Tailgating: Nascar

Tyler Walker and the NASCAR Drug Testing Policy

2008-04-16T18:16:00.001-07:00

I don’t get this. I just came across this article from ESPN talking about Tyler Walker and how his suspension from NASCAR due to substance abuse dramatically changed his life. He mentioned that he felt sorry for the fans, sponsors and friends that supported him. I’m sure he also regrets not being able to display his skills in a NASCAR race track. Walker also added that he’s been sober for 10 months now (good for him).

But what struck me though was what he said that if NASCAR had a more stringent drug testing program when he first started racing, he would’ve cleaned up his act for fear of being caught. Now that got me thinking. Is he blaming the ineptness of NASCAR’s drug testing policy for his downfall here? I’m sure the system that NASCAR has in terms of drug testing is far from perfect but I don’t think they should be blamed for someone’s inability to control his (or her) problem. C’mon man, you already know what’s right and wrong, good and bad. I don’t think its right to point fingers at an institution and tell the people running it that “if they had stricter rules, you wouldn’t have taken drugs and you wouldn’t have been suspended.” You had a choice. The path taken may not have been the right one but it was a decision that came from you. It didn’t come from NASCAR.

I guess what I’m trying to drive at here is that I don’t think that the “alleged” incompetence of an organization’s drug system should be used as an excuse. As a person, it’s up to us decide what we think is good for us. If we happen to fall because of it, we should accept it as our fault and not put the blame on someone else and use it as an excuse for not being able to have enough self-control. Just say you were wrong and quit pointing fingers.

Sources: Espn, Wikipedia

Tyler Walker and the NASCAR Drug Testing Policy

2008-04-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Sources: Espn, Wikipedia

Racers Clamoring For More Improvements on NASCAR’s New Car

2008-04-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

Looks like a lot of drivers aren’t happy with how the new NASCAR race car (i.e. The Car of Tomorrow) is performing. Just ask Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart. The two most recognized drivers in NASCAR have been recently very vocal about how the car has performed on the race track. Johnson has stated that the car made it difficult for him to maneuver going into a corner and wants it to have more downforce and not be aero-dependent. Stewart on the other hand, has expressed dissatisfaction with how the tires perform.

But despite their complaints about the car’s performance and parts, both drivers can’t argue with the safety features that the car brings to the table. Take a look at Michael McDowell who managed to survive after colliding with a Turn 1 wall while using NASCAR’s new race car. It was like the car found a way for him to cheat death. That in itself gives NASCAR’s new car a thumbs-up in my book.

Personally, I’d stick it out with the new car despite what some drivers may say about its performance. Safety over performance matters, folks. If people believed in this and took it to heart, we probably wouldn’t have that much unwanted pregnancy and our planet wouldn’t be that overpopulated.

Sources: Sporting News, Athlonsports, CNN

FIA President Involved In Scandal

2008-04-07T18:14:00.000-07:00

As an ordinary person (meaning: common man, a nobody, regular folk, get it?), if you brag about your escapades with women to a friend, chances are, that friend of yours will turn green with envy, ask you how you did it and then find a way to do it himself. But if you just happen to be the president of a worldwide organization, chances are you’re going to end up being crucified or burned on a steak for getting yourself involved in this type of act. Well, that just happened to Max Mosley.

As the president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile or FIA, Max Mosley is responsible for looking out for the welfare of all international racing bodies and car users worldwide. He’s pretty much like a president of a country. So when you have this type of position and you get caught in a sex scandal, there are two things you can do. Step down or shoot yourself. Unfortunately, Mosley refuses to do both and insists on staying on as president until his term ends on 2009. The scandal, which was reported by The News of the World, stated that Mosley engaged in a Nazi role-playing sexual act with five prostitutes in an apartment. One of the women was dressed in a prison uniform and spoke in German. Wow, how kinky is that? The News of the World even posted a video of the act in their site but has since then removed it. In a letter sent to the officials of FIA, Mosley has stated that he will not step down and is asking for the sympathy and support of the organization. He also called the report released by The News of the World as a “wholly unwarranted invasion of my privacy” and that he plans on taking legal action.

Despite his intentions of staying as president, a number of people have clamored him to step down because of this act. Two of those who have been vocal about Mosley resigning are Jody Scheckter, the 1979 F1 champion and Jackie Stewart, three-time F1 champion. Given the gravity of the situation, I feel it would be best for Mosley to step down. Let’s face it. You already got caught, plus you admitted to doing it, so that pretty much says you’re guilty. So resigning would definitely help him save face and at the same time, free himself from the embarrassment of being ousted (possibly forcefully) from his post by FIA.

Sources: Sporting News, Wikipedia

Michael Waltrip On The Sway Bar Incident Involving Roush Racing

2008-04-03T20:56:00.000-07:00

“Accidents happen, mistakes happen. If you look inside this garage area today there's over 70 racing vehicles in here and stuff gets slung everywhere ... I could see why he would be upset. He feels like he was wronged and he's mad about it.”

- Michael Waltrip
NASCAR Driver and owner
of Michael Waltrip Racing

That’s right kids, accidents do happen. It’s just a normal everyday occurrence. So the next time you try to steal something from a friend of yours (or you were successful in your attempt) and you get caught, just tell mommy and daddy that it was an accident. Oh, and make sure that a tear drop rolls down your cheek for that added effect. That way, you won’t have to worry about incurring their wrath.

Sources:All About Auto, Espn, Wikipedia

Roush Livid About Recovered Sway Bar; Blames Toyota

2008-04-03T20:52:00.001-07:00

What started out as a regular inspection conducted by NASCAR and led to one team’s front sway bar surfacing at another team’s garage, has now escalated into a war between the two parties involved in the inspection.

Jack Roush, owner of the Roush Fenway Racing team is accusing one of Toyota’s racing team of theft for taking his team’s front sway bar, which initially was thought to be a spring of one of their cars. Roush president Geoff Smith initially confirmed that the recovered part was not a spring and continued that the car part allegedly ended getting mixed up with other Toyota parts during a tear down conducted by NASCAR inspectors. Upon discovering that the part wasn’t theirs, Toyota dutifully returned it to the Roush Fenway Racing team. But despite returning the car part, Jack Roush still expressed his anger in the ESPN Magazine released last March 7 stating: “We had a proprietary Roush Fenway part go missing from one of my race teams and we recovered it from a Toyota team. I'm not going to say which team it is, but we are considering legal action or getting NASCAR involved.” He even held a press conference last Friday where he again reiterated his accusation of theft against Toyota and where he finally revealed that the part that went missing was in fact a front sway bar.

Roush started to talk after hearing the comments made by Toyota’s Sprint Cup Series general manager Lee White at USA Today, regarding the debacle the team and their racer Carl Edwards were currently in. This prompted Roush to lash back at the White, where he brought up allegations about Toyota using jet fuel at last year’s Daytona 500.

White is currently looking into this missing part allegation as well and has refused to provide any comments pending further investigation. So far, NASCAR hasn’t had any involvement with this case citing that this has to be settled by the teams themselves. Hopefully this matter gets to be resolved soon since cases like these are something NASCAR can really do without.

Sources: Espn, USA Today

Roush Livid About Recovered Sway Bar; Blames Toyota

2008-04-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

Sources: Espn, USA Today

Dale Jarrett To Call It A Career After The All-Star Race

2008-03-25T18:39:00.000-07:00

One of NASCAR’s racing greats has finally decided to hang up his racing shoes after going at it for twenty-four years. And as a fitting way to cap his career, he’ll end it in the race track which almost finished his career before it even began.

Dale Jarrett, son of the legendary race car driver Ned Jarrett, has made up his mind in making this year’s All-Star Race, to be held at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this May, the last race course he’ll drive on. It was in this course that Jarrett’s career almost came to an immediate halt when an accident occurred during the race. With three laps remaining in the infamous 1980 race, Gene Glover accidentally blew up his car’s engine prompting Jarrett, who was trailing him, to collide with Glover’s car. Even though the accident was quite severe, Jarrett was lucky enough to escape only with a broken ankle. The funny part in all of this was that at the time of the accident, Jarrett was more concerned about whether he would be able play golf than being able to race again.

"They assured me I'd probably walk again," Jarrett said. "They weren't sure about golf, and that was a little upsetting at the time."

But despite his worries about whether he would still be able to play golf, Dale Jarrett recovered from the injury and returned to the track. The accident may have been a blessing in disguise since during the course of his career after the accident, he was able to win the 1999 points championship, collect three Daytona 500 championships, and amass a total thirty-two wins. Not only that, but his fear of not being able to play golf again was put to rest as he was still able to return to the playing field.

Before he hangs up his race boots for good, a tribute will be held for Dale Jarrett during the All-Star Weekend race festivities. He’ll be inducted into the Motor Speedways’ Court of Legends, along with his father Ned Jarrett. Even though this would end up being his last race, his competitive nature is still there, as he plans on trying to win the All-Star race and make it his first non-points event win ever.

So come this All-Star Race weekend, I’m placing my money on Dale Jarrett to take home the prize. Not only may we witness the possibility of Jarrett winning the race, but this will also mark the last time we see one of NASCAR’s greatest in the race track.

Sources: Fox Sports, Espn, Sports Illustrated

Burton Wins As Stewart Crashes This Year’s Food City 500 Sprint Cup

2008-03-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

Luck can really make things happen for you when you least expect it. That’s what happened to Jeff Burton and Tony Stewart at this year’s Food City 500 Sprint Cup held at the Bristol Motor Speedway. Luck was on Jeff Burton’s side as he was able to capture the win. However, luck wasn’t on Tony Stewart side as a costly decision not to change tires and an accident during the race cost him the opportunity of taking home the prize, leaving him to wallow at 14th place.

During the course of the race, Tony Stewart of Joe Gibbs Racing, was actually decimating the competition. He held the lead in a record-breaking 267 laps. But despite leading during the majority of the race, lady luck just could find a way to smile at him. During the laps 491 to 495, Stewart decided to have his tires changed after witnessing Brian Vicker’s tires break down and had him crash on the wall. However, his decision was overruled by his crew chief, Greg Zipadelli since there were only 11 laps remaining and Zipadelli felt that there weren’t enough laps left. Because of this decision, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin were able to catch up with him during the race. Harvick decided to make an attempt to overtake Stewart but came up short and instead bumped Stewart, causing him to collide against the wall, ultimately costing him the race. The accident prompted officials to call a two-lap overtime sprint, which Jeff Burton took advantage off and eventually won by edging out Hamlin.

Based on what happened, it seems that skill isn’t the only thing needed when it comes to winning a race. By the looks of it, having lady luck on your side definitely plays a big role in getting a win, isn’t that right Jeff?

Sources: Fox Sports, Sporting News, Fox Sports Bristol Weekend Images

Busch Wins Second Truck Series

2008-03-12T18:09:00.000-07:00

They said lightning doesn’t strike twice. Well the people who said that probably never met Kyle Busch, one of NASCAR’s talented and young race car drivers, who added another win during the recent Craftsman Truck Series. Kyle Busch netted his second win after dispatching Ron Hornaday Jr. during the American Commercial Lines 200, which was held last Friday at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. And it happened thanks to the great call made by his crew chief Richie Wauters.

During lap 112, Wauters called in Busch to the pit stop to change his tires since his truck was loose. This prompted the other race leaders, including Hornaday, to go to the pit stop one lap after. This left Busch, Chad McCumbee and Matt Crafton to fight for the top spot. Since the last two drivers failed to go to their respective pit stops and have their tires changed, Busch sped past the two to take the lead. Hornaday attempted to make a come back starting at lap 118 but failed to do so as Busch cruised decisively to victory during lap 127.

This marks Busch second win this year, making it a total of eight wins in the Craftsman Truck Series for the driver nicknamed “Rowdy.” Ron Hornaday Jr. came in second, Mike Skinner in third while Crafton, McCumbee, Jack Sprague, Ted Musgrave and Terry Cook rounded up the list.

So to those who said lightning doesn’t strike twice, well, I bet Kyle Busch has gotten you thinking twice after the win he just pulled off.

Sources: Espn, Sporting News

NASCAR Succumbs To Gordon’s Appeal

2008-03-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

NASCAR has been on a roll as of late when enforcing its rules and regulations. You’re underage? Well you can’t race. You left you’re oil reservoir cap open? Well, you’ll lose points, money, and your crew chief for six weeks. That pretty much sums up how NASCAR puts it foot down. But I’m sure they didn’t expect Robby Gordon to pull the rug from under them.

Robby Gordon, a one-man racing team, was initially penalized by NASCAR for using the wrong nose cover for his Dodge Charger at the Daytona 500. According to Gordon, representatives from Dodge had informed the Evernham Performance Parts (EPP) warehouse, the party responsible for providing him with his car parts, that the nose cover met the requirements set by NASCAR. This error cost Gordon and his team a deduction of 100 driver and owner points, which caused him to drop to 37th place in the standings. NASCAR also imposed a $100,000 fine and a six-week suspension on his crew chief Frank Kerr. All of this led to Gordon appealing to the NASCAR commission that punishment imposed on him was to severe since he was misled by Dodge into thinking that wrong nose cover he used had been approved by NASCAR. Much to Gordon’s delight, the commission agreed with him and returned the points deducted to him and lifted the suspension imposed on his crew chief. However, the commission did increase the fine from $100,000 to $150,000, probably to make up for the lifting of the other penalties previously imposed on Gordon. Gordon’s successful appeal over a NASCAR punishment marks the first time that a race car driver was able to score a victory against NASCAR officials.

Hopefully, NASCAR learns from this that not all race car drivers are out to cheat in order to succeed. Some just happen to be like Gordon, a race car driver who just happened to get the wrong part at the wrong time.

Sources: Top Speed, Espn

Edwards Win Marred By Controversy

2008-03-05T15:08:00.000-08:00

Carl Edwards is in a tight spot right now. You’d think that after winning the races held at Fontana and Las Vegas, it would be champagne and party for him and his crew. Well that’s not going to happen. Edwards and his crew apparently violated one of the rules set by NASCAR as a standard for their races, which is to have the car’s oil reservoir cover closed. NASCAR established this rule since an open or loose oil reservoir cover gives the car an aerodynamic advantage, albeit only a slight one. But regardless if it’s just a slight improvement, it still gives the race car driver an unfair edge against its competitors.

This isn’t the only violation of this type this year. Two weeks ago, an inspection was conducted by NASCAR officials and they found out that five nationwide teams violated the same ruling. The teams caught violating this rule was penalized by having 25 points taken away from them and their crew chiefs were suspended for six weeks and fined $15,000. But that’s about it. While NASCAR can impose punishments on the team and its crew, it can’t take away their win despite the violation. What NASCAR plans to do in case something like this occurs again, is to increase the gravity of the punishment to set an example to those who might have plans of violating the oil reservoir cover rule.

While it seems that Edwards got away with this violation since his wins are still secure, the punishment imposed by NASCAR definitely set him back a bit. A 25-point deduction caused him to fall in second at the Sprint Cup standings. Add to that deduction is the six-week suspension of his crew chief, Bob Osborne, the man responsible for helping Edwards win his last two races. Now that’s a big blow right there.

So, to those planning to pull a stunt like this in the near future, just remember the old saying folks: Crime doesn’t pay.

Sources: Espn, Office Depot Racing

Submerged Race Track Emerges

2008-03-03T23:50:00.000-08:00

We’re aware of NASCAR’s rich history and how it traces back its beginnings to the races held at Daytona Beach in the late 1920s and 1930s. But aside from Daytona , NASCAR also enjoyed a stint in Atlanta during the 1940s when races were held at the Gainesville Speedway. Located near the Chattahoochee River, this race track was used by the early legends of the sport until the Army Corps of Engineers in 1957 flooded it to create a 500,000 acre pond that would provide water for the people of Atlanta. Forgotten after the creation of the pond, the Gainesville Speedway languished underwater until a drought plaguing the city allowed the race track to rise again.

Since its emergence, the people of Atlanta have been visiting the speedway to catch a glimpse of history. Those who were able to experience the glamour of the Gainesville Speedway during its heyday drop by to remember the good old days when racing legends like Gober Sosebee, Roscoe Thompson, Spider Chumley, Bud Lunsford, Bobby Whitmire and Curtis Turner raced around the track. Back then, these race car drivers competed for a measly $500 cash prize, a far cry from what the present-day race car drivers take home after a big win. Even ticket prices were priced at just $2 for adults and $1 for kids, which was considerably less than the price you have to pay for tickets nowadays.

While the lure of catching a glimpse of racing history is attracting people from all over Atlanta to visit the Gainesville Speedway, they know that this attraction won’t last. Once the drought ends, this legendary race track will once again sink back into its watery grave, just like the lost city of Atlantis. But unlike its mythical counterpart, at least this legendary race track allowed the people of Atlanta to once again enjoy its company and reminisce of the good times of yesteryear.

Sources: Espn, Google Images, Wikipedia

Busch Takes The Truck Series

2008-02-27T17:26:00.000-08:00

You can’t blame Kyle Busch for feeling good about winning this year’s Craftsman Truck Series at the Auto Club Speedway held in Fontana, California. Victory was sweet for him, especially since Busch could’ve done it last 2001 had he not been kicked out of the race when was 16, due to a federal law prohibiting persons under 18 from joining an event sponsored by tobacco companies. That company was Marlboro, who was also sponsoring a CART event during the same weekend.

Now returning as a 22-year old, Busch ended up defeating Todd Bodine to capture the championship. This marked the first time that Busch, nicknamed Rowdy, raced in a truck in the Auto Club Speedway since his attempt to join last 2001.

Bodine led the race from Lap 58 to Lap 75 until a cloud cover hampered the handling of his truck, causing it to tighten up. That would put a stop to his lead and enabled Busch to take the lead at Lap 76. Busch didn’t look back from there and went on to take the lead in the final 10 laps. Bodine attempted to take back the lead but the scuffed tires placed in his truck during the last pit stop prevented him from doing so.

“This means the most to me than anything,” said Busch of his win this year, “In this race in 2001, I was kicked out of the racetrack. I probably could have sat on the pole and won the race that day.”

You can’t blame the kid for feeling this way. If he did race last 2001, there could’ve been a big possibility that he would’ve come home with the championship.

Sources:Sporting News, The Canadian Press

Edwards Conqures Auto Club 500

2008-02-26T22:21:00.000-08:00

“To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man!” Ric Flair made that phrase famous in wrestling. And Carl Edwards just made it famous for NASCAR by racing his way to victory at the Auto Club 500, held in Fontana California, over Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.

Coming from third place and driving his No. 99 Ford, Edwards won by outracing Johnson with 13 laps left in the race. Edwards came off the final pit stop and raced past teammate Jamie McMurray in lap 225, then past Jeff Gordon for second place in lap 233, and then finally met up with Johnson in lap 236. The two racers were tied for two laps until Edwards was able to pull away for the victory. It was a bitter loss for Johnson who was actually in the lead coming out of the final pit stop with 26 laps remaining. This victory is Edward’s first Auto Club 500 win and his seventh top 10 finish in eight starts.

