IRL: Barrett allotted an hour on Thursday

Stanton Barrett will be allotted an hour of practice time Thursday morning to complete his Rookie Orientation Program for the Indy 500, according to IndyCar.com.

Our View: This is likely to add pressure to the former stuntman, but he has to complete phase four of the program before the IRL will allow him to attempt to qualify.

F1: Nakajima admits Toyota ties responsible for ride

Kazuki Nakajima has confirmed that his ties with Toyota helped secure his ride in F1, according to SpeedTV.com, but that is no guarantee he will endure.

Our View: Drivers "buying" rides into F1 is nothing new, but performance is still the key to success. More than any other sanction, however, the world championship is top heavy and you fantasy team should reflect that.

IRL: Rain cancels practice

Persistent rain has canceled practice at Indianapolis. Weather permitting, the track will re-open Thursday at 9:30 am.

Our View: In the big scheme of things, this won't matter much since there is plenty of time to get on the track in the month of May, but it could be crucial for rookie Stanton Barrett. He has not yet completed his Rookie Orientation Program, although Nelson Philippe did manage to finish phase four.

Martin to run fulltime in 2010

Mark Martin has signed on for another full season racing for Hendrick Motorsports, according to NASCAR.com.

Our View: There's nothing like running well to put a little more gas in the tanks. This takes a little pressure off winning the championship in 2009, which should improve Martin's odds on a weekly basis since 'relaxed' drivers are fast drivers.

F1: Mosley's son found dead

Alexander Mosley, son of F1 president Max Mosley, was found dead in his London apartment Tuesday afternoon, according to CBSSports.com. He was the victim of an apparent drug overdose.

Our View: Mosley has been under attack for quite some time, but auto racing fans will no doubt express their sympathy.

New Attitude, Same Lady

The Lady in Black freshened her makeup last year with a multimillion dollar repaving job, but she still has the same old attitude.

New pavement has temporarily softened this track's rough exterior, but the groove still lies right up against the retaining wall—and that makes this a tricky track to negotiate. The famed Darlington stripe comes from getting a little too close to the wall, which causes the Lady in Black to reach out and slap drivers for their effrontery.

While she is still as cantankerous as ever, Darlington will find that her suitors have a harder shell now than in the past. The new car design is much more durable than its older counterparts and will take a lot of damage before it stops being competitive. Last year, Kyle Busch bounced off the wall numerous times en route to victory. And last week, five drivers who finished 11th or better were involved in on track incidents. That means dark horses might do better at Darlington this year than ever before.

Join us at http://www.eventdaygames.com/ this week to play along with our unique fantasy game.

F1: Richards looks east

Former Benetton boss David Richards, is looking for backing from the Mid-East, now that Bahrain and Abu Dhabi are well represented on the Formula 1 calendar, according to SpeedTV.com.

Our View: F1 management has long said they are more interested in markets such as this than in North America. At least their efforts are starting to bear some fruit.

Nationwide: No. 77 crewman suspended

NASCAR has indefinitely suspended Richard Gray, a crew member of the No. 77 Nationwide team, for violating the sanction's substance abuse policy, according to NASCAR.com. This team has started only two races this season, with Peyton Sellars behind the wheel.

Our View: This is the second suspension this week. A crew member on the No. 90 Doug Stringer Craftsman Truck Series team was suspended earlier for loaning his credentials to someone else. This proves NASCAR is watching the big and small alike.

IRL: Tracy picks up where he left off

Paul Tracy has been missing from the Indy 500 for seven years, but he does not seem to have lost a beat. In practice on May 5, he lapped the track with a speed of 223.069 mph, according to IndyCar.com.

Our View: "Obviously, I've been doing this for so long, have a lot of experience at it," Tracy said. "It's not like I'm going there as a rookie, never seen the place, never been on a track like that. I've raced there a bunch of times, done lots of miles." Tracy could be one of the best new entrants in this week's fantasy game.