Rival NASCAR track owners eat one of their own

AS LONG AS NASCAR has existed, we've had bickering drivers. Now, we have sniping track operators.

Following the massive traffic mess Saturday that blemished Kentucky Speedway's first Sprint Cup race and kept some fans from even making it to the track in time for the race, Roger Curtis, president of Michigan International Speedway, issued a shot-across-the-bow statement.

"As a track promoter," Curtis wrote, "I am saddened and embarrassed about what happened [at Kentucky]. To think all the hard work that we've done at Michigan International Speedway and other tracks have done could be so quickly erased by Saturday's events. [Kentucky] having been open for racing since 2000 should have known the challenges it would face when it tripled its [grandstand] size.

"This isn't about kicking a racetrack when it's down" - my reaction: oh, really! - "We all make mistakes and MIS has certainly had past issues with traffic. And it isn't about trying to sway a Kentucky Speedway ticketholder to come to Michigan, though we will be happy to treat them the way they should be treated should they want to give us a chance" - me, again: sell, baby, sell - "It is bad enough [Kentucky] went into the weekend knowing traffic was going to be worse than they previously had. But to think [track owner] Bruton Smith made light of it with the media, and then pointed the finger at the state of Kentucky [regarding] traffic questions is unfathomable."

Grant Lynch, president of Talladega Superspeedway, also chimed in: "After hearing how rough the fans had it at Kentucky, I wanted to let them know we're ready to show how a race weekend is supposed to run.

In case you're thinking Curtis and Lynch just devoured some bad BBQ, here's the basis for their salvos: International Speedway Corp. (aka, the France family) owns their tracks, while Smith's Speedway Motorsports Inc. owns Kentucky.

Attempting to soothe furious fans who missed the race because of traffic problems, the track is offering free tickets to remaining races this season at SMI's tracks. That's fine, but if I were a fan stuck in traffic Saturday, I'd want to know what will be done next year to assure smooth flow in and out of the track on race day.

Before these two companies took control of most NASCAR tracks, owners and promoters were more congenial. They often exchanged ideas and pleasantries. Now that they are rivals, it's no holds barred.

Next thing we know, these track presidents will be squaring off, angrily tossing rolls of race tickets at each other.

ERWIN REPLACED

 Greg Erwin's ouster this week as crew chief for Greg Biffle is another example of the pressure on top Cup teams. All Erwin, from Hatboro, did was guide Biffle into the Chase 4 consecutive years.

This year, with eight races remaining before the 12-team field is set for the Chase, Biffle is 14th in points, 33 behind Denny Hamlin, who is in the 10th and final spot for a guaranteed Chase berth. Biffle has no top-10 finishes the past five races.

Matt Puccia is replacing Erwin. His previous crew-chief experience was with Paul Menard's Nationwide Series team. Roush Fenway indicated that Erwin will serve in another capacity in the organization.

Erwin follows another Philadelphia-area crew chief, Malvern's Pat Tryson, to the sideline this season. Tryson was Martin Truex Jr.'s crew chief.

RAGAN, 'BLICK' CLICK

David Ragan, a Roush Fenway teammate, is right behind "The Biff," 39 points behind Hamlin. Ragan credits crew chief Drew Blickensderfer with helping their surge that led to Ragan's first Cup win July 2 at Daytona.

"[Former crew chief] Jimmy Fennig and I had a good relationship," Ragan said. "He had a little different way of communicating than I did. I needed something a little more in-depth.

"Drew and I found that good combination. We both believe in each other. He's definitely does things a little different than some of the other guys in the Roush Fenway organization, but that's what makes him special and unique."

GRAND-AM AT NJMP

Looking ahead, the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car series will race at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville on July 24. The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge also will race on NJMP's 2.25-mile 14-turn Thunderbolt Raceway.

The Jon Fogarty-Alex Gurney duo won last year's Rolex race. For details, check www.njmp.com.

THIS WEEK'S RACE

Lenox Industrial Tools 301

New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.

When: Sunday, 1 p.m.

TV/Radio: TNT/WNPV (1440-AM)

Race course: 1.058-mile oval

Race distance: 301 laps/317.4 miles

Race forecast: sunny, mid-80s

Last year's winner: Jimmie Johnson

Last year's pole winner: Juan Pablo Montoya, 132.337 mph

Track qualifying record: Brad Keselowski, 133.572 mph (September 2010)

Track facts: Jimmie Johnson passed Kurt Busch with two laps remaining to win last year's race. Johnson led only nine laps. Tony Stewart was runner-up; Kurt Busch was third . . . Clint Bowyer won the fall race . . . Jeff Burton has the most Cup wins (four) at New Hampshire (his last W: 2000). He is a disappointing 25th in points this season . . . Johnson, Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon are three-time winners at the track . . . Kyle Busch will be seeking his 100th national NASCAR series victory this weekend. His eye-popping win totals are: 22 Cup, 48 Nationwide, 29 trucks . . . Six different drivers have won the last six Cup races at NHMS . . . Rachel Gilbert, a 100-year-old racing fan from Laconia, N.H., will be grand marshal for Saturday's modified race. She celebrated her centennial birthday in April by driving a Toyota pace car around the track. Go, Rachel! . . . Ryan Newman is racing again in the modifield event. He won both NHMS modified races last year.

Wins: Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch, 3 each; Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon, 2 each; Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Trevor Bayne, Regan Smith, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, David Ragan, 1 each.

SPRINT CUP STANDINGS (Through 18 of 36 races)

1. Kyle Busch 624

2. Carl Edwards 620

3. Kevin Harvick 614

4. Kurt Busch 606

5. Jimmie Johnson 605

6. Matt Kenseth 602

7. Jeff Gordon 553

8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 548

9. Ryan Newman 538

10. Denny Hamlin 529

11. Tony Stewart 527

12. Clint Bowyer 514

13. Juan Montoya 497

14. Greg Biffle 496

15. David Ragan 494

16. Paul Menard 486

17. Kasey Kahne 484

18. A.J. Allmendinger 483

19. Mark Martin 477

20. Joey Logano 469

Up next: Brickyard 400, July 31, Indianapolis Motors Speedway, Indianapolis, 1 p.m.; TV: ESPN; last year's winner: Jamie McMurray.