Former NASCAR champ Kurt Busch to try Indy 500-Coke 600 double

 

 

   Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, will join Andretti Autosport for the 98th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25. He'll also seek to become the fourth driver to "do the double" by competing in the Coca-Cola 600 in Concord, N.C.

   "To add a driver with the résumé of Kurt Busch to the Indianapolis 500 field is a huge gain for IndyCar," said Derrick Walker, IndyCar Series President of Competition and Operations. "We want to see the best 33 drivers put their skills to the test on the biggest stage in motorsports, regardless of which series they come from. To attempt 'the Double' is a tremendous challenge, and we're looking forward to watching Kurt accomplish the feat this May."

 

   Busch, 35, who is dedicating the effort to U.S. military personnel serving around the world, said the opportunity "is a dream come true."

 

   "My dad, a Mac Tools distributor, and I would go to car shows and see Indy cars and he'd say, 'This is about as close as you'll ever get to one of these things' because it was so far removed from what we could dream as a small blue-collar family from Las Vegas," Busch said. "It's just the different opportunities that have come up in motorsports (that have led me) to this biggest moment outside of stock cars.

 

   "It was a talk over dinner (with his agent, John Caponigro) one night on 'what if?' and now it's all becoming a realty for me to drive in the Indy 500 with Andretti."

 

   Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, was excited about Busch's decision.

 

   "As a past Coca-Cola 600 champion, Kurt Busch knows what a test of endurance 600 miles can be. To race 1,100 is nearly impossible. Our records show that only one driver has ever completed all 1,100 miles of the double in the same day, and that was by Kurt's new team co-owner, Tony Stewart. To even attempt this takes a lot of guts," he said.

   "Fans will appreciate this effort, and I know they'll be as excited as I will watching the clock to see if he can make it to Charlotte in time for our green flag."
 

NASCAR close to extension with Truck Series sponsor

 

 

   According to several recent reports, NASCAR is close to completing a long-term extension with Camping World to continue to sponsor its Truck series.

   NASCAR issued the following statement on Sunday in regards to the reports:

   "We are interested in extending our agreement with Camping World and we know the company is as well. While we don’t have a signed agreement yet, we are very pleased with the direction in which our discussions are headed. We love our partnership with Camping World and as soon as we have news to share, we will let you know."

  
   Camping World has sponsored the series since 2009.

Tony Stewart will be happy when you stop asking how he feels

 

 

   Speedweeks was NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart's first time back in the car since breaking two bones in his right leg last summer in a dirt track race.

   Obviously, along the way Stewart has been asked how his leg has felt. Stewart was asked yet again on Friday at Phoenix International Raceway.

   Here was his response:

   “I’ll be honest, I’ll be more happy when everybody quits asking me how I feel. I’m not 100 percent. I’m not going to be 100 percent for a while. It was fine. There wasn’t any drama, same as we said for the shootout, same as we said for the qualifying race and same as we said after the (Daytona) 500," he said.

   "I appreciate everybody checking on me, but it’s not going to change in a week. It wasn’t a big drama, everything is fine.  Everything is fine in the car this week so far. Hopefully, we will be able to talk a year from now about how far we have come.”
 

NASCAR supports veto of Arizona anti-gay bill

   NASCAR issued the following statement on Wednesday night: 

   "We are pleased with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s veto of SB1062. NASCAR actively strives to promote diversity and inclusion throughout the motorsports industry. NASCAR has a zero tolerance policy against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, race, gender, national origin, age, color, disability, religion, or other factors which deny the essential humanity of all people."

   NASCAR's Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Mexico series will compete this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.


  

The NFL's Redskins congratulate Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

   Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his second Daytona 500 on Sunday night and his favorite NFL team couldn't be more proud. LB Ryan Kerrigan, LB Nick Barnett and NT Chris Neild give their shout-outs to Junior as representatives of the Washington Redskins.

The 2014 Daytona 500 was NOT a primetime TV hit

   According to updated fast national ratings from The Nielsen Company, the Sunday night rain-delayed completion of the 2014 Daytona 500 on Fox - which began about 8:30 p.m. ET - drew an average of 9.3 million viewers.

   Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured his second career Daytona 500 victory in the event.

   The audience number is 44 percent lower than the 2013 Daytona 500, which was run on schedule in the afternoon (16.7 million viewers).

   The audience number is also 32 percent lower than the 2012 Daytona 500, which was also rain-delayed and run in primetime on Monday night (13.7 million viewers).

   The top five ranked markets were: Greensboro, N.C. (17.5 rating/26 share), Orlando, Fla. (13.2/21), Greenville, S.C. (13.0/20), Richmond, Va. (12.0/18) and Jacksonville, Fla. (11.8/18).

   The 2014 Daytona 500 experienced nearly a 6.5 hour rain delay, the longest in the event's history. In 2012, the reschedule primetime event received advance promotion since NASCAR rescheduled the event well in advance.

   NASCAR did see big year-to-year increases in discussion of the 2014 race on digital and social platforms, as well as a record traffic day on NASCAR.com.


 

Video highlights: Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins the 2014 Daytona 500

   After a 6 1/2 hour rain delay, Dale Earnhardt Jr. holds off Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski on Sunday night for his second win in the Daytona 500.