NASCAR Association With The WWE Is Not Such A Bad Thing

NASCAR got some television time Monday night when 2011 Sprint Cup Series runner-up Carl Edwards made an appearance on the WWE's Monday Night Raw. 

On a segment taped prior to last week's Raw event, Edwards was shown asking WWE Superstar John Cena to be the honorary started of this year's Daytona 500.

Some in the industry feel that any association with professional wrestling is a bad move and potentially damages the reputation of the sport, even going as far as to say it was "never a good thing."

While some may fear aligning too closely with the WWE could bring into question the legitimacy of NASCAR, they fail to see the larger picture, the similarities between the two industries and a potential to grow the fan base.  

Is is truly such a bad thing if the WWE and NASCAR have a business-to-business relationship?

Kenny Wallace Sees Flaws With NASCAR Nationwide Series

Kenny Wallace heads to Daytona set to begin his 23rd year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. His illustrious career dates back to 1988 when he made his first start for Dale Earnhardt Inc. at Martinsville, at the age of 24.

Now, Wallace is a series veteran and scheduled to make his 523rd career start in Daytona. Through his years in the sport, he has seen and learned a lot as the Nationwide Series has grown, contracted and morphed into the series it is today.

Always outspoken and never one to hold his tongue, Wallace sees a major flaw in the make up of the Nationwide Series - and it is not the Sprint Cup Series drivers.

Kurt Busch Working To Rebuild Career In 2012

The 2011 season was one of the most tumultuous years in Kurt Busch’s NASCAR career. The former Sprint Cup Series champion scored two victories and qualified for the Chase, yet had hostile incidents with his team throughout the course of the year and had confrontations with the media on multiple occasions.

The obviously talented driver had an obvious problem controlling his temper and his anger, both in and out of the car. Enough so, that an amateur video of a confrontation with veteran ESPN reporter Dr. Jerry Punch landed the driver in hot water with both NASCAR and Penske Racing.

It was not long before Penske Racing announced it had “mutually agreed” to a split with the driver, leaving Busch looking for a ride – and a second chance.

That second chance has come in the form of James Finch’s Phoenix Racing.

Busch will pilot the No. 51 Chevrolet for the 2012 season thanks to a “handshake deal” between owner and driver. Busch is looking for a second chance, and Finch is simply looking for the chance to compete.

2012 NASCAR Sprint Media Tour Highlights

Thursday afternoon the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Media Tour wrapped up with NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France's annual state of the sport address at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. However, the week was full of team visits, sponsor announcements, some baby news and an over-use of the word "excited."

There is a lot to work through from this week's Media Tour in Charlotte, and over the coming days and weeks, stories gathered from the numerous interviews and announcements will be coming your way.

For the time being, here are some of the biggest highlights from the week:

Furniture Row Racing: Think Of Us As Fourth RCR Car

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The Furniture Row Racing operation is perhaps the most unique in all of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Unlike the other full-time operations, Furniture Row’s "home base" is located in Denver, Colo. – a far cry from Race City, U.S.A.

Yet despite their separation for the rest of the sport, the team has been able to find success at the highest level of American motorsports. A lot of that success, though, is thanks to their partnership with Richard Childress Racing, a theme that echoed throughout their stop on the Sprint Cup Media Tour.

“Our relationship with RCR couldn’t possibly be any closer,” Competition Director Mark McArdle said. “Every aspect of their activities get communicated to us real time.”

Sadler And Gaughan To Split RCR's No. 33 In First Five Races

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Richard Childress Racing announced on Wednesday driver Elliot Sadler will run the No. 33 Chevrolet in the season-opening Daytona 500 with sponsorship from General Mills and Kroger.

After that event, Brendan Gaughan will climb behind the wheel of the No. 33 for the next four races with backing from South Point Casinos. Nationwide Series team manager Gil Martin will serve as crew chief for the car during the first five events.

Using the 2011 owner points, the No. 33 team will be locked into those first five races of the season and run the distance in each.

Harvicks Expecting

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Speculation raged late last season after the surprising merger of Kevin Harvick Inc. with Richard Childress Racing. Many pointed to potential marital problems between owners, not to mention husband and wife, Kevin and DeLana, as the "real" reason for the changes.

Yet, when asked about life after KHI Wednesday on the Media Tour, Harvick set things straight on why the couple decided to give up control of the company they had built from the ground to become a championship-caliber team - and the answer produced a surprise for most everyone in the room.