NASCAR News

Mark Martin firmly believed he had closed to within 100 points of Winston Cup points leader Tony Stewart after finishing second in last Sunday's Pop Secret 400. That was until NASCAR said otherwise.

It didn't take long for Matt Kenseth and his No. 17 DEWALT team to earn their second consecutive Union 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew Championship title. A world-best 16.823 seconds in fact.

Johnny Benson held off Mark Martin to score his long-awaited maiden career Winston Cup duel in a memorable late race duel at the North Carolina Speedway as the 2002 NWC title chase narrowed to just two drivers.

Earl Barban, mechanic and chief spotter for Rusty Wallace, was involved in a motorcycle accident while en route to the North Carolina Speedway on Thursday night.

"Win, crash or blow, it don't really matter to me; I don't care right now. I'm not points racing with anybody and I'm not racing for points. If our car is competitive, we're going to stay up there and stay in the way all the way.

"It would mean a lot to win the championship, but I guess maybe an explanation for the other part is that I'm 24 years old and I've been driving cars for 20 years. I've got a ton of experience and you have to have experience to get to the Winston Cup level.

With a performance that will sooth some of his detractors, Todd Bodine was fastest in Happy Hour practice at the North Carolina Speedway on Saturday as team owner Travis Carter once again showcased the potential of his soon to be sponsor less #26 team.

Ford Credit has agreed to terms with Robert Yates Racing on a one-year associate sponsorship package involving Dale Jarrett and the No. 88 Robert Yates Racing Ford Taurus beginning in 2003, as announced today by Phil Gordon, Motorsports Marketing Manager.

The United States Marine Corps has announced that it is renewing its sponsor partnership with Team Rensi Motorsports and the No. 25 Ford Taurus in the NASCAR Busch Series for the 2003 season.

The 35th annual Union 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew Competition will be held at North Carolina Speedway this Saturday [2 November], the day before NASCAR's Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400.

2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Bobby Labonte along with the North Carolina Quarter Midget Association and members of the Rowan County Board of Commissioners have unveiled plans for a state of the art racing facility to be built in Salisbury, N.C.

Soon, NASCAR and Jeff Gordon fans will be able to cruise Main Street in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo similar to that driven by the Winston Cup Series' four-time champion.

As if four NASCAR-sanctioned races, two evening concerts at the Oasis, an expanded midway and several driver appearances at various fan hospitality areas weren't enough, Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) announced today that internationally-acclaimed rock band Def Leppard will entertain race fa

USG Corporation, a leading manufacturer of building materials for the construction and remodeling industries, will be the primary sponsor on the Evernham Motorsports No. 91 Dodge Intrepid R/T for this weekend's NASCAR Winston Cup race - the Pop Secret 400 at North Carolina Speedway.

Tony Stewart took a large step forward in his bid for a NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship by finishing a solid fourth in Sunday's rain-shortened NAPA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Carl Long in the #59 'Cheque [Check] into Cash' Dodge will make his second NASCAR Winston Cup start of the 2002 season in Sunday's race. The NAPA 500 will be Long's second career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He started 26th and finished 43rd in the 201 NAPA 500.

Full results from Sunday's NAPA 500 at the 1.54-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway, round 33 of the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Race ended behind Safety Car due to rain.

Herzog Jackson Motorsports, which has competed in the NASCAR Busch Series for three years, will make its 100th career start this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Before coming to Atlanta Motor Speedway back in March, there weren't many things that Home Depot Pontiac driver Tony Stewart hadn't done in his three previous years in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

Ashton Lewis, Jr. finished the Sam's Town 250 at the Memphis Motorsports Park .75 mile tri-oval in 32nd place, after having a dark cloud hang over his car all day.

Full results from Sunday's Old Dominion 500 at the 0.533-mile Martinsville Speedway, round 32 of the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

Kurt Busch withstood a frenzied late race attack from Johnny Benson to win Sunday's Old Dominion 500 at the Martinsville Speedway in a race full of close, competitive racing.

Complete Bud Pole Qualifying for Sunday's Old Dominion 500 at the 0.533-mile Martinsville Speedway.

Ryan Newman denied Jeff Gordon pole position at the half-mile Martinsville Speedway by putting in a late flying lap that secured the Penske Racing driver his fourth Bud Pole Award of the year.