Tommy Baldwin has assumed the role as interim crew chief for the No. 36 360 OTC Camry and driver Jeremy Mayfield, who failed to qualify for the first two races of the season.
Robbie Reiser was so anxious to get back to the track, he struggled to fall asleep. Kenny Francis battled a bit of nervousness.
The crew chiefs received a temporary respite from their four-race suspensions this week when NASCAR allowed them to participate in the two-day Car of Tomorrow test at Bristol Motor Speedway. Both have been sidelined since Feb. 13, when NASCAR kicked them out of the Daytona 500 in a cheating scandal that snared five teams.
NASCAR wants to speed up implementation of its Car of Tomorrow to have it in use full-time by 2008, officials said Wednesday.
The COT will debut March 25 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the first of 16 races this season for the car designed to improve racing, bolster safety and cut team costs. The car was scheduled to run 26 races in 2008, and the full Nextel Cup schedule in 2009.
But Nextel Cup director John Darby said NASCAR is leaning toward putting the COT in full use next season.
Juan Pablo Montoya spun during the Car of Tomorrow test, but Larry McReynolds says the world didn’t stop spinning. The future is here, and it’s just a little slower.
Won’t teams get frustrated by the partial schedule for the Car of Tomorrow this year and next? No way, says Larry McReynolds. And here’s why: The teams decided on how many races to run and where to test, like Bristol Wednesday and Thursday. And they are the ones that can change it.
Jeffrey Earnhardt, the grandson of seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt, will take part in a two-day NASCAR Busch East Series test session on Monday, April 16 at New Hampshire International Speedway, the Herald has learned.
Sue Santerre, director of communications at Andy Santerre Motorsports, told the Herald today that Earnhardt and Pelham, N.H. …