DOVER, Del. ? Dale Earnhardt Jr.?s record at Dover International Speedway shows he has seven top-10 finishes but also 12 finishes of 20th or worse.
So it appears that the Hendrick Motorsports driver has a little bit of a love-hate relationship with the 1-mile, high-banked concrete oval. He hopes he has more love than hate this weekend going in the AAA 400.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Another Burton headed to NASCAR?
Don't look now, but there's another Burton on the racing horizon. Harrison Burton, the 10-year-old son of NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Jeff Burton, races quarter midgets with the United States Auto Club (USAC) in an all-oval series for 5-16 year-olds. He currently leads the points in several divisions, including Light World Formula and Senior Animal. On Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the younger Burton was outfitted in a smaller version of his dad?s yellow-and-black CAT firesuit as he faced the assembled media. ?It?s been really fun to go out and race,? Harrison said. ?My favorite track was probably a banked track. It was really fun to race on that completely sideways track because it?s really good racing, and everybody was passing each other really often.? Jeff Burton said he has found racing a natural way for he and his son to spend time together, but it is Harrison's decision. ?I have a passion for racing, and I love it, but he doesn?t have to,? Jeff said. ?If he ever wants to quit, we quit. If he wants to play lacrosse, we play lacrosse. "Quarter midget racing is really a cool way to spend time with your son or daughter,? Jeff said. ?It?s a safe, reasonably inexpensive way to get kids into auto racing. (The kids) are out there helping you work on the race car and see what it takes to be good at it, and I think there?s a lesson in life about that.?
Chase Prospects: Is Harvick ready to dethrone Johnson?
This is Kevin Harvick's best chance for a Sprint Cup Series championship. Can he capitalize?
Harvick's had success at every type of track in the Chase. Two of his wins (Fontana and Charlotte) were on intermediate tracks. The other two (Martinsville and Richmond) were on short tracks. And minus the blown engine in the Daytona 500, he's had seventh and fifth place finishes at Daytona and Talladega.
Sure, that win at Charlotte was wrapped up in a pretty bow after Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran out of gas. But Harvick's success does raise an interesting point: can he continue to win without leading many laps? He led 202 at Richmond. Nine everywhere else.
Harvick's best Chase track: Perhaps fittingly, Harvick's best average finish at a Chase track is at Homestead, the final race of the season. He's got eight top 10s in 10 Homestead starts. That's a nice comfort to have.
Harvick's worst Chase track: As the stats go, it's actually Charlotte, where he averages a 19th place finish. The win there and Martinsville were the first wins he's recorded at either track.
Key Question: Is the ability that Harvick has shown to storm to the front late in races an asset or something that could come back to bite him?
NB's Prediction: 4th. I have a sneaky feeling that Harvick will be in the hunt entering the final few races. Harvick's a cool and calculated customer in the car and it's hard to imagine the Chase pressure getting to him.
Harvick's had success at every type of track in the Chase. Two of his wins (Fontana and Charlotte) were on intermediate tracks. The other two (Martinsville and Richmond) were on short tracks. And minus the blown engine in the Daytona 500, he's had seventh and fifth place finishes at Daytona and Talladega.
Sure, that win at Charlotte was wrapped up in a pretty bow after Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran out of gas. But Harvick's success does raise an interesting point: can he continue to win without leading many laps? He led 202 at Richmond. Nine everywhere else.
Harvick's best Chase track: Perhaps fittingly, Harvick's best average finish at a Chase track is at Homestead, the final race of the season. He's got eight top 10s in 10 Homestead starts. That's a nice comfort to have.
Harvick's worst Chase track: As the stats go, it's actually Charlotte, where he averages a 19th place finish. The win there and Martinsville were the first wins he's recorded at either track.
Key Question: Is the ability that Harvick has shown to storm to the front late in races an asset or something that could come back to bite him?
NB's Prediction: 4th. I have a sneaky feeling that Harvick will be in the hunt entering the final few races. Harvick's a cool and calculated customer in the car and it's hard to imagine the Chase pressure getting to him.
Power Rankings: Happy days are here again
Time for our latest round of Power Rankings. Each week throughout the season, we'll size up who's rising and who's falling, based on current standings, behind-the-scenes changes, expected staying power, recent history and general gut feelings. The Chase has begun, though some drivers need a little wake-up call ...
1. Kevin Harvick. Let's take this time to talk about the conventional wisdom about each of these drivers heading into the Chase, and we'll see how well they stacked up in Week 1. CW held that Harvick was on a long, slow slide to irrelevance after a hot start to the year, but between last week's victory and this week's just-needed-one-more-lap runner-up finish, it's safe to say that Harvick is in fine Chase form.� � Last week's ranking: 5.
2. Tony Stewart. This is how fast things can change in this year's NASCAR: Stewart went from irrelevant three weeks ago to "no chance in the Chase" over the weekend to potential Cup contender now. As with so many other drivers, consistency is key, but outside of Harvick, nobody's more consistent than Stewart right now. Good timing. Last week's ranking: 10.
3. Jimmie Johnson. Interesting result from Monday's live chat during the race: a full one-third of respondents were cool with Johnson winning his sixth straight Sprint Cup. And yes, there were more than three respondents. CW on Johnson is that he's got another switch that he flips come Chase time, and for much of the race Monday, that seemed to be the case. Six-time isn't a certainty, but it's a distinct possibility. Last week's ranking: 2.
4. Carl Edwards. Conventional wisdom held that Edwards is a reliable frontrunner who can't quite get to the front on a regular basis. In the Chicago race, Edwards was a reliable frontrunner who couldn't quite get to the front on a regular basis. So, yeah, it appears we were all dead-on with Edwards.� Last week's ranking: 3.
5. Brad Keselowski. You have two schools of thought on Keselowski: one states that he's going to fade now that it's crunch time, the other states that he'll hang tough and perhaps, perhaps, challenge for a championship. And on Monday, Keselowski gave plenty of ammunition to both sides of the fence. Overall, though, he came through the first race better than most.��Last week's ranking: 4.
6. Kurt Busch. I'm starting to think that maybe Kurt Busch needs to be on the edge of completely losing control in order to drive his absolute best. He screamed at his pit crew about how godawful his car was, and then finished with another top 10. Hey, whatever works to get that fire lit.� Last week's ranking: 7.
7. Jeff Gordon. This was exactly the kind of week that Jeff Gordon didn't need. Sure, he can rebound from this ugly outing and challenge once again for the championship; he's not the only guy whose fuel issues shot him in the foot. (Wait, that's a tortured metaphor.) Anyway, he'll be all right, but he's sure not the Cup contender everyone thought he would be.� Last week's ranking: 1.
8. Matt Kenseth. Kenseth ran the race exactly like we expected he would, reliably up front but quiet, and then came that last-lap fiasco. Kenseth accepted the punishment from NASCAR for getting a push from J.J. Yeley, but still undetermined is whether Kenseth actually told Yeley, "Next time you want to help out the 17 team, grab a broom or something like that."� Last week's ranking: 8.
9. Kyle Busch. This is a demonstration of just how tight these power rankings are; Busch is only a couple good runs from being back on top. If there's anyone in this Chase who can rebound from the sub-20 finish that Kyle suffered, it's Busch himself, but you never want to have your one rotten race in the Chase come first. � Last week's ranking: 6.
10. Ryan Newman. Newman ended up with a top-10 finish, but that's not going to come close to cutting it in Chase time. He put together exactly the kind of race we expected from him: decent but unspectacular, the kind of quiet competence that'll keep him running but not scare the frontrunners overmuch.� Last week's ranking: 9.
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Look, let's be honest here: Junior is going to get all kinds of garbage for running well in a race where everyone around him ran out of gas. But the truth is that he wouldn't have been in a position to get a third-place finish if he hadn't fought his way up through the field throughout the final quarter of the race. Mock if you want, but the guy had a decent little run even without the fuel-aided finish.� Last week's ranking: NR.
12. Clint Bowyer. Clint Bowyer was the highest-finishing non-Chaser, which has to be something like having your hot ex-girlfriend tell you that if it weren't for this new guy she met, she'd totally still be into you. We put Clint here to make him feel better, and maybe get him a job in 2012 once and for all.� Last week's ranking: NR.
Dropping out of the rankings: AJ Allmendinger, whose run of quality races came to a quick end in Chicago. Also, Denny Hamlin ... see below.
Lucky Dog: Mark Martin, who snuck into a top-10 spot. And if his prospective future boss wins a race, that can only mean good news for the Stewart-Haas bottom line, and thus potential good news for Martin.
DNF: Denny Hamlin, whose already-rickety Chase chances took a perhaps-mortal blow with his poor finish. 2010 seems a long time ago.
Charging upward: David Ragan followed up last week's fourth-place finish with an 11th-place one this week. Another four months running like this and he's a lock for the Chase!
Next up: Loudon! Lobstermania! Send comments to us via Twitter at @jaybusbee, email by clicking here, and via Facebook at The Marbles page.
1. Kevin Harvick. Let's take this time to talk about the conventional wisdom about each of these drivers heading into the Chase, and we'll see how well they stacked up in Week 1. CW held that Harvick was on a long, slow slide to irrelevance after a hot start to the year, but between last week's victory and this week's just-needed-one-more-lap runner-up finish, it's safe to say that Harvick is in fine Chase form.� � Last week's ranking: 5.
2. Tony Stewart. This is how fast things can change in this year's NASCAR: Stewart went from irrelevant three weeks ago to "no chance in the Chase" over the weekend to potential Cup contender now. As with so many other drivers, consistency is key, but outside of Harvick, nobody's more consistent than Stewart right now. Good timing. Last week's ranking: 10.
3. Jimmie Johnson. Interesting result from Monday's live chat during the race: a full one-third of respondents were cool with Johnson winning his sixth straight Sprint Cup. And yes, there were more than three respondents. CW on Johnson is that he's got another switch that he flips come Chase time, and for much of the race Monday, that seemed to be the case. Six-time isn't a certainty, but it's a distinct possibility. Last week's ranking: 2.
4. Carl Edwards. Conventional wisdom held that Edwards is a reliable frontrunner who can't quite get to the front on a regular basis. In the Chicago race, Edwards was a reliable frontrunner who couldn't quite get to the front on a regular basis. So, yeah, it appears we were all dead-on with Edwards.� Last week's ranking: 3.
5. Brad Keselowski. You have two schools of thought on Keselowski: one states that he's going to fade now that it's crunch time, the other states that he'll hang tough and perhaps, perhaps, challenge for a championship. And on Monday, Keselowski gave plenty of ammunition to both sides of the fence. Overall, though, he came through the first race better than most.��Last week's ranking: 4.
6. Kurt Busch. I'm starting to think that maybe Kurt Busch needs to be on the edge of completely losing control in order to drive his absolute best. He screamed at his pit crew about how godawful his car was, and then finished with another top 10. Hey, whatever works to get that fire lit.� Last week's ranking: 7.
7. Jeff Gordon. This was exactly the kind of week that Jeff Gordon didn't need. Sure, he can rebound from this ugly outing and challenge once again for the championship; he's not the only guy whose fuel issues shot him in the foot. (Wait, that's a tortured metaphor.) Anyway, he'll be all right, but he's sure not the Cup contender everyone thought he would be.� Last week's ranking: 1.
