by FOXSports.com

Drivers and crew members were quick-stepping through an emptying garage area about an hour before the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday night, and Aric Almirola was on the hunt. He stopped to pat a shoulder at the Red Bull hauler, waved to a Penske crewman, chatted up Michael Waltrip Racing general manager Ty Norris. "Looking for a job, man," the 25-year-old Tampa native said. "At least nobody is shooing me away." This was supposed to be Almirola's first full season at NASCAR's highest level, as Mark Martin's replacement in the No. 8 Chevrolet at Dale Earnhardt Inc. But as the economy sunk, DEI merged with Chip Ganassi Racing, their five combined Cup programs withered to two, and sponsorship for the No. 8 car ran out after seven races. Earnhardt/Ganassi could have an opening in 2009 if, as expected, Martin Truex announces this week he will leave for MWR, but Almirola said he had not spoken with Ganassi about it. "That's not up to me," he said. "Those have been internal discussions that really have not involved me. Whatever happens I will be ready, race there or race somewhere else." -- St. Petersburg Times

NASCAR needs better officiating of races?

One thing NASCAR can do is play a greater role in officiating races. For example, NASCAR could mandate that a driver can make one move to block a competitor, but two or more successive attempts to block would result in a penalty. With a wall on the outside and the rules prohibiting passing below the yellow line at the bottom of the track, NASCAR has narrowed the field and encouraged blocking and rougher tactics at Daytona and Talladega. While NASCAR officials don't like their calls to impact a race in a big way, that might be better than the other option: more high-speed wrecks that imperil more fans and drivers.-- Virginian-Pilot

NASCAR's dirty little secret: "start and park" teams

Walk down pit road a few minutes before the green flag dropped on Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Coke Zero 400, and it was easy to tell which of the 43 teams have no intention of running the whole 400 miles. In the pit stall, those teams -- called "start and parkers" -- have a small rolling tool chest, two or three crewmen, and here's the guaranteed tipoff: Teams that hope to run the whole race have glued lug nuts onto the wheels of the spare tires, which makes it easier and quicker to change the tires during pit stops. Start-and-parkers don't plan to change tires, so they don't glue the lug nuts onto the wheels. There are three such teams here: The No. 36 Toyota driven by Patrick Carpentier and owned by Tommy Baldwin Jr.; the No. 87 NEMCO Toyota driven and owned by Joe Nemecheck; and -- the king of the start-and-parkers -- the No. 66 Prism Motorsports Toyota, with driver Dave Blaney, owned by Phil Parsons, the former racer and current TV broadcaster. So what's the point? Money, of course. Though attendance, TV ratings and sponsorship have declined for NASCAR Sprint Cup races, the purses haven't. Coming into the race at Daytona, Blaney and his team have won $1,075,259. The car has started 14 of the 17 races this year, and his average finish is 40.6, out of 43 cars. Reasons for dropping out: Vibration, or overheating, or rear end, or brakes, steering, electrical, engine. By pulling out that early, you save money on tires, fuel, crew -- salaries and transportation -- and the car is in good shape for the next race. Tires alone are a huge expense. -- Orlando Sentinel

NASCAR analyst: never second-guess butt

TNT NASCAR analyst Wally Dallenbach on racing's ultimate authority: "I used to say all the time, 'Your butt never lies.' … I'll second-guess the crew chief, I'll second-guess the tire guys, I'll second-guess everyone, but I won't second-guess my butt." -- USA Today

NASCAR creating chaos on the track

When do finishes like Saturday night's at Daytona International Speedway become unacceptable? At what point does a fan's need to be thrilled cross the line? What happens if the driver doesn't walk away? Another restrictor-plate race and another breathtaking, relive-it-on-Youtube finish -- this time with Kyle Busch as the stunt pilot. While fans marveled or shrieked as his car careened to the finish, the question needs to be addressed -- Is this really necessary? Saturday's finish marked the second consecutive restrictor-plate race that the leader wrecked within sight of the checkered flag. It also marked the fourth time since last season that a plate race ended with a multi-car crash. TNT's broadcast Saturday showed spectators cheering as cars crashed, smoke and debris trailing like a comet's tail. If fans want that, then just turn the races into thrill shows and eliminate any illusion that this is a sport. -- Greensboro News & Record

