NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin is down but not out.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Running wide open: Your Bristol I comment thread
Race day in Thunder Valley! It's going to be a fine afternoon at Bristol, with plenty of storylines already in effect. Tires, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and oh so much more. Hang here and make your points, and open up the chat on the front page to see some brand-new goodness for this week. See you here!
Auto Club Speedway perfect place for Jimmie Johnson to show his team has improved on intermediate tracks
Although he finished 16th at Las Vegas earlier this month, defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson says he?s not worried about his team?s 1.5-mile program. Johnson, who returns to his home state for this weekend?s Auto Club 400, alleges that the Hendrick Motorsports team, which is 5-0 in the last five championship battles, was aware late last year that its intermediate-track program wasn?t up to snuff.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
McMurray, Dixon swap rides for runs at Talladega, Barber
NASCAR met Indy on Wednesday at Talladega Superspeedway and Barber Motorsports Park as Jamie McMurray and Scott Dixon swapped rides for the afternoon. McMurray took Dixon's 09 Target Honda out for laps at Barber, while Dixon wheeled the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet at 'Dega.
"When I drove for Chip Ganassi from 2002 to 2005, honestly I don't think I even saw an IndyCar," McMurray said. "Never had the opportunity. When I came back here, I told Chip that if there was ever a chance, I'd really like to drive one of those somewhere. I didn't really expect all the media and everyone else to be here on my adventure."
Both drivers took their laps, and had some fine one-liners. For instance, Dixon on making the jump to NASCAR: "Well, there's no $5 million prize in NASCAR, so no, I'm not going." (He was kidding, later saying he was "intrigued" by the possibility.)
McMurray on driving an Indy Car: "I thought the hardest part [would be] just being in the open, and being exposed without a windshield. But that didn't bother me at all. I actually enjoyed being out in the open and not having to look through a visor and a windshield."
Dixon on the size of Talladega: "This place is massive. I spoke before about how Indy is large as well, but I think the sheer size of this and how it's spread out, when you go out there, you feel really lonely by yourself. It would have been nice to maybe have a few other cars out here and maybe take the restrictor plate off and see the full power of these kinds of cars on a track like this."
Oh, and Dixon added this gem, on how fast the Indy Cars could go at 'Dega: "In this configuration, with the big wings, you'd probably do 170 to 180. But with speedway wings, you'd probably do about 230. Maybe even more than that. Maybe 240 or more."
Make that happen. Just, you know, with empty grandstands.
"When I drove for Chip Ganassi from 2002 to 2005, honestly I don't think I even saw an IndyCar," McMurray said. "Never had the opportunity. When I came back here, I told Chip that if there was ever a chance, I'd really like to drive one of those somewhere. I didn't really expect all the media and everyone else to be here on my adventure."
Both drivers took their laps, and had some fine one-liners. For instance, Dixon on making the jump to NASCAR: "Well, there's no $5 million prize in NASCAR, so no, I'm not going." (He was kidding, later saying he was "intrigued" by the possibility.)
McMurray on driving an Indy Car: "I thought the hardest part [would be] just being in the open, and being exposed without a windshield. But that didn't bother me at all. I actually enjoyed being out in the open and not having to look through a visor and a windshield."
Dixon on the size of Talladega: "This place is massive. I spoke before about how Indy is large as well, but I think the sheer size of this and how it's spread out, when you go out there, you feel really lonely by yourself. It would have been nice to maybe have a few other cars out here and maybe take the restrictor plate off and see the full power of these kinds of cars on a track like this."
Oh, and Dixon added this gem, on how fast the Indy Cars could go at 'Dega: "In this configuration, with the big wings, you'd probably do 170 to 180. But with speedway wings, you'd probably do about 230. Maybe even more than that. Maybe 240 or more."
Make that happen. Just, you know, with empty grandstands.
United Autosport adds Herbert for Spa 24 Hours
Another former F1 and Le Mans star joins Anglo-American squad for this summer's enduro in an Audi.
Franchitti outruns Power for first St. Pete win
Reigning IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti put on a dominating performance to win Sunday's season- opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
RACER EXCLUSIVE: Lotus Renault GP blog
"I asked how bad it was and Daniele was able to tell me Robert had multiple fractures. It was only a couple of hours later that it became clear it had actually been much more serious even than that."
NEMST in Final Preparation for Northeast Motorsports Expo
The North East Mini Stock Tour will be attending the 23rd annual Northeast Motorsports Expo presented by Mainely Motorsports in Augusta on January 7,8, and 9. The NEMST will have Emerson Cayer?s Ford Mustang on display. Cayer was the inaugural champion for the NEMST in 2009 with a runner up finish in the 2010 season.
Plenty of merchandise, information materials, and registration forms will be on hand for the show. The NEMST will also release its final schedule for the 2011 season. NEMST promoter Bob Guptill will be at the show all weekend to answer any questions about the upcoming season anyone may have.
Plenty of merchandise, information materials, and registration forms will be on hand for the show. The NEMST will also release its final schedule for the 2011 season. NEMST promoter Bob Guptill will be at the show all weekend to answer any questions about the upcoming season anyone may have.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Graham Rahal Talks About IndyCar, NHRA Racing!
Graham Rahal visited the 42nd NHRA Gatornationals Photo: Anne Proffit Graham Rahal had to grow up rather quickly over the past year or so. The scion of the Rahal racing family found himself out of a ride when Newman/Haas Racing failed to secure the proper sponsorship to run Rahal for a third season in 2010. He was left out in the cold and had to...
McLaren: Red Bull is not unbeatable
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh is confident in his team's potential despite the dominance its RB7 showed in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Vettel wins season-opening F1 Australian GP
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel opened his Formula One title defense by driving a flawless race and beating McLaren's Lewis Hamilton to win the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Johnson odds on favorite at Vegas
Jimmie Johnson, a four-time winner of the Kobalt Tools 400 event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway who has won the past five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, is a heavy favorite to win in Sin City again this weekend. Although winless in the first two races of the 2011 campaign, Ed Salmons, Race and Sports Manager at the Las Vegas Hilton Super Book, has tabbed Johnson as the favorite at 9-2. The most recent winner, Jeff Gordon (who snapped a 66-race winless streak last weekend at Phoenix), is listed at 10-1 and Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne is posted at 100-1. Las Vegas natives Kyle and Kurt Busch are listed at 6-1 and 12-1, respectively. Kyle Busch currently leads the Cup standings.
Monday, March 28, 2011
FOX Sports Exclusive ? FOXSports.com
FOX Sports Exclusive – FOXSports.com
FOXSports.com
FOX Sports ExclusiveFOXSports.comRea White has been covering NASCAR full time since 1998. She has won awards from press agencies in Alabama and North Carolina and the National Motorsports Press Association. Carl Edwards is off to the best start of his NASCAR career. …Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards says he still owes payback to Kyle BuschESPN
Talk of Edwards-Busch payback cools in CaliforniaNascarNASCAR penalizes 8 teamsNews & ObserverBleacher Report -Wilson County News -Examiner.comall 76 news articles »
FOXSports.com
FOX Sports ExclusiveFOXSports.comRea White has been covering NASCAR full time since 1998. She has won awards from press agencies in Alabama and North Carolina and the National Motorsports Press Association. Carl Edwards is off to the best start of his NASCAR career. …Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards says he still owes payback to Kyle BuschESPN
Talk of Edwards-Busch payback cools in CaliforniaNascarNASCAR penalizes 8 teamsNews & ObserverBleacher Report -Wilson County News -Examiner.comall 76 news articles »
ASCS Sprints On Dirt At Cherry Raceway
The Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt Series returns to Cherry Raceway in Fife Lake, Mich., for a night of racing action Aug. 12, 2011.
Brian Vickers Shows That NASCAR Can Be Fun
I?ll admit it: NASCAR usually doesn?t come to mind when discussing Thursday night binge-drinking raves, complete with simulated girl-girl action. Even after watching this video, I?m really no more inclined to watch NASCAR racing than I was before, nor am I inclined to drink more RedBull. The message, as near as I can tell, is [...]
Sweet heaven, are BMWs coming to the Truck Series? (No.)
For those of you who hate the idea of Toyota being in NASCAR ? you know, because we're still living in 1950 ? that photo will certainly send shivers down your spine. Is that a BMW M3 chopped down to truck specs? Will it run in the Camping World Truck Series? Oh my lord, are the Germans coming to NASCAR?
In order, yes, no and no. That unholy union of a BMW M3 and a pickup truck pictured right there was spotted by an eagle-eyed photographer during BMW at the famed Nurburgring race track, so yes, it does exist. BMW said as much:
"BMW M did indeed create the pickup seen on the 'Ring, but it was just an internal project, not something that is in development," Dave Buchko, BMW Advanced Powertrain & Heritage Communications Manager, told Road & Track. "There are no plans to produce it."
So no, this is not a prelude to BMW entering NASCAR. At least ... not yet. (Cue sinister music.)
(Thanks to highflyjet for the tip.)
Caught Testing: BMW M3 Pickup [Road & Track/Yahoo! Autos]
In order, yes, no and no. That unholy union of a BMW M3 and a pickup truck pictured right there was spotted by an eagle-eyed photographer during BMW at the famed Nurburgring race track, so yes, it does exist. BMW said as much:
"BMW M did indeed create the pickup seen on the 'Ring, but it was just an internal project, not something that is in development," Dave Buchko, BMW Advanced Powertrain & Heritage Communications Manager, told Road & Track. "There are no plans to produce it."
