Patience is running thin at Michael Waltrip Racing. The owner wants to see improvement. The sponsor wants to see improvement. But perhaps the least patient man in the entire organization is the guy behind the wheel of the No. 56.

The bottom line in the state of the sport address delivered Thursday by NASCAR officials: 2011 was such a great year that the big challenge is building on the momentum it generated in 2012 without changing too much.

Dr. Joseph Mattioli, Pocono Raceway founder and chairman of the board, passed away Thursday at the Lehigh Valley Hospital Center, surrounded by his family, following a lengthy illness. He was 86.

This is Brad Keselowski's team now.

NASCAR's decision to forgo undisclosed fines and make such penalties public was met with early enthusiasm from drivers in the Sprint Cup Series.

Richard Petty Motorsports announced on Thursday the formation of a Nationwide Series team with driver Michael Annett and his long-time partner Pilot Flying J. The team will be run out of RPM's Concord, N.C. race shop and will vie for the Nationwide Series championship.

CONCORD, N.C. -- The secret can now be revealed: The main reason why Kevin Harvick decided to shut down his race team at the end of the season? Because wife, DeLana, is 14 weeks pregnant.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Tommy Baldwin Racing has expanded its Nationwide Series program with the addition of Ryan Truex and Bobby Santos, who will split driving duties with Ryan Blaney.

Trevor Bayne has a Daytona 500 championship ring, an electric smile, and a bright future in NASCAR's national divisions. What he doesn't have right now, though, is a full-time ride in the Nationwide Series for 2012.

In a nod to its commitment to the sport, American Ethanol announced Saturday at the NASCAR Preview fan event in Charlotte, N.C., that it will continue its relationship with Richard Childress Racing for the 2012 season.

Veteran crew chief Richie Wauters is taking the leap into Camping World Truck Series team ownership with the formation of Wauters Motorsports, which in 2012 will be driven by rookie of the year contender Paulie Harraka.

SS Green Light Racing announced Tuesday that 19-year-old late-model standout Ross Chastain will join the team for the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Under the guidance of owner and crew chief Bobby Dotter, Chastain will assume driving duties beginning with the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway next month.

KERNERSVILLE, N.C. -- Joe Denette Motorsports has announced that Terry "Richie" Snyder has been named crew chief for the No. 24 Made In USA Brand Chevrolet of Max Gresham for the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

RAB Racing with Brack Maggard has named Chris Rice as crew chief for John Wes Townley's No. 09 Toyota for the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.

Brad Keselowski Racing will make its next transitional step in 2012 as the team owner will run a handful of Camping World Truck Series races -- including the Daytona season opener -- as a teammate to Penske Racing development driver Parker Kligerman.