While Johnson finished at second, his teammate Jeff Gordon placed himself at third despite leading the race last Sunday. Kyle Busch landed at the fourth place and Matt Kenseth, who won the last two February races, finished at fifth

Marred by rain, the Auto Club 500 was supposed to conclude on Sunday. The drivers waited for the rain to die out and the tracks to dry causing the race to be delayed for 2 ½ hours. But heavy rain prevented the drivers from finishing the race. Due to an hour-long downpour and a five-hour waiting after it ended, officials called it quits by 11 p.m. and decided to postpone the race for Monday. Due to the bad weather, a total of only 25,000 fans showed up for Monday’s race. The estimated number was set at 120,000.

So the next time you see Carl Edwards on the race track don’t be surprised to see him grinning from ear-to-ear because of this win.

Source: Yahoo News, Yahoo News Photos, Wikipedia

2008 Daytona 500 Scores!

2008-02-19T18:50:00.000-08:00

This year’s Daytona 500 scored big by drawing in the fifth-highest rating of all time for Fox. Aside from notching the fifth highest rating, the 2008 Daytona was the second highest-rated Daytona for television network. No surprise there. I mean, who wouldn’t tune in to see if Kevin Harvick could repeat last year’s win or if Mark Martin could finally achieve his dream of winning the big one. Plus you’ve got the other racers like the Busch brothers Kyle and Kurt, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson racing as well.

Anyway, based on the information provided by the Nielsen Media Research, an outstanding 17.8 million viewers watched the nationally televised race this year. The rating the Daytona 500 garnered this year showed significant improvement from last year’s race, which brought in around 17.5 million viewers. The 10.1/20 rating it got ranked no. 11 among prime time shows and is similar to the ratings garnered by the World Series. The 2008 rating even beat out the ratings earned by the following sports events: the NFL regular season, the NCAA Final Four, the NBA Finals, the final round of the Masters and the Kentucky Derby. All five events only managed to pull in an average rating of 8.4 to 9.7.

Aside from the record-breaking numbers it gave Fox, the 2008 Daytona also made history by being the fifth most watched race of all time. Also, based on the data gathered by network news, 33.5 million Americans tuned to watch at least a portion of the race. That’s how interesting and riveting this 2008 campaign was that you had to catch at least a part of it so you won’t feel left out of the loop. So, all together now: Hurrah!

Sources: Sporting News, Fox Sports, Just Marketing

Daytona 500 Has A “New Man” As Champ

2008-02-18T21:40:00.001-08:00

Ryan Newman is Daytona 500’s "new man". Ok that was a bad start but it’s true. Newman has etched his name in racing history by winning the 50th Daytona 500 last February 17 and by becoming the second non-Chevrolet driver to pull it off. Ward Burton was the last NASCAR driver to do it in 2002 by using a Dodge race car. Newman, who also won the IROC and ARCA series of the Daytona International Speedway, came close to winning the Daytona 500 last 2006 but fell short and had to settle for third.

Second place went to teammate Kurt Busch while the third place went to Tony Stewart. Stewart was actually in the lead but thanks to Busch’s assistance, Newman was able to overtake him and win the race. Talk about making a sacrifice. This marks Busch’s third runner-up placing in the Daytona 500.

Brother, Kyle Busch had a great showing but failed to capitalize on it and ended up in fourth place. Coming from the 24th place, Kyle surged to second place in 22 laps and managed to take the lead 86 times out of the 200 laps set for the race. However, his mistake of going below the yellow line as he headed into Turn 1 proved costly and allowed Tony Stewart to block and move past him.

Hampered by mechanical problems, last year’s winner Kevin Harvick had a disappointing finish and had to settle for 14th place.

As a result of his Daytona 500 win, Newman received a gold Harley J. Earl trophy. He was also part of the Daytona 500’s induction ceremony and had his car displayed for viewing until the next Daytona 500.

Sources: Daytona 500, Sporting News,Reuters

Mark Martin Eyeing 2008 Daytona 500 Win

2008-02-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

The 50th Daytona 500 is fast approaching folks. I’m starting to get all giddy here. I’m looking forward to a lot of things like how much of an impact Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make with Hendrick Motorsports, how Kyle Busch is going to exact revenge against the team who let him go and how the Car of Tomorrow will fare on the course. But one of those things that need to be looked into is the attempt of a 49-year old racing legend to win what he almost won last year.

Mark Martin almost had it. It was actually within his grasp. He was just seconds away from crossing the finish line of the last lap. If it wasn’t for that disastrous crash that happened behind him he would have had a chance. He was already in the lead. Some critics said that had NASCAR stopped the race while Martin was still running first, he probably would’ve been your Dayton 500 champion last year. But as the saying goes, not everything ends “happily ever after.” So the race went on and it was Kevin Harvick who would make the most out of the situation and conquer Daytona leaving Martin to wallow in second place. A lot of his contemporaries were rooting for him to win. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of them. Same goes for Dale Jarrett and Jeff Gordon. Who wouldn’t? It’s like watching your old man put on a show and almost conquer the young lions of his sport. It would’ve have been a nice fairy-tale ending for one of NASCAR’s legendary drivers.

But don’t count him out yet. Not just yet. Mark Martin wants to win it all this year. He wants to conquer the lions and take control of the Daytona 500 jungle. That’s the only desire fueling him this year to pull it off. That, and probably to have last year’s debacle erased from the memory of every NASCAR racing fan.

Source: ESPN

Nascar Mexico: Viva La Raza!

2008-02-12T17:44:00.000-08:00

Every time I hear something that involves Mexico or anything Mexican, I just can’t help but remember the late great Eddie Guerrero. His wrestling gimmick, which involves his "lie, cheat and steal" antics never fails to make me chuckle every time I get to watch him. That and his World Championship reign pretty much made him a household name. But it wasn’t always this good for him. Before he got to the top, he had to work his way up, just like everybody else. What I’m getting at here is that, to be able to establish yourself and cement your legacy, you need to work your butt off. Based on its track record, there’s possibility that NASCAR Mexico could be "pulling off an Eddie Guerrero."

The NASCAR Mexico Series has been running for five straight seasons and has garnered a following from its native Mexican fans. It boasts a load of talented drivers from Mexico vying to be the series’ top race car driver. Due to its increasing popularity, The NASCAR Mexico Series is now starting to enjoy wide coverage from media units and has been able to attract different sponsors for the race.

For this season, the biggest change is having the format revamped from being a non-points race to being a points-based race. There will be a total of 14 races which will take place in different venues in Mexico ranging from the Queretaro Autodrome, the Chiapas Autodrome, the Aguascalientes Autodrome, Bernardo Obregon Autodrome, the Miguel E. Abed Autodrome, Potosino Oval, the Monterrey Autodrome, the Zacatecas Autodrome and the Hermanos Rodriguez Autodrome course. 11 out of the 14 races will be done in oval tracks.

Last year, the NASCAR Mexico Series was won by Rafael Martinez at Mexico City by defeating Germain Quiroga. Look for Martinez to try to repeat again and for the other drivers to stop him from pulling it off.

Sources: Auto Racing 1

Ron Paul Rides NASCAR For Presidential Race

2008-02-05T00:10:00.001-08:00

The US Presidential race just gets better and better everyday. The two presidential hopefuls Senators Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton are on top of the Democrats list and are still making waves in the news. Democratic candidate John Edwards made headlines as well but not for beating out another candidate in a specific state but for dropping out of the race altogether. For the Republicans you’ve got their top three candidates Senator John Mccain, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Governor Mike Huckabee. Aside from the first three Republicans, another presidential hopeful included in the list is Dr. Ron Paul, a 10th term Congressman and physician. When campaigning in an election for this type of position, it helps you if you have some one or preferably, a group, to back you up. I mean, there’s nothing wrong in getting a little help from your friends right?

Well, luckily our good old doctor seems to have been able to find a group of people who are dedicated and willing to champion his cause. Now how can this be significant in a NASCAR related blog? Well, that’s because the group decided to use NASCAR as the theme for their campaign. Introducing Ron Paul Racing!

Now what’s this all about you ask? Well, the group was established in order to collect donations in order to be able to brand and sponsor a top 35 NASCAR car which will carry Dr. Ron Paul’s name and his campaign message. Their plan is to have this done before the Daytona 500 starts so that they can have the car included in the race. So far, their web site (ronpaulracing.com) has indicated that they are not collecting any donations at this time but are requesting for pledges of donations.

It’s touching when people rally to a candidate and show their support. I just can’t get over the image of Dr. Ron Paul lifting the White House with his hands. I can’t figure out if he’s happy to lift it like a trophy or if he wants to bash it on someone’s head.

Sources: Autoblog, Ron Paul Racing, CNN

New NASCAR And Gillette Contest Launched

2008-02-05T00:04:00.000-08:00

The Daytona 500 is nearly upon us. In a week's time, one of the most anticipated NASCAR events this year will begin. Due to the buzz and the hysteria it has been generating among race car aficionados, Gillette, through its Gillette Young Guns program, has a come up with a contest that will coincide with this big-time racing event.

The contest is called "Guess The Next Gillette Young Guns" which will end on February 8. Per the contest mechanics, one lucky fan will be the grand prize winner (wait for it, wait for it) of an all-expensed paid trip to Las Vegas including first class airfare, VIP helicopter and limo transportation, luxury suite accommodations for two nights, VIP tickets to the NASCAR Sprint cup race on March 2, spending money worth $5,000 and an exclusive meet-and-greet with a Gillette Young Gun driver. In order to qualify, the contestant must log in to their website GilletteYoungGuns.com and be able to predict the six drivers who will make up the 2008 Gillette Young Guns team. Aside from the grand prize, a first prize will also be given to one lucky contestant who will be able to take home a Gillette Young Guns Autographed Prize Pack which includes the following items: an autographed Gillette Young Gun authentic driver helmet and gloves, an autographed Gillette Young Gun shirt, hat and cooler. The weekly prize winners will get a leather driver jacket and a driver scanner headset. Daily prizes will also be given out to those who entered the trivia contest currently posted on their web site. Aside from the contest, the web site features videos, photo galleries and profiles of all the Gillette Young Gun drivers. The drivers that will comprise of the team this year will be announced on February 9 during Speedweeks at the Daytona International Speedway. The team will be competing in the Daytona 500 which will start on February 17.

Since it was put-up last November 2003, the Gillette Young Gun team has been able to capture four NASCAR cup championships and three Daytona 500 titles.

So, to all rabid NASCAR fans, this is your chance to be able to be treated like a VIP and catch your favorite racing sport live!

Sources: PR-Inside, Gillette Young Guns

Enhanced Rewards Program With Bank Of America

2008-01-29T00:25:00.000-08:00

Account holders under the NASCAR Banking program are in for a real treat. The Bank of America, NASCAR’s official bank, and the one responsible for the program has been able to acquire licensing agreements with some of the most popular racers in the Sprint Cup Series.

The following race car drivers were added to the growing list of racers associated with the NASCAR Banking program: Bill Elliott, Dario Franchitti, Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin, Juan Pablo Montoya, Reed Sorenson, Kenny Wallace and retired driver Rusty Wallace. Their image and likeness will appear on check cards and credit cards just like pioneer members Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr., and Paul Menard, along with the late Dale Earnhardt and the NASCAR logo.

The Bank of America has also stated that they will work on enhancing their NASCAR RacePoints rewards program, by adding more benefits like being able to meet their favorite race car drivers and have access behind-the-scenes. In order to avail of this reward program, customers under the NASCAR Banking program has to earn RacePoints by using their credit cards or personal check cards in completing everyday transactions like buying groceries or gas for their car.

Not only can members meet their favorite drivers, but they will also get the chance to exchange their rewards points and claim NASCAR licensed merchandise, tickets and even get to serve as an honorary starter for the Bank of America 500. To sign up and know more about the product, NASCAR fans can visit the Bank of America or log in at http://www.bankofamerica.com/myexpression or go to any NASCAR event.

“The loyalty NASCAR fans have for their favorite drivers is legendary. Much of this loyalty is attributed to the accessibility of NASCAR drivers. With the enhancements that we are making to our NASCAR Banking and RacePoints programs for the upcoming season, Bank of America is creating unique opportunities for fans to get closer than ever to the sport they love,” said Mike Hargrave, Motorsports Platform Executive of the Bank of America.

Established in May 2007, MyExpression NASCAR Banking Program is widely recognized as the only banking facility which features NASCAR drivers in their line of products including check cards, checks and credit cards.

Sources: CNN Money

Joey Logano Against Age Restriction In Cup Series

2008-01-29T00:20:00.000-08:00

NASCAR has already indicated that it plans on implementing a ruling wherein racers between 18 to 21 years will not be able to compete in Cup Series. Their rationale is that the drivers falling under this bracket might not be mature enough to handle the pressure that comes with being a NASCAR driver. However, not all are in agreement with this statement. Take Joey Logano for example.

Joey Logano is a 17-year old race car driver racing under the Joe Gibbs Racing banner. Coined their “child prodigy,” he and his team were expecting him to be able to make his nationwide debut on May 31 at the Dover International Speedway. However, if NASCAR has their way, it looks like he might have to wait a couple of more years.

"I like the way they have their system now, where you run short tracks [and are approved to advance to bigger tracks] by NASCAR officials," Logano said, "I feel it's a good way, but it's kind of out of my hands what we can do about it. Whatever happens, happens there."

A lot of people have been praising the abilities that Logano has at such a young age, including race car driver Mark Martin. Martin believes that Logano could compete and win in the next couple of years. This isn’t a surprise considering that his driving experience in terms of years almost rivals the experience of any veteran driver in the track since he’s been behind the wheel and competing at the age of six. Even Gibbs Racing team is pegging their hopes on him that he will one day become a superstar.

“It's a big deal for us, we've invested tons in Marc [Davis, another 17-year-old] and Joey," J.D. Gibbs said. "Our feeling on it is there's a good system in place -- if a guy's not ready, he's not mature enough, you don't go to the next track, you don't [advance] to the next series.”

It remains to be seen whether the age restriction will hamper Joey Logano’s dream to race nationwide this year or not. But if he and Gibbs Racing had their way, they would want to have the “child prodigy” racing in the track sooner rather than later.

Sources: Espn, Joe Gibbs Racing, augnews.com

NASCAR’s “Fine” Decision To Help Charity

2008-01-24T23:04:00.000-08:00

Fines are commonplace in all of professional sports from basketball, football, baseball to hockey. Every time a player does something wrong or commits an act deemed inappropriate and then subsequently earns the ire of league officials, they get fined. Depending on the gravity of the offense committed, the amount of the fine imposed on the player/s can range from minuscule to outrageous. Of course, NASCAR isn’t excluded from the list of sport associations that don’t impose fines. Over the years, NASCAR has imposed and collected numerous fines from race car drivers who had the guts (or lack of brain cells) to do something outrageous that goes against league rulings. However, the good part about NASCAR imposing fines now is what they plan to do with it after it’s collected. Effective this season, NASCAR has announced that all fines imposed on race car drivers will automatically go to the NASCAR Foundation.

During the previous seasons, the fines that were imposed on racers were collected and then given out at the end of the season to winners, giving them an advantage of actually getting back the money they lost. While the initial set-up seemed okay since not all who get fined are guaranteed to get their money back (but will only have an opening to do so), at least now, the money they lost will be used for a good cause since it will end up going to the charities sponsored by the NASCAR Foundation like Kyle and Pattie Petty’s Victory Junction Gang Camp and Speedway Children’s Charities and the other charitable institutions it supports.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France had this to say regarding the decision to have the fines donated to charity. “Now that the NASCAR Foundation is well established and supporting dozens of charitable organizations it is the logical place for fine money to be distributed.”

Added Sandy Marshall, executive director of the NASCAR Foundation,
“We are excited to be able to work with our charities and help them develop a program that will maximize the impact they can have with their organizations.”

Now you have to wonder how the NASCAR drivers will react to this. Will they end up calling their accountants to determine if the fines imposed on them, once donated to charity, could be tax-deductible? Or better yet, now that it benefits them, will these charitable institutions exert any means necessary to find ways to agitate the race car drivers in order for them to get fined? Now wouldn’t that be something?

Sources: autoblog.com, lasvegassun.com, scenedaily.com

Seat Safety Being Addressed; Lajoie All For It

2008-01-24T19:51:00.000-08:00

Racing is a risky business. Accidents are bound to happen which could result in injuries and in worst cases, death. Every race car driver competing knows this. As morbid as it sounds, it’s like having one foot in the grave. It’s because of this that one person took it upon himself to actively advocate and spread awareness about driver’s safety over the years. Now NASCAR has woken up and is taking steps to make safety for drivers a priority. God bless them for this.

Along with General Motors and a group of manufacturers who specialize in producing safety equipment, NASCAR held a meeting in order to address the safety needs of their race car drivers by improving the race car seat standards for all their vehicles at all levels. Among those who were invited to participate were Hendrick Motorsports, Randy Lajoie (the owner of The Joie of Seating), Richardson and HANS Performance Products and ISP. As per Lajoie, the discussions were held at the Delphi Facility and it primarily focused on preventing injuries to racers by correcting poor seat design, by using quality materials and ensuring proper installation.

Over the years, Randy Lajoie has been one of the advocates of promoting safety in NASCAR. He has shown support for this cause by touring the country last year with an interactive unit to create awareness on how it’s important for safety issues and features to be addressed and implemented in all NASCAR vehicles. Plans are in place for him to continue the tour this year as well. As a token of appreciation for his attempts to spread safety awareness and at the same time creating seats focusing on racing safety, the North Carolina Motorsports Association awarded Randy with their 2007 Industry Safety Innovation award.

Congratulations and hats-off to you Randy for taking up this cause. Hopefully this will strike a chord and make not only the drivers but the team owners aware of how important of an issue this is. And to NASCAR, let’s have those driver seats fixed!

Sources: speedtv.com, scenedaily.com

NASCAR To Raise Age Limit For Drivers

2008-01-21T19:37:00.000-08:00

If you think you’ve got the right skills to compete and be a NASCAR driver, you better make sure that you’re also of the right age. According to reports, NASCAR is considering raising the minimum age limit for a racer to compete from 18 to 21 years of age. As of press time, only two drivers have won Cup races before turning 21; Kyle Busch won at the age of 20 last 2005 in California and Donald Thomas won in 1952 in Lakewood at the same age. The rule change was done after NASCAR expressed concerns over the fact that the young drivers are being pushed into competing ahead of their time thus limiting their chances to grow and develop. However, this proposed ruling will not affect the racers between the age of 18 to 21 from competing in the Nationwide and Truck series. Now that’s what I call strict parenting. The only question now is, will this ruling stop young and aspiring drivers from actually faking documents just to get in?

