Monticello — Despite what Dale Earnhardt Jr., the sport's most popular driver, has to

say about the car being used in the Sprint Cup Series, Pres. Mike Helton

says he doesn't foresee any noticeable changes.

"I feel like, especially right now, we need to really, really try to

turn over every stone, and that includes where we are with the COT and where

we feel like its development is and where we feel like its future goes and

where we feel like this car goes, how it evolves," said Earnhardt Jr.

Earnhardt Jr. told the news media on Friday that a late caution is

needed to create excitement during a Cup race and that 95 percent of an

event wasn't worth the price of a ticket.

However, he did say that the new double-file restarts have provided a

spark that the series desperately needed.

"The media could address it a little stronger, and I think the drivers

could be a little more vocal about it, and I think NASCAR could Š probably

be a little more urgent in improving our product," Earnhardt Jr. continued.

"The ultimate result is create exciting racing that the fans will enjoy,

that the drivers enjoy, so everyone is happy. That should be our quest

always, even when things are good.

On Saturday, Helton addressed the media at Michigan outside the NASCAR

hauler.

"As you talk to the principals in the garage area ­ the team owners, the

crew chiefs, the car chiefs ­ there seems to be in all these conversations

the consensus around: Don't make any changes right now because we don't want

to tackle those; we have spent a lot of time now understanding this car, and

don't throw a wrench in all of that in starting all over on something.

"There's always going to be debate on what you would do different, just

as there was in previous models of cars that we raced. We will always have

that. The consensus right now...from our perspective is we'll look at things

that we can do different, do better with the teams and we're working with

the teams.

"In all fairness, we're always going to have somebody that says, ŒI wish

they would do this differently,' because it fits their moment. Tony Stewart

last year wished we had done something different because he had a bad year

last year. This year, it's 180 degrees different and it's the same car. We

have not changed anything.

"The way I read his (Earnhardt Jr.) statements were more broad. His

expressionŠthat we need to be working on things to make the sport better in

general...I agree with that. As it comes to the car, he and his team in

particularŠthere's some frustration there that contribute to his comments."



Weekend Racing: All three of the NASCAR series will be at the .52-mile

Bristol Motor Speedway for three night races..

Wed., Aug. 19, Camping World Truck Series O'Reilly 200, race 15 of 25;

Starting time: 7:30 p.m. (EDT); TV: Speed Channel.

Fri., Aug. 21, Nationwide Series Food City 250, race 24 of 35; Starting

time: 7:30 p.m. (EDT); TV: ESPN2.

Sat., Aug. 22, Sprint Cup Sharpie 500, race 24 of 36; Starting time:

6:30 p.m. (EDT); TV: ESPN.

Racing Trivia Question: Which Cup team does Brian Vickers drive for?

Last Week's Question: Where is Cup driver Matt Kenseth's hometown?

Answer: Cambridge, Wisconsin.



You may contact the Racing Reporter at: hodgesnews@earthlink.net.