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Roundup Earnhardt Jr. takes test run at new Kansas City track
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. and four other drivers took test runs on the new Kansas Speedway track Monday, getting ready for a Winston Cup race Sept. 30. The track, which opened this year, has gotten favorable reviews from both drivers and fans, and Earnhardt praised it, too. However, he said that Goodyear, which supplies all the tires for NASCAR racing, has "chosen the wrong tire for the track." "It's difficult to get a grip on a new, clean surface with such a hard tire," he said. "Goodyear needs to reconsider their choice of tire." All season, drivers and their crews have been making adjustments to the new tires and how they perform on different tracks. Earnhardt is in his second season on the Winston Cup circuit and ranks seventh in the points standings. He has one victory, in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, the first in the series back at the track where his father was killed in February. He just missed winning the Monte Carlo 400 at Richmond Saturday.
Atlanta gives up season-ending spot on scheduleHAMPTON, Ga. (AP) -- Atlanta Motor Speedway, site of the NASCAR's season-ending Winston Cup race since 1987, will hold its fall event a month earlier next year. Homestead-Miami Speedway will move into the final slot on the 36-race schedule in 2002. Atlanta track officials began talks with NASCAR about a year ago, and the sanctioning body said last month that Miami would definitely get the final race. The new Atlanta date, Oct. 27, was finalized Monday. Atlanta track officials requested the change in hopes of getting more favorable weather for the NAPA 500, scheduled this year for Nov. 18. The race has continually been plagued by cold, inclement conditions, including a rainout last season. In order to get an earlier date, Atlanta had to give up its distinction as the final race on the schedule, which provided the track motto, "Where champions are crowned." The last three years, the Winston Cup championship already was decided before the Atlanta race. In addition to the fall date change, the Atlanta track will flip-flop its support races next year. The Aaron's 312 Busch series race will be held on Oct. 26, a day before the NAPA 500. The ARCA 400 will shift to March 9.
ABC plans live telecast of U.S. Grand PrixINDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The U.S. Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be televised live by ABC Sports on Sept. 30. The race was carried on Speedvision and Fox Sports Net last year, the first time a Formula One race was run in the United States since 1991. The ABC telecast will make the race "available to virtually every home in the United States, which is needed to increase the interest and popularity of the world's premier road-racing series," Speedway president Tony George said Monday. The 2 p.m. EDT telecast will be anchored by Bob Jenkins, with former Indianapolis 500 winner and Formula One driver Eddie Cheever as race analyst and actor Jason Priestley as pit reporter. "Formula One is the ultimate in open-wheel, road-circuit racing in the world, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the greatest racing venue in the world," ABC Sports president Howard Katz said. "Bringing the two together has resulted in a very special world-class event." Speedvision, which originally was scheduled to carry the race live, instead will rebroadcast it that night and again on Oct. 7. The cable network also will carry the USGP practice live from noon-4 p.m. on Sept. 28 and from 9 a.m.-noon on Sept. 29. It also will broadcast qualifications live from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Sept. 29.
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