NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
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CUP: Sonoma Friday Notebook
McMurray, Montoya add race to Indy weekend…
Mike Hembree  |  Posted June 22, 2012   Sonoma, CA
Teammates Juan Pablo Montoya (Left) and Jamie McMurray (Right) have struggled this season. (Photo: Getty Images)
Robby Gordon Still Churning – Robby Gordon said Friday that a report that Sunday’s Toyota-Save Mart 350 will be the final race of his NASCAR career is erroneous.

Gordon said Sunday’s event will be his final race this year unless he rounds up sponsorship for additional events.

Although Gordon said he could field a full-time Sprint Cup team with the proper sponsorship, suggesting his shop would be a good one for Dodge to choose for its continuing Cup program, much of his time these days is going toward development of the new stadium truck racing series he is planning for next year.

Gordon said he probably will race his own trucks in the series, but he added that he is not ending his relationship with the Sprint Cup Series, saying he plans to race in at least two events over the next two seasons and could easily do more if sponsorship appears.

Ganassi Adds Car For Indy Grand-Am – The July Indianapolis Motor Speedway weekend just got a lot busier for Sprint Cup drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray.

Chip Ganassi Racing announced Friday that Montoya and McMurray will co-drive a second team Daytona Prototype in the Grand-Am Series’ inaugural race at IMS July 27.

The second entry will run alongside the season-long effort (No.01 Telmex Dinan-prepared BMW Riley) driven by Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas, who own 23 race wins.

In its last race, the team’s No. 02 car led a total of 52 laps in this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona with drivers Montoya, McMurray, Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon.

Chevron will sponsor the second entry.

Aggression And More Aggression – Recent Sprint Cup road races have seen new levels of aggressive driving, and that sometimes audacious driving often leads to conflict. More might arrive in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350.

“It has been pretty heavy the last couple years here,” Marcos Ambrose said. “We saw Tony Stewart up in the tire wall, and a lot of people are aggressive trying to make passes. I think the double-file restarts keep everyone bunched up more than it used to. I think the point system has changed a lot, as well, and you know that every point is critical.

“People are taking chances. I expect to see a similar race (Sunday).”

NASCAR Planning ‘Engagement Center’ – NASCAR plans to develop a new communications operation to enhance what it called “near real-time response” through traditional, digital and social media.

The Fan and Media Engagement Center is scheduled to open in early 2013 in the NASCAR Plaza building in Charlotte, NC. It will serve as a gathering place for NASCAR-related information.

“This is a clear example of our commitment to using cutting-edge technology to better inform our sport,” said NASCAR vice president Steve Phelps. “Ultimately, this tool will help our industry connect with media and fans more effectively and efficiently.”

NASCAR will design the engagement center in collaboration with HP Enterprise Services. Its tasks will include “listening to and engaging with fans in real-time around NASCAR content,” NASCAR said.

Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
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