Hendrick 'clarifies' Earnhardt's status

Team owner Rick Hendrick said Sunday that he misspoke earlier Sunday when he said Dale Earnhardt Jr. had been cleared to race next week at Martinsville.

Hendrick came into the Kansas Speedway media center during Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 to correct that: He said Earnhardt -- who has missed the last two races due to two concussions he recently sustained -- still had not been cleared by Dr. Jerry Petty, and that Earnhardt would have a track test Monday at Georgia's Gresham Motorsports Park then be evaluated Tuesday.

Hendrick, however, said he would "be shocked" if Earnhardt is not cleared to race in Martinsville. -- David Scott

Hendrick: Earnhardt cleared

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said Sunday that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been cleared by doctors to race next week at Martinsville.

Earnhardt has missed the Sprint Cup's last two races at Charlotte and Sunday at Kansas after suffering two concussions over the last seven weeks. Earnhardt saw a doctor in Charlotte last week when he continued to feel the effects of the concussions and was advised to sit out two races.

But Earnhardt's condition has improved enough that he was given the the go ahead to race next week.

"He came through with flying colors," Hendrick told ESPN before Sunday's race at Kansas, where Regan Smith will drive Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 Chevy. "He's doing great and he's been cleared to race next week at Martinsville." -- David Scott

Richard Petty Motorsports to remain with Ford Racing

   Team press release

   Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) and Ford Racing announced today they will continue their manufacturer partnership. The announcement ensures that Richard Petty Motorsports' two NASCAR Sprint Cup race teams and its Nationwide Series race team will race under the Ford Racing banner into 2013. It will be the fourth consecutive season the team has raced with the manufacturer. Subsequently, RPM will continue its services contract with Roush-Fenway Racing and Roush-Yates Racing to supply new Ford Fusions and Ford horsepower for its entries.

 

   RPM has a winning record with Ford Racing. The team has two wins in the Sprint Cup Series and one win in the Nationwide Series with the blue oval. Over the past three seasons, RPM has also earned eight poles, 74 top-10 and 26 top-five finishes with the manufacturer in both the Cup and Nationwide Series.

   "Our team relationship with Ford Racing has helped us win races and be competitive in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series," said Richard Petty, co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports. "They have been our partner over the past three seasons and we're proud to continue that relationship into next season, especially with the debut of the new Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series. We expect to continue to win races and challenge for championships in both series with Ford Racing."

   RPM will continue to enter the No. 9 Ford Fusion with partners Stanley and DEWALT and the No. 43 Ford Fusion with Smithfield Foods and its family of brands, Smithfield, Eckrich, Farmland and Gwaltney, in the Sprint Cup Series, as well as the No. 43 Pilot/Flying J Ford Mustang with driver Michael Annett in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

   "We're delighted Richard Petty Motorsports will continue to run Fords going forward," said Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. "The team has certainly gained momentum this year, and together we believe the continued Ford technical tools and engineering support will further enable RPM the opportunity to win more races and be a contender to get drivers into the Chase in 2013.

   "Richard's presence means so much to this sport, to the fans, and to us, and we are proud to have the King and RPM with Ford."

   Richard Petty Motorsports first partnered full-time with Ford Racing at the beginning of the 2010 season. The manufacturer currently supports RPM drivers Marcos Ambrose, Aric Almirola and Annett. The team is currently in the process of securing its Sprint Cup Series driver agreements.
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NASCAR announces competition changes for 2013

New Qualifying Format For NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Highlights 2013 Competition Changes

Rule Places Greater Emphasis On Speed

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 16, 2012) – NASCAR today announced a number of competition changes for the 2013 season, highlighted by a new qualifying format in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series that places a greater emphasis on speed.

Below is a breakdown of next season’s slate of competition updates…

Qualifying Format In The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

In NASCAR Sprint Cup competition, the series will move to a 36-6-1 format where the fastest 36 cars will make the race on speed.

The next six highest ranking cars in owners points that have not already earned a starting position through qualifying and who have entered the event by the posted entry deadline will also make the field. The final starting position will be awarded to the most recent eligible past champion driver. If there is no eligible past champion driver, then a seventh car will make the field based upon owners’ points.

Provisional positions in the 36-6-1 format will be lined up by owners’ points, not speed.

Since 2005, the top 35 cars in owners’ points were guaranteed a spot in the field. Now, only a maximum of seven cars will be locked into a given race.

 

“This is a big win for our fans,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. “They’ll see the fastest cars earn their starting spots. This change adds intrigue, drama and excitement to qualifying.”

In 2013, the qualifying order for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events will return to a random draw. However, in the event qualifying is canceled due to rain, the field will be set per the rule book and the starting lineup will continue to be determined by practice speeds.

Additionally, provisional positions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be based upon the previous year’s owner points for the first three races, as opposed to the first five races in previous years for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and four races for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Testing Policy Opened Up For 2013

Beginning next season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, there will be up to four tests per organization available to teams at tracks at which the series competes. Since 2009, teams could only test at tracks that did not hold NASCAR national series events.

“We feel like it’s time to open that up and allow the teams to manage their testing and get back to facilities that host our events,” said Pemberton. “We made the decision at the end of 2008 to restrict testing, primarily for economic reasons. Now we believe it will be best for the garage and for the tracks to have some testing return in 2013.”

For the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, starting in 2013, there will be up to two tests per organization at tracks where those series compete. If the organization has an official Sunoco Rookie of Year candidate, then that team will receive one additional test. Additionally, NASCAR will open track activity early for extended practice at two additional events per series, to be determined.

Maximum Field Set At 40 Cars For NASCAR Nationwide Series

In an effort to strengthen the ownership base up and create a sense of urgency among teams to make races, the maximum starting field for the NASCAR Nationwide Series will be set at 40, as opposed to the 43-car field in previous years.

A maximum NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starting field will remain at 43 cars while the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will hold steady at 36.

NASCAR and Fox reach multi-year media rights extension

NASCAR and FOX Sports Media Group Reach Expansive Multi-Year, Multi-Platform Rights Agreement

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 15, 2012) – With two full seasons left on their current television contract, NASCAR and FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) announced today an extensive new eight-year, multiplatform media rights agreement that ensures FSMG’s broadcast of NASCAR racing through 2022.

 

Under terms of the new agreement, FSMG also significantly increases its digital rights to include “TV Everywhere” live race streaming of its portion of the season for the first time ever beginning in 2013.

 

“NASCAR has been in very good hands and has enjoyed tremendous success the last 12 years in large part because of our fantastic partnership with FOX and FOX Sports Media Group,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “We are thrilled to be able to extend our relationship in such a significant way for our track partners, race teams, and most importantly, our millions of loyal and passionate fans. This extension with FOX Sports Media Group helps position the sport for future growth as NASCAR continues to be an anchor with one of the world’s largest and most influential media companies.”

 

As part of the new agreement, which takes effect in 2015, FSMG retains the television rights to 13 consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races beginning each year with the prestigious Daytona 500. In addition, FSMG retains the rights to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the Daytona Shootout, the Duel at Daytona, the entire NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season and practice and qualifying for both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races that FSMG broadcasts.

 

FOX also remains the exclusive home of The Great American Race through 2022, a title it has proudly held for the last six years and nine of the last 12.

 

“We’re extremely happy to have worked closely with Brian and his team at NASCAR over the last few months to expand and extend our relationship for what is without question the most popular motorsport in the country,” said FSMG Co-Presidents and CEOs Eric Shanks and Randy Freer. “NASCAR has been a staple at FOX for more than a decade and we consider it one of the signature sports we cover. With our commitment renewed, we look forward to presenting NASCAR thoroughly, professionally and creatively for many years to come.”

On the digital front, FSMG gains “TV Everywhere” rights starting next season to live stream all FSMG races, along with pre- and post-race coverage, race highlights and in-progress race highlights to events it televises. This portion of the deal was made possible by NASCAR’s reacquisition of operational, business and editorial control of its digital platform, a move that takes effect on Jan. 1, 2013.

“NASCAR fans’ demand and desire for NASCAR content stretches across all platforms and distribution channels,” France said. “As we’ve done with this FSMG extension, we will continue to take the appropriate measures to ensure our fans have access to the sport wherever they are and through all available devices. NASCAR is one of the most accessible sports in the world and this new deal builds upon that in a very significant way.”

FSMG’s new and expanded television and digital media rights agreement with NASCAR includes, but is not limited to:

- An eight-year term from 2015 to 2022. The current FSMG/NASCAR rights agreement began in 2006 and runs through 2014

- Thirteen (13) consecutive points races beginning with the Daytona 500 on FOX
- The Daytona Shootout; Duel at Daytona; NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race; and Daytona 500 Qualifying
- Full NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season
- Right to televise all practice and qualifying sessions for FSMG races
- Ability to re-telecast races on a FOX network and via video-on-demand (VOD) for 24 hours
- Right to ancillary programming including, but not limited to, a nightly NASCAR news and information show as well as weekend at-track shows
- Right to NASCAR branded pre- and post-race shows
- Extensive digital rights beginning in 2013, including:
-TV Everywhere – live digital distribution of all races FSMG has rights to broadcast
- Pre- and post-race coverage
- Race highlights
- In-progress race highlights
- Replays of FOX-televised races
 

Today’s announcement comes less than two months after NASCAR and FOX announced they are teaming up to provide the sport’s most expansive Spanish-language broadcast offering ever with FOX Deportes’ coverage of 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races starting in 2013. Of the 15 race broadcasts, FOX Deportes, the No. 1 U.S. Latino Sports network, will carry six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races live, including, for the first time ever, a Spanish-language broadcast of the Daytona 500 (Sunday, Feb. 24).

A special message for Dale Junior

 

   Amanda Gardstrom, the daughter of former NASCAR driver, Fred Lorenzen, found some special meaning in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s announcement on Thursday that he would sit out the next two Sprint Cup Series races to help his recovery from two concussions in the past six weeks.

   James shared the message on her dad's Facebook page and provided permission for The Observer to re-post it here:

   From Fred's daughter to Dale Jr. and his fans:

   What a smart, educated and courageous choice you have made. I commend you for thinking of the importance to rest and take care of your brain. It's a tremendously difficult hard choice you've made to sit out. You have given your family, friends and fans a wonderful gift. I have never spoken publicly about this, but you have now made it OK for me. Many of you know my Dad suffers from dementia. This is serious stuff ... head injuries should be taken incredibly seriously. My Dad was and still is as tough as nails. In his racing career he suffered 2 severe head traumas and concussions and never took a break to heal. The one at Darlington he promised to travel home and see a doctor. He never did. He got right back in the car and drove ... being tough and doing what he loved. He suffered another concussion that was also very bad, those are the 2 we 'knew' of. Soon after, he had terrible headaches, blurred vision and more. He refused to see a doctor because he's 'tough.'

 

 

   I love my Dad more than anything and would give the world to have had him sit out of those races when he just got right back in the car. It's clear he suffers from what they call chronic traumatic encephalopathy, most common in football players and wrestlers. Only a brain biopsy will confirm it, but he has every symptom on the list. It was once called 'punch drunk' syndrome. If my Dad knew now what getting back in the car would do, he would be sitting out too. For himself, his fans and for the family he loves so much. I miss him being just my 'Dad' every day.

 

   So ... Dale Jr. , you've found a new special fan today (me) and your family will be forever grateful. You are not only a talented driver, but a smart and thoughtful one. If only we had the knowledge back then of head injuries, my Dad would be sitting with me in good health today, playing with his grand babies and living happily at home . Thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing up and doing this. You're making a difference for your later life and hopefully for NASCAR.

   With love and honor, Amanda

   (Fred Lorenzen's daughter)

Kevin Harvick to award athletic scholarship at UNC

   On Monday, NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick will appear at UNC Chapel Hill to award a student athlete the Kevin Harvick Athletic Scholarship to student-athlete Nick Heilmann of the Tar Heels' wrestling team.

   The scholarship will be awarded prior to the UNC wrestling team's "Rumble in the Pit," which kicks off the squad's 2012-'13 season.

   Harvick's scholarship presentation marks the first stage of the Kevin Harvick Foundation's three-year commitment for an annual, full-ride scholarship to UNC for one need-based student athlete. Other applicants will be accepted and evaluated for the next two scholarships.

   This marks the second Kevin Harvick Athletic Scholarship offered to a college athletics program. The first was awarded at California State University-Bakersfield in Harvick's hometown. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver wrestled at North High in Bakersfield and donated money to refurbish the school's wrestling room after its 2008 condemnation.