Tony Stewart to sit out third consecutive Cup series race

   Three-time Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will sit out Saturday night's Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway - the third consecutive race he has missed since being involved in an incident Aug. 9 at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park that left another racer dead.

    As he did last weekend at Michigan, veteran Jeff Burton will drive Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet in Saturday night's race. Burton, a 21-time winner in the Cup series, has 40 career starts at Bristol, including a victory in 2008 in the Food City 500.

   

   Team officials said the driver change pertains only to Bristol. Stewart’s plans for upcoming Cup races have yet to be determined.

Carl Edwards and new sponsor to join Joe Gibbs Racing

   Carl Edwards will be introduced on Tuesday as Joe Gibbs Racing newest driver in the Sprint Cup Series beginning in the 2015 season, multiple sources confirmed Monday night.

   That much isn't a big surprise.

   However, JGR will also be welcoming a new sponsor to NASCAR - Arris - which will adorn Edwards' No. 19 Toyota for roughly half the season. Arris is a communications technology company specializing in the design and engineering of broadband networks. 

   Arris' involvement in NASCAR will go far beyond just sponsorship of Edwards. Details will be announced during Tuesday morning's news conference at JGR headquarters in Huntersville, N.C.  

Forbes: Danica Patrick fifth-highest paid female athlete in world

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Danica Patrick ranks as the fifth highest paid female athlete in the world in 2014 according to an analysis by Forbes.com.

Tennis star Maria Sharapova ranks No. 1 for the 10th consecutive year, with earnings of $24.4 million between June 2013 and June 2014.

Patrick, a former IndyCar Series driver who now competes fulltime in NASCAR, was ranked fifth with total earnings of $15 million, including $8 million in endorsement and licensing deals.

To see Forbes' entire list, go here.

R. Truex injured in practice wreck

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Ryan Truex was taken to the hospital after he crashed during a practice session Saturday morning for Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Truex reportedly complained of shoulder pain and a headache.

Gordon wins Michigan pole in track-record time

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Jeff Gordon swept to the pole Friday for Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 and he did so in record-breaking style.

Gordon’s lap of 206.558 mph at Michigan International Speedway broke a track record set in June by Kevin Harvick, and he wasn’t alone.

The top six qualifiers all finished faster than Harvick’s lap in June: Gordon, Joey Logano (206.391), Carl Edwards (206.115), Brian Vickers (205.685), Brad Keselowski (205.644) and Harvick (205.438)

It is Gordon’s second consecutive pole. He was first last week at Watkins Glen, which came two weeks after winning the race at Indianapolis.

“The reason we’re so fast has nothing to do with the race track,” said Logano of the speeds at Michigan. “It’s the new rules packages for the cars and what we’re doing to improve it with our stuff.” -- David Scott

M&M's extends sponsorship with Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch

   Mars, parent company of M&M's, has signed new multi-year deals with Joe Gibbs Racing and NASCAR, further expanding its presence in the sport. The new agreement with JGR will extend the sponsorship partnership with JGR's No. 18 Toyota team and driver Kyle Busch in the Sprint Cup Series.

   The renewed contract with the sanctioning body will designate Mars as the Official Chocolate of NASCAR. 

   “Mars and its iconic brands have been part of NASCAR for decades, and we’re excited to keep that winning tradition going,” said Roy Benin, Chief Consumer Officer at Mars Chocolate North America. “As the sport has grown throughout the years, so has our involvement in it and we’re incredibly proud of the strong partnership we’ve forged with Joe Gibbs Racing and the league.”

   Said Busch: "This is great news for everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing and our fans, but also shows how dedicated Mars is to our sport. With this news, any trip to Victory Lane will be even sweeter.”

Hendrick Motorsports picks up a sponsor from Roush Fenway Racing

   Press release

   CONCORD, N.C. (Aug 12, 2014) – 3M will join 11-time Sprint Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports beginning with the 2015 NASCAR season when it will become a primary sponsor of driver Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 Chevrolet SS team.

   The new relationship will feature 3M as a primary sponsor in 11 Sprint Cup races annually and as an associate-level partner in all other events. The agreement covers the 2015, 2016 and 2017 NASCAR seasons.

   All five of 3M's business units, which comprise more than $31 billion in annual sales, will use the sponsorship in consumer promotions, product launches and business-to-business opportunities.

   “At 3M, we play to win, and we push hard every day to do just that,” said Jesse Singh, senior vice president, 3M Global Sales and Marketing. “With this deal, we align with champion driver Jeff Gordon and an organization at the top of its game in Hendrick Motorsports. What they do in the garage and on the track exemplifies what we’re all about in our labs, plants and business teams around the world.”

   With more than 65 of its products used in the construction and maintenance of Sprint Cup Series race cars, 3M for decades has played a key role in the success of NASCAR teams. The company manufactures more than 80,000 different products and has been an official NASCAR partner across several categories since 1995.

   “The range of 3M’s business is just incredible,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “It’s an amazingly diverse company that spends billions in research and development to continue rolling out new and innovative products. We’re already using many of them throughout the organization, and when you consider the potential for both consumer and business-to-business programs connected to our sport, the possibilities are endless.”

   One of the most accomplished drivers in NASCAR history, Gordon is a four-time Cup Series champion, and his 90 victories rank third on the all-time wins list. Currently second in points, he has two victories, one pole position, seven top-five finishes and 15 top-10s in 22 Sprint Cup races this season.

   “Innovation is what 3M is known for,” said Gordon, 43, who has a lifetime contract with Hendrick Motorsports. “We’ve seen that approach throughout their involvement in NASCAR, and it’s a terrific fit for what we do at Hendrick Motorsports and with the No. 24 team. I’m personally excited about the opportunities and thrilled to represent a company that’s so passionately supported auto racing for such a long time.”

   3M currently sponsors driver Greg Biffle and the No. 16 Ford team with Roush Fenway Racing.