Here is some of the news from the world of motorsports.



Dale Jr opened a can of worms when he stated earlier this week that given a chance he would block for teammate Jeff Gordon in today's Chase Finals. Openly admitting that he would violate NASCAR rules concerning the manipulation of race out come in order to help Jeff win one last title in his Gordon final full season race. Interesting since that it was blocking which caused his father his life at Daytona.




The State of Texas has cut part of it's funding of the USGP at the COTA. Under the original agreement the facility would receive $250 million over ten years from the State's tourism fund to help put on the race. The race's failure to meet attendance numbers projected in the agreement has caused the track to cut 20% from the yearly amount this season with more cuts projected in the future if the attendance numbers continue to fall. Not good news for the facility which is currently in a dispute with the city of Austin over a $7 million tax bill.



Staying on the COTA subject it seem the facility has not paid the $33 million hosting fee for this year's USGP Formula 1 race and does not have the funds to pay next year's either. the non payment of the fees leaves the future of the USGP in question, along with the long term future of the only FIA Class 1 facility in the US. The facility CEO Dial was let go earlier this fall after being on the job just 2 years.



Was just announced that Scott Pruett will team with Action Express for this year's 24 Hours of Daytona and at Sebring. Keeping alive Pruett's drive to break the record for most over all wins in the 24 Hours of Daytona. Pruett is currently tied with Porsche great Hurley Haywood at 5 overall wins at Daytona. Pruett's attempt to win a 6th overall victory seemed dim earlier this year when Ganassi announced they would be leaving the Prototype in 2016 to run the Ford Factory GTLM program. With 2016 being the final year for Ganassi's current DP car the team chose to go with a factory GTLM program this coming season instead of switching to the new Prototype formula in 2017. After Sebring Pruett will move on to drive the new Lexus GT3 entry in the GTD class for the remainder of the 2016 schedule.






The switch to a new world prototype formula has gotten a luke warm reception not only in the US but world wide. As international teams will be allow only to run one of four selected chassis and only one engine selection. And standard body work. While in the US the teams must run one of the four selected chassis but can select any approved engine and are able to run engine manufacturer specific body work. US teams wishing to run internationally can run their current engines which will be balanced of performance by the ACO, but must run the factory bodywork.



Historical Data with a modern twist. It seems that despite having the most dominating season in the history of NASCAR. Where he won 27 of the 49 races, including 10 in a row. If the current chase format was in use in 1967, Richard Petty would not have been the chase champion that season. That honor would have gone to Bobby Allison who won the final two races of the season. In fact with the way the chase is set up. A driver could win the first 35 of 36 races and finish second in the 36th and not win the title.