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• Panthers Davis to be honorary pacecar driver for Coca-Cola 600: Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis' whirlwind year will take another turn - several left turns, actually - next weekend when the NFL's reigning Man of the Year drives the pace car at NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It's the latest experience in an offseason that's played out like a fantasy camp for Davis, who won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in January for his years of charitable work with children. Davis confirmed Wednesday he'll be behind the wheel of the pace car during Charlotte's Sprint race May 24. "I'm going to go as fast as they allow me to go," Davis said in a phone interview. Nationwide, the presenting sponsor of the Man of the Year Award, was scheduled to make the announcement Thursday morning. Davis will be certified Tuesday at the 1.5-mile oval. The process will include a short class, followed by a couple of laps around the track with a NASCAR official. Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose primary sponsor is Nationwide, will take Davis for a ride in Earnhardt's #88 Chevrolet. Davis can get some tips from Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who drove the pace car last year for NASCAR's Sprint All-Star Race in Charlotte. "Luke is my brother. We bounce everything off of each other," Davis said. "He was extremely excited to be pace car driver last year and I'm equally excited to be the one doing it this year."(Charlotte Observer)(5-14-2015)

  
  Getting ready to run a few laps @CLTMotorSpdwy with @ThomasDavisSDTM as my co-pilot. @nationwide88

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Car owners get access to new NASCAR Media Group data: Sports Business Journal reports that car owners have gained access to some of NASCAR Media Group's data, including an overview of its operations and some top-line financial information. Sports Business Journal, citing multiple sources, said in a story Monday that MWR co-owner Rob Kauffman discussed sharing information related to NASCAR Media Group to a larger group of team principles with Brent Dewar, NASCAR chief operating officer, to gain a better understanding of the unit. Kauffman, chairman of the Race Team Alliance, told Sports Business Journal: "There's definitely been an increase in communication. It's in everyone's interest because we're all in the sport together. There's been a better understanding between NASCAR and the teams of, 'Where are the costs? What are the big cost drivers? What are the revenue drivers? Where are there opportunities to save and grow?' And the only way you get that is by having fairly open dialogue. ... We're trying to work together to address an issue."(Sports Business Journal)(5-20-2015)