European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 6, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday april 62007 stars and stripes Page 35 the King pushing Lascar to franchise Petty sees Only one Way for straggling teams to survive by Hank a Tvrz or the associated press a car owner whose teams Are struggling to keep up with Multi car Meg teams seven time Champion Richard Petty has a so Lution to guarantee those who built Lascar stick around fran Chising i dont know if ill live Long enough to see it or not but it will probably happen someday said the Man still widely referred to As the King i think the Only thing in my mind that keeps Lascar from becoming a completely legitimate major league with golfing or football or baseball or whatever is being franchised Hes not alone son Kyle who runs the trocar Petty enterprises entry in the Sextel cup series and drives one of the cars and Veteran Ricky Rudd said ifs time Lascar gives Back to its teams Rudd like Kyle Petty under stands the situation As a Driver and As an owner from an owner standpoint i was pushing for franchising years ago when i had my teams be cause at the end of the Day we spent millions of dollars and we had an auction and got 10 cents on the dollars for All our parts he said this week at Richmond International raceway where he was testing his car for Robert Yates racing it was sort of a sad situation be cause you work you put All that sweat into it but it Doest really get you anything Rudd said it gives you a business for today but no planning for the future Man in so tickled that in not an owner right now the pettys Are and there hav ing a Tough time they Haven won a race since 1999 at Martins Ville Speedway and have just three victories since the 1983 sea son longtime racing team the Wood Brothers is also struggling winning five times since the 1983 season Nastars vice president of racing operations Steve Odonnell said the governing body has considered franchising and discussed it with team own ers the Challenge is what does a franchise mean in our sport and How can it Benefit everyone Odonnell said in an email to the associated press we Are different than the stick and Ball sports Competition not contracts dictates whether teams compete week in and week out he said so far no Model has been developed to ensure that the need to perform would remain a teams priority True Side by Side Competition from an owner standpoint i was pushing for franchising years ago when i had my teams because at the end of the Day Ive spent millions of dollars and we had an auction and got 10 cents on the dollars for All our parts a Ricky Rudd Sextel cup Driver is at the Root of Lascar he said and ifs important to be maintained that5s a week week concern for some struggling teams although Petty Driver Bobby Labonte is 22nd in Points and guaranteed a spot in the next race Kyle Petty is dangerously close to the top 35 cutoff for such guarantees Hes 32nd the Wood Brothers Are outside that top 35 As a Driver Kyle Petty said the 43 fastest cars should make the Field in the business world theres a totally different set of rules he said Call it sweat equity we put 60 years in Here and we deserve Steve seven time cup Champion Richard Petty is in favor of Lascar franchising in order to give some Long running but struggling teams a Chance to compete and survive in the future Lascar has considered franchising but when it would take effect and How it would be implemented remain questions for the governing body something Back for those 60 years the Wood Brothers de serve something Back for their 50 years Rudd who spent three seasons racing for the Wood Brothers said he sympathizes citing the experience of former Daytona 500 Champion Ward Burton who re turned full time this season i  want to be in his position for anything but All of us in this garage area could be very easily Rudd said of Burton who has failed to qualify for four of the first six races driving for mor Gan Mcclure motor sports Bur tons 47th in Points 273 behind no 35 Johnny Sauter you just  believe the Way it is for the car owner the team the Driver everybody he said of the stress the whole mentality when you go to the race track and youre in the top 35 is completely different than if youre 35th or 36th Sextel next race Samsung 500 at Texas motor Speedway fort Worth Texas april 15 pm get of extra last race Jimmie Johnson with stood teammate Jeff Gordons bump ing and banging for much of the last 53 maps and held him off by a front bumper to win for the third time in six Sextel cup races Par time Driver Mark Martin the next cup Points Leader going into the race took the weekend off and dropped All the Way Back to 15th Gordon took Over first place drive standings after 6 of 36 races 1 Jeff gordon966 2 Jeff Burton 938 3 Jimmie johnson906 4 Matt kenseth836 5 Kyle busch804 6 Denny Hamen 776 7 bowyer751 8 Tony stewart726 9 cart edwards710 20 Kevin harvick687 11 Date Earnhardt jr677 12 jawemcmurray650 13 David Strammer 645 14effiottsadter639 15 Mark Matin 629 16 Juan montoya625 17 Kurt busch624 18jjyetey616 19 David ragan589 19 Ryan newman589 Busch series this week Pepsi 300 at Lebanon Tenn pm saturday last race Carl Edwards held off hard charging teammate Matt Kenseth Over the final dozen laps to win the Sharpie mini 300 at Bristol motor Speedway last Yean Sextel cup Driver Kevin Harvick raced to his first Lascar Busch series Victory of the season taking the Lead with 52 laps to go and holding off teammate Clint Bowyer after a late caution Harvick finished 0504 seconds ahead of Bowyer his Richard Chil dress racing teammate in route to his 18th career Busch series Victory next race Oreilly 300 april 14 fort Worth Texas craftsman trucks last race Mike Skinner started on the pole and stayed out front nearly All Day at Martinsville a Speedway leading All but seven of 253 laps to win his third consecutive race coming off victories at California and Atlanta Skinner set a series record by leading 246 laps and won for the 22nd time in his career next race Oreilly Auto parts 250 april 28 Kansas City Kan for More coverage in do racing last race Helio Castr Neves cruised to an easy Victory running a nearly perfect race to win the Honda St Petersburg grand prix for the second straight year Castr Neves who started from the pole led for ail but five of the 100 laps on the 18mile Street circuit next race indy Japan 300 april 21 Suzuka formula one this wee a malaysian grand prix at Kuala Bumpur last race Kimi Raikkonen won in his first race for Ferrari dominating the sea so opening australian grand prix on March 18 for his 10th formula one Victory last year Giancarlo Fisichella finished ahead of Fernando Alonso As the pair gave Renault its second 12 finish Ever next race Bahrain grand prix april 15 a Whir chair cars this week vegas grand prix at Las vegas fast facts it will Mark the first time a major Auto race takes place on Las vegas City streets and the first time in 23 years that one was held close to the Las vegas strip next race Toyota grand prix of Long Beach april 15 standings for other series on Page 34