NASCAR NOTEBOOK

NASCAR NOTEBOOK

Waltrip takes on partner: Michael Waltrip said farewell to Dale Jarrett Friday, then introduced a partner who he believes will help his fledgling race team become competitive. The 50-year-old Jarrett will run just seven races in 2008 — the first five points events, the All-Star race and the season-opening exhibition event at Daytona — before turning the No. 44 Toyota over to David Reutimann. Waltrip has brought in Robert Kauffman, a founder and managing partner in Fortress Investment Group, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Kauffman said he made a personal investment to purchase 50 percent of the newly formed Michael Waltrip Racing Holdings LLC.

Biffle to stay with Roush: Greg Biffle, in his fifth full season with what is now Roush Fenway Racing, has a contract through the 2008 season, but plans to stick around beyond that. Earlier this year, he had said that any extension on that deal would have to be done by the end of this season. One reason Biffle, the Cup runner-up in 2005 and 16th in this year’s standings, has changed his mind is that 3M has signed on as sponsor of his No. 16 Ford, and that contract goes beyond 2008.

That was close: While several drivers racing with engines built by the new Richard Childress Racing-Dale Earnhardt Inc. alliance went out of last Sunday’s race at Talladega with engine failures, Clint Bowyer managed to make it to the finish — barely. Bowyer finished 11th at Talladega and goes into the Bank of America 500 just 63 points behind series leader Jeff Gordon. But he had visions of disaster early in the race after RCR teammates Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick ran into engine trouble, along with DEI drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr. and Aric Almirola.

New car rules: Even though Kyle Busch won the inaugural Car of Tomorrow race earlier this year at Bristol, he isn’t a fan of the bigger, boxier ride. The CoT has been used in 14 of the 16 races it is scheduled for this season. Busch was asked if there was any one area of the new car he would want NASCAR to change. “They need a while new makeover,” he said. The new car, which will be run for the entire season in 2008, will complete its 2007 schedule with races in Martinsville and Phoenix.

Associated Press