So no, this is not a prelude to BMW entering NASCAR. At least ... not yet. (Cue sinister music.)
(Thanks to highflyjet for the tip.)
Caught Testing: BMW M3 Pickup [Road & Track/Yahoo! Autos]
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Robby Gordon Sues ExtenZe For Non-Performance
There?s irony and there?s IRONY, and this story clearly falls into the latter category. Robby Gordon, NASCAR Sprint Cup team owner and racer of all things with four wheels, alleges that male-enhancement pill maker ExtenZe failed to rise to the occasion and pay him for their Sprint Cup sponsorship. ExtenZe, on the other hand, claims [...]
Joey Logano says flurry of bad finishes might already force him to take chances on track
FONTANA, Calif. ? Joey Logano admits that handling four weeks without a good finish has not been easy. Especially since this season was supposed to be his breakout campaign. Logano, who improved to 16th in the standings in 2010 after a rookie year where he finished 20th, was expected to make a natural progression to being a Chase For The Sprint Cup competitor in 2011.
Who is Kevin Harvick afraid of?
Budweiser, Kevin Harvick's new sponsor this season in the Sprint Cup Series, is hosting a roast of the driver on Tuesday night in Daytona Beach, Fla. Among those planning to speak about Harvick are fellow driver, Tony Stewart, Harvick's driver in the Truck series, Ron Hornaday, Harvick's driver in the Nationwide series, Elliott Sadler, Mike Dillon from Richard Childress Racing and Harvick's wife, DeLana. I asked Harvick during Thursday's Media Day activities who he was most afraid to hear speak at the roast. The answer may surprise you. "I am pretty much going into it knowing I am pretty much going to get slammed. The thing they all have to remember is, I get the last word," Harvick said. "So, as many good stories as they have on me, I have on them. "I know better than to completely demolish my wife, so she's probably going to get away with a lot more than the rest of them. Mike Dillon, I have no worries about whatsoever because I have the ultimate story on him. "I think Hornaday is the one that worries me the most. I've been around him so long. He's probably got ..." And then another reporter interjected, "Polaroids?" "Yeah, he's got stories, pictures," Harvick said. "The ones he can't remember, I'm sure Lindy (Hornaday's wife) does."
Graham Rahal Talks About IndyCar, NHRA Racing!
Graham Rahal visited the 42nd NHRA Gatornationals Photo: Anne Proffit Graham Rahal had to grow up rather quickly over the past year or so. The scion of the Rahal racing family found himself out of a ride when Newman/Haas Racing failed to secure the proper sponsorship to run Rahal for a third season in 2010. He was left out in the cold and had to...
Hot Times In Gainesville For NHRA
Del Worsham became the 15th driver to score wins in both Funny Car and Top Fuel at Gainesville Raceway Photo: Anne Proffit Eddie Krawiec won the final race at Pomona in 2010 and the season starter for Pro Stock Motorcycle at Gainesville Photo: Anne Proffit On a bright, sunny and warm day in Gainesville, FL, the National Hot Rod Association crowned...
Saturday, March 26, 2011
More from Kevin Conway on his run-in with Robby Gordon at Vegas
Late Monday, NASCAR driver Kevin Conway released a statement further describing his run-in with Robby Gordon Friday afternoon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gordon was placed on indefinite probation by NASCAR for his role in the incident. Conway was not penalized. Conway filed a complaint with the Las Vegas Police Department on Friday night. Here is the statement in its entirety: ?I don?t mind stiff competition, but I want to make sure the hard facts are told. First and foremost, I love being a part of NASCAR and have worked very hard to earn the privilege of competing in the Sprint Cup Series. On Friday night, Robby Gordon, who has a long history of issues in NASCAR decided to ambush me in the garage area at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, completely unprovoked. Robby even confronted Joe Nemechek, my car owner, on pit road during Cup Series qualifying shoving him and telling him that he was looking for me and going to assault me. We have many witnesses including a crew chief that signed a police report documenting the truth of his physical attack on me. "Situations like this are not good for our sport. It?s one thing if we were racing each other and I wrecked him or he wrecked me, that?s an entirely different situation. It?s very unfortunate that he chose to physically attack me to address his rage. Our fans, sponsors and NASCAR expect and deserve more from our competitors than this bullish, illegal behavior that was displayed by Robby against me.? To read the original story about the incident, go here.
Brian Vickers gives young pro golfer a driving lesson
Lexi Thompson is a professional golfer already well on her way to fame and fortune. And she just turned 16 in February, which means she needs to get her driver's license. But do you think a budding pro athlete is going to learn how to drive from a bitter high school football coach, the way the rest of us did? Heck no! She's bringing in some heavy artiller: NASCAR driver Brian Vickers.In this little video from Red Bull (can't embed it here, alas), you can see Lexi learn the driving ropes from Brian, and in turn she gave him some golfing tips. "I'm not sure if this is the best approach or the worst approach," Vickers said. "They gave me a 16-year-old girl and a race car and said, 'Teach her how to drive.'" Lexi is still a minor, friends, so let's not even mention that infamous Maxim article on Vickers, OK?Oh, and she got to do burnouts! My high school football teacher never taught me to do that! Alexis Thompson: License to Drive [Red Bull] [And if this post looks familiar to you ... I totally stole it from the dude that edits the golf page. He's a clown.]
NASCAR places Annett on probation for the entire 2011 season
NASCAR on Friday announced it has placed Nationwide Series driver Michael Annett on probation for the entire year as a result of his drunk driving arrest early Sunday morning in Mooresville, N.C. According to a NASCAR release, in addition to steps already undertaken by Annett?s team, Rusty Wallace Inc., Annett will be evaluated by a certified substance abuse professional at NASCAR?s discretion and will be subject to random alcohol and drug testing. Annett was charged with DUI, failure to reduce speed, texting while driving and resisting an officer last week. The car he was driving rear-ended another car, which was stopped at a traffic light. According to the police report, Annett had a blood-alcohol level of .32 ? four times the N.C. legal limit of .08. In the past, NASCAR has placed drivers involved in such incidents on probation. In 2009, NASCAR forced driver AJ Allmendinger to take a breathalyzer test before allowing him on the track following a DUI arrest. Annett?s team said it was instituting several sanctions of its own, including a zero-tolerance alcohol policy, completion of a comprehensive alcohol awareness program and a yearlong community service program. Annett?s first court date is March 18 in Iredell County, N.C.
Jeff Burton confident he can rebound, make Chase by improving intermediate-track performance
WELCOME, N.C. ? Jeff Burton has made comebacks in the standings before, and he saw buddy Mark Martin do it just a couple of years ago.
So Burton in no way sees his 29th-place status in points as insurmountable. It might not be a good feeling, but it?s not a lost feeling for the Richard Childress Racing veteran driver.
So Burton in no way sees his 29th-place status in points as insurmountable. It might not be a good feeling, but it?s not a lost feeling for the Richard Childress Racing veteran driver.
Franchitti begins campaign for record fourth IndyCar title
After a five-and-a-half-month break, the IZOD IndyCar Series begins its new season on Sunday in St. Petersburg.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Privateer Oreca Peugeot Beats The Factory Teams At Sebring
Using the well developed Peugeot 908 HDi FAP LM P1 contender, Team Oreca won the hotly contested Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Photo: Anne Proffit The Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring may not be the longest race on the calendar of events for sports car racing but it's acknowledged to be amongst the toughest anywhere. Held on a 3.7-mile former Army Air...
More from Kevin Conway on his run-in with Robby Gordon at Vegas
Late Monday, NASCAR driver Kevin Conway released a statement further describing his run-in with Robby Gordon Friday afternoon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gordon was placed on indefinite probation by NASCAR for his role in the incident. Conway was not penalized. Conway filed a complaint with the Las Vegas Police Department on Friday night. Here is the statement in its entirety: ?I don?t mind stiff competition, but I want to make sure the hard facts are told. First and foremost, I love being a part of NASCAR and have worked very hard to earn the privilege of competing in the Sprint Cup Series. On Friday night, Robby Gordon, who has a long history of issues in NASCAR decided to ambush me in the garage area at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, completely unprovoked. Robby even confronted Joe Nemechek, my car owner, on pit road during Cup Series qualifying shoving him and telling him that he was looking for me and going to assault me. We have many witnesses including a crew chief that signed a police report documenting the truth of his physical attack on me. "Situations like this are not good for our sport. It?s one thing if we were racing each other and I wrecked him or he wrecked me, that?s an entirely different situation. It?s very unfortunate that he chose to physically attack me to address his rage. Our fans, sponsors and NASCAR expect and deserve more from our competitors than this bullish, illegal behavior that was displayed by Robby against me.? To read the original story about the incident, go here.
Hot Times In Gainesville For NHRA
Del Worsham became the 15th driver to score wins in both Funny Car and Top Fuel at Gainesville Raceway Photo: Anne Proffit Eddie Krawiec won the final race at Pomona in 2010 and the season starter for Pro Stock Motorcycle at Gainesville Photo: Anne Proffit On a bright, sunny and warm day in Gainesville, FL, the National Hot Rod Association crowned...
