NASCAR Daily News Headlines * May 2, 2008

Hamlin On Richmond Pole

Earnhardt Leads Only Practice

Pos Car  Driver            Make      Sponsor                    Speed   Time   Behind
 
 1   88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet National Guard/AMP Energy  123.412 21.878 
 2    8 Mark Martin        Chevrolet U.S. Army                  122.895 21.970 -0.092 
 3    9 Kasey Kahne        Dodge     Budweiser                  122.733 21.999 -0.121 
 4   11 Denny Hamlin       Toyota    FedEx Express              122.549 22.032 -0.154 
 5   19 Elliott Sadler     Dodge     Stanley Tools              122.249 22.086 -0.208 
 6    1 Martin Truex Jr.   Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops/Tracker     122.211 22.093 -0.215 
 7   18 Kyle Busch         Toyota    Pedigree                   122.205 22.094 -0.216 
 8   24 Jeff Gordon        Chevrolet DuPont                     122.133 22.107 -0.229 
 9   66 Scott Riggs        Chevrolet Haas Automation            122.001 22.131 -0.253 
10   12 Ryan Newman        Dodge     Alltel                     121.946 22.141 -0.263 

Martinsville To Upgrade Facilities

Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell announced the projects Thursday afternoon. He said work will begin on them in the next few weeks and will be completed by the fall event.

The centerpiece of the track enhancements will be a new, state of the art scoreboard. Campbell also announced that pit road would be resurfaced, the fourth-turn pit gate will be reconfigured to include SAFER barrier technology and portable chair seats surrounding the track will be replace with individual stadium seats.

”This is a huge step forward for Martinsville Speedway. These are all areas that needed to be addressed and we’ve been able to do them at one time,” said Campbell. “I think everyone is going to be impressed by the scoreboard. It’s pretty amazing. And I think we’re making improvements that will make everyone’s weekend here more enjoyable.”

The scoreboard will be 120 feet tall and be positioned behind the backstretch. It will feature three 30-foot video display screens that can be utilized for everything from scoring rundowns to instant replays. There will also be rotating signage atop the scoreboard.

“The way the scoreboard is going to be positioned and with the three screens, it will be visible to everyone,” said Campbell.

The addition of roughly 100 feet of SAFER barrier to cover the fourth-turn pit gate and the exit of the fourth turn will improve safety in that area. It is a major undertaking that will include the excavation and resurfacing of the road outside of the gate. Presently the gate opens inward, but with the addition of the SAFER barrier, it will need to open out. Because of that, the roadway will have to be cut down several feet, leveled and resurfaced.

“Everyone is always looking for ways to make tracks safer. We’ve wanted to add this section for some time, but it took a while to engineer the SAFER barrier into the gate,” said Campbell. “I’m sure the competitors will be pleased with this step It’s certainly going to improve safety in that area.”

The pit-road project will mark the first resurfacing of the area in recent history. The decision was made to use concrete because of its durability.

“Pit road has gotten rough and bumpy over the past few years. It was something we really need to do,” said Campbell. “And I think the drivers and pit crews will appreciate it.”

For years, a row of padded, portable chairs have circled the track just below the high-rise seats. They have always been some of the track’s most popular seats, but over the years have aged. The new individual seats should be even more appealing, with folding seats and storage space underneath.

ISC Declares Dividend

ISC declared an annual dividend of $0.12 per share, payable on June 30, 2008, to common stockholders of record on May 30, 2008, marking the 35th consecutive year that the Company has paid a dividend to its shareholders. ISC paid an annual dividend of $0.10 per share in 2007.

Separately, at the annual meeting of ISC shareholders, the following members of ISC's Board of Directors were re-elected to a three-year term: James C. France, 63; Brian Z. France, 45; Raymond K. Mason, Jr., 52; and, Lloyd E. Reuss, 71.

International Speedway Corporation is a leading promoter of motorsports activities, currently promoting more than 100 racing events annually as well as numerous other motorsports-related activities. The Company owns and/or operates 13 of the nation's major motorsports entertainment facilities, including Daytona International Speedway(R) in Florida (home of the Daytona 500(R)); Talladega Superspeedway(R) in Alabama; Michigan International Speedway(R) located outside Detroit; Richmond International Raceway(R) in Virginia; Auto Club Speedway of Southern California(SM) near Los Angeles; Kansas Speedway(R) in Kansas City, Kansas; Phoenix International Raceway(R) in Arizona; Chicagoland Speedway(R) and Route 66 Raceway(SM) near Chicago, Illinois; Homestead-Miami Speedway(SM) in Florida; Martinsville Speedway(R) in Virginia; Darlington Raceway(R) in South Carolina; and Watkins Glen International(R) in New York. In addition, ISC is a limited partner with Group Motorise International in the organization and promotion of certain events at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada.

The Company also owns and operates MRN(R) Radio, the nation's largest independent sport radio network; the Daytona 500 Experience(SM), the "Ultimate Motorsports Attraction" in Daytona Beach, Florida, the official attraction of NASCAR(R); and Americrown Service Corporation, a subsidiary that provides catering services, food and beverage concessions, and produces and markets motorsports-related merchandise. In addition, ISC has an indirect 50 percent interest in a business called Motorsports Authentics(R), which markets and distributes motorsports-related merchandise licensed by certain competitors in NASCAR racing.(prnewswire.com)

Marlin To Run Darlington

Marlin, a Columbia resident, drove for Ganassi from 1998-2005 and had four wins, including one at Darlington. Marlin won the 2002 spring race at Darlington and sat on the pole that year in the fall race. He also won the 1995 spring race and was on the pole for both races in 1992.

“I really like Darlington,” Marlin said. “The first time I ran there I was maybe 18. Dad (late driver Coo Coo Marlin) let me drive the car. I went faster than he did and that kind of made him mad.”

Marlin said he will test at Charlotte for Ganassi on Monday and Tuesday. He will not participate in the Sprint Cup All-Star race on May 17 in Charlotte. His daughter — a senior at Columbia Academy — is graduating from high school that weekend.(tennessean.com)

Nationwide Race TV Changed