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July 2008
- NASCAR Fans Sneer at Toyota
  
  Wall Street Journal | Jul 24, 08 9:51 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - In an effort to curry favor with millions of American NASCAR fans, Toyota joined the league’s top circuit 2 years ago, but fans aren’t warming to the Japanese automaker, the Wall Street Journal reports. Many fans felt betrayed last year when champion racer Kyle Busch traded in his Chevy on a Toyota, and he's been met with boos and a barrage of beer cans after recent victories. More »
- Obama Campaign Will Sponsor NASCAR Entry
  
  Sports Illustrated | Jul 11, 08 3:09 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Barack Obama appears set to sponsor a NASCAR racecar in the Aug. 3 Pocono event, the first presidential candidate to try such a stunt. Trying to sell a political left-hand turn on what’s traditionally Republican turf, the Democratic car will likely be part of a broader get-out-the-vote effort, Sports Illustrated reports. Donors may be able to get their name on the vehicle for $100. More »
June 2008
- Little Teen Angst for Rising NASCAR Star
  
  Dallas Morning News | Jun 20, 08 2:15 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Joey Logano has an extra reason not to drink and drive: The winner of last week's NASCAR Nationwide Series race is just 18. Called the future of racing before he had a license, Logano has the attitude of champion—and a teenager, notes Richard Durrett in the Dallas Morning News . Asked about his favorite part of the race, Logano said, "The burnout was cool." More »
- To Court Blue-Collar Vote, Light Up
  
  New York Times | Jun 17, 08 10:00 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Everyone has ideas about how Barack Obama can attract the working-class white voters that eluded him in the primaries. Author Tony Horwitz goes for the throat: Start smoking again. West Virginia and Kentucky, where Hillary Clinton clobbered Obama, lead the nation in cigarette consumption among whites, and lighting up could help worse-off voters see him as one of their own. More »
May 2008
- Indy Driver Raises Profile—on Dance Floor
  
  USA Today | May 23, 08 12:00 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Six months ago, few beyond IndyCar fans recognized the name Helio Castroneves. Thanks to "Dancing with the Stars," however, Helio’s celebrity-status has skyrocketed. The Indy Racing League is enjoying the ride—the racer’s surge in popularity has been tremendous for the sport. "It's interesting to be in this spot because of dancing," said Castroneves. "I always thought it would be because of racing." More »
- Indy Champ Castroneves Considering NASCAR
  
  Los Angeles Times | May 21, 08 2:13 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves is considering trading in his Indy car for a NASCAR stock car, reports the Los Angeles Times . "I won't deny that I'm thinking about it," Castroneves said. "It would be great to one day try the cars. But at this point I'm focusing on Indy cars and winning the Indianapolis 500 again" on Sunday. More »
- Dale Jr.'s Struggle to Grow Up
  
  ESPN | May 18, 08 2:32 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t talk much about his father’s death. “I don't want people to know about that,” he says. "It's not their business to hear it.” But he opened up to Marty Smith for an in-depth profile in ESPN the Magazine . Junior spent his childhood fighting for his dad’s approval, and won it only by racing. More »
- Kyle Busch Claims Another Win at Darlington
  
  Associated Press | May 10, 08 11:42 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The crowd booed him. He called his car pathetic. His crew missed a lug nut, and he couldn't stay off Darlington Raceway's wall. Despite it all, Kyle Busch found Victory Lane once again. NASCAR's least popular driver raced to his third Sprint Cup Series victory of the season last night, winning a battle of attrition at the track "Too Tough to Tame." More »
- Bowyer Wins Wild Richmond Race
  
  Associated Press | May 3, 08 11:43 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Denny Hamlin appeared headed toward an easy victory. Then, Dale Earnhardt Jr. seemed poised to snap his two-year losing streak. In the end, surprise winner Clint Bowyer celebrated in Victory Lane, stealing a victory last night at Richmond International Raceway that ended in wild fashion. Hamlin ran away with the race and led a record 381 of the 400 laps in search of his first Cup victory at Richmond. More »
April 2008
- Kyle Busch Wins at Talladega Under Caution
  
  Associated Press | Apr 27, 08 7:48 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Kyle Busch, the kid who couldn't conquer Talladega, finally won at the harrowing track Sunday, and in this, his breakout season, it was only fitting that he coasted to the victory. Busch came back from a lap down for his first win there, which came under caution when a 13-car accident brought out the yellow flag on the final lap. More »
- Gamble Nets Johnson 1st Win of '08
  
