Week in Charlotte: Some things change, some don't

Yet another Sprint Cup Series media tour hosted by Lowe's Motor Speedway is in the books, and it was, as usual, fun-filled and productive.

The whirlwind week began last Monday morning with a visit by the good folks from Penske Racing to the Embassy Suites hotel in Concord, N.C., where the tour was headquartered. By the time the tour concluded a full four days later, there had been enough news conferences and announcements from various parties to make even a steady head spin.

Most of the highlights already have been touched upon, but there were a few observations and gems that may have slipped through the cracks. That makes a quick look back on the latest tour appropriate.

Day 1

RPM is born

Richard Petty's name will remain active in NASCAR under the rebranding of Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

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This was Dodge's day -- and as the saying goes, every dog must have its day. While the rest of the manufacturers had much to celebrate from 2008, giving them much to look forward to in '09, the Dodge guys didn't have much to talk about except mergers and defections.

Penske Racing claimed the Daytona 500 last year, but lost the driver who won it for them when Ryan Newman departed at season's end to begin his a new deal with Stewart-Haas Racing and Chevrolet. David Stremme is a nice guy and it would be a great story to have him go from Penske test driver a year ago to Daytona 500 champion and Chase contender in the No. 12 car Newman used to drive, but does anyone really think that's going to happen (read more)?

Then there is the new/old operation now going by the name Richard Petty Motorsports. RPM. Get it?

It's great that an operation with the Petty name in it still plans to thrive in the business. It seemed odd that the Gillett family that owns majority interest in the organization would so willingly just give up its name completely in what formerly was known as Gillett Evernham Motorsports, but family spokesman Foster Gillett insisted, "No, it was not hard. It was an honor."

Still, the whole deal seems weird -- and the fact remains that Petty Enterprises as we've known it for 60 years ceases to exist. Asked what he intended to do in his role with the new organization, Richard Petty cracked up the room by replying: "Exactly what I've done for the last eight to 10 years, which is basically nothing."

That's not true, of course, and it will be great to still see him around the race track on a regular basis, regardless of the odd circumstances now surrounding the family name. Just by being around, signing autographs and mingling with the fans, the King continues to do the sport a great service.

The first day wrapped up with a visit from Speedway Motorsports Inc. track operators who desperately want Jimmie Johnson to slap or punch someone to increase ticket sales (what?) and a dinner visit to Richard Childress Racing, where Reese's Cups always flow in abundance (never a bad thing) and Clint Bowyer sheepishly admitted he is concerned over having to make the first five Cup races on speed.

"What if it rains?" he asked. "How many times did qualifying get rained out last year?"

That would be 10, Clint. You have a right to be nervous after making the Chase last season and then giving up those points to a new driver in Casey Mears. (Continued)