Keselowski called out Rick Hendrick and Joe Gibbs for “stealing away” employees and, therefore, information from Ford Sprint Cup teams, including his team, Penske Racing.

He said:

Hendrick and Gibbs have this nasty little habit of going to other teams and outbidding other people and taking those employees and stealing our information.

He added that when that happens, Ford teams are less willing to share information because when HMS and JGR poach employees, two teams are affected instead of one.

Keselowski cited two instances where he claims that Hendrick and Gibbs lured away employees with large contracts:

Gibbs stole the Roush aero director and took all the information and Hendrick took three employees from our Chase-winning team last year.

JGR and HMS were not too pleased to hear Keselowski’s comments. JGR issued a statement:

We were surprised to read the recent comments and accusations made by Brad Keselowski. Clearly those comments are misguided and irresponsible. Brad’s candor is well documented, but he would do well to only speak to subjects on which he is properly informed. … The individual he referenced in his comments was working outside of the sport of NASCAR at the time we hired him.

HMS owner Rick Hendrick said:

The comments Brad reportedly made were misinformed. The truth is that we hired one tire changer, who was a backup for Penske and whose contract was up. We also brought over one mechanic from their Nationwide program and, when the Penske engine shop was closing, added a few of those people. … Brad misrepresents the facts and spends a lot of time making insinuations and accusations about other teams when he should be focused on his own program and competing at a high level. I hope he figures that out and begins representing himself and the sport with more class.

Keselowski has never been one to mince words. He tends to say exactly what he is thinking, and this latest example is no different.

I appreciate Keselowski’s attitude and style because if nothing else, he’s genuine — never phony. But, his comments in this case sound more like those of a spoiled child who doesn’t understand business rather than defending Sprint Cup champion.

In any competitive environment, be it business or sports, organizations want to gain an advantage over their competitors. One way of doing that is to hire the guy who has been outperforming them. It’s not an underhanded tactic; it’s just a part of doing business.

It’s no different than AT&T hiring away a Verizon executive, or the New York Giants hiring away a Philadelphia Eagles assistance coach. It happens all the time, and is a part of doing business.

At the end of the day, Keselowski is entitled to his opinion, and I respect him for having the conviction to state his even when it might ruffle some feathers. But, in this case, I think Keselowski needs to do some research into normal business practices, so he’s better informed in the future.

Speaking to the Charlotte Observer, Hendrick said:

I’ve not been worried about it because we could sell it if we wanted to piecemeal it. We’ve been looking for the future. We don’t want to get into (sponsor relationships) where you see somebody one time and you don’t seem them anymore after that. I am very confident that in the next couple of weeks we should have not only this year (covered) but we should have a lot done for next year, too.

The No. 88 is currently sponsored by the National Guard, Diet Mountain Dew and AMP Energy.

Diet Mountain Dew scaled back the number of races the team sponsored this season. And, the National Guard sponsorship was threatened by a bill to cut military sponsorships. That bill did not pass, and the National Guard can still sponsor the team…for now.

The No. 88 has nine races without a sponsor this season. This deal could be for those nine races and beyond.

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Tom Lamb, Lowe’s chief marketing officer, said:

It has been a great ride with Jimmie since he started in the Cup Series 12 years ago. We are proud to sponsor one of the most elite teams and drivers in racing and have a five-time champion carry the Lowe’s brand each week.

Johnson said:

Lowe’s believed in me before I had any success. They are all I’ve ever known in my Sprint Cup career, and their support of me and the No. 48 team is second to none in the sport. We’ve been together for this crazy ride, and I’m so happy we’re continuing it together. They truly are family, and I’m proud to represent them.

Rick Hendrick added:

We caught lightning in a bottle with this combination. Jimmie and Chad have been successful because they always have a plan and do a great job executing. Lowe’s is the same way as a sponsor. The partnership has been incredible, and we’re looking forward to working together for many more years.

Hendrick said:

Lowe’s will be back. I don’t know where that came from, but they’ll be back. Wishful thinking, maybe, by some of the other folks, but they’ll be back.

Hendrick did note that the deal with Lowe’s is verbal at this point, but he said it is early and that he’s confident they will finalize it.

But, the team is not worried, as they don’t think it will be too hard to find sponsorship for NASCAR’s most popular driver. Hendrick says there is plenty of interest, but they’re looking for a sponsor who will work with the team beyond 2013.

Hendrick said:

The way we’re positioned, the car is covered until the end of the summer. I don’t have a deadline [for a deal]. I’m not looking at a timeline. I’m looking at the right deal.

He indicated that they’re close on two or three deals but nothing has been finalized.

The National Guard is set to sponsor the No. 88 for 20 races in 2013. Diet Mountain Dew sponsored the car for 16 races in 2012, but announced last season that they would be cutting back their sponsorship. 

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Richard Childress Racing expressed an interest in running Patrick in some N’Wide races, but Patrick’s management team preferred to run with Turner because Turner uses Hendrick-prepared Chevys, which are similar to what she will drive in the Sprint Cup Series at Stewart Haas Racing.

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Veteran Mike “Tiny” Houston has been hired as pit crew coach. He will oversee the development of the crew. Houston previous served as front tire carrier for Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 88 Chevy and driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. He also served in the same role with the No. 24 team and Jeff Gordon and the No. 48 team and Jimmie Johnson.

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On lap 312, as Bowyer went to pass Gordon on the inside, Gordon retaliated, turning Bowyer. Gordon and Bowyer collected Joey Logano, who was outside of Gordon, and all three cars hit the wall. All three cars suffered heavy damage. Aric Almirola spun behind them and slid into Joey Logano’s already-damaged race car.

After Gordon got out of his car in the garage area, some of the crew from the No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota team came over to voice their displeasure with his antics. A melee ensued between the crews with people being shoved to the ground. Bowyer hopped out of his car and ran back to the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports hauler to confront Gordon.

NASCAR officials prevented Bowyer from entering the No.  24 hauler.

After the melee, the two drivers were summoned to the NASCAR hauler. They also addressed the situation.

Gordon said:

Things have gotten escalated over the year and I have just had it. Clint (Bowyer) has run into me numerous times, wrecked me and he got into me on the back straightaway, pretty much ruined our day. I have had it, was fed up with it and got him back.

Bowyer said:

I mean the racing — it’s just a shame. The last person in the world you want to get into anything with is Jeff Gordon on the race track. I mean, you’re down there racing, the track’s extremely slick, we’re all on tires — I didn’t even need to pass him. That’s the thing. All I was doing is riding around biding my time. The only thing I had to do is keep the 5 car (Kasey Kahne) within reach, so for him to act like that — I mean, I barely touched him and then I feel him get into turn three and try to turn me and he missed and then next thing I know Brett’s (Griffin, spotter) telling me on the radio that he’s trying to — he’s waiting on me. It’s pretty embarrassing for a four-time champion — and what I consider one of the best this sport’s ever seen — to act like that is just completely ridiculous.

NASCAR later penalized Gordon for violating Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) – altercation with another competitor on the race track during the race. He has been fined $100,000, docked 25 championship driver points and put on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Rick Hendrick, owner of the No. 24 car, has also been penalized with the loss of 25 championship owner points. Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 24 car, was found to be in violation of Section 9-4A (at all events, crew chief assumes responsibility of his driver, car owner and team members) and has been placed on NASCAR probation until the end of the calendar year.

Bowyer’s crew chief Brian Pattie violated Sections 12-1 and 9-4A and has been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports issued a statement:

I’ve always respected Jeff for standing his ground. We also respect that NASCAR needs to police the sport and send a message when situations like this occur. It’s been a great year, and we’re going to put our focus on finishing in a positive way this weekend.

Gordon added:

I take responsibility for my actions on the racetrack. I accept NASCAR’s decision and look forward to ending the season on a high note at Homestead.

Michael Waltrip Racing also issued a statement:

The goal of Michael Waltrip Racing is to be a championship-level organization both on and off the track. The on-track incident which occurred during Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway was extremely disappointing and brought raw emotions of a long and hard championship battle to the surface. Though we generally cannot control certain actions on the track, the unfortunate reactions off the track Sunday did not live up to the professional standards in which Michael Waltrip Racing expects all of its representatives to live by. We commit to our sponsors, our manufacturer, our fans and NASCAR that we will do so in the future.

See the incident here:

Earnhardt Jr had an uphill climb in the championship battle without this setback, as he sits 11th in points, 51 behind points leader Brad Keselowski. Whatever slim shot he had at the championship before this news is now over.

Regan Smith will replace Earnhardt Jr in the No. 88 for the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Smith was slated to make his debut with Phoenix Racing in the No. 51 at Charlotte. No word as to whether or not that team will enter the Bank of America 500 or who the driver would be.

Update: AJ allmendinger will drive Phoenix Racing’s No. 51 at Charlotte.

Update 2: Dale Earnhardt Jr held a press conference. During that conference, he said:

We had a test at Kansas about five weeks ago, and we blew a right front tire going into Turn 1, and I remember everything about that accident and everything after that accident. You know your body, and you know how your mind works, and I knew something was just not quite right. But I decided to just try to push through and work through it. I’d had concussions before and knew exactly kind of what I was dealing with. I felt pretty good after a week or two and definitely 80, 90 percent by the time the Chase started, and by the time we got to Talladega I felt 100 percent, felt really good. And then the accident at the end of that race, I was hit in the left rear quarter panel, and it was sort of an odd kind of a collision where the car spun around really quick and just sort of disoriented me, and I knew that I had sort of regressed and had a bit of a setback.”

Team owner Rick Hendrick added:

[F]or these two guys to have the kind of year they’ve had, to lead the points and get in the Chase, we’ve got a lot of years left to race, I always want to be on the side of safety, and I applaud Dale for raising his hand and going in there and getting checked out.

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Under the new deal, AARP’s Drive to End Hunger campaign will appear on the car for 22 races annually through 2014.

Jo Ann Jenkins, of AARP, said:

We are excited to build on the great work of these last two years to help the nearly nine million older Americans who face the threat of hunger. With Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick, we have committed champions behind the wheel on and off the track.

Gordon added:

It has been an honor and a pleasure to be part of Driver to End Hunger these last two seasons. I’m excited to keep pushing in the fight against older adult hunger. Going around the country – especially during race weeks – I have been constantly reminded about the generosity of NASCAR fans. I got to see race fans reaching for their wallets, packing meals for local food banks, and texting donations to help millions of older Americans who face the threat of hunger every day.