
| Posted: Wednesday March 21, 2007 11:00AM; Updated: Wednesday March 21, 2007 11:00AM Is there a feud brewing between Jeff Gordon and Juan Pablo Montoya? The two drivers were none too pleased with each other after Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the two fought for track position late in the race. [We've] been told that DEI tested the Car of Tomorrow yesterday at South Boston Speedway [VA] with No. 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. and No. 1-Martin Truex Jr. supposedly doing the testing. Owner/driver Michael Waltrip hopes that the debut of the car of tomorrow helps equalize the Nextel Cup field and give his team a better shot at getting all three of his cars into a race. When NASCAR first suspended Robbie Reiser last month, the veteran crew chief wondered whether it was time for him to do something else with his life. But Reiser said his suspension reaffirmed his love of racing. Former NASCAR Chairman Bill France Jr. was released from the hospital Sunday afternoon and is resting at home, still under the care of his personal physician, NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said Tuesday. France was admitted to Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach, Fla., on March 14 and diagnosed with a virus. Fielding the Car of Tomorrow is a huge financial burden. Team owners are estimating they will spend at least $1.5 million extra per team this season, a trend that could continue until the cars are phased in completely; the plan is to have the car running in all 36 races by 2009 at the latest, but NASCAR officials have said the rollout could be accelerated to full-time next season, if that's what the majority of team owners want. Kevin Lepage, who tested the Car of Tomorrow (COT) for Front Row Motorsports at Bristol while be driving the No. 37 COT at Bristol and Martinsville. John Andretti will be back in the No. 37 car next month at Texas Motor Speedway. Race Week Media is still searching for sponsors for Bristol and Martinsville for the No. 37 team. For 25 years a Bristol race ticket has been one of the toughest tickets in sports, and this weekend's race is no different. All 160,000 seats for Sunday's Food City 500 are long gone, marking the 50th consecutive sellout for Bristol Motor Speedway. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||