Elliott Sadler had no complaints for Goodyear, only for those drivers griping about the manufacturer. When asked what it meant that at least a dozen competitors faced tire trouble at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, Sadler was quick with a response: "Yeah, but there were 37 others that didn't," he said Tuesday at Darlington Raceway. Sadler and fellow Sprint Cup racers Marcos Ambrose and Clint Bowyer came to the track "Too Tough To Tame" to shake out the dormant raceway and give Goodyear some insight about what tire to bring to the Southern 500 in May.

Sadler said those racers bothered by tire compounds should instead look to their raceshops for better setups designed to minimize tire wear and maximize the rubber. Sadler acknowledged the complaints of some teams.

"I know Denny Hamlin had one, he had a fast race car," Sadler said. "But he ran over something. To me, that's not a tire issue." Bowyer had more praise for Goodyear. He thought the tire brought to the California race last month showed vast improvement over what they've raced on there in the past. At Atlanta, "we were just as much to blame as them. Everybody was searching around for" the best air pressure levels. - AP

NASCAR has suspended two crewmen for violating its substance abuse policy, including the former brother-in-law of Jeremy Mayfield.

William David Keith, a spotter for David Gilliland in the Sprint Cup Series, is one of the two crewmen and was suspended Tuesday.

Keith gave a deposition in Mayfield's legal battle with NASCAR, claiming he witnessed Mayfield using methamphetamines several times. Mayfield became the first driver last May to be suspended under NASCAR's toughened drug policy.

Matthew Huffstetler was the other crewman suspended. He works for Daisy Ramirez Motorsports in the Camping World Truck series. - AP

Carl Edwards has been placed on three weeks' probation by NASCAR for intentionally wrecking Brad Keselowski's car during last weekend's race at Atlanta.

NASCAR president Mike Helton said Tuesday there are two separate issues: the wreck itself, and the fact that Keselowski's car went airborne.

He says NASCAR is reviewing why the car left the track, and adds that NASCAR will meet with both drivers and their car owners to "clean the slate."

On Sunday, Edwards returned to the track after an earlier wreck with Keselowski. Edwards then caused a crash that sent Keselowski's car airborne.  - AP

A person familiar with the decision says Carl Edwards will not be suspended for intentionally wrecking Brad Keselowski's car during last weekend's NASCAR race in Atlanta. NASCAR president Mike Helton is to address the Edwards accident on Tuesday. The person familiar with the decision spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because Helton will be making the official statement. Edwards could face a fine or probation, but there had been an outcry for a severe penalty. -AP

Kevin Harvick got tired of watching Kyle Busch win so many truck races.

He's done something about it.

Now the man to beat when he shows up for a NASCAR truck race, Harvick pulled away from Busch for a dominating victory Saturday in the E-Z-GO 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Harvick's crew made only one slight adjustment on his Chevrolet truck, taking out three-10ths of a pound of air in the right rear tire on the first pit stop. It was clear right from the start he had a machine to beat as long as he stayed out of trouble.

"We just had a really fast truck," Harvick said.

He's now won three straight starts in the Camping World Truck Series, and five of his last nine. During that stretch of dominance dating back to 2008, he's finished no lower than fifth.

"A lot of the reason we race trucks is just to make sure Kyle doesn't win all the races," Harvick said. "Sometimes, you've got to protect your turf. It's important to us and Chevrolet to score as many bonus points as we can. That's the honest truth. The reason we started running more trucks races was just to protect from him winning seven or eight races a year. It's gone well so far."

Harvick, winning for the seventh time in his truck career, led 100 of 130 laps and pulled away to a 1.308-second victory over Busch's Toyota. The runner-up was denied his 17th career truck win after reaching Victory Lane a series-leading seven times in 2009.

"We were not quite as fast as we'd like to have been," said Busch, who got into a first-lap scrape that did much more damage to pole winner and defending series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. "But we had a decent effort."

Hornaday, a four-time series champ, sustained damage that led to a blown tire, which sent him slamming into the wall between turns three and four after just 22 laps and caused severe damage to the rear deck of his truck. He was done for the day, finishing 34th out of 36 trucks.

Driving for Harvick's team, Hornaday is off to a tough start this season, following up a 27th-place finish in the opening race at Daytona. He's 28th in the standings, leaving him a big hurdle to overcome in the quest for a fifth title.

"Those guys are in a hole, but we'll keep giving them good trucks," Harvick said. "That's just part of it. You have good days, you have bad days. They've had two bad days this season, but they've had a lot of good days, too. They're just in a little bit of a slump right now."

