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With current primary sponsor AT&T being forced out of the Sprint Cup series after this season, Jeff Burton and the No. 31 announced Wednesday that they have signed longtime NASCAR sponsor Caterpillar to a multi-year contract, beginning with the 2009 season. Caterpillar has been a NASCAR sponsor for the last 16 seasons, the last ten of which have been spent with Bill Davis Racing.

“To represent a well-known global brand like Caterpillar is an honor,” said team owner Richard Childress. “Cat products have played a big part over the decades in construction projects at RCR, Childress Vineyards, and Yadkin River Angus. Jeff [Burton] and I look forward to meeting the Cat dealers and customers who loyally follow NASCAR racing.”

As the primary sponsor of Bill Davis Racing’s No. 22 car, Caterpillar won the Daytona 500 and Southern 500 with driver Ward Burton; but the team has struggled of late, with numerous missed races over the last two seasons. Current BDR driver Dave Blaney has the No. 22 sitting 29th in owner points this season, and it’s been six years since the company last experienced a victory on the Sprint Cup level.

The announcement gives RCR a fully sponsored stable for the 2009 season. In addition to the Caterpillar Chevrolet of Burton, Shell / Pennzoil will sponsor Kevin Harvick’s No. 29, Jack Daniel’s will continue to back Clint Bowyer’s No. 07, and Cheerios will move over from Petty Enterprises to RCR’s new No. 33 team.

Newman to Penske Racing: Improve or I’m Gone

Though he has driven with Penske Racing since 2000, Newman revealed Wednesday he’ll leave the only NASCAR team he has known at the end of this season unless the performance of his No. 12 Sprint Cup team improves drastically. Newman, currently 17th in the Sprint Cup points standings, has been in a slump since his win in the season-opening Daytona 500, including two engine failures at Phoenix and Michigan which have crippled him as he tries to make the Chase for the first time since 2005.

Newman’s contract with Penske Racing is set to expire at the end of the 2008 season, and current primary sponsor Alltel is also expected to be leave following the company’s merger with Verizon. The driver reportedly has an agreement in place to revisit the current contract proposal offered to him by Penske Racing later in the season, but will not accept any offer for the foreseeable future.

The 30-year-old is being rumored along with prospective free agent Martin Truex, Jr. to a number of rides, including Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 and Richard Childress Racing’s No. 33.

What’s Vexing Vito?
by Vito Pugliese

But although I am a fan of road courses, the configuration that has been used at Sonoma since 1998 has turned what once was a fantastic track into single-file affair with one true passing zone. “The Chute,” a reconfiguration gimmick introduced in 1999 by promoter Bruton Smith as an excuse to build some grandstands and discourage hillside viewing, has ruined one of the best races of the year. The elevation changes of the sports car course — the carousel turn followed by an off-camber right hand turn and a series of esses — produced some of the most intense, out-of-control racing until about a decade ago.

Personally, I’d like to see more road course races added to the schedule. Drivers are forced to turn right and left, brake, shift, and employ different styles and techniques then an oval track demands. Some argue that they are boring and offer poor racing; to that I say, “have you watched a race at a 1.5-mile track lately?” The spectacle of the cars locking up tires in a turn, sliding sideways, rearing up in the front under acceleration, bouncing up off the curbing, and downshifting is a sight to behold, and there is also not much concern of compromised aerodynamics if a fender gets wrinkled.

NASCAR drivers are viewed as some of the greatest drivers in the world, and the old axiom said that the greatest drivers needed to be able to turn both left and right. For the sanctioning body that is the biggest draw in motorsports, culling drivers from both Formula One to former open-wheel champions, it needs to feature tracks that not only feature variety, but do not cater to one specific discipline. Besides, Sonoma is a West Coast race, so the threat of a rainout is marginal at best. It is picturesque and just slightly more scenic than, say, Chicagoland or Fontana. But if you absolutely must watch an oval track race, you’re in luck: The Indy Car Series is on ABC at 1:00pm EST at the Iowa Speedway, in Newton, IA.

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FRONTSTRETCH LINE OF THE WEEK 
The Best Line From A Story You Need to See
From  Talking NASCAR TV: TNT Not The Only Network To Step It Up A Notch This Week by Doug Turnbull;

Sunday’s race will not go down in history as one of the most historic ever, but it will be a highlighted page in the 2008 season’s book of stories. TNT and other networks that broadcast the race did a great job, and should be commended.

WOOO!!!! Oh, sorry, I mean WoO!
Tony Stewart Racing — Ready for a Shootout: World of Outlaws Point Leader Donny Schatz Aims to Keep Tony Stewart Racing Team on Top

Gas prices got you down?  Well here’s you chance to win FREE gas just like the drivers use! No, the gas they use in their street cars.
Sunoco’s Free Fuel 5000 Rewards Consumers With Free Gas Prizes

Sponsorship News!
No. 22 Bill Davis Racing Cup Team will have new look for 2009

Liquor and Motorcycles, It’s like a Matt McLaughlin dream sequence!
Jim Beam® Bourbon Chopper Design Chronicled On Reality Series

Want More?

And if you’re up for it, we’re always looking to hear from the fans; be sure to write in and give feedback at insideracing@athlonsports.com! Tell us a topic we haven’t been chatting about, and we’ll be sure to mention it on the air. Of course, the two individual hosts can also be reached at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com and matt.taliaferro@frontstretch.com.

TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Beyond The Cockpit : Sam Hornish, Jr. Talks Freshman Year, Daytona vs Indy, And More
by Tony Lumbis

An Honest Assessment Of The Discrimination Lawsuit
by Jeff Meyer

Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : A Meeting Of The Morons … Er, Minds
by Matt McLaughlin

Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans : Road Course Leads To Roster Shakeup At Sonoma
by Bryan Davis Keith and Mike Neff