Motorsports

Helton: Age likely no issue for 17-year-old

By Brant James, Times Staff Writer
Published February 15, 2008

DAYTONA BEACH - NASCAR president Mike Helton suggested that a minimum age limit likely to be imposed on the Sprint Cup Series would be announced far enough in advance that it would not impede the rapid rise of 17-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing prospect Joey Logano.

"I think Joey is probably coming up on an age that if we even announced it tomorrow .... we would put this statement well out in advance of its effectiveness so your planning can be organized around it," Helton said. "Then Joey would probably fall in that window."

Logano who in 2005 became the youngest to win a race in the USAR Series and won five of his 13 Busch East Series starts in 2007, will begin an 18-to-20-race schedule in NASCAR's second-tier series for JGR at some point after his birthday May 31. Drivers must currently be 18 to drive in NASCAR's top three circuits.

"It's their game. We've got to play by their rules. Obviously, I like the way it is," Logano said. "But I think I'm ready to do it."

IMPORTING HELP: In an attempt to concentrate on driving, former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve has hired Barry Green (an early organizer of the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg) to handle his business affairs. That includes finding a sponsor for his Bill Davis Racing Dodge. Green, who replaces Villeneuve's longtime manager, Craig Pollock, said he has "a few hooks in the water, but no bites yet."

Green's stake in the Grand Prix was bought out by Andretti Green Racing after 2005, whereupon he retired to his yacht. All sailed out and his golf game not getting any better, Green accepted the invitation to reunite with a driver with whom he fielded cars on a CART team.

"I guess he wanted to have a little bit of fun and find out what NASCAR was all about," Villeneuve said.

The short answer: money. Villeneuve, a former Indianapolis 500 winner, needs in excess of $18-million to field a full-season program. There are no guarantees he will attempt any more races, especially since he crashed and failed to qualify Thursday. Making the Daytona 500 would have helped immensely in terms of exposure, he said.

"We go day by day," said Villeneuve, who is surprised NASCAR has not helped find him sponsorship considering its interest in getting him into the series.

MOVE IT: Zephyrhills' David Reutimann, on being penalized for jumping the start (ahead of teammate Michael Waltrip) in Thursday's second duel race:

"Michael told me before the race he was going to be a little soft on the original start, but I didn't anticipate him being in a coma. When they dropped the green, the spotter says, 'Green, green, green' and I took off and Michael was still sitting there and before I realized I was like, 'Dang it, here comes the start/finish line' and then I'm thinking, 'Well, maybe they didn't see that.' What do you think the chances of that were?... I was disappointed in myself because you're not supposed to beat the leader back to the start/finish line, it's only been like that for a hundred years and everybody knows it, but I managed to do it anyway."

THIS IS IT, ELLIOTT SAYS: After 33 years on the NASCAR trail, Bill Elliott, 52, said this will be his last as a Sprint Cup driver.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

[Last modified February 14, 2008, 23:02:17]