THE "SPINDOCTOR"…MICHAEL KNIGHT...SHARED THIS WITH US…LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK…
THE N.H.R.A…MADE IT OFFICIAL…

THE…"NHRA WILL MANDATE…FORD…BLUE BOX CRASH SENSORS…ON ALL FUNNY CAR AND TOP FUEL RACE CARS IN 2008"

THIS ACTION IS A DIRECT RESULT OF…JOHN FORCE’S…EFFORTS TO IMPROVE SAFETY IN THE SPORT…FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC LOSS OF …ERIC MEDLIN…AND HIS OWN…SEASON ENDING CRASH…

THIS WEEK’S EPISODE OF…"REARRANGING THE DECK CHAIRS"…ON THE TITANIC COMES APPROPRIATELY FROM…MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING …WHICH ANNOUNCED THEY WILL HAVE A
PAIR OF WASHED UP…CREW CHIEFS…AND ONE…WE’VE NEVER HEARD OF…JOINING THE
SINKING WALTRIP SHIP…

AFTER MAKING ONLY…64 RACES OF 108 OPPORTUNITIES…IN 2007…MWR …HAS TABBED…RYAN PEMBERTON…WHO…IN 11 YEARS OF…CREW CHIEFING…HAS ONE WIN TO HIS CREDIT…A 2004 CHECKERED FLAG…AT KANSAS…WITH…JOE NEMECHEK…TO SHOW FOR HIS EFFORTS…

PEMBERTON…WILL STEER…DAVID REUITEMANN…AWAY FROM VICTORY LANE IN 2008…

THE BOSS…MIKEY WALTRIP...HIMSELF…WILL FIND…PAUL ANDREWS… ATOP HIS…PIT BOX IN …2008…

ANDREWS…WHO’S MOST RECENT…CLAIM TO FAME…WAS…FALLING OFF A LADDER WHILE CHANGING A LIGHT BULB…LAST SEASON…SERVED AS …ALAN KULWICKI’S…CREW CHIEF...IN HIS CHAMPIONSHIP CAMPAIGN…15 YEARS AGO…AND ANYONE WHO KNEW…KULWICKI…KNEW ANDREWS …WAS IN THAT POSITION IN…TITLE ONLY…AS KULWICKI…MADE…ALL CALLS…FROM THE SEAT OF THE CAR…

THE FINAL…NEW HIRE…AT M.W.R…BILL PAAPAS…COMES FROM THE INDY CAR RANKS…WHERE
HE WAS THE LEAD ENGINEER FOR…JUAN PABLO MONTOYA’S…INDY 500 WIN…AND BRINGS NO STOCK CAR EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE OF…ROOKIE…RR-AZ ALUM…MICHAEL MC DOWELL
OUT OF GLENDALE’S…ROOKIE EFFORT…OH BOY!!!

NASCAR HAS APPROVED…PENSKE RACING'S…REQUEST…TO TRANSFER THE OWNER POINTS FROM…RR-AZ ALUM…KURT BUSCH TO…RR-AZ ALUM …SAM HORNISH JR…A MOVE THAT LOCKS THE THREE-TIME INDYCAR SERIES CHAMP…INTO THE FIRST FIVE RACES OF NEXT SEASON.

ROBIN PEMBERTON…NASCAR'S VICE PRESIDENT OF COMPETITION…SAID THE SANCTIONING BODY HAD SIGNED OFF ON THE TRANSFER.

HORNISH…A FORMER INDY 500 WINNER…IS LEAVING THAT SERIES FOR NASCAR NEXT SEASON
BUT HIS # 77 DODGE…WITHOUT THE…KURT BUSCH POINTS…WOULD NOT BE ONE OF THE 35 CARS LOCKED INTO THE FIRST FIVE RACES OF THE YEAR.

