Full Throttle

With the retirement of Humpy Wheeler Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage has become, if not already, the Dean of NASCAR promotional hijinks.

Hell Gossage rose to his position as TMS president by accidentally setting his boss Bruton Smith on fire before 65,000 on lookers when working for Smith while still at at Charlotte.

He’s assembled an all-female pit crew.

Gossage had avid hunter Elliott Sadler, winner of the 2004 Samsung/RadioShack 500, challenge media members in a skeet shoot and in more recent times offered Dale Earnhardt Jr. $100,000 to run Texas Motor Speedway’s IndyCar Series Bombardier Learjet 550k last year.

With that as background I’m thinking Ryan Newman opened a door during Atlanta’s press availability Eddie just can’t refuse.

While discussing his plans for the upcoming off weekend, Ryan Newman mentioned that he would be attending a charity boxing match next weekend. He noted that he would not actually be boxing, just attending to help a friend.

Like a seasoned Congress Critter Ryan hemmed and hawed a bit but finally spit out former driver and current TV personality Jimmy Spencer as his preferred pugilist.

“He grew up around a junkyard; he’s got to have some fight in him,” Newman said. “Plus I know he’s thrown a few punches before.”

Why yes, he has. And oddly enough it was Kurt Busch who was sent for anger management classes because his face slammed into Spencer’s fist.

That history aside, you have to think if Gossage gets wind of Ryan’s pugilistic tendencies all roads leading to TMS next month will be lined with billboards offering ring space, Everlast Gloves and a bundle of cash for Spencer and Newman to step into the squared circle.

For the record, although Ryan is a pretty stocky guy with a linebackers neck, my money would be on Mr. Excitement in a close decision.