By Larry Woody |Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
All Johnny Benson wanted to do was race.
But even winning the NASCAR truck series championship last year couldn’t save Benson’s ride in the current crumbling economy, and last week his Red Horse Racing Team folded due to lack of sponsorship.
Undeterred, the 45-year-old Benson packed his racing suit and helmet and headed [...]

By Larry Woody | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Nashville – Kyle Busch said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing, thought Kyle bashing his trophy to bits last Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway was “cool.”
Really? Then how about this: Let artist Sam Bass, who spent countless hours hand-painting the classic Gibson guitar, crash Kyle’s brand-new race car through [...]

By Larry Woody | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com 
I’ve been writing about cars running in circles for 40 years and in that entire span I’ve never come across two more puzzling stories than the back-to-back mysteries of recent weeks.
One is Jeremy Mayfield’s ongoing drug case. The other is Carl Long’s record-breaking penalties for a trivial infraction.
First, Mayfield:
Last week [...]

By Larry Woody | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Nashville – There’s a catch-all clause in the NASCAR rule book that says drivers are held accountable “for actions detrimental to the sport of stock car racing.”
If what Kyle Busch did in Nashville last Saturday night wasn’t detrimental to the sport then nothing is.
Busch bashed to bits Nashville Superspeedway’s trademark [...]

By Larry Woody | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Nashville – Images of Kyle Busch’s guitar-smashing antics following last Saturday’s victory at Nashville Superspeedway have gone ‘round the world, creating a sensation on YouTube and other internet outlets.
Meanwhile on Monday, Nashville Superspeedway vice president/general manager Cliff Hawks said, “It’s still hard for me to watch.”
Renowned racing artist Sam Bass, [...]

By Larry Woody | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com 
Nashville – Bobby Hamilton Jr. says the tough economic times have forced some NASCAR teams to confront some belt-tightening reality.
“A lot of teams got fat and spoiled back when times were good, and now they’re having to learn to live within their means,” Hamilton said during last weekend’s race at [...]

By Larry Woody | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com 
Gladeville, Tenn. – It was surely the weirdest “victory celebration” in NASCAR history.
Kyle Busch dashed to pieces the $2,000 hand-painted Gibson guitar that for nine years has been Nashville Superspeedway’s trademark trophy following his win Saturday night.
Busch said he wanted to celebrate “rock-star style” and had told his team beforehand [...]

By Larry Woody | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Nashville – A pair of NASCAR Nationwide Series rookies aren’t awed or intimidated by taking on two Sprint Cup stars in Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville Superspeedway.
The daunting Cup duo is Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards who are running both series this season. They are ranked 1-2 in [...]

By Larry Woody | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Perhaps the great philosopher Gomer Pyle put it best:
“Surprise! Surprise!”
And:
“Gawleeeeeee!”
Everyone who thought the National Stock Car Racing Commission might do Carl Long justice and throw out the absurdly-harsh penalties recently meted out by NASCAR, please raise your hand.
I’d like get with you later to discuss some beautiful beachfront property in [...]

By Larry Woody | Senior Writer 
RacinToday.com
It’s one for NASCAR’s Lowlights Film:
At one point during last Sunday’s race at Dover, leader Jimmie Johnson deliberately slowed down and allowed teammate Mark Martin to pass him.
Martin led the lap, “earning” five bonus points.
Then Johnson zipped back around him, reassumed the lead, and sped off to victory.
A charity pass [...]