Source: Espn

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

2008-01-21T19:32:00.000-08:00

It seems that Jewish NASCAR racer Joe Denning can’t get any sponsors to race. Despite having three top five finishes in 15 races, he just can’t seem to find any sponsorship. And all of this is happening because of a slight difference in religious beliefs. Okay, the guy is a Jew, so what? If he can race, I say put him in. Let him drive. If he was good enough to finish in the top five three times then doesn’t his credentials speak for itself? What’s sad about this is that some people even suggested that he convert to Christianity and he might end up doing better. Not only that but apparently, some of the people working in his crew have a tendency to discriminate as well. I’m not starting any type of movement here but can’t we just let the guy race and enjoy the sport he loves?

Sources: Jalopnik, Jon Denning

Comeback Kid

2008-01-10T17:25:00.000-08:00

That’s right kids, NASCAR is also a sport were comebacks can be made. Just ask Joe Gibbs who, after his stint with the NFL, has hinted on returning to Joe Gibbs Racing, the team he created in 1992. Gibbs tendered his resignation as head coach of the Washington Redskins on January 8, but according to reports, he may still stay on as a special adviser to Daniel Snyder, team owner of the Redskins.

Gibbs has not stated what type of role he will take upon his return but according to Kyle Busch, the newest driver under Joe Gibbs Racing, he would like to see Gibbs get involved directly with the team. "I think it would be pretty cool," Busch said. "(Crew chief Steve) Addington told me early today that whenever you really need something or want something, you'd just go to Joe, and he's like, 'Fine, do whatever you need. We'll figure out a way to pay for it later.' That will pay dividends for us, just being able to go out there and get what we need when we need it.” Wow, buy now, pay later. That’s nice.

Whether he wins an award for comeback of the year remains to be seen but given his track record of winning titles (four NFC titles, three SuperBowl titles and three NASCAR championships), winning the award and another NASCAR championship doesn’t seem far fetched.

Sources:

Sportingnews.com, Wikipedia, Yahoo

Garth Brooks and NASCAR team-up

2008-01-10T01:42:00.000-08:00

"These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do. One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you."

After their experience with comedic actor Will Ferrel and pop musical artist Kelly Clarkson, the NASCAR Foundation, an organization which has helped fund a number of charitable institutions, has decided to go country by having Garth Brooks as their celebrity spokesperson for their NASCAR Day activity entitled “Five Years of Caring” which will be held on May 16. Brooks will appear in print and broadcast ads to help raise funds for the charitable institutions associated with the foundation.

Mike Helton, NASCAR president and NASCAR Foundation board member thinks that getting Brooks was a "mighty fine" move on their end.

"It’s an honor to have Garth serve as the face of our 2008 NASCAR Day campaign. We are thrilled to have someone of Garth Brooks’ magnitude. He will be a great ambassador for NASCAR Fans, NASCAR Day and the NASCAR Foundation."

Let's just hope that NASCAR doesn't decide on having their racers go country as well and have them don cowboy boots.

Source:
PaddockTalk, macon.com , The Huffington Post

Finley Moves to Petty Enterprises as Technical Director

2008-01-05T16:10:00.000-08:00

Derrick Finley is the next to switch to Petty Enterprises after Jeff Meendering. Finley who has had years of racing experience behind him will soon assume the position of technical director in Petty Enterprises.

The position of technical director is an honor for Finley. According to Finley, “Petty Enterprises is the gold standard of stock car racing. Their legacy of success is unequaled. From top to bottom they have shown a commitment to return to the top of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and I am honored to be part of that process. In crew chiefs Jeff Meendering and Billy Wilburn, we have two of the brightest minds in the garage area. Both Bobby and Kyle had several strong runs last year. Everything is in place to build on those finishes and have an even better year in 2008”.

Finley boasts of an impressive 10 year long career in racing. As a child, he had watched his dad, Dana, race in sprint cars. Finley graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Mexico. After graduation, Finley’s cousin, Garth (who was then working in Nascar), introcuced him to Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt in turn, hired Finley as an engineer. Being an engineer in Earnhardt’s Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series was Finley’s first job. During his stint as engineer, Finley, together with driver Ron Hornaday, won the Cup at the Tucson Raceway Park in 1997. A month later Finley reaped his next win with Steve Park in the Busch Series. Out of Finley’s stay at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI), he had helped achieve a total of 23 wins, 9 poles, 57 top five and 83 top 10 finishes. It was also during his stint at DEI that he won three championships, two with Hornaday, both in the 1996 and 1997 Craftsman Truck Series and one with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the 1998 Busch Series Championship. It was in DEI where Finley first met Philippe Lopez and Darrell Waltrip.

Finley then moved into Travis Carter Racing in 1999. While in Travis Carter, Finley worked with the likes of Darrell Waltrip, Jimmy Spencer, Joe Nemecheck, Todd Bodine and Donnie Wingo. In 2003, Finley made the move to BelCar Racing where he served as crew chief. Halfway through the race season, Lopez, whom Finley met at DEI, asked him to join Bill Davis Racing (BDR). Finley moved to BDR and was crew chief till 2004 for the No 22 team with driver Scott Wimmer. This coming 2008 Finley will begin his career as technical director for Petty Enterprises.

Among his first responsibilities as technical director for Petty Enterprises include overseeing Bobby Labonte’s No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge and Kyle Petty’s No. 45 Wells Fargo/Marathon/PVA Dodge during the NASCAR Preseason Thunder testing at the Daytona International Speedway.

Petty Enterprises is pleased to have Finley on board. Robbie Loomis, Executive Vice President of Race Operations of Petty Enterprises, says, “Derrick brings a lot of experience to Petty Enterprises that will be tremendously valuable as the season draws near. He is an excellent engineer and he has been a successful crew chief. That is exactly the type of person we were looking for to supplement Jeff and Billy. We see Derrick as another key hire that will bolster an already strong foundation that we have here at Petty Enterprises.”

Source: Petty Enterprises hires Finley as technical director

2008 Sprint Sound and Speed

2008-01-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

The 2008 Sprint Sound and Speed gala is set to be held in Nashville, Tennessee on January 12 and you can be assured that Darrell Waltrip will be playing a very active role in making the event happen. The 2008 Sprint Cup Sound and Speed event will see a fusion of both country music and the NASCAR tradition. Hence the name, “sound” and “speed”.

According to Waltrip, NASCAR has recently seen a change in the genre of music that has come to be associated with the sport. In essence, it has moved far away from the music genre that it had originally started with – country music. Waltrip says, “Quite honestly, NASCAR has really in my view kind of gone in the wrong direction with their choice of artists and music that they use at some of the races. I think country music is more appropriate for what we do. So this is kind of a nice marriage of traditional old stuff that we've always done -- country music, racecars, drivers”.

Fans can expect the participation and presence of famous names from both the NASCAR racing circuit and the country music scene. Among the NASCAR celebrities include, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Juan Montoya, Richard Petty, Kyle Petty, Richard Childress, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray, Dave Blaney, Scott Wimmer, David Stremme, Darrell Waltrip and his younger brother Michael Waltrip. Representatives from the country music scene include Alan Jackson, who will be the star of the concert and special guests Taylor Swift and Jason Michael Carroll. Jackson is a famous country singer who has sold over 49 millions copies of his albums. He is also an avid fan of NASCAR and a car aficionado.

All proceeds from the event will go to Kyle and Pattie Petty’s Victory Junction Gang Camp, an organization that caters to children with medical conditions.

The day – long event called the Backstage Garage Pass will be held at the Sommet Center and a concert will follow at 8pm. Tickets are available at TicketMaster. The tickets to the Backstage Garage Pass cost $20 while the tickets to the concert are at $ 39.50. Tickets for both events come at a cheaper price of $ 54.50.

If you like supporting a good cause, country music is your thing, and racing is a passion. Then come on over to the Sommet Center for the 2008 Sound and Speed gala on January 12.

Source: Waltrip the driving force of annual Sound & Speed gala

Virginia Tech’s Coach Beamer is Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Grand Marshall

2008-01-02T17:33:00.000-08:00

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer will be the Goody Cool Orange 500 Grand Marshall at upcoming 2008 Sprint Cup at the Martinsville Speedway. Beamer was chosen as Grand Marshall for the opening of the Sprint Cup because of the remarkable job that he has been doing coaching Virginia Tech’s football team - the Hokies.

Coach Beamer is the most successful football coach in Virginia Tech. Under his leadership, the Hokies have won three Big East Championships and two ACC championships. Beamer was national coach of the year in 1999 and was ranked third in winnings among Division I coaches. As of present, Beamer’s Hokies are ranked fifth in the nation’s Orange Bowl. With his leadership, the players are bent on maintaining or exceeding that spot.

NASCAR upholds the excellent sportsmanship that happens in every aspect of sports and this is the reason for Beamer’s having been chosen as the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Grand Marshall. According to Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell, “It is real privilege for Coach Beamer to agree to be our Grand Marshal. He is truly one of the premier college football coaches in America. What he has done at Virginia Tech is legendary. And on top of that he’s a good guy that really enjoys NASCAR racing. We’re looking forward to a great day with Coach Beamer”.

While Beamer is a football coach by profession, he spends his spare time running races. He has twice been an honorary starter for the NASCAR Sprint Races and this is his first time to be Grand Marshall. Beamer is highly pleased with his appointment as Grand Marshall. He says that. “I’m very honored to be the Grand Marshal of the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. I think most people know how much I love racing, and I’m delighted by the honor.”

The Goody’s Cool Orange 500 sponsor seems to think that Beamer is the perfect Grand Marshall. His football team colors are orange and maroon and his team is set to compete at the Orange Bowl. According to Darren Singer, Vice President Marketing, Goody’s Headache Powders, “Coming off one of the most successful seasons of his illustrious career, Coach Beamer will be a huge hit as grand marshal of the 2008 Goody’s Cool Orange 500. With Virginia Tech going to the Orange Bowl this year, it is only fitting to have the Coach kick off the action at the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 with the most famous words in racing – ‘Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!’.”

The Goody’s Cool Orange 500 event will start – off the 2008 Sprint Cup. The event is named as such to feature Goody’s Headache Powders’ new orange flavor. Tickets will go on sale on March 30. You can purchase your tickets by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or you can buy them online. Ticket prices range from $ 42 to $ 77.

Source: Virginia Tech Football Coach Beamer Goody's Cool Orange 500 Grand Marshal

13 – year old Kameron Mills Sets Her Sights on NASCAR

2007-12-30T15:45:00.000-08:00

Talk about starting them young. In Coal City, West Virginia, a 13 year old by the name of Kameron Mills has been touring the US and competing in various race car competitions. Her performance is promising and that is a lot to say about a thirteen – year old behind the wheel. As early as now, the young and talented driver is setting her sights on moving up to NASCAR when she’ll be old enough to compete in stock car racing.

Kameron, an eight grader at the Independence Middle School, knew early on that she wanted to race. At age 6, when most kids were playing with Barbie dolls, she was running a go-kart around the tracks. Mills knew that racing was truly her passion. She says, “I’ve always liked going fast. I’ve met a lot of people and it’s just fun.”

From racing go – karts, Kameron will soon begin racing half –scale cars in 2008. When asked about the change, Kameron says, “It was kind of getting old. I want to eventually go into NASCAR, and we thought it was time to move up.” Her new ride will be a half – scale Nextel Mini Cup 680 which has the body of a Monte Carlo Super Sport, the same vehicle driven by both Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. Half –scale cars have body kits and interiors patterned after the full – sized NASCAR race cars but are at half the size. By February this year, Kameron and her family will be going to Florida during Speed Week. Kameron will be running a series of races at the Bronson Motor Speedway for the MMRA Series. If she performs well in the half –scale race car circuit, she will move on to the Baby Grand Race Car, which features NASCAR race car replicas which are two –thirds the size of the full –sized ones. The next move would be the Hooters Cup which Kameron hopes to race in when she turns 16. In the Hooters Cup, drivers race full –sized stock cars. The Hooters Cup is considered a stepping stone to making the move to NASCAR.

The young driver knows what she’s getting into. Despite the fact that there are more male drivers than female drivers, Kameron says she isn’t intimidated with the competition. She says, “It’s not just for guys”. She adds that she has more guy friends than female friends and that her friends consider her one of the guys.

Kameron appears to have a lot of things planned for the bright future. Thankfully, her parents David and D. Mills are very supportive of their daughter’s craft. Kameron’s dad serves as her pit crew and he takes care of the car’s maintenance during his free time. Even the sponsors have taken time out to notice this young, budding talent. Larry Addington, Kameron’s primary sponsor and owner of Appalachian Fuels in Ashland, Kentucky vows to support Kameron to “move up as far as possible”. He says, “She’s got all the opportunity in the world”.

It seems that Kameron is quite prepared to face the world of racing. With talent, and solid support, this is a racer girl who will definitely go places.

Sources: Teen sets sights on NASCAR

Z- Line Designs Links Up with Joe Gibbs Racing for 2008

2007-12-29T17:28:00.000-08:00

Z – Line Designs will renew its partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing in the 2008 Sprint Cup. Z – line designs is the “nation’s leading import manufacturer of home office, home entertainment and home décor ready-to-assemble furniture”. The company will sponsor eleven races with Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch. The drivers will be driving a Z- Line Designs Toyota Camry with the No. 18 having six races in it and the No. 20 having five races in it.

Z- Line Designs wishes to increase recall for the brand by being a visible sponsor for one of the sport’s most popular race car drivers. According to Jim Sexton, president and CEO of Z-Line Designs, “Z-Line Designs is proud to continue its relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing. With Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch driving our cars, and as spokespeople for our brand, we feel confident that we can continue to make Z-Line Designs top of mind among NASCAR’s fans. We’ll continue to build our brand through our sponsorship with the strong relationships Z-Line has with its vendors.” Likewise, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) welcomes Z- Line Designs into their team. According to J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR, “We’re thrilled to have Z-Lines Designs return as a sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing. They’re one of the premier furniture manufacturers in the world, and we feel JGR has provided them with three of the premier drivers in NASCAR to represent them in 2008. It should be a winning combination.”

Tony Stewart, two – time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, will be the first to drive the No. 20 Z-Line Designs Toyota at the California Speedway in Fontana. Hamlin, the second place finisher at the 2007 Nationwide Series owner point standings, will be driving the Z-Line Designs Toyota on March 15 at Bristol Motor Speedway, April 11 at Phoenix International Raceway and May 2 at Richmond International Raceway. Busch, who has just been recently signed on to JGR, will be driving the Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry on March 22 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, July 11 at Chicagoland Speedway, July 26 at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Aug. 22 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Aug. 30 at California Speedway, Sept. 20 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway and Nov. 15 in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Source: Z-Line Renews NASCAR Sponsorship

Carrier is Crew Chief for No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge

2007-12-27T18:54:00.000-08:00

Chris Carrier will join Penske Racing this 2008 as crew chief for the No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge team in the 2008 Sprint Cup Series. He will be working closely with Sam Hornish, the No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge race car driver. Hornish is a new addition to NASCAR. He will be coming from the Indianapolis 500 and will be making the move to NASCAR in 2008. The 2008 Sprint Cup will be the first partnership for Carrier and Hornish.

Hornish is sure to be in good hands with Carrier as his crew chief. Carrier, a 47 – year old native of Bristol, Tennessee has an impressive resume to boast of. He is a “a veteran of more than 30 years in racing [and] has been a winning crew chief in NASCAR's top three levels of competition”. Prior to joining Penske Racing, Carrier was with Morgan-McClure Motorsports for the past couple of years. He has worked with famous racing names such as Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant and Bobby Allison.

Carrier has a very optimistic outlook about his move to Penske Racing. He says, “I'm very excited about joining the team at Penske Racing. I know there's a lot of good, talented people at Penske Racing and I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone and I plan to take full advantage of their resources and knowledge while also giving as much as I can back to the team. I've been fortunate to work with a number of great drivers through the years and I think that experience will help as we work with Sam to reach his goals in NASCAR.”

Both Hornish and Carrier will be joined by David Elenz as the No 77 Mobil 1 Dodge race engineer. Elenz is as competitive as the rest of the members of his team are. Elenz started his racing career when he was 14, helping out at the local racing team owned by Ed Whitaker. He became crew chief at 18 and it was also during this time that he had his first racing win. Elenz was with Whitaker racing for a couple of years and directed the team’s Busch series races. He joined Andrew Petree Racing in 1998 as crew chief and won his first Cup with race car driver Joe Nemecheck at the North Carolina Speedway in November 2001. In addition to his twenty – plus victories in the Busch series, Elenz also helped driver Tony Stewart and the Petree team take home the victory at Richmond in 2003.

Hornish has great hopes for the stellar team that he is being given as he enters to NASCAR. He says, “It's going to be great working with Chris and David because they have so much experience at this level of racing. As I complete the transition to Cup racing, it's great to have such a veteran support staff to rely on”.

Source: Carrier named crew chief for Penske's No. 77 team

NASCAR Nextel Cup 2007 Quiz

2007-12-26T17:35:00.000-08:00

Here’s a little something I chanced upon while browsing through some NASCAR news. The 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup may have been over but fans need not stop there. About.com’s Steve McCormick has prepared a little NASCAR pop quiz to keep those NASCAR aficionado brain cells active and working. The pop quiz features five levels – easy, medium, hard, very hard and expert. Here is the quiz in its entirety.

Question 1

What NASCAR Nextel cup driver was barred from racing in the 2007 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway after disobeying NASCAR officials during the Busch series race in Montréal?

a) Juan Pablo Montoya

b) Robby Gordon

c) Kurt Busch

d) Greg Biffle

e) Kevin Harvick

Question 2

Who was the only driver to enter the 2007 Chase for the Cup without a 2007 victory? Hint: this racer quickly remedied that by winning the 2007 Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway.

a) Denny Hamlin

b) Jamie McMurray

c) Kyle Busch

d) Clint Bowyer

e) Greg Biffle

Question 3

In April Texas Motor Speedway finally saw a repeat winner. Who won the 2007 Samsung 500 to become the only two-time Texas winner in the 11 year history of Texas Motor Speedway?

a) Jimmie Johnson

b) Matt Kenseth

c) Tony Stewart

d) Jeff Gordon

e) Jeff Burton

Question 4

Which former NASCAR champion was shut out of the first half of the season, not winning until the series visited Chicagoland Speedway in July?

a) Jeff Gordon

b) Kurt Busch

c) Tony Stewart

d) Matt Kenseth

e) Jimmie Johnson

Question 5

Jeff Gordon made history at Phoenix international Raceway in April. Gordon scored his 76th win in Phoenix which moved him into a tie on the all time NASCAR win list with what NASCAR legend?

a) Richard Petty

b) b) David Pearson

c) c) Darrell Waltrip

d) Dale Earnhardt Sr.

e) Bobby Allison

Question 6

The 2007 Daytona 500 featured a thrilling finish as two drivers crossed the finish line side-by-side. Kevin Harvick picked up the win. Who did he beat by just .02 seconds?

a) Jeff Burton

b) Mark Martin

c) Carl Edwards

d) Jeff Gordon

e) Jimmie Johnson

Question 7

The 2007 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway was won by a rookie. Which promising rookie won the first race of his Nextel cup career on the twisty Sonoma California track?

a) Casey Mears

b) b) Juan Pablo Montoya

c) David Ragan

d) Paul Menard

e) A.J. Allmendinger

Question 8

The car of tomorrow made its NASCAR Nextel cup debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in March of 2007. Which driver won that historic race by just half a car length to become the first driver to ever win with the new body style?

a) Kyle Busch

b) Kurt Busch

c) Greg Biffle

d) Jimmie Johnson

e) Denny Hamlin

Question 9

Which young driver used fuel mileage to pick up the first win of his NASCAR Nextel cup career at the 2007 Coca-Cola 600?

a) Casey Mears

b) b) Juan Pablo Montoya

c) c) David Ragan

d) d) Clint Bowyer

e) e) Martin Truex Jr.

