Statement from Brian Vickers on missing the start of 2015 Sprint Cup season

   “First, I want to thank everyone for their sincere support. I have faced obstacles before and it has made victory that much sweeter and I know that will be the case again," Vickers said.

   “My previous experiences have given me a very keen understanding of my body. Late last week I knew something wasn’t right, so I went to the hospital to be checked out. Following several tests, it was discovered that my body was rejecting an artificial patch that was inserted in 2010 to fix a hole in my heart. Saturday, I had to have corrective surgery to repair the hole and now I am beginning the recovery process. I will need plenty of time, rest and rehab but this temporary setback will not stop me from pursuing my dream of becoming a NASCAR Sprint Cup champion.”

#SixTime Jimmie Johnson gets a new hashtag for a day - #KeepPounding

   Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is getting a new job - at least for one day.

   The NFL's Carolina Panthers on Saturday announced that Johnson, who lives in Charlotte, had agreed to be the "Keep Pounding" drummer for Sunday's Panthers game vs. Tampa Bay at Bank of America Stadium.

   Following the coin toss before every home game, an honorary drummer hits the "Keep Pounding" drum four times to signify four quarters.

   Johnson's participation comes at a crucial point for the Panthers this season. They are seeking their first home victory since Oct. 5 and are still in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Kyle Busch has successful foot surgery; expected to make full recovery

   Team press release

    Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) had successful surgery on his left foot this morning. Busch is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of the 2015 NASCAR season in February.

   The scheduled offseason surgery was performed to relieve a recurring source of inflammation in his left foot. The surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson of OrthoCarolina.

There's plenty of testing in NASCAR's 'No Testing' policy

   When NASCAR announced in September it was banning all private team testing, the perception was teams would not likely see the opportunity to do much on-track testing. 

   NASCAR at the time said it hoped to incorporate more teams into the 12 to 15 tire tests done each season by Goodyear but that plan seemed to hit logistical roadblocks in recent months.

   The finished product, outlined in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rulebook, actually provides teams many opportunities to test on series tracks in the coming season. 

   At Atlanta, an extra testing day has been added to the regular weekend schedule. In addition, an extra day of open testing as been added to Goodyear tire tests at Charlotte; Richmond; Kentucky; Indianapolis; Dover, Del.; Darlington, S.C.; Chicagoland; Bristol; Homestead, Fla.; Kansas; Phoenix; and Fontana, Calif.

   Proposed 2015 NASCAR testing dates for Sprint Cup Series
   Date                   Type of test

   Jan. 19               Goodyear tire test, Las Vegas
   Feb. 26              Open team test, Atlanta 
   March 2-3          Goodyear tire test, Atlanta
   March 10            Goodyear tire test, Charlotte
   March 11            Open team test, Charlotte
   April 7                 Goodyear tire test, Richmond
   April 8                 Open team test, Richmond
   April 13-14          Goodyear tire test, Kentucky   
   April 15               Open team test, Kentucky
   April 27-28          Goodyear tire test, Indianapolis
   April 29               Open team test, Indianapolis
   May 11-12           Goodyear tire test, Dover
   May 13                Open team test, Dover
   June 9-10            Goodyear tire test, Darlington
   June 11               Open team test, Darlington
   July 13-14           Goodyear tire test, Chicagoland
   July 15                Open team test, Chicagoland
   July 28-29           Goodyear tire test, Bristol
   July 30                Open team test, Bristol
   Aug. 24-25          Goodyear tire test, Homestead
   Aug. 26               Open team test, Homestead
   Sept. 14-15         Goodyear tire test, Kansas
   Sept. 16              Open team test, Kansas
   Oct. 12-13           Goodyear tire test, Phoenix
   Oct. 14                Open team test, Phoenix
   Oct. 27-28           Goodyear tire test, Fontana
   Oct. 29                Open team test, Fontana

   Note: All Goodyear tire tests typically involve four teams.

Brian France: No changes to Chase format in 2015

   Considering how well-received the Sprint Cup Series season finale race at Homestead-Miami Speedway was and the TV ratings boost during the Chase, it should come as little surprise that NASCAR Chairman Brian France said in an interview Tuesday there would be no changes to the championship format in 2015.

   France was a guest on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Tuesday afternoon and was asked if he anticipated any tweaks or changes to the format. Here is France's answer: 

   “No, I don’t. We’re obviously pleased with everything. And there may be some adjustments down the road. They’ll be very small. Nothing, for ’15, nothing anybody would notice. But if we can make an already great thing better we will always look at that but we are very content that we have the right positioning of elevating the drivers to have moments as I just described, and then also balancing this whole thing in auto racing, which is very difficult to balance, which is how do you balance winning and consistency? And they don’t necessarily always go together. And how do you have any kind of a championship run that represents that? I think we’ve done the best job that we think we can do to balance that.”

   In an interview during championship weekend but before the series finale, France had said he thought there could be "very modest to zero" changes made to the format.

Sneak peek of HBO's State of Play episode featuring DeLana Harvick and 'First Ladies'

   DeLana Harvick, the wife of NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick, talks about the challenges of married life in HBO's latest installment of "State of Play" as it talks about "First Ladies."

   The episode debuts Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.

Darrell Wallace Jr. receives release from his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing

   Darrell Wallace Jr., who won four races this season in the NASCAR Truck Series and finished third in the series standings, has been released from his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, the team confirmed to the Observer. 

   Although Wallace, 21, has experienced substantial success in the Truck series with Kyle Busch Motorsports the past two seasons, JGR - with whom he is under contract - had been unable to secure sponsorship for Wallace to run fulltime in any NASCAR national series in 2015.

   The move will allow Wallace, whose victory at Martinsville, Va., last season made him just the second African-American to win a national series race in NASCAR history, to join another organization that can provide him a fulltime ride.

   A spokesman for JGR on Monday confirmed the organization has released Wallace from his contract but declined to comment on Wallace's destination.

   The most likely destination for Wallace appears to be Roush Fenway Racing, sources said. RFR already plans to field Nationwide teams for drivers Elliott Sadler, Chris Buescher and Ryan Reed in 2015. 

   A request for comment was not immediately returned by RFR. 

   Wallace was expected to run up to a 10 races next season with JGR in what will become the Xfinity Series on Jan. 1. JGR owner Joe Gibbs had said he expected to have a "big program" for the driver who was born in Mobile, Ala., but grew up in the Charlotte area. 

   In interviews before the end of the season, Wallace said he was not worried about the lack of a fulltime ride. “I'll take what I can get,” he said. “I can only go out there and continue to run up front, lead laps, and win races."