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The dominos not only fell in the Nextel Cup Series on Thursday, they came crashing down. First, Hendrick Motorsports spokesman Jesse Essex confirmed Thursday morning that Brian Vickers, driver of Hendrick's No. 25 Chevrolets, had asked for and received permission to explore other driving opportunities next season. Before the day was over, The Charlotte Observer learned that Casey Mears, despite repeated assurances over the past few weeks that he and owner Chip Ganassi were close to working out a contract extension, will not return to Ganassi's organization next season.
  -- The Charlotte Observer

There's been speculation that Brian Vickers might drive a Toyota for Team Red Bull next season. Team Red Bull general manager Marty Gaunt indicated in an e-mail that there's no deal yet with any driver. "Frankly, it is flattering to have this much interest in our new program, but the reality is that the driver search is still very open right now," Gaunt said.
  -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution

We're hearing that Toyota was testing Tuesday in some fashion [Cup/Trucks] at the NASA wind tunnel in Hampton, VA.
  -- jayski.com

Tony Stewart's right shoulder is still in bad shape, which makes the unique shape of the racetrack on which he'll be racing Sunday of paramount importance. Pocono Raceway, the only triangular track on the NASCAR schedule, is 21/2 miles long with three turns that Stewart expects to be able to negotiate one-handed and three lengthy straightaways on which he can recuperate.
  -- Indianapolis Star

Kyle Busch's Chevy will carry the colors of Carquest Auto Parts this weekend at Pocono Raceway. It will mark the second outing of 2006 for the Carquest paint scheme, which will appear later this season at Chicagoland Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.
  -- jayski.com

Ted Musgrave, the defending NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, has an unusual idea for improving the racing in Nextel Cup. "If they really want to make Cup better, tell the drivers they only get what they make in the race. I guarantee you we'd see a lot better racing. If the team owners are so worried about spending, they should cap some of the salaries those guys are making."
  -- Dallas Morning News

David Green said Busch drivers deserve more attention. Green said he enjoys coming to Nashville twice a year to run NASCAR Busch Series races. But at the same time, the visits can be a bit annoying. "It's frustrating to drive around Nashville and see all the advertising that's built around the Cup guys," said Green, a full-time Busch Series racer. "You'd think that since this is a standalone Busch race (not run in conjunction with a Nextel Cup race) that the Busch guys would get some of the attention. But it doesn't seem to work that way."
  -- The Tennessean

When Rusty Wallace, never the retiring sort, stepped away from Nextel Cup racing after 25 seasons in NASCAR's top series, he was shocked at what he found. "I never dreamed I'd be this busy after retirement," he said. Besides his television work for ESPN and ABC, he owns a Busch Series team, the No. 64 Dodges driven by his son Steve and by Jamie McMurray, and is finishing up work on a race track he has designed in Iowa, a track of which he is new-father proud.
  -- The Charlotte Observer

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Jeff Gordon and Speedway Motorsports Chairman and CEO O. Bruton Smith will share center stage during the Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup weekend as both will be inducted into Infineon Raceway's Wall of Fame. Gordon and Smith will join NASCAR drivers Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin, who were the first inductees when construction of the Wall of Fame was announced at the 2005 Dodge/Save Mart 350 weekend.
  -- The Charlotte Observer

The No. 18 Chevy of J.J. Yeley will be carrying special colors this weekend, featuring a blue and white Husqvarna paint scheme. Sunday's race will be the second of three events this season in which Yeley will be sponsored by Husqvarna, the Official Lawn and Garden Equipment of NASCAR. The company's final race of the year will be the Aug. 20 GFS Marketplace 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
  -- jayski.com

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