Times wires
Friday, April 15, 2011
What would Bear have thought?
TALLADEGA, Ala. — One car could spark some divided loyalties in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway, and it won't have anything to do with who's driving.
Michael Waltrip will drive a No. 15 Toyota Camry decked out in Auburn's blue and orange, commemorating the school's national championship in football.
That will certainly draw plenty of cheers in Auburn's home state. And, of course, a sizable share of boos considering the divided loyalties in these parts. Hard to imagine many Alabama Crimson Tide fans rooting for anyone bearing the Tigers' logo.
Auburn coach Gene Chizik, who played football at Clearwater High and once was an assistant coach at Seminole High, will serve as grand marshal for the race.
Hall in Alabama inducts five more
The International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum in Talladega inducted five members this week. Hall officials, knowing that the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., would grab most of the attention, added no inductees last year. The new members: NASCAR team co-owner John Holman, sprint-car driver Jan Opperman, NASCAR engine builder Maurice Petty, F1 and sportscar driver Brian Redman, and 1960 NASCAR champ Rex White.
Sorry, mom, it wasn't you
Carl Edwards has learned not to call out his mother over her culinary skills. After climbing from his car at Texas last week with an upset stomach, the Sprint Cup star blamed her for preparing a dish that made him ill. He's backtracking now. "It turns out, my motor home driver and his wife … they told my mom, 'We ate the rest of that food, and we're fine. So it wasn't the food,'" Edwards said, looking a bit embarrassed. "I had to apologize to my mom." Well, at least there have been some fringe benefits for his mother. "She thought it was pretty funny," Edwards said. "She won't have to cook for anybody anytime soon. She's been offering to cook for people and they're like, 'Uh, no, that's okay.' "
Sadler sets best time in Nationwide
Elliott Sadler earned the pole for today's Nationwide series race at Talladega. A lap of 179.558 mph around the 2.66-mile oval gave the former Sprint Cup driver his first pole of the year. His teammate, Sprint Cup regular Clint Bowyer, joined Sadler on the front row with a speed of 179.373 for the Aaron's 312, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. (179.115).
Elsewhere
This week, local radio personality "Bubba the Love Sponge" Clem, whose show is nationally syndicated, bought Ocala Speedway, a three-eighths-mile dirt track. He said in a press release that the track's name would change to Bubba Raceway Park. … Funny Car points leader Robert Hight took the provisional No. 1 qualifying position at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Concord, N.C. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also topped their divisions after two rounds. The event features racing in four lanes instead of the traditional two. … Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, the defending F1 champion, set the top practice time at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Qualifying was held overnight.
Times wires