Question 10

Which legendary NASCAR short track was reconfigured during the 2007 season completely changing the dynamics of the racing there?

a) Martinsville Speedway

b) Richmond International Raceway

c) Bristol Motor Speedway

d) North Wilkesboro Raceway

e) Dover International Speedway

Question 11

Who was declared the 2007 Raybestos Rookie of the Year?

a) A.J. Allmendinger

b) David Ragan

c) Juan Pablo Montoya

d) David Reutimann

e) Paul Menard

Question 12

Who led the NASCAR Nextel cup series with seven poles during the 2007 season?

a) Jimmie Johnson

b) b) Jeff Gordon

c) Ryan Newman

d) Clint Bowyer

e) Tony Stewart

Question 13

Which driver was the model of consistency in 2007 with an incredible 30 top 10 finishes during the 36 race season?

a) Jimmie Johnson

b) Jeff Gordon

c) Tony Stewart

d) Matt Kenseth

e) Denny Hamlin

Question 14

Which young driver picked up the first win of his career at Dover International Raceway in June. Which driver claimed his first career victory in 2007 Autism Speaks 400?

a) Casey Mears

b) b) Juan Pablo Montoya

c) David Ragan

d) Clint Bowyer

e) Martin Truex Jr.

Question 15

The 2007 NASCAR season started out with controversy in Daytona. Which driver set an all-time NASCAR record for the most severe penalty when his intake manifold failed Daytona 500 post-qualifying inspection?

a) A.J. Allmendinger

b) Greg Biffle

c) Michael Waltrip

d) Jimmie Johnson

e) Jeff Gordon

Those are all 15 questions from McCormick’s site. For a more interactive quizzing experience and the answers to the questions, simply go to this website. The questions written in this post may be arranged randomly and differently in the website.

Source: About.com's Nascar Quiz

Points Swap between Busch and Hornish, Approved

2007-12-23T16:11:00.000-08:00

Penske Racing’s plans to transfer owner points from Kurt Busch to Sam Hornish, has recently been agreed to by NASCAR. Kurt Busch, who joined Penske Racing last 2005, has a track record of good races and stellar performances. Hornish, a three – time Indinanapolis 500 racing champion will be moving to NASCAR and joining Penske Racing next season. A grateful Hornish thanked Busch for his generosity during the Penske holiday party.

Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR, had signed the agreement for Penske. Bud Denker, senior vice president of Penske Racing, believes that the move would greatly help Hornish’s entry into stock car racing. He says, “``This would obviously help Sam as he prepares to run the first five races…With a champion like Kurt Busch and the opportunity to utilize (the points), anyone would be foolish to not take care of the situation.”

The decision to transfer owner points from Kurt Busch to Sam Hornish was done in an effort to give Hornish a better chance at qualifying for the first five races. NASCAR has seen many newbie race car drivers, who missed early races and never recovered. The points swap was done in an effort to ensure that Hornish will be able to race competitively in his first full Sprint Cup season.

Penske Racing believes that the points swap will give Hornish an advantage over open – wheel drivers like Jacques Villeneuve and Patrick Carpentier.

Source: NASCAR allows Penske to swap owner points between Busch and Hornish

Kasey Kahne Due in Court for Misdemeanor Charges

2007-12-21T00:20:00.000-08:00

Kasey Kahne is due to appear in court on January 8, 2008 for a misdemeanor battery charge involving a Homestead – Miami Speedway security guard. The incident happened last November 16, 2007.

The race car driver allegedly shoved a security guard to the ground in a confrontation at the Homestead – Miami Speedway. Kahne and his brother, Kale were seen by security guard, Archibald Hutchinson, and a Monroe County deputy sheriff, trying to enter the Homestead – Miami Speedway motorhome. The guard and the deputy sheriff stopped both Kahne and his brother and asked them to present an ID. According to Hutchinson’s police report, “One of the occupants of the vehicle wearing a bright-colored jumpsuit became belligerent and refused to produce [an] ID.” The guard said that Kasey Kahne attempted to drive past from him and the county sheriff. Kahne then got out of the golf cart, and berated the guard before shoving him to the ground. The guard said “without saying another word shove(d) me with great force from which I landed on my back and left shoulder on the entrance pavement”. Hutchinson was later treated and released from the track's infield care center.

Kahne’s brother Kale, disproves the security guard’s statement by stating that, “He (Kasey) said, 'I am going to walk to my motor home then’. One guard got in front of Kasey and grabbed him and said that you are not going anywhere. ... Kasey pushed his hands off of him. The guard lost balance and fell to the ground.” Kahne’s Gillett Evernham Motorsports home team is behind their driver, 100 percent. According to Ric Russell, president of the Gillett Evernham Motorsports, “The alleged action in this case is not consistent with the Kasey Kahne we know. It is unfortunate the issue has progressed to this point. We support our driver, Kasey Kahne, and have complete confidence in the legal process.”

Despite this statement from Kahne’s camp, the witnesses, all of them law enforcers, gave statements that supported and bolstered Hutchinson’s claim. If proven guilty, Kahne is slated to pay $ 1 000 dollars fine and to spend one year in jail.

Let this be a reminder that people will reap what they sow and hot headedness will do nothing but waste time, effort and money. The world is a lot better off without violence. If things can be talked over, then I encourage everyone to try to be diplomatic about it.

Source: Kahne sued over shoving incident with speedway guard

Points Swap between Busch and Hornish, Approved

2007-12-20T16:30:00.000-08:00

Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR, had signed the agreement for Penske. Bud Denker, senior vice president of Penske Racing, believes that the move would greatly help Hornish’s entry into stock car racing. He says, “``This would obviously help Sam as he prepares to run the first five races…With a champion like Kurt Busch and the opportunity to utilize (the points), anyone would be foolish to not take care of the situation.”

The decision to transfer owner points from Kurt Busch to Sam Hornish was done in an effort to give Hornish a better chance at qualifying for the first five races. NASCAR has seen many newbie race car drivers, who missed early races and never recovered. The points swap was done in an effort to ensure that Hornish will be able to race competitively in his first full Sprint Cup season.

Penske Racing believes that the points swap will give Hornish an advantage over open – wheel drivers like Jacques Villeneuve and Patrick Carpentier.

Source: NASCAR allows Penske to swap owner points between Busch and Hornish

Schumacher wins over Johnson in ROC

2007-12-20T00:03:00.000-08:00

Michael Schumacher has won over NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson in last Sunday’s ROC. Schumacher, touted as the world’s best driver most certainly did not disappoint spectators and racing experts by winning the quarter – finals.

The American team, composed of Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana, were outrun by the German Team, Michael Schumacher and Sebastien Vettel. Prior to the race, Johnson felt that he might not be able to drive a rally car that well. Being used to stock cars in NASCAR, this would be a rare time for Johnson to handle a four – wheel drive.

Once the race kicked off, Schumacher had outrun Johnson by a large percentage. Johnson was obviously miffed by the results of the race. He says, “Hell yeah I'm [upset] -- I want to win. I went out and did all that I could. I just do not understand the four-wheel drive, hand brake, rally car driving. I don't have a lot of experience at it, and to show the level that he showed in the car, I think he's had some days in it. He certainly navigated.” In the course of the race, Johnson would sometimes mistakenly grab the hand brake instead of the gear shift, causing him to stall for quite a number of times.

Schumacher defends himself by saying that he hasn’t ridden the cars before the competition. The statement was quite the truth as Schumacher would stall in the same four wheel drive type car later on. Schumacher says, “I didn't get so well along with the rally car. I need some open wheels. They spin more easily for me.”

Despite feeling a bit down about the outcome, Johnson believes Schumacher deserved his win. He is quoted saying, “"Even guys in the drivers' room were like, 'That's pretty good for an asphalt guy driving like a Pro Rally guy,'. But he did an awesome job. I wasn't even close.”

Johnson’s teammate, Travis Pastrana, however, kept the spirit alive for the US Team. In a round of racing Aston Martins, Pastrana outrun Germany’s Sebastien Vettel. Pastrana went on to compete with Schumacher. But Schumacher still won over Pastrana.

When asked about what happened during the race, Pastrana recounts, that he “drove too fast” and kept “overshooting corners and braking marks”. Pastrana himself is amazed by Schumacher’s driving ability. He says, “He's definitely not overrated. The more pressure, the better I usually do. But I definitely overdrove the car. If it was someone I thought I could definitely beat by just driving consistently, I would have had a much better run. But honestly, I didn't think my driving consistently would have won that match, so I had to try to drive a little harder. He might get a lot of byes by people trying to overdrive the car. He's earned that reputation. He definitely lives up to the hype.”

Sources: Schumacher bests U.S. duo in ROC; Germany wins Nations Cup ,

Will Coulthard make the move to NASCAR?

2007-12-19T07:40:00.000-08:00

Rumor has it that another Formula One racing driver will soon be joining NASCAR - David Coulthard. Juan Pablo Montoya and Jacques Villanueve were among the two drivers who have first made the move from Formula One racing to NASCAR. Montoya has reaped considerable success despite being a rookie in NASCAR while Villanueve is yet getting the hang of stock car racing.

When interviewed by ESPN, Coulthard says that he is actually considering moving to NASCAR in the future. Coulthard will be on to his 15^th season with Formula One next year. His Formula One racing career began with Williams. After the stint, he drove for nine seasons for McLaren. He is currently affiliated with Red Bull Racing, the team that bought Jaguar Racing last 2004. Should Coulthard decide to move to stock car racing, NASCAR’s Red Bull racing team could provide him with a spot.

The past few Formula One seasons have not boded well for Coulthard and he may soon be considering retirement from Formula One. NASCAR it seems provides quite a viable alternative for Coulthard.

Source: Coulthard the next to defect to NASCAR?

Andrews, Pappas and Pemberton join Michael Waltrip Racing

2007-12-16T21:30:00.000-08:00

Michael Waltrip Racing has recently announced its new additions to the team’s crew chief roster. The new crew chiefs to join Michael Waltrip Racing are: Bill Pappas, Paul Andrews, and Ryan Pemberton.

Bill Pappas will be crew chief for Dale Jarrett’s No. 44 UPS Camry. But Pappas will move to the No. 00 team at Martinsville once David Reutimann takes over the No. 44 UPS Camry. Pappas is a veteran of the Indianapolis 500 before moving to NASCAR. He was Juan Pablo Montoya’s crew chief when he won the Indianapolis 500 championship cup. Paul Andrews, was initially with Petty Enterprises before he moved to Michael Waltrip Racing. He will be Michael Waltrip’s crew chief in the No. 55 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry. Ryan Pemebrton, who came from Dale Earnhardt Racing, will be crew chief for No. 00 Aaron's Toyota Camry for the first five races. After that, he will make a move to the No. 44 UPS team with David Reutimann.

The crew chiefs are looking towards a fruitful racing season with Michael Waltrip Racing. According to Andrews, “I am really looking forward to working with Michael again. Last year as the season went on, it was evident that Michael Waltrip Racing was making improvements. There is so much potential here, which is noticeable and that's what attracted me to this team. Good things will happen for this organization because they are continuing to hire quality people. I wanted to come here and help them work their way into the top-35 in points because I know they are capable of doing that”.

Ryan Pemberton, echoes the same sentiment as he says, “Michael Waltrip Racing is a team that's growing and I want to be a part of that. I have respect for this team because I know how hard it is to start up an organization from scratch. There's a lot to overcome just to make it to the racetrack when you are developing a new program especially of the magnitude they did. I can appreciate all of their hard work and dedication last season.”

With these talented crew chiefs on board, Michael Waltrip Racing can look forward to a fruitful season in 2008.

Source: Waltrip announces '08 crew chiefs

Johnson vs. Schumacher in the Race of Champions

2007-12-15T22:52:00.000-08:00

Two – time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson will be pitted against his Formula One counterpart, Michael Schumacher in this Sunday’s Race of Champions (ROC). The Race of Champions is a sub-event of The ROC Nations Cup. Two excelling race car drivers from different motor sports and different countries will race against each other in an attempt to determine which country is the fastest (in terms of racing sport) in the world.

Johnson has high regard for Schumacher as he is quoted saying, “Everyone recognizes Schumacher as a champion, and after winning my second consecutive championship in NASCAR, I hope I'm perceived in that way”. He hopes to be able to win in the Race of Champions. He says, “Beating him and helping Team USA win The ROC Nations Cup would be a perfect ending to the best year of my career.”

This is not the first time that Johnson will drive for the ROC and he believes that his team has a better chance at winning the cup now. He says “My teammate, Travis Pastrana, was the unexpected success of the event last year, almost winning the whole thing single-handedly after I pulled out with an injury. That's got to give us the edge this year!”

Among the drivers participating in the race are:

• Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher
• Formula One star Jenson Button
• Triple and reigning World Touring Car Champion, Andy Priaulx
• Red Bull Racing's David Coulthard
• Scuderia Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel
• Four-time Champ Car Champion Sebastien Bourdais
• Seven-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen
• Two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekstrom
• Two-time and reigning NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson
• Eight-time X-Games Champion Travis Pastrana
• Double World Rally Champion, Marcus Gronholm
• Renault F1's Heikki Kovalainen
• 1995 British Rally Champion Alister McRae
• World Touring Car Championship star Yvan Muller
• 2003 World Rally Champion, Petter Solberg
• Five-time Norwegian Rally Champion, Henning Solberg

The driver pairings are as follows:

• Sebastien Bourdais (France) vs. Henning Solberg (Norway)
• Yvan Muller (France) vs. Petter Solberg (Norway)
• Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) vs. Tom Kristensen (Scandinavia)
• Marcus Gronholm (Finland) vs. Mattias Ekstrom (Scandinavia)
• David Coulthard (Scotland) vs. Jenson Button (England)
• Alister McRae (Scotland) vs. Andy Priaulx (England)
• Jimmie Johnson (United States) vs. Michael Schumacher (Germany)
• Travis Pastrana (United States) vs. Sebastian Vettel (Germany)

The Race of Champions will be held at the famous Wembley Stadium in London. The stadium has been transformed into a parallel track with 1,800 tons of tarmac in preparation for the upcoming ROC event. The ROC Nations Cup will begin at 9am Eastern Time and the actual Race of Champions will start at 2pm eastern time. Fans may tune in to the action via the Race of Champions website.

Source: Johnson, Schumacher to duel at Race of Champions

Joe Gibbs Racing Gears up for a Brand New Look in 2008

2007-12-12T18:21:00.000-08:00

The Joe Gibbs Racing Team will soon get a new look as it welcomes new sponsor Toyota in 2008. Also, the team will be welcoming a new driver in the person of Kyle Busch to their fold. Tony Stewart one of JGR’s premiere drivers believe that the timing for both changes is excellent.

When asked about what he thought with the team’s sponsorship from Toyota, he says, “It's hard to know what's going to happen with the Toyota car yet. We're obviously excited about having an opportunity that a lot of other people don't have. We're one of few teams that are going to be in the Toyota next year. After seeing the way they ran at Talladega in the fall race, we're pretty excited about going to Daytona.”

Stewart believes that his team is ready for whatever may come. Quoting Stewart, “We're looking forward to that and the new challenges there. Obviously, with the change to being the COT cars all year, if this change [to Toyota] would have happened two years ago versus this year, it would have been a lot more dramatic change for all of us. But, really, it's just a power plant and some stickers, so that should make the change a lot easier for us. It's the right timing.”

Stewart is also looking forward to having Kyle Busch onboard. It seems that he is able to mesh well with the 22 year old Busch. Stewart says, “Having Kyle come on board is a lot of fun. He's a good kid. He's got a great personality. He reminds me a lot of me. He says the wrong things at the wrong times, but you know where you stand with him. That part of it I appreciate, and I get along with him well.”

Busch made the move to JGR after a falling out with his previous Hendrick Motorsports team. So far, Busch has shown promise upon joining JGR. Stewart keenly observes, “I think his personality and his intensity and his competition level really is going to blend in...You want somebody that's going to push the organization and push your teammates to make you better. Having him there hopefully is going to bring us up even more”

Source: Busch, Toyota give JGR radical new look in 2008

Pemberton moves out of DEI

2007-12-11T18:17:00.000-08:00

Crew Chief Ryan Pemberton and Joe Nemecheck

Crew chief Ryan Pemberton moves out from Dale Earnhardt, Inc. to serve as the crew chief for the No. 01 US Army Chevrolet, the stock car co – driven by Mark Martin and Ragan Smith.

Pemberton’s career as crew chief has been an excellent one. Any team which he takes under his wing is assured of impressive race standings and good performance. In 2004, Pemberton scored his first ever win as a crew chief with driver Joe Nemechek. In 2006, the duo finished three positions better than they did in 2004. Pemberton’s adept “coaching” skills have not gone unnoticed. Hence, the reason for the big leap to being crew chief of the No. 01 US Army Chevrolet.

According to DEI general manager John Story, he believes that, “Ryan (Pemberton) is immensely talented and has always been sought-after. He's now chosen to pursue some of those opportunities and we wish him nothing but the best.'”

Doug Richert will replace Pemberton as crew chief. Richert, as his predecessor is, also boasts of an impressive resume. As a 20 year old crew chief, Richert raced with the late great Dale Earnhardt, Sr. in 1980. He is most remembered for being the youngest crew chief to win a Cup championship.

Sources: Crew chief Ryan Pemberton leaves Dale Earnhardt Inc., Doug Richert to spell him on No. 8 team , Ryan Pemberton: Biography

Jimmie Johnson may be Athlete of the Year

2007-12-05T23:41:00.000-08:00

Jimmie Johnson may actually add another title to his collection of awards, a United States Sports Academy's “Athlete of the Year Award”.

The United States Sports Academy (USSA) is an institution “created to serve the nation and the world with programs in instruction, research and service… the role of the Academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports.” (quoted from ussa.edu). USSA's Athlete of the Year Award is the annual culmination of its Athlete of the Month awards program. The Athlete of the Month program monthly honors male and female athletes who have distinguished themselves in their various sports. Among the Athlete of the Month awardees, a Female Athlete of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Year awardee is chosen per category.

