The Canadian flag was proudly flown during Sunday's GFS Marketplace at Michigan International Speedway. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

Canada, candy and Carl

Canada, start your engines, eh?

According to a high-ranking NASCAR source, the sanctioning body is close to securing a Busch Series date north of the border for the 2007 season. Though not yet fully executed, the contract is some 95 percent complete and should be done within the week, the source said.

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Once complete, NASCAR plans to host a points-paying event at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course in Montreal, Quebec.

The race's prospective date was not disclosed, but if NASCAR follows the format used in the Mexico City initiative, look for the Montreal event to fall on a Cup Series off-weekend, thereby enabling any interested Nextel Cup Series drivers to compete.

Excluding Easter weekend, just one date is open: mid-July, between Chicago and Indianapolis.

Again, that is merely speculation, but there's no question NASCAR wants Cup Lite in Labattland.

NASCAR officials placed the Mexico City date in the season's third week, an off-weekend for the Nextel Cup Series stationed between events in Fontana, Calif., and Las Vegas.

As a result, non-Busch Series-regulars Rusty Wallace, Kevin Harvick, Elliott Sadler and Jamie McMurray, among others, were enticed to compete in its inaugural running at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, a 2.518-mile road course.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve course is 2.709 miles in length, and currently hosts the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix and the Champ Car Grand Prix of Montreal.

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NASCAR's Canadian initiative is many years in the making. In June 2004, NASCAR opened a corporate office in Toronto in a joint partnership with Canadian media company TSN.

"This partnership, which goes far beyond televising NASCAR in Canada, will help grow the NASCAR brand in Canada, attract new fans to our sport, and bring new marketing opportunities to NASCAR sponsors and licensing partners," said then-NASCAR COO George Pyne, who has since departed the company to head-up IMG, the world's foremost athlete-representation firm.

"It will be an important vehicle for NASCAR's continuing support of stock car racing in the Canadian market."

Many consider NASCAR's want to construct a track in the Northwest a bid to satiate Canadian fans, as well. Canada is widely considered NASCAR's largest untapped market, which seems an accurate assessment judging by e-mail feedback to articles.

It won't be long now.

Melts in your mouth, not on your screensaver

You haven't seen the last of Elliott Sadler in M&Ms garb. (No, he didn't change his mind.)

Reader feedback following last week's column about the wide-ranging effects of Silly Season seat-swapping centered largely on the cover art for EA Sports' NASCAR '07 video game, set to hit shelves Sept. 8.

What fire suit will cover boy Sadler be wearing -- M&Ms or Dodge?

To get the answer I contacted EA Sports' Jim Ferris, who tells me that due to manufacturing timing, Sadler will don the yellow and brown Yates fire suit on the packaging. Final decisions regarding cover art are made months in advance, he said, and EA was privy to Sadler's ongoing negotiations throughout the past few months.

Ferris said ride-hopping has become so ingrained in NASCAR culture that EA opted to include it in the game. In career mode, labeled "Fight to the Top," gamers are presented opportunities to leave for greener pastures both during and after the season.

It seems Sadler was the perfect cover choice, after all.

Flipping out over Edwards' fine

Carl Edwards should be doing back flips.

	Carl Edwards and Dale Earnhardt Jr. square off in Victory Lane after last weekend's Busch Series race. Credit: AP
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How he escaped last week's emotional meltdown without penalty is beyond me.

Twenty grand and probation? Weak.

Some folks felt a points-deduction was in order. Me? I wouldn't be surprised if NASCAR officials looked at the situation and deemed a points-deduction completely worthless.

Edwards is nearly 500 points behind Kevin Harvick and 100 ahead of Clint Bowyer, so why place precedent on something with little overall effect?

And hey, when Tony Stewart doesn't get a Cup Series points-deduction for ruining a man's championship hopes -- did Stewart get a penalty at all, by the way? -- handing Edwards one for door-slamming a guy under caution would be almost laughable.

Points may not be the answer, but probation -- whatever that is -- certainly isn't.

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.