Rumor of Daytona shift dispelled by France

Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004 | 10:13 a.m.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR chairman Brian France on Wednesday shot down the notion that the sanctioning body would juggle the Nextel Cup Series schedule to include Daytona International Speedway in the final 10-race "Chase for the Championship."

There has been talk during Speedweeks here that races at Daytona would make perfect bookends to the NASCAR season and would include the historic track in the final 10 races of the season.

"That's a good idea," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. "I would not move the Daytona 500 from where it is now, but maybe we should start and finish here. Maybe we should have another 500-mile race here as the season-finale.

"It's probably an idea in somebody's head right now. Maybe it's just a matter of time. I think that's where we're headed."

Not so, France said.

"I don't think there will be a lot of movement with tracks," France said. "One of the things that I've said all along about the Chase for the Championship is that all the tracks are going to have a different role in a better way.

"I think the Pepsi 400 (at Daytona in July) means more than it ever has meant before because it's closer to September (and the final 10 races of the season)."

France also said he did not anticipate a settlement in a lawsuit filed against NASCAR by a Speedway Motorsports stockholder, seeking a second Nextel Cup race for Texas Motor Speedway.

"We like the facts in this case," France said of the lawsuit. "The court does mandate that you have settlement discussions and I suppose you never say never, but my preference is that we should go try this at an appropriate time.

"I won't say we're anxious to do that -- you never are -- but a lot of the facts are in on that case ... and when you look at it, this whole idea that we're in an anti-competitive environment just isn't reality."

SMI stockholder Francis Ferko, who filed the suit in 2002, contends that NASCAR reneged on a deal to give the track a second Cup race.

COOK ON POLE: Terry Cook will start on the pole for Friday night's Florida Dodge Dealers 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Cook captured his eighth career pole Wednesday night with a lap of 183.643 mph in a Ford. Chase Montgomery will start on the outside front row after a qualifying lap of 183.113 in a Dodge.

Steve Park, driving the No. 62 Orleans Racing Dodge, qualified 22nd in his debut with the Las Vegas-based team. Park qualified at 180.796.

Defending series champion Travis Kvapil was the highest-qualifying Toyota driver, posting the third-fastest lap (182.830) in the manufacturer's debut in the Truck Series.

SPENCER LOOKING: Veteran driver Jimmy Spencer said he does not have another ride lined up and could be out of work if owner Jim Smith folds the No. 7 Nextel Cup team after the Daytona 500.

"We're talking to different people and hopefully we can get a sponsor,' Spencer said. "Right now, we're going to run Daytona and then sit back and see what happens.

"I'm talking to other people and we'll see what might come about but it's awful late in the year. I've stayed loyal to Jimmy (Smith) and we're going to try to put something together."