Truth & Rumors > Auto Racing

09:13 AM ET 05.20 | Nearly every major American sport has black stars, including Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Serena Williams, but the top three Nascar national series have none. It is a glaring absence in a sport desperate to attract new fans and diversify its audience. Darrell Wallace Jr., 18, who is scheduled to make his debut in the lower-level Nationwide Series on Sunday at Iowa Speedway, just might be the one to finally break through. "We really feel that Darrell is a guy that has a gift behind the wheel," said J. D. Gibbs, the president of Joe Gibbs Racing, one of the top teams in Nascar. Gibbs has been searching for Nascar's first black star for nearly a decade, beginning with a collaboration with Reggie White before he died in 2004, and signed Wallace in 2009, when he was 15. "I think it's a real value to this sport if you can kind of have that piece fit in," Gibbs said. "Other sports, it kind of happens naturally. This sport's hard because of the barriers to entry because of the cost standpoint." Darrell Wallace Sr., who owns an industrial cleaning business, has spent nearly $1 million to support his son???s racing. Now Gibbs has taken over. The plan is to have Wallace race in four Nationwide events this year, with the possibility of a full schedule in 2013. Nascar officials will be among those watching closely on Sunday.

New York Times

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10:35 AM ET 05.13 | Several members of Ryan Newman's crew confronted Kurt Busch on pit road following Saturday night's race. Upset about a wreck on Lap 361, Busch had done a burnout - roaring directly through the Newman team's pit stall. After the race, Busch slammed into the back of Newman's car on pit road. Newman pulled around Busch and stopped, then got out of his car and said something to Busch. That's when Newman's crew got involved. During the fracas, a NASCAR official was shoved against Busch's car. Afterward, Newman's gas man and crew chief were summoned to the NASCAR hauler.

Charlotte Observer

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11:18 AM ET 05.06 | Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith and ex-employee associate H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler are at war again. When Charlotte Motor Speedway sent out a press release on Tuesday promoting the 20th anniversary of the first race under the lights at a superspeedway and called it Smith's idea, his former president and general manager of CMS responded strongly. Wheeler said the idea to install lights at CMS for the 1992 All-Star race was his idea and his alone. "I usually let Bruton spiel on, but this one got me," Wheeler said. "He would take credit for the sun and moon if he could!" In fairness to Smith, he didn't write the press release or suggest that he be given credit in it. But when asked who came up with the idea for lights at CMS and what he thought of Wheeler's comments, he didn't smooth the waters. "I'm not going to comment on anything about him at all," Smith said. "I don't pay attention to what he [Wheeler] thinks. He's a former employee. I can't possibly think about anything about him, period." Wheeler and Smith have been at odds since Wheeler claimed Smith pushed him out of his job earlier than he wanted in 2008 after a 33-year relationship.

Jayski

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11:17 AM ET 04.29 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains mired in his career-worst winless streak, yet his consistently strong finishes have him trailing Sprint Cup series points leader Greg Biffle by just five points entering next weekend's race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Who doesn't think Earnhardt has a chance to leave Alabama next weekend as the series points leader?

Charlotte Observer

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10:27 AM ET 04.21 | Richard Petty Motorsports is trying to negotiate a deal to stay with Ford and retain its relationship with Roush Fenway Racing. But team namesake Richard Petty isn't totally ruling out a return to Dodge, the manufacturer with which he became a racing icon as a driver.

Jayski

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