Sixty-year-old Geoff Bodine made his first start in the truck series since 2004, giving props to the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic bobsled program.

But his Bo-Dyn Bobsled Dodge wasn't nearly as successful as those sleds he helped design for the Vancouver Games. Bodine went out after 106 laps with a gear problem and finished 26th.  - AP

Juan Pablo Montoya said Saturday that he's patched things up with Jamie McMurray.

Montoya blew up at his new Chip Ganassi teammate after a wreck in last week's race at Las Vegas. The two were running ninth and 10th midway through the race when McMurray lost control of his car and ran into Montoya.

Montoya unleashed words not fit for print on the team radio, and his wife weighed in on Twitter with a Spanish post that, roughly translated, said the McDonald's clown must have been driving McMurray's car.

But they've reached a truce.

"He sent me a text saying la-la-la-la and he was sorry and the whole thing," Montoya said. "I said, 'Don't worry about it. It happens.' It's racing. Move on. I was really (ticked) at the time because we (did not finish) the week before with an engine problem. And being taken out by your teammate is something you really don't expect, but it happens."  - AP

Goodyear is facing more questions about the quality of its tires.

At least a dozen drivers were affected by tire problems during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, stirring up complaints that Goodyear supplied a compound that was good for speed but low on durability at the high-banked track.

"When they come here and test, you expect them to build a tire that we can abuse and that we can race hard with," said Jeff Gordon, one of those affected. "That obviously wasn't the case. There is a good chance we were too aggressive, but until we go back and analyze everything it's hard to say."

Ryan Newman also chimed in.

"Goodyear's got some work to do," he said. "It's a safety situation. We popped one. There are a lot of guys who popped one."

Race winner Kurt Busch didn't have any problems. He was conscious of protecting his tires after Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified for the pole with the fastest speed of the Car of Tomorrow era.

"When you have that happen, that means the tires are really grabbing hold of the racetrack," Busch said. "That means you're going to have speed. And when you have speed on a track that's very abrasive, yeah, you're going to be worried about tires, whether it's blistering of the right front, blistering the right rear. You have to find that right combination."

Goodyear racing chief Stu Grant defended the quality of the tire.

"It's a tire the guys are happy to run on," he said. "They're comfortable and they're fast if the setup is good. The leaders are running great. If you look at (Kasey Kahne) and (Busch), their tires have looked great all day."

Kahne finished fourth. - AP

Kurt Busch won again at Atlanta Motor Speedway, pulling away on a second restart Sunday after a couple of wild wrecks to capture the Kobalt Tools 500.

Busch won the spring race at the 1.54-mile trioval for the second year in a row, beating Matt Kenseth to the line by nearly half a second. Juan Pablo Montoya was third, followed by Kasey Kahne and Paul Menard.

The race went 16 laps past its scheduled 325 because of two big crashes. The first came when Carl Edwards, running 156 laps behind, clipped Brad Keselowski and sent him flying toward the grandstands upside down. Keselowski was OK, but NASCAR ordered Edwards to park his car and summoned him to its trailer for a tongue-lashing.

On the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish, another crash took out seven cars coming through turns three and four. Finally, they got in two clean laps, and it was Busch all the way for his third career win in Atlanta.

"Even with all the restarts, I thought we had the strongest car," said Busch, who claimed his 21st career win and snapped Jimmie Johnson's two-race winning streak.

Keselowski clipped Edwards early in the race, which sent him smashing into Joey Logano. Edwards spent much of the day in the garage, but returned to take out his frustration in what appeared to be an intentional tap on Keselowski coming across the start-finish line.

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Keselowski's car spun and flipped upside down, striking the barrier in front of the grandstand with a hard smash to the roof. After Edwards was ordered off the track, he drove defiantly around the quarter-mile track in front of the stands and went backward down the pit lane.

"To come back and just intentionally wreck someone, that's not cool," Keselowski said. "He could have killed someone in the grandstands."

Edwards hardly issued a denial afterward.

"Brad knows the deal between him and I," Edwards said. "The scary part was his car went airborne, which was not what I expected at all. At the end of the day, we're out here to race and people have to have respect for one another and I have a lot of respect for people's safety."

Johnson, the four-time defending Sprint Cup champion, was coming off wins at California and Las Vegas. He climbed into contention again, getting as high as third, but a bad pit stop and a scrape with Ryan Newman cost Johnson a chance to become the first driver since 2007 to make it three in a row. He finished 12th.

Denny Hamlin cut a tire with 36 laps to go - one of about a dozen drivers taken out by tire problems - and Busch emerged from the pits out front.

