Nashville Cats

Hello, folks. I'm in Nashville today for the event known as Sprint Sound & Speed Presented by SunTrust. Check back later today for updates from NASCAR drivers and the latest gossip.

Among the drivers on the agenda are Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Aric Almirola, David Stremme, Reed Sorenson, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Michael Waltrip, as well as Darrell Waltrip and Ray Evernham. There should be some good stuff to come as the afternoon goes on.

For all the news from Nashville, go to: SPEEDtv.com

Ray Evernham, who has retired from a day-to-day role with Gillett Evernham Motorsports but still has a minority ownership interest in the team, said the wretched U.S. economic conditions could mean a further separation between the top four NASCAR teams and everyone else.

“The level of competition, you know, might end up being just between three or four owners,” Evernham said Saturday in Nashville. “It wasn’t that long ago that we had 18 or 19 different winners in a season. I’m just afraid that that’s not going to continue to happen. That’s something that I think NASCAR is trying to look at. I still in my heart believe the (Car of Tomorrow) is the right thing to do to help cut costs. What got out of control or raised the costs were certainly the bidding on driver salaries and bidding on crew-member salaries.”

Evernham, one of the most astute observers of NASCAR, may be right. Last year, the top four teams in NASCAR — Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Richard Childress Racing and Roush Fenway Racing — combined to win 32 of 36 Sprint Cup points races.

• • •

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday that he is enjoying life as a nightclub owner, having opened the popular Charlotte nightclub Whiskey River last year.

“I think I enjoy the bar the most,” Earnhardt said when asked about his far-flung business empire. “I’d always wanted to get involved in ownership of a nightclub of some sort, because I really enjoy the entertainment side of it and I enjoy the camaraderie. It’s kind of fun to be there and see the employees working and see them taking pride in what they’re doing, the meetings they have after every night, hearing everybody. … I take a lot of pride in it. I think it’s nice to see the employees and everyone working there taking the same amount of pride in it. That’s probably right now the most entertaining part for me.

Earnhardt said he plans to be at the bar tonight and next Saturday night. “Hopefully, I can raise a little hell,” he said.

• • •

NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Burney Lamar and his wife, supermodel Nikki Taylor said Saturday morning that they are expecting their first child.

The couple met during the 2006 edition of Sprint Sound & Speed Presented by SunTrust festival.

• • •

Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates driver Aric Almirola confirmed that his team has no sponsorship for its No. 8 car for 2009, but the plan is still to run the entire NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

“I talked with (team co-owners) Teresa (Earnhardt) and Chip (Ganassi) both and we’re committed to running the full season, so they say, come hell or high water, we’re going to race,” said Almirola. “And I’m excited about that, too, because it’s going to be the first opportunity for me to race every single weekend and get in a groove. So I’m excited about that, and I’m really looking forward to working with the guys on my team. I’ve got Doug Randolph coming over to be my crew chief and … a good majority of the guys from the No. 15 group last year.”

Almirola said the team is in no hurry to find a driver for its No. 41 car, which has sponsorship from Target. “That’s the thing that’s quite unique about this year,” Almirola said. “The owners are really in the catbird seat right now. There’s drivers out there begging for work. It’s not like you have to hurry up and hire somebody. There’s drivers out there, and you don’t even have to worry about it if you’re an owner.”