Johnson's quest, Newman's request and other notes

 Jimmie Johnson has 43 career NASCAR Sprint Cup victories, which is one behind Bill Elliott on the all-time list. One thing you won't find on Johnson's victory list, though is a win at a road course. His career-best finish on a road course is a third at Watkins Glen in 2007.

 

"It's surprising that I've not been better on a road course,'' Johnson said when asked if he'd rather have a road course win or a Bristol win (another place he's never won a Cup race). "It really gets under my skin more than Bristol. I don't know why.

 

"I hopped in a Grand Am car and am on pace with my teammates that are extremely fast and won a championsship, so I don't know what it is about the Cup car that I've had some troubles with. But, I am getting closer, and I think more seat time is helpful. I'm usually a slow learner, but once I get something, I own it and I don't let go of it. I feel like I'm chipping away at it.''

 

# What race should NASCAR take out of the Chase? A few drivers were asked that Friday at Watkins Glen. Most shied away from it, not wanting to upset anyone. Ryan Newman, though, had no fears.

 

"I've never really been a big fan of California,'' Newman said, referring to Auto Club Speedway. "The racing, the quanity of fans that show up, I think that is less than ideal for a Chase race. And I would say to replace that, honestly, a place like this, there's a ton of great fans here. Just throw a road course in there. Swap it out.

 

# A road course in the Chase? Don't count on it. NASCAR President Mike Helton was asked about putting a road course in the Chase. This is what he said:

 

"The Chase wasn't about changing the schedule,'' he said. "It still is not because that gets really complicated moving types of tracks around in the closing of the season. It kind of is what it is. ... We're still in the mindset not to adjust the schedule to accommodate the Chase, the Chase accommodates the schedule.''

 

# Matt Kenseth, who is 11th in the points and trying to hold on to a spot to make the Chase, on if he feels like his team is headed in the right direction:

 

"I feel like we're a little bit better, but it's not where we want to be,'' Kenseth said. "I mean we haven't been a legitimate contender to win a race in a long time, and I know this team is capable of winning races.''

 

# Boris Said that he should be signing the paperwork soon (possibily as early as today) to sell 51 percent of the race team he owns to Rick Clark, a Virginia native and graduate of Pulaski County High School. The team made the announcement in February but the economy slowed the deal.

 

"In February, we announced that Rick Clark ... was going to be the first majority-owned African-American team and we were really excited about it,'' Said commented. "It will be official today that they've bought 51 percent of the No Fear Racing Team. The economy has been bad, so it's taken them a long time to find the financing. That deal will be done today and they're going to work hard on 2010. They're going to look for sponsors and have a lot of things in the works. Hopefully, for me, that will mean more races next year.''

 

# The National Motorsports Press Association (I'm President of the 300-plus member group) announced this year's nominees for its Hall of Fame. They are: Roger Penske, Jack Roush, Robert Yates, Rusty Wallace and Waddell Wilson. Press members will vote on the nominees and those who receive enough votes will be inducted in mid-January.

 

# Scott Wimmer will drive for Morgan-McClure Motorsports at Bristol later this month in a one-race deal, as the Abingdon, Va., team returns to the Cup series for at least one race.

 

# Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of Dale Earnhardt and son of Kerry, will make his Nationwide debut Saturday. He's with a team guaranteed a starting spot, so another Earnhardt will join the NASCAR ranks this weekend.

 

# Goodyear has brought 600 wet weather tires to Watkins Glen for use by Nationwide teams only should NASCAR deem the conditions warrant their use this weekend.

 

# Joe Gibbs' book "Game Plan for Life: Your Personal Playbook for Success'' will debut at No. 6 on the New York Times hardcover bestseller non-fiction list on Sunday.

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