NASCAR News

Robert "Bootie" Barker has been named as crew chief for the #77 Jasper Engines and Transmissions Ford Team and driver Dave Blaney.

Joe Gibbs Racing announced today that it has hired Mike Bliss to drive the No. 20 Rockwell Automation / JGR Chevrolet for the 2003 NASCAR Busch season.

Four times Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon will be in a very unfamiliar position at the start of Sunday's Ford 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, mired back amongst the Provisional starters for the first time in his ten-year Winston Cup career.

Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, today announced the signings of driver Joe Nemechek and crew chief Peter Sospenzo, who will each return to their respective roles with No. 25 UAW-Delphi team in 2003.

Veteran road-racer Ron Fellows has signed a contract with Dale Earnhardt Inc. to compete in both 2003 Winston Cup road races at Sears Point and Watkins Glen in a fourth DEI prepared Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

Todd Bodine and the Excedrin QuickTabs Racing team head to Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend for the final event on the 2002 NASCAR Busch Series schedule.

In what will be Jesel Motorsports' last race with GNC on the hood and quarter panels and possibly Hank Parker Jr's last race behind the wheel of the #36 Dodge Intrepid both team and driver are going all out for victory in Saturday's Busch Series season finale.

In one of the biggest weekends ever in the history of DeWalt Power Tools as a Winston Cup Series sponsor, Matt Kenseth came away with a season-high fifth victory and one lucky fan earned a Million dollars for his quick handywork with DeWalt tools.

Full results from Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500 at the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway, round 35 of the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

Sirius Satellite Radio, the premier satellite radio provider, and Ultra Motorsports today named Jason Leffler as the interim driver of the #7 Sirius Satellite Radio Dodge Intrepid R/T.

"We are evaluating all avenues of recourse available to us, including invoking the NASCAR appeals process and have asked our outside counsel to assess our options for recourse against the manufacturer and distributor of the spring." - Roush Racing President Geoff Smith

Jeff Burton, driver of the #99 Roush Racing Ford Taurus, will be looking for his third straight NASCAR Winston Cup win at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend.

After completing 34 of 36 events on the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup schedule, the circuit heads cross country for the penultimate event of the season. It's also race No. 19 of 20 straight that began in July at Daytona.

While heading to Phoenix International Raceway, Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 GM Goodwrench Service Chevrolet, reverts to familiarity this week: partaking in a whole load of racing and getting to drive his favourite car.

With only two races left in the season, there is a lot of pressure on all of the teams as they head to Phoenix International Raceway for the Bashas' Supermarkets 200.

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.

Outspoken Winston Cup star Jimmy Spencer will not return to the #41 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge in 2003 after being given his release from the team Ganassi co-owns with Felix Sabates after just one year of service.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

"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.

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.

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.