8. Matt Kenseth. Kenseth ran the race exactly like we expected he would, reliably up front but quiet, and then came that last-lap fiasco. Kenseth accepted the punishment from NASCAR for getting a push from J.J. Yeley, but still undetermined is whether Kenseth actually told Yeley, "Next time you want to help out the 17 team, grab a broom or something like that."� Last week's ranking: 8.
9. Kyle Busch. This is a demonstration of just how tight these power rankings are; Busch is only a couple good runs from being back on top. If there's anyone in this Chase who can rebound from the sub-20 finish that Kyle suffered, it's Busch himself, but you never want to have your one rotten race in the Chase come first. � Last week's ranking: 6.
10. Ryan Newman. Newman ended up with a top-10 finish, but that's not going to come close to cutting it in Chase time. He put together exactly the kind of race we expected from him: decent but unspectacular, the kind of quiet competence that'll keep him running but not scare the frontrunners overmuch.� Last week's ranking: 9.
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Look, let's be honest here: Junior is going to get all kinds of garbage for running well in a race where everyone around him ran out of gas. But the truth is that he wouldn't have been in a position to get a third-place finish if he hadn't fought his way up through the field throughout the final quarter of the race. Mock if you want, but the guy had a decent little run even without the fuel-aided finish.� Last week's ranking: NR.
12. Clint Bowyer. Clint Bowyer was the highest-finishing non-Chaser, which has to be something like having your hot ex-girlfriend tell you that if it weren't for this new guy she met, she'd totally still be into you. We put Clint here to make him feel better, and maybe get him a job in 2012 once and for all.� Last week's ranking: NR.
Dropping out of the rankings: AJ Allmendinger, whose run of quality races came to a quick end in Chicago. Also, Denny Hamlin ... see below.
Lucky Dog: Mark Martin, who snuck into a top-10 spot. And if his prospective future boss wins a race, that can only mean good news for the Stewart-Haas bottom line, and thus potential good news for Martin.
DNF: Denny Hamlin, whose already-rickety Chase chances took a perhaps-mortal blow with his poor finish. 2010 seems a long time ago.
Charging upward: David Ragan followed up last week's fourth-place finish with an 11th-place one this week. Another four months running like this and he's a lock for the Chase!
Next up: Loudon! Lobstermania! Send comments to us via Twitter at @jaybusbee, email by clicking here, and via Facebook at The Marbles page.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Katie Kenseth breaks shoulder blade
Katie Kenseth, the wife of Sprint Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth, fractured her shoulder blade and sustained other "bumps and bruises," according to a message posted on Matt Kenseth's Twitter account late Monday night. Katie Kenseth was injured earlier Monday while practicing at Charlotte Motor Speedway in a Bandolero car in preparation for the "Better Half Dash," a 25-lap race featuring the wives and girlfriends of NASCAR drivers. The race is scheduled to run prior to the Oct. 15 Bank of America 500 at CMS. For a story on the incident, including photos from the scene go here.
GRI hits the dirt, and I win my first feature!
Here is one for all you short track racers out there. A bunch of friends and I were at North Vernon Speedway in Indiana for the kart races this past weekend. Check out these videos of some kart action that went down, and my first feature win. This was Andrew Mccloud’s first race (#44) coming [...]
Jack Roush: "Clint (Bowyer) has been on my radar screen"
In an interview Wednesday night with Claire B. Lang during her show "Dialed In" on SIRIUSXM Radio, team owner Jack Roush admitted he has had conversations with driver Clint Bowyer and that Bowyer "has been on my radar screen for a long, long time." "We'd certainly welcome him to the Ford camp if he accepted (Richard Petty Motorsports') offer. That would certainly be, I think, in Ford's interest and I would be very happy about that," Roush said. "If he decided to take a look at one of our programs, and we had room for him, that would also be of interest. "The way the sponsors are going to line up for next year and which cars they're going to be on and which opportunities you might have, is not clear. We're having discussions on many topics." Bowyer, who currently drives for Richard Childress Racing, is in the last year of his contract with the No. 33 Sprint Cup Series team. He has been in contract negotiations for months, leading to speculation he may end up elsewhere when all is said and done. Roush said Bowyer was "a lot out of the Carl Edwards mold." "He's a Midwest guy and he has good judgment on the race track. He's earned a lot of respect from his competitors as well as a lot of insiders like myself who have been watching him during his career," Roush said. Roush currently fields four Cup teams with drivers Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Edwards and David Ragan. Asked if he really had a spot available at Roush Fenway Racing, Roush said, "I don't know what kind of sponsor lineup I will have for next year. It's just not clear. It's not clear the way all of our programs are going to shake down."
Montoya not concerned with loss of two crew members
Juan Pablo Montoya said Friday he did not think the loss of two crew members - including one member of his pit crew - would adversely affect his race team. On Wednesday, Chip Ganassi Racing fired two employees - Trevor Lysne and Jerome "J.D." Frey - who were arrested on Tuesday by Huntersville (N.C.) Police in connection with the shipment of 10.5 pounds of marijuana from California. Lysne was the front tire changer for Montoya's pit crew while Frey was a mechanic who worked in the shop. Both have been indefinitely suspended by NASCAR. Asked if the loss of the crew members was a concern, Montoya said, "Not really. It is something that the team had to deal with it and NASCAR had to deal with it. We left it at that. "Personally, we made some changes in our crew. And that?s it. We get on with our business to try to win here and that?s it.? Lysne, 40, is charged with trafficking marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and maintaining a dwelling to distribute marijuana. Frey, 27, is also charged with trafficking marijuana and possession with intent to sell and deliver.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Can You Name The Racer By His Helmet?
OK, sports fans, here?s a challenge for you. Without going to the internet, how many of the helmets below can you associate with the racers who wore them? I?m going to make it particularly hard by mixing up the racing series; some are from F1, some are from IndyCar (and its predecessor, Champ Car), and [...]
NASCAR Racing In New Hampshire
Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. This week NASCAR is in Louden, NH at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Magic Mile is a 1.058 mile pretty flat track so there is very little banking to help the cars get around the corners. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will race on Sunday in [...]
Truck series driver Shane Sieg suspended by NASCAR
Shane Sieg, a driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, was indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy. Sieg, a 28 year old driver from Tucker, Ga., has been fielding his own entries in the Truck series this season. He has started 12 of 15 races so far with a best finish of 12th on March 12 at Darlington, S.C. In his NASCAR career, Sieg has made 68 starts in Trucks and two in the Nationwide Series (both in 2004). His career best finish is an eighth at Milwaukee in Trucks in 2004. Also, NASCAR has reinstated Denise Harmon-Mixon, a crew member in the Nationwide Series, following her successful completion of the Road to Recovery program. Harmon-Mixon had been suspended July 5 for violating the substance abuse policy.
Create-a-caption: Brotherly love in the pits
Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick Kurt Busch, in the pits so happy together. What could possibly go wrong here? Certainly you can imagine, can't you? Have your say here, friends.
[UPDATE: Friends, this is why you should always check your work. The photo library identified this as Busch and Harvick, and since my mind is still keyed to think of Harvick in the red-and-yellow Shell car, I dutifully typed it in as such. All of which is to say I deserve all the abuse you can heap upon me, and more.]
After the jump, Jimmie Johnson is getting Shakespearean.
Ghost in the Ruins:
Did someone crap in my helmet? Newman!!!!
Michael:
Really, Kurt? Thumbtacks in my helmet is your revenge?
Empress:
My helmut! My helmut!
My kingdon is my helmut!
Consider its use; to protect me!
To enable me to be victorious!
...oh yeah...and let me listen to Chad...
Evan T:
Alas! Alas! This helmet that I do wear. May it protecteth me in mine battles. May the race track, my opponents do share.
And the "some people try, and some people are scared to try and thus bust on those who do try" award to Nadia:
Shakespeare has to be rolling over in his grave. These grits are barely literate.
[UPDATE: Friends, this is why you should always check your work. The photo library identified this as Busch and Harvick, and since my mind is still keyed to think of Harvick in the red-and-yellow Shell car, I dutifully typed it in as such. All of which is to say I deserve all the abuse you can heap upon me, and more.]
After the jump, Jimmie Johnson is getting Shakespearean.
Ghost in the Ruins:
Did someone crap in my helmet? Newman!!!!
Michael:
Really, Kurt? Thumbtacks in my helmet is your revenge?
Empress:
My helmut! My helmut!
My kingdon is my helmut!
Consider its use; to protect me!
To enable me to be victorious!
...oh yeah...and let me listen to Chad...
Evan T:
Alas! Alas! This helmet that I do wear. May it protecteth me in mine battles. May the race track, my opponents do share.
And the "some people try, and some people are scared to try and thus bust on those who do try" award to Nadia:
Shakespeare has to be rolling over in his grave. These grits are barely literate.
Happy Hour: Did Paul Menard spin on team orders?
Welcome to the latest Happy Hour mailbag! You know how these work: you write us with your best rant/ joke/ one-liner at nascarmail@yahoogroups.com or on Twitter at @jaybusbee, we respond to your messages, everyone goes away with a smile on their face.
It's probably a little late to tell you this now, but if you were looking to get a nonbeliever into NASCAR, last Saturday night's race at Richmond would've made them a convert for life. That was as close to a perfect event as I've seen in awhile. And it had slatherings of controversy, which made it so much better. Let's start with those:
Can someone investigate the Menard "spin" further? I watched it a few times, and on the radio he says it feels like a tire is down. All the tires look okay to me, and ABC decided not to show what happened before he was in the grass. What do you think?
?Jason Robinson
We got a ton of emails on this topic, and so I've chosen this one as representative of all of them. (It features the fewest curses, potentially libelous statements and questions about the parentage of Menard, Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress.) Here's the thing: yes, the timing was highly suspect, considering Jeff Gordon was driving away from Menard's teammate, Kevin Harvick. And Menard didn't seem to be endangering the field; that close to the end of the race, you've got to wonder if maybe they could tell Menard just to get out of the way and sit tight. Seventeen laps is probably too long to wait on that, but it's a thought.
Anyway, a couple of points: if you look at Menard's front right tire in this video, you can clearly see that it's off-kilter. Now, was it put off-kilter by that spin? Perhaps. Also, as I'd mentioned earlier this week, Gordon has to get better on restarts; I'm fairly sure there'll be a Green-White-Checker or two in the Chase, and he's got to master those if he's going to master the Chase.
So, yeah, Menard and the Childress guys shouldn't be surprised if there's suspicion in their direction. But as long as this kind of thing doesn't affect the Chase picture, it'll be forgotten soon enough.
____________________
Seriously, Carl Edwards and his sponsors are getting out of control. He had a Kellogg's / Cheez-it car this week. That's a sponsorship that should be with another team needing sponsorship. It's no longer one major sponsor and several smaller/regional sponsors like in the old days; he has Aflac, Scotts, Kellog's, Subway, and Valvoline. Now it may be UPS signing up for 4-8 races next year because they want to cut back...I am sorry for the rant, it's just been bugging me.
?Cliff Francis
Never apologize for ranting, Cliff! That's what we're here for. Sadly, though, you're ranting about a losing cause. You can't force sponsors to spend money on drivers they don't want to sponsor, and these sponsors have determined that a part-time sponsorship of Carl Edwards is a better investment than a full-season sponsorship of another driver. You can't blame Edwards for that, and you can't blame the sponsors. About all you can do is hope that the lesser-knowns step up and run better in order to catch the sponsor's eye.
