PIT PASSES
By NASCAR Scene Staff Report
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
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Johnson named NMPA Driver of the Year
For the second consecutive year, and the third time in four years, Jimmie Johnson has been selected the winner of the Richard Petty Driver of the Year Award by the National Motorsports Press Association.
The announcement was made Jan. 20 during the NMPA’s annual convention in Concord, N.C.
Coming off his second Nextel Cup championship, Johnson received 41 of the 72 votes (56 percent) cast by the NMPA membership.
“To be voted to something like this is the ultimate form of flattery,” Johnson said. “To have people see and respect and point out the great things that we’ve done – and it’s not just me, it’s all my guys – is just icing on the cake. You get the hardware and do all the stuff that comes with [success], but you don’t know if people were paying attention and really respect what you’re able to do on the track. This shows that.”
In addition to his career-best 10 victories, Johnson logged 20 top-five finishes en route to becoming the first driver to successfully defend the Cup title since 1998.
Jeff Gordon received 19 votes to place second. Clint Bowyer parlayed a consistent effort and first career victory (at New Hampshire) into a third-place points finish and was third in the Driver of the Year voting as well.
Newlyweds
Johnny and Cortney Sauter brave the elements after their Dec. 15 wedding in Wisconsin. The couple met in 2005. Cortney handles PR duties for driver Paul Menard. Sauter, who will concentrate on the Nationwide Series this year after running 35 NASCAR Cup races with Haas CNC Racing last year, says he’s enjoying the married life. “So far, so good,” he said. “I’ve never had so much food in my fridge at home, so it’s kind of a welcome change.”
NASCAR Scene and NASCAR Illustrated won a total of 14 writing and photography awards during the National Motorsports Press Association awards dinner Jan. 20.
Competitors
Haas CNC Racing has signed State Water Heaters to a multiyear sponsorship contract. The company will be the primary sponsor for the No. 66 Chevrolet driven by Scott Riggs for an undisclosed number of races in 2008 and will be an associate sponsor for the rest. It will be an associate sponsor for the No. 70 of Jeremy Mayfield while also appearing as a primary on that car in select races.
Richard Childress Racing still needs sponsorship for development driver Tim McCreadie in the team's No. 21 Nationwide Series car. Bobby Labonte will drive the car in 15 races, but the rest of the season is unsponsored, Vice President of Competition Mike Dillon said Jan. 14 at Daytona. RCR already has plans to run two teams the entire season - the defending owners champion No. 29 team with Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer and the No. 2 team with Clint Bowyer.
Kyle Busch and David Stremme will share the driving duties in the No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports entry in the Craftsman Truck Series this season. Busch will drive in most of the races, including the season-opener Feb. 15 at Daytona. Stremme, who will compete in the Nationwide Series for Rusty Wallace Racing, will drive in several other events.
Gene Haas, team owner of Haas CNC Racing, has begun a two-year sentence for tax fraud at the Federal Correctional Institution in Lompoc, Calif., according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons Web site. Haas pleaded guilty to one count of tax fraud in November and was required to surrender to authorities Jan. 14. He is required to serve 85 percent of the sentence before being considered for release, and his projected release date is Oct. 6, 2009.
Kenny Wallace tested Baker Curb Racing’s No. 37 Ford at Daytona, and is confident sponsorship can be found so he can run a full Nationwide Series schedule. Baker Curb has full-time sponsorship for its No. 27 and driver Brad Coleman, but the second car remains open.
Jason Keller, who was supposed to run the first 10 Nationwide Series races of the season with CJM Racing, said Jan. 20 those plans are in flux. The team is searching for sponsorship for the 9-month old team to run the full schedule, but Keller said some prospective sponsor money could put another driver in the No. 11 Chevrolet and put him on the sideline. “There’s a little bit of uncertainty,” Keller said.
Tommy Houston is the newest member of the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame. The NASCAR Busch Series veteran has 24 victories in the series and led it in career starts with 417 until Jason Keller passed the mark late in the 2007 season. His career began in 1980 and he officially retired in 1996, though he did race once more to compete against his son, Andy, in a Craftsman Truck Series race a Las Vegas. From 1982 to 1996, Houston won at least one race each season and finished sixth or better in the point standings.
SS-Green Light Racing has signed Shane Sieg to drive nine Craftsman Truck Series races this season. Ryan Lawler will drive seven races.
Corporate, Track
A U.S. District Court judge has dismissed virtually all claims in a racial discrimination and breach of contract lawsuit against NASCAR and other parties stemming from a highly publicized 1999 incident at New Hampshire International Speedway. The incident occurred when former Penske Racing motorcoach driver David Scott, who is black, was greeted by a pair of motorcoach drivers, one of whom was wearing a white pillowcase over his head as if he were a member of the Ku Klux Klan. NASCAR indefinitely suspended the two motorcoach drivers involved. In his complaint, Scott said he was promised a job with NASCAR in response to the incident. NASCAR had claimed in its filings that Scott “was given several work opportunities which were declined” and “was not qualified” for the racing official job he wanted. Judge Deborah A. Batts ruled Jan. 17 that the three-year statute of limitations had passed for all of the allegations, except for one on whether NASCAR did not award Scott a minority vendor contract in 2005 and 2006 based on race. Scott must re-file his lawsuit within 45 days to focus on that claim.
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Bobby Labonte
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