This and that from the media tour going on this week.

# There's been a lot of debate about if the sport has lost something because of the belief that drivers do not display their personalities [1] -- that they're bland robots. That's not entirely true -- remember Tony Stewart comparing NASCAR to pro wrestling -- but also not totally false. Still, it's a sensitive subject for series officials.

"We'd prefer that our drivers say positive things but they're going to express themselves in different ways,'' NASCAR Chairman Brian France said. "We're not always going to like what they say.''

Said NASCAR President Mike Helton: "I think our message to everybody in the industry, the drivers, the car owners, the media, TV broadcast partners, radio and tracks ... you can express yourself. We want you to express yourself. Just get the facts right when you do. And because of that if that expression points out something to us that we're wrong about, then I think history shows we'll correct it. We will do our best to do it right. But if someone is going to have an opinion on something then make it very clear that it's your opinion.''

"We're not out there to change their personalities. We love them the way they are. Even if we don't agree with them, you've got to respect them because of who they are. The reason we do it, particularly from the pushing and shoving, our responsibility is to have an environment where you can do what you want to do and not have fear looking over your shoulder.''

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Series sponsor Sprint has struggled in the telecommunciations industry. Sprint Nextel  Corp. announced last week that it will eliminate 4,000 jobs -- most likely by the first half of the year. The company's stock, impacted by the troubles on Wall St., fell to its lowest point Tuesday since Oct. 2002, according to the Market Intelligence Center. Sprint's stock is at $8.70. The company also plans to close 8 percent of its retail stores. This comes after 683,000 postpaid subscribers and 202,000 prepaid subscribers left during the fourth quarter of last year, according to RCR Wireless News. The company laid off 5,000 people in 2007.

So, what about Sprint's future with NASCAR?

"This program works,'' said Dean Kessel, Sprint's director of marketing. "It works across a number of key platforms for us. Fans in our database that have said Hey I'm a NASCAR fan and I'm buying your product becuase you support my lifestyle (stay with Sprint), they use more data, our acquisition numbers are higher as well. The business case is extremely solid for us remaining in this sport. That's why we're not going anywhere.''

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# The All-star event will have a different name. Instead of being called the all-star challenge. It will be the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race XXIV. The race also will be different. It will remain four segments but each segment will be 25 laps (instead of 20). The Nextel Open has been renamed the Sprint Showdown. The Pit crew challenge in Charlotte has been moved from Wednesday to Thursday of all-star week.

# Daytona 500 pre-race show will feature: Brooks and Dunn, along with Chubby Checker, Kool and the Gang and Michael McDonald.

# Bill Elliott's website lists his 2008 Cup sked with the Wood Brothers as featuring 17 races (16 points races and the Budweiser Shootout). Marcos Ambrose and Jon Wood are expected to drive the remaining races for the team. Elliott will drive in the Daytona 500. Other Elliott races close by are Atlanta (March 9), Bristol (March 16), Darlington (May 10), Bristol (Aug. 23) and Charlotte (Oct. 11).

# Furniture Row Racing, which fields a car for Joe Nemechek, will field a car for Kenny Wallace at Daytona. Wallace will drive in other races, pending sponsorship.