Martinsville (Va.) Speedway adding tire barriers for this weekend's NASCAR races

Statement from Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell

   MARTINSVILLE, Va. (March 23, 2015) – After a full track evaluation by NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation (ISC), Martinsville Speedway will add to its existing barrier system in advance of the STP 500 weekend March 27-29. Tire pack barriers will be installed on the inside wall at the end of the backstretch, prior to the entrance of pit road.

   “We are committed to the continued safety of the drivers and our fans,” said Clay Campbell, Martinsville Speedway President. “We will continue to collaborate with ISC and NASCAR for additional safety enhancements deemed necessary.”

Sprint Cup Series director Richard Buck addresses late-race cautions for debris at Fontana

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series director Richard Buck addresses the late-race cautions for debris in Sunday's Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway:   

   RICHARD BUCK:  We got multiple reports over the radio and confirmed there was a piece of material, something, in the racing groove.  So we went ahead and called the caution.  By the time we called the caution, somebody hit it. I don't have it back yet, I don't have the piece back yet.  But we always ask the safety and cleanup crews to return that stuff.  But there were multiple reports.  

   We always make our best effort. I mean, safety is number one. We always make our best effort to let it race back. We had well over a mile. The leaders were coming off of (Turn) two. We have multiple people in the tower watching multiple things. We're all communicating very quickly and at a high level. 

   We could see the cars coming off of (Turn) two. We were watching the frontstretch. (Greg) Biffle got it started back up, got it turned around and headed off. We have two folks in the flag stand that were right there on top of it, so we had a bird's eye view from their perspective that there was no debris there and we could let it come back and come back to a natural finish. 

   Q. When you say you had multiple reports, were they from drivers ... 

   RICHARD BUCK:  It's a process during the race. It's pretty consistent. The driver will call it in, then we'll check with our turn spotters. That's heard over the radio, whatever the race control is, with a one or ten, so the teams know in case there is a piece of debris they need to know about for safety reasons. Then we'll confirm it. We've got the pit open and the pit closed folks that are close to that area. We have the caution car. We have spotters on the backstretch and on the entrance to turn three. 

   We'll go through our process quickly and make sure that we have a confirmation that there is debris, if we can identify the debris, where it's at, if it's anywhere in the racing groove. As you know, this place, the racing groove's all the way across. If it's anywhere in the racing groove, we'll have to go to the caution and go get it. 

   Q. Just to confirm so I understand, somebody hit it after it was called in? 

   RICHARD BUCK: Yeah. Well, I don't know. That piece should come back on one of the cleanup trucks because they go out there now. But it was reported multiple times as a piece of metal. 

   Q. One of your officials said they saw something but couldn't tell exactly what it was.  How do you balance trying to find out what it is versus having to throw the caution for safety reasons? 

   RICHARD BUCK:  Safety's number one. If there's any question whatsoever, we'll throw the caution. We want to identify it first, obviously, because there was a lot of paper flying around today, a lot of, you know, paper trash and plastic bags and those kind of things which circulate. But we got definite confirmation on it that it was debris, actually that it was metal. It looked like a piece of metal.

    Q. Obviously you don't have an interest in the race.  I'm sure you might be able to sympathize how much a little thing like that can change the whole course of the race.  Are you cognizant of that when you make those kind of calls? 

   RICHARD BUCK:  No. It's strictly a process that we go through.  You know, we don't have any favorites. We try to keep every emotion out of it. Safety's number one. We have over a hundred years worth of experience in the tower with Mike Helton, Robin Pemberton, David Hoots, myself. Between us we work very closely in a very dynamic way to identify the situation and look for the solution to it, then that solution is backed up by multiple layers. So we feel very, very confident about our actions.

Michael Waltrip Racing statement on Brian Vickers

VICKERS SIDELINED, MOFFITT TO DRIVE NO. 55 AT AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY

CORNELIUS, N.C. – Brett Moffitt will drive Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 55 Toyota in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

The team’s regular driver Brian Vickers informed MWR he has experienced a reoccurrence of blood clots, which will require the 31-year-old driver to begin taking blood-thinning medication and he is not able to race while on the medicine.

“First and foremost our thoughts are with Brian and his family,” said MWR founder and co-owner Michael Waltrip. “He isn’t just our race car driver, he is our friend and we know the NASCAR community will continue to rally around Brian. We are fortunate to have Brett Moffitt in our system and marveled at his great drive in Atlanta three weeks ago, so we know he can get the job done in the No. 55 this weekend. As this news is very fresh and the situation is very fluid, we can only plan for this weekend at this point.”

Vickers missed the season’s first two races recovering from December heart surgery. He finished 15^th at Las Vegas and 41^st at Phoenix.

“Thankfully, because I recognized the signs and symptoms, the doctors caught this early and I’m going to be ok. I had finished my treatment for the clot I had in my leg back in 2013 and I haven’t needed to be on a blood thinner for a clot in my leg or lung since,” said Vickers. “Now I won’t be able to race because I’ll need to be back on a blood thinner. I’m going to follow doctor’s orders and do everything I need to do to get well.”

“Believe it or not, it’s Blood Clot Awareness Month and I was supposed to be at the track this weekend doing some work with my partners at Janssen focused on getting the word out. I’m disappointed I can’t be there but if there is a silver lining in all of this, hopefully what’s happened to me will help to raise awareness on this important health issue,” said Vickers.

In 60 races driving MWR’s No. 55 Toyota, Vickers scored eight top-five and 19 top-10 finishes. He won the July race at New Hampshire in 2013 and captured the pole at Talladega in October 2014. The 2003 Nationwide champion owns three victories and 12 poles in 318 career Sprint Cup starts.

