NEW YORK BOUND?: Bernie Ecclestone spoke last week about the possibility of running a United States Grand Prix on the streets of New York in 2012, though nothing has been confirmed at this point.
BIG IMPACT: The SFI Foundation Inc., which certifies safety equipment for auto racing and other applications, has issued a “Notice of Decertification” against Impact Racing, which includes firesuits and driver restraint systems.
SLIGHT DELAY: Denny Hamlin was forced to delay his planned ACL surgery Monday, but it was for a good reason after winning the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. The surgery will now take place Wednesday.
STILL A FORCE: John Force was the big winner Monday afternoon at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, when he became the first winner of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in the Funny Car class. Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also winners.
GO AWAY: Rain proved the spoiler for three major auto racing events on the East Coast Sunday, with NASCAR, the NHRA and the IZOD IndyCar Series being forced to postpone events until Monday.
GETTING CLOSE: Atlanta Motorsports Park took another step toward becoming a reality last week when permits and zoning were approved for the motorsports country club, planned near Dawsonville, Georgia.
PAYBACK: A year after giving up his ride so Alex Tagliani could race in the Indianapolis 500, Bruno Junqueira has received some payback. Tagliani and his FAZZT Race Team will field a car for Junqueira during the 2010 Indianapolis 500.
HISTORIC DEBUT: Darrell Wallace Jr. broke a major barrier with his victory in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East opener at Greenville-Pickens Speedway Saturday, becoming the first African-American driver to win in the series. He also reset the mark for the youngest driver to win in the series.
TOO SOFT: Chris Madden was hit with a major penalty for a soft tire discovered after a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee, March 6. He was fined $1,500 and 300 points and asked to pay $300 lab fees and return $5,000 in winnings.
THE CHOSEN ONE: Gil de Ferran has been selected by his fellow car owners as the team representative on the board to select the new IZOD IndyCar Series chassis.
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