Motorsports

The Autos Page

By BRANT JAMES, Times Staff Writer
Published November 3, 2007

Speedway Motorsports Inc.'s purchase of New Hampshire International Speedway further polarizes the venues that host NASCAR events into two camps, the other being the larger International Speedway Corp.

SMI often offers better amenities, ISC the more popular races. A look at the camps that no longer war (at least not openly) but still compete for every inch of NASCAR real estate.

SPEEDWAY MOTORSPORTS INC.

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Bristol Motor Speedway

Infineon Raceway

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Lowe's Motor Speedway

New Hampshire International Speedway

Texas Motor Speedway

Nextel Cup races: 12

Chase for the Championship races: 5

INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY CORP.

California Speedway

Chicagoland Speedway

Darlington Raceway

Daytona International Speedway

Homestead-Miami Speedway

Kansas Speedway

Martinsville Speedway

Michigan International Speedway

Phoenix International Raceway

Richmond International Raceway

Talladega Superspeedway

Watkins Glen

Nextel Cup races: 19 cup races

Chase races: 5

The holdouts:

Dover International Speedway

Owner: Dover Motorsports, publicly traded

Dates/Chase: 2/1

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Owner: The George family

Dates: Chase: 1/0

Pocono Speedway

Owner: Mattioli family

Dates/Chase: 2/0

Not gonna happen

First it was rumored that Jacques Villeneuve was buying into Bill Davis Racing, the team with which the former Formula One and Indianapolis 500 champion plans to make his full-time Nextel Cup debut next season. That was quashed. Then Davis' trucking company filed for bankruptcy protection this week. The rumor suddenly made sense. Then Villeneuve issued a statement on Friday:

"Over the last few weeks there has been persistent speculation that I am considering some form of purchase of the Bill Davis Racing (BDR) organization. In spite of my consistent denial of these claims, the questions and speculation continue, so I want to set the record straight, one time only.

"I am not interested in buying the BDR business, or any other NASCAR team. I have not been considering such a purchase, and I will not be changing that position. Bill Davis has openly confirmed in the media that he is open to a sale of some of his ownership in the business...

"I am in NASCAR to race, and to perform to my very best. That will take all of my focus, time and attention, and there is no need to complicate that. I just want to be able to concentrate on racing."

Also not going to happen

Former F1 champ Fernando Alonso announced Friday that he has left McLaren after a first season in which he feuded with management and rookie sensation teammate Lewis Hamilton, demanded preferential treatment, and was involved in a spy scandal that cost the team $100-million in fines. Though he's been linked to Renault and Red Bull, the egg timer officially was just turned over for the first NASCAR rumor.

Hendrick Motorsports has displayed the same dominance with the so-called "Car of Tomorrow" as with the fleet that will be obsolete after this season, but that doesn't mean owner Rick Hendrick likes the ostensibly less-expensive, safer cars.

Far from it.

"I've always been against it, and I haven't changed," he said on Monday in the garage at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "I think what we have will put on a really good race. The race we had (Sunday in the 'old' car) was really good. We could have modified the car we had. We didn't have any safety problems. "

Considered one of the more influential members of the racing community, with 100-plus Nextel Cup wins and 10 championships in NASCAR's top three series, Hendrick wishes he'd been more vocal in opposing the new car. He feels that way even as his drivers have combined to win eight of 15 COT races with one remaining at Phoenix in two weeks.

"Sometimes I don't think they listen to me at all," he said. "I have a good relationship with NASCAR and I try to have input when they ask me. I give (president) Mike Helton a lot of credit. He went around to everybody before they did this 'Car of Tomorrow' and asked what they thought. To be honest, I didn't think it would happen, so I didn't pay it much attention. And that was my fault. I made a huge mistake by not trying to lobby a little bit earlier, I guess."

The politics of dancing

The Indy Racing League, sensing ever-growing momentum and the mass public relations possibilities of driver Helio Castroneves' continued success on Dancing with the Stars, has launched a media campaign to keep the two-time defending Grand Prix of St. Petersburg-winner in front of millions of weekly viewers. Political-style yard placards, buttons and T-shirts implore fans to "call, text or vote on-line" for the personable Brazilian.

There is a sizable base to court.

Nielsen Top 10

Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for October 22-28.

1. Dancing with the Stars. (Monday), ABC, 21.37-million viewers.

2. World Series, Boston at Colorado (Game 4), Fox, 20.95-million.

3. Desperate Housewives, ABC, 18.28-million.

4. Grey's Anatomy, ABC, 18.18-million.

5. House, Fox, 18.11-million.

6. Dancing with the Stars (Tuesday), ABC, 18.06-million.

7. NCIS, CBS, 17.26-million viewers.

8. World Series, Colorado at Boston (Game 2), Fox, 16.95-million.

9. World Series, Colorado at Boston (Game 1), Fox, 16.90-million.

10. CSI: Miami, CBS, 15.67-million.

Imagine if just a fraction of a fraction of those DWTS fans buy a ticket because they've formed an attachment to Castroneves.

Motorin'

The Gordon clan will become denizens of the motor coach lot next season. According to KATU-TV in Portland, Ore., Jeff Gordon bought a $2-million vehicle so the four-time Nextel Cup champion, wife Ingrid and infant Ella Sophia can travel to races together. According to the report, the coach is bound for Florida, "where the family's driver will learn the ins and outs of the rig."

[Last modified November 2, 2007, 21:31:17]