Winston Salem-Journal to axe NASCAR writer

Rumor has it that on Tuesday, employees were notified by email that Mike Mulhern, the NASCAR beat writer the past 35 years, would be let go at the end of the Chase for the Cup in November.

The paper's management cited increased costs of travel and the changing face of NASCAR — no longer a SE regional operation — as contributing factors. Instead of paying for a reporter's expenses to Martinsville, North Wilkesboro, Rockingham, Darlington, Charlotte and Richmond twice a year, cities like Kansas City, Chicago, Fontana (Calif.), Dallas-Fort Worth have replaced old-line speedways, driving up travel expense costs.

The paper's management also said that RJ Reynolds no longer sponsoring the Winston Cup circuit, nor holding the annual Winston Cup Preview in Winston-Salem, made the NASCAR beat less important for the newspaper.

The paper's management said it will use the Associated Press and, when available, reports from other Media General newspapers (Martinsville, Richmond, Tampa) to fill the void created by Mulhern's dismissal.