Jimmie Johnson

Bill would give Nascar drivers a break

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:34:43 -0500

A bill requested by Richard Petty would help Nascar drivers haul their stuff.

The Nascar legend asked Sen. Jerry Tillman, a Randolph County Republican, to give motorsports drivers an exemption from state laws limiting the length of vehicles on state roads.

The bill would allow drivers to attach a trailer to the back of a motorhome when driving to competitions, repair sites or testing on tracks, as long as the total length did not exceed 90 feet.

It would also allow the state Department of Transportation to declare certain roads off limits to the motorhome-trailer combos.

Tillman said he filed the bill because Petty lives in his district, but also because he wants to help the drivers.

"Nascar is a huge business in our state," he said. "This is one of the business-friendly things that we can do for the motorsports industry."

Related: House bill would honor Jimmie Johnson

Giuliani 'racing' money in N.C.

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:00:00 -0400

Rudy Giuliani will hold a NASCAR-flavored fundraiser next week in Charlotte.

Brian France, owner of NASCAR is hosting a fundraiser for the former New York City mayor on November 7th, according to Jim Culbertson, the Winston-Salem businessman who is Giuliani's state chairman.

The cocktail reception will be held at the home of Jennifer Frances Bates and Ward Bates with costs ranging from $1,000 per person to $2,300 per person for a photograph, Rob Christensen reports.

Culberston said hoped the event would raise "a couple of hundred thousand" dollars. He said some of the racing figures who have given to Giuliani include Rick Hendrick, Richard Childress and NASCAR's top two drivers, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.

This is the second North Carolina fund raiser for Giuliani. One was held for the GOP presidential candidate in Greensboro in April.

NASCAR drivers give Giuliani a lift

bkrueger — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:42:43 -0400

Maybe we should call him Racin' Rudy.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is popular with some high-profile members of NASCAR, according to campaign finance reports filed today with the Federal Election Commission.

NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears all contributed $2,300 to Giuliani's Republican presidential campaign during the most recent quarter.

But they may have just been taking orders from the pit. Gordon, Johnson and Mears all drive for Hendrick Motorsports. Rick Hendrick, the head of Hendrick Motorsports, also contributed to Giuliani.

Speed Week meets Speed Week

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 23 May 2007 14:54:04 -0400

It may be Speed Week, but legislators took some time off to honor the real thing.

With just 34 hours left until the crossover deadline for bills to stay alive this session, the House and the Senate stopped work for an hour this afternoon.

Their purpose? To honor Jimmie Johnson, the 2006 Nextel Cup champion racecar driver.

Nascar CEO Brian France, President Mike Helton, Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick and of course, the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet himself, Jimmie Johnson.

Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand noted that there are 28,000 jobs in racing in North Carolina, not to mention a new Nascar Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

He also noted that it was Jimmie Johnson's Monte Carlo that Gov. Mike Easley crashed in 2005.

"That's the ultimate sacrifice for racing, I reckon, let the governor tear your car up," he said.

Rand on Nascar