Among the female finalists are: American swimmer Natalie Coughlin, Ethiopian runner Meseret Defar, American sprinter Allyson Felix, Austrian skier Renate Goetschl, Belgian tennis star Justine Henin, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, Australian basketball player Lauren Jackson, Swedish heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft, Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa, Norwegian golfer Suzann Pettersen, American tennis great Venus Williams and American swimmer Kate Ziegler.

Male finalists who made the roster are: Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, Swiss tennis great Roger Federer, American sprinter Tyson Gay, Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie, Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star LeBron James, NASCAR Champion Jimmy Johnson, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker, American swimming star Michael Phelps and golf superstar Tiger Woods.

The 2007 Nascar Nextel Cup Champion has a fighting chance for the Athlete of the Year title. His resume boasts of (taken from NASCAR.com) :

• He is the first back-to-back series champion since teammate Jeff Gordon accomplished the feat in 1997-98
• His 10 wins in '07 is the first double-digit win tally since '98
• He also won four consecutive races, another first since '98
• Johnson finished with a series-high Driver Rating of 110.3, according to NASCAR Loop Data
• He also finished with four poles, 20 top fives and 24 top 10s.

If you want to make Jimmie Johnson your Athlete of the Year, simply vote online at ussa.edu. Voting began last Dec 1 and will end on Dec 24.

Sources: NASCAR.com, ussa.edu

NASCAR Awards Night Adds a “Personal” Touch to the Ceremonies

2007-12-03T17:39:00.000-08:00

This year’s Nascar Champions Week Awards Night has seen better programming than the previous years. From being an impersonal ceremony which involved NASCAR insiders (race car drivers, crew teams and staff) and coporate sponsors, this year’s festivities focused less on the technical aspect of NASCAR and more on the personalities of the people who are behind America’s most loved motor sport.

The awards night began with a warm remembrance of the late Bill France Jr. by his good friend and former NBC News anchorman Tom Brokaw. The speech was “funny, poignant, and respectful” (quoted from ESPN Sports) as it fondly remembered one of the strongest pillars of the motor sport.

The features on the Top 10 race car drivers have also become more personal. Instead of focusing on the usual race track stats and career highlights of each driver, the short videos featured the driver and somebody or something unique and special about his life.

This gave NASCAR a more human feel and the awards night was, in fact, an easier and more moving show to watch this year.

The emphasis on moving towards a more “human” NASCAR is echoed by NASCAR Nextel Cup second – finisher Jeff Gordon. He speaks about the pressure of media scrutiny as he is quoted saying, “If you go back to the days when maybe guys were a little rowdier, I definitely think there wasn't as much media scrutiny. The repercussions weren't as broad as they are today. We rely on our sponsors more today than we ever have. Our sponsors want to be proud to have us as representatives.” Emotions are usually high before, during and after a race and he believes that drivers need to express their emotions more on track. He says “My opinion is that there is a way for all of us to continue to open up with our personalities and show ourselves a little bit more. It's almost as if sometimes I watch the sport and see some of the interviews and I think it was scripted. I blame myself at times, too. I see my own interviews and say, `Why do I always say the same thing?'”

While the awards night’s efforts to become a more personal event, is definitely evident, there is still much to be done. David Poole of The Charlotte Observer suggests that the awards night should focus more on the people who devotedly follow the sport. Fans should be given a chance to participate more actively in the awards night.

Sources: NASCAR awards show better, but not there yet , Champions Week '07: JJ, the Big Apple, Tiffany's ...and, oh, NASCAR

NASCAR Home Depot Humanitarian Award

2007-11-28T21:56:00.000-08:00

NASCAR and Home Depot are giving an award of recognition to distinguished members of the NASCAR community who have involved themselves in charitable works and have made an impact in the community. Aptly called the NASCAR Home Depot Humanitarian Award, this awarding ceremony is a first for both NASCAR (the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) and Home Depot, America’s largest home improvement retailer. All exemplary persons belonging to the NASCAR community were eligible for the award.

According to John Ross, vice president of marketing and interim chief marketing officer of The Home Depot, “The NASCAR Home Depot Humanitarian Award finalists exemplify the values of volunteerism and charitable giving of time and talent that are fundamental to both The Home Depot and NASCAR. We are proud to recognize and celebrate these individuals who give so much of their time and energy to help others.”

Jim O’Connell, vice president of corporate marketing at NASCAR, is pleased about the partnership with Home Depot, “NASCAR is proud to join with our valued partner, The Home Depot, to recognize an individual in our sport who has given back to the community in a special and meaningful way. The NASCAR Home Depot Humanitarian Award is an innovative way to recognize the efforts of those in the NASCAR industry who show extra dedication and service to their communities and those less fortunate.”

Among the finalists are: Spencer Lueders - Nascar’s Competition and Patent Counsel, he started “24 Hours Booty”, a 24 – hour road – cycling charity event that aims to raise awareness for cancer research and programs. Don Miller - Penske Racing’s executive officer, jumpstarted “Stock-for-Tots” a holiday charitable event for Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN). Kyle Petty – driver for Petty Enterprises and founder of the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a year round camp which seeks to provide a supportive, safe and medically sound camp environment for children who are afflicted with medical conditions.

The NASCAR Home Depot Humanitarian Award will be given to the chosen finalist at the NASCAR NMPA® Myers Brothers Awards luncheon in New York City on November 29, 2007. The recipient of the NASCAR Home Depot Humanitarian Award will receive a designed crystal award, 100 000 dollars to the his charity of choice, and a playground at a city of their choice (from NASCAR, The Home Depot and KaBOOM!®). The two other finalists will receive a $ 25 000 donation to the charity of their choice.

It’s nice to know that NASCAR is now making the move towards being more socially aware. Let’s hope that the viewers of America’s most loved and most watched motor sport will be inspired to do the same for their communities, as well.

Sources: The Home Depot And Nascar Announce Finalists For Inaugural Humanitarian Award , CUP: Humanitarian Finalists Named

Sports Illustrated's Year - End Awards

2007-11-27T19:49:00.000-08:00

Sports Illustrated.com has recently given out year – end awards to the recently concluded Nextel Cup series. Among the categories for the awards included: Best Driver, Best Crew Chief, Comeback Driver, Best Feud, Best Rookie, Biggest Surprise, Biggest Disappointment, Best Race, Biggest Mystery, Classiest Act, and Wildest Finish.

Nextel Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson is “Best Driver”. Johnson has managed to wow every NASCAR spectator with his impressive skill and outstanding crew team. Chad Knaus, Johnson’s crew chief is named “Best Crew Chief”. Knaus was the epitome of what every intelligent crew chief should be, his strategies were so excellent that his team won the Cup. Carl Edwards is “Comeback Driver”, after a one year hiatus, he comes back with a bang at the 2007 Nextel Cup with finishing ninth in the standings and winning three times. Edwards merits yet another award which he shares with Matt Kenseth - the ironic “Best” Feud award. The spat between the two racers was very well – publicized and spectators saw Edwards charging towards Kenseth and faking a punch at Kenseth’s head while Kenseth was being interviewed. The “Best Rookie” award went to Juan Pablo Montoya who finished 20^th in the standings. Montoya has brought his winning streak from the Indy 500 and Formula One to NASCAR. He is a strong contender for the Chase in ’08. Clint Bowyer won the “Biggest Surprise” award. After two years of not winning anything higher than the third place in a race, Bowyer finished with a win and two second place runs in this year’s Nextel cup. Kasey Kahne gets the “Biggest Disappointment” award. Kahne had been a very promising race car driver after winning six races in the previous year but his chances at the championship fell as he plummeted to 19^th in the 2007 race standings. The “Best Race” award goes to the race at Watkins Glen which featured a near fight between Kevin Harvick and Juan Pablo Montoya, Jeff Gordon’s unexpected spinout and more racing accidents than the season has ever seen. Michael Waltrip gets the “Biggest Mystery” award, despite being embroiled in cheating at the Daytona 500 and finishing in 44^th place, Waltrip seems to still be appearing on one too many television commercials. Mark Martin receives the “Classiest Act” award. Despite having lead points, Martin decided to cut back his time on track to spend more time with his family. The “Wildest Finish” award goes to Clint Bowyer. Bowyer crossed or rather skidded through the finish line with his vehicle in flames at the Daytona 500. When interviewed regarding the incident, Bowyer said that he felt like his race was “Pretty Uneventful”.

The awards given by SportsIllustrated.com pretty much sums up the tumultuous season that this year’s Nextel Cup was.

Source: Year-End Awards

K9 Cabins & Dog Trails, Inc: A Pet Haven for NASCAR Pets

2007-11-26T19:39:00.000-08:00

Taking care of pets is hardly an easy task if you work in NASCAR. Whether you are a race car driver or a member of the crew staff, being in the NASCAR scene entails that you are away from home at least 36 weekends of the year. That means less time to spend with your family and even lesser time to spend playing with your pet.

Pat and Elena Smith, owners of K9 Cabins & Dog Trails, Inc, understand this predicament. The couple has opened the ultimate K9 boarding home for “NASCAR” – owned pets. Race car drivers and everyone else connected to NASCAR can check their pets into the boarding home while they are away for the NASCAR series. NASCAR pet owners can be assured that their pets will be given the “five – star” treatment in this luxurious pet boarding home.

Starting a boarding home has been a long time dream for Elena. She mentions that “I always had a dream of taking care of dogs. So before we opened I went to a lot of races and started handing out business cards. My husband knew I wanted to own a really unique dog boarding facility and he has made my dream come true.”

Among the patrons of K9 Cabins & Dog Trails, Inc. are Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Reed Sorenson, Greg Biffle and Erin Crocker. In fact, the practice of bringing their dogs to the K9 Cabins & Dog Trails, Inc. has been such a regularity that the dogs have found “friends” and “companions” in the boarding home. Erin Crocker happily recollects that her Shih Tzu, Pebbles, has already found a “boyfriend” in a long-haired Dachshund from Charlotte, N.C named Flash. Sorenson feels at peace with leaving his beloved pets to the care of Pat and Elena. He candidly mentions that, “Sometimes I think they like it better there than at home. Really though, I never worry about the dogs when they are there because I know they are receiving great care”. Pet owners can rest easy with knowing that their pets are treated well in the boarding home while they are away circling America for the NASCAR competition.

The K9 Cabins & Dog Trails, Inc. becomes quite a busy establishment during the NASCAR banquet time and the holidays. Business is doing well for the luxurious pet boarding home, Pat is happy about the way things are at K9 Cabins & Dog Trails, Inc. He says that, “Business is great said. A good majority [of our clients] are [in] the NASCAR industry and it was sort of like 'build it and they will come,' and they did.”

Source: Pampering pets a lucrative business in NASCAR world

Artist Pays Tribute to NASCAR in “This is Where the Rubber Meets the Road”

2007-11-25T19:30:00.000-08:00

A Sample Artwork of the Artist

In the spirit of the NASCAR Champions Week in New York an artist from California named Steve Maloney is holding an exhibit at the Coda Gallery, an art gallery in New York’s posh SoHo district. The exhibit entitled “This is Where the Rubber Meets the Road” experiments with crashed sheet metal from actual NASCAR racecars. The exhibit is an interesting take on the colorful and fast – paced world of NASCAR as represented by various mixed – media artwork.

The artist mentions that he found his inspiration for the NASCAR exhibit from another art collaboration that he had done previously. Maloney says that, “I was involved in another pop-oriented series called 'Paintings by the Numbers'. They were paintings of fashiony female figures with large numbers on them. All of a sudden between the bright, primary colors and the numbers it hit me: NASCAR!”

The main goal for mounting the exhibit is beautifully described in the artist’s website: “Emblematic of the velocity, danger and commercialization that drive race fans wild, Maloney created “This is Where the Rubber Meets the Road” as a celebration not only of NASCAR, but of the spirit of America that runs through the sport's fuel lines. The wall-mounted and board-backed contemporary sculptural collages as well as free standing sculptures reveal the artist's innovative take on color and form, with dented sheet metal, tire scraps and scuffed advertising logos merged into dizzying arrays of previously mechanized beauty. While casual observers may need to rubberneck before realizing where the materials in works like Boggie Woogie No. 4, Homage To Mondrian came from, NASCAR fans will know in an instant.”

Maloney’s exhibit is a fresh take on the phenomenon that is NASCAR. Truly a must –see as it is a re- interpretation of NASCAR as seen from the eyes of an artist who himself has done some racing in the Mexican 1000. A contrast of sorts confronts the person viewing Maloney’s artworks. The artist succinctly describes it as an exhibit that shows “not only the cars, but the 200 mph speeds and the dings of the crashes, too” It is a delight to the visual sense as splashes and dashes of color excitedly fill one’s sense of sight.

“This is Where the Rubber Meets the Road” will run from November 21-December 4 at the CODA Gallery in 472 Broome Street, Manhattan, NY.

Sources: Maloney car-art exhibition now on display in Soho , Steve Maloney Official Website

Juan Pablo Montoya is Raybestos Rookie of the Year 2007

2007-11-24T19:26:00.000-08:00

The Raybestos Rookie of the Year title goes to immensely talented Colombian race car driver Juan Pablo Montoya. He joins the likes of the late Davey Allison (1987), the late Kenny Irwin (1998) and Jamie McMurray (2003) as a Rookie of the Year hall of famer. He is also the fourth driver of the Texaco – Havoline race team to have won rookie of the year honors.

Montoya is a seasoned race car driver who has had a couple of championships safely tucked under his belt. He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1999 and was once a seven – time winner in the Formula One Series. Despite his acheivements, Montoya thinks that he is still a rookie in many ways to the world of NASCAR Racing. Quoting the Rookie of the Year himself, “When I first came here, they told me I was running for Raybestos Rookie of the Year, and I was like, 'you've got to be kidding me. I thought I would be an exception or something. In a lot of ways, I really was a rookie. Do I have a lot of experience as a racing driver? Yes, but I've never been in a stock car before, so coming here and getting into it was a big deal. We had a lot of fun.”

Aside from the prestige of winning the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award, Montoya will also be receiving financial honors. He will receive $ 65, 00 in prize money from the Raybestos program, $ 24 000 from winning Rookie of the Race honors and $ 17, 500 for being the top rookie finisher in the Magnificent Seven bonus races this season. All in all, Montoya will receive a record – breaking amount of $106,500.

But for Montoya, the greatest pay –off from this year’s NASCAR season wasn’t the awards he had received but the realizations that he had learned. Montoya says, “It's been an exciting year for me. Coming to NASCAR was a big deal for me, and I wanted to go back and enjoy racing, and I think I achieved that here. The cars are a handful, and it's been a really hard transition. I learned a lot, and I would like to thank everyone at Raybestos for all they've done for us.”

Sources: Montoya pleased with winning rookie year , Montoya honored as 2007 Raybestos Rookie of Year

No. 24 DuPont Crew wins the 2007 Pit Crew Championship

2007-11-22T00:03:00.000-08:00

While Jimmie Johnson may have beat Jeff Gordon to the Nextel Cup Championship title, it was Gordon’s crew team that emerged victorious in the 2007 pit crew championship. Gordon’s No. 24 pit crew went head to head with No. 01 Mark Martin’s crew staff. Quoting sportsonline.com, “Gordon's and Martin's crews ended the season with four wins apiece in the contest to have the fastest times during the races, with the No. 24 winning because of a higher finish in the Nextel Cup point standings. Gordon was second and part-time Cup driver Martin wound up 27th.” The crew will split their $155,150 winnings amongst themselves.

Gordon’s crew team consists of jackman Jeff Cook, front tire carrier Mike "Tiny" Houston, front tire changer Clay Robinson, rear tire carrier Jeff Knight, rear tire changer Kevin Gilman, gasman Caleb Hurd, catch can man Jamie Frady and eighth man Andy Kruep. Pit crew coach Mike Clark, and Mike Atwell are also part of the team after they replaced Gilman in some of the races.

The No. 24 team’s pit crew chief Steve Letarte is proud of his team, “The No. 24 DuPont pit crew did an amazing job all year. They were consistently fast and didn't miss a beat when changes were made to the lineup due to injuries.”

It is of utmost importance that a race car driver has an efficient pit crew team. Gordon, is really lucky to be blessed with that.

Source: Auto Racing Package: Gordon misses Cup championship, but his crew wins pit crew contest

A Look at the New DEI Team

2007-11-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

The Nextel Cup has just ended and race car drivers and their crew pit have entered into what we call as the period of transition. Drivers may transfer race teams, change crew staff and change race cars. One such example of a racer making the move is Dale Earnhardt, Jr. The son of legendary racing great, Dale Earnhardt, Sr., Dale, Jr. will move out of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (the race team his father founded) to Hendrick Motorsports this 2008. But as Dale, Jr. leaves the Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) race team will still be left with formidable race car drivers. Among them are would – be group leader Martin Truex, racing veteran Mark Martin, and rookies, Aric Almirola and Regan Smith.

The DEI racers seem happy with how things are playing out for each of their careers and how it contributes to the unity of the team as a whole. “Each seems perfectly content with his role. Almirola eager to learn, Smith relieved to finally have a full-time ride, Martin thrilled with his scaled back schedule and Truex shining in the spotlight.” (quote from FOX Sports) With the combination of these racers, the team believes that they will soon become a key player in the next race seasons of Nascar. It is with this goal that they hope to able to restore the prominence that DEI has enjoyed in the previous years. The team has a perfect combination of driver skills, they have what FOX Sports succinctly describes like this: “Martin's knowledge of all things that can go wrong in this sport is complemented by a pair of rookie teammates who believe that nothing will”.

Let’s hope that DEI will soon be able to restore their glory days on the NASCAR track. With an excellent team such as this, winning is definitely a possibility.

Source: DEI ready to blossom without Earnhardt Jr.

Jimmie Johnson wins the 2007 Nextel Cup Championship

2007-11-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

As a follow – up to my previous post, Jimmie Johnson is now officially proclaimed the 2007 Nascar Champion. He may not have finished the race first, but his performance for this season has been outstanding enough for him to still have the championship title. Johnson may not have won the race but he has won the championship cup.This is Johnson’s second consecutive championship title and the third time that Johnson’s team, Hendrick Motorsports, has won the championship.

Before joining the Nextel Cup, Johnson used to race for NASCAR’s Busch series. The racer found little success and satisfaction in the Busch series. It was current teammate Jeff Gordon, who decided to introduce Jimmie Johnson into the Nextel Cup arena. After getting a shot at the Nextel Cup series, the rest is history for Jimmie Johnson. The trajectory of Johnson’s success has made Hendrick Motorsports describe his career as something that “historians and fans will marvel at”. Johnson displays immense talent having to drive only “219 races to enshrine himself with names like Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon, Allison and others among NASCAR royalty.” (quote from Hendrick Motorsports).

