2007 Dickies 500 - Pre-race News

Pre-race News

• Speedway Motorsports, Inc. purchased the New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob Bahre for $340 million (US), adding the two Cup races, the late spring/early summer Busch/Nationwide Series event and autumn Craftsman Truck Series races at that track to their portfolio. Previously, SMI bought one-half of the now-dormant North Wilkesboro Speedway with Bahre to get their Cup date. As is custom with all SMI tracks, except for Infineon Raceway, NHIS's name will be changed to New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
• Sprint Cup drivers in the top thirty-five points positions may not be eligible to race for points in the Nationwide Series in 2008 if NASCAR approves a new rule that could come to fruition. The reason is that the Nationwide Series (known as the NASCAR Busch Series until the end of the 2007 season) is supposed to be an equivalent to baseball and ice hockey's AAA level, and because many "Buschwhackers" have won the last three championships, the progress of younger drivers have been slower than expected.
• Another young driver, 18-year-old sensation Brad Coleman, announced a deal to drive a second car for Hall of Fame Racing alongside J.J. Yeley during the 2008 season. Coleman will drive for seven to be announced races during the last half of the '08 season, then move up full-time in 2009, although neither sponsorship nor a number were announced.