____________________
On Friday, there was the big blow up (AGAIN!) with Tony Stewart and the media.�The minute Tony gets into a slightly off mood, he turns into a first class jerk.�I know he was stressed about making the Chase and I'm sure it gets monotonous to be asked the same questions, but I root hard for the guy because he is so talented and it gets tiresome to hear him rail on that like that. Maybe I am naive in how the Nascar driver-media world works, but doesn't the media have�a little bit of power in this situation?�When Tony needs something from you guys, he can suck up with the best of them so he knows he needs you. What would happen if, during the next couple race weekends, reporters just ignored him? If he is treating people like crap, is it feasible to just not cover him?�I'm guessing if a couple weeks went by and Mobil1 and Office Depot weren't getting good coverage he might change his tune, especially if they lose Chase coverage.�We all know Tony has a "good guy" in there somewhere because at times you see it.�But that doesn't mean you get to trash people when you are annoyed.�Everybody has a job to do. I would get fired if I spoke to my co-workers the way he spoke to the media on Friday.�� He turned 40 this year - maybe growing up is in order?
?Sue Bilger
Seattle, Wash.
Turning your back on Stewart is a nice idea if you're one of the media people getting blasted, but despite what some media (your humble writer here included) seem to think, we're not the story. And if the media were to decide en masse to stop covering Stewart, the media would indeed become the story. Tony Stewart fans love him because he can act like a jerk to the media, and fans of NASCAR in general don't much care about the fights between drivers and the media; they want to hear about the races. For the media to willfully disregard that would be an abandonment of core principles. Yes, the media�? the reputable media ? does live by core principles. Don't confuse tabloid media with more respected outlets; understand that it's the difference between a fast food and a home-cooked meal.
Despite what some rabid anti-media types have said in the wake of the Stewart and Kurt Busch controversies of this past weekend, the media plays an essential role in the overall NASCAR ecosystem. So do the tracks, so do the crews, so do the administrative types, so do you. We're all a part of this together. The media is an easy target because it's easy to pull the old politician's trick of demonizing one sector of society and loading them up with "responsibility" for all problems. ("We'd be just fine if the media weren't going around stirring up stuff!") Don't fall for that garbage. Pick your favorite media members (a-hem), trust and follow them, and think for yourself.
____________________
Jay, would you agree with me that Kurt Busch should be docked points for his news conference behavior? I'm not saying he should be arrested or sued, but NASCAR should take action. This kind of behavior from a leading NASCAR driver sets a poor example for young fans; if you're famous, you can act like a complete and utter boor.
That kind of press intimidation, whether it's stepping into the face of a reporter, or grabbing a piece of paper from another reporter and tearing it up, should not be tolerated. Of course, at least he was an equal opportunity idiot, so I won't get into a chauvinist angle (although I would say no matter what, it's poor form to do that to any woman).
If Junior could be docked for saying, on live TV, in a post-race victory celebration of all things, a word that rhymes with "knit", Busch should be docked five points for this. Maybe it will set an example for Smoke, who has also been known to cross a line not just verbally but physically.
It's clear no one has ever stood up to this bully ... One day, he's going to do that to the wrong person, and he's going to get taught a lesson. I've been in my fair share of scrapes, but there's a time and a place for it.
?Jeff S aka "Sarge"
Statesboro, Ga.
I was about six feet away from Busch when he tore up the transcript; matter of fact, it was my transcript he tore up, because I was working on this article here when that press conference started. The issue with Busch wasn't really intimidation in the sense that anyone felt threatened; it was more that people didn't feel like getting chewed out or mocked by a guy who had a microphone at his disposal.
The points deduction is a good idea, though I don't see anything like that happening in reality. NASCAR needs to step up and realize this isn't just busting on the media, which is an easy target, but as you said, makes for a terrible public image for the sport.
To be fair, Busch did call both reporters he had incidents with and apologized for his actions. That's a step forward. We all have bad days. But words are easy; actions, more difficult.
And they should print the transcripts on vinyl. That stuff's murder to tear.
____________________
I'm an unapologetic Kyle Busch fan. I cheer. I clap. I admire his refusal to accept defeat. And, yes, I occasionally roll my eyes at his more childish antics. BUT, unlike fans of some drivers (*cough*Junior*cough*), I don't feel the need to lecture other fans about the shortcomings of their boys.
On the tram back to our campsite from what was one of the best races I've seen at RIR, my mother, husband, friend and I were treated to a 10-minute lecture from a fan of another driver about 1) why Kyle Busch is a horrible human being, 2) why Joe Gibbs should be banned from the sport and 3) the giant NASCAR/M&Ms conspiracy that keeps Kyle Busch from getting in trouble. All this sparked by the fact that I had the audacity to wear an M&Ms racing visor�? not even an entire ball cap. A visor.
Seriously? I'd let this go if this were the first time, but it's not. Every race I go to, I run into someone like that obnoxious gentleman on the tram. I get that other people don't like Kyle Busch. That's fine. There are quite a few drivers I don't care for. The difference is: I don't assume that fans of the drivers I dislike care about what I think. So, here's my message to other fans: The next time you're thinking about making a comment to the unsuspecting fan who's doing nothing more than wearing a hat/T-shirt for a driver you don't like, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. Neither I, nor any other fan, care AT ALL that you don't like our driver.
And, for the record, I'm through being polite and smiling through these situations. My already well rehearsed response for next time: "With all due respect sir/ma'am, I don't care what you think. I'm invoking my right to ignore you."
?Liz
Chesterfield
I'd think that a Kyle Busch fan would have a better response for a Junior fan, something like, "We've got so darn many wins we're starting to lose track of them. Want a couple? I know you're hard up." But that probably wouldn't end well.
You've got to love the fans who are completely monomaniacal in their love (or hate) of a driver. Still, it's a shame that some fans blur the lines between fandom and obsession; I've gotten emails from people who couldn't be (and probably wouldn't be) madder at me if I'd insulted their mother.
And Liz, like 48 fans, you should take heart: they're mad because you're winning.
____________________
When are they going to do something about the Nationwide series drivers? Cup series drivers have won 23 of the 27 races so far. They have also taken over $4,380,000.00 in prize money. Only four races were won by NW drivers and theses were races at other venues Cup drivers couldn't make. How do they expect NW drivers to progress in the series if the cup drivers keep competing against them? ... I think it's time to get the cup drivers out of the Nationwide. NW drivers would get more recognition, more prize money and better sponsorship. I personally am tired of watching Cup Drivers run in these races. What are the benefits of the series the way it is now? Is Nascar planning to do anything about this soon?
?Mick
This is a question that comes up pretty much every week, and I wanted to address it this week for a couple reasons. First, to answer your last questions, Mick: the benefit of having Cup drivers in the Nationwide series is that it gets many more people in the stands who wouldn't be there to watch lesser-known drivers. They want to see Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and the rest, and there's a pretty good chance those guys will dominate the field. (As well they should.) Why would NASCAR and the track promoters do anything about that?
More to the point, though, this weekend we saw two very different performances by Sprint Cup drivers in the Nationwide series. Brad Keselowski got taken out by Danica Patrick, and in effect said he couldn't be mad about that because the Nationwide is, by definition, a developmental series. On the other hand, you had Kevin Harvick, who scuffled with Jason Leffler and ended up taking out another Nationwide regular, Trevor Bayne. Bottom line, this isn't changing anytime soon, so the best we can hope for is for the Sprint Cup drivers to play straight with the Nationwide drivers and try not to torpedo their chances at a championship. Lord knows hellfire would rain if a Nationwide driver running in Cup happened to take out a guy running for the title.
____________________
Hello, I was wondering if there is an incentive for a driver finishing 13th by the end of the season. Are they racing for pride, or is there a bonus for being the "best of the rest"? Thanks!
?Andy Ritzert
Maricopa, Ariz.
There's no prize or bonus for finishing 13th, and even if there was, I'm not sure anyone would want to claim it. Congrats! Of the suckiest drivers, you sucked the least!
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, find us on Facebook right here, or hit us up on Twitter at @jaybusbee. Make sure to tell us where you're from. We'll make you famous!
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
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It's probably a little late to tell you this now, but if you were looking to get a nonbeliever into NASCAR, last Saturday night's race at Richmond would've made them a convert for life. That was as close to a perfect event as I've seen in awhile. And it had slatherings of controversy, which made it so much better. Let's start with those:
Can someone investigate the Menard "spin" further? I watched it a few times, and on the radio he says it feels like a tire is down. All the tires look okay to me, and ABC decided not to show what happened before he was in the grass. What do you think?
?Jason Robinson
We got a ton of emails on this topic, and so I've chosen this one as representative of all of them. (It features the fewest curses, potentially libelous statements and questions about the parentage of Menard, Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress.) Here's the thing: yes, the timing was highly suspect, considering Jeff Gordon was driving away from Menard's teammate, Kevin Harvick. And Menard didn't seem to be endangering the field; that close to the end of the race, you've got to wonder if maybe they could tell Menard just to get out of the way and sit tight. Seventeen laps is probably too long to wait on that, but it's a thought.
Anyway, a couple of points: if you look at Menard's front right tire in this video, you can clearly see that it's off-kilter. Now, was it put off-kilter by that spin? Perhaps. Also, as I'd mentioned earlier this week, Gordon has to get better on restarts; I'm fairly sure there'll be a Green-White-Checker or two in the Chase, and he's got to master those if he's going to master the Chase.
So, yeah, Menard and the Childress guys shouldn't be surprised if there's suspicion in their direction. But as long as this kind of thing doesn't affect the Chase picture, it'll be forgotten soon enough.
____________________
Seriously, Carl Edwards and his sponsors are getting out of control. He had a Kellogg's / Cheez-it car this week. That's a sponsorship that should be with another team needing sponsorship. It's no longer one major sponsor and several smaller/regional sponsors like in the old days; he has Aflac, Scotts, Kellog's, Subway, and Valvoline. Now it may be UPS signing up for 4-8 races next year because they want to cut back...I am sorry for the rant, it's just been bugging me.
?Cliff Francis
Never apologize for ranting, Cliff! That's what we're here for. Sadly, though, you're ranting about a losing cause. You can't force sponsors to spend money on drivers they don't want to sponsor, and these sponsors have determined that a part-time sponsorship of Carl Edwards is a better investment than a full-season sponsorship of another driver. You can't blame Edwards for that, and you can't blame the sponsors. About all you can do is hope that the lesser-knowns step up and run better in order to catch the sponsor's eye.
____________________
On Friday, there was the big blow up (AGAIN!) with Tony Stewart and the media.�The minute Tony gets into a slightly off mood, he turns into a first class jerk.�I know he was stressed about making the Chase and I'm sure it gets monotonous to be asked the same questions, but I root hard for the guy because he is so talented and it gets tiresome to hear him rail on that like that. Maybe I am naive in how the Nascar driver-media world works, but doesn't the media have�a little bit of power in this situation?�When Tony needs something from you guys, he can suck up with the best of them so he knows he needs you. What would happen if, during the next couple race weekends, reporters just ignored him? If he is treating people like crap, is it feasible to just not cover him?�I'm guessing if a couple weeks went by and Mobil1 and Office Depot weren't getting good coverage he might change his tune, especially if they lose Chase coverage.�We all know Tony has a "good guy" in there somewhere because at times you see it.�But that doesn't mean you get to trash people when you are annoyed.�Everybody has a job to do. I would get fired if I spoke to my co-workers the way he spoke to the media on Friday.�� He turned 40 this year - maybe growing up is in order?