Moffitt, 22, of Grimes, Iowa, finished eighth at Atlanta on March 1 driving the No. 55. He has also raced twice for Front Row Racing in 2015.

Statement from Talladega Superspeedway on installation of new SAFER barriers

Statement from TSS chairman Grant Lynch

   Following an extensive track review with International Speedway Corporation (ISC), NASCAR and ARCA, Talladega Superspeedway will add SAFER Barrier to its existing barrier system in advance of the May 1-3 NASCAR weekend. The new SAFER barrier will be placed in three locations along the inside wall at entrances to pit road, Turn 1 and Turn 3. Talladega Superspeedway will continue to review its safety initiatives and provide updates as circumstances warrant.

   “We are committed to making Talladega Superspeedway a safe environment for drivers as well as our fans. Safety is our top priority and we will continue to collaborate with ISC, NASCAR and ARCA on any future safety enhancements," Lynch said.

Team Penske's Marcos Ambrose to temporarily step away from V8 Supercars

   Former NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose has asked to be temporarily relieved as the driver of DJR Team Penske's No. 17 team in Australia V8 Supercars competition saying he needs more time to make an effective transition.

   Scott Pye will take over the driving duties of the No. 17 Ford Falcon beginning with the Tasmania race. 

   "I would like to make it clear that I am fully committed to this team, ” said Ambrose, who won 28 races over five seasons and captured back-to-back V8 Supercars titles in 2003 and 2004. 

   “Although this is a decision which has been hard to make, it has become clear to me over the first two events of the season that I need more experience in these cars to do what is required of the lead driver and to be competitive for the team and our partners."

   Ambrose, who produced a top finish of 12^th this season, expects to return to the cockpit this year including serving as co-driver in the 2015 Endurance Series races for the team.

   "Entering the season, Marcos understood that the competition in this series is at a very high level and now realizes that more time is required for this transition," said team co-owner Roger Penske. "This was a difficult decision for Marcos but I appreciate him thinking about the greater good of the team."

Kurt Busch talks domestic violence with Fox Sports' Chris Myers

   Kurt Busch, who returned to the seat of Stewart-Haas Racing's No. 41 Chevrolet Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway for the first time since his indefinite suspension by NASCAR, sat down with Fox NASCAR Sunday host Chris Myers Sunday to share his thoughts on his suspension, whether he has anger-management issues and other topics. 

    Myers:  There are still people out there who might say, ‘Well, he must have done something.’

   Busch:  “Well, my reply to that would be yes, domestic violence is a serious issue.  The next step is the worst problem with that is when you’re falsely accused of it.  It hurts the real victims.  That’s what I have to say to that.”

   Myers:  There’s a real difference between a personal disagreement versus domestic violence, in your eyes?

   Busch:  “In somebody who has had moments of anger issues, that is one thing when you’re frustrated about a bad finish.  But going to a step to actually hurt a woman or to hurt somebody, that’s not in my realm.  That’s way beyond my reach.”

    Myers:  Do you feel you have anger-management issues?

    Busch:  “I feel like I haven’t handled a lot of the situations in my past to the best of my ability.  As I move forward and as I put things in place, yes, I want to do a better job of coming through this with class and dignity.”

    Myers:  (after reading a statement released by Busch’s ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, following NASCAR’s reinstatement of Busch).  Your reaction?

     Busch:  “There’s a road to recovery.  I’m following those steps.  I’ve worked with NASCAR through this whole process.  I was led to believe the criminal side would have been where there was a decision made, which is the most important side.  Beyond what the commissioner had to say, the next step is, yes, all these allegations are false.”

    Myers:  Were there some mistakes, if any, you made along the way in this?

    Busch:  One of them is not changing the code to my motorhome door, I mean.  And frankly, choosing the wrong woman to date.  This is a situation that everybody around me and my family has learned from, has been a part of and it’s been not just a tough five months but a tough three-and-a-half years.”

    Myers:  Were you worried about your image, your reputation?

    Busch:  “It’s already taken so many hits and done so many things over the years, that the biggest thing I want moving forward is I want this to be me in that car and not anything else.  Look at the present.  Look at the future.  My signature is above the door.  That’s who I am as a racer.”

   Myers:  You have a fast car here at Phoenix.  It’s a place you have had success before.  Will you be able to focus as much as you always have once you get behind the wheel and race for the win?

    Busch:  “I’ll tell you, I was a little nervous getting in the car Friday and after my first few laps, we were on top of the board and I was like, ‘What do you mean we’re on top of the board? I had no idea I’d be able to get back in the car and go that fast.   I have to do my job now to focus and to be that professional athlete.”

Update on A.J. Foyt's condition: 'I'm looking pretty good'

   A.J. Foyt continues to recover from his triple bypass surgery and subsequent complications at home in Houston. Foyt has been more active since his first return to his IndyCar Series race shop in mid-January. 

   “I’m doing a lot better; every day I’m doing a little bit more,” Foyt said. “I’m getting more of my strength back and I’m eating a better than I was when this first happened. I feel with all of the problems I had I’m looking pretty good. 

   "I’ve been on my bulldozer a couple times. Nothing to brag about, I was very weak and very tired but I have done some stuff with it. I probably should keep that quiet because I’m not sure the doctor would enjoy hearing that.” 

   Foyt, who has lost 50 pounds over the winter, does not expect to make it to a race before May as his current treatment keeps him tied to Houston, but he hasn’t ruled out a day trip. 

   “I may sneak out to a test where I can come and go in the same day. But that’s a call I’ll make based on how I feel that day. I think the new cars look pretty nice," he said. "The engineers are going to have their hands full with all of the trick stuff they came up with on the new aero kit. I’m anxious to hear the feedback from testing.”