Happy Hour: When will Kyle move his team up the ranks?
Welcome to the latest Happy Hour mailbag! You know how these work: you write us at nascarmail@yahoogroups.com or on Twitter at @jaybusbee, we respond to your messages, everyone goes away with a smile on their face. Today, we're talking Kyle Busch Motorsports, favoritism, mullets, poetry and more. Away we go! Kasey [Kahne] sure made KHI and Childress look bad at Darlington, and he sounds like he's willing to pay to drive Rowdy's #18. Question: since KBM is the best NASCAR team in truck, how soon do you think it will be until Rowdy moves KBM up to Nationwide and Sprint Cup?— Capt Red Legs DaleParts unknownThe 7th of Never. (Great handle, by the way.) Well, maybe not “never,” but there are several good reasons for Kyle not to move his own motorsports team upward. In ascending order of importance: Kyle recently signed a long-term contract with JGR, and so wouldn't be able to get out of that any time soon. Second, he's already stretched pretty thin, focus-wise; one of the bigger knocks on Kyle is that he divides his attention too much between series. Finally, and most importantly, running a team is phenomenally expensive, and Kyle already regrets getting involved in trucks. Check out what he had to say less than a year ago when asked about the most frivolous thing he spends money on:"Right now it's the truck team. I am definitely not making any money there, that's for sure. I am going to be in the negative here for a couple of years on that deal."That doesn't sound like a man ready to make the leap to a higher series, does it? If Kyle can wheedle in his famous friends to take turns behind the wheel, that'll help, but at the moment, KBM doesn't appear to be the next great team superpower.More follows.I was looking at the current standings today and I thought of something that has never been done before and [could happen] with this new point system. The Nationwide and Camping World Series Top 25 in points do not have a win yet so far this season. Granted, both series only have raced no more than 3 races, but none of the regulars have won yet. Could it be possible that this year's champion in those series might go win-less because of Cup regulars? This might not be big as of a deal for the Truck Series, but for the Nationwide series in 2010 only one regular won a race. A Championship is a Championship, but that driver will be known for not winning a race in his run. — Thomas EmanoffDanielsville, Pa.The current top 5 in the Nationwide series are Reed Sorenson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Jason Leffler, Danica Patrick and Justin Allgaier. Realistically, can you see any of them beating Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer, among many others, in a given week? Maybe Allgaier can run with them. Maybe. I'm thinking you're exactly right, that the Nationwide champion won't win a race. But you know what? I'm fine with that. I'd rather the Sprint drivers help prop up – er, promote – the Nationwide series but not be able to run for the championship. Next, this:This picture from Bristol sums up everything I love about NASCAR and about being at the track. Dressy-ish shirt. Stoic look. Drinking beer. And...well, yeah. People watching is always a blast. — Tony MannParts unknownRacing is serious business, sir. Business in the grandstands, party in the infield. Though that mullet is indeed epic. (Remember to send in your own track pics to the email address below.) How can NASCAR inspect a car, impound it, and then penalize the driver/owner/crew chief when they find an infraction (unapproved thread pitch or improperly color-coded safety wire) that THEY missed the first time... yet just say 'we blew the call on Edwards; sorry, Smoke.' NASCAR isn't 'fixed', but they sure are selective in who they give the benefit of the doubt to.— BobPalm Springs, Calf.Well, as Jay Hart showed last week, it wasn't a case of Edwards committing a penalty. And think for a second; why would NASCAR penalize Tony Stewart, one of its most popular drivers? Didn't NASCAR give the benefit of the doubt to Stewart at Talladega over unknown Regan Smith a few years back? The problem with thinking that there's bias against one driver or another is that soon enough, there'll be bias for that driver. Do superstars get the calls? Sure they do, like in every sport, but that's not indicative of some overarching conspiracy. And now, as requested, some poetry for the Chase:I want excitement in every race.I want the best drivers in the Chase.The question is how to make it fair.The real question is how to make everyone care.The competitors are even as the season begins.The top ten of the Chase are set by the number of wins.If there is a tie for number ten,The highest points total will get in.Don't fret if you didn't get into the Chase,We have two more entrants to place.The two highest points total, not already in the Chase,Will be included, so we will have twelve for the Race.And how to seed the competitors in the Chase?We treat the regular season as a race.Points are awarded by the points finishing position,And wins receive points like laps, in addition.In this scheme, wins count and points do too.So I ask you, is this what you want NASCAR to do?— Michael MillerChester, Va.That's lovely AND logical! Next challenge: somebody put that one to music!I like "win and you're in"May even get races watched by next of kinThe only problem I seeWith this remedyIs why winners race hard after February?— "nairbsod"Origins unknownHey, beats "There once was a man from Nantucket..." And the point is a good one: a "win and you're in" approach would allow winners to check out for the rest of the regular season.Long time reader, first time writer. I heard a comment on TV how Jeff Gordon practiced the whole off season on restarts. I have noticed also he is much better. My question is; how did he practice restarts without running races?— DavidParts unknownHey, my first long-time first-time! I feel just like a talk radio host. Next up: why Washington hates you! But to your point, sir: the main issue on restarts is that you have to have enough grip and acceleration that your tires don't spin when the green flag drops, costing you time and the lead. And you don't need to be in race conditions to practice that. Heck, you don't even need to be at a track. Do like I do and practice at every green light. Just don't try that Daytona 2x2 push with motorcyles. And on that note, we're out. Thanks to all our writers this week. You want in? Fire up the computer and hit us with whatever's on your mind, NASCAR-wise, at nascarmail@yahoogroups.com, or hit us up on Twitter at @jaybusbee. We'll make you famous!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
NASCAR Race Review: The Kobalt Tools 400
Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. This week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is the Kobalt Tools 400 from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada. 17 Matt Kenseth set a new track qualifying record of 188.884 mph and 28.58 seconds on Friday to capture the Coors Light Pole Award. This was his [...]
Dale Earnhardt Jr. needs better result at California track to stay in top 10
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is ninth in NASCAR?s Sprint Cup Series points standings, and if he hopes to remain inside the top 10, he knows he?ll need a good run at Auto Club Speedway this weekend. But that?s easier said than done, according to the 36-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver.
Who is Kevin Harvick afraid of?
Budweiser, Kevin Harvick's new sponsor this season in the Sprint Cup Series, is hosting a roast of the driver on Tuesday night in Daytona Beach, Fla. Among those planning to speak about Harvick are fellow driver, Tony Stewart, Harvick's driver in the Truck series, Ron Hornaday, Harvick's driver in the Nationwide series, Elliott Sadler, Mike Dillon from Richard Childress Racing and Harvick's wife, DeLana. I asked Harvick during Thursday's Media Day activities who he was most afraid to hear speak at the roast. The answer may surprise you. "I am pretty much going into it knowing I am pretty much going to get slammed. The thing they all have to remember is, I get the last word," Harvick said. "So, as many good stories as they have on me, I have on them. "I know better than to completely demolish my wife, so she's probably going to get away with a lot more than the rest of them. Mike Dillon, I have no worries about whatsoever because I have the ultimate story on him. "I think Hornaday is the one that worries me the most. I've been around him so long. He's probably got ..." And then another reporter interjected, "Polaroids?" "Yeah, he's got stories, pictures," Harvick said. "The ones he can't remember, I'm sure Lindy (Hornaday's wife) does."
What revelations await during lunch with Tony Stewart?
Lindsay Czarniak recently ventured into the recesses of Tony Stewart's motorcoach for a little lunch, and brought back the report above. It's a good interview, as Smoke holds forth on his superstitions (don't ever get near him with a $50 bill), the Australia incident, his regrets as an owner, and the prank Dale Earnhardt once played on him. For more, check out the accompanying article. Also: do not miss the final few minutes of this, when you get to see what kind of pet Stewart now has on his motorcoach. It may change your view of Stewart forever.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
SPEED.com: Bernard clarifies Tracy comment
IndyCar CEO says he misspoke in his response to Paul Tracy's criticisms of the $5m Las Vegas bonus.
SPEED.com: Bernard clarifies Tracy comment
IndyCar CEO says he misspoke in his response to Paul Tracy's criticisms of the $5m Las Vegas bonus.
Wait, something is very wrong with this Richard Petty pic
What the heck's going on here? Is Richard Petty finally making the jump into open-wheel? Is he going to take on the Vegas $5 million challenge? Is the cowboy hat now permissible headgear in IndyCar?No, no and no. This is a photo op from Monday morning as Andretti Autosport, Richard Petty Motorsports and Window World will once again run John Andretti in the Indy 500 later this spring. Andretti has 11 Indy starts. Last year, he finished 30th of 33 cars after a wreck on lap 62. Ah, well ... there's always this year. (Photo via @NateRyan.)