?Sue Bilger
Seattle, Wash.
Turning your back on Stewart is a nice idea if you're one of the media people getting blasted, but despite what some media (your humble writer here included) seem to think, we're not the story. And if the media were to decide en masse to stop covering Stewart, the media would indeed become the story. Tony Stewart fans love him because he can act like a jerk to the media, and fans of NASCAR in general don't much care about the fights between drivers and the media; they want to hear about the races. For the media to willfully disregard that would be an abandonment of core principles. Yes, the media�? the reputable media ? does live by core principles. Don't confuse tabloid media with more respected outlets; understand that it's the difference between a fast food and a home-cooked meal.
Despite what some rabid anti-media types have said in the wake of the Stewart and Kurt Busch controversies of this past weekend, the media plays an essential role in the overall NASCAR ecosystem. So do the tracks, so do the crews, so do the administrative types, so do you. We're all a part of this together. The media is an easy target because it's easy to pull the old politician's trick of demonizing one sector of society and loading them up with "responsibility" for all problems. ("We'd be just fine if the media weren't going around stirring up stuff!") Don't fall for that garbage. Pick your favorite media members (a-hem), trust and follow them, and think for yourself.
____________________
Jay, would you agree with me that Kurt Busch should be docked points for his news conference behavior? I'm not saying he should be arrested or sued, but NASCAR should take action. This kind of behavior from a leading NASCAR driver sets a poor example for young fans; if you're famous, you can act like a complete and utter boor.
That kind of press intimidation, whether it's stepping into the face of a reporter, or grabbing a piece of paper from another reporter and tearing it up, should not be tolerated. Of course, at least he was an equal opportunity idiot, so I won't get into a chauvinist angle (although I would say no matter what, it's poor form to do that to any woman).
If Junior could be docked for saying, on live TV, in a post-race victory celebration of all things, a word that rhymes with "knit", Busch should be docked five points for this. Maybe it will set an example for Smoke, who has also been known to cross a line not just verbally but physically.
It's clear no one has ever stood up to this bully ... One day, he's going to do that to the wrong person, and he's going to get taught a lesson. I've been in my fair share of scrapes, but there's a time and a place for it.
?Jeff S aka "Sarge"
Statesboro, Ga.
I was about six feet away from Busch when he tore up the transcript; matter of fact, it was my transcript he tore up, because I was working on this article here when that press conference started. The issue with Busch wasn't really intimidation in the sense that anyone felt threatened; it was more that people didn't feel like getting chewed out or mocked by a guy who had a microphone at his disposal.
The points deduction is a good idea, though I don't see anything like that happening in reality. NASCAR needs to step up and realize this isn't just busting on the media, which is an easy target, but as you said, makes for a terrible public image for the sport.
To be fair, Busch did call both reporters he had incidents with and apologized for his actions. That's a step forward. We all have bad days. But words are easy; actions, more difficult.
And they should print the transcripts on vinyl. That stuff's murder to tear.
____________________
I'm an unapologetic Kyle Busch fan. I cheer. I clap. I admire his refusal to accept defeat. And, yes, I occasionally roll my eyes at his more childish antics. BUT, unlike fans of some drivers (*cough*Junior*cough*), I don't feel the need to lecture other fans about the shortcomings of their boys.
On the tram back to our campsite from what was one of the best races I've seen at RIR, my mother, husband, friend and I were treated to a 10-minute lecture from a fan of another driver about 1) why Kyle Busch is a horrible human being, 2) why Joe Gibbs should be banned from the sport and 3) the giant NASCAR/M&Ms conspiracy that keeps Kyle Busch from getting in trouble. All this sparked by the fact that I had the audacity to wear an M&Ms racing visor�? not even an entire ball cap. A visor.
Seriously? I'd let this go if this were the first time, but it's not. Every race I go to, I run into someone like that obnoxious gentleman on the tram. I get that other people don't like Kyle Busch. That's fine. There are quite a few drivers I don't care for. The difference is: I don't assume that fans of the drivers I dislike care about what I think. So, here's my message to other fans: The next time you're thinking about making a comment to the unsuspecting fan who's doing nothing more than wearing a hat/T-shirt for a driver you don't like, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. Neither I, nor any other fan, care AT ALL that you don't like our driver.
And, for the record, I'm through being polite and smiling through these situations. My already well rehearsed response for next time: "With all due respect sir/ma'am, I don't care what you think. I'm invoking my right to ignore you."
?Liz
Chesterfield
I'd think that a Kyle Busch fan would have a better response for a Junior fan, something like, "We've got so darn many wins we're starting to lose track of them. Want a couple? I know you're hard up." But that probably wouldn't end well.
You've got to love the fans who are completely monomaniacal in their love (or hate) of a driver. Still, it's a shame that some fans blur the lines between fandom and obsession; I've gotten emails from people who couldn't be (and probably wouldn't be) madder at me if I'd insulted their mother.
And Liz, like 48 fans, you should take heart: they're mad because you're winning.
____________________
When are they going to do something about the Nationwide series drivers? Cup series drivers have won 23 of the 27 races so far. They have also taken over $4,380,000.00 in prize money. Only four races were won by NW drivers and theses were races at other venues Cup drivers couldn't make. How do they expect NW drivers to progress in the series if the cup drivers keep competing against them? ... I think it's time to get the cup drivers out of the Nationwide. NW drivers would get more recognition, more prize money and better sponsorship. I personally am tired of watching Cup Drivers run in these races. What are the benefits of the series the way it is now? Is Nascar planning to do anything about this soon?
?Mick
This is a question that comes up pretty much every week, and I wanted to address it this week for a couple reasons. First, to answer your last questions, Mick: the benefit of having Cup drivers in the Nationwide series is that it gets many more people in the stands who wouldn't be there to watch lesser-known drivers. They want to see Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and the rest, and there's a pretty good chance those guys will dominate the field. (As well they should.) Why would NASCAR and the track promoters do anything about that?
More to the point, though, this weekend we saw two very different performances by Sprint Cup drivers in the Nationwide series. Brad Keselowski got taken out by Danica Patrick, and in effect said he couldn't be mad about that because the Nationwide is, by definition, a developmental series. On the other hand, you had Kevin Harvick, who scuffled with Jason Leffler and ended up taking out another Nationwide regular, Trevor Bayne. Bottom line, this isn't changing anytime soon, so the best we can hope for is for the Sprint Cup drivers to play straight with the Nationwide drivers and try not to torpedo their chances at a championship. Lord knows hellfire would rain if a Nationwide driver running in Cup happened to take out a guy running for the title.
____________________
Hello, I was wondering if there is an incentive for a driver finishing 13th by the end of the season. Are they racing for pride, or is there a bonus for being the "best of the rest"? Thanks!
?Andy Ritzert
Maricopa, Ariz.
There's no prize or bonus for finishing 13th, and even if there was, I'm not sure anyone would want to claim it. Congrats! Of the suckiest drivers, you sucked the least!
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, find us on Facebook right here, or hit us up on Twitter at @jaybusbee. Make sure to tell us where you're from. We'll make you famous!
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? Tragedy pulls NFL star away from team
? Curt Schilling's embarrassing first pitch
? What Ron Artest's daughter wants to do with his last name
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Jeff Gordon salvages fourth-place finish after battling fuel problems at N.H.
LOUDON, N.H. ? Crew chief Alan Gustafson had bad news for Jeff Gordon after Gordon had led 78 laps in the Sylvania 300 Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Gustafson told Gordon with about 50 laps remaining that the team didn?t get his car full of fuel on his final stop.
Gustafson told Gordon with about 50 laps remaining that the team didn?t get his car full of fuel on his final stop.
A Visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
As painful as it may be to admit, the biggest spectator sport in the United States is in fact, NASCAR. With crowds averaging around 99,000 per event, the NASCAR faithful have cemented themselves in automotive history as the uber fans of American motor sports. As most of you know NASCAR got its roots from the [...]
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.
Tony Stewart won?t specify ?dead weight? he said played a role in his victory at N.H.
LOUDON, N.H. ? Tony Stewart apparently wanted to send a message after his victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sunday, but he is keeping the details of his curious public comment on a need-to-know basis.
After his victory in the Sylvania 300, Stewart said on national television: ?We got rid of some dead weight earlier this week, so it made it a lot easier. It?s been a big weight lifted off our shoulders ? just sometimes you have to make adjustments in your life and we did that and it has definitely helped.?
After his victory in the Sylvania 300, Stewart said on national television: ?We got rid of some dead weight earlier this week, so it made it a lot easier. It?s been a big weight lifted off our shoulders ? just sometimes you have to make adjustments in your life and we did that and it has definitely helped.?
Wheldon Preps for $5 Million Go Daddy Challenge At Kentucky
Dan Wheldon is doing all the right preparatory work as he tries to win the $5 million Go Daddy INDYCAR Challenge at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16th. His team co-owner for the challenge, Sam Schmidt, helped with that preparation by assigning Wheldon to drive the No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins Dallara/Honda/Firestone Indy car at this Sunday's...
Monday, September 26, 2011
Hamlin needs rebound race at New Hampshire
One and done? Title hopes up in smoke? For the Chase drivers who ran out of gas or good luck in the playoff opener, they have kept the faith that their championship pursuits aren't spoiled because of a bad start.
So what, exactly, was that caution for?
It was the final lap in Monday's rain-delayed race at Watkins Glen International. The white flag had flown. A caution now would freeze the field and ensure then-leader Marcos Ambrose would win the race, but without a race to the checkered flag. In Turn 2, Boris Said hit David Ragan and knocked him into the wall. Ragan's car bounced off the wall and back onto the track and collided with David Reutimann, sending Reutimann's car spinning wildly in the air. OK, obviously NASCAR has said in the past if there is no danger to the cars or drivers involved, they will hold the caution to get the green-flag finish. Yet, a couple turns later, Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer started a chain-reaction incident and suddenly NASCAR threw the caution flag. So, the field was frozen anyway and although it looked like Brad Keselowski could run down Ambrose for a try at a pass, Ambrose took the victory under caution. But there's a problem. In the official race report for Monday's race, it lists a caution for the final lap of the race. That's certainly correct. But NASCAR always cites a reason and here's the catch. The reason for the last lap caution is listed as "#00, 6, 51 Accident Turn 2." So, the official reason for a caution on the last lap according to NASCAR is the incident involving Ragan, Reutiumann and Said (when the flag didn't come out) and NOT the one involving Stewart, Bowyer and others (when the flag did come out). Either someone made a mistake, or NASCAR inadvertently admitted it should have thrown the caution flag earlier. Which is it, I wonder?
NASCAR Mexico champion to drive Kyle Busch truck at New Hampshire
Two-time defending NASCAR Mexico Series champion Germain Quiroga will make his Camping World Truck Series debut this weekend driving the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 51 truck at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The 31-year-old Quiroga competed in the 2007 Nationwide Series race in Mexico City. This will be his second NASCAR national touring series start.
The 31-year-old Quiroga competed in the 2007 Nationwide Series race in Mexico City. This will be his second NASCAR national touring series start.
Closing the door on Richmond and all its wonderful drama
From solemn 9/11 tributes to ridiculous postrace commentary to some of the best racing of the season, Richmond truly had it all, and marked a perfect end to the regular season. Check out the best of the weekend right here, and share your favorite moments of the weekend below.
Dodge Awards New Challenger to NASCAR?s Brad Keselowski.
Being a race car driver definitely comes with some stellar perks. For one, it’s a dream job as you make your living ripping around the best race tracks in the country. Then there’s the fame, the money and the girls, which also help lend to the jobs appeal. It’s a pretty good gig if you [...]
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Stewart opens Chase with 1st victory of season
Tony Stewart took himself out of title contention before the opening race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
Chase Prospects: Can Carl Edwards take the duck to the top?
Carl Edwards is positioning himself as the NASCAR pitchman for the 2010s, appearing in everything from comic books to cartoons to TV dramas to daytime talk shows to ... you get the idea. Now, if only the guy could go and win himself a Cup, all would be right in the 99's world.
Thing is, that goal has proved elusive. He came close in 2008, winning three of the last four races, but that set off a 70-race winless streak that took him through all of 2009 and most of 2010. He's run most of this season at or near the top of the points standings.
However, in recent weeks he's slipped somewhat; more to the point, he hasn't been able to step up in the way that other drivers like Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon have. You can find him near the front of every race, but you've only seen him AT the front at the end of one race this season. He'll need to do more to capture that first Cup.
Edwards' best Chase track: It's the season-ending Homestead, where he's got an average finish of 5.7, but that figure is somewhat skewed by the "screw it, the season's already over" mentality that's pervaded most of the field over the last few years. After that, his best track is Dover, where he's got an average finish of 7.6 at a track that has bedeviled other drivers.
Edwards' worst Chase track: Talladega, and not just because he toured the fence there courtesy of fellow Chaser Brad Keselowski back in 2009. Edwards has an average finish there of 20.9. His next-worst track is Chicago. Uh-oh.
Key question: He can run well, but can he run well enough? Edwards is a reliable frontrunning driver; his 17 top-10s tie Jimmie Johnson for the best in the series, and his 12 top-5s are second only to Kyle Busch's 13. Thing is, getting to the front pack is one thing; getting to the front OF the pack can be much trickier.
JB's prediction: 3rd. Edwards will run well enough all Chase to stay within sight of the leaders, but in the end his good-but-not-quite-good-enough season could end one turn short of a Cup.
Thing is, that goal has proved elusive. He came close in 2008, winning three of the last four races, but that set off a 70-race winless streak that took him through all of 2009 and most of 2010. He's run most of this season at or near the top of the points standings.
However, in recent weeks he's slipped somewhat; more to the point, he hasn't been able to step up in the way that other drivers like Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon have. You can find him near the front of every race, but you've only seen him AT the front at the end of one race this season. He'll need to do more to capture that first Cup.
Edwards' best Chase track: It's the season-ending Homestead, where he's got an average finish of 5.7, but that figure is somewhat skewed by the "screw it, the season's already over" mentality that's pervaded most of the field over the last few years. After that, his best track is Dover, where he's got an average finish of 7.6 at a track that has bedeviled other drivers.
Edwards' worst Chase track: Talladega, and not just because he toured the fence there courtesy of fellow Chaser Brad Keselowski back in 2009. Edwards has an average finish there of 20.9. His next-worst track is Chicago. Uh-oh.
Key question: He can run well, but can he run well enough? Edwards is a reliable frontrunning driver; his 17 top-10s tie Jimmie Johnson for the best in the series, and his 12 top-5s are second only to Kyle Busch's 13. Thing is, getting to the front pack is one thing; getting to the front OF the pack can be much trickier.
JB's prediction: 3rd. Edwards will run well enough all Chase to stay within sight of the leaders, but in the end his good-but-not-quite-good-enough season could end one turn short of a Cup.
ACT CANADIAN STARS TO INVADE NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY IN FEBRUARY
Waterbury, VT ? Quebec City racer Donald Theetge might have been the first Canadian to enter the American Canadian Tour (ACT) Goodyear Speedweek Cup event to be held at the New Smyrna Speedway in Florida, but the Canadian competitor list continues to lead the way toward the first-ever ACT events to be held during the World Series of Asphalt Short Track Racing in New Smyrna. The two 100-lap main events will be held on Sunday, February 13th and Monday, February 14th.
While many head to Daytona during Speedweeks in February, most asphalt short track fans can be found each night from February 10th-19th during the 10 days that is the World Series of Short Track racing in nearby New Smyrna, FL. The tradition of northern competitors heading to Florida from the days of Richie Evans, Jerry Cook, Bugsy Stevens and a host of the greatest from the Northeast Modified division to Late Model Canadian great Jr. Hanley--- New Smyrna has always been the place to be during the heart of the northern winters.
While many head to Daytona during Speedweeks in February, most asphalt short track fans can be found each night from February 10th-19th during the 10 days that is the World Series of Short Track racing in nearby New Smyrna, FL. The tradition of northern competitors heading to Florida from the days of Richie Evans, Jerry Cook, Bugsy Stevens and a host of the greatest from the Northeast Modified division to Late Model Canadian great Jr. Hanley--- New Smyrna has always been the place to be during the heart of the northern winters.
Rocket Man on The Pole
Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is racing the Sylvania 300 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend. Coors Light Pole Qualifying took place on Friday and got a little exciting with Mother Nature stepping in before qualifying was complete. 39 Ryan Newman and 4 Kasey Kahne [...]
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Chase Prospects: Can Carl Edwards take the duck to the top?
Carl Edwards is positioning himself as the NASCAR pitchman for the 2010s, appearing in everything from comic books to cartoons to TV dramas to daytime talk shows to ... you get the idea. Now, if only the guy could go and win himself a Cup, all would be right in the 99's world.
Thing is, that goal has proved elusive. He came close in 2008, winning three of the last four races, but that set off a 70-race winless streak that took him through all of 2009 and most of 2010. He's run most of this season at or near the top of the points standings.
However, in recent weeks he's slipped somewhat; more to the point, he hasn't been able to step up in the way that other drivers like Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon have. You can find him near the front of every race, but you've only seen him AT the front at the end of one race this season. He'll need to do more to capture that first Cup.
Edwards' best Chase track: It's the season-ending Homestead, where he's got an average finish of 5.7, but that figure is somewhat skewed by the "screw it, the season's already over" mentality that's pervaded most of the field over the last few years. After that, his best track is Dover, where he's got an average finish of 7.6 at a track that has bedeviled other drivers.
Edwards' worst Chase track: Talladega, and not just because he toured the fence there courtesy of fellow Chaser Brad Keselowski back in 2009. Edwards has an average finish there of 20.9. His next-worst track is Chicago. Uh-oh.
Key question: He can run well, but can he run well enough? Edwards is a reliable frontrunning driver; his 17 top-10s tie Jimmie Johnson for the best in the series, and his 12 top-5s are second only to Kyle Busch's 13. Thing is, getting to the front pack is one thing; getting to the front OF the pack can be much trickier.
JB's prediction: 3rd. Edwards will run well enough all Chase to stay within sight of the leaders, but in the end his good-but-not-quite-good-enough season could end one turn short of a Cup.
Thing is, that goal has proved elusive. He came close in 2008, winning three of the last four races, but that set off a 70-race winless streak that took him through all of 2009 and most of 2010. He's run most of this season at or near the top of the points standings.
However, in recent weeks he's slipped somewhat; more to the point, he hasn't been able to step up in the way that other drivers like Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon have. You can find him near the front of every race, but you've only seen him AT the front at the end of one race this season. He'll need to do more to capture that first Cup.
Edwards' best Chase track: It's the season-ending Homestead, where he's got an average finish of 5.7, but that figure is somewhat skewed by the "screw it, the season's already over" mentality that's pervaded most of the field over the last few years. After that, his best track is Dover, where he's got an average finish of 7.6 at a track that has bedeviled other drivers.
Edwards' worst Chase track: Talladega, and not just because he toured the fence there courtesy of fellow Chaser Brad Keselowski back in 2009. Edwards has an average finish there of 20.9. His next-worst track is Chicago. Uh-oh.
Key question: He can run well, but can he run well enough? Edwards is a reliable frontrunning driver; his 17 top-10s tie Jimmie Johnson for the best in the series, and his 12 top-5s are second only to Kyle Busch's 13. Thing is, getting to the front pack is one thing; getting to the front OF the pack can be much trickier.
JB's prediction: 3rd. Edwards will run well enough all Chase to stay within sight of the leaders, but in the end his good-but-not-quite-good-enough season could end one turn short of a Cup.
Joe Gibbs Racing drivers don?t feel they?re out of title contention just yet
LOUDON, N.H. ? Joe Gibbs Racing will look to rebound Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway from what can at best be termed a disappointing opening day of the Chase For The Sprint Cup. For driver Kyle Busch, that means sticking with how his team has done things all year. For driver Denny Hamlin, that means finding the elusive consistency that he had in 2010 but has been absent in 2011.
Chase Prospects: Can Brad Keselowski keep on rolling?
Brad Keselowski is so far beyond a "surprise" this season that you can't even consider him the year's biggest surprise. His run exists on a plane unto itself, a surprise so unexpected it's like coming downstairs one August morning and finding Santa showed up a few months early.
It began at Kansas, with a surprising win that suddenly put him on the edges of the wild card conversation, even though he was still outside the top 20. But then followup wins at Pocono and Bristol, combined with a run of six straight top 10s, hammered down his Chase spot and secured his season as one of the most unexpected in recent NASCAR history.
Good news for Keselowski fans: he's won this year at three very different types of tracks, though only one of those will be in the Chase. Also, with exactly zero Chase experience trying to take down Jimmie Johnson, perhaps he'll be able to work that "doesn't know he's supposed to be scared" angle.
Jet Ski's best Chase track: We're talking a very small sample size here on both ends of the rankings for Keselowski, but unsurprisingly, Kansas ranks as his best. He's got one win, one top 5, and one top 10, all from the same race earlier this year. His average finish is still 12.3, which gives you an idea of how he's run here before this year.
Jet Ski's worst Chase track: Again, you could throw out the stats based on how well he's run, but at Phoenix, Keselowski has no top 10s and an average finish of 27.5. If Keselowski's going to make a run, he's going to be fighting his own history.
Key question: When will the mojo run out? Hot streaks, by definition, have an end. Like a freshman college basketball player who's well-seasoned by NCAA tournament time, Keselowski is not the same driver he was at the start of the season. But can he make his current hot streak the new normal?
JB's Prediction: 6th. Keselowski will be a Chase fixture for years to come. This year, he'll be learning how to find that extra gear he'll need for the most important races of the season.
It began at Kansas, with a surprising win that suddenly put him on the edges of the wild card conversation, even though he was still outside the top 20. But then followup wins at Pocono and Bristol, combined with a run of six straight top 10s, hammered down his Chase spot and secured his season as one of the most unexpected in recent NASCAR history.
Good news for Keselowski fans: he's won this year at three very different types of tracks, though only one of those will be in the Chase. Also, with exactly zero Chase experience trying to take down Jimmie Johnson, perhaps he'll be able to work that "doesn't know he's supposed to be scared" angle.
Jet Ski's best Chase track: We're talking a very small sample size here on both ends of the rankings for Keselowski, but unsurprisingly, Kansas ranks as his best. He's got one win, one top 5, and one top 10, all from the same race earlier this year. His average finish is still 12.3, which gives you an idea of how he's run here before this year.
Jet Ski's worst Chase track: Again, you could throw out the stats based on how well he's run, but at Phoenix, Keselowski has no top 10s and an average finish of 27.5. If Keselowski's going to make a run, he's going to be fighting his own history.
