Jamie McMurray wisely re-ups with Earnhardt-Ganassi

Everything's coming up Milhouse for Jamie McMurray, the onetime Roush Fenway castoff-turned-restrictor-plate-champion who's the reigning Daytona 500 winner. He's signed a multi-year contract with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, cementing his status with the team and paving the way for another rock-solid season.

McMurray, whom we call Zoolander around these parts for obvious reasons, won Daytona, the Brickyard 400 and the Bank of America 500 in Charlotte in 2010. He still managed to miss the Chase, which is a testament to the fact that you've got to show up every week.

But it's likely he'll mesh better with his team this year. He's already established himself as a restrictor-plate master, and he's running well at the cookie-cutters too. If he misses the Chase this year, there'll be a few questions to answer ... but odds are he'll be in the mix all season long.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/from_the_marbles/post/Jamie-McMurray-wisely-re-ups-with-Earnhardt-Gana?urn=nascar-310157

Cash America Chevrolet Derrike Cope Charter Communications Dodg Carl Edwards

Keith Rocco To Be Named State Athlete Of The Year By Connecticut Sports Writer's Alliance

A source close to the Connecticut Sports Writer's Alliance has confirmed that the organization will name Keith Rocco as its 2011 male athlete of the year in Connecticut.

A magical season behind the wheel competing at all three of Connecticut's short track facilities propelled Rocco, of Wallingford, to the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship. It was the first national title for the 26-year old Rocco.

The Connecticut Sports Writer's Alliance will announce Rocco as its male athlete of the year on Sunday.

Rocco is the first driver to win athlete of the year honors from the organization since they began the award in 1973.

He will be recognized by the organization at their annual Gold Key Dinner on April 17 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

Source: http://blogs.courant.com/autoracing/2011/01/keith-rocco-to-be-named-state.html

Mattias Ekstrom Red Bull Toyota Bobby Labonte Phoenix Construction Chevrolet Chevrolet

2010 Team Reviews: Stewart-Haas Racing Steps Back

Filed under: Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Sprint Cup, Stewart-Haas Racing, NASCAR

Not everyone doubted Tony Stewart when he announced his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008 to form his own Sprint Cup team, Stewart-Haas Racing.

But he will certainly note, as will anyone else around at that point, that so many people from so many corners of NASCAR thought the two-time champion was committing career suicide.

Instead, 2009 proved to be about as far from the gloomy predictions as possible when both Stewart and teammate Ryan Newman qualified for NASCAR's championship battle. Their campaigns in the 2009 Chase to the Sprint Cup were to little avail, but seemed to paint a soon-to-be-dominant future for the race team.

Comparatively, 2010 was a step back for the SHR team -- back to about the level most thought Stewart would be competing at by now.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2011/01/19/2010-team-reviews-stewart-haas-racing-steps-back/

Hubert Hahne Mike Hailwood Mika Häkkinen Bruce Halford

Steve Wallace to Make Sprint Cup Debut in Daytona 500

Filed under: Toyota, Daytona Int'l Speedway, Nationwide Series, Sprint Cup, NASCAR

Nationwide regular Steve Wallace, 23, will make his Sprint Cup debut in the 53rd running of the Daytona 500 driving a Toyota Camry fielded by his famous father, Rusty, the family team announced Wednesday.

Steve Wallace will become the fourth Wallace to run in the annual NASCAR classic, joining his father and uncles Mike and Kenny.

A regular in the Nationwide series since 2007 with Rusty Wallace Racing, Steve Wallace will drive the No. 77 RWR Toyota Camry in the Feb. 20 race with backing from longtime sponsor 5-Hour Energy and new partner Aspen Dental.

Wallace has a guaranteed starting spot in the 43-car field because his father's longtime car owner, Roger Penske, has a spot earned from Sam Hornish, Jr's 2010 full-season campaign in Penske's No. 77 Dodge. Penske does not have a Cup ride for Hornish in 2011.

"Starting my first Daytona 500 is definitely going to be the most exciting day of my career -- make that my life -- so far," Wallace said in a post at rustywallace.com. "It's something that every kid wanting to be a racer -- including me -- dreams of doing one day.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2011/01/19/steve-wallace-to-make-sprint-cup-debut-in-daytona-500/

Reed Sorenson Dollar General Toyota Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota

Kevin Conway, Extenze Racing team up with Nemco Motorsports

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2011/01/kevin-conway-extenze-racing-team-up.html

Brendan Gaughan Loan Max Toyota Tony Raines Long John Silver s Chevrolet

State of NASCAR Address | Race Day Open Thread

Source: http://www.4ever3blog.com/2011/1/26/1958314/state-of-nascar-address-race-day-open-thread

Jo Gartner Tony Gaze Geki Olivier Gendebien

Ryan Preece Released From Whelen Modified Tour Boehler Racing Ride; Matt Hirschman Takes Over The Seat

There will be a new face in Ole Blue in 2011 on the Whelen Modified Tour.

Former Whelen Modified Tour regular and championship contender Matt Hirschman of Northampton, Pa. will replace Berlin's Ryan Preece in the familiar Boehler Racing Enterprises No. 3 car next season.

Hirschman has not competed full-time on the Whelen Modified Tour since finishing second to Ted Christopher in a tight points battle in 2008. Hirschman's father Tony won two of his five Whelen Modified Tour championship with the BRE in 1995 and 1996.

Source: http://blogs.courant.com/autoracing/2010/12/ryan-preece-released-from-whel.html

Gimax Richie Ginther Yves Giraud Cabantous Ignazio Giunti