Driver report: Who's poised to pounce in 2007
By Lee Spencer
Sporting News, December 6

A.J. Allmendinger

Despite his Champ Car rookie of the year award in 2004 and a breakout 2006 that included five wins and a third-place finish in the points standings, Allmendinger opted for the road traveled by most U.S.-born racers: NASCAR. Before announcing in October his deal to drive the No. 84 Toyota, Allmendinger, 24, had been considered the great American hope for open-wheel competition. Allmendinger made his NASCAR debut with Bill Davis Racing in September. At the New Hampshire Craftsman Truck race, he finished 13th and on the lead lap. One month later, he was fifth at Talladega. But he failed to qualify for Cup races at Atlanta and Texas and will have to overcome the growing pains of being part of a start-up team.

Juan Pablo Montoya

No other 2007 Cup newcomer even remotely approaches Montoya's level of experience. After winning a CART title, the Indianapolis 500 and the Grand Prix of Monaco, Montoya, 31, is enjoying his reunion with Chip Ganassi Racing after nearly six seasons in Formula 1. He drove for Ganassi on the CART series in 1999 and 2000. Montoya's controlled aggressiveness paid off early in his stock car career with a third-place finish in the Talladega ARCA race and an incredible

11th-place comeback run in the Busch Memphis race. Montoya's Cup coming-out party at Homestead ended in a ball of flames and a 34th-place finish, but Montoya will be solid with crew chief Donnie Wingo next season.

Lowe's to back Johnson Grand-Am runs
December 6

Lowe's will sponsor Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson in both of his planned Grand-Am Rolex Series outings at Daytona next season.

Johnson has already confirmed that he will join Riley-Matthews Motorsports for the Rolex 24 at Daytona next month, and will return to the team for the July Brumos Porsche 250. Jim Matthews, Marc Goossens and Ryan Hunter-Reay will be the American's co-drivers in the #91 Riley-Pontiac.

"This is going to be a lot of fun - Lowe's has been such a great sponsor in NASCAR that it's pretty cool that I can go sports car racing with them," Johnson smiled, "I wanted to do this deal for several reasons. First, I want to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona and, second, the experience will help me in road course racing. The Rolex Series is just a fun place to race."

The Riley-Matthews team will begin testing at Daytona on 4 January, giving Johnson limited preparation before making his third appearance in the Rolex Series'event after finishing second in 2005.

"One of the coolest things I have ever done in my career is watching the sun come up over the Daytona Speedway from behind the wheel of a prototype," he said, "That was such a beautiful sight and such a peaceful, cool feeling. I'm going to make sure I am in the car when the sun comes up this year."

The July race at Daytona will be held on the Thursday night before Saturday's Nextel Cup race, giving Lowe's a strong presence throughout the weekend.

Montoya to race Daytona 24 Hours
December 6

Juan Pablo Montoya will run in the Daytona 24 Hours at the wheel of one of Chip Ganassi's Riley-Lexus GrandAm sports cars.

Team sources confirmed that Montoya would most likely join Scott Pruett and Dan Wheldon in the CompUSA-sponsored car.

The team won the event last year with NASCAR driver Casey Mears

A NASCAR Nation of Whiners

By Greg Engle
Editor Cup Scene Daily,December 6

I spent 23 years in the United States Army. One thing I used to hear was that soldiers would whine about the sunshine. Meaning of course that soldiers would complain about anything and everything, no matter what. And so it goes with a segment of NASCAR fans.

In the so-called ‘NASCAR Nation’, there are many fans that’ll bemoan just about anything connected to the sport they allegedly love. And thanks to uncle Al Gore’s Internet they can find a multitude of platforms to do so. From fan sites to blogs, the disgruntled fan can find a stage to air their collective disparaging remarks. Then suddenly they’re expert analysts who find fault in everything about the sport of NASCAR in addition the sanctioning body itself.

The View From Fanville
The Twelve Days of Christmas...From The Garage
By Amy Hair
Cup Scene Daily,December 6

On the first day of Christmas, my driver gave to me….

A very ugly scratched and dented car.

On the second day of Christmas, my driver gave to me…

Two gloves with holes,