‘DaimlerChrysler’ to be dropped in title of Vegas race

Change was the buzzword before this year’s Nextel Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and another change is expected.

It won’t be on par with the additions of the infield’s Neon Garage, a closer pit road on the front stretch and the higher banked tri-oval.

But the change will be noticeable.

DaimlerChrysler will be dropped from the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 title pending finalization of the sale of 80 percent of Chrysler divisions to a private equity firm.

LVMS general manager Chris Powell said he expects a name change and should know by June what the 11th annual Las Vegas Cup race will be called.

He said the sponsorship with the company is good through at least 2008 but would not disclose the length of agreement.

“Continuity is important, but it’s not critical,” Powell said of a name change.

The race was the Las Vegas 400 in 1998 and 1999 and the Carsdirect.com 400 the following year before becoming the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400.

The dates for the race have not been officially set, but the race will be in early March.

Powell said the ticket renewal process for the Cup weekend is ongoing and that sales to the public will begin in August.

The change in ownership of the auto manufacturer will not affect its role in NASCAR, where sponsorship agreements with Cup teams are ensured contractually through at least 2009.

• INDY 500 — Veteran driver Stephan Gregoire, 38, crashed into the wall and broke his back Thursday during practice for the Indianapolis 500 but is expected to be released from Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis today.

An MRI exam showed a fracture of the third thoracic vertebra, according to an Indy Racing League official. …

Part-time NASCAR driver John Andretti, 44, will try to qualify this weekend for the May 27 Indy 500. The competition would be his first in the IRL, which began two years after his last appearance in an Indy car in 1994.

• NASCAR — Mark Martin has added three races to his part-time Cup schedule this year for Ginn Racing. His new events are in Pocono, Pa., Richmond, Va., and Dover, Del., for a total of 26 of the 36 races. …

The seven-member pit crew for Ryan Newman’s No. 12 Penske Racing Dodge won Wednesday’s Nextel Pit Crew Challenge in Charlotte, N.C., beating Bobby Labonte’s team in the final round.

Mark Martin’s No. 01 team was third, and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports crew for Kyle Busch was fourth.

The victory paid the No. 12 crew $70,300.

• DRAG RACING — Former NHRA official and current Division 7 track operator Dave Danish died Tuesday after suffering a heart attack May 11. He was 61.

Danish and wife Kathy managed the California Speedway dragstrip in Fontana, Calif., the past three years. They were to take over Southwestern International Raceway in Tucson, Ariz., this week. …

Hays Yergensen of Elsinore, Utah, won the Pro class finale Saturday night in the Jerry’s Nugget Championship Drag Racing Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s dragstrip.

In Super Pro, Roger Kato defeated John Dowd in the final round. Other winners were John Irving (Sportsman), Russell Odegaard (Motorcycle) and Gary Combs (Corvette Challenge). Irving’s son, Jon, won the high school division. …

Also on Saturday, Jr. Dragster age-group winners were Anthony Peterson (Thunder), Analisse Phillips (Jr. Novice) and Taylor Vetter (Lightning).

• SPORTS CARS — Tomas Enge will return to driving the No. 31 Ferrari F430 GT this weekend for Las Vegas-based Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning racing in the Utah Grand Prix in Tooele, Utah.

He was injured during a March 31 race.

The American Le Mans Series event runs today through Sunday.