NO MORE: Nashville (Tennessee) Superspeedway officials confirmed that the Indy Racing League will not return to the track for an event in 2009. Track officials blamed high sanctioning fees from the IndyCar Series as the reason after having hosted the series eight times.
TIRESOME 400: Tire-wear problems led to a dreadful Allstate 400 at the Brickyard with cars making short 10-lap runs between yellow flags to keep from blowing right-rear Goodyear tires. Jimmie Johnson won the event, which has created a whirlwind of negative feedback for both NASCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
SIGNED UP: Tony Stewart’s Stewart Haas Racing Chevrolets will carry the No. 14 with sponsorship from Office Depot and Old Spice next season.
400 TIMES: Midget driver Dakota Armstrong picked up $10,000 for winning the first 400-lap midget race at the quarter-mile asphalt Anderson (Indiana) Speedway.
NEW LIFE: Pikes Peak International Raceway has new life. The track, which was purchased by International Speedway Corp. in 2005 and shuttered later that year, has been sold to a group of investors led by track manager Arden Weatherford. The group hopes to hold lower-level racing events at the 1,200-acre facility, which includes a 1-mile oval and a 1.3-mile road course.
HIRED: NHRA has hired Glen Gray as its vice president of technical operations.
POWER RANKINGS: After sweeping the Top Fuel portion of NHRA’s three-race West Coast Swing, Tony Schumacher moved to top of the National Speed Sport News Power Rankings. Schumacher, a five-time world champion, has won eight times in 15 races this season. The National Speed Sport News Power Rankings are published weekly in the 74-year-old motorsports publication.
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