NASCAR to change tire compounds for races at Bristol
During Friday's practice sessions for the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway, there was one tiny problem: the rubber from the tires wasn't sticking to the track.Instead, the rubber was marbling -- no, we didn't have anything to do with this -- much like what happened at Indianapolis in 2008, when a caution had to be thrown every nine laps to prevent widespread tire failures.NASCAR announced Friday afternoon that the right-side tires would be different for Saturday and Sunday's races at the half-mile oval. Goodyear had brought a new tire combination this spring in hopes for more grip, but Denny Hamlin said Friday that his tires were showing cords after 30 laps. A fuel run at Bristol is 130 laps.Since the new tires were being shipped in from Charlotte on Saturday, the Sprint Cup cars qualified on the tires that they already have and the final Nationwide practice Friday afternoon continued as scheduled despite the fact that the teams were using the right-side tires that are being replaced.
Texas Motor Speedway enjoys increase in season-ticket sales
Fueled by its ?No Limits? campaign targeting new fans, season tickets at Texas Motor Speedway are up nearly a 31 percent, track officials said Friday.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Back to 1990: Christian Slater, Richard Marx at Cali race
So there's this: at this weekend's Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in California, Christian Slater will be Grand Marshal and Richard Marx will sing the National Anthem. In related news, Joe Montana recently led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl victory; a sprightly young Arkansas governor named Bill Clinton has his eye on the White House; and there's a cartoon on in prime time called "The Simpsons." (Yeah, like that'll last.)
Anyway, yeah, Slater and Marx. Why? I don't know. Well, I do know, but I don't really want to give voice to the answer. At least Sugar Ray Leonard will also be there to serve as Honorary Starter. But that's about as good as it gets. Because this time, there's no Nirvana around to stomp out these vestiges of the 1980s.
Anyway, yeah, Slater and Marx. Why? I don't know. Well, I do know, but I don't really want to give voice to the answer. At least Sugar Ray Leonard will also be there to serve as Honorary Starter. But that's about as good as it gets. Because this time, there's no Nirvana around to stomp out these vestiges of the 1980s.
Edwards clearly hasn’t evened the score with Kyle yet
In the closing laps of Sunday's Jeff Byrd 500 at Bristol, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards dueled bumper-to-bumper, trading the lead back and forth and raising memories of August 2008, when Edwards bumper-tapped Busch to take the victory. Unfortunately for Edwards, this year's Kyle was far superior, getting and holding the lead right on through the checkers.
After the race, Edwards was smiling but dropped a hint of a possible season-long storyline. Asked about the possibility of spinning Kyle for the win, Carl replied, "He's still got one coming from Phoenix."
That, of course, is a reference to the second race of this season, when Edwards had what he considered a race-winning car. But Busch took him out early in the race in what was, by most accounts, just one of them racin' deals.
Busch apologized after getting out of the car in Phoenix, but that apparently wasn't enough to soothe Edwards, who added that he still had "one in his pocket" for Busch. When that one will be meted out remains to be seen; it looks like both drivers will make the Chase, barring disaster, so would Edwards wait until the Chase to give payback? Or would he take away a certain win for Busch earlier in the season? Whenever it comes, it'll be a surprise for Busch.
"I have no idea what I'm owed from," Kyle deadpanned after the race. "You'll have to ask Edwards. Normally when it's against you, you'll remember it forever."
Maybe this won't go down as one of the most exciting races of the season, but if it perpetuates the chess match/boxing match between two of NASCAR's best, it'll be worthwhile.
After the race, Edwards was smiling but dropped a hint of a possible season-long storyline. Asked about the possibility of spinning Kyle for the win, Carl replied, "He's still got one coming from Phoenix."
That, of course, is a reference to the second race of this season, when Edwards had what he considered a race-winning car. But Busch took him out early in the race in what was, by most accounts, just one of them racin' deals.
Busch apologized after getting out of the car in Phoenix, but that apparently wasn't enough to soothe Edwards, who added that he still had "one in his pocket" for Busch. When that one will be meted out remains to be seen; it looks like both drivers will make the Chase, barring disaster, so would Edwards wait until the Chase to give payback? Or would he take away a certain win for Busch earlier in the season? Whenever it comes, it'll be a surprise for Busch.
"I have no idea what I'm owed from," Kyle deadpanned after the race. "You'll have to ask Edwards. Normally when it's against you, you'll remember it forever."
Maybe this won't go down as one of the most exciting races of the season, but if it perpetuates the chess match/boxing match between two of NASCAR's best, it'll be worthwhile.
Talladega Superspeedway Fan Appreciation Day
Talladega Superspeedway Fan Appreciation Day Is Sept. 26th: Talladega Superspeedway will welcome race fans to the track on Sept. 26 for the second annual Fan Appreciation Day. This event is open to the public and free of charge. Best of all, ticket buyers to either of the two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Talladega, [...]
North Carolina judge denies Red Bull request to throw out Scott Speed?s $6.5 million lawsuit
STATESVILLE, N.C. ? A North Carolina judge has allowed Scott Speed to proceed with his $6.5 million lawsuit against Red Bull Racing as she denied the race team?s request to make a judgment based solely on what each side has presented in court without any investigation into Speed?s claims.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Dale Earnhardt Jr. pleased with third-place Nationwide result at Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn. ? It wasn?t a win, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. scored a strong third-place finish in the Scotts EZ Seed 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway. A lap down early, Earnhardt Jr. was able to race his way back into contention after earning the free pass with approximately 65 laps remaining.
Busch knocked out in opening round of NHRA event
Former NASCAR champion Kurt Busch climbed out of his dragster with a huge smile on his face, then got mobbed by crewmembers.
NASCAR Announces 2011 Schedules
NASCAR announced the 2011 schedule for its three national series, highlighted by several key changes for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. One of those changes comes early, as the second race of the season will be held at Phoenix International Raceway on Feb. 27, a week after the season-opening Daytona 500. PIR replaces Auto Club [...]
Peugeot satisfied with reliability
Peugeot team boss Olivier Quesnel said he was satisfied that the new 908s ran trouble-free in the Sebring 12 Hours, even though the race victory went to ORECA's older-specification car.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Life in the NASCAR fast lane: Knoxville's Baynes adjusting to son's sudden success
Less than a week after his oldest son became the youngest Daytona 500 winner in NASCAR history, Rocky Bayne checked into a Phoenix hotel with the hopes of unwinding from a week that was simply unreal.
Carl Edwards' lap of 14.98 good enough for pole
BRISTOL - Concrete Carl is back on top. From the first Nationwide Series practice session Friday morning to the Sprint Cup qualifying session Friday afternoon, Carl Edwards was the dominant driver at Bristol Motor Speedway.
NASCAR Race Review: The Kobalt Tools 400
Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. This week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is the Kobalt Tools 400 from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada. 17 Matt Kenseth set a new track qualifying record of 188.884 mph and 28.58 seconds on Friday to capture the Coors Light Pole Award. This was his [...]
Hamilton: "One or two titles insufficient"
Lewis Hamilton feels he needs to win multiple world titles to prove he is the best driver of his generation, but denied that he was thinking he might have to leave McLaren in order to achieve that.
Life in the NASCAR fast lane: Knoxville's Baynes adjusting to son's sudden success
Less than a week after his oldest son became the youngest Daytona 500 winner in NASCAR history, Rocky Bayne checked into a Phoenix hotel with the hopes of unwinding from a week that was simply unreal.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Talladega Superspeedway Trip Report: Update 3
UPDATE 3 Now that our trip is complete and were safely back in Indiana I can look back on this trip and all the memories I made at Talladega. I?ve been to seven major speedways on the NASCAR circuit now and looking back on this trip I have to say Talladega is safely at the [...]
Carolyn Brewster: NASCAR fans shouldn?t 'hate' Kyle Busch, or any driver
I received the following tweet from elorac18 ? ?We Rowdy fans have put you on the list of Kyle Busch haters.?
What? I?ve been listed as a hater? Come on now. My mom taught me hate is a strong word. I only use it when talking about cooked broccoli and stirrup pants. I don?t hate anyone, including Kyle Busch.
What? I?ve been listed as a hater? Come on now. My mom taught me hate is a strong word. I only use it when talking about cooked broccoli and stirrup pants. I don?t hate anyone, including Kyle Busch.
Bobby Timmons becoming a Legend
�
Bobby Timmons driver of the number 38 ?Timmons Machine & Fabrication?, NELCAR Legend car is a 3rd generation race car driver.
Timmons like?s racing inthe legend series do to the fact that, there is a ?clean racing atmosphere, and also the smaller size and power, makes the cars a good stepping stone from karting.? Though if he could make one change in the NELCAR Series it would be in the qualifying line up to start the feature race.
Bobby Timmons driver of the number 38 ?Timmons Machine & Fabrication?, NELCAR Legend car is a 3rd generation race car driver.
Timmons like?s racing inthe legend series do to the fact that, there is a ?clean racing atmosphere, and also the smaller size and power, makes the cars a good stepping stone from karting.? Though if he could make one change in the NELCAR Series it would be in the qualifying line up to start the feature race.