Key question: When will the mojo run out? Hot streaks, by definition, have an end. Like a freshman college basketball player who's well-seasoned by NCAA tournament time, Keselowski is not the same driver he was at the start of the season. But can he make his current hot streak the new normal?
JB's Prediction: 6th. Keselowski will be a Chase fixture for years to come. This year, he'll be learning how to find that extra gear he'll need for the most important races of the season.
NASCAR changes rules at Talladega that could impact two-car draft, increase speeds
In an apparent attempt to decrease the amount of time drivers can race in a two-car draft next month at Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR has increased the size of the restrictor plate and adjusted a pressure relief vale that should lower the maximum water temperature in the engines.
In the last year, drivers have found it faster to run in two-car drafts rather than big two-and three-wide packs that used to be the norm at Daytona and Talladega.
In the last year, drivers have found it faster to run in two-car drafts rather than big two-and three-wide packs that used to be the norm at Daytona and Talladega.
Carolyn Brewster: What?s on tap for fans at New Hampshire
Race fans should start their weekend early at New Hampshire Motor Speedway so they don?t miss out any of the fun events and opportunities.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Wreck of the week: Denny Hamlin?s chances go a lap down
Chicagoland Speedway is so freaking wide that there's not a whole lot of need for cars to get anywhere close to each other, which means that most wrecks are self-inflicted. Enter Denny Hamlin, who faltered going into the Chase and faltered during his very first race. This is a long way from last year, where he was within one race of being The Man To Take Down Jimmie Johnson.
So what's your take on Hamlin's woes? The curse of second place? Ongoing engine problems? Improper sacrifices to the gods of NASCAR? Have your say here ... and speculate on who might be next to fall out of the Chase hunt.
So what's your take on Hamlin's woes? The curse of second place? Ongoing engine problems? Improper sacrifices to the gods of NASCAR? Have your say here ... and speculate on who might be next to fall out of the Chase hunt.
Wreck of the week: Denny Hamlin?s chances go a lap down
Chicagoland Speedway is so freaking wide that there's not a whole lot of need for cars to get anywhere close to each other, which means that most wrecks are self-inflicted. Enter Denny Hamlin, who faltered going into the Chase and faltered during his very first race. This is a long way from last year, where he was within one race of being The Man To Take Down Jimmie Johnson.
So what's your take on Hamlin's woes? The curse of second place? Ongoing engine problems? Improper sacrifices to the gods of NASCAR? Have your say here ... and speculate on who might be next to fall out of the Chase hunt.
So what's your take on Hamlin's woes? The curse of second place? Ongoing engine problems? Improper sacrifices to the gods of NASCAR? Have your say here ... and speculate on who might be next to fall out of the Chase hunt.
What to make of KHI-RCR merger?
On Wednesday, Richard Childress Racing announced it would be merging with Kevin Harvick Inc. to run a joint program in the Nationwide Series next season. Basically, it's the reversal of a deal announced over a year ago in which RCR said its Nationwide programs would be run out of KHI. The question remains about how this merger affects the future of KHI as an organization. Team owner Kevin and DeLana Harvick have yet to announce their plans - if any - to field teams in the Truck series in 2012. With the Nationwide program at RCR and without a Truck program, in essence KHI would no longer operate as an organization fielding multiple teams in NASCAR's national series. Any way you put that, that can't be good for NASCAR. One of the things I thought that was always a bonus for NASCAR was drivers who made their way through NASCAR's lower-tier series "giving back" to the sport, so to speak, by operating teams in those series when they have moved on to Sprint Cup. Think of the wins and championships of the last several years in Trucks and Nationwide and the role KHI teams and drivers have played in them. That's a big contribution to see exit the playing field. Organizations like KHI, Kyle Busch Motorsports and Brad Keselowski Racing epitomize what is best about many of the sport's drivers. Racing is not only a hobby to them, but a way of life - and one they like to share with others like them. We don't know the future of KHI yet. We don't know all of the reasons for the decisions that have already been made. What we do know is NASCAR is worse off today than it was yesterday.
ACT NEW SMYRNA FIELD ADDS FORD POWER WITH LATEST ENTRIES
Waterbury, VT ? The battle for the Goodyear Speedweeks Cup just got tougher with the announcement from the American Canadian Tour (ACT) that three of the powerhouse Ford teams in ACT will make the trip to the sunshine state for the first ever New Smyrna Speedway (NSS) World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing.
Joey Polewarcyzk, Jr. (Pole) from Hudson, NH was the hottest driver on the ACT at the end of 2010. His wins at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) ACT Invitational last September were followed up with a $15,000 payday at the Peoples United Bank Milk Bowl at Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, VT. Pole finished the touring season with a stunning performance in the 150-lap closer at the Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut.
Joey Polewarcyzk, Jr. (Pole) from Hudson, NH was the hottest driver on the ACT at the end of 2010. His wins at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) ACT Invitational last September were followed up with a $15,000 payday at the Peoples United Bank Milk Bowl at Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, VT. Pole finished the touring season with a stunning performance in the 150-lap closer at the Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut.
Hendrick Motorsports, sponsor unveil Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s new paint scheme for 2012
Hendrick Motorsports and sponsor PepsiCo unveiled Dale Earnhardt?s new paint scheme for 2012 on Thursday.
Earnhardt Jr. and his No. 88 Hendrick Chevy will be sponsored next season by Diet Mountain Dew, which will replace Amp Energy as the primary sponsor for 16 races. Amp Energy will remain an associate sponsor of the team.
Earnhardt Jr. and his No. 88 Hendrick Chevy will be sponsored next season by Diet Mountain Dew, which will replace Amp Energy as the primary sponsor for 16 races. Amp Energy will remain an associate sponsor of the team.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Stewart opens Chase with 1st victory of season
Tony Stewart took himself out of title contention before the opening race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
Clinch time for Vettel in Singapore?
With six grand prix remaining, Vettel holds a 112-point lead over Ferrari's Fernando Alonso. Vettel's teammate, Mark Webber, and Jenson Button from McLaren are both 117 points behind, while Button's teammate, Lewis Hamilton, is 126 markers out of the lead.
City Council OKs Detroit Grand Prix request
Organizers of the Detroit Grand Prix are setting up sponsorships that could return the race to the city next year.
Next Mitsubishi Flagship Could Be Rebadged Infiniti M--In Japan, At Least
Thanks to financial troubles, Mitsubishi's product lineup has been looking a little thin of late, with very few new models making it to the market. A new deal with Infiniti could be about to change this. Automotive News reports that Mitsubishi Motors Corp. has made a deal with Nissan's luxury brand to sell the 2012 Infiniti M, also known as the...
Gordon Murray Teams With Toray For Teewave AR.1 Electric Sports Car
Two leaders in the growing field of lightweight automotive engineering have partnered for the development of a new electric sports car prototype. Called the Teewave AR.1, the carbon fiber infused electric sports car is the creation of the eponymous Gordon Murray Design, whose founder was one of the key men behind the development of the legendary...
Despite lack of wins, Carl Edwards sees 'real shot' at first Cup title
CHICAGO ? Carl Edwards smiled when he saw that he was one of seven drivers that Tony Stewart said he thinks has a shot at the 2011 Sprint Cup championship.
Not that Edwards needed Stewart?s affirmation of what are his own beliefs, but it still was nice to see it from someone else.
Not that Edwards needed Stewart?s affirmation of what are his own beliefs, but it still was nice to see it from someone else.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Brad Keselowski ankle still a little troublesome
JOLIET, Ill. ? Brad Keselowski enters the Chase For The Sprint Cup knowing that his left ankle, while better, won?t be healed before the end of the season.
Keselowski chipped a bone in his ankle when he crashed Aug. 3 at Road Atlanta. He won just four days later at Pocono and had a string of five top-six finishes (including two wins) before a 12th at Richmond. He went from 21st in the standings to 11th and a wild-card spot in the Chase.
Keselowski chipped a bone in his ankle when he crashed Aug. 3 at Road Atlanta. He won just four days later at Pocono and had a string of five top-six finishes (including two wins) before a 12th at Richmond. He went from 21st in the standings to 11th and a wild-card spot in the Chase.
Did Menard spin on orders? Listen and judge for yourself
Check this, friends: the audio from inside Paul Menard's car just before the late-race spin at Richmond that may or may not have changed the entire complexion of the race and, possibly, the Chase.
Jay Hart has a thorough breakdown here of what was said and what it might mean. Read, listen, then come on back here and post your thoughts. Go!
Jay Hart has a thorough breakdown here of what was said and what it might mean. Read, listen, then come on back here and post your thoughts. Go!
Mary Hendrick, mother of HMS owner Rick Hendrick, died Monday
Mary Hendrick, mother of Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, passed away Monday afternoon at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Mrs. Hendrick, a native of Palmer Springs, Va., was 88. Fondly referred to as ?Miss Mary,? Mrs. Hendrick was the car owner of the No. 25 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series from 2005 to 2007. In 2008, she became the owner of the No. 5 Chevrolet. She won seven races as a car owner, with Mark Martin notably recording five of those wins during the 2009 season. That year, Martin drove the No. 5 Chevrolet to a runner-up finish in the championship standings, giving Mrs. Hendrick her best season as a car owner. In June 2004, then-N.C. Gov. Mike Easley presented Joe and Mary Hendrick with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine -- the state of North Carolina?s highest honor bestowed on a citizen for dedication and extended length of service to his or her organization. The family requests privacy at this time as arrangements are being finalized. Details will be released when available.
After an adventurous night, Junior clinches spot in the Chase
Boy, what would we have done without drama surrounding Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Chase chances Saturday night?
Going into the Wonderful Pistachios 400 at Richmond, Junior's Chase scenario was simple: any finish above 20th guaranteed him a spot in the Chase.
However, a 16th-place finish that involves three Lucky Dog awards is never simple. But yes, Earnhardt is officially in the Chase.
"Yeah, I'm proud to be in the Chase," Junior said. "I feel like I'm a good enough driver to be in the Chase, my team is good enough to be there.� As a group I think we're good enough to be in the top 10, and I can look back over the season and just easily think of several instances where we cost ourselves 10 or 15 points and made this situation difficult this weekend."
After being involved in Clint Bowyer's crash on Lap 3, Junior's car ended up with a giant dent on the front bumper after he was pushed into Bowyer's car. After that, the handling quickly went away on Junior's car and the front end damage got worse when he�got into Marcos Ambrose. As the caution-filled race finally had a long stretch of green flag racing, Junior went a lap down for the first time.
He then went a lap down again. And dumped Travis Kvapil after Kvapil got into him. And then got the Lucky Dog on the next caution, when Jimmie Johnson wrecked Kurt Busch.
And then the cycle repeated itself a final time.
During the middle of the race, Junior had fallen all the way down to 27th while Brad Keselowski drove his way up to second. That meant that Junior's cushion was down to a measly three points over Keselowski. But Keselowski faded and Junior (relatively) surged over the final 100 laps.
"Brad had to run his ass off to win the race, to run in the top 5 to make it tough on us.� He almost did that, but I felt good.� I knew my team could fix the car good enough, and if everything felt the right way for us as far as them cautions and getting them lucky dogs, getting an opportunity to work on the car, we'd be fine," Junior said.