NASCAR drug policy not accurate or fair

What no one should understand or accept is someone in Brian France's position continuing to champion NASCAR's testing policy as thorough and accurate and fair, because that's impossible to know with a system that lacks a shred of effectiveness and transparency and independence. Look, drug testing among U.S. professional sports is still at laughable levels compared to how the World Anti-Doping Agency tests and handles its athletes. But that shouldn't excuse a policy as unfair as NASCAR's. Mayfield and his attorneys discovered a loophole in a weak system and argued it well enough to win in court for now. It doesn't mean he's a druggie. It doesn't mean he isn't. What it means is someone should hand Brian France and the rest of NASCAR's autocracy some towels. You know, to dry up the water pouring from all the holes in their drug testing program. -- Las Vegas Review-Journal

David Gilliland will start-and-park in Chicago

Kevin Buckler, owner of TRG Motorsports, which fields a Chevrolet for driver David Gilliland, said he is ready to run the whole distance every race, but sometimes can't afford it. Gilliland tried to run the whole race Saturday at Daytona, but next week at Chicago, they will start-and-park. "We have a limited amount of money, and we pick the races where we go the whole distance," he said. The other option, he said, "is to not race at all. Do I like it? No." -- Orlando Sentinel

NFL star a budding NASCAR fan?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow served as an honorary race official for Saturday's race. A budding NASCAR fan, Winslow jumped at the opportunity to be part of a race at NASCAR's most famous track. But he stopped short of getting behind the wheel. That's right. The guy who wrecked his motorcycle attempting tricks, damaging his knee and shoulder in Cleveland a few years ago, passed on a chance to try something many would consider a little dangerous. He even refused a ride in the NASCAR simulator. "The simulator was a little too shaky for me so I didn't go through it," he said. "Looked like a bad car wreck, so I said no." -- Charlotte Observer

Drivers avoid subject of illegal drugs

I guess it's a good thing NASCAR drivers are so unsure when discussing the effects of drug usage. It shows how clean the sport has been during the drug era. However, the Jeremy Mayfield case has proven that NASCAR needs to be a little more proactive in education about the issue. Almost all the drivers interviewed at Daytona this week about the Mayfield suspension issue said in one way or another that they weren't sure what they were talking about. One might think after several weeks of having to discuss it that drivers and officials would bone up on the subject of illegal drugs in the sport. Or maybe it's just a way of not having to discuss it. Either way, with a judge's ruling this week that Mayfield could resume driving on the Sprint Cup level until his appeal is heard, it's clear the issue isn't going away soon. -- Chattanooga Times Free Press

Tony Stewart has regrets about latest NASCAR win

After the win, Tony Stewart showed an emotion that would have seemed strange coming from him in years past: regret at the way the finish happened. "I just don't like it to end that way," Stewart said. "You know, you work hard to get to this level and you don't want to see races decided by guys wrecking coming to the finish line. I mean, that's not what it's about. I don't know that I'm -- maybe I am being hard on myself, I don't know." -- Orlando Sentinel

Waltrip admits his HOF credentials aren't quite adequate

Three-time series champion Darrell Waltrip says he'd like to be inducted with NASCAR's first Hall of Fame class in May, but admits his credentials likely aren't quite adequate. The grand opening, he said, would be the perfect time to squeeze in a few more. "They've got this great big building and they're going to have five people they induct first time in," he said. "That's selfish on my part. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get in on the first round. … The important thing is you're in eventually." -- St. Petersburg Times

NASCAR fans seem revved about Danica

Danica Patrick received a near-unanimous endorsement for being a success in NASCAR next year should she leave the IndyCar circuit when her contract runs out at the end of this season. Such was the result of an informal poll of NASCAR fans before Saturday night's Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400. Patrick is one of the Indy Racing League's most popular drivers. She's been featured in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition and has posed for provocative photos, making her one racing's recognized faces. -- Florida Times-Union

Danica Patrick to sign autographs at Florida Water Park

Sexy IndyCar racer Danica Patrick is scheduled to sign autographs at Riviera Beach's Rapids Water Park Wednesday. Officials at the park, which turns 30 this year, make a habit of inviting famous beauties for anniversaries. For the joint's 15th birthday, it was model Kathy Ireland. It's fair to say Patrick wasn't invited for her driving prowess. She was, after all, in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition last year. "Obviously, when you're in a water park, you're in a bikini," said spokeswoman Tina Hatcher when asked about the choice of celebrity guests. "I don't believe Danica will be in a bikini this time, but she'll be signing autographs. She's got a great cross-appeal that goes beyond car racing. -- Palm Beach Post

Charities cash in from NASCAR's race in Northern California

Four charitable events combined to raise more than $120,000 at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Infineon Raceway. Most of the proceeds will benefit the Sonoma Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities, which has distributed more than $3 million to qualified youth groups in Sonoma County since 2002. -- Napa Valley Register

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