Scene on The Circuit: June 18, 2009

By NASCAR Scene Staff

Thursday, June 18, 2009

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Other Automakers Interested In NASCAR

With Chrysler and GM both facing bankruptcy and uncertain futures, NASCAR Chairman Brian France says other foreign-based auto manufacturers have expressed interest in becoming involved with the sport.

France declined to name specific companies but said NASCAR remains the “preeminent place in North America for car manufacturers to build their business with an auto-racing group.” Foreign automakers with U.S. plants include Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

“We have been talking to people off and on for a long time,” he said. “These are decisions, in terms of a new manufacturer joining the sport, that would take a long time to evaluate and actually enter. … But clearly there are some companies that are going to look at opportunities that may not have been there in the past that could be presented in the future.

“We will have our philosophical approach to that in terms of welcoming new companies in, as we did with Toyota. It is under a very clear set of circumstances that the manufacturers come to NASCAR to compete. That will not change.

“There are lots of foreign manufacturers now producing cars here in America … and [racing] helps them associate more with this market, and we are the preeminent place to consider should a company want to do that.”

Vickers Expected To Sign Extension

Red Bull Racing officials were expected to announce this week that Brian Vickers has agreed to a multi-year contract extension that will keep him in the No. 83 Toyota.

Vickers, 25, is in the final year of a three-year deal. He is 17th in points. While declining comment on his contract, Vickers said June 12 he hopes to “remain with the team for a long time.”

Waltrip Nearing Decision On Future

Michael Waltrip says he’s closer to a decision on his future – and that future may involve Martin Truex Jr. replacing him as driver. Waltrip reiterated that he needs to run better in order to remain the driver of the NAPA-sponsored No. 55 Toyota at Michael Waltrip Racing, the team he owns. He is 30th in points with just one top-10 finish.

“The reason I’ve raced a car all this time is because I was the best driver that the teams that wanted me could get. … If we find somebody we think can do better next year, we’ll certainly look at that,” he said.

Truex, whose contract at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing expires after this season, has been frequently tied to the possible opening.

“You just have to figure that he’s one of the ones that no one knows where he’s going,” Waltrip said. “He’s been a Chase guy. He stumbled in and has run up front from the beginning, so … he might be one of those on that list that would be better than me.”

Benson Released By Team, Injured in Crash

Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Benson and crew chief Trip Bruce weren’t happy to learn June 8 that they were being released by Red Horse Racing as part of team majority owner Tom DeLoach’s decision to shut down the organization’s No. 1 team.

Then things got worse for Benson, who suffered at least one broken rib in a crash June 13 in a Super Modified race at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich. Benson was listed in fair condition in a Grand Rapids, Mich., hospital June 15.

After releasing Benson, Red Horse Racing announced that Timothy Peters would bring his strutmasters.com sponsorship to the team, which would use Peters’ No. 17 from Premier Racing.

Benson missed the Truck race in his home state of Michigan just six months after winning the Truck title with Bill Davis Racing.

“Tom had talked a good deal about trying to bring us over there,” said Benson, also a former Nationwide Series champion. “He’s the one that came over and courted us to come over there to try to help out and make a championship-contender race team. I find it hard to believe there’s a lot of teams out there getting sponsorship and us not being able to get one, being the defending champions, so that lies back in his hands.”

Former Roush Fenway Employee Files Suit

Jason Myers, a former car chief and tire changer for Carl Edwards at Roush Fenway Racing, has sued the team, alleging that he was wrongfully fired.

In a lawsuit filed June 2 in North Carolina Superior Court in Concord, N.C., Myers claims he was fired for missing work following a suicide attempt in February.
Myers was car chief for the No. 99 Sprint Cup car from 2006 through 2008.

According to his complaint, Myers, a diabetic, ingested 25-30 Tylenol tablets and approximately 200 units of insulin “in an attempt to kill himself” on Feb. 10. The suicide attempt had followed an initial suicide attempt in March 2008 and a partially aborted suicide attempt in October 2008, according to the complaint.

Myers, who was diagnosed with major depressive disorder Feb. 16, was fired by Roush Fenway on Feb. 17, according to the complaint. Myers is suing under the Family and Medical Leave Act and asks for an unspecified amount in damages.