FanHouse Craftsman Truck Series

We've seen and heard the battle that the City of Concord (N.C.) and Lowe's Motor Speedway have had in the past month.

Thursday could be the day of reckoning on whether or not LMS' parent company, Speedway Motorsports Inc., and CEO Bruton Smith will either ruin yet another fantastic piece of the NASCAR history (remember North Wilkesboro?) or if he will remember the fans that earned his his wealth and keep the legendary speedway.

From NASCAR.com's Ron Lemasters:

There is talk of an announcement on Thursday that will go a long way toward determining if Lowe's Motor Speedway will remain in its present location or go on the road to a neighboring community, as Smith has threatened.

I honestly feel a little bit sick to my stomach knowing that such a place could potentially be leveled -- and for what, a billionaire owner on a power trip?

That really sounds like a track owner who is touch with the fans.

The city council has given Smith the go-ahead to build a NHRA drag strip, are willing to help with tax incentives on new building projects at LMS, and most importantly -- they want to rename a street already named "Speedway Boulevard" to "Bruton Smith You Are Our King Street" (or at least something or the sort).

What else could he possibly want? (other than some Carolina-fave Bojangles Famous Chicken 'n' Biscuits, of course)

For the guys who apply the name decals to the Haas CNC No. 66 Chevrolets and the No. 36 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, Monday brought plenty of new work.

Jeremy Mayfield will replace Jeff Green in the No. 66 immediately after departing Bill Davis' ride. He'll be there in 2008 as well.

For the guys who apply the name decals to the Haas CNC No. 66 Chevrolets and the No. 36 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, Monday brought plenty of new work.

Jeremy Mayfield will replace Jeff Green in the No. 66 immediately after departing Bill Davis' ride. With the No. 36 BDR ride available (and lacking a sponsor in '08), Davis hired a pair of Craftsman Truck Series drivers with past Cup experience to finish out the year.

Johnny Benson and Mike Skinner will split those duties. Skinner gets the gig at Atlanta this weekend and then at Texas Motor Speedway while Benson will wrap up the year at Phoenix and Homestead.

With Scott Riggs already announced as a Haas CNC driver for 2007, the driver lineup will completely change at Haas with both Jeff Green and Johnny Sauter on the way out it seems.

...whaaaaaat?

Somehow, during Thursday night's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice session at Lowe's Motor Speedway, NASCAR let an unlicensed driver out on the track in Johnny Benson's No. 23 truck.

We're not talking like a state driver's license, but rather a driver who hasn't been graded or passed any of the sanctioning body's requirements to race in the series.

The whole incident happened when the guy driving the Toyota Tundra race truck, who we'll refer to as John Doe from now on, crashed during Thursday night's test session in turn 2. Unable to continue, Doe climbed from the damaged vehicle for his trip to infield care center.

That's where things got a little bit fishy.

NASCAR really loves other countries. Like really, really. And apparently, China loves them, too.

At least kinda really.

Chairman Brian France is heading to China this week with a four-person entourage to discuss the NASCAR product with several prominent leaders in the country. I'll let the article tell the rest.

NASCAR has no plans to race its Nextel Cup series in China. The trip is likely to involve discussions about lower-level NASCAR-type events or series at Chinese racetracks and business relationships that might include NASCAR and Chinese interests. It was not known if any contracts or agreements might be signed on the trip.

Can you imagine the uneasiness felt in the garage area over this one? If NASCAR isn't planning on sending Cup teams, then imagine how the lesser-funded folks in the Busch and Truck garages are feeling. A trip to China is not like driving to the airport and getting on a plane. Remember, teams will need two cars, all their tools, all their equipment -- and then somehow find a way to make the profitable.

Granted, it's highly likely that before NASCAR ever gets to a point where a date is scheduled in the far-east, Brian France will roasted like a marshmallow. I will, throw in, however, that NASCAR did race three exhibition races in Japan in late 90's, and that was such a roaring success that the plan died out after three years.

I guess I just don't understand where France thinks this NASCAR ship is heading. TV ratings have generally been going down, races aren't selling out in the homeland, but yet, it's time to keep expanding away from their target audience? I understand that you have to grow your product, but their direction seems misaligned.

Hopefully this trip is about nothing more than sponsorship deals and some fine Chinese cuisine.

So apparently, new SPEED Channel President Hunter Nickell likes NASCAR. He just signed off on two entire days of NASCAR coverage leading up to, during, and after the Nextel All-Star Challenge in May at Charlotte.

Yeah, that's 48 hours. Or at least 6 meals. Or 8 hours past a work week's overtime. Or like, a lot of friggin' NASCAR programming.

"All-Star Week on SPEED will be huge," said Nickell.

That almost goes without saying.

There are going to be fans -- like me -- who see this not only as a chance to have their own version of the NFL Network, but also as a challenge to watch every possible minute of programming. And that includes watching the Craftsman Truck Series race, twice. The All-Star race, twice. NASCAR Victory Lane, twice. Trackside, twice.They are even going to carry the practice for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. Essentially, that's comparable to watching double-A baseball teams take batting practice.

And NASCAR fans are going to lap it up like a dog at a water dish on a hot day. Well, at least this one will.

I'll be the first to commend SPEED Channel on this one. It's their first time to actually exclusively carry a NASCAR Nextel Cup event -- not just the qualifying. And they are doing it right. The channel has good commentators, good coverage, and people that actually know what they are talking about. (Yeah, that's a shot at Erik Kuselias over at ESPN's NASCAR NOW. Is it that hard to find someone who legitimately knows anything about NASCAR?)

Christmas does come but once a year, and this year it's in May. Maybe next year, we'll get SPEED in HD?