As the race headed into its final laps, Montoya was cutting some big chunks out of Busch's lead. Then things really got interesting.

The Edwards-Keselowski scrap with three laps to go forced the first attempt at an overtime finish. Busch came to the restart trailing a couple of drivers who took only two tires in the pits, but a brilliant move shot him right back to the front.

Busch hugged the rear bumper of Clint Bowyer's car, then dipped to the inside and split both him and Menard heading through the first turn. Busch appeared to be pulling away, but Jamie McMurray got into Bowyer before the field could take the white flag, leading to a seven-car pileup and another try for a clean finish.

"We've got to win this race three times, maybe even four times," a frustrated Busch said on his radio.

There wasn't much drama on the next restart. Busch got away cleanly, zipped around the track two more times at more than 190 mph and took the checkered flag. He then returned to the flagstand, grabbed the symbol of his win and headed off on a victory lap in reverse.

Pole winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost the lead on the very first lap but was running near the front when a mysterious tire problem sent him to the pits on lap 114 under a green flag. He radioed that a tire felt loose, but the crew found it fully inflated after making the change. It wasn't immediately clear what caused the problem, though the No. 88 team was able to rule out another problem with the axle, the issue that ruined Earnhardt's day at California two weeks ago.

Junior returned to the track just as Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin blew a tire, which sent him spinning through the trioval grass to bring out a caution flag. The unfortunate timing cost Earnhardt dearly; he slipped a lap down and never got back in the mix, though all the trouble at the end boosted him to 15th in the final standings.

His winless streak is now 61 races. Going back farther, Earnhardt has only one win in his last 138 races.  - AP

   ATLANTA, March 5, 2010 - Thirsty race fans taking in the action at
some of the most popular NASCARR racetracks can continue to enjoy an
ice-cold Coca-Cola for years to come.  Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) and Coca-Cola North America (CCNA) are extending their long-term partnership through 2015, ensuring NASCAR fans who visit premier speedways in locations such as Charlotte, Atlanta and Las Vegas can open a Coke and Open Happiness as they cheer on their favorite drivers.

       Under the terms of the new agreement, CCNA brands will continue as
the "Official Soft Drink," "Official Sparkling Beverage," "Official Water,
"Official Sports Drink" and "Official Enhanced Water" for six SMI tracks,
which include:
.       Atlanta Motor Speedway (Hampton, GA)
.       New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Loudon, NH)
.       Infineon Raceway Speedway (Sonoma, CA)
.       Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, NV)
.       Charlotte Motor Speedway (Concord, NC)
.       Texas Motor Speedway (Ft. Worth, TX)
       The agreement also features title sponsorship of the Coca-Cola 600
-- the longest continuous sponsorship of any race in NASCAR -- at Charlotte Motor Speedway through 2015.

       "Coca-Cola and Speedway Motorsports share the same passion to
refresh and enhance the racing experience for fans," said Beatriz Perez,
Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. "We've built a deep connection between Coca-Cola, NASCAR and its fans.  Working with our partners at SMI, we will continue to intensify that bond by creating even more programs that bring fans closer to Coca-Cola and the
sport they love."

       "For more than 25 years, we've worked together with Coca-Cola to
entertain and refresh fans at the world's greatest speedways, including one
of NASCAR's cornerstone events, the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway," said Marcus Smith, President and Chief Operating Officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc.  "Speedway Motorsports is pleased to extend this partnership between Coca-Cola and six of our speedways where we proudly serve Coca-Cola products along with the greatest racing entertainment in the world."

       The SMI partnership is a key part of Coca-Cola's overall role in
racing.  The Coca-Cola NASCAR relationship, the association with a majority of tracks, the Coca-Cola 600, the Coke Zero 400 and the drivers of the Coca-Cola Racing Family create an ideal relationship between Coca-Cola, the sport and fans.  It offers a multi-faceted experience that connects
Coca-Cola with NASCAR fans at every level -- locally, nationally, at the
track, in store, at home and elsewhere.

       Through this partnership extension, Coca-Cola and SMI will continue
to create programs that engage NASCAR fans at SMI tracks and in the local
markets and regions where the tracks are located.  NASCAR-themed
advertising, packaging, promotions, at-track activations and
customer-specific programs will all be part of the mix designed to create
excitement among racing fans. - cms pr

Although left standing without a race seat, Jacques Villeneuve has not given up on racing in Formula One in 2010.

The 1997 world champion was close to signing with Stefan GP, but the Serbian team was not granted an official entry by the sport's governing FIA.

But the 38-year-old French Canadian is not giving up.