  Associated Press | Apr 13, 08 9:50 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Jimmie Johnson gave Hendrick Motorsports its first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory of the year, winning a fuel gamble last night at Phoenix International Speedway. As leader after leader dove for the pits to take on gas in the waning laps, Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet stayed on track and the two-time reigning Cup champion made it to the finish, beating Clint Bowyer by 7.002 seconds. More »
- Edwards Races to 3rd Win of Season
  
  Associated Press | Apr 6, 08 8:35 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - As his interim crew chief headed toward inspection, Carl Edwards offered to lend him cash to bribe NASCAR's officials. Of course, Edwards was joking. But in making light of the severe penalties his team drew when its race-winning car failed inspection last month, Edwards showed his Roush Fenway Racing team has solidly bounced back from the Las Vegas disaster. More »
March 2008
- Toyota Make NASCAR History
  
  Associated Press | Mar 9, 08 11:30 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Kyle Busch and a Japanese car manufacturer were both big winners in the Kobalt Tools 500 today. The 22-year-old became the youngest NASCAR driver to win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his first victory in nearly a year. The win also marked the first time Toyota won a Sprint Cup series event, the first NASCAR win for a foreign manufacturer in over 50 years, reports the AP. More »
- Edwards Wins Vegas, but...
  
  Los Angeles Times | Mar 3, 08 6:28 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Carl Edwards rallied from a penalty to win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his second win in three races after last week in Fontana. But Edwards' defeat of Dale Earnhardt Jr. may come with penalties: NASCAR inspectors are investigating a missing oil tank lid in Edwards' Ford, the Los Angeles Times reports. This is Edwards' ninth win, and first at Vegas. More »
February 2008
- Ryan Newman Wins Daytona 500
  
  Associated Press | Feb 17, 08 7:06 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - It appeared that Joe Gibbs Racing was going to take today's Daytona 500; the question was whether it would be Tony Stewart or his teammate Kyle Busch. That changed after a last-lap decision by Stewart to go low on the track, blocking Busch and freeing Ryan Newman to zoom past on the high side and win the Daytona 500, reports AP. More »
- Earnhardt Takes Qualifier, Poised for Daytona
  
  ESPN | Feb 15, 08 12:07 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued his newfound success with Hendrick Motorsports yesterday, winning the first qualifying race for Sunday's Daytona 500. Coupled with his win in last Saturday's Shootout, Earnhardt must now be considered the favorite at the 500, and is on the cusp of a sweep no driver has yet managed to complete, according to ESPN. More »
- Johnson Grabs Daytona 500 Pole
  
  Associated Press | Feb 11, 08 4:57 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Jimmie Johnson's quest for a third straight Sprint Cup points title will begin from the pole position at next week's Super Bowl of NASCAR, after he finished first in yesterday's qualifier for the Daytona 500. Michael Waltrip, whose Toyota team was caught cheating during the qualifying session last year, will sit in the other first-row position, reports AP. More »
January 2008
- NFL Exit Puts Gibbs Back in NASCAR Seat
  
  USA Today | Jan 9, 08 7:56 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - When Joe Gibbs stepped down as Redskins' head coach yesterday at age 67, it wasn't to head off to the golf course—Gibbs is expected to retake the reins of his NASCAR team, reports USA Today . "I guess it's a good thing I never moved into his office," cracked son JD Gibbs, who's been running the show since dad's 2004 return to football. More »
- Jr. Hangs With Team in Daytona
  
  Virginian-Pilot | Jan 8, 08 6:13 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Dale Earnhardt Jr. is itching to get racing. The newest member of Hendrick Motorsports made an unusal visit a week before his scheduled test date for next month’s Daytona 500, just to schmooze with new team members, reports the Virginian-Pilot . "It's painful watching other cars go around the track. For him to come down says a lot to his teammates,” said new teammate Jimmie Johnson. More »
November 2007
- Johnson Extends NASCAR Reign
  
  Associated Press | Nov 19, 07 3:47 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - With a conservative game plan in the top stock car circuit's finale at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, Jimmie Johnson cruised to a 7th-place finish, easily netting him the NASCAR season title. Johnson had won his previous four races and needed only to place in the top 18 in Florida. Mentor and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon finished second in the season race, 77 points back. More »