NEW RIDES: Three-time IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. officially declared his intentions to race in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series for Penske Racing next season. He moves over from the team’s Indy car program where he will be replaced by Australian driver Ryan Briscoe.
ON A ROLL: Jimmie Johnson earned his fourth-consecutive NASCAR Nextel Cup Series championship and pretty much iced his second-consecutive championship at Phoenix International Raceway. Johnson has won 10 races and leads Jeff Gordon by 86 points entering the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
HE’S DONE: Sebastien Bourdais ended his Champ Car World Series career with a victory in Mexico City. It was Bourdais’s eighth triumph of the season and the 31st of his career. The French driver will move to Formula One and drive for Toro Rosso next season. Bourdais has won four straight Champ Car titles.
PROMOTED: Lowe’s Motor Speedway (LMS) Vice President of Communications Jerry Gappens will be promoted to general manager of New Hampshire International Speedway, which was recently purchased by Speedway Motorsports Inc., which also owns LMS.
HITTING THE ROAD: Next year’s 21-race ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule will include a race on the new road course at New Jersey Motorsports Park. The event is scheduled for September 28, 2008.
IN THE SLAM: NASCAR team owner Gene Haas was sentenced to two years in federal prison after he pled guilty to defrauding the government of more than $34 million in taxes.
ON THE MOVE: Penske Racing Director of Communications Chris Schwartz is leaving the team to become vice president of marketing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
NUMBER ONE: With his 10th victory of the season, Jimmie Johnson solidified his spot at the top of the National Speed Sport News Power Rankings.
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