Bristol thrives, others struggle

SORENSON The night race at Bristol Motor Speedway remained one of the toughest tickets in NASCAR, as evidenced by the sellout crowd last Saturday. But that's not the case elsewhere, as a slumping economy has put a damper on attendance this season.

There's no real end in sight. Daytona International Speedway officials said last week that they will close the 57,000-seat Superstretch grandstand for next year's 400-miler in July.

Speedway President Robin Braig told the Daytona Beach News- Journal that backstretch ticket-holders would be steered to seats on the frontstrech, which has had large empty gaps in recent summertime races.

Braig told the paper that the changes are intended to reduce costs.

"When we open the superstretch, there's everything from concession stands, cleanup crews, parking lots with buses and trams, the two huge Jumbotrons," he said. "Add up all that for the amount of people who are sitting back there, we just said, 'Hey, let's try to get everybody in the best seats we have, and try to hold costs down, especially since the demand for that area is lower than in past years.' "

NASCAR Ryan Newman will be happy driving the No. 39 Chevrolet next season. Ganassi could lose driver, sponsor

Chip Ganassi's Sprint Cup drivers haven't been a big part of the driver changes under way this year, but that appears to be about to change.

Garage insiders say Ganassi's Reed Sorenson, driving the team's No. 41 Dodge, is headed to Gillett Evernham Motorsports, to drive either the No. 10 now driven by Canadian Patrick Carpentier or a fourth entry the team might establish.

Ganassi also is losing longtime sponsor Texaco, which announced last week that it's dropping its backing of the No. 42 driven by Juan Pablo Montoya.

Ganassi already dropped one team in mid-season, the No. 40 of Dario Franchitti, who is still competing in select Nationwide Series races for Ganassi.

Stewart gives up McClure's number

NASCAR team owner Larry McClure isn't losing his longtime car number after all, thanks to a gracious gesture by Tony Stewart.

Stewart and Ryan Newman announced last week that Newman would drive a No. 4 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing next year, but when Stewart learned that McClure wasn't done with the No. 4, he switched Newman to a No. 39.

"We know how much car numbers mean to teams and organizations," Stewart said on his Sirius Satellite radio show. "Even though NASCAR has given us that number for next year, if Mr. McClure is going to run a car, we're excited to have him back in the series."

The No. 39 is familiar to Newman. It was his first car number in Silver Crown, and he has used it in Midget races and in the Nationwide Series.

SPRINT CUP STANDINGS

1. Kyle Busch (above) 3,609; leader 2. Carl Edwards 3,397; behind: -212 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3,193; behind: -416 4. Jimmie Johnson 3,191; behind: -418 5. Jeff Burton 3,117; behind: -492 6. Tony Stewart 3,013; behind: -596 7. Greg Biffle 2,984; behind: -625 8. Kevin Harvick 2,972; behind: -637 9. Jeff Gordon 2,951; behind: -658 10. Matt Kenseth 2,921; behind: -688 11. Denny Hamlin 2,900; behind: -709 12. Clint Bowyer 2,855; behind: -754