Johnson is evidently overjoyed by his most recent win here at the Homestead – Miami Speedway. But the racer, despite his achievements, continues to stay grounded. He thanks his #48 crew team, knowing that winning the championship title was a team effort. Johnson is quoted saying, “This trophy represents so much hard work by so many people and is the culmination of so many dreams of mine and others that's its almost impossible to talk about. There are so many people to thank. Rick Hendrick, Lowe's, my teammates -- the list is endless, but I am very appreciative of all that people have done for me in this sport and in life.”

Johnson’s win caps off the exciting Nextel Cup 2007season.

Source: Jimmie Johnson wins second consecutive NEXTEL Cup championship , Johnson takes sensible approach to Nextel Cup title

Jimmie Johnson: Efficient Racer, Excellent Strategist

2007-11-18T17:31:00.000-08:00

Jimmie Johnson may not have clinched the first place in the Homestead, Fl chase but his performance in today’s race is proof positive of his caliber as a race car driver. Johnson shows that he has the smarts by seamlessly strategizing his drive for the race. Johnson found himself behind Martin Truex’s Chevrolet and knew that if he could overtake Truex, he would be able to make an easy pass. But, instead of taking the easy pass, Johnson decided to not take it. Carefully calculating the risks versus the rewards, Johnson is quoted saying, "We came in prepared, we came in ready to race for this thing. I don't think I could have won the race tonight, but I feel like we could be in the top three if we needed to. So the racer in me, I was trying to pass the one car (Truex) on the last lap. Then, I'm like, ‘What are you trying to do? Just stop.’” Doing so, Johnson has managed to avoid a making a meaningless pass that would have jeopardized his chances at the Championship Cup.

In this race, Johnson finished seventh and Gordon (who also happens to be Johnson’s closest rival, friend and teammate) finished fourth. Despite not winning this race, Johnson knew that the smart move was worth it. He is quoted saying, “We would have loved to have won our fifth race in a row, but the big prize was the championship.”

Jimmie Johnson and his crew chief Chad Knauss, are definitely a power team. With these two working together, that Nascar Championship title is almost in the bag for Johnson and his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team.

Source: Johnson takes sensible approach to Nextel Cup title

Giuliani Visits the Homestead –Miami Speedway

2007-11-18T16:30:00.000-08:00

Former New York City mayor and now aspiring Republican presidential candidate, Rudy Giuliani has visited the Homestead –Miami Speedway during Nascar’s championship race today. Giuliani spoke about finding other means of making vehicle transport more economical and what better place to spread the word than on the race track of America’s most watched motorsport?

Giuliani clamored for a more sustainable fuel usage from fellow Americans. Two of his suggestions were that the US find alternative sources of fuel within the borders and that the US import oil from more amiable countries like Canada and Mexico. He is also quick to point out that the conservation of the current oil sources for the US will go a long way for sustainability.

Giuliani went to watch the race with his wife Judith. This is the third time that Giuliani has watched a NASCAR race and he says that he truly feels that he is already like a fan. Giuliani has nothing but praise for the sport as he is quoted saying, “It really represents the very best of America. You should be very proud of where you've taken it and where it's going to go”.

When asked about whether he was rooting for Jimmie Johnson or Jeff Gordon to win, he gives a safe answer, “I'm going to pull for both of them. They're both good guys. May the better man win.”

Source: Giuliani Attends NASCAR Race

Gillet has Big Plans for NASCAR

2007-11-16T15:42:00.000-08:00

George N. Gillett, Jr. has big plans for NASCAR. As a majority owner of Gillett Evernham Motorsports, the American entrepreneur plans to embark on improving the racing sport. Gillett is a huge sports enthusiast, as he also owns Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and is co-owner of Liverpool of the English Premier League. But Gillet’s passion has always been in racing and that is reason enough for him to concentrate some effort towards the sport. He is quoted saying, “What brought me here to NASCAR is a love of cars. My family has been in the car business for, I don't know, 50 or 60 years. We own 30 or 40 auto dealerships.”

Gillet himself has dabbled in motorsports in the past, “I used to be a (race car) driver. We sponsored cars. We went to the winner's circle at the Indianapolis 500 with Buddy Lazier (in 1996). We've been in the sport a long time. In the mid-70s, (former NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr.) and I talked about us becoming an investor in NASCAR and/or in Talladega and Daytona. Our interest is not fresh and new. We're not new to the sport. We've been around it a long time.” The man knows exactly what he wants to do to improve NASCAR, having been there to experience the sport first hand.

Gillet’s first aim is to improve the quality of driver performance in the NASCAR race track. Gillet says that, “"The driver development area is an area that we feel very passionately about. I think you'll see us do some interesting things in driver development. I think you'll see us create a whole new television series on driver development, with a whole new thought and idea. I can't really go any further, but we've got a number of brilliant young drivers - male, female, national and international, already signed up for the series. I think you'll see us doing some fun things there.”

Two of Gillet’s more immediate “expansion” plans include: 1.) bringing in more auto dealerships and sponsorships, 2.) introducing new international race car drivers onto the NASCAR racetrack and consequently more fans from various parts of the world. It is interesting to note that it was the Gillett Evernham Motorsports racing team that brought Quebec native, Patrick Carpentier, into the NASCAR racing scene.

With these plans being implemented by one of NASCAR’s key players, NASCAR enthusiasts will surely have reason to stay tuned to America’s most watched motorsport.

Sources: NASCAR owner has ways to promote growth

Earnhardt Stalls at Lap 118

2007-11-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. stumbles into yet another frustrating finish at the Phoenix International Raceway. In the 35 races for this year’s NASCAR season, this is the ninth time that Earnhardt, Jr. has failed to finish and also the third time he has stalled in the last six races. Earnhardt wiped out at the 118^th lap of the race. He is quoted saying, “"I just lost it off (Turn) 2.I got up there a little high and it just came around. I tried to save it the best I could, but I couldn't.”

Earnhardt, Jr. who had previously won twice in this race track, failed to repeat his bravado this year. Earnhardt, Jr. is the son of racing great Dale Earnhardt and the grandson of another prominent NASCAR figure, Ralph Earnhardt. Earnhardt Jr. currently races for the Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI), the racing team that his father had founded. The upcoming Homestead – Miami Speedway race will be Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s last race with DEI.

By the beginning of 2008, Earnhardt, Jr. will be joining the Hendrick Motorsports team. Earnhardt’s move was facilitated by the fact that he was not confident that the technology and equipment that DEI had could give him the NASCAR championship. Earnhardt saw a realization of greater potential in Hendrick Motorsports.

Unfortunately, Earnhardt, Jr. will not be bringing his familiar #8 to Hendrick Motorsports. Negotiations broke down when Teresa Earnhardt (his stepmother) asked for part of the licensing revenue and the number back when he retired. Instead, Earnhardt will be moving to the #25 car of Hendrick Motorsports to replace Kyle Busch. His DEI crew chief, Tony Eury, Jr., will also make the move to Hendrick Motorsports with him.

I hope that the new merger will be a good and beneficial one for both Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and his Hendrick Motorsports team.

Source: Earnhardt fails to finish

Gordon Accepts Defeat and Commends Johnson

2007-11-12T18:56:00.000-08:00

Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson

It seemed that winning the 2007 Nascar championship was all but evident for Jeff Gordon. Given his impressive performance on – track, NASCAR enthusiasts were betting on having him bring home the title. But enter Jimmie Johnson and the scene drastically changes. Here, we now find two immensely talented drivers going head to head for the championship. Sad to say, Johnson was driving better than Gordon. By the eighth race at the Texas Motor Speedway, Johnson was leading by 30 points. After the race at the Phoenix International Raceway, the gap between Johnson and Gordon was at 86 points with Johnson leading.

This early, Gordon is being realistic. He knows that unless Johnson’s car drives badly during the championship race, the NASCAR trophy is as good as Johnson’s. He is quoted saying “It's over.Even if we win it, it's because they (Johnson's team) had problems. And while we'll accept it, we don't want to do it that way. Those guys have flat-out killed everybody. You've got to give credit where credit's due. Those guys deserve a lot of credit. We didn't step up and win the races when we needed to. We gave them a run for a while and now we've got to figure out how to get the best finish we can at Homestead and end this season off on a positive note going into the offseason.”

Gordon is a good sport, he knows that while he had done his best for this season, Johnson’s efforts deserve the championship cup. In fact, Gordon would rather busy himself with other things that are as worthwhile such as spending time with his family and being a hands-on dad.

Hendrick Motorsports, the team to which Gordon and Johnson belong to has been doing very well this season. The team has won 18 of the 35 cup races.

Jimmie Johnson is being touted as the next Jeff Gordon because he is now doing things that Gordon used to do. While the two racers are friends off track, Johnson would prefer to be his own person. He says, “I don't want to be called the next Jeff Gordon. I'm Jimmie Johnson. I do it my way.”

Source: Gordon concedes title while Johnson becomes the new Brady

Who has the Better Chance at Winning the Championship Cup? Johnson or Gordon?

2007-11-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

Jimmie Johnson

Jeff Gordon

It seems like history is repeating itself. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon go head to head again for the NASCAR trophy in a competition reminiscent of their championship race in 2006. Both NASCAR drivers boast of extensive racing experience and outstanding prowess on the track. But which talented NASCAR driver holds the edge?

In terms of car performance, Johnson’s cars have a tendency to start up slow but eventually compensate for the snag during the race’s final laps.But it is the driver that steers the car and never vice – versa and we all know that Johnson’s driving skills are highly commendable. Johnson’s crew team also appears to be very competitive. Chad Knauss, Johnson’s crew chief, is keen and astute while his pit crew and shop staff offers the best that any race driver could ask for.

In terms of driving skill both Johnson and Gordon are impressive. But since his entry into the NASCAR competition in 2002, Johnson has been unstoppable in winning title championships. Johnson’s 2007 winning streak mirrors his 2006 triumph, he has again claimed one victory and four runner-up finishes in the final six races to the championship.

Overall, Johnson seems to have a greater edge over Gordon. But what’s surprising is that Johnson does not have an idea of how to explain his success. When asked about what his secret to winning is, he says that, “"That is the most-asked question and I don't have an answer for you, I'm sorry. I think tracks have something to do with it. There are good tracks that we see in the spring and fall and that has a lot to do with it. I feel that we have no idea. We just show up and we do the same job every week that we always do but there are certain tracks that we are better at.” But Johnson isn’t about to rest on his laurels just yet. He knows that his new 60 point lead against Gordon is something that he will need to work hard for to maintain. He is quoted saying, “We have momentum going our direction right now, but it's only 30 points and if you look at the last two weeks, I've been able to make up roughly 60 points ... Jeff hasn't had bad races the last two events.”

So who’s gonna be champion? We’ll soon find out at the upcoming race on November 18 at Homestead’s desert track. The race in the Homestead Miami Speedway will be the last event before the next NASCAR champion is named.

Source: "Johnson, Gordon: Which driver has the advantage?" by Mark Decotis

Is NASCAR Safe Enough?

2007-11-08T03:03:00.000-08:00

Car racing is perhaps one of the most dangerous sports in the world. Given such a nature, race car competition organizers should do what they can to make sure that their talented drivers are assured of a safe drive. Millions of dollars go to equipping cars with various mechanisms to improve race speed while huge, astronomical sums go to the paycheck of Nascar drivers. Every major league race car competition seems to almost always mean millions and millions of dollars. Given the huge budget allocated to race car competitions, safety should be one of the attributes in a race that must be given priority to.

NASCAR, one of America’s major league races, has various safety mechanisms employed for the competition. The safety features found in the interior of a race car are the roll cage (designed to absorb energy upon collisions), the seat (which is shaped in such a way that it wraps around the driver’s rib cage and also contains the seat belts which are meant to absorb some energy from a sudden crash and keep the driver from hitting anything hard in the event of a collision), the window nets (made out of nylon webbing to make sure that the drivers arms do not get out of the window upon collision).

In outside of the car are roof flaps that are designed to slow down momentum of the car, prevent it from spinning out of control or doing a turn turtle during high speeds. The car windshields are made up of three flat layers of a polycarbonate called Lexan. This is the material of choice for race cars because it bends upon contact with elements from the outside (dust, dirt, sand, bugs). The polycarbonate won’t shatter upon contact with nature’s elements, even at very high speeds. The fuel tanks are fuel cells which have foam (reduces any chance of explosion by reducing the amount of air in the cell) and check valves (shuts off fuel in the event that the engine is separated from the car).

The driver’s uniform is made up of fire – retardant Proban or Nomex. The suits are tested and given a rating to check how safe they are for wear. The driver’s helmet is made out of Kevlar which is designed to absorb impact during collisions. The helmets are also tested for safety by an independent safety testing commission. Even NASCAR’s race tracks themselves are equipped with a safety feature called track banking. This means that the race tracks are built to a certain steepness to prevent accidents. NASCAR tracks are built with a 36 degree steepness in the corners and a slight steepness in its straighter areas. This is to ensure that race car drivers will slow down when turning around corners. The track also has a retaining fence used to contain a car that may spin out of control. The retaining fence has been subject to scrutiny as it has become the cause of accidents during the past years. Suggestions have been made as to making the retaining fences with more flexible material that better absorbs energy upon collision.

That being said, NASCAR still has a lot to go in terms of improving their safety standards. The race car competition has yet to form a safety standards committee and appoint a medical and safety director.

Source: howstuffworks.com

Jimmie Johnson Vacations in Mexico

2007-11-06T18:49:00.001-08:00

Jimmie Johnson successfully takes the Chase lead at the 2007 Dickies 500 held at the Texas Motor Speedway. This is Johnson’s third win. He raced past teammate Jeff Gordon with a 30 point lead. Only two races remain before the next NASCAR champion is named. Will Jimmie Johnson again becoming the reigning champion? We shall find out soon in the upcoming Phoenix and Homestead races.

While waiting for the next two races, Johnson has found time to take a short vacation to Mexico. Upon the encouragement of Johnson’s wife, he and his family packed their bags and headed to Mexico for a much deserved r&r. Johnson is thankful to his wife as he is quoted saying that “My wife is really amazing about planning this stuff and encouraging me to get out and do things. It's how I took up golf because last year she really started pushing me to take my mind off the racing once in a while.”

After that trip to Mexico, Johnson will return back to the race track to compete for the NASCAR championship. Johnson knows that he needs to still work hard for the last two racing events. He speculates that, “Thirty points is good, and if I can maintain it or stretch it, it would be a lot better. I just know that I won at Texas, he finished seventh, and it was like a 40-point swing. So if I finish eighth at Phoenix and he wins, he's back in the lead.” But Johnson is quick to add that, “Once we get into the track, it will be all business. But I imagine I'll be pretty relaxed when I get there.”

Sources: FOX Sports on MSN , About.com: NASCAR Racing ,

Foreign Race Car Drivers Enter NASCAR

2007-11-04T17:15:00.000-08:00

Dario Franchitti

Jacques Villanueve

Patrick Carpentier

Nascar seems to be going international with the entry of various race car drivers from different nationalities and racing backgrounds. The trend of international players entering the NASCAR scene started with Juan Pablo Montoya, a Colombian F1 race driver who joined NASCAR in 2006. While he has been subject to conflicts with other race drivers for his aggressive style, his nationality had never been an issue with his fellow NASCAR drivers.

With Montoya doing well in the Cup series, he has indeed paved the road open for other foreign drivers to enter the race scene. The new foreign racers to join NASCAR next year are Dario Franchitti, a Scotsman who also happens to be married to American actress Ashley Judd; Jacques Villeneuve, a former F1 race car driver of French – Canadian descent and Patrick Carpentier, an ex –speedskater who now runs races in NASCAR’s oval track.

According to Jack Burton, there may be a possible backlash with regard to the entrance of foreign players into the intensely American sport of NASCAR racing. But times have been changing as various sports, not only NASCAR, are becoming more popular with an international audience. Japanese car manufacturers such as Toyota now sponsor racing teams alongside American car brands like Ford and Chevrolet.

Accommodating more foreign race car drivers in NASCAR is an inevitable move for the motor sport. Jacques Villanueve, one of the noted foreign NASCAR drivers, is keen to point out that, “Any sport that becomes more popular over the years is going to become more international.” while Dario Franchitti believes that the entry of non –American drivers will be good for NASCAR’s international side. He points out that opening the race to drivers of other nationalities will also mean marketing possibilities in the foreign driver’s home country. Fans of Franchitti who are based in Canada will mean a marked Canadian following for NASCAR while marking possibilities will be open for Carpentier’s fans in Quebec.

Having a bigger international audience for NASCAR is a positive thing. In a world that gets more and more connected due to technology, it is only fitting that there should be no barriers on who can enter the Cup series.

Source: sports.yahoo.com

Joey Logano: Nascar's Newest Racing Sensation

2007-10-30T19:58:00.001-07:00

Joey Logano, at the young age of seventeen, has great things going for him. While most kids would be busy preparing for the SATs and planning which college to go to, Logano is already setting his sights on conquering the Nextel cup and the Busch series. The moment he turns eighteen this May of 2008, he can soon compete in two of NASCAR’s big league races.

Logano was discovered by Mark “Mr. Consistency” Martin, one of NASCAR’s legendary racers. Martin called Logano the “real deal” and has boldly announced that great things are to be expected from the young racer. Logano has since been performing as well as Martin had thought him to be. Mark Martin was also the same person who prophesied that Matt Kenseth was going to be a superb, champion racer and we all know that Kenseth has been winning races left and right since Martin’s “prediction”. The same can be confidently said about Logano’s on –track performance.

The future is speeding off in the right direction for Joey Logano as he conquers the road course, oval, tri – oval and quad – oval racetracks. But what’s probably best about this racing prodigy is his attitude. According to sports.yahoo.com “Seeing how quickly things have developed for their son has been both exhilarating and scary for Logano's parents. They're ecstatic about his future, but worried about how fame and fortune might change him. At the same time, they have a tremendous amount of trust in their son, because they've watched first-hand how hard he's worked and how driven he is to be the best.” The knowledge that his achievements have been hard – earned makes for good grounding for the young racer.

A well – grounded champion! Now that’s a perfect combination!

Sources: sports.yahoo.com, Joey Logano Official Websit e, Mark Martin Official Website, Nascar.com

Joey Logano: Nascar's Newest Racing Sensation

2007-10-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

A well – grounded champion! Now that’s a perfect combination!

Sources: sports.yahoo.com, Joey Logano Official Website, Mark Martin Official Website, Nascar.com

Mayfield makes the move to Haas CNC Racing

2007-10-28T00:34:00.000-07:00

It seems like things are looking up for Jeremy Mayfield as he joins Haas CNC Racing for the remainder of 2007. He will drive the No. 66 Chevrolet as he races in 41^st position for the Nextel Cup starting this weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Mayfield joins Haas CNC Racing with no predetermined expectations. He says that, “"By no means am I going to come here and change the world. It's going to take a lot of us, just moving things around and spicing up the field a little bit to get it better than what it is.”

