Auto notes: NASCAR sets consistent start times

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR will attempt to halt its sinking television ratings through consistent, earlier start times that appeal to longtime race fans.

NASCAR chairman Brian France said yesterday that Fox, ESPN / ABC and Turner agreed to the earlier start times after research showed "our core fans want to begin watching NASCAR a little earlier in the afternoon."

In 2010, the bulk of the schedule will start at 1 p.m. Eastern time next season, including the Daytona 500. In all, 28 races next season will begin earlier than they did this year.

Next season will have 20 races that begin at 1 p.m. Eastern. The West Coast races will begin at 3 p.m. ET, and night races will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The one exception will be the Coca-Cola 600 held on Memorial Day weekend. That race will maintain its 5:45 p.m. start.

The networks want to work with NASCAR to raise television ratings, which Sports Business Journal reported was down 4.5 percent from last season. Total viewership was down 6.4 percent, it said.

FORMULA ONE

Kubica to join Renault in 2010

PARIS -- Robert Kubica will drive for Formula One team Renault in 2010.

The 24-year-old Polish driver will replace Ferrari-bound Fernando Alonso and partner Romain Grosjean of France. Terms of the deal and the length of the contract were not released.

Kubica, who has driven for BMW Sauber since 2006, was a contender for last year's F1 championship.

BMW Sauber announced it was abandoning the sport at the end of this season.

Elsewhere

• Nelson Piquet Jr. is getting back on the track for the first time since his involvement in the Formula One crash scandal, test driving for NASCAR's pickup truck series next week.

The Brazilian driver, who was cleared of any wrongdoing in a Renault plot that saw the Brazilian crash his car to help teammate Fernando Alonso win a race last year, will take part in the one-day test for Red Horse Racing at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina on Monday.

Piquet will test with IndyCar Series driver Vitor Meira.