AS THE 2004 SERIES CHAMP…KURT BUSCH…HAS A PAST CHAMPION’S… PROVISIONAL POSITION THAT HE COULD FALL BACK ON SHOULD HE FAIL TO QUALIFY ON SPEED…WHICH IS UNLIKELY…

IN…N.H.R.A. STRAIGHTLINE NEWS…BIKER…ANTRON BROWN…HAS BEEN TABBED TO MAKE THE SWITCH TO THE…TOP FUEL DIVISION IN 2008…AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF FAMILIARIZING HIMSELF WITH THE… MATCO TOOLS TOP FUEL DRAGSTER

BROWN…WILL TEST…DEC. 17-19…IN FLORIDA…

BROWN…IS A…16-TIME NHRA PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE WINNER…AND HAS COMPETED IN THE TWO-WHEEL CATEGORY THE PAST 10 YEARS…

IN MORE…STRAIGHTLINE…NEWS…GARY SCELZI...WILL JOIN FELLOW RR-AZ ALUMS…RON CAPPS…AND…CRUZ PEDREGON…IN TULSA…FOR THE 22^ND ANNUAL…CHILI BOWL…MIDGET NATIONALS…IN JANUARY…

SCELZI…WHO COUNTS TOP FUEL & FUNNY CAR CHAMPIONSHIPS TO HIS CREDIT…WILL DRIVE HIS OWN "STUFF"…POWERED BY MOPAR…

SCELZI…HAS BEEN PREPARING FOR THE CHILI BOWL…BY…WORKING WITH…FELLOW RR-AZ ALUM…CORY KRUSEMAN…TO LEARN HOW TO…TURN…

THE…I.R.L…HAS ANNOUNCED THEIR 2008 RACING SCHEDULE…WHICH WILL COMMENCE ON…
MARCH 29^TH…AND CONCLUDE ON…SEPTEMBER 7^TH

THE SCHEDULE IDENTIFIES 16 EVENTS…WITH 11 RACES ON OVALS…A TRIO OF ROAD COURSES
AND A PAIR OF…STREET RACES…NONE OF WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IN PHOENIX…

IF YOU DON’T COUNT…JAPAN…THE ONLY RACE WEST OF THE ROCKIES… WILL BE AT…SEARS POINT…IN AUGUST…

TWO TIME AND THE YOUNGEST EVER…F-1 CHAMP…FERNANDO ALONSO IS GOING…"BACK TO THE FUTURE"…TO DRIVE FOR RENAULT…NEXT SEASON…AFTER JUST ONE YEAR WITH…MC CLAREN…

ALONSO…EARNED HIS PAIR OF F-1 TIARA’S…DRIVING FOR…RENAULT…IN 2005 & 2006…

THIS NEXT PIECE COMES FROM THE…HINDUSTAN TIMES…WHICH IS THE…INDIAN…EQUIVALENT OF THE SOCIALIST-REPUBLIC…

POLICE IN…COBURG (GERMANY)…ARE INVESTIGATING WHETHER 7 TIME WORLD CHAMP…MICHAEL SCHUMACHER…BROKE THE LAW AFTER HE GOT BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A TAXI…LAST WEEK…SO HIS FAMILY COULD MAKE A FLIGHT…ON TIME…

AFTER BUYING A…PUPPY…SCHUMACHER…WHO RETIRED FROM F-1 LAST YEAR…WAS SAID TO HAVE…"TAKEN THE CORNERS AT FULL-THROTTLE AND…OVER-TAKEN…OTHER CARS IN "UNBELIEVABLE PLACES"…ACCORDING TO THE CAB DRIVER.

UPON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT…SCHUMACHER PAID THE $86 DOLLAR FARE AND TIPPED THE DRIVER $144 BUCKS…

THE LOCAL COPPERS ARE CONSIDERING SCHUMACHER’S ACT AS AN …"OFFENSE AGAINST TRANSPORT LAWS" AND MAY FINE… SCHUMACHER…AND THE CAB DRIVER…WHO GAVE UP THE WHEEL…

OUR CONFUSION ON THIS IS THE STATEMENT THAT SCHUMACHER PASSED CARS…THAT WEREN’T PITTING…AT THE TIME…GIVEN HIS CAREER…BASED ON…F-1’S…AVERSION TO ANY PASSING …WHILE UNDER POWER…

SPEAKING OF…SCHUMACHER…THE "TAXI DRIVER’S"…SEAT TIME…PAID OFF ON SUNDAY…AS HE WON THE…ONE LAP…EURO TRASH…RACE OF CHAMPIONS…DUEL…VS…JIMMIE JOHNSON…IN ENGLAND…ON SUNDAY…

AND WE’RE SURE THIS IS IMPORTANT TO…SOMEONE…

MORE ON…JIMMIE JOHNSON…TELLS YOU THAT HE WILL BE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE…J.R. MOTORSPORTS…# 5…IN A HANDFUL OF… JOURNEYMAN SERIES…RACES’…NEXT SEASON COMPLIMENTS OF THE NEW RELATIONSHIP…HENDRICK HAS WITH…DALE, JR.

2008…TEST SESSIONS…OUT AT…P.I.R…ARE BEGINNING TO COME TOGETHER…AND…MARCH…
WILL BE A BUSY MONTH OUT IN AVONDALE…

THE NASCAR "CUPPERS"…WILL KICK THE MONTH OF MARCH OFF WITH TESTING ON MONDAY MARCH 3^RD & TUESDAY…MARCH 4^TH…WHILE THE…I.R.L…WILL TAKE TO THE TRACK…LATER IN
THE MONTH…(DATES NOT YET ANNOUNCED)…

AND THAT’S IT…HAPPY MOTORING…

(FROM THE…RACE-CEMBER 10, 2007…SHOW…)

WITH THE…P.I.R. SHOW IN TOWN…ORLANDO SPEEDWAY…WAS THE SITE OF THE…MOPAR…SPRINT & MIDGET CLASSIC…A 40 LAP…ASPHALT CHALLENGE…THAT SAW…BOBBY EAST…TAKE THE WIN IN THE SPRINT CAR MAIN…AHEAD OF…CALIFORNIA’S…DARREN HAGEN…IN 2^ND…AND …BRYAN CLAUSON…3^RD…

DAKODA ARMSTRONG…OUT OF INDIANA…WON THE MIDGET PORTION OF THE…MOPAR CHALLENGE AHEAD OF…TEXAN…JUSTIN MELTON…2^ND… AND ANOTHER…HOOSIER…RON GREGORY…IN THE FINAL PODIUM SPOT…

RR-AZ ALUM…OFF ROAD RACER…GREG FOUTZ…TOOK THE WIN AT THE…HENDERSON TERRIBLE 400…"BEST IN THE DESERT"…RACE…

THE…FOUTZ MOTORSPORTS TEAM…WAS VICTORIOUS WITH THEIR… FABTECH FORD F-250…SUPER DUTY TRUCK…IN THE 8100 CLASS FINISHING OVER AN HOUR AHEAD OF…2^ND PLACE…MIKE ALDEN IN ANOTHER FORD TRUCK. 

THE FOUTZ TEAM WITH…GREG FOUTZ…DRIVING…COMPLETED THE RACE OF…3 - 85 MILE LAPS…IN JUST OVER 6 HOURS…MAKING THEM THE FIRST OVERALL VEHICLE…IN THE 3 LAP CLASSES…FOR THE EVENT. 

THE TEAM LED FROM THE 10 MILE MARKER ON THE FIRST LAP ALL THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE.  THIS MARKS THE TEAM’S…2^ND WIN IN A ROW FOLLOWING THE RECENT…LAS VEGAS 300…IN EARLY OCTOBER. 

FOR THE 1^ST TIME IN HISTORY…YOU WON’T HAVE TO MAKE YOUR WAY TO …TULSA, OKLAHOMA TO SEE THE…CHILI BOWL AS THE 2008 EDITION WILL BE TELEVISED "LIVE" ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 12 BEGINNING AT 6:00 P.M…PHOENIX TIME…WITH AN IMMEDIATE PAY-PER-VIEW BROADCAST AND ADDITIONAL REPLAYS ON…SUNDAY…JANUARY 13^TH

THE HBO PAY-PER-VIEW RACING TELECAST HAS A SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $24.95…PLAN YOUR … CHILI BOWL PARTIES…NOW…

DRAG RACING LEGEND…AND…RR-AZ ALUM…KENNY "THE BUD KING" BERNSTEIN IS RETIRING… AGAIN…

BERNSTEIN, 63, FIRST RETIRED AFTER THE 2002 SEASON BUT RETURNED THE FOLLOWING YEAR WHEN SON…BRANDON…WAS INJURED IN A…TOP FUEL…CRASH…

BERNSTEIN THEN RETIRED AGAIN, ONLY TO COME BACK THIS SEASON TO DRIVE A FUNNY CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1989.