But let's be honest here, scrappy 16th-place finishes don't win championships. And Junior and crew chief Steve Letarte know it. Sure, the setups have been conservative to help keep Junior in the top 10 (barely), but Junior's highest finish over the last 10 races is a ninth at Pocono.
"We've got to run a different setup than what we ran tonight in the last six weeks frankly," Junior said. " But we had a pretty good run at it going the first 15 races, and for whatever reason we sort of fell off and forgot some things or over?engineered something.� But we need to look hard at what we're doing, what we've been doing, sort of a pattern, find something within what we're trying to maybe harness or hampering our ability to drive the cars as well as I want to drive them."
While the night could have stayed south, the No. 88 bunch did what they've come to do best throughout the course of the�race and salvaged something. But those somethings have to become exceptional very soon if the No. 88 bunch is going to be a serious championship threat.
Going into the Wonderful Pistachios 400 at Richmond, Junior's Chase scenario was simple: any finish above 20th guaranteed him a spot in the Chase.
However, a 16th-place finish that involves three Lucky Dog awards is never simple. But yes, Earnhardt is officially in the Chase.
"Yeah, I'm proud to be in the Chase," Junior said. "I feel like I'm a good enough driver to be in the Chase, my team is good enough to be there.� As a group I think we're good enough to be in the top 10, and I can look back over the season and just easily think of several instances where we cost ourselves 10 or 15 points and made this situation difficult this weekend."
After being involved in Clint Bowyer's crash on Lap 3, Junior's car ended up with a giant dent on the front bumper after he was pushed into Bowyer's car. After that, the handling quickly went away on Junior's car and the front end damage got worse when he�got into Marcos Ambrose. As the caution-filled race finally had a long stretch of green flag racing, Junior went a lap down for the first time.
He then went a lap down again. And dumped Travis Kvapil after Kvapil got into him. And then got the Lucky Dog on the next caution, when Jimmie Johnson wrecked Kurt Busch.
And then the cycle repeated itself a final time.
During the middle of the race, Junior had fallen all the way down to 27th while Brad Keselowski drove his way up to second. That meant that Junior's cushion was down to a measly three points over Keselowski. But Keselowski faded and Junior (relatively) surged over the final 100 laps.
"Brad had to run his ass off to win the race, to run in the top 5 to make it tough on us.� He almost did that, but I felt good.� I knew my team could fix the car good enough, and if everything felt the right way for us as far as them cautions and getting them lucky dogs, getting an opportunity to work on the car, we'd be fine," Junior said.
But let's be honest here, scrappy 16th-place finishes don't win championships. And Junior and crew chief Steve Letarte know it. Sure, the setups have been conservative to help keep Junior in the top 10 (barely), but Junior's highest finish over the last 10 races is a ninth at Pocono.
"We've got to run a different setup than what we ran tonight in the last six weeks frankly," Junior said. " But we had a pretty good run at it going the first 15 races, and for whatever reason we sort of fell off and forgot some things or over?engineered something.� But we need to look hard at what we're doing, what we've been doing, sort of a pattern, find something within what we're trying to maybe harness or hampering our ability to drive the cars as well as I want to drive them."
While the night could have stayed south, the No. 88 bunch did what they've come to do best throughout the course of the�race and salvaged something. But those somethings have to become exceptional very soon if the No. 88 bunch is going to be a serious championship threat.
Jeff Gordon says Paul Menard?s spin at Richmond ?a little fishy,? wonders if it helped Kevin Harvick win
CHICAGO ? Jeff Gordon said after his runnerup finish at Richmond Saturday that he thought it was ?interesting? that Paul Menard spun to bring out a caution flag with 16 laps remaining in the race.
Menard is a teammate to Kevin Harvick, who beat Gordon off pit road during the caution period and went on to win the race.
Menard is a teammate to Kevin Harvick, who beat Gordon off pit road during the caution period and went on to win the race.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Clinch early or come in hot? The postseason conundrum
RICHMOND, Va. ? Every year, as every sport's regular season winds down and the postseason draws near, the question arises: is it better to clinch your spot in the playoffs early, thus ensuring time to rest up, or come in with momentum, seizing a postseason berth on the season's last day?
In recent years, NASCAR teams have tended to lock up their Chase spots well in advance of the regular-season-ending Richmond race, and this� year's wild card scenario meant that drivers like Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch effectively clinched their spots before Independence Day.
There are, of course, competing theories on the value of clinching early. On one hand, it allows you time to set your rotation, to borrow a phrase from baseball; to look ahead and prepare for the upcoming tracks in a way you can't if you're just focused on securing wins or good finishes, week after week. On the other, though, it's very easy to get soft and comfortable, to ease out of the must-win mindset and start the offseason break a little too early. Teams in constant contention for a postseason spot don't have the luxury of relaxing, and that focus can translate to an extra edge during racetime.
In NASCAR, the recent trend seems to be a combination of the two: clinching early but coming into the Chase with momentum. If there's a switch you can flip, Jimmie Johnson knows where it is. In 2007, after the Bristol race, the 24th of the season, Johnson sat in sixth place, 524 points behind leader Jeff Gordon. He was already locked into the Chase, but won the next two races to close out the regular season, and would go on to win four straight in the Chase to hammer down the first of his five consecutive Cup championships.
And just last year, Johnson was ninth in the standings coming out of Bristol, 444 points behind leader Kevin Harvick, but used two straight third-place finishes to build momentum for the Chase, and followed that with top-10 finishes in nine of the 10 Chase races.
So with that in mind, who's got the momentum right now? Johnson, of course: he has six top-five finishes in his last eight races. His Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon has top 10s in 10 of the last 13 races, and hasn't finished below 17th in that span. And you know Brad Keselowski's story: in his last six races, he's got two wins, four top-threes, and no finish lower than 9th.
On the other end of the spectrum, you've got half a dozen guys who are praying that Denny Hamlin falters and they can pull out a miracle win at Richmond. If they somehow complete the unlikeliest of comebacks, can they sustain the leave-it-all-on-the-track momentum that got them into the Chase?
Where do you come down on the question? Getting rested and ready for the playoffs early, or entering with a running start?
In recent years, NASCAR teams have tended to lock up their Chase spots well in advance of the regular-season-ending Richmond race, and this� year's wild card scenario meant that drivers like Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch effectively clinched their spots before Independence Day.
There are, of course, competing theories on the value of clinching early. On one hand, it allows you time to set your rotation, to borrow a phrase from baseball; to look ahead and prepare for the upcoming tracks in a way you can't if you're just focused on securing wins or good finishes, week after week. On the other, though, it's very easy to get soft and comfortable, to ease out of the must-win mindset and start the offseason break a little too early. Teams in constant contention for a postseason spot don't have the luxury of relaxing, and that focus can translate to an extra edge during racetime.
In NASCAR, the recent trend seems to be a combination of the two: clinching early but coming into the Chase with momentum. If there's a switch you can flip, Jimmie Johnson knows where it is. In 2007, after the Bristol race, the 24th of the season, Johnson sat in sixth place, 524 points behind leader Jeff Gordon. He was already locked into the Chase, but won the next two races to close out the regular season, and would go on to win four straight in the Chase to hammer down the first of his five consecutive Cup championships.
And just last year, Johnson was ninth in the standings coming out of Bristol, 444 points behind leader Kevin Harvick, but used two straight third-place finishes to build momentum for the Chase, and followed that with top-10 finishes in nine of the 10 Chase races.
So with that in mind, who's got the momentum right now? Johnson, of course: he has six top-five finishes in his last eight races. His Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon has top 10s in 10 of the last 13 races, and hasn't finished below 17th in that span. And you know Brad Keselowski's story: in his last six races, he's got two wins, four top-threes, and no finish lower than 9th.
On the other end of the spectrum, you've got half a dozen guys who are praying that Denny Hamlin falters and they can pull out a miracle win at Richmond. If they somehow complete the unlikeliest of comebacks, can they sustain the leave-it-all-on-the-track momentum that got them into the Chase?
Where do you come down on the question? Getting rested and ready for the playoffs early, or entering with a running start?
Report: Wheldon tipped for Las Vegas
An Indianapolis Star report reveals Dan Wheldon would be eligible for the $5 million offered at the 2011 IndyCar series finale at Las Vegas.
Confident Jeff Gordon believes this is his best chance to win fifth title
This isn?t just another ?Drive For Five? for Jeff Gordon.
Gordon, who won his fourth Cup championship in 2001 and has sought the elusive fifth title ever since, sees 2011 as one of his best opportunities to win another championship.
Gordon, who won his fourth Cup championship in 2001 and has sought the elusive fifth title ever since, sees 2011 as one of his best opportunities to win another championship.
Carolyn Brewster: This fan finds Chase bittersweet
Here we are, standing at the starting line for NASCAR's Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup. As the competitors take their marks, we finally have a conclusive answer to who will race this final heat. ... I look across the starting lineup and think ?this is good ... this is all good.?
Kyle Petty on Danica Patrick: "Do they give out trophies for 25th?"
Former Sprint Cup Series driver and Speed analyst has been pulling no punches lately in discussions about IndyCar fan favorite Danica Patrick making a fulltime move to NASCAR next season. During Sunday's "NASCAR RaceDay" Petty reiterated his opinion Patrick is not ready for a fulltime Nationwide season or a move shortly thereafter to the Cup series. Here's Petty's exchange with NASCAR RaceDay co-hosts John Roberts and Kenny Wallace on Sunday morning: On the expected announcement Patrick is coming to NASCAR fulltime in the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series: Petty: ?I really don?t have much to say on this. So, finally marketing is coming to NASCAR because we know driving isn?t coming to NASCAR. Let?s be serious about this. She ran 12 races last year. She?s made an improvement this year. To run the Nationwide Series, she?s basically going to have to run two full seasons during one. What I mean by that ? the IndyCar season is only 15, 17 races. NASCAR Nationwide Series is a tough, freakin? series. I don?t think she can be competitive. Was she competitive yesterday (Saturday in the Nationwide Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal)? Do they give out trophies for 25th? No, I ran 25th my whole life. I never got a trophy for 25th.? Roberts: They don?t give out trophies for 25th but she was running up near the front when the car broke ? in the teens ? Petty: ?In the teens! Oh my gosh, Danica?s in the teens (joking). She?s not ready for Cup by any stretch of the imagination. I?ve said this before. I don?t think people realize how good a driver Joe Nemechek, Travis Kvapil, David Gilliland ? how tough they really are. She can come up, she can bring marketing, she can sell t-shirts. These people out here (fans) can scream for her and pull for her but she?s going to have to do something on the race track at some point in time and she has yet to do anything on a NASCAR track yet. Give her a chance. I?m all for chances.?
Wreck of the week: Allgaier takes out Sorenson, Bayne
The Nationwide race at Atlanta seems like it took place about a month ago, but it featured one of those could-be-pivotal wrecks that may well have an impact on the Nationwide championship. Justin Allgaier took out champ contender Reed Sorenson, as well as Trevor Bayne, and oh, was Sorenson not happy with his teammate after that. If Sorenson can rebound and snag a championship ? and he's 40 points behind Ricky Stenhouse Jr. right now ? all will be forgiven, but if not ... oh, the Christmas party's going to be awkward this year.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Iowa Speedway president Jerry Jauron resigns
Iowa Speedway president Jerry Jauron is resigning after 3 1/2 years.
Mental toughness the key to Jimmie Johnson continuing his championship reign
There was little doubt that Jimmie Johnson, winner of the past five NASCAR Cup championships, would be among those in the field for this year?s Chase title.
