Jacombs Racing set to introduce another international racing star to stock cars?

During the past year, Dave Jacombs has put Canadian open wheel stars Patrick Carpentier and Andrew Ranger behind the wheel of his stock cars. Former Canadian road racer (and former CASCAR competitor) Robin Buck has also driven for Jacombs Racing.

A hint on Jacombs' website indicates that the creative team owner is preparing to put Canadian two-wheel legend Miguel Duhamel into the seat of his #8 car. Over the past 12 months, no other team owner has done as much as Jacombs to put his series in the spotlight.

While You Were in the Cheap Seats

Go Phils!

IN VIVO Blog took in the Phillies-Giants game at Citizens Bank Park in Philly on Sunday. Hopefully our readers had better weather (though the game was excellent!). A few tidbits from the weekend ...

• It seems like Dr. John Buse's Congressional testimony on Wednesday will sure be interesting. The American Diabetes Association president-elect issued a statement on Friday (perhaps in an attempt to avoid mis-quotes), intended to be his only public communication until the testimony, that addresses the notion that GSK tried to silence his criticism of Avandia's risks in the past. NYT has the story, and Buse's statement.


• ASCO ... ASCO, ASCO. Have you heard, there's an oncology conference in Chicago? Lots of news from Pfizer, GSK, BMS and the rest. Covered well over at the WSJ's Health Blog.


• Wouldn't it be NICE? J&J has made the UK's National Institue for Clinical Excellence an offer it would be tough to refuse: the drugmaker will cover the cost of Velcade for patients who don't respond. The NIH would only pay when patients did well on the drug. Of course the details need to be ironed out. Full story at the FT. Hat tip Pharmalot.


• Insider at Pharmagossip highlights Big Pharma's latest new media problem: Youtube. He also directs us to this recent Simpsons excerpt: "Nappien activates your brain's napping centers, and attacks your body's awakegens."

Dale Jr. rumour: Jeff Hammond is saying he's going to sign with Joe Gibbs Racing, with sponsorship from VISA

FoxSports has the story here.

Analyst Jeff Hammond is reporting that within 10 days, Little E will sign with Joe Gibbs Racing, with primary sponsorship from VISA.

New N&O Poll of Wake County

This post will be brief, I have to go catch a plane in an hour, but make sure you see the N&O's newest poll from this morning's paper. It is a poll of Wake County residents on schools, taxes and growth issues conducted by Rasmussen (a fellow IVR pollster!).

I will write some more analysis later, but my initial reaction is that these results mirror the PPP's findings a number of the same topics.

OSCAAR: Kawartha Photo Gallery

Pee Wee Evans (#90) won the OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Model feature race at Kawartha Speedway last night. The evening was the season-opener for the Peterborough-area facility. Linc Brown won Late Model main. The stands and pits were packed, which was great to see. Below is a photo gallery from the night.



Photos by G. MacPherson / ITMN

Jazz IPO Fails to Generate Buzz

IN VIVO Blog prefers the strong stuff

Yikes.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals IPO price fell from an expected $24-26 to a hoped-for $20-21 to an actual $18 per share, raising only $108 million when it had banked on at least $150 million. This morning the stock traded down in its first session, losing about 5% as of noon ET.

We've addressed the vaguaries of IPO pricing in the past, here and, more recently and more optmistically, here. Jazz would have been one of our bets to succeed in the IPO market where others had failed, given its larger-than-average size and impressive pedigree.

But it wasn't all rosy. The NYT played up the risks associated with Jazz's Xyrem (a.k.a. GHB) in a piece the other day and noted the biotech was running out of dough. $108 million should give the company an extra year or so of cash (it burnt through $82 million last year) but falls plenty short of its backers' hopes. With a market cap shy of $500 million, it's unlikely backers like KKR (which owned nearly half the firm, pre-IPO, after its big participation in Jazz's $250 million Series B) feel they are getting enough bang for their buck, at least for now.

Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame is inviting nominations for consideration in 2007

The Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame is inviting nominations for consideration in 2007. To be considered for this year's inductions, nominations must be received by July 13th. This gives the Selection Committee time to ensure that there is enough information to make a fair evaluation.

Induction into the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame, now in its second year, is arguably the highest honour in Canadian motorcycling. In the inaugural year, 2006, twelve honourees were inducted at a gala celebration held May 6, 2006 in Toronto.

The 2007 Induction Banquet and Reunion, sponsored by the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada (MCC) will be held Saturday, October 27, near Toronto's Pearson International Airport. MCC is a founding patron of the Hall of Fame, and administrator of the foundation that is home to the Hall of Fame.

Selection Committee includes three Hall of Fame inducteesThe Board of the foundation has also appointed the members of the Selection Committee. These people are responsible for reviewing the nominations, ensuring that the submissions are complete, and then selecting a slate of the most deserving individuals and organizations.

Dave Lloyd, a director of the foundation and who served as General Manager last year, will serve as liaison from the Board to the Committee.

The members of the committee are:Dave Clancy, BCTony Cording, BCTom Faulds, OntarioRay Gref, Quebec (HoF inductee)Beverley Lee, OntarioGerry Marshall, Quebec (HoF inductee)Vada Seeds, OntarioBlair Sharpless, Ontario (HoF inductee)
The processNominations forms are available on the Hall of Fame website, or the MCC website. To be considered, they must be complete, and include enough supporting information for the committee to assess their merit. Once accepted, nominees are held on file until they are selected for induction, or five years expires.

Get the nomination form here

Diverse nominations are soughtNominations for all disciplines are encouraged. And, while competitive disciplines are obvious choices, the Hall of Fame encourages that clubs, rights advocates, volunteers and industry be considered.

"It's taken lots of people and lots of organizations to build this sport we love," says committee liaison Dave Lloyd. "We MUST recognize those who've made a real difference, whether it's on the track, on the trails, or at the table."

About the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame:

The Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame was founded in 2005, and the first twelve honourees were inducted on May 6, 2006.It is a program of the Canadian International Motorcycle Heritage Museum Foundation, a registered charitable organization incorporated in Ontario, Canada.It is administered by the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada, a national not-for-profit association of motorcyclists and motorcycling groups, federally incorporated.

From the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame