Chip Ganassi up for two SBJ Awards

The nominees for the 2011 Sports Business Awards, presented by Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily were announced on Monday and there were a couple categories with NASCAR connections.

George Bodenheimer from ESPN; Chip Ganassi from Ganassi Racing; David Levy from Turner Broadcasting System; Kevin Plank from Under Armour; and Pat Riley from the Miami Heat; have been selected as nominees in the Sports Executive of the Year category.

Ganassi Racing, the New York Jets, Orlando Magic, Pittsburgh Penguins and San Francisco Giants have been selected as nominees in the Professional Sports Team of the Year category.

The Sports Business Awards recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in the business of sports for the period from March 1, 2010 through Feb. 28, 2011. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony that will be held May 18, at the New York Marriott Marquis at Times Square.

Please click here for the nominees in all 15 categories.

Two Rick Ware Racing contract employees involved in fatal wreck

   Two independent contractor employees of Rick Ware Racing's NASCAR Nationwide and Truck teams were involved in a fatal accident Friday night in Thomasville, N.C.

   The driver of a Toyota Tundra truck, Dean Shaut, lost control of his vehicle while driving on Ball Park Road in Thomasville and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The passenger Stephen Masch was airlifted to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C., with spinal cord and head injuries and is listed in critical condition.

    Shaut, 44, and Masch, 29, began assisting RWR this season on the Nationwide and Truck teams as independent contractors.  Shaut was a 20- year veteran of the NASCAR community as a fabricator and mechanic. Masch is an independent contract mechanic for the RWR's N0. 15 Nationwide team driven by rookie Timmy Hill.

   “All of us at RWR are deeply saddened about the news and are suffering a great loss over this tragic accident,” said team owner Rick Ware. “We can’t express our condolences enough at a time like this to each of the families and words alone right now just don’t express our thoughts enough."

   Shaut is survived by his wife, Sandy; stepchildren, Chris and Megan; brother, Rick Shaut; and two nieces. Memorial service is 7 p.m. Friday at Davidson Funeral Home, 858 Hickory Tree Rd., Winston Salem, N.C. Visitation is 5 to 7 p.m. Friday.

   Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 101 CentrePort Dr., Suite 130, Greensboro, N.C. 27409.

   To see the story filed by Fox 8 TV out of High Point go here.