Hamilton Jr. buys in to Sadler Racing: Earl Sadler gave Bobby Hamilton Jr. his first opportunity to drive a Nationwide car in 1998. Ten years later Hamilton has joined Sadler’s racing team again — as a co-owner. Hamilton said he has purchased 50% of the team, which will now be Sadler Hamilton Racing. The team plans on running a limited schedule of Nationwide, ARCA and Camping World races. Hamilton became part owner on Jan. 7, 2008 — the one-year anniversary of his father Bobby Hamilton’s death. Earl Sadler is celebrating his 25th year of having a race team this season. In recent years, the team has been a hobby for him, running a partial schedule of races. Hamilton said he hopes to help build the team into a full-fledged program by next year — either in ARCA, Nationwide or Craftsman Truck. Willie Allen has been signed for the Feb. 16 Camping World 300 — the Nationwide Series season opener at Daytona. Allen also will compete in the Camping World 150 race at the Music City Motorplex on July 19 for Sadler Hamilton Racing. Allen will team up with crew chief Danny Gill at Daytona. Gill was a crew chief for two races with Allen last year at Thorsport Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series. He also was the team’s competition director. Allen won the series’ rookie of the year in 2007. Hamilton said he plans to run in a limited number of ARCA and Camping World races this season. He also drives fulltime for Team Rensi Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. Sadler Racing has run in 57 Cup races, the last in 1998. (CSI PR)

 

Change not near in Sprint Cup age limit: NASCAR president Mike Helton said an age requirement change for the Sprint Cup Series is not imminent, but NASCAR officials still are considering 21 as the age rule for future entry into the series. "If we do this, we will give plenty of advance notice," Helton said Thursday. "And we would have an adjustment period before it was implemented." Some people have assumed the idea of making the change was directed at teenage racing phenom Joey Logano, who will compete in NASCAR's Nationwide Series when he turns 18 in May. Logano is considered a rising star who could compete in Cup next season when he's still 18. "This is not the Joey Logano rule," Helton said. "In fact, whatever we do probably wouldn't affect him." Helton didn't get specific, but it's possible some drivers under 21 would get grandfathered in if the change happens. It's also possible the change would not go into effect until after Logano turns 21. Sprint Cup does not have any drivers until 21 this season. But several current drivers were racing in the series before they turned 21, including Kyle Busch, Reed Sorenson, Brian Vickers and Kyle Petty. (NASCAR PR)

 

Hylton will not attempt the Daytona 500: The preliminary entry list for the Feb. 17 Daytona 500 includes 52 cars, but does not include James Hylton. The 73-year-old has decided not to compete in the season-opening Sprint Cup event after previously announcing his plans to attempt to run the race. He says that team owner John Carter had planned to have him a car for the race, but it didn't work out. Hylton planned to run as a teammate to #08-Carl Long under the E&M Motorsports banner, using Long's backup car in the Daytona 500. "They were building a new [car of tomorrow] car," he said Thursday during NASCAR Media Day at Daytona International Speedway. "I came down here and tested with Carl Long early on. Then they were building a backup car, and the plan was bring the backup car, and if he didn't need it, I was going to enter it and run in it." Hylton said that Carter has told him he will definitely have a car to enter in the July race at Daytona International Speedway and that he could run in some other Cup events as well. Hylton is entered in the Daytona ARCA race but must qualify for that race. He says his performance in that event could lead to more Cup racing down the road. (CSI PR)

 

Sponsor for Gilliland? It appears that Yates Racing has signed its first sponsor. Freecreditreport.com is expected to sponsor #38-David Gilliland for the first six races of the season.(CSI PR/YR PR)