Sprint Cup car testing set for Las Vegas track

Fans won’t be able to watch the debut of the new NASCAR Sprint Cup car during next week’s two-day Goodyear tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

But they will get their chance in late January.

Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne and Travis Kvapil will participate in testing Tuesday and Wednesday, but testing both days is closed to the public.

However, NASCAR’s annual Preseason Thunder testing next month involves all Cup and Nationwide teams, and admission is free.

Cup drivers will have the Car of Tomorrow on the 1.5-mile speedway Jan. 28-29, and the cars from what had been the Busch Series will run the preceding two days.

Testing will prepare teams for the Nationwide Series Sam’s Town 300 on March 1 and the following day’s UAW-Dodge 400 in the Cup series. …

Sears Craftsman will not sponsor the NASCAR truck series after the 2008 season.

The series’ only sponsor since its inception in 1995 extended its contract with NASCAR in 2005 through 2010 but has opted out of the deal.

• DRAG RACING — Six-time NHRA champion Kenny Bern-stein announced this week he will not return next year to drive his Nitro Funny Car and will be replaced by Tommy Johnson Jr.

Bernstein, who has won 69 NHRA titles, will continue to own and manage the Funny Car team along with the Top Fuel dragster he fields for son Brandon.

Johnson, who drove this year for Don Prudhomme, has nine NHRA championships. …

The NHRA has formed the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series for nostalgia and restored race cars. The third event of the 14-race series will be May 2 to 4 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway dragstrip and will feature Nostalgia Funny Cars.

• DESERT RACING — Chuck Hovey of Escondido, Calif., dominated Saturday’s 240-mile Henderson’s Terrible 400 and clinched the car/truck championship in the Best in the Desert series.

Shawn Croll of Corona, Calif., finished second in the race, and Steve Olliges of Las Vegas was third.

Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0247.