ryan Newman had to start in the back after wrecking his primary car during the second lap of his qualifying run and never could overcome that, Ryan finished 25th
-Tony Stewart still leads the points over Jimmie Johnson by 38, with Carl Edwards lurking in third just 77 points back.
November 6, 2005
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