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LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Beginning with the Daytona 500, DirecTV will offer fans the opportunity to watch races from the perspective of one of their favorite drivers.
With NASCAR Hot Pass, subscribers will be able to watch one of five channels with its own two-man announcing team and production crew.
The drivers available on the broadcasts at Daytona will be Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip.
DirecTV officials said it will take 72 people to pull off the feat, including audio people who will edit the communications between the drivers, their spotters and the pits in real time to make sure that off color or inappropriate language does not make it onto the broadcasts.
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DOLLARS AND SENSE: While young NASCAR stars like 2006 Rookie of the Year Denny Hamlin already own a million dollar motorhome and a private jet, David Gilliland is watching his pennies.
Gilliland, a virtual unknown who replaced Elliott Sadler in the No. 38 Robert Yates Racing Ford, is starting his first full season in the Cup after driving the final 15 races last season.
"I bought a motorhome, but it's not as fancy as the rest of them," said Gilliland, who drew attention from Cup owners with an upset victory in last year's Busch Series race at Kentucky. "I was just talking to my motorhome driver last night about how you could need more, but I'm saving a little bit.
"First and foremost, I want to make sure I can stay here."
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EXPERIENCED TEACHER: Ginn Racing has signed with Mark Martin Performance to oversee the company's driver development program, which includes Florida drivers Ricky Carmichael, Matt Martin and Matt Bowers.
The 27-year-old Carmichael is one of the all-time greats in motorcycle racing, the 15-year-old Martin is Mark Martin's son and Bowers is also 15.
Longtime NASCAR star Martin will work with the development drivers while they compete in the late model and super model divisions at Florida racetracks. Once the drivers graduate from Martin's tutelage, they will join Ginn's North Carolina-based development program that will include ARCA and Craftsman trucks.
Martin, who left Roush Racing after 19 years to cut back to a partial Cup schedule in 2007 with the Ginn team, said, "I love to compete and I love to teach. I know that it's going to be a lot of fun instructing a group of young drivers who share a passion for racing."
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SPARK PLUGS: General Motors officials say the new RO7 NASCAR engine is at least a month away from competition, citing "nagging problems" with the manifold and distribution of parts and pieces to all the teams. ... The odd-man out at the start of the 2007 season is Sterling Marlin, who finished 36th in car owner points last year. Only the top 35 from last year are guaranteed starting positions in the first five races of this season. After race five, NASCAR will use the current top 35 in points for determining qualifying eligibility.
