The Republican gubernatorial nominee has picked up at least $70,000 from executives and owners of car-racing businesses and their wives.

Donors include Brian France, CEO and chairman of NASCAR; Hendrick Corp. Chairman Rick Hendrick and his wife; Gillett Evernham Motorsports owner Ray Evernham; and team owner Felix Sabates.

McCrory has also received donations from Charles Ricks, Robert Rice and Scott Lampe, executives with Hendrick Motorsports; Greg Fornelli, president of Stock Car Steel; NASCAR executives Paul Brooks and Rex Caton; and Marcus Smith, who sits on the board of directors of Speedway Motorsports.

McCrory had a major fundraiser including NASCAR driver Brian Vickers and team owners Hendrick and Sabates in February, but he doesn't have the racing vote entirely locked up.

Democratic rival Beverly Perdue in October had a NASCAR fundraiser of her own, headlined by Hendrick, Sabates and Fornelli.

It's not clear whether the NASCAR folks have changed lanes or not.

State pay hike delayed

State employees won't get their pay raises right away, but they will get them.

Because Gov. Mike Easley didn't signed the budget until Wednesday, some agencies hadn't been able to include the 2.75 percent or $1,100 raises in the July paychecks.

Many employees are paid monthly, so the delay means they will have to wait weeks to see their higher salaries. However, state agencies are on different schedules, so the delay may not affect some employees.

Renee Hoffman, a spokeswoman for the Governor's Office, said the raises will be retroactive to July 1 and will be included in August paychecks.

It would not be the first time that raises were delayed for state employees. Last year, the budget was not sent to the governor until July 30, and in 2005 it did not reach him until Aug. 11.

"This is an exercise that state employees who have been around for a while are used to," she said.

Oh ... OK: Go Bev

State Treasurer Richard Moore has endorsed Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue for governor.

In an e-mail to supporters on Wednesday, Moore endorsed his former opponent for the Democratic nomination for governor.

"As you know, Bev Perdue and I had a tough, spirited primary campaign," he said. "And while the outcome was not what we had hoped for, one thing is clear: The differences between Bev Perdue and me pale in comparison to our differences with Pat McCrory."

The e-mail message came 71 days after the May 6 primary, 70 days after Easley endorsed Perdue and the failed Republican candidates endorsed McCrory, the GOP nominee, and 36 days after Moore told reporters he would support her campaign.

Obama airs third ad

Barack Obama's third TV ad to air in North Carolina since the primary focuses on foreign policy.

After a biographical ad and one on domestic policy, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee talks about the role of the United States in the world in his latest ad.

"We are a beacon of light around the world," he says. "At least that's what we can be again."

He notes his time working with Republican Sen. Dick Lugar of Indiana on legislation to reduce the stockpile of used nuclear weapons in other countries.

"The single most important national security threat that we face is nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists," he says.

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