| On the track Jeff Gordon has weekly battles with | | | | windows in the #40 David Stremme, #41 Reed |
| the likes of Jimmy Johnson and Tony Stewart, but | | | | Sorenson, and #42 Juan Pablo Montoya cars. |
| off the track there are just as heated battles going | | | | Milwaukee's Milwaukee Mile was the testing track on |
| on. The sponsors of NASCAR teams keep proving | | | | choice this past week. Gibb's, Ganassi, Hendrick and |
| over and over again that the business of racing is a | | | | Evernham were their early in the week. Late week |
| dog eat dog world. | | | | testing was completed by Ginn Racing, Red Bull, and |
| The latest fray is between NASCAR itself and | | | | DEI. The #8 car was unofficially the fastest car of |
| AT&T who by buying BellSouth and Cingular | | | | the week at Milwaukee. |
| Wireless coming with has caused a U.S. District Court | | | | This Week's Race |
| Judge to issue an injunction to allow Jeff Burton's | | | | Carl Edwards celebrated his 5th Nextel Cup victory |
| #31car to wear AT&T logos and color. You see | | | | and his first in 52 races as he took home the |
| NASCAR is very protective over its exclusive | | | | checkered flag at Michigan International Speedway. |
| sponsors, and it just so happens NASCAR's highest | | | | Edwards held off challenges from a red hot Martin |
| level of racing is brought to us by Nextel/Sprint. | | | | Truex Jr. and a strong performance by Tony |
| Nextel/Spring was nice enough to grandfather | | | | Stewart. |
| existing telecommunication companies who were | | | | The win was Roush's second of the season following |
| already sponsors to remain like Alltel with Ryan | | | | Matt Kenseth earlier in the year at California. |
| Newman's car. | | | | Truex's strong finish vaulted him to 10th in the point's |
| This has potentially disastrous consequences for | | | | standings. Jeff Gordon continues to lead, with a |
| racing teams especially the smaller ones. It is hard to | | | | comfortable 264 point cushion over Denny Hamlin and |
| find a good main sponsor for teams. Might this limit | | | | 337 points over Jimmy Johnson. Upward movers |
| other sponsors that aren't the exclusive (fill in the | | | | included Carl Edwards up to 6th and Dale Jr. to 12th. |
| blank) of NASCAR from backing a team? To me this | | | | Mark Martin slipped to 13th and Ryan Newman slipped |
| would end up making the rich richer and the poor not | | | | two spaces to 15th. Keep and eye again on Casey |
| even being able to field a competitive team. | | | | Mears moving up four more spots to 19th. |
| Telecommunications companies are just the start, are | | | | The Week Ahead |
| soda companies next or even could it trickle down to | | | | The word Sonoma means "valley of the moon" or |
| fast food restaurants. | | | | "many moons" as it is translated from the Indian |
| Many of these sponsors not only are visible by | | | | tribes that inhabited the region for over a century. In |
| names on the car, but by having displays at the | | | | NASCAR Sonoma roughly translates to "road course |
| racetracks or interactive experiences for fans to | | | | favorites" as it has been a haven for drivers who like |
| participate in that add to the enjoyment of their trip | | | | to take a little Sunday afternoon spin on the road. |
| to the track. Let's use our brains on this one and | | | | Sonoma is the next stop as the drivers prepare for |
| realize there is room enough for everyone in | | | | the 1.99 mile road course. The 40 year old track |
| NASCAR on and off the track. | | | | features 12 turns and should produce a picture |
| The Week That Was | | | | perfect day for racing in California. Road course |
| Yes it's true; there was other NASCAR news besides | | | | favorites include Jeff Gordon, who is the defending |
| the Barnhart announcement this past week. Kudos to | | | | champ and Tony Stewart who always proves to be |
| the Ganassi cars for featuring a tribute to Dad by | | | | a force on the road courses. |
| placing their Father's name on the passenger side | | | | |