The bigger question was, and still is, can the Hendrick Motorsports driver make it six in a row?
Johnson doesn?t see any reason he can?t.
The bigger question was, and still is, can the Hendrick Motorsports driver make it six in a row?
Johnson doesn?t see any reason he can?t.
NASCAR goes to college this fall
As students head off to college this fall, many will encounter the work of one of NASCAR's newest marketing campaigns. UNC Charlotte and UNC Chapel Hill are among the schools NASCAR has targeted this fall with its College Brand Ambassador Program, which will utilize student ambassadors to host events including viewing parties and trips to loca tracks to watch NASCAR events. NASCAR U CREW, with the assistance of two brand ambassadors per school, will help integrate NASCAR into the college lifestyle of 12 colleges and universities in the 10 Chase for the Sprint Cup markets. ?NASCAR, and the social component of watching and attending races, lends itself very nicely to the college lifestyle,? said NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps. Besides the two North Carolina schools, the pilot program will also debut at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; University of New Hampshire; University of Delaware; University of Kansas; Auburn University; Virginia Tech; University of North Texas; Arizona State University; Florida International University; and the University of Miami (Fla.). Responsible for establishing and executing at least 10 unique NASCAR events and integrating the sport into existing campus events, each school?s ambassadors will also be charged with working closely with their respective track to create and promote a college ticket package as well as a designated hospitality/tailgate area for local students. ?NASCAR is a fast-paced, high intensity, adrenalin rush, and that is exactly why it is already so popular with 18-34 year olds. It?s a sport for the young and adventurous, and we just have to open more college students? eyes to it," said Madison Phillips, a NASCAR ambassador at UNC Chapel Hill.
Kevin Harvick back on his game, believes change in direction gives him better chance in Chase
Kevin Harvick doesn?t believe leading the Sprint Cup standings after the regular season is that big of a deal.
He?s done that. And he has seen where it got him.
He?s done that. And he has seen where it got him.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Pippa Mann's blog: Less than zero
What went wrong in New Hampshire that kept Rahal Letterman Lanigan's racer from completing a lap of the race.
More new names added to THE RACE early entry list
NAPLES ME (January 4) The holiday season has come and gone and�our thoughts may not be totally �focused on racing at this time of year,� but a new crop of early entrants found the time to sign on for THE RACE at Historic North Wilkesboro, a 300 lap PASS South sanctioned race that will pay a whopping $75,000.00 to the winner.
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Two Arizona racers lead the way. Scott Dodd and Scott Rueschenburg both hail from Mesa and they are going to make the long haul east to be a part of history when THE RACE gets the green on April 9. Dodd is a multi time winner at Irwindale Speedway and Rueschenburg has won races in multiple series from the Midwest to the left coast.
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Two Arizona racers lead the way. Scott Dodd and Scott Rueschenburg both hail from Mesa and they are going to make the long haul east to be a part of history when THE RACE gets the green on April 9. Dodd is a multi time winner at Irwindale Speedway and Rueschenburg has won races in multiple series from the Midwest to the left coast.
Ekstrom dominates at Oschersleben
Mattias Ekstrom took his second win in three DTM races with a dominant performance in wet conditions at Oschersleben while title contenders Martin Tomczyk and Bruno Spengler suffered differing fortunes.
New Zealand's Dixon wins Indy Japan, Power second
Pole-sitter Scott Dixon of New Zealand won the Indy Japan on Sunday to stay in contention for the IndyCar series championship with two races to go.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Mental toughness the key to Jimmie Johnson continuing his championship reign
There was little doubt that Jimmie Johnson, winner of the past five NASCAR Cup championships, would be among those in the field for this year?s Chase title.
The bigger question was, and still is, can the Hendrick Motorsports driver make it six in a row?
Johnson doesn?t see any reason he can?t.
The bigger question was, and still is, can the Hendrick Motorsports driver make it six in a row?
Johnson doesn?t see any reason he can?t.
2014 Ford Mustang To Get All-New, Non-Retro Design
Ford's Mustang has been an icon for the brand despite its occasional low points over the last 47 years. For the pony car's 50th anniversary, it will get an all-new look without the retro flavor, says Ford design boss J Mays. The design is still in the process of being finalized, but Mays said the new car will "try to win all of the Mustang...
Five ways to dominate the Chase: How Jimmie Johnson won five straight Cup titles
Denny Hamlin entered the penultimate race of the 2010 Sprint Cup season with a comfortable 33-point lead over Jimmie Johnson in the point standings.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver couldn?t afford to ease off, however, because Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus had won four consecutive championships and owned the 10-race Chase format.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver couldn?t afford to ease off, however, because Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus had won four consecutive championships and owned the 10-race Chase format.
The IndyCar Series experiences an East Coast traffic jam
As the field barreled into turn 3 after a restart in Sunday's Baltimore Grand Prix, Ryan Briscoe got into Ryan Hunter-Reay and spun him around. Not an unusual circumstance on a street course, but since the two drivers were battling for fourth, it happened in front of the entire field in the slowest corner in the course and a traffic jam ensued.
At one point, 12(!!) cars were stopped in turn 3.
But that might not have been the most bizarre moment.
That's turn 1 at the start of the race, and yes, that orange truch was a safety truck on the track AS THE RACE WAS STARTING.
And before you go laughing at the IndyCar Series for that ridiculous moment, remember, NASCAR had to once call off a restart at Charlotte as the cars were barreling into turns 1 and 2 because the safety cars were still on the track.
At one point, 12(!!) cars were stopped in turn 3.
But that might not have been the most bizarre moment.
That's turn 1 at the start of the race, and yes, that orange truch was a safety truck on the track AS THE RACE WAS STARTING.
And before you go laughing at the IndyCar Series for that ridiculous moment, remember, NASCAR had to once call off a restart at Charlotte as the cars were barreling into turns 1 and 2 because the safety cars were still on the track.
Unlimited Racing Championship unveiled
One-make Unlimited Racing Championship series, with a throwback Can-Am car, will run as a standalone support series at four 2012 ALMS rounds.
128 in a 45 mph Zone: Way to go Kyle Busch!
One would think that when your day job consists of driving around banked ovals doing 200 mph that maybe, just maybe, you’d see fit to back it down a little on the street. Apparently NASCAR superstar Kyle Busch doesn’t think so however as he was recently clocked doing 128 mph in a 45 mph zone [...]
Friday, September 16, 2011
Drivers remember where they were on Sept. 11
RICHMOND, Va. ? Racing on the weekend of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, drivers can vividly remember what they were doing that day.
Many were at a race track or working on a car.
Many were at a race track or working on a car.
The IndyCar Series experiences an East Coast traffic jam
As the field barreled into turn 3 after a restart in Sunday's Baltimore Grand Prix, Ryan Briscoe got into Ryan Hunter-Reay and spun him around. Not an unusual circumstance on a street course, but since the two drivers were battling for fourth, it happened in front of the entire field in the slowest corner in the course and a traffic jam ensued.
At one point, 12(!!) cars were stopped in turn 3.
But that might not have been the most bizarre moment.
That's turn 1 at the start of the race, and yes, that orange truch was a safety truck on the track AS THE RACE WAS STARTING.
And before you go laughing at the IndyCar Series for that ridiculous moment, remember, NASCAR had to once call off a restart at Charlotte as the cars were barreling into turns 1 and 2 because the safety cars were still on the track.
At one point, 12(!!) cars were stopped in turn 3.
But that might not have been the most bizarre moment.
That's turn 1 at the start of the race, and yes, that orange truch was a safety truck on the track AS THE RACE WAS STARTING.
And before you go laughing at the IndyCar Series for that ridiculous moment, remember, NASCAR had to once call off a restart at Charlotte as the cars were barreling into turns 1 and 2 because the safety cars were still on the track.
Kenny Bruce's Top 10: Top 10 perks for qualifying for NASCAR?s Chase For The Sprint Cup
Top 10 perks for qualifying for NASCAR's Chase For The Sprint Cup.
14 drivers vying for final 4 berths in Chase field
Nine drivers have already clinched spots in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. NASCAR's new wild-card provision has left a variety of possibilities for the final four positions headed into Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Patrick looking forward to mixing it up in NASCAR
Danica Patrick gets fired up when she's watching a NASCAR race and tempers flare.
Runnerup finish at Richmond gives Carl Edwards confidence heading into Chase
RICHMOND, Va. ? Carl Edwards finished second to Kevin Harvick at Richmond International Raceway Saturday, giving him momentum and confidence heading into the Chase For The Sprint Cup.
Starting eighth, Edwards had one of the dominant cars in the final race before the Chase. He led 113 laps, second most behind Harvick. Edwards swept to the front on lap 202 and didn?t falter until Harvick got around him on lap 314.
Starting eighth, Edwards had one of the dominant cars in the final race before the Chase. He led 113 laps, second most behind Harvick. Edwards swept to the front on lap 202 and didn?t falter until Harvick got around him on lap 314.
Report: Richard Petty Motorsports no longer wants Bowyer
All of a sudden, the many doors which had been open to Clint Bowyer are starting to close up.
Bowyer, still the sport's most prized free agent, remains without a ride for 2012 and beyond. Recent indications from both Bowyer and his current team, Richard Childress Racing, seem to indicate that his races there are numbered, and that number is "10."
Richard Petty Motorsports had been mentioned (note the passive voice; nobody went on the record with this) as a potential destination, but team owner Andrew Murstein has told FoxSports.com that the team is no longer interested in Bowyer. The reason? All's going swimmingly with current drivers AJ Allmendinger (a recent top-15 fixture, currently ahead of Bowyer) and Marcos Ambrose (who already has a win this season).
Bowyer's chances for a Chase berth dwindled to zero in recent weeks, continuing a run of frustration for the veteran driver.
So where could Bowyer end up? Without guaranteed sponsorship, he, like most drivers, is a tough sell. But there are openings at Joe Gibbs Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Penske Racing; what kind of a fit would Bowyer be at any of those?
Bowyer, still the sport's most prized free agent, remains without a ride for 2012 and beyond. Recent indications from both Bowyer and his current team, Richard Childress Racing, seem to indicate that his races there are numbered, and that number is "10."
Richard Petty Motorsports had been mentioned (note the passive voice; nobody went on the record with this) as a potential destination, but team owner Andrew Murstein has told FoxSports.com that the team is no longer interested in Bowyer. The reason? All's going swimmingly with current drivers AJ Allmendinger (a recent top-15 fixture, currently ahead of Bowyer) and Marcos Ambrose (who already has a win this season).
Bowyer's chances for a Chase berth dwindled to zero in recent weeks, continuing a run of frustration for the veteran driver.
So where could Bowyer end up? Without guaranteed sponsorship, he, like most drivers, is a tough sell. But there are openings at Joe Gibbs Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Penske Racing; what kind of a fit would Bowyer be at any of those?
Kevin Harvick visits Virginia Tech, trades hit techniques
Earlier this week, Kevin Harvick visited Virginia Tech as part of a media gig with Martinsville Speedway, and came away with a fancy no. 29 jersey you can see there at left. He also presented Hokies head coach Frank Beamer with a signed helmet, which ought to come in handy should Virginia Tech jump to the SEC ... or have a near-upset like they had this past weekend against East Carolina.
Also in the mix there is Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell, who presented Beamer with a pair of lifetime suite passes to Martinsville. