HIGH RESPECT FOR HELTON: In Daytona Beach, Godwin Kelly
notes NASCAR's promotion of Mike Helton to President,
replacing Bill France Jr. Kelly: "First, he [Helton] must
keep his finger on the pulse on NASCAR's core business,
which is racing competition, and second, he needs to nudge
the sport forward." Kelly writes that Helton's "youth and
energy, his willingness to listen to competitors, his
oratory and organizational skills and ability to make
rational decisions will weigh heavily in his future
success." Helton's promotion "was embraced by competitors
and track operators" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 11/30).
Joseph Mattioli, whose family founded and has operated
Pocono Raceway, on Helton: "As for Mike, I'd trust him with
my life. There's nobody I could think of who knows the
business and has the rapport in the garage area better than
him" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 11/30).
NEW POLICY: USA TODAY's Gordon Forbes reports that a
new "get-tough" policy negotiated last week by the NFL and
NFLPA states that any NFL team that "violates the salary-cap
system can be fined up to" $3.5M and forfeit up to two
first-round draft picks. Under the current CBA, the maximum
fine for cap violations is $2M. NFL Commissioner Paul
Tagliabue also was given the "power to suspend" a team exec
up to one year for circumventing the cap (USA TODAY, 11/30).
MIKE CHECK: New CFL Commissioner Michael Lysko said
that he will not "compromise the integrity" of the Grey Cup
championship game "in his search for sponsors." Lysko, on
possibly selling naming rights to the event, "That would be
a huge mistake" (MACLEAN'S, 12/4 issue).