"I've been saying for a while that my priority is to be ready in the event that a new driver is not fast enough, or if one of the pay drivers does not bring the budget that he promises," he told France's Rue Frontenac.

Villeneuve admits the news about Stefan GP not getting an entry to field its Toyota-designed cars in 2010 is disappointing.

"But it's also not a huge surprise given the shortage of time to the beginning of the season," he said.

"I got the impression of a well born car and I saw that Mr Stefanovich and his team were serious people who understand the engineering tasks.

"The foundation is there, but the scheduled was very tight.

"If there's something positive in all this, it's that I had to step up my training with Erwin (Gollner). I have suffered, but I feel better than ever."  - By Motorsport.com/GMM

A High Point company that builds Toyota racing engines is moving its operations to Mooresville by year's end, bringing a $3 million investment with 56 jobs paying an average $70,000.

Triad Racing Technologies plans to occupy 40,000 square feet in two buildings on Raceway Drive in Lakeside Business Park, off Interstate 77 Exit 36. Triad supplies horsepower for teams in NASCAR's Truck, Nationwide and Cup series and the Automobile Racing Club of America series.

The move to Mooresville will bring Triad closer to its customers and help it to continue to grow in racing, co-owner Marty Gaunt said. - charlotte observer

Daisy Ramirez Motorsports has announced today that experienced NASCAR driver Carl Long will be behind the wheel of the DRM #01 Koma Unwind "Chillaxation Drink™" Chevy for this weekend's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event in Atlanta.

With 45 starts in the 3 premier NASCAR series, Carl Long will be making his return to NASCAR after a highly publicized suspension from the NASCAR ranks. Long, who has been racing for 26 years will be shouldering the task of keeping the DRM truck in the points battle that will ensure a starting spot after the 4th race of the year. With a 10th and 14th place finish for the DRM trucks in Daytona the season started off in the right direction. Carl and the team are still seeking additional marketing partners. - daisy ramirez motorsports pr

TNT announced Thursday that veteran NASCAR broadcaster Adam Alexander will join the network as its Sprint Cup Series play-by-play announcer, calling all six races of TNT's Summer Series.

Alexander will be joined in the booth by returning analysts Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach. Alexander will debut during TNT's exclusive coverage of Cup Series racing from Pocono, Pa. on June 6.

In addition, Alexander will contribute to NASCAR.COM.

In a new role, TNT announcer Lindsay Czarniak will become the host for Countdown to Green, 60 minutes of pre-race coverage that leads into TNT's green-flag racing coverage.

In addition, she will host TNT and NASCAR.COM's post-race coverage, as well as give mid-race updates and reports. Czarniak will be joined by analysts Larry McReynolds and Petty.

"Adam's knowledge of the sport and his smooth delivery make him an excellent addition, and we're confident that he will bring out the best in Wally and Kyle in the broadcast booth," said Jeff Behnke, senior vice president and executive producer for Turner Sports. "Adam has a terrific reputation within NASCAR, and we have appreciated his work for a long time."

Behnke said TNT also is pleased to welcome Czarniak to pre-race coverage. "Lindsay's experience as veteran studio host, along with the enthusiasm, energy and knowledge she has cultivated as a pit reporter for the past three years on TNT, make her ideal to serve as TNT's studio host," Behnke said.

Beyond Alexander's TNT duties during six weeks of Summer Series coverage, Alexander also works for SPEED as a reporter for the network's racing coverage. He also has worked as a play-by-play announcer on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and as a pit reporter for its Cup and Nationwide series coverage. Alexander began his career as an announcer for the Tri-State Speedway in Evansville, Ind.

In addition to Czarniak's tenure as a TNT announcer, she also serves as the full-time sports anchor at NBC's WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, Czarniak was co-host with George Michael on the syndicated Sports Machine with George Michael. In 2008, Czarniak was a studio host for NBC's Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, China, and in 2006, she was a sports desk reporter for the network's Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy. She appeared on various NBC-owned networks.

TNT's NASCAR telecasts will return with popular production features and enhancements, including TNT RaceBuddy, the award-winning multi-platform experience that provides companion coverage on NASCAR.COM with integrated content, unique camera angles and social media capabilities.

In addition, the acclaimed Pride of NASCAR series will continue as TNT profiles six legends, highlighting the sport's history and history makers. Finally, TNT's innovative Wide Open Coverage will air for the fourth year at Daytona.

Also returning to TNT this summer will be pit reporters Ralph Sheheen, Marty Snider and Matt Yocum.

This marks TNT's 27th consecutive year of televising the Cup Series, making it NASCAR's longest-running broadcast partner. - www.nascar.com