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Truex, now driving for the organization born from the merger between sponsor-strapped Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing, earned the pole for the Feb. 15 showcase event. With a lap of 188.001 mph in a Chevrolet, he showed Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will go on — perhaps stronger than the individual teams ever were.

“It was a tough winter for most of us in the community,” said Ganassi, the front man for the new race team.
(More in ‘Truex, Martin blow away uncertainty at Daytona’…)

CONCORD, N.C. — As the list of open-wheel stars moving to NASCAR grows, Sam Hornish Jr. remains undecided about his future.

He’s had tremendous success in IndyCars — winning three championships and last year’s Indianapolis 500 — but his tryout in stock cars hasn’t been nearly as smooth. He has yet to qualify for a Nextel Cup event after four failed attempts, including Thursday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

“We knew it was going to be difficult coming in,” he said.

(More in ‘Hornish undecided on future amid struggles’…)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the high-stakes world of Formula One, relationships between teammates are rare. The competition is simply too intense for drivers to socialize, and beating one another becomes the primary goal.

So Juan Pablo Montoya was more than a little surprised when he moved to NASCAR and was warmly welcomed by new teammate David Stremme.

“He became a good friend,” Montoya said.

(More in ‘Montoya’s friend Stremme appears out at Ganassi’…)

INDIANAPOLIS — Just moments after Tony Stewart and his crew members scaled the fence along the front straightaway of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to celebrate his second career victory in the Brickyard 400, he put into context what this victory means.Stewart, the 36-year-old native of the Hoosier state who grew up dreaming about competing at this famed track about 45 miles north of his home, dedicated this one to his supporters who back the sometimes volatile but exceptionally talented driver.”This one’s for every one of those fans in the stands who pull for me every week and take all the (crap) from everyone else,” Stewart said, eliciting roaring approval from his home-track crowd while probably not considering the fact he likely will be slapped with a fine from NASCAR for using an expletive on national television.Juan Pablo Montoya finished second in his rookie NASCAR Nextel Cup start here, where he won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 in his only start.
(More in ‘HOME PRIZE: Hoosier native Stewart wins second Brickyard 400′…)