Saturday Notes: Shock bulletin delayed a day

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- NASCAR's delivery of a technical bulletin regarding shock absorbers for its Nextel Cup Series teams was delayed a day at Talladega Superspeedway.

	Jim Hunter Credit: Autostock
	ALSO Even though the shocks run by Hendrick mates Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson at Dover weren't illegal, NASCAR is changing the rules to make sure they aren't run again.   •   Complete story,  click here

NASCAR vice president for corporate communications Jim Hunter said the bulletin, which takes effect next weekend at the Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway, will mandate a new maximum gas pressure for rear shock absorbers.

The mandate will be "nitrogen gas pressure of not less than 25 PSI or greater than 75 PSI" for rear shock absorbers. Currently, the upper limit was 175 PSI.

The bulletin is a reaction to a competitive advantage enjoyed by Hendrick Motorsports that was most apparent last weekend at Dover International Speedway, where the Hendrick cars of Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch finished first and second, respectively.

The situation created a minor firestorm in the Nextel Cup garage and among the media after the two cars initially were not within the legal height requirements after Dover's MBNA RacePoints 400, but eventually complied while sitting in the post-race inspection line.

The Hendrick pair's teammate, Jeff Gordon, said he ran the same shocks but without the same effect.

"I just know we had the same ones (but) trust me -- there's no magic to them," Gordon said at Talladega. "I was sitting back there in 17th. I think that you've got to put that right combination together.

"These days it's all about getting the rear spoiler up in the air as much as you can. You can do it in a lot of different ways. That's been the best way for us to do it.

"They'll keep coming up with rules and we'll just try to figure out what we learned from that and how to get it some other way."

MB2 Motorsports Chevrolet driver Joe Nemechek said Saturday he supported NASCAR's mid-season bulletin and had no problem in general with in-season rule changes. "I wish I was the one who thought of it -- just like most everyone else in the garage area," Nemechek said. "Whatever change they make, these teams will go to work trying to find an advantage within the rules (and) NASCAR is just trying to maintain control.

"NASCAR is just trying to do whatever they can to keep the series under control," Nemechek said Saturday. "I watched those (Hendrick) cars go around the track (at Dover) and it was incredible.

"I've been to the wind tunnel and I know what it does (to increase downforce) when you jack the back end of these cars up in the air. It was a tremendous advantage."

Hunter said NASCAR would continue to charge the teams' shocks with nitrogen at a special inspection station, which it has done since the current rule went into effect last season.

"The amount of money teams were spending on shock absorbers and development of them was the reason we went in the direction we did with the rule," Hunter said.

"What (Hendrick Motorsports) did was something everyone in the garage area knew about, but they spent the time and money to develop it." Hunter said the bulletin will maintain language, allowing shocks "a reasonable time" to return to their standard configuration, which he said is something that has long been place in post-race inspections.

Musical cars at Talladega

	Happy Hour Speeds UAW-Ford 500 Pos. Driver Make 1. J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 2. R. Gordon Chevrolet 3. J. Burton Chevrolet 4. D. Blaney Chevrolet 5. R. Wallace Dodge Happy Hour Speeds, click here 2nd Practice Speeds, click here

NASCAR created a smoky situation coming into the UAW-Ford 500 weekend when it allowed Michael Waltrip Racing to put its No. 00 and Aaron's sponsorship, for driver Mike Skinner, on the car that is registered to owner Bob Jenkins -- with all credit for the weekend going to Jenkins' No. 92.

The smokescreen turned into an inferno Saturday when Bobby Hamilton Jr., whose No. 32 Tide Chevrolet failed to qualify Saturday, practiced the No. 00 -- still in Aaron's livery -- in Happy Hour.

The car will carry No. 32 and Tide signage Sunday, but Jenkins will still get all the credit on his No. 192.

Meanwhile, Hermie Sadler was in his uniform and ready to practice the No. 34 Ford for the Mach One team Saturday morning when he was told that Skinner would run the car.

On Sunday, it's slated to be in Aaron's colors.

Another track bites the dust

Pikes Peak International Raceway, which hosted both NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series races since 1998, has announced its sale to an International Speedway Corporation subsidiary.

A couple drivers with experience at Colorado and in the Busch Series weighed in, with predictably heavy hearts.

"It's sad news (because) Pikes Peak is a real driver's track and they had some pretty good racing there," said T.J. Bell, who currently drives the No. 36 car in the Busch Series. "You didn't always see the crowds on a regular basis but it sure looked like they were making some inroads.

"There is a pretty big base of racing fans there, and it doesn't leave them a whole lot of options (because) the next closest track isn't very close.

ALSO •   Track Page: Pikes Peak

"I just know there is (going to be) one less racetrack in the world, and that's never a good thing."

Jeff Green currently races the No. 43 Dodge for Petty Enterprises, but raced at Pikes Peak when he won his Busch Series championship in 2000.

"Any time a racetrack goes away it's a pretty sad day," Green said. "Riding past North Wilkesboro or Rockingham is pretty sad these days (and) riding past Pikes Peak isn't going to be a happy time either -- then again, maybe that was the problem.

PPIR announced that it had entered into an agreement to sell its assets to Rocky Mountain Speedway Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of ISC, with planning to honor all of PPIR's currently scheduled community uses and rentals through Oct. 31.

After that date, ISC expects to close the facility and sell the approximate 1,200-acre parcel. ISC plans to petition NASCAR to realign PPIR's Busch Series event to Martinsville Speedway for 2006.

The Truck Series last raced at PPIR in 2002, when former champion Mike Bliss won. In addition, ISC intends to relocate certain PPIR assets to other racing venues in its portfolio, including grandstand seating, furniture and other equipment and structures "that can be utilized for future ISC expansion projects."

A release said PPIR's 16 permanent employees will be given severance packages and a handful will assist in closing the facility.

In its nine years of existence, PPIR hosted NASCAR, IRL, AMA, SCCA, USAC and IMSA-sanctioned racing events.

Gordon pleased with new crew chief

Former four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon continues to sing the praises of crew chief Steve Letarte, who assumed the position at New Hampshire when former chief mechanic Robbie Loomis announced he would return to Petty Enterprises.

Jeff Gordon and crew chief Steve Letarte Credit: Autostock

Gordon qualified 12th for the UAW-Ford 500.

"Things are going well," Gordon said. "This is a brand new car, the guys are doing a great job with it and it's showing out there on the racetrack." Gordon saved his best words for Letarte, a Maine native.

"It's been really great because Steve's been phenomenal and I think he's just done a great job of stepping up and being a leader," Gordon said. "I think he's learned a lot.

"I miss Robbie. Robbie's just such a good guy. Just seeing him there in the garage today, smiling, laughing -- I really enjoyed seeing him at the window and talking to him for these last several years.

"But, I think Steve brings a lot of great things to our race team. It's going very well."