NASCAR News

There is no crew chief in the Sprint Cup garage more adept at planning and executing race strategy and making critical decisions on the fly than Chad Knaus.

It likely won't be decisive, but the duel in the desert between Johnny Benson and Ron Hornaday Jr. in Friday's Lucas Oil 150 will deliver plenty of high drama as their shootout for the Craftsman Truck Series championship shifts to Phoenix International Raceway.

During a modest round of layoffs Monday and Tuesday at Hendrick Motorsports, Jimmie Johnson's spotter, Stevie Reeves, was told he would not return to the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet team next season. Reeves confirmed the news on Tuesday night.

Sunday's Dickies 500 Sprint Cup race featured long green-flag runs and record lows for cautions (five) and caution laps (26), but that didn't mean it lacked drama.

by Reid Spencer Ron Hornaday Jr. overcame an ill-timed caution to win Friday night's Chevy Silverado 350K NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway and trim third-place finisher Johnny Benson's lead in the series standings to six points.

by Amanda Brahler Texas Motor Speedway always has been a refuge for Kevin Harvick. This week in the O'Reilly Challenge, he's depending on his successful past on the 1.5-mile track to notch his first win behind the wheel of his Kevin Harvick Inc. #33 Chevrolet.

The thirteenth round of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was unlucky for just about everybody save for Kyle Busch, who took the Best Buy 400 by the scruff of the neck just prior to the half way mark and proceeded to lead the majority of the final 200 laps.

Kasey Kahne took his second victory in as many weeks at the 1.5-mile Lowe's Motor Speedway on Sunday night as he won NASCAR's longest race, the Coca Cola 600, for the second time in his career.

Virginia native Denny Hamlin claimed his second Coors Light Pole Award of the 2008 season in his home state by securing top spot on the starting grid for Saturday night's Crown Royal 400 at the Richmond International Raceway.

Dario Franchitti will miss Sunday's Aaron's 499 at the Talladega Superspeedway after suffering a fractured ankle in a crash during the early stages of Saturday's Aaron's 312 Nationwide Series race.

Joe Nemechek booked himself and his #78 Furniture Row Racing team an express ticket to next year's Bud Shootout at Daytona after taking pole position for Sunday's Aaron's 499 at the Talladega Superspeedway.

Double Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart has denied rumours that he has asked for his release from Joe Gibbs Racing but did admit that his representatives had met with members of Haas CNC Racing to discuss a possible move in the future.

As expected, for Cup Series racer David Stremme has been snapped up by Penske Racing to act as test driver, backing up the three-pronged attack of Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Sam Hornish Jr in 2008, but could also play a different role next month.

Under cool evening skies in the Phoenix desert Penske Racing's Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman took his first Coors Light Pole Award of 2008 ahead of Saturday's Subway Fresh 500.

Furthering its relationship with Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing, Subway Restaurants will serve as primary sponsor of the #20 Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for three races in 2008 starting this weekend at the Phoenix International Raceway.

The company that supplied Michael Waltrip Racing with the chassis that Michael McDowell so comprehensively wrecked last weekend in Texas have pronounced themselves happy with the way the car reacted to its 180mph head on impact with the outside SAFER barriers at the Texas Motor Speedway.

During qualifying for last weekend's Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway - the seventh round on the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup calendar - Michael McDowell suffered the mother of all shunts in the #00 Aaron's Toyota machine.

Bill Davis Racing has announced a reorganisation of its management team following the addition of several key personnel and the redeployment of others.

Having failed to qualify last weekend at Martinsville and with his #45 team languishing well outside the top 35 in the Sprint Cup owner standings Kyle Petty has elected to sit out this weekend's Samsung 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway.

David Reutimann understands the pressure of racing. He felt it heavy on his shoulders for more than a decade as he ran his own cars on short tracks throughout the Southeast, eking out a living race to race.

Hall of Fame Racing has confirmed that Steve Boyer will take over as crew chief for JJ Yeley on the #96 DLP HDTV Toyota Camry, beginning with the Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville next weekend.

With Dale Jarrett's final points paying start fast approaching, his fellow drivers have been quick to heap praise on the triple Daytona 500 winner and 1999 Cup Series champion.

Red Bull Toyota driver Brian Vickers has admitted that being on the verge of clinching a coveted top 35 spot in NASCAR's points race is one of the best feelings he has experienced in motorsport.

Adverse comments about Goodyear's choice of Eagle tyres for the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway continued throughout last weekend, with some of the Cup Series' more established members happy to offer their opinions.