News digest: Oct. 8

By NASCAR Scene Staff

Thursday, October 08, 2009

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Hendrick To Decide On Earnhardt Jr. Crew Chief Soon

Hendrick Motorsports officials will determine whether Lance McGrew will remain as Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief in the next couple of weeks, team owner Rick Hendrick said Oct. 4.

Earnhardt Jr. said he is happy with McGrew and hopes they can continue to work together with the same group of guys, but said it is not his decision. McGrew has been Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief since late May when he replaced Earnhardt Jr. cousin Tony Eury Jr., whom Hendrick said could leave the organization to work for Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports organization.

“We had kind of planned to get together about Charlotte and sit down with he and Lance,” Hendrick said. “They’ve really clicked together and the car is running [well]. He’s just had some really bad luck. But I think they’re gaining on it in a hurry and I’m really happy.”

Since McGrew took over, Earnhardt Jr. has gone from 19th to 22nd in the standings.

Hall of fame voting Oct. 14

The first five members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be decided Oct. 14. The 47-member voting panel will hear presentations on all 25 nominees and then each will vote for five. The five people who are on most of the 48 ballots (there is one ballot that was done through online fan voting) will comprise the first NASCAR Hall of Fame class.

The nominees include NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and former Chairman Bill France Jr., drivers Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Bobby Allison, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, Buck Baker, Red Byron, Richie Evans, Tim Flock, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Benny Parsons, Lee Petty, Fireball Roberts, Herb Thomas, Curtis Turner and Joe Weatherly. Also on the ballot are team owners Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Bud Moore, Raymond Parks and Leonard Wood.

NASCAR will announce the inductees at 4 p.m. EDT on Oct. 14.

The induction ceremony is scheduled for May 2010, which will coincide with the opening of the hall of fame, which is being built in Charlotte.

Goodyear to test bigger tire

Goodyear planned to hold a tire test Oct. 6-7 at Richmond to work on its short-track and flat-track tire for 2010 and take the first on-track look at a larger NASCAR tire.

While Goodyear has made improvements in developing tires for NASCAR’s new car, a larger tire is a future project that the company has continued to work on.

Roush Fenway Racing drivers Matt Kenseth and Travis Kvapil will handle driving duties, with Roush bringing a specific car to accommodate the larger tire, which is one-and-a-half inches taller and one-and-a-half inches wider than the current NASCAR model.

“There is absolutely no timetable whatsoever in regards to the possibility of having a new tire,” NASCAR Vice President Robin Pemberton said.