BERNSTEIN LEAVES WITH 69 CAREER WINS (NONE THIS YEAR) AND A HANDFUL OF CHAMPIONSHIPS ONE IN TOP FUEL AND A…FOURPLE IN… THE FUNNY CAR DIVISION…

RR-AZ ALUM… FUNNY CAR…VETERAN DRIVER…TOMMIE JOHNSON…WHO IS WED TO…TOP FUELER MELANIE TROXEL…WILL DRIVE THE… BERNSTEIN…FUNNY CAR ENTRY…NEXT SEASON…

WHILE…NASCAR…CONTINUES TO "STRUGGLE" TO FIND…SERIES SPONSORS (CUP-BUSCH & TRUCK) THE WORLD OF OUTLAWS… WINGED SPRINT CAR SERIES…HAS SOLVED THEIR SPONSORSHIP PROBLEM…FOR NEXT SEASON…AS…ADVANCE AUTO PARTS…WILL CELEBRATE ITS…30^TH ANNIVERSARY…IN 2008…SPONSORING MORE THAN…85 EVENT NIGHTS…IN THE…U.S. AND CANADA  BEGINNING WITH THE SEASON OPENER AT…VOLUSIA SPEEDWAY PARK…ON FEBRUARY 8^TH AND CULMINATING IN…NOVEMBER…IN CHARLOTTE…WITH THE 2008 WORLD OF OUTLAWS…WORLD FINALS…AT…LOWE’S MOTOR SPEEDWAY.

THE 3^RD ANNUAL GEOFF BODINE BOBSLED CHALLENGE WILL BE HELD JANUARY 3^RD…TO THE 5^TH
AT THE…OLYMPIC SPORTS COMPLEX IN LAKE PLACID, N.Y…AND HAS ADDED NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES CHAMP…RON HORNADAY, JR…NASCAR…WHELEN ALL-AMERICAN SERIES NATIONAL CHAMP…(CHRIS HINES…"PAL")…STEVE CARLSON AND …NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL…BUSCH EAST CHAMP…JOEY LOGANO… HAVE ALL JOINED…3-RACE…BODINE CHALLENGE WINNER…BORIS SAID AND N.H.R.A. DRIVER AND PREVIOUS BOBSLED CHALLENGE COMPETITOR... MORGAN LUCAS…IN THE FIELD OF RACE CAR DRIVERS …PILOTING BOBSLEDS…DOWN THE ICY CHUTE…

2008…TEST SESSIONS…OUT AT…P.I.R…ARE BEGINNING TO COME TOGETHER…AND…MARCH…WILL BE A BUSY MONTH OUT IN AVONDALE…

THE NASCAR "CUPPERS"…WILL KICK THE MONTH OF MARCH OFF WITH TESTING ON MONDAY, MARCH 3^RD & TUESDAY…MARCH 4^TH…WHILE THE…I.R.L…WILL TAKE TO THE TRACK…LATER IN THE MONTH…(DATES NOT YET ANNOUNCED)…

MC CLAREN…WAS FINED $100 MILLION FOR HAVING…CONFIDENTIAL… FERRARI…F-1 ENGINEERING PLANS IN THEIR POSSESSION…AND THEN… RENAULT…WAS DISCOVERED TO…HAVE…MC CLAREN CONFIDENTIAL… ENGINEERING PLANS…IN THEIR POSSESSION…AND WAS RUMORED TO BE IN LINE FOR A SIMILAR FINE…

