Mark Martin talks 2012 ... sort of

   Mark Martin, who is in his final year with Hendrick Motorsports driving the No. 5 Chevrolet, was asked on Friday whether he was close to the time he needed to make a decision about where he might be racing in 2012.

   From his responses, it doesn't seem Martin has settled on anything in particular and may not have received any concrete offers as yet.

   Q: YOU PREVIOUSLY TALKED ABOUT THAT NOTHING IS REALLY SET FOR NEXT YEAR, THAT TYPE OF THING, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU HAVE TO START TO FOCUS ON IT OR DO YOU JUST LET IT PLAY OUT ALL SEASON LONG THE WAY IT PLAYS OUT?

   Martin: “It is not really time to focus on it yet. I like I said in a quote not too long ago and it is pretty true. I don’t need a job so therefore I don’t have to focus on it. I’ll let one come to me. It is getting to time when little rumblings start happening behind closed doors but I am not in a big hurry because I am really in a good place in my career and in my life. I truly believe that something really really, I don’t know how to describe it, fulfilling, fun, exciting, the right deal is going to come along for me. They are out there starting to swirl, starting to come together with some ideas but the biggest thing is that the sport is trending toward a little later in the year for some of these things coming together. This is still May so it is pretty early right now yet. Earlier than like it was in ’08 when this was coming together to go to the No. 5 car. I thought that was really early. I got the deal done early in the season. I think that deals get done later in the season now and they did in ’08. Nothing to report. Nothing going on. Not pursuing anything. Just kind of letting the pieces of the puzzle  start to fall into place.”

   Q: SO ARE YOU SAYING AT LEAST A FEW THINGS HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE TABLE FOR YOU TO AT LEAST BEGIN YOUR THINKING?

   Martin: “What ifs. It is like ‘what if’. There has been a handful of what ifs. And you guys have all been in this business and you know how it takes 100 what ifs to make one deal happen. So, there has been just a few what ifs starting to pop up.”

Worker hurt at CMS unloading tires

   CONCORD, N.C. – A contracted employee of Huggins Tire Sales Inc. was injured Tuesday morning at Charlotte Motor Speedway after falling off a pickup truck in the garage area.

   The employee, Marvin Near, fell from the back of a slow-moving pickup truck as it was delivering Goodyear racing tires at the track for this weekend’s NASCAR races, according to a statement provided by Goodyear officials.

   Near was transported by ambulance to Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast, where he continues to receive medical attention.

   The accident occurred about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday and was investigated by Concord Police. No charges have been filed.

   Huggins Tire Sales serves as the distributor of Goodyear’s NASCAR tires to tracks across the Southeast.

Patrick: "No truth" to report of fulltime NASCAR schedule

    IndyCar Series fan favorite Danica Patrick on Wednesday said there was "no truth" to an ESPN report that her and her management team were working on plans for a fulltime NASCAR schedule in 2012.

   SI.com's Bruce Martin, in a previously-scheduled interview with Patrick on Wednesday in Indianapolis, asked her for her reaction to the report.

   Here was Patrick's complete response:

   "I'm watching TV and see it scroll across the bottom of the screen. I don't know where it came from but it's all speculation. Anybody can speculate that and write that. I don't know where it came from but there is no truth to it; it's just speculation," she said.

   "It's no different than it was last month or even last year. There is nothing new in it."

   Patrick also told Martin she was curious about the timing of such a story coming out a few days before the Indy 500.

Kyle Busch: 128 mph car 'just a toy'

Kyle Busch's citation for going 128 mph in a 45 mph zone (click to enlarge):

Trevor Bayne will sit out one more week

   Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne will not compete this weekend in the Nationwide or Sprint Cup races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but does appear to be closer to a return to NASCAR competition.

   Roush Fenway Racing officials said Wednesday they expect Bayne to compete in next week's standalone Nationwide race at Chicagoland Speedway. Subject to any unforeseen changes, Bayne is expected to resume his full racing schedule next week. His next scheduled Cup start is June 18 at Michigan with the Wood Brothers' No. 21 Ford.

   “By all standards Trevor had a great week,” said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. “His symptoms have completely subsided. He tested at Virginia International Raceway on Tuesday, had one of the fastest Nationwide Series cars on the race track and his team was extremely pleased with his progress.

   "As a result, we plan to have him back in competition next week in Chicago, and have consulted with his doctors at the Mayo Clinic and the NASCAR medical staff about that timetable."

   Newmark said Bayne, 20, wanted to return this weekend.

   “However, we feel it is in his best interest for us to exercise an abundance of caution with this matter and withhold him from racing this weekend; especially considering the length of the races and the fact that Trevor is just starting to get back into his daily routine," Newmark said.

   "Although Trevor would have preferred to compete in all 900 miles this weekend, he respects and understands our decision and will shift his considerable focus to his return at Chicagoland next weekend.”

Full text of Kyle Busch statement

   "Today I received a traffic citation in Iredell County. I was test driving a new sports car and I got carried away. I went  beyond the speed I should have been going on a public road. I apologize to the public, my fans, sponsors, and race teams for my lack of judgment. I take responsibility for my actions and I can assure you that something like this will never happen again. I thank the Iredell County Sheriff's Department and all law enforcement for the hard work they do every day to protect the public and to enforce the laws in a fair and equitable manner."

Who should be next in NASCAR Hall?

   With the completion of the induction of the Class of 2011 in to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, I asked some of this year's nominees who they thought should be next.

   David Pearson said he would like to see Cotton Owens inducted and wished Raymond Parks had been inducted before he passed away last year. "I think people who really got (NASCAR) going should be inducted first," he said.

   Kyle Petty, grandson of inductee Lee Petty, said during his speech Monday night that Lee's son, Maurice, should be the next Petty inducted to the Hall of Fame. Maurice Petty said he hoped he would be inducted at some point. "I just hope I'm still alive when it happens," he said.

    Ned Jarrett said he thought Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough would be in the Hall's third class. He also said Owens, Dale Inman, Richie Evans, Jack Ingram and Herb Thomas should also be considered.

   Bud Moore agreed with Jarrett on Owens and also threw his support behind Raymond Parks and Joe Weatherly.