Presenting your drivers’ Bristol walk-in music
The Bristol driver intros are fast becoming one of the best NASCAR prerace traditions around, and not just because the drivers yap at each other as above. No, each driver gets to pick his own entrance music, wrestling/at-bat style, and here, courtesy of SB Nation, are your nearly-complete driver songs:
Marcos Ambrose ? "Fuel" / Metallica
AJ Allmendinger ? "Turn Around" / Flo Rida
Trevor Bayne ? TBD
Greg Biffle ? "I Gotta Feelin" / Black Eyed Peas
Dave Blaney ? Ohio State University fight song
Clint Bowyer ? Theme from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Jeff Burton ? "Welcome to the Jungle" / Guns N Roses
Kurt Busch ? "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" / George Thorogood
Kyle Busch ? "Rowdy Busch" / Raytona 500
Landon Cassill ? "Never Gonna Give You Up" / Rick Astley
Dale Earnhardt Jr. ? TBD
Carl Edwards ? Theme from Cheers
David Gilliland ? "Wild Side" / Motley Crue
Jeff Gordon ? "I Won't Back Down" / Tom Petty
Robby Gordon ? TBD
Denny Hamlin ? "Shipping Up To Boston" / Dropkick Murphys
Kevin Harvick ? "Back In Black" / AC/DC
Jimmie Johnson ? TBD; Brian Vickers will pick
Kasey Kahne ? "Country Boy Can Survive" / Hank Williams
Matt Kenseth ? "Nightmare" / Avenged Sevenfold
Brad Keselowski ? TBD
Travis Kvapil ? "Song 2" / Blur
Bobby Labonte ? "God Bless Texas" / Little Texas
Andy Lally ? "Beat You Down" / Downstait
Joey Logano ? "Opposite of Adults" / Chiddy Bang
Mark Martin ? TBD
Michael McDowell ? "I Saw The Light" / David Crowder Band
Jamie McMurray ? "Burn It To The Ground" / Nickelback
Casey Mears ? "Regulate" / Warren G
Paul Menard ? "Concrete Jungle" / Black Label Society
Juan Pablo Montoya ? "Ladies And Gentlemen" / Saliva
Joe Nemechek ? TBD
Ryan Newman ? Theme to Dukes of Hazzard
David Ragan ? "No More Mr. Nice Guy" / Alice Cooper
Tony Raines ? TBD
David Reutimann ? "Pretty Fly For A White Guy" / The Offspring
Ken Schrader ? TBD
Regan Smith ? "Welcome To The Family" / Avenged Sevenfold
Tony Stewart ? "Bawitaba" / Kid Rock
Martin Truex Jr. ? "Homeboy" / Eric Church
Brian Vickers ? TBD; Jimmie Johnson will pick
JJ Yeley ? TBD
Quick reactions: Cassill is pretty funny though about two years out of date; Mears is throwing up a nice Nate Dogg tribute, Reutimann has a good sense of humor, Biffle had better be getting royalties for using a Peas song, and Stewart is getting a little too predictable with his Kid Rock tunes.
But you'll note that there are several drivers who have yet to announce their picks. Help 'em out, won't you? (And no, don't pick "Loser" or "Jesus, Take The Wheel" for Junior. That's too easy.) Go!
Marcos Ambrose ? "Fuel" / Metallica
AJ Allmendinger ? "Turn Around" / Flo Rida
Trevor Bayne ? TBD
Greg Biffle ? "I Gotta Feelin" / Black Eyed Peas
Dave Blaney ? Ohio State University fight song
Clint Bowyer ? Theme from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Jeff Burton ? "Welcome to the Jungle" / Guns N Roses
Kurt Busch ? "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" / George Thorogood
Kyle Busch ? "Rowdy Busch" / Raytona 500
Landon Cassill ? "Never Gonna Give You Up" / Rick Astley
Dale Earnhardt Jr. ? TBD
Carl Edwards ? Theme from Cheers
David Gilliland ? "Wild Side" / Motley Crue
Jeff Gordon ? "I Won't Back Down" / Tom Petty
Robby Gordon ? TBD
Denny Hamlin ? "Shipping Up To Boston" / Dropkick Murphys
Kevin Harvick ? "Back In Black" / AC/DC
Jimmie Johnson ? TBD; Brian Vickers will pick
Kasey Kahne ? "Country Boy Can Survive" / Hank Williams
Matt Kenseth ? "Nightmare" / Avenged Sevenfold
Brad Keselowski ? TBD
Travis Kvapil ? "Song 2" / Blur
Bobby Labonte ? "God Bless Texas" / Little Texas
Andy Lally ? "Beat You Down" / Downstait
Joey Logano ? "Opposite of Adults" / Chiddy Bang
Mark Martin ? TBD
Michael McDowell ? "I Saw The Light" / David Crowder Band
Jamie McMurray ? "Burn It To The Ground" / Nickelback
Casey Mears ? "Regulate" / Warren G
Paul Menard ? "Concrete Jungle" / Black Label Society
Juan Pablo Montoya ? "Ladies And Gentlemen" / Saliva
Joe Nemechek ? TBD
Ryan Newman ? Theme to Dukes of Hazzard
David Ragan ? "No More Mr. Nice Guy" / Alice Cooper
Tony Raines ? TBD
David Reutimann ? "Pretty Fly For A White Guy" / The Offspring
Ken Schrader ? TBD
Regan Smith ? "Welcome To The Family" / Avenged Sevenfold
Tony Stewart ? "Bawitaba" / Kid Rock
Martin Truex Jr. ? "Homeboy" / Eric Church
Brian Vickers ? TBD; Jimmie Johnson will pick
JJ Yeley ? TBD
Quick reactions: Cassill is pretty funny though about two years out of date; Mears is throwing up a nice Nate Dogg tribute, Reutimann has a good sense of humor, Biffle had better be getting royalties for using a Peas song, and Stewart is getting a little too predictable with his Kid Rock tunes.
But you'll note that there are several drivers who have yet to announce their picks. Help 'em out, won't you? (And no, don't pick "Loser" or "Jesus, Take The Wheel" for Junior. That's too easy.) Go!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Does ESPN broadcast the entire NASCAR Nationwide Series or not?
One of the things I thought was most helpful for the Nationwide Series in NASCAR's most recent TV contract was that one network - ESPN - would broadcast all of the series races. Yes, races are on different channels but you always know that if there is a Nationwide race, it's on an ESPN entity. Apparently, that certainty may end this season. On an internal TV chart posted on NASCARMedia.com - probably inadvertently - the TV start and green-flag start times for all races in all three series - Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Trucks - are listed. But under the network column for the spring Nationwide race at Richmond - and outlined in bright red - are the letters 'TBD.' Looking at the key to the chart, TBD means "Network To Be Determined." It is the only race on the entire schedule marked as such. Several sources indicated on Friday the problem may be due to a conflict that same weekend between the Nationwide race and the NFL draft. So, I sought out information to see whether another network other than ESPN was going to broadcast the race. The initial response from ESPN was that I should contact NASCAR because "NASCAR sets and announces the schedule." To say ESPN has no say in setting the start time or networks of where races will be shown is ridiculous, but that's another story. The response from NASCAR was "We are in the process of finalizing the broadcast schedule for the three national series and expect to announce it next week." OK, so what are the three charts on NASCARMedia.com? Somebody's wish list? And why could no one simply answer 'yes' or 'no' to my question which was, "Is ESPN broadcasting this event?" My guess is there is no straight answer because ESPN is not carrying the race, for whatever reason. Perhaps we'll find out why next week. And my other guess? Clear some space on the schedule Speed Channel.
2011 Darlington: Miguel Paludo NASCAR Truck Race Recap ? PaddockTalk
2011 Darlington: Miguel Paludo NASCAR Truck Race Recap – PaddockTalk
2011 Darlington: Miguel Paludo NASCAR Truck Race RecapPaddockTalkThe 27-year-old Brazilian was making his first appearance at the famed 1.366-mile track, and he began the weekend by taking some laps in a NASCAR pace truck with Red Horse Racing Competition Director Terry Cook (a former truck series driver) and met …Paludo continues learning curveSCNow
all 4 news articles »
Source: news.google.com
2011 Darlington: Miguel Paludo NASCAR Truck Race RecapPaddockTalkThe 27-year-old Brazilian was making his first appearance at the famed 1.366-mile track, and he began the weekend by taking some laps in a NASCAR pace truck with Red Horse Racing Competition Director Terry Cook (a former truck series driver) and met …Paludo continues learning curveSCNow
all 4 news articles »
Source: news.google.com
Bobby Timmons becoming a Legend
�
Bobby Timmons driver of the number 38 ?Timmons Machine & Fabrication?, NELCAR Legend car is a 3rd generation race car driver.
Timmons like?s racing inthe legend series do to the fact that, there is a ?clean racing atmosphere, and also the smaller size and power, makes the cars a good stepping stone from karting.? Though if he could make one change in the NELCAR Series it would be in the qualifying line up to start the feature race.
Bobby Timmons driver of the number 38 ?Timmons Machine & Fabrication?, NELCAR Legend car is a 3rd generation race car driver.
Timmons like?s racing inthe legend series do to the fact that, there is a ?clean racing atmosphere, and also the smaller size and power, makes the cars a good stepping stone from karting.? Though if he could make one change in the NELCAR Series it would be in the qualifying line up to start the feature race.
NASCAR Race Review: Subway Fresh Fit 500
Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series had it’s second race of the season at Phoenix International raceway in Avondale, Az.,the Subway Fresh Fit 500. As you’ll recall, Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500 in the #21 Woods Brothers car. Since he is racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series [...]