BUT…IT HAS BEEN RULED THAT...NO FINE…WILL BE LEVIED…AGAINST RENAULT…

APPARENTLY…IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IF THE FRENCH COMPANY WAS …STUPID ENOUGH…TO "STEAL" THE 2^ND PLACE TEAM’S INFORMATION …THEY WERE NO THREAT TO THE INTEGRITY (YES…THAT IS AN OXYMORON)…TO THE SERIES…

MORE…F-1 NEWS…TELLS US THAT…THE INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY…HAS WON THE F.I.A FORMULA ONE PROMOTIONAL TROPHY…PRESENTED TO THE BEST PROMOTER AND EVENT ORGANIZER IN…FORMULA ONE…EACH YEAR.

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY…C.E.O…TONY GEORGE…ACCEPTED THE TROPHY DURING THE SEASON-ENDING…F.I.A…AWARDS CEREMONY DEC. 7^TH…IN MONACO.

IT’S THE SECOND TIME IN SEVEN YEARS INDY HAS WON THE AWARD…AND THE IRONY IN ALL THIS IS THAT…F-1…WILL NOT RETURN TO RACE AT INDY…THIS YEAR…OR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE…

ONE SERIES…AND MOST…DISAPPOINTLY…WHICH WON’T…BE TESTING …OR RACING…OUT AT P.I.R THIS YEAR IS THE…MAZDA MX-5 SERIES…

DISAPPOINTING…BECAUSE THE SERIES HAS ANNOUNCED IT’S NEW SPONSOR…AS…PLAYBOY…

PLAYBOY…VICE PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER…LOU MOHN…SAID…."WE LOOK FORWARD TO PUTTING ALL OF PLAYBOY’S BRAND ASSETS INTO HIGH GEAR…TO LEVERAGE THIS INITIATIVE…AND REACH RACING ENTHUSIASTS…AND…PLAYBOY FANS ALIKE."

SAD…SO VERY SAD…FOR US…AS WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO VIEWING…AND…REPORTING ON…THOSE…PLAYBOY…"BRAND ASSETS"…

AND THAT’S IT…HAPPY MOTORING…

SPEAKING OF…THE DANCER…LAST TUESDAY NIGHT… IN FRONT OF 21 MILLION VIEWERS…ON LIVE NETWORK TELEVISION…TWO-TIME INDY 500…RACE WINNER…HELIO CASTRONEVES AND HIS…BALLROOM DANCING PARTNER…JULIANNE HOUGH…MAMBO-ED… TO VICTORY ON THE "DANCING WITH THE STARS" …TV SHOW.

THE COUPLE…WOWED THE AUDIENCE…WITH THEIR TALENTED PERFORMANCES OVER THE PAST TEN WEEKLY PROGRAMS…(THE SAME NUMBER OF WEEKS AS…NASCAR’S "CHASE"…ONLY MORE INTERESTING)

POPULAR FAN VOTE…EARNED THEM THE WIN…AND…WHAT… CASTRONEVES…CALLS THE …"DISCO BALL TROPHY."

CASTRONEVES…WHILE GULPING THE WINNER’S…TRADITIONAL…GLASS OF MILK…SAID AFTERWARDS…HE HAS THE SPOT PICKED OUT FOR THE TROPHY...ADDING TO HIS TWO…BABY BORG WARNER TROPHIES… EARNED IN…2000 AND 2001…FOR WINNING THE INDY 500.

"OBVIOUSLY, INDIANAPOLIS IS MY BIGGEST WIN, BUT THIS IS GREAT… THE DANCING TROPHY WILL GO RIGHT BETWEEN (THE BABY BORG TROPHIES… BECAUSE THIS HAS MIRRORS AND CAN REFLECT THEM," HE SAID. IT’S…OFFICIAL…DODGE…NASCAR TEAMS…AFTER RECORDING JUST A TRIO OF WINS…WITH THE DODGE AVENGER…IN THE 2007 SEASON WILL PARK THE CAR OF TOMORROW…DODGE AVENGER…MOVING FORWARD…IN FAVOR OF THE…MORE FAMILIAR …DODGE CHARGER…