Wisconsin is not regarded by many people as a mecca for auto racing. However, it does have a fair history in the sport. Tracks like Road America (Elkhart Lake) and Madison International Speedway have been around for over 40 years, while the Milwaukee Mile has been around for over 100 years.
The historic racetrack on the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in West Allis is in trouble. After its most recent run of major events, the Milwaukee Mile may be about to shut its doors for good.
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) -- Kyle Busch figured out a way to win again in NASCAR's Nationwide Series.
After two straight frustrating runner-up finishes in the second tier series, Busch passed Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano near the end of the Camping World 200 on Saturday and held off the precocious 19-year-old to get the victory at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Noting the "excitement" double file restarts have added to NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series racing in the past month, NASCAR has decided to institute the format in the Nationwide Series as well, effective next week in the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
"Double-file restarts -- shootout style will add to even more close competition in our series. ... and the format will also help give us more standard restarts every time," Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash said Friday in announcing the change.
The move comes as little surprise to the competitors or teams, who have seen the format enthusiastically received in the Cup ranks.
While Kyle Busch continues to own the NASCAR Nationwide Series points standings, he is having awful issues finishing races. He's had some bad luck, no doubt about it. However, Saturday night in the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway, Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano simply had a better racecar. It helps that he picked a good time for what could have been his best restart of the night.
Everyone had a feeling something had to give. And it has.
A week removed from Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, General Motors has pulled its factory support for teams in NASCAR's Nationwide and Camping World Truck series. And as the company evaluates its financial commitment to motorsports, there is concern that further cost-cutting may involve the Sprint Cup Series too. Several teams fielding Chevrolets in the Nationwide Series confirmed the news on Friday in statements.
"Obviously the automotive industry is dealing with unprecedented business challenges and we understand the need for restructuring to accommodate the need to reduce costs and maximize returns,'' said Kelley Earnhardt, general manager of JR Motorsports, a Nationwide team owned by her brother Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway, Kyle Busch handled the coveted guitar trophy in a manner that about 99.931 percent of the world would never think to do.
Yet, when we're thinking about the most dominant driver in the sport in terms of race wins over the past year and a half, a little more thought could have almost anticipated seeing Busch doing exactly what he did in smashing that custom-painted Gibson Les Paul into the victory lane concrete.
Whether or not you found the "celebration" to be a complete slap in the face to numerous people or just another much-heralded "Kyle being Kyle" moment, there remains a stirring question: Is this 24-year-old polarizer making NASCAR into a sport that is better or worse?
NASCAR's primary goal each week is putting on a spectacular show for the fans, but Goodyear's practice of utilizing the same tire for its top three series is hurting the show.
The tire problems that surfaced in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race last weekend at Dover may have been avoided if Goodyear had in place a specific tire for the Truck Series instead of a general design that services Trucks, NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series cars.
Several of NASCAR's biggest names and personalities will descend on a tiny Rossburg, Ohio, half-mile clay oval next Wednesday for what has now become the hottest sideshow of the NASCAR season.
Hosted at the Tony Stewart-owned Eldora Speedway, the drivers will be joined by over 20,000 fans and hopefully many more for the HBO pay-per-view broadcast of the fifth annual Prelude to the Dream. Nationwide Series driver and SPEED TV personality Kenny Wallace, though, can't help to think how cool it would be to have NASCAR return to its dirt track roots.
"It would be nothing new, right?" said Wallace on Wednesday. "NASCAR used to run on dirt all of the time."
CONCORD, N.C. - Mike Bliss has again found some tremendous success at the only track in NASCAR's Nationwide Series he's ever won at.
Five years after scoring his first career Nationwide win at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Bliss used a bit of pit road luck, a timely caution and an even more timely rain shower to win the delayed and shortened Carquest 300 that say yours truly and thousands of others walk out thoroughly soaked.
The win, and the right-time-and-right-place racing luck, also gave his Phoenix Racing team their second surprise win in a month in NASCAR competition.
David Ragan's first NASCAR victory in 196 starts was the major story of Saturday's Nationwide race, but it definitely wasn't the biggest highlight. As Holly mentioned in her recap, a wild wreck by Matt Kenseth had every spectator in awe at Talladega.
After Kenseth lost control with 12 laps left, the car skidded on its roof, flipped three times and caught fire along the grass. Thankfully he was able to make a quick escape from the car as his pregnant wife, Katie, watched with bated breath.