SUE ME, I’LL SUE YOU: NASCAR has filed a $100-million countersuit against AT&T Mobility/Cingular Wireless and AT&T, Inc., with NASCAR alleging breach of contract, fraud and misrepresentation and conspiracy to aid and abet wrongful interference with Nextel’s exclusive sponsorship agreement in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The suit comes after AT&T, which purchased Cingular earlier this year, won an injunction against NASCAR in May, which allows it to display its logos on the Richard Childress Racing No. 31 driven by Jeff Burton. Interestingly, RCR and AT&T have announced a three-year contract extension of the company’s sponsorship of the team.
A NEW HOME: Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced last week he would join Hendrick Motorsports next season. As a result, NASCAR’s most successful team, Kyle Busch, will be looking for a new job for next season, and is already negotiating with other teams.
TRAGEDY: Six people were killed in Selmer, Tennessee, when a Pro Modified drag-racing car crashed during an exhibition burnout at a car show promoted by Cars for Kids. The driver, Australian Troy Critchley, suffered only minor injuries.
ENDURANCE KINGS: An Audi won the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race for the sixth time in seven years, with drivers Emanuele Pirro, Marco Werner and Frank Biela steering their diesel-powered Audi R10 to victory in the twice-around-the-clock classic at the famed Sarthe Circuit in France.
TOP RUNG: World Driving Championship point-leader Lewis Hamilton jumped to the top of the National Speed Sport News Power Rankings with his second-consecutive Formula One victory, which came in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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