Mayfield expresses his excitement over joining his new team as he is quoted saying in his official < website : ““Every indication is that this is a team with unlimited potential. The shop is state-of-the-art, the equipment is first rate, there is an outstanding relationship with Hendrick Motorsports here, and it’s my challenge to make it all equal success on the track,””. He feels very positive about the move as he quickly adds that “All week I’ve been in a great mood. I haven’t really had that feeling much this year because we’ve been struggling, and it’s just been one thing after another."
(from Journalnow.com ).

That’s good news for Jeremy Mayfield! May all those positive thoughts fuel a good drive!

Car racing runs in Todd Berrier’s blood

2007-10-25T01:39:00.000-07:00

Todd Berrier (left) with Kevin Harvick

Driver Kevin Harvick is popular among NASCAR fans. But is his team companion Todd Barrier known in the NASCAR world? His name may be obscure in the NASCAR world, but Richard Childress Racing crew chief Todd Berrier has a long and rich experience in sports car racing.

I came across an interview article recently posted in Carjunky.com about this guy talking about how he started his career, his job in NASCAR, among other things.

Berrier got his passion in car racing from his father, who was a race driver himself. “Even from a young age, I knew it was something I really wanted to do,” Berrier said in an interview with Carjunky.com.

Starting his stint in car racing at a local track at the Busch Grand National cars, Berrier sees his job as something that zeroes in on developing new strategies and ideas, as well as maintaining and modifying his team’s cars. The single biggest challenge for him as a crew chief of a NASCAR team is “the time commitment to the job, whether you’re a crew chief, driver, or part of the pit crew.”

Visit Carjunky.com to find out more about Todd Berrier.

Earnhardt’s engine woes, again?

2007-10-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

What went wrong with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the Subway 500 last Sunday? The culprit again is his engine.

The popular NASCAR driver finished only 23^rd at the latest race at Martinsville Speedway. When Earnhardt’s No. 8 Chevrolet reached past the 150-lap mark, his engine started to run badly.

This was not the first time engine troubles caused a little misery to Earnhardt’s struggle this season. According to NASCAR’s official website, engine difficulties occurred to Earnhardt over six times this season. Consequently, his racing performance has been badly hurt.

"Too many cautions and restarts in the last 50 laps and the valve springs kept breaking and broke the motor even worse and finally blew up," Earnhardt recalled hisexperience, as cited by a report in SportingNews.com.

Earnhardt seemed not to be bothered at all. "I am not upset at all," he told Nascar.com. "We had a great day. I had a lot of fun. We ran really well, even on seven cylinders. We had a popping and spitting motor down the straightaway. I put those tail pipes in those other boys' ears so they could hear we were on seven cylinders and still driving by them.”

However, Earnhardt felt sorry for his teammates. "It was pretty fun. I am proud of my team, the car they built and gave me to race. It was really good, it drove great and we were competitive so I am not sad. I am sad for [new crew chief] Tony Gibson and the whole team because they deserve better finishes than this. But I can deal with it."

So much was Earnhardt’s optimism that he managed to push his way to the front in the face of engine problems.

But then, how’s DEI going to address this?

Talking Points

2007-10-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

"I want to make sure that we don't get complacent in it, but that we just continue to push and run our races the way we have all year. I feel like this team has been consistent because we have been very smart, we haven't tried to exceed the limits of what we are capable of. If we go out there and we have a fifth place car, it is important for us to bring home a fifth place finish. I think that is why we have been able to be very consistent. We when do have the cars capable of winning, we have been able to capitalize on that as well. I am not focused on trying to demoralize anybody; I am just focused on trying to get the most out of our car and our equipment."

NASCAR Nextel Cup points leader Jeff Gordon comments on his latest success in a press conference, as quoted by Paddocktalk. Gordon, who drives the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet, is very close to winning his fifth Cup title in the sixth of 10 Chase.

A good read for NASCAR fans

2007-10-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

If you are a NASCAR enthusiast, or someone who’s into car racing, then you might be interested in grabbing a copy of a book that focuses on the racing’s history.

A book released recently, titled “200-MPH Billboard: The Inside Story of How Big Money Changed NASCAR,” takes readers into the world of NASCAR from the beginning until what it is now. The book’s author Mark Yost highlights some events in NASCAR history that deeply influenced what it is today. Yost, who hails from Brooklyn, has been a business and sports journalist for almost two decades.

The contents of the new book draw heavily from the reports of National Speed Sport News, where Yost had worked as a reporter.

According to Nascar.com, Yost’s book also explains NASCAR as a sports phenomenon in the United States and the challenges it has to face.

For this book, Yost did interviews with the owner of NASCAR teams—asking them why they chose to be with NASCAR and how they go about with their sponsorship. York, a fan of Dale Earnhardt, also incorporates his personal opinions both as a sports journalist and NASCAR fan into the book.

"In all honesty there's not another book like it," Yost told Stillwatergazette.com. "There's a ton of books out there about the drivers and the history of NASCAR, but this is really the first of its kind to look at the business of NASCAR—which is really what's driving the growth today."

Nascar.com describes Yost’s style as “easy and comparatively less dense” than most sports writers but gets his message across in a “plain and proper” way.

I have yet to buy my copy, but I learned it is already available at major book stores. It can even be purchased from the NASCAR website.

Vaccination for Congress staff before going to NASCAR races?

2007-10-13T23:53:00.000-07:00

Have NASCAR races become a health risk already?

I wonder what the people in Congress had in mind when they advised congressional staffers to get vaccinations first before attending NASCAR races in Talladega, Alabama and Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord.

A number of congressional aides on a fact-finding trip will conduct a research on public health awareness at crowded events, The Charlotte Observer reported October 11. Some aides are assigned to the NASCAR's Bank of America 500 to be held this weekend. The congressional aides were instructed to get vaccinations for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, diphtheria, and tetanus.

What’s interesting in this story is that a member of the Congress stood up and expressed his objection with the immunization directive.

Representative Robin Hayes, a Republican from Concord, North Carolina (the venue for Lowe’s Motor Speedway), questioned the order. He pointed out the bad impression the requirement makes in his letter to House Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie Thompson.

"I have never heard of immunizations for domestic travel, and as the representative for Concord, N.C., I feel compelled to ask why the heck the committee feels that immunizations are needed to travel to my hometown," Hayes said in his letter to Thompson.

Hayes further argued that the crowd in NASCAR events should not threaten anyone. "I have been to numerous NASCAR races, and the folks who attend these events certainly do not pose any health hazard to congressional staffers or anyone else," he also said.

However, Thompson replied in a letter to Hayes that the vaccination was just a “recommendation” and not compulsory. Also, there is no reason for the staff designated at NASCAR races to be excluded from immunizations since they are required to visit hospitals and clinics near the NASCAR locations.

So now, that settles it.

Source: The Charlotte Observer

NASCAR Drivers Disappointed Over COT

2007-10-10T00:14:00.000-07:00

NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow, which debuted on October 7 at Talladega, did not exactly have a good showing as drivers expressed their disappointment after the race.

Popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. was direct and straight to the point, so to speak. “It was really, really boring,'' Earnhardt said after his exit in Sports Illustrated.com article.

Jeff Gordon, who will be Earnhardt’s teammate next season, shared the same sentiment. "It was terrible,'' Gordon said, referring to the car of tomorrow. “It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in a race car. I like to think that I've got pretty good patience, but that's beyond patience. There's just nothing fun about that, but I knew it was a smart thing. I've never yawned in a race car in my life and I yawned back there.''

The problem, as noted by SportsIllustrated.com, is that NASCAR and the racing teams seem quite clueless in dealing with the car of tomorrow. The CoT is a bulkier, larger car developed to enhance safety, and lower team costs by making cars appear identical.

The report also took notice of the big work that has to be done to the car of tomorrow.

"I still think we need to work on this car a little bit,'' Gordon commented. "I think we would never race like that if we didn't have the closing rate that we have, and (with) the bump drafting being so drastic that I think we need to make some adjustments here.

With that note, NASCAR should learn its lesson the hard way.

Talking Points

2007-10-08T23:36:00.000-07:00

"It was crazy. I think the racing was not very good. I think the racing was disappointing. To see single-file racing and the guy that wins the race is sitting in the back all day just lounging around. That's not racing to me. I hope it wasn't what NASCAR intended with this car."

--NASCAR driver Ryan Newman, as quoted by FanNation.com, expresses his disappointment over the nature of racing in the debut of the Car of Tomorrow at the UAW-Ford 500 last October 7.

Play poker with NASCAR stars in a new website

2007-09-29T02:35:00.000-07:00

Good news for NASCAR fans out there.

A new website brings some of the NASCAR favorites such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Khane closer to the enthusiasts of the popular racing series.

The Victory Lane Players Club (www.vlpclub.net), which has recently started, enables its members to play a virtual poker against their favorite NASCAR stars such as Tony Stewart (who was twice a Nextel Cup champion), Elliot Sadler, Jamie McMurray, Dale Jarrett, Khane, and Earnhardt.

“These are the biggest names in racing, and VLP Club will make these racers more accessible to their fans,” according to Power Play Development’s Chief Executive Michael Clebnik, as quoted in Boston Herald’s September 27 report.

Members of the website use a points-based system, instead of cash prizes, which they can swap for an autographed item, tickets to NASCAR races, among others.

Several privileges await future members such as advance notice when the NASCAR drivers are playing online, the chance to meet the drivers at exclusive VLP Club events, and first priority in customer service inquiries—all for a minimal cost of $20.

Source: Boston Herald

Talking Points

2007-09-26T00:34:00.000-07:00

Bob Osborne (left) with teammate Carl Edwards

“Well it's nice to have a teammate that's under the same pressure and in the same situation. Someone who understands the circumstances you're in is a great asset. We can talk about game plans and come up with strategies; two heads are always better than one.”

--Crew chief Bob Osborne of Roush Fenway Racing, speaking on having his teammate Carl Edwards back at the Chase in an interview with Nascar.com.

What it takes in broadcasting NASCAR races

2007-09-25T03:17:00.000-07:00

Who says covering car races for television such as NASCAR is easy as counting your toes?

Broadcasting NASCAR proves to be a very demanding task for TV station ABC/ESPN. But the cable TV network seems to be unfazed and is up to the challenge.

A case in point was the Nextel Cup Dodge Dealers 400 at Dover International Speedway last September 23, which was telecast live on ABC.

ABC/ESPN senior motorsports producer Neil Goldberg relates his experience in a Delawareonline article, thus: “It's like trying to land 43 planes on the same strip at one time."

So much so that Goldberg is destined to confinement inside his command center, which includes an expensive, custom made flat-bed trailer. This trailer contains over 60 high-definition TV screens, wherein the producer selects the best shots at any given moment to be shown to viewers.

"There are 43 cars to tell stories about," Goldberg said in the same article. "It's exciting. The story always changes. We're producing it on the fly."

Now in its first of an eight-year contract to broadcast NASCAR, ABC/ESPN will broadcast the final 17 races of the Nextel Cup Series. Aside from ABC/ESPN, the Series’s 36 seasons are divided between TNT, FOX, and the Speed Channel. The deal signifies the comeback of NASCAR to the station owned by Disney, which has not broadcast races for six years.

The preparations alone underscore the hard work the TV network has been putting into this just to deliver the latest from NASCAR straight to the audience’s TV sets. According to the ABC/ESPN, it uses approximately 13 huge vehicles in a convoy that contains all the equipment to every race. Some of the vehicles are allocated for audio and a system where the crew can record everything to replay at any given time. For every NASCAR telecast, ABC/ESPN employs over 100 workers working on the 75 cameras, which are more than double of the average used for covering a football game.

The ABC/ESPN crew starts working today with a conference with the team of producers. From that point onwards, everything is ready, according to Goldberg.

"The challenge in coverage is being prepared to react," Goldberg further said. "So much is going on, but it all makes sense.”

Former NASCAR driver pleads innocent on drug charges

2007-09-21T00:48:00.000-07:00

Aaron Fike, former NASCAR driver, pleaded innocent to a heroin charge on September 19.

Fike and his crew and fiancée Cassandra Davidson were both suspended from NASCAR races following their arrest last July 7 at an Ohio amusement park carrying heroine and drug tools, according to the police. Police further claimed they found Fike and Davidson in a parked vehicle with bloody napkins, syringes, a spoon and black tar heroin.

A grand jury charged Fike of possession of heroin, a felony, and possession of drug abuse instruments.

If convicted of heroine possession, Fike will serve a sentence of up to one year imprisonment. The court allowed Fike to remain free after his court appearance Wednesday in Warren County, northeast of Cincinnati.

A Craftsman Truck Series driver and contender for Rookie of the Year honors, Fike, 24, had been slated to compete a week after his arrest at the Kentucky Speedway. At the time of his arrest, Fike ranked eighth in the point standings.

Meanwhile, Davidson pleaded guilty of the same charges last August 23. Her sentence will be released on October 11.

Muscle cars dress up Busch Series anew

2007-09-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

NASCAR seems to never run out of fresh and interesting ideas. Recent reports have it that the racing series plans to do a major change for as early as 2009—a switch to muscle cars.

The next-generation NASCAR Busch series cars, if the plan pushes through, will be Chevrolet Camaros, Dodge Challengers, Ford Mustangs and a soon-to-be-known model from Toyota.

Ford made huge transformation to the Mustang as a 1960s-retro model in 2005 to satisfying results. The Camaro and Challenger, like the Mustang, are rear-wheel drives, two-door coupes with and V-8 engines. All of them carrying retro themes, the new race cars remind us of the good old days of 1960s muscle cars.

The current NASCAR Nextel Cup uses the so-called Car of Tomorrow vehicles, which sport only stickers showing the headlights and grille of their manufacturers.

The Busch Series seems to have undergone an identity crisis lately. The Busch Series is one of the three NASCAR series, the other two being the Craftsman Truck Series and the Nextel Cup Series. Veteran drivers have taken the Busch Series, which is intended to be a platform for up and coming drivers, as their podium. Switching to muscle or “pony” cars will keep the seasoned drivers while getting viewers hooked to the Busch Series. Many believe that the shift to muscle cars would be a great way to give the Busch Series its own identity.

Personally, I think this is an exciting development as I’m looking forward to seeing the new race cars Mustangs, Challengers, and Camaros speeding in the next NASCAR season. The plan is also ideal since these cars will be built using the older NASCAR Nextel Cup chassis.

NASCAR considers giving rewards to regular-season winner

2007-09-15T01:24:00.000-07:00

Now, for the good news.

After Jeff Gordon led with huge points before the Chase, NASCAR is thinking of giving a bonus to the leader of the regular season.

According to NASCAR chairperson Brian France, he is willing to explore the idea of rewarding the driver who tops the points at the end of the 26th race of the season. Awarding additional bonus points to be used in the seeding, more prize money or a trophy different from the Nextel Cup are just some of the plans.

Gordon had an over 300-point lead, but lost all of it when the field was reset this week for the Chase for the championship. That places him in second place based on the new seeding process. His teammate, Jimmie Johnson, is the new leader taking into account his six regular season victories.

Franchitti uncertain on shift to NASCAR

2007-09-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

Dario Franchitti, who is expected to leave Andretti Green Racing to move to NASCAR next season, is still unsure if he is indeed jumping the boat.

"There are a lot of factors, and at the appropriate time I'll think about it, but right now I don't see it being the appropriate time," Franchitti said. "We just won the championship and we're in sort of the celebration stage of that. I'm not going to really think about my future until the end of this week or the start of next week at the earliest."

The new IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 champion said he is interested in NASCAR because of the challenge.

"NASCAR would be something different, something I haven't done. Apart from Formula One, it's probably one of the few things I haven't driven. So that would be one of the reasons to look at that," according to the Scottish driver.

Speculation on Franchitti’s career move started in May after he won the Indianapolis 500.

His fellow Indy winner, Sam Hornish Jr. also seems ready to switch to NASCAR next season. Hornish plans to qualify a Penske Dodge for his Nextel Cup debut at New Hampshire on Sunday.

Presenting: NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow

2007-09-12T22:24:00.001-07:00

NASCAR’s next generation race car, the Car of Tomorrow, is going to compete full time in 2008.

Last Monday, 50 Nextel Cup race teams tested the COT at Talladega Superspeedway, a first of a two-day event. The test is the sixth of seven scheduled in 2007 and the third dedicated to the Car of Tomorrow. This season, the COT is being used in 16 events. The previous tests for the new car took place at Bristol Motor Speedway and Richmond International Raceway.

Talladega will host the Nextel Cup’s first Car of Tomorrow restrictor-place event on October 7.

A new car style for NASCAR’s Nextel Cup Series, the Car of Tomorrow was first used in March 25 this year. The COT is the product of a seven-year project done at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina.

The Car of Tomorrow is designed to be safer, more competitive, and more cost efficient for the race teams. Its safety mechanism includes double-frame rail on driver’s side, energy absorbing materials, and larger cockpit, which makes driver move closer to the center. Wider and taller than its precedent Nextel Cup race car, the COT has a rerouted exhaust system which keeps heat away from the driver. COT has undergone design improvements, including straighter windshield, bigger rear wing, and being less aerodynamic. Aiming to be less costly, the COT’s more defined body and chassis makes track specific race cars unnecessary. Also, the time required to fabricate body and chassis is reduced.

NASCAR has a section on its website devoted to articles, videos, and slideshows on the Car of Tomorrow.

The Chevrolet Impala COT

The Toyota Camry COT

The Dodge Avenger COT

The Ford Fusion COT

Talking Points

2007-09-11T00:53:00.000-07:00

"I've been told that I will be wondering what this bunch of lunatics is doing out there running so close to each other the whole time. Just like kids I suppose. But it should be fun. I am probably going to stay in the back and watch what happens."

--Former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who is moving to NASCAR next season, on his expectations of the NASCAR races.

Earnhardt Needs to Push a Little More

2007-09-06T16:45:00.000-07:00

To qualify for the Nextel Cup, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. needs to exert a little more effort this Saturday night.

"I'm not the type that's going to make up something that's unrealistic," Earnhardt said. "If we make the Chase, great. But we know it's the longest of long shots. If we don't make it, I'll be sad for our fans and sponsors because they've been great to me all year even with everything that's happened. I want them to know that no matter what, I and the team are giving everything we've got. We're not going to lose focus or give up or pack it in."

Earnhardt does not have to win the race, yet he needs to come close. He cannot finish any worse than fifth with his 128 points behind Kevin Harvick, who is in the 12^th spot. Earnhardt will also need to be the top finisher in all laps and have Harvick finish last.

I agree with the take of former champion and now television analyst Rusty Wallace on Earnhardt’s fate in the race: “(Earnhardt) can make it in the race if Harvick and [Busch] blow an engine and Junior has the race of his life. It’s not possible."

