NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson has asked sponsor Lowe's to "change the color of his No. 48 car" heading into Saturday night's Sprint Cup Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, according to Jeff Gluck of USA TODAY. Johnson wanted to "dump the seemingly unlucky white paint scheme and restore the more successful blue." Lowe's used the "white lightning" paint scheme as an "alternate last year and then made it the primary look for this season, but it went 0-for-11 in 2014 -- often with poor results." For Johnson's three Cup wins this season, two "were a Kobalt Tools paint scheme and one was a Lowe's patriotic look." Johnson said, "I'm just excited to have a sponsor that's easy to talk to and willing to have a little fun with it and try to change the luck." Gluck notes when Lowe's is "on the No. 48 for the rest of this season, the car will be blue." Johnson has a "blue firesuit on order, too" (USA TODAY, 8/22).
LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE: NASCAR driver Tony Stewart will miss his third consecutive race weekend following the death of Kevin Ward Jr., and NBCSPORTS.com's Jerry Bonkowski speculated Stewart could return next weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Bass Pro Shops, one of Stewart's "biggest sponsors," has a "long history" with AMS. The Atlanta market also is "very significant" in Bass Pro Founder Johnny Morris’ "corporate structure." If and when Stewart is "going to come back to Sprint Cup racing, he’d do well to surround himself with as many friends and sponsors as he can, making Atlanta the perfect venue to do so." If anyone will "have Stewart’s back from a sponsor’s and friend’s standpoint, Morris would be it" (NBCSPORTS.com, 8/20).