Thursday, March 17, 2011
NEMST in Final Preparation for Northeast Motorsports Expo
The North East Mini Stock Tour will be attending the 23rd annual Northeast Motorsports Expo presented by Mainely Motorsports in Augusta on January 7,8, and 9. The NEMST will have Emerson Cayer?s Ford Mustang on display. Cayer was the inaugural champion for the NEMST in 2009 with a runner up finish in the 2010 season.
Plenty of merchandise, information materials, and registration forms will be on hand for the show. The NEMST will also release its final schedule for the 2011 season. NEMST promoter Bob Guptill will be at the show all weekend to answer any questions about the upcoming season anyone may have.
Plenty of merchandise, information materials, and registration forms will be on hand for the show. The NEMST will also release its final schedule for the 2011 season. NEMST promoter Bob Guptill will be at the show all weekend to answer any questions about the upcoming season anyone may have.
Greg Biffle, pilots uninjured in airplane landing incident
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Greg Biffle and two pilots were uninjured when Biffle?s airplane suffered a mechanical failure during landing today at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky.
Sage Karam's blog: Learning and unlearning
"One thing I'm happy about is that I've unlearned the techniques I used in F2000 so I can hit the sweet spot in the Star Mazda."
Ecclestone opposed to eco-friendly engines
F1 commercial boss fears TV networks will walk away from the sport if the "green-tech" engines now being planned are adopted from 2013.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Finally, somebody gets to the point of this two-car drafting mess
If drivers or even race fans don't like this reliance on two-car drafting that has dominated Speedweeks on the Sprint Cup Series this year, they need look no further to the drivers and team themselves for a large part of the problem. Everyone knew the track was repaved. Everyone knew that would change conditions. Everyone knew - or we thought - how important preseason testing was going to be. Yet, when it came down to doing the work on the track in January, most drivers and teams took a pass. They spent or no time whatsoever racing with most of their competitors on the track, let alone in two-car tandems. So, whose fault is that? Not NASCAR's. Tony Stewart illustrated this perfectly on Friday. Told of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s suggestion that everyone needs to go to Talladega and Daytona and do a big two-day test and figure out how to change he two-car draft, Stewart replied: "If I remember right, when we came down for the open test (Earnhardt) did single car runs the whole time he was here so if he felt that way, why didn?t he do that in the test while we were all here together? ?We tried getting in big packs for three days down here and we couldn?t get people to quit doing single car runs and worrying about trying to make the race cars go fast. In the big pack you want master of your own destiny," he said. "I don?t know where he got that from because you have always been relying on the guy behind you so if you want to be the master of your own destiny, take the restrictor plates off. Figure out how to let us drive race cars again.? Stewart may not always address things in the best possible way. But on this issue he is dead-on. Ask the drivers who are complaining to look in the mirror for some of the blame if they don't like the conditions in Sunday's Daytona 500.
Castroneves moves to the forefront as IndyCar testing concludes at Barber
Bests teammate Will Power in the closing moments of the two-day Open Test.
Memory Lane: A look at the 10 most memorable races in Bristol Motor Speedway history
Bristol Motor Speedway officials are celebrating the track?s 50th anniversary in 2011. The 0.533-mile track, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains, has seen its share of action-packed races since opening in 1961.
With the Jeff Byrd 500 scheduled for this weekend, here?s a look at 10 of the most memorable Cup races in Bristol history:
With the Jeff Byrd 500 scheduled for this weekend, here?s a look at 10 of the most memorable Cup races in Bristol history:
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Patrick making first short track start at Bristol
Patrick's fourth-place run at Las Vegas broke a 62-year-old NASCAR record for the highest finishing female in one of the sport's national touring series races. Sara Christian held the record when she finished fifth in a NASCAR race at Heidelberg, PA in 1949.
Pastrana?s Final Run With Subaru.
Yep, it’s true. Travis Pastrana has signed a deal with Michael Waltrip?s NASCAR team to drive in the Nationwide Series. It’s a bold move for this do-it-all competitor, but one that should surprise no one. Before hanging up his Subaru rally uniform though, Pastrana competed in rounds 3 and 4 of the U.S. Rallycross Championship [...]
NEMST in Final Preparation for Northeast Motorsports Expo
The North East Mini Stock Tour will be attending the 23rd annual Northeast Motorsports Expo presented by Mainely Motorsports in Augusta on January 7,8, and 9. The NEMST will have Emerson Cayer?s Ford Mustang on display. Cayer was the inaugural champion for the NEMST in 2009 with a runner up finish in the 2010 season.
Plenty of merchandise, information materials, and registration forms will be on hand for the show. The NEMST will also release its final schedule for the 2011 season. NEMST promoter Bob Guptill will be at the show all weekend to answer any questions about the upcoming season anyone may have.
Plenty of merchandise, information materials, and registration forms will be on hand for the show. The NEMST will also release its final schedule for the 2011 season. NEMST promoter Bob Guptill will be at the show all weekend to answer any questions about the upcoming season anyone may have.
NASCAR Race Review: Too Tough To Tame 200
Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. As you race fans are no doubt aware, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series had the week off. But us race fans got to enjoy the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina for the Too Tough To Tame [...]
The Chrome Horn 47: Hal Needham, stuntman, NASCAR owner & director of Smokey & The Bandit
There are men. There are manly men. And then there's Hal Needham.Now 80 years old, Needham has done more in one life than most men have done in ten. He's just published a book, Stuntman!: My Car-Crashing, Plane-Jumping, Bone-Breaking, Death-Defying Hollywood Life. And in it, he recounts his days doing one or more of the following:• Stunt-doubling everyone from John Wayne to Kirk Douglas to Burt Reynolds.• Jumping trucks and boats, leaping out of buildings and off of planes, and breaking many, many bones.• Orchestrating a team that drove broke the sound barrier. • Creating a NASCAR team from scratch, racing against Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, and doing a pretty damn fine job of it.• Driving in the Cannonball Run, then creating the movie of the same name.• Writing and directing Smokey and the Bandit.That's not bad. We discuss all that and more in our chat. He's a hell of a lot of fun, and this podcast'll put hair on your chest. Even the ladies, so listen with caution. And after the jump, check out a couple of Needham's trademark stunts. As always, we welcome your thoughts, ideas, and recommendations on the podcast. Hit me up at jay.busbee@yahoo.com, or feel free to call our direct podcast line at 678-389-9173 and leave a comment or question for use on a future podcast. For now, though, click the little arrow below to play the podcast or right-click the link to download. Use the iTunes link to subscribe for your iPod, and use the RSS link for everything else. Enjoy!The Chrome Horn, episode 47--Hal Needham, stuntman and director of Smokey & The Bandit
Here are a couple of Hal's early stunts. If your back isn't hurting after these, you're not watching closely enough:
Here are a couple of Hal's early stunts. If your back isn't hurting after these, you're not watching closely enough:
NHRA US MAC Tools Nationals ? O?Reilly Raceway Park
Wanted to throw these videos up real quick of John Force, and Ashley Force running qualifying night at ORP.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Rossi hampered by shoulder again
Valentino Rossi was troubled to find that his lingering shoulder injury held him back again in tonight's final winter MotoGP test.
NASCAR Chairman Brian France likes aggressive style of racing, pleased with early-season boost in TV ratings, attendance
NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France obviously likes the fact that television ratings are up and that attendance seems to have increased three races into the 2011 Sprint Cup season.
But he also likes the style of racing he?s seen, especially the aggressive driving, even though it took out several top contenders in crashes at both Daytona and Phoenix.
But he also likes the style of racing he?s seen, especially the aggressive driving, even though it took out several top contenders in crashes at both Daytona and Phoenix.
Richard Petty Motorsports Callin it Quits?
RPM may not run past Martinsville. The house of cards is finally falling for George Gillett’s Richard Petty Motorsports. The assembly line from Roush Fenway Racing and Roush Yates engines has stopped running to RPM. Engines have been picked up, cars have been repossessed, and sources on both sides — RPM and RFR — say [...]
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Tony Cotman's blog: Demystifying fuel mixture strategies
"I've had a lot of questions and comments about the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series' on-board, driver-controlled fuel mixture switch so I thought we'd explore the effect this switch has on racing."
Pruett and Rojas win again at Grand Prix of Miami
Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas won the Grand Prix of Miami for the second straight year Saturday to extend their Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series winning streak to a record five races.
Carl Edwards holds off Tony Stewart to win Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS ? Mucho dinero.
Those two words from Carl Edwards helped sum up his victory in Sunday?s Kobalt Tools 400 when the Roush Fenway Racing driver was asked to express his winning emotions in Spanish.
Those two words from Carl Edwards helped sum up his victory in Sunday?s Kobalt Tools 400 when the Roush Fenway Racing driver was asked to express his winning emotions in Spanish.
Trevor Bayne to appear at Food City Race Night on March 17
Trevor Bayne has been a featured guest at Food City Race Night in the past, but that was before he became the youngest Daytona 500 champion in NASCAR history.
Who's hanging out with Chad Knaus?
So, who's been hanging out with Chad Knaus? Turns out, Danica Patrick. And it's yet another step in her NASCAR learning process. Patrick spent part of Friday's Sprint Cup Series practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway standing atop Jimmie Johnson's hauler with Knaus, Johnson's crew chief, listening in on the communication between Johnson and Knaus during the session. "I've gotten to know Chad over the last year or so. Actually from Daytona last year, the first time we got together and went out to dinner. We get along really well. He told me I needed to get over to the Cup garage and check it out and that they had a headset for me and I could listen in," Patrick said. "For me, it's really interesting to hear the drivers to hear how they talk about the car and how they describe it. Also, potentially, being able to determine what things are important to the car and what you don't need to worry about. "It's just all learning for me. I wouldn't say I went and listened and felt I needed to make a change to the race car or do something completely different. It's just more knowledge and more education and how they talk about the car."
Saturday, March 12, 2011
In The Pits: NASCAR's bad boys are behaving better
Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart are known for their racing success and explosive tempers.
Gordon finds his way back to victory lane after 66-race drought
Last week, a feelgood newcomer in victory lane. This week, the long-awaited return of one of the sport's biggest stars. If NASCAR's not careful, this might just be an exciting season after all.At Phoenix, Jeff Gordon looked like the Jeff Gordon of 1997, coming back time and again to retake the lead from challenger after top-flight challenger: Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, and finally Kyle Busch. Gordon's rundown of Busch in the final 20 laps was a masterpiece of driving, NASCAR's version of a nature documentary where the predator inexorably reels in the prey."I beat Kyle Busch!" Gordon exulted after the race, and on this weekend, he was the only one of the 116 other drivers this weekend who could claim to have done that. It marked the end of a 66-race drought, and it was decisive. Good news for Gordon, then, who appears primed to make another run at a Cup. Good news also for Busch and his brother Kurt, who sit 1-2 in the standings. Not so good news for Jeff Burton, David Reutimann and Brian Vickers, all of whom are already more than 50 points behind Kyle Busch's lead. (Put another way: Kyle could skip Vegas entirely and those three couldn't catch him.) The points differential, and how fast drivers can make up for poor finishes, will be a key storyline in the weeks going forward.For now, though, the story is old man Gordon, back in victory lane again. At least he didn't need directions, like Trevor Bayne did last week. But for heaven's sake, someone remind the man how to do a burnout. He stalled his car on the logos on the infield grass in the attempt; clearly he'd forgotten how.
Surprise: Earnhardt, Hendrick top Forbes' money list
We're fairly sure you could have seen this coming from the other end of Daytona International Speedway, but Forbes has named Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR's highest-paid driver and Rick Hendrick its wealthiest team owner for 2010.Earnhardt, the eight-time reigning most popular driver in the sport, stands atop the driver heap with $29 million in 2010 earnings. This, despite the fact that he's won exactly one race in his three-plus years with Hendrick. But while Earnhardt is entitled to a 50 percent share of his earnings and winnings on the track, totaling $4.9 million in 2010, it's in merchandising where he stands apart. Earnhardt Jr. gear accounts for a reported one-third of all NASCAR merchandise. (Still wondering why Hendrick keeps Junior around?)[Follow Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR coverage on Twitter and Facebook] Right behind Earnhardt is Jeff Gordon with $25 million and Jimmie Johnson at $24 million. The rest of the top 10: Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth.It's important to note that salaries for the free agents, which include Edwards this year, will likely be well down from earlier peaks because of the economy. Zak Brown -- not the singer, we assume -- of Just Marketing International told Forbes he pegs the projected salary decline at 20 to 25 percent. On the team side, Hendrick Motorsports, with Earnhardt, Johnson, Gordon and Mark Martin, remains the unchallenged leader among teams. Hendrick's $350 million in valuation on 2010 revenues of $177 million is 56 percent more than second-place Roush Fenway ($224 million on $140 million in revenue). Those two are followed by Richard Childress Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Penske Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing.While the mood around NASCAR has been one of pessimism the last few years, it's worth noting that there remain more than 400 sponsors in the sport, and teams are making gains. Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, eighth-ranked among teams, saw an 8 percent gain last year, with sponsorship revenue expected to increase 20 percent in 2011.There's no way NASCAR will see the money hand-over-fist days of the early 2000s, but the sport, bolstered by both a recovering economy and some challenging races, may have made it through one of the steepest-banked turns in its history.
Busch bungles qualifying runs in NHRA pro debut
Kurt Busch's professional drag-racing career is off to a slow start - really slow.
Travis Pastrana grows familiar with the concept of wrecking
Hey, not everybody can be Trevor Bayne.Motorsports superstar/lunatic Travis Pastrana took some turns around Phoenix International Raceway as part of a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race Thursday night. He wrecked twice and finished 25th, but that's not really the point here. The idea is to give him as much comfort as possible in four-wheel racing so that he'll be more prepared for his Nationwide debut at Indianapolis this summer.The 25th-place finish was a bit of a step down from his last NASCAR race, the Toyota All-Star Showdown at which he finished sixth. But it's a gradual process, and even Pastrana recognizes that. His goals, he says, are straightforward: "To line up in a Nationwide car or hopefully eventually a Sprint [Cup] car and people say, 'This guy can drive, he’s not just a motocrosser; he can come over here and not be a nuisance on the track.' "Pastrana's not necessarily taking a shot at fellow celebrity driver Danica Patrick, but the comparisons are obvious. And like Patrick, Pastrana will enter the Nationwide Series with a huge splash. He'll run in an X-games motorcycle competition two days before his Indianapolis debut, then return to the X-games for the Rally car competition after he's done. ESPN will be tracking every step of the journey.Next up for Pastrana: a K&N Pro Series East event in April at Richmond International Raceway. Travis Pastrana wrecks twice at Phoenix [Scene Daily]
Trevor Bayne to appear at Food City Race Night on March 17
Trevor Bayne has been a featured guest at Food City Race Night in the past, but that was before he became the youngest Daytona 500 champion in NASCAR history.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Happy Hour: Hail Marys for wins; punishment for profit
Welcome to the latest Happy Hour mailbag! You know how these work: you write us at nascarmail@yahoogroups.com or on Twitter at @jaybusbee, we respond to your messages, everyone goes away with a smile on their face. Today, we're talking penalties, power rankings, points end-runs and more. Away we go! So many were saying the new points system would penalize drivers for a bad race. But after Daytona Jimmie and Jeff G were hurting bad. Now after this week they are both in the top 12, so maybe things even out and one bad day will not kill your season.— Dale GlebeOne bad day won't kill your season. Two bad days? Now you're in trouble. Note how Jeff Burton, David Reutimann and Brian Vickers are all already more than 50 points down, just two races in. As we noted earlier this week, Kyle could skip the entire Vegas race and still be leading those cats.What this is going to mean is a change of strategy for some drivers, maybe even as soon as April. Two wins will almost certainly get you into the Chase with a wild-card spot, so at what point do guys like Burton and Vickers start going for wins? Do they begin devising fuel-mileage contingency plans for Michigan? Do they set up scenarios for when springtime rain starts to roll in? You can't afford to wait until July to start throwing Hail Marys to get those wins. So we may see some all-or-nothing gambles before long.Just read the article on Waltrip's truck being penalized for a spoiler issue. What are the odds that the crew chiefs/teams/drivers will be more likely to push the envelope to gain an illegal advantage if points penalties are not an issue since no points are being collected? It would seem that winning would easily trump a "small" monetary fine if the long term consequences are not felt by the loss of points. The points deduction has always seemed to be a much bigger issue to the teams than the monetary fine, probation or even suspension. If all I was facing was a $25,000, $50,000 fine for illegal parts, etc., I would rather have the win and the purse difference than any concern over a fine.— Johnny MosesYou're a devious-minded fellow, Johnny. I like that. The main disincentive is the repeat-offender issue; I'm betting NASCAR can tell the difference between a one-time "whoops! what happened to my spoiler?" and a concerted effort to push the envelope for more data. There's the old line about how if you're not cheating, you're not trying, but even that has its limits, and even a "broken" spoiler can't outrun a black flag. On the other hand, you may have just written yourself into a job with Michael Waltrip Racing.More follows.How do you figure out the power rankings from week to week? Are these rankings just for the Sprint Cup or are they for all three series? I only see Sprint Cup names so my guess is that they are Sprint Cup only. Please explain to me how Kyle Busch finished the race second and led 23 laps and Jeff Gordon who won the race and led 6 times the laps as Kyle did [very long justification trimmed for clarity]. Does everybody just hate Jeff or am I missing something to all this? Please take some time and explain to me why so I know for next week's rankings.— Matthew JacobOur power rankings are a source of much consternation to people who feel their driver is ranked too low (also known as "everybody.") So herewith, the methodology for the power rankings. I use one of the following methods:1. I've created a hypercomplex statistical matrix tracking everything from loop data to crew chiefs' horoscopes, and from that I derive a series of analyses of drivers' performance that I map against the New York Stock Exchange and the Hollywood box office returns for that week.2. I pick the first number I see on whatever dollar bills I have in my wallet on race morning.3. I simply cross-reference how well a driver is doing at this moment with how well he's expected to do, at this point and in the immediate future.4. I feed die-casts of each driver's car to my dog, and the order in which he throws them back up constitutes the rankings.Your choice.Hi Jim, on that final restart Sunday at Phoenix when Rowdy blew away Tony Stewart, who was the rocket scientist on the #14 team that called for a 2 tire stop?