Watkins Glen notebook: Teen accepts Stewart's invitation

Santino Ferrucci, a 13-year-old kart racer from Woodbury, Conn., is one of America's most promising young driving talents.

Ferrucci was at Watkins Glen International this weekend as a guest of NASCAR Sprint Cup racer Tony Stewart. Ferrucci met Stewart during the Mobil 1 Car Swap in June at Watkins Glen, with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton swapping his Formula One car with Stewart's Cup car at the event.

Ferrucci has a picture of himself and Stewart on his Facebook page, but aspiring to race in NASCAR is not this teenager's goal.

"Trying to get to Formula One has been my dream since I was a kid," he said confidently. "I plan to take over Lewis Hamilton's ride when he retires."

It's a possibility. Ferrucci is a member of the McLaren Driver Development Program, which guided 2008 Formula One world champion Hamilton when he was the same age.

Ferrucci started racing karts at age 6 and has since won in every division that he has raced. On Sunday, he shared stories with a former karter, Glen front-row starter A.J. Allmendinger With his curly hair, Allmendinger said Ferrucci has an uncanny resemblance to Italian world motorcycle champion Valentino Rossi.

Ferrucci's next big test will be his debut in the World Karting finals in Rome in September.
Big race for Junior

With only five races to go before the field for the Chase for the Championship is determined, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one of the drivers battling for some of the final berths.

He entered this weekend 10th in points with 641, just one behind Tony Stewart and 23 ahead of Denny Hamlin. The top 10 in points, along with the drivers in positions 11 to 20 who have the most victories, qualify for the 10-race Chase.

Although Earnhardt isn't a big fan of road courses, he came into the weekend confident about his chances at Watkins Glen International.

"I feel good that we can come in here and do well," he said. "It's a tough track. And we've had our ups and downs here. But I feel like, given the right circumstances, we can come in here and do the job we need to do."

Earnhardt qualified 25th on Saturday.
Newman focuses on Cup

Ryan Newman is used to doing double duty at Watkins Glen International.

From 2005 up to last year, he drove in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series events here. That ended this weekend, when Newman sat out Saturday's Zippo 200 at The Glen.

Newman has run in just one Nationwide event this season, allowing him to focus on his Sprint Cup No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet.

After missing out on the Chase for the Sprint Cup qualifiers last season, Newman enters Monday's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen in eighth place in the points standings, and he has a victory at New Hampshire last month on his resume.

Newman won the 2005 Nationwide race here, and his best finish in Cup action at the Glen was a second-place finish to his current boss, Tony Stewart, in 2002.

"I enjoy the challenges of the road courses. Hustling the cars through the different corners is fun, and it's a nice break from our weekly oval races," he said. "The cars are bunched in the corners on a road course, and you have to avoid spins and getting knocked around. Staying on course is vital. Watkins Glen may not be as technical of a circuit as Sonoma, but trouble can happen at any time."

Newman will start from the sixth position Monday, one spot ahead of Stewart.
Pre-race festivities altered

Some things will be repeated from Sunday, and others won't for Monday's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen.

Twin Tiers Idol winner Taylor Acorn will again sing the national anthem, the Rev. David Fife from the Bentley Creek Wesleyan Church will again do the invocation, and the U.S. Air Force's 313 Recruiting Squadron Color Guard will again present colors.

Changes include Sam Fellows singing the Canadian national anthem. The son of Ron Fellows will follow Kim Divine, who sang the Canadian national anthem Sunday.

Also, the drivers' introductions will be skipped Monday.

Also, Casey Mears will move to the back of the 43-car field because of an engine change in his No. 13 Geico Toyota. He qualified 26th on Saturday.