Knowing that the odds are against him, Earnhardt is gathering his guts. His two consecutive fifth-place finishes are not adequate to make up for the errors that made his team Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) far behind the others.

Joe Gibbs Racing Switches to Toyota

2007-09-06T01:57:00.000-07:00

Tony Stewart (left) with Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs

Joe Gibbs Racing, a leading team in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series, announced Wednesday that it would swap Chevrolet race cars to Toyotas beginning in 2008.

Gibb’s move gives rise to Toyota’s competitiveness from being just a struggling newcomer in stock-car racing's premier class. The Japan-based automaker expands from three teams to five teams next year. Gibbs team, which is owned by NFL Coach Joe Gibbs, include as driver two-time Cup champion Tony Stewart.

"We want to be the team to beat," said J.D. Gibbs, Gibbs' son and team president. "They (Toyota) want to be the manufacturer to beat."

In switching car manufacturers, Gibbs ends its 16-year relationship with General Motors. The change was a blow for General Motors, which provided Gibbs Chevrolets and Pontiacs since the team was formed in 1992. Gibbs has been racing Chevys since 2003.

"While we understand the business nature of racing, we are disappointed in J.D.'s decision," according to a statement by General Motors Vice President Brent Dewar. "We hoped they would remain with Chevrolet."

But Stewart, who will be driving a Toyota Camry next year, is ecstatic over the recent changes.

“I’m excited about this,” Stewart said. “I feel like the only way you constantly stay ahead of the game is by putting yourselves in position to be leaders and not followers. That’s why I signed up with Joe Gibbs Racing in the first place and why I’m going to extend my contract.”

There has been an ongoing negotiation on the extension of Stewart’s contract with Gibbs beyond 2009.

Formula One driver’s comeback to NASCAR

2007-09-04T01:39:00.000-07:00

Jacques Villeneuve, a Formula One champion in 1997 and winner of the Indianapolis 500 and CART championship in 1995, is back to NASCAR a decade later.

"It's a new challenge, something fun," Villeneuve said. "Everyone here is so open and warm, and it's always better racing when you have a roof over your head."

This week, Villeneuve tested a truck for the Bill Davis Racing program and will pace a Nextel Cup "Car of Tomorrow" next week in Kentucky. He is also slated to compete in seven truck races this season, gunning for a full-time Cup launch in 2008.

Villeneuve is a source of renewed optimism for a team that struggles against NASCAR's megateams. "We have a lot to prove. Jacques has a lot to prove, but he's relaxed about being part of the rebirth of Bill Davis Racing," said general manager Mike Brown. "Neither of us would have done this if we didn't think we would be successful."

Villeneuve's arrival comes in the middle of various speculations. Last year, Juan Pablo Montoya—also an Indy 500 winner and CART champion—left a problematic situation with the BMW Williams F1 team to reunite with team owner Chip Ganassi and his NASCAR program. Villeneuve's situation is comparable to that of Montoya’s, establishing a career after Formula One. However, Villeneuve is five years older than Montoya and this may be a last chance for a comeback.

NASCAR returns to its origin

2007-09-01T01:31:00.000-07:00

Marking the 70th anniversary of the Sit-Down Strike in Flint, three NASCAR-related exhibits with UAW sponsorship are in Flint. The exhibits are open to the public this weekend.

With the theme "Ordinary People Changing the World," the activities are sponsored by UAW Region 1-C and the Flint Cultural Center. The free exhibits, which arrived in three semitrailers Friday morning, are among numerous activities taking place Labor Day weekend in the Flint Cultural Center and other areas. The exhibits, located in the parking lot next to the Sloan Museum in the Cultural Center, are open 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

According to Gary Alred, head of the exhibit, people coming to the exhibit will not only learn about NASCAR and the UAW, they'll be a part of history. This is the first time the UAW-Dodge, UAW-GM, and UAW-Ford car racing exhibits have all been on display in the same location at a non-racing event, Alred explained.

"It's like remembering the signing of the Declaration of Independence," Alred added. "People need to know where they came from and (the Sit-Down Strike) was the birth of the union."

Earnhardt’s departure from DEI: What now?

2007-08-29T18:51:00.001-07:00

After his best performance in a month last Saturday night, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced recently in a press conference that he is leaving DEI.

The NASCAR’s most popular and most favorite driver said his decision was triggered by his Cup Championship goal, which he said he could not carry out while being with the DEI.

Dale Jr’s relationship with his stepmother Teresa Earnhardt has been more of a bitter conflict. Teresa has been tagged the evil one in the differences between her and Dale Jr. Teresa, who played a crucial role in building the DEI empire and improving the marketing of NASCAR drivers, reportedly wants her own percentage from her son’s earnings. Meanwhile, Dale Jr. was angry with Teresa because the latter did not allow him to take his No. 8 with him to Hendrick.

Perhaps Dale Jr. had seen DEI’s not purchasing its own shaker rig—the “holy grail” of NASCAR technology—as a lack of commitment to performance, in contrast to profit by Teresa. Dale Jr. had sought majority ownership and control to DEI, which might have been quite influential in his decision.

Due to their disagreements, Dale Jr. has earned some criticisms from his fans, aside from defecting to Hendrick Motorsports and becoming Jeff Gordon’s teammate. Also, Dale Jr. is often judged for his failure to win a Cup title despite his 17 career victories, a Daytona 500 win, and two Busch Series championships.

Now that the “Free the 8” battle is over and Dale Jr. has left DEI, some questions linger: who is going to replace Dale Jr. in the DEI #8 car? Will either the replacement or Dale Jr. attain the success they aspire? How will other teams and owners be affected once the new driver of the #8 is revealed? These are the looming issues for 2008 and thereafter.

NASCAR Nextel Cup Weekend Recap: Dodge drivers land in top 10

2007-08-28T18:37:00.000-07:00

Kasey Kahne led his way in his No. 9 McDonald’s Dodge Avenger while four Dodge Avenger drivers finished in the top 10 last Saturday night at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

The other top-10 Dodge drivers Saturday night at the Bristol Motor Speedway were: Ryan Newman, seventh in the No. 12 alltel Dodge Avenger; and Bobby Labonte, eighth placer, who drove the No. 43 Betty Crocker/Cheerios Dodge Avenger.

Juan Pablo Montoya, who is in the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Avenger finished 17^th place. Montoya has won the Raybestos Rookie of the Race awards for the 11^th time this season. He got $25,000 as a prize.

Meanwhile, three-time IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. will run five to six of the final 10 races in the Nextel Cup season for Penske Racing, according to team owner Roger Penske.

The 2006 Indianapolis 500 champion, who is considering a full-time ride in Cup next season, will shift his focus to stock cars as soon as the Indy season ends on September 9.

Hornish's first Cup race could come in the championship Chase opener at New Hampshire International Speedway.

Kahne wins NASCAR Pole

2007-08-25T01:40:00.000-07:00

Kasey Kahne won on Friday the NASCAR pole for Saturday's running of the Sharpie 500 Nextel Cup race at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

Kahne circled the half-mile oval in only 16.016 seconds, with Juan Pablo Montoya turning in a lap of 16.064 to finish second.

There were 30 drivers within 2/10 second of each other. Kahne is seeking his first victory of the year after winning six times last year.

Jamie McMurray and David Ragan finished third and fourth. Points' leader Jeff Gordon was 18th.

Kahne, who began racing at the age 14 in a Micro Midget, won four races in his first-ever season of competition. He was named the USAC Driver of the Year and Silver Bullet Series Rookie of the Year.

Wallace to substitute for Petty at Bristol

2007-08-22T22:29:00.000-07:00

Kenny Wallace will drive in the No. 45 Dodge in Saturday night’s Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, serving as an alternate for Kyle Petty whose injured hand will keep him out for the second consecutive week.

This weekend, Wallace will start his 20^th Cup at Bristol. He has two top-10 finishes at the track and one pole. Wallace also has a Busch Series win at the track.

Wallace said that although it was an honor for him to be filling in for Petty, he felt terrible that Petty could not drive this weekend. But he said that he would give the Dodge car the best ride he could.

Team officials said that Wallace would remain with the team as a consultant and would be called upon to run races as needed, but that he also would be available to drive for another team.

Petty is still recovering from a broken hand incurred at Watkins Glen International. Petty had successful surgery on the hand and it continues to heal.

Again, NASCAR postpones race

2007-08-21T02:09:00.000-07:00

Major changes to NASCAR’s Nextel Cup playoff chase are expected due to a few days of rain in Michigan this week.

The 3M Performance 400, which was originally slated to be run last Sunday, was canceled for the second consecutive day. Although there remains a chance of rain, the event was rescheduled for 10 a.m. today at the Michigan International Speedway.

According to NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston, the race could be held as late as tomorrow before the series would be moved to its next event. Teams for the Sharpie 500, which is scheduled this Saturday night, are expected to arrive on Thursday at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.

NASCAR has never held a race on a Tuesday or a Wednesday in the modern times, a practice that started in 1972.

Poston said should the race be not completed tomorrow, the season would be extended for a week. The event would be held late in November, the weekend after Thanksgiving. This plan would change NASCAR’s carefully planned 10-race playoff timetable.

According to NASCAR rules, the 12-car field for the Chase for the Nextel Cup is to be set after the 26th race of the season. As of now, the 26th race is the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond, Va., on September 8.

The rain delay has created a logistical problem for NASCAR organizers. It has become costly for NASCAR and its race teams, which are forced to pay for added hotel rooms, rental cars, and meals.

Knaus and Letarte back at the track, getting teams ready for Chase

2007-08-18T02:49:00.001-07:00

Nextel Cup crew chief Chad Knaus has rejoined reigning Cup champion Jinnie Johnson and his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team to get ready for Sunday's 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

"I'm not going to lie to you, it's tough,'' said Knaus, who was banned, together with Steve Letarte, from attending six races after NASCAR technical inspectors found unapproved front fenders on their entries before the June 24 race at Sonoma.

On the other hand, Letarte felt frustrated during his suspension. "I (could) do everything Monday through Thursday to prepare them, give them my notes, give them my ideas, this is how the last race went, this is how the next race might go. But, when they leave and come out to the racetrack, they're kind of on their own,'' he said.

But Letarte said he is ready to move on. "If you're asking if I laid awake at night thinking about it, no,'' he said. "I'm not too worried about it. I kind of have bigger goals. I lay awake more at night trying to figure out how we're going to win a championship (rather) than for not being here for the last six races,'' Letarte said.

’57 Chevy celebrates 50th anniversary

2007-08-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

To commemorate the ’57 Chevy’s 50^th anniversary, many Chevrolet drivers will pay tribute to this classic model this weekend at Michigan.

Chevy drivers will run special paint schemes, including Cup Series defending champion Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, and Martin Truex Jr. In addition, J.J. Yeley’s No. 18 Chevy will sport the original Interstate Batteries logo to keep with the ‘50s theme.

The '57 Chevrolet was available in three official trim levels: the base-model "one-fifty" series, the mid-range "two-ten" series, and the upscale Bel Air series. An upscale "Del Ray" trim option was available for 210 two-door sedans.

The “Nomad,” a limited production two-door station wagon, was produced as a Bel Air. A fourth designation also was available in limited quantities—the "El Morocco," a custom hand-build mimicking the Cadillac of the era.

Nicknamed ’57 Chevy, the 1957 Chevrolet was made in the U.S. from late 1956 through 1957 by auto company General Motors. As this car gets older, it becomes more sought after by collectors than ever before. Its image and likeness have been repeatedly and widely used in toys, graphics, music, movies, and television. The '57 Chevy is an icon of the era that still exists today.

The NASCAR season: Montoya’s big challenge

2007-08-17T02:24:00.000-07:00

The trip I had at Watkins Glen last weekend while watching Juan Pablo Montoya was action-packed even though the No. 42 Dodge didn't reach Victory Lane. It was Tony Stewart who won, but the race will always be remembered for the war of words between Montoya and Kevin Harvick after the two smashed on lap 73. Montoya has a penchant for aggressive driving, though he was not at fault in the wreck that angered Harvick.

Montoya has been superb on road courses this season because of his experience in driving (and winning) in Formula 1 machines. However, his performance on oval tracks—the kind that makes up the bulk of the Nextel Cup schedule—paints a rather different picture. Prior to his coming to NASCAR, he had driven on oval racecourses only about 15 times in his life. He had basically no experience on them.

To keep Montoya under control earlier in the year, his crew chief, Donnie Wingo, deliberately sent him out to race in tight race cars. Beginning with Montoya's second-place run at Atlanta back in March, Wingo has been loosening up the setup of the No. 42 Dodge, making it faster by allowing the back end to swing out through corners. Montoya, Wingo says, is gradually learning how to handle a loose race car, and points to the driver's 15th-place finish at Chicagoland, as well as to his second-place run at Indy, last month as evidence.

Montoya's big challenge has been finding out what his car needs to feel like at the beginning of a run (when he has a full tank of gas) in order for it to be fast at the end of a run (when the tank is nearly empty). This is the challenge that every driver must master, and the only way to learn it is with experience.

Remember, Montoya has not even visited every track on the Nextel Cup schedule. His upside is huge and he is already earned strong results on ovals despite his learning curve. He is very much talented, and once he starts winning races, I think that his aggressive driving will stop rubbing so many people the wrong way. He should be a favorite to make the Chase in 2008.

Montoya-Ganassi teamup works at NASCAR

2007-07-12T01:39:00.000-07:00

This Monday marks the first anniversary of former Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya in NASCAR's Ganassi Racing. To date, the Colombian driver has added three NASCAR wins—a Busch Series victory in Mexico City, a Nextel Cup win at Sonoma, and teamed up to win the non-NASCAR Rolex 24 sports car endurance event—to the illustrious racing career he had at F1. But it's the interest he's created—for himself, for the team, and for NASCAR in general—that has had the most impact.

“The guy loves racing,” said NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi in an interview with the Kansas City Star. “And what better place than here? It's nice to have somebody in your car who wants to be there, wants to be with your team, wants to be a part of it.”

In the year since Montoya signed, the Ganassi organization said he has increased traffic to Ganassi's web site, which is now visited by people in 150 countries and offers a Spanish version for Montoya fans. Also, merchandise sales for Montoya's No. 42 are up 300 percent since last year, and the organization's overall sales are up 70 percent.

But, most importantly, he's resumed a relationship with the car owner who helped him during two pivotal points of his career: Ganassi paved the way for Montoya's F1 career during their successful CART days, and he offered him a new challenge when Montoya badly needed one.

“Working with Chip has been really cool. I really like Chip,” Montoya said. “He believes in you, and he supports you. He's just a guy that really believes in me, and he'll trust you 100 percent. Chip is a guy if something goes wrong, he still always believes I can get the job done.”

Hamlin costs teammate Stewart 3rd Pepsi win

2007-07-10T22:32:00.000-07:00

If only for the risk that stock car drivers face each time they leave the paddock and take to the race track, NASCAR ranks at the top of sporting events where teamwork is not left to chance to grow. The concept of team, to be sure, is not lost to NASCAR participants. NASCAR teams even love to tout racing as a team sport. But Saturday's race at the Daytona International Speedway shows a departure from the NASCAR tradition of team sport.

With just 14 of 160 laps recorded in the race, Gibbs driver Denny Hamlin had the lead, and his teammate, Tony Stewart, was second. But as the cars exited turn four, Stewart bumped Hamlin from behind, sending Hamlin to the wall and both drivers to the garages. Also caught up in the wreck, and stripped of a chance to win one of the Nextel Cup series big races, were Dale Earnhardt Jr., Reed Sorenson and Bobby Labonte.

Stewart, who was going for a third straight Pepsi 400 victory, questioned his young protégé’s concept of team. “I mean he’s a young guy and he wants to be successful, but I don’t know if he knows the definition of ‘team’ right now,” Stewart said.

Informed that Stewart had pointed him as the culprit of the crash, Hamlin shrugged and said he would be the “bigger man” and accept the blame. Hamlin, who is second in Nextel Cup points, added, “I definitely had my foot on the throttle. I think Tony was a little bit closer to me than what he expected or he was closer than he was the lap before.”

Team owner Joe Gibbs, when asked what he thought of his drivers, showed contrition in front of the media. “Really, what the deal is, is that we’ve got two guys who are very competitive, running up front, and we’ve got real good cars,” Gibbs said. “And this is something that can happen.” Just wait until the team meets up in the dugout.

Talking Points

2007-07-10T22:26:00.000-07:00

“I think it's kind of over, if you want my honest opinion. I think all race car drivers, whether they're open wheel drivers or what, realize it's not just getting into a car and driving it. It's so much about the team you're with, and the people. It's so much more than just coming over from one series to another. It's about your entrance exam and your warm up program—are you going to Busch, an [ARCA, Busch Series, Cup] program? Do you step right into the car? All those things. I think a swell of interest in terms of other drivers is over. I think it's, maybe, six months over.”

--NASCAR and IndyCar team owner Chip Ganassi, speaking to reporters Monday on the planned switch from IndyCar to NASCAR of open-wheel ace Dan Wheldon, who recently expressed interest in racing on a stock car. Ganassi added that Wheldon's present interest was winning a second IndyCar championship. Wheldon won the 2005 IndyCar championship, then surrendered last season's title to Sam Hornish Jr. by way of a tiebreaker.

NASCAR going green

2007-07-05T23:42:00.000-07:00

NASCAR chairman Brian France announced in a press conference on Monday that America's premier motorsports was ready to switch to unleaded fuel next season.

“It's important for NASCAR to lead in some areas—this being one of them—when it comes to the environment, when it comes to our dependency on foreign oil. It's important for us to stay in a leadership position,” he said.

France likewise confirmed in the meeting with press people the reports that he had traveled to China with a team of senior managers to tour a track in Shanghai and discuss opportunities in the Far East for a possible venue of a NASCAR race.

"We'll be careful of how we proceed, but we'll be looking at building our international platform," he said.

NASCAR is set to make its Canadian debut next month with a Busch Series race in Montreal. Afterwards the series moves to Mexico City.

Drivers not exempted from suspension—NASCAR

2007-07-05T00:45:00.000-07:00

NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were all deducted 100 points when their cars failed pre-race inspections. Their respective crew chiefs, on the other hand, were fined $100,000 and suspended for six races each.

Responding to comments that the race body had been harsh to its drivers only to a degree that the ongoing race series would still be competitive, chairman Brian France said the comments were unfair and that NASCAR in fact had suspended drivers in the past.

“We're not hoping to do that. That's sort of a death penalty. But are we willing to go there? Of course we would. We have in the past and we will in the future.”

“We'd like to make the deterrent, a portion of the penalty, significant enough that that isn't necessary for us to do,” he added.

Gordon, Johnson, and Earnhardt Jr. have been allowed to compete after the Infineon Raceway incident, where it was discovered that the Car of Tomorrow they were racing had been altered. All three remain in contention for the Chase for the Championship.