—Bart BuschJim? Who's Jim? It's JAY. Anyway, here's Smoke's postrace quote: "Once that caution came out we were done. The two tires gave us good track position, but we took them under green and once that caution came out there at the end, any advantage we had was gone." So there you go. I'm betting that was cleaned up a bit, since he called the tires "[profane]ing pieces of [profane]" during the race.Hey Jim [JAY! -JB], were you surprised at how Jeff Gordon was talking about how much a win over Kyle Busch meant to him and how he regards Kyle and Jimmie as his two greatest rivals?— Rafael AmaroNot a bit. Like we said last week, Kyle Busch is, pound-for-pound, the best driver in the sport. And as we must do with everyone from Kurt Cobain to Kanye West, don't confuse the annoying public persona with the level of talent. The drivers recognize just how strong a driver Kyle is, and they realize that if and when Kyle gets his head together, Jimmie's reign will be over.Jay, it is now my goal after writing to the mail bag for the past 2 seasons to have a letter make it to the page. Sorry. Didn't happen this time. Ha! Kidding. Here's the rest.Everyone seems to think NASCAR is fixed ... But here is my statement or question, if NASCAR was fixing the races why would they fix them for the most hated drivers? Don't you think NASCAR would fix it so Junior could win, thus bringing back all the fans? If the Daytona 500 was fixed wouldn't they want Junior to win instead of wreck out in the end? —Wes RoseDon't muddle up a good conspiracy theory with common sense, sir! Of course, the conspiracy theorists' rejoinder to that is that they put everything in place for Junior to win, and he still manages to screw it up. (Quiet down, Junior Nation, I'm not saying that.)Look, it's simple: if it makes you feel better to think that NASCAR is fixed by a secret cabal of money-grubbing overlords who pull all our strings like puppet masters, go right ahead. But when your guy ends up winning, we don't want to see you trumpeting his name and wearing his colors. Because it's a fixed victory, right?The 2X2 racing was great; it added excitement. You never really knew if they were going to catch someone and wreck or just push their "partner" into a wreck. Let's restrictor-plate some of the 'cookie cutters' tracks to bunch them up and get rid of the boredom.Also, wrecks after 20 laps to go should freeze laps at that count. Added interest on fuel, and not so much Green, White, Checker, especially where it takes so long to get up to true racing like Daytona.—RonElgin, ILThis may be the first letter in recorded history asking for more restrictor plates. Huh. Clip and save this one for posterity.Also, I get what you're saying about the laps, but I think the GWC takes care of that well enough. I think having as many cars as possible finish the race under green is exactly what you want, not a will-he-or-won't-he-run-out fuel mileage drama. Good idea, though.I got a question... when I look at the current standings, it always shows the "winnings" from the race or races... so, is there anyway to know how much of that goes to the actual driver or is it up to the individual contracts?—Tim PalmerCovington, GAIt's not only up to the individual contracts, it's also determined by an arcane system of sponsor incentives, bonuses and other gerrymandering. And many of these drivers don't even know themselves what they're entitled to; at the media days at Daytona earlier this year, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart didn't even know how long Newman's contract ran. (Or that's the story they stuck to, anyway.) Basically, I think of it this way: anyone who's able to fly a plane to his place of business is probably in fairly decent shape.Why do the NASCAR announcers and officials continue to refer to Rick Hendrick as "Mr. Hendrick" but they refer to Roger Penske, Jack Roush, and Richard Childress by their full names. [Potentially libelous accusations deleted.] I'm sick and tired of the perpetual butt-smooching by these announcers.—JeffStanley, NCI'd offer a comment, but Mr. Hendrick wouldn't like that. Would you, Mr. Hendrick? ... no, he's shaking his head no. In related news, Mr. Hendrick has just purchased Stanley, N.C., and is currently going through government records. Keep your head down, Jeff. Thanks to all our writers this week. You want in? Fire up the computer and hit us with whatever's on your mind, NASCAR-wise, at nascarmail@yahoogroups.com, or hit us up on Twitter at @jaybusbee. We'll make you famous!
Bayne Crashes Back To Reality
Trevor Bayne was on top of the world after winning the Daytona 500, but a trip to Phoenix brought an abrupt end to his celebrating. Three-wrecked racecars served as a wake-up call to the 20-year-old, reminding him that success in NASCAR won’t come easy. His trouble began during the first practice session for the Subway Fresh Fit 500. A brake...
A Ford Captures Nationwide Pole
Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. NASCAR Sprint Cup series and NASCAR Nationwide Series are both at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend. Coors Light Pole Qualifying� for the Sprint Cup Kobalt Tools 400 was held on Friday, with 17 Matt Kenseth capturing the pole position in a Ford with a speed [...]
Robby Gordon placed on probation through 2011 season for garage altercation
NASCAR has placed Robby Gordon on probation through the end of the 2011 season for being involved in an altercation in the garage area with another competitor, the sanctioning body announced Tuesday.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Ray Evernham sues Gillett for $19 million
We're not done cleaning up the George Gillett mess in NASCAR.Former team owner Ray Evernham has filed suit against two companies owned by Gillett, charging that Evernham's former partner owes him $19.2 million. Why? Because Evernham had invested in Gillett's race team, and had apparently been promised a repayment of his investment along with a 5 percent annual return after the sale of the team."We have diligently worked to resolve this matter in good faith without
resorting to legal action," Evernham said in a statement. "This
matter has been pending for a period of time and we did not want to
disrupt any excitement of the beginning of the race season with this
unfortunate situation. We were unable to come to a fair resolution for
the amounts due to me related to my sale of the previous RPM race team.
Like many other vendors and creditors, my claims have been left unpaid. I
am optimistic that the judicial system will deliver a fair resolution
for my outstanding claims, and hope that the other people and companies
who are owed money by them are fully compensated and made whole."Gillett purchased a controlling interest in Evernham Motorsports in 2007, forming Gillett Evernham Motorsports. In 2009, GEM absorbed Petty Enterprises to form Richard Petty Motorsports. Petty and other investors bought out Gillett a few months ago, and it was that sale which Evernham says entitles him to repayment of his investment. Problem is, there's no money available for that.Evernham is now a consultant for Rick Hendrick's automotive group, and has resisted any and all calls to return to the box for former championship teammate Jeff Gordon or any other driver. Evernham sues former partner Gillett for $19M [NASCAR.com]
resorting to legal action," Evernham said in a statement. "This
matter has been pending for a period of time and we did not want to
disrupt any excitement of the beginning of the race season with this
unfortunate situation. We were unable to come to a fair resolution for
the amounts due to me related to my sale of the previous RPM race team.
Like many other vendors and creditors, my claims have been left unpaid. I
am optimistic that the judicial system will deliver a fair resolution
for my outstanding claims, and hope that the other people and companies
who are owed money by them are fully compensated and made whole."Gillett purchased a controlling interest in Evernham Motorsports in 2007, forming Gillett Evernham Motorsports. In 2009, GEM absorbed Petty Enterprises to form Richard Petty Motorsports. Petty and other investors bought out Gillett a few months ago, and it was that sale which Evernham says entitles him to repayment of his investment. Problem is, there's no money available for that.Evernham is now a consultant for Rick Hendrick's automotive group, and has resisted any and all calls to return to the box for former championship teammate Jeff Gordon or any other driver. Evernham sues former partner Gillett for $19M [NASCAR.com]
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Matt Kenseth, Roush Fenway Racing teammates impressive in first practice at Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS ? Roush Fenway Racing dominated Friday?s opening Sprint Cup practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Matt Kenseth paced the 90-minute session with a fast lap of 186.599 mph followed by teammate David Ragan at 186.297 mph.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing?s Juan Pablo Montoya (185.957) was third and the Roush Fenway tandem of Carl Edwards (185.893) and Greg Biffle (185.675) rounded out the top five.
Matt Kenseth paced the 90-minute session with a fast lap of 186.599 mph followed by teammate David Ragan at 186.297 mph.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing?s Juan Pablo Montoya (185.957) was third and the Roush Fenway tandem of Carl Edwards (185.893) and Greg Biffle (185.675) rounded out the top five.
Kahne Confident After Surprise at Phoenix
Kasey Kahne’s decision to sign a one-year contract with Red Bull Racing this season prior to joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012 was met with plenty of criticism. How can a driver with no future with an organization have a successful year? After a sixth-place finish at one of his worst tracks, Kahne is well on his way to making the critics...
Green Flag with Ben Ashline
Ben Ashline, of Pittston, ME likes to go fast, especially driving the #15 DS Norton Construction late model. Which has been tearing up the track at Oxford Plains Speedway and in the American Canadian Tour. Ben had an up and down 2010 season with some big wins and some big wrecks.
RPM. What are you plans for the 2011 Race Season?
Ben. Right now, our plans are to run oxford plains speedway for points. Our goal is the championship. We are going to try to make an attempt to qualify for four American Canadian tour races if our budget permits it at that time, We are going to attempt to qualify for the td bank 250, and we are hoping to get an invite to the invitational race at Loudon.
RPM. What are you plans for the 2011 Race Season?
Ben. Right now, our plans are to run oxford plains speedway for points. Our goal is the championship. We are going to try to make an attempt to qualify for four American Canadian tour races if our budget permits it at that time, We are going to attempt to qualify for the td bank 250, and we are hoping to get an invite to the invitational race at Loudon.
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