TBK-Light.com

In the second quarter, Office Depot lost $64 million, up from $29 million in the year-ago quarter as revenue fell 7 percent. The company had about $9 million in charges related to restructuring and improving future operating performance and about $24 million in a non-cash asset impairment charge.

I would like the username rgordon changed to Hank Hill. Its what I use on other forums, and rgordon quite honestly sounds stupid and has for awhile.

From the USA TODAY. According to their published report, Bruton Smith offered NASCAR's Bill France 4 million dollars to secure a second date at the new Texas Speedway. France replied it wasn't going to happen and Smiths efforts were "futile "(2-20-97)
Also just heard a rumor that Smith, who owned 1/4 of the Rock, has bought the whole thing and will take the Fall race to the Texas track??(2-24-97)

Rumor has it that the Texas Motor Speedway will host the 1998 Winston Select? This is supposedly a report from the Charlotte Observer(3-17-97). I also hear that the drivers do not like this track after the test last week(3-18-97).

What happened to Bruton Smith's big announcement? I hear he was set to announce the Winston Select would be moved to Texas in 1998 but the drivers got wind of the news and voiced their displeasure with having to be away from home and family for another week instead of being home most of May(4-5-97)

Rumors have surfaced again that Bruton Smith wants to hold an All-Star race similar to The Winston at Texas in November??(5-25-97)

SpeedNet Story: The hottest rumor in the garage area this week is that Bruton Smith is trying to buy the ARCA Series to give his empire its own sanctioning body. Smith already owns five race tracks, including Charlotte, Atlanta and Texas, and is aggressively pursuing the purchase of others. According to sources in the garage area, ARCA officials have told Smith they will sell if he can get NASCAR approval, which is unlikely. If Smith should purchase the ARCA Series, it would give him his own race officials should he decide to start a rival series. It would also give him the capacity to run a non-sanctioned race with Winston Cup drivers at his Texas track later this year. Smith has been asking Bill France for a second Texas date this season, but France refuses to budge. According to sources, Smith has threatened to run a second race at Texas the week most Winston Cup teams are in Japan for the second Suzuka Thunder 100(6-7-97)

The Area Auto Racing News out of Trenton, NJ reports this week in Monte Dutton's Winston Cup Series News that Bruton Smith has made an offer to Ron Drager to buy ARCA but sources close to Drager say he does not want to sell. The rumor also says if Smith does buy that Doyle Ford would be named to head ARCA. It was also said that Smith is trying to put together his own point fund for his tracks and much of this hinges on putting a TV deal together with the FOX Network(6-15-97)

I hear the rumors that Bruton Smith is buying the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) series are false. ARCA President Ron Drager has supposedly said that will not allow the series to be sold(6-25-97)

Ok, this is a crazy one and not sure what to think, if i didn't get it from a good source, I would have laughed it off and thrown it into the 'bad rumors folder': "BACE Motorsports at the request of Bruton Smith are testing a car on Wednesday at CMS with the roof cut off of it." Huh, why?? We'll find out soon enough(10-24-97)

I hear BACE will test the roofless car on Tuesday(10-28) and hear Bruton Smith may want to start a convertible class. Roll bars will remain intact but roof will be removed from top of windshield to the deck lid. The main concern is losing the roof flaps. Other rumors include something to do with NASCAR's 50th anniversary(10-25-97)

Randy LaJoie and BACE Motorsports ran around 10 laps in an old BACE Chevy with the roof cut off. LaJoie says it felt the same, which surprised him. He also did a few donuts at the the end of the test. The reason: Bruton Smith is considering running a convertible series as companion events to Winston Cup and wanted to see if it is feasible(RPM2Nite), MRN NASCAR Today reported that it was a concept car that Humpy Wheeler wanted to see in action(10-28-97)

"Are Bruton Smith and Tony George planning a separate stock-car series? Smith strongly denies that. However, there are reports that Smith and George do have something up their sleeves and could have a major announcement at one of their IRL events later this season. According to one report, a Thursday-night television package, possibly with Fox, is under consideration."(JournalNow)(4-19-98)

More on that proposed Bruton Smith-Tony George racing series: the engines would be standard NASCAR 358s with 12 to 1 compression, according to sources. The series might be used to provide companion races for George's IRL events.(JournalNow)(4-22-98)

Steve Smith of iRace reports: TONY JUST SAYS NO: One of the hot rumors making the Internet rounds is that IRL head Tony George and track magnate Bruton Smith (Charlotte, Atlanta, Texas, Bristol, etc.) are hatching plans for a stock car series that would directly compete with NASCAR, apparently with the Brickyard 400 becoming the Daytona of the new league. True, Tony? "Bruton called me today, and I meant to ask him about that -- I didn't know anything about it. But i didn't get a chance." So no discussion between you two about a stock car series? "No," George said.(4-23-98)

"NASCAR is taking the rumors of Bruton Smith and Tony George starting their own stock car series very seriously in private but will continue to blow it off in public. One scenario has Hooters as the title sponsor and them bringing their Hooters cup cars in as the originating model for rules etc. I am still very concerned over whether this will happen or not, but with the fiasco at Texas and NASCAR threatening to pull out of there Bruton may feel he has to make a move. It is going to be risky but entirely possible. There are too many good drivers in NASCAR for the number of starting position available. Well financed teams in both Winston Cup and BUSCH go home without racing every week and that could make a new series very attractive to sponsors who want exposure, not just showing up on the DNQ list once a week."(Bart's NASCAR Site)(4-27-98)

On TNN's Raceday Motorsports show Bruton Smith was interviewed by Rick Benjamin and said he is not going to start a new race organization(series) and is not part of any new race organization. Smith said he is involved with NASCAR and plans to stay involved.(TNN-Raceday)(5-10-98)

Sources in and around the NASCAR/Winston Cup garage area say there isn't a chance that Bruton Smith will ever spilt from NASCAR. In fact, drivers, team members, and notables in the NASCAR camp state "off the record" that this so called "Civil War" is a fable, a fairy tale, or quite simply a Disney Production want to be. It appears, that financially, the worst thing that could ever happen to Bruton Smith would be a change in NASCAR. You see, it is in Bruton's best interest, according to many, that NASCAR and NASCAR stock continue to be what they are, and that the growth continues, and continues, and continues, building that ever so important stock further and further up in the market. NASCAR's stock market value is Bruton's life boat. It has been said by many that Bruton is maxed out financially, and can not afford a split in NASCAR or a drop in the value of NASCAR stock. No, quite the contrary, the ever so talked about "war" between Bill France, Jr. and Bruton Smith could be devastating to Smith's racing investments, and future plans. Bruton Smith needs NASCAR, and many say that he has taken out mortgages, leans, and more, on well known racing properties, personal property, and more to support his two babies, Texas and Charlotte. Does it make sense? Well, in the grand scheme of things it makes more sense for Bruton to stay as a NASCAR ally, then to leave...but stranger things have happened.(Nancy-StockCarFans.com)(5-11-98)

Meh, not really a big upgrade from Hornish's current good form.

f u c k. When It comes to silly season, I only believe Jayski. Hopefully this isn't true.