USA TODAY's Nate Ryan reports NASCAR driver Tony Stewart "won't be competing" in this weekend's Sprint Cup Pure Michigan 400 in the wake of his involvement in a fatal crash last weekend. Jeff Burton will "drive Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet," but Stewart's sponsor lineup "remains intact." ExxonMobil spokesperson Christian Flathman on Thursday said that Mobil 1 "would remain on the No. 14 hood at Michigan" (USA TODAY, 8/15).
DEEP DISH SIDEKICK: In Chicago, Danny Ecker reported Basketball HOFer Scottie Pippen is "hopping on the Giordano's pizza bandwagon," and will "appear next week at the opening of a Giordano's takeout and delivery location" in Glenview, Ill. Pippen will "serve as a 'brand ambassador' for the company around the North Shore, though he will not have a formal endorsement deal with the company" (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 8/13). Bulls G Derrick Rose in '12 became an equity partner in the Chicago-based pizza chain (THE DAILY).
THE ART OF RAP: Broncos QB Peyton Manning appeared on Tuesday's edition of "NFL Live," with ESPN's Trey Wingo saying his DirecTV commercials with his brother, Giants QB Eli Manning, "have been pretty good." Wingo: "You went through a lot of wardrobe changes in that spot this year. What was your favorite outfit?" Manning: "I want it to be clear, those were all prop outfits. Eli brought his own outfit from home." Manning said the spot was "fun to do and Eli and I don’t get to spend enough time together" ("NFL Live," ESPN, 8/12).
