HARVICK NIXES DRAG RACING FORAY

Kevin Harvick (right) with Pro Stock driver Jeg Coughlin Jr. earlier this year. (DRO file photo)

Although there were earlier conversations between Bob Vandergriff Jr. and Kevin Harvick about the NASCAR driver fielding a Top Fuel team, Harvick says that won’t be any time soon.

“Right now we’ve tabled all that stuff,” Harvick said in a July 2 teleconference. “There’s so much changing in the whole world right now as far as where sponsorship dollars are going and we’re just kind of taking a step back and going to take a couple years here and just really focus on our two trucks and see where the Nationwide thing goes as far as the rules packages and where the economy goes instead of jumping in with both feet.  Right now we’re just going to kind of table that idea.  It’s something that we’re interested in and still would consider looking at going forward, but we’re going to take a couple years here and really just see where everything goes.” [7/3/2008]

SCELZI TO APPEAR ON ‘WIND TUNNEL’ SUNDAY

Gary Scelzi will appear on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain this Sunday, July 6, on Speed Channel. The show airs live from 9-10 p.m. EST.

Scelzi, who drives the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, will participate in a discussion about track safety issues following Scott Kalitta's fatal accident in Englishtown, N.J., and on NHRA's recent decision to shorten the tracks as an interim step from 1320 feet to 1000 feet, beginning at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver July 11-13.

Viewers may call in questions to the show on 1-866-WTUNNEL or send an email to windtunnel@speedtv.com. Scelzi has been known to voice a strong opinion in the past, so this could be quite interesting.  (DRO file photo) [7/3/2008]

ASHLEY FORCE, SCHUMACHER NOMINATED FOR ESPY AWARDS

Ashley Force has been nominated for the ESPY Hummer Like Nothing Else Award and five-time NHRA POWERade Series Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher was nominated for the ESPY Best Driver Award, it was announced this week by ESPN.

This is the second year that the ESPYs will present the Hummer Like Nothing Else Award, which recognizes athletes who have attained unique accomplishments in their respective sports. Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez, Pittsburgh Penguins scoring machine Sidney Crosby and former NFL player George Martin also are nominated. San Diego Chargers running back LaDanian Tomlinson was the inaugural winner.

Joining Schumacher on the ESPY Best Driver ballot are NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Dario Franchitti (formerly IRL), Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton and IRL driver Scott Dixon.

The ESPY Awards, for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly, was created by ESPN in 1993. Sports fans can vote for Force, Schumacher and other sports heroes in each category via an online poll. [7/3/2008]