CarRacingBlog.com

Gossip much anyone? Well… the news is now actually official. GEM (Gillett Evernham Motorsports) who made headlines here earlier in the week after Ray Evernham packed up his stuff and left the shop after selling his majority stake to Gillett, is now making headlines following a holiday negotiation and subsequent announcement of a merger between GEM and Petty Enterprises.

According to our sources, an official announcement will be made next week as to the details (well, as much as will be shared) about the impending merger between Petty Enterprises - the long-running family organization - and GEM. Insiders say the deal was actually knocked out on Christmas Eve (around the time that Ray Evernham left the shop), but no details have been released to the media as of yet.

We are waiting with baited breath as the face of NASCAR - and history - is about to be changed in what can only be described as an already crazy 2009 season!

There’s nothing quite like racing in the “Valley of the Shadow of Death” AKA Death Valley Raceway. If you can get yourself out to the California/Nevada desert area, then you’ve got to catch this annual start-of-the-year race that draws huge crowds each year.

IMCA modifieds will be featured in the Best-of-the-Best Wild West Shootout Saturday and Sunday, in a winter motorsports program at Death Valley Raceway. Competition will begin at noon each day on the one-third mile dirt oval. The pits will open at 9 a.m. each day.

There will be $1,000-to-win payoffs each day for the modifieds. The winner of a street stock feature to be contested each day will receive $500. Also slated to compete are the Dwarf cars and mini-stocks.

It’s a lot of fun and a great way to tide yourself over to the official start of the big series seasons!

For race times, schedules and ticket information, visit the official Death Valley Raceway website at: deathvalleyraceway.homestead.com.

This is sound advice… check out what this poor sap does…

As posted on our sister site CarRacing.com, SPEED TV has an awesome little New Year’s gift for all SCCA fans - they will be showing the Formula 500 and Touring 1 races from the 45th SCCA® National Championship Runoffs® on New Year’s Eve (December 31st) at noon EST.

If you are a true fan - and you’ve got nothing else going tomorrow (pre-festivities dude!) - then you’ve got to tune in to SPEED TV and catch all the action from the Runoffs!

For more information check out the full details at: CarRacing.com.

Um…. he’s kinda gonna need that - lol

NASCAR’s Jamie McMurray put in an appearance - and even did a little driving - at the 2008 Kart Week at Daytona International Speedway this week.

Check out these cool pics from NASCAR Media promoting the event:

A guy gets literally dropped from his car window, lands on his feet as his car rolls into a smashed up clump of broken metal. Then ya gotta watch the slow-mo….

Did you miss the events in Los Angeles? Live in the San Diego area and want to see hot new cars? Well, you’re in luck - the San Diego International Auto Show starts on December 31st at the San Diego Convention Center.

Show Dates/Hours:
Wednesday, December 31, 2008: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Thursday, January 1, 2009: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday, January 2, 2009: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday, January 3, 2009 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sunday, January 4, 2009: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Come in and find your favorite new model vehicle or one you are considering for purchase. Or, take one of several models from Ford, Hyundai or Toyota out for a test drive (see Features & Attractions page for details). Explore the Eco-Center for a look at the latest fuel-saving and environmentally friendly technologies or check out one of the many concept cars for a look at the future of driving. See all of this and much more at the San Diego International Auto Show®. This year’s show will highlight over 400 new-model vehicles, concept cars, alternative fuel vehicles and specialty cars, trucks and vans throughout over 600,000 square feet of displays on two floors.

Check out more information at: www.sdautoshow.com.

There are lots of changes happening to the #19 Dodge team at Gillett-Evernham Motorsports - and the switch from Elliott Sadler to A.J. Allmendinger in 2009 is just the tip of the iceberg. Insiders say that Ray Evernham who founded the team cleared out all his personal possessions from the team’s shop - including the 2002 Brickyard trophy that he won as the owner of Bill Elliott’s #9 Dodge.

Evernham sold majority ownership to George Gillett and this recent move sparks speculation that all isn’t well at GEM. On the official team website an article is still posted on the front page dated December 18th highlighting Sadler’s return to the team full-time in 2009 [see article]. Media contact attempts with both Sadler and Evernham were not returned and no quote has been released from either of them about the recent announcement.

GEM announced early in December that it would scale back the Nationwide series program in 2009 and that it would be laying off approximately 65 employees and scale the #9 Dodge down to a partial schedule.

The Sprint Cup series will continue on with Kasey Kahne, Reed Sorenson and Allmendinger in 2009. We will definitely post updates as soon as we receive them.

Very nice tribute to Paul Newman - a huge participant and supporter of motorsports… He contributed much in many ways and will definitely be missed…