Mackena Bell selected for Diversity Combine

Carson City racer Mackena Bell has been selected as one of the ten finalists in the Drive for Diversity Combine, and will have a ride with one of the Revolution Racing teams for 2010. Details were sketchy at press time, and I got a "no comment" from Mackena's mother Shannon Bell, due to a NASCAR-mandated confidentiality agreement. Bell will be relocating to Mooresville, North Carolina and racing at Eastern tracks, either in the Whelen Late Model series or the Camping World East series. As soon as I get more information, I will pass it along. Bell is one of five participants who were carried over from the 2009 season, with the other five selections all D4D rookies.

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While I'm in a congratulatory mood, kudos to Jenson Button and Brawn/Mercedes for clinching both the Formula 1 drivers' championship and the constructor's championship in Brazil last week. Next week's final race of the season, at the new Abu Dhabi track, will be somewhat anti-climactic, unfortunately. This was perhaps the most unusual F1 season I can recall in 40 years of following the sport. Brawn GP came out of nowhere to dominate the first half of the season, lost momentum midway, then came back to take both titles. And the normally dominant teams of McLaren/Mercedes and Ferrari never did come to grips with the 2009 regulations. Next season may provide more surprises yet, with more rules changes, three new teams, and the departure of BMW. Speaking of which, rumors are swirling about Kyle Busch possibly being one of the drivers for the new USGP team. If that happens (and I consider it a long shot), I'm sure he will also run a partial schedule in one or more of the NASCAR top series as well. F1 just doesn't have enough races in a season to suit Kyle.

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The NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship enters the second half of the 10-race shootout at Martinsville on Sunday. Qualifying was delayed by rain Friday, with Ryan Newman taking the pole. Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon qualified in the first two rows, but Jimmy Johnson will start back in 15th with Juan Pablo Montoya even further back. Martinsville is a tough track to pass at, so we could see another shakeup in the Chase points standings. Rain is predicted for today, which will impact not only the Cup practice, but also the Camping World Truck race. According to the weather service in Virginia, the best case scenario for the trucks is probably a rain delay, with the worst case being another Monday race. It seems as though weather has affected more NASCAR races this year than any in recent memory, with a lot of washed-out qualifying, rain delays, and even some Monday races.

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If you are up early Sunday morning, you might want to tune in to ESPN's "Outside the Lines" at 6 a.m. Jeremy Mayfield, who was suspended by NASCAR earlier this year for alleged methamphetamine use, will be interviewed one-on-one by Steve Delsohn. According to a preview of the show, Mayfield will charge that NASCAR is using him as an example to scare top-rank drivers who he says are using marijuana and cocaine. Mayfield was quoted in the preview as saying, "You use me as an example to let everybody know who may have already tested positive for marijuana, cocaine or whatever, that they haven't got anybody for, and it puts the fear of God in everybody in the whole sport. I was a good example, a good pawn who wasn't going to cost them any money at all. I was worth more to them as a failed drug test then I am as a driver, owner for my own team." Mayfield claims his positive test was due to a combination of Claritin-D, taken for allergies, and Adderall, prescribed for ADHD. NASCAR disputes the claim, and their subsequent tests showed high levels of methamphetamine, although Mayfield had other independent tests that were clean. It's an ugly situation that has been dormant now for some time. This ESPN interview is likely to bring it to a boil.