Names In The News

NASCAR Monday announced the official launch of "NASCAR Unites -- An American Salute," an initiative supporting U.S. military families. The program will begin Memorial Day Weekend (May 26-27) at Charlotte Motor Speedway and conclude Independence Day Weekend at Daytona Int'l Speedway (July 5-7). Activities will involve races, teams, partners and sponsors. Meanwhile, the NASCAR HOF yesterday announced its 25 nominees for the '13 class, 20 of whom return from last year's group. The five first-timers include former NASCAR Treasurer & Secretary ANNE BLEDSOE FRANCE as well as promoter and sponsorship exec RALPH SEAGRAVES (NASCAR).

CHARITY STRIPE: Mercedes-Benz USA Tuesday announced the company will commit $1.3M in '12 to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA, an organization that supports projects to improve the lives of youth through sports (Laureus Foundation USA)....The Cubs and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation Tuesday announced more than $1M in grants to non-profit organizations that serve those in the Chicago area (Cubs).

NAMES: The Holloywood Reporter named NBC’s BOB COSTAS and London Olympics Exec Producer JIM BELL to its list of the “35 Most Powerful People in Media.” Bell also serves as NBC's "TODAY" show Producer (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/20 issue)....A crew from "CBS THIS MORNING" was in Boston this week to tape a piece featuring actor DENIS LEARY in honor of Fenway Park's 100th anniversary. The segment will air April 20th, the same day the Red Sox will mark the occasion (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/12)....A Broward County (Fla.) Circuit Court judge ordered free agent WR PLAXICO BURRESS to "divulge his personal finances as a Miami woman seeks to collect $125,000 from him for a May 2008 car crash." A jury found Burress liable for that amount after a four-day trial in December (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 4/12)....Former NFLer JOE ANDRUZZI said that he is in the early stages of writing a biography about his career, which likely includes his "triumph over Burkitt's lymphoma" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/10)....A real estate company led by Padres Chair JOHN MOORES was set to close escrow yesterday on the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe in California. The purchase price could be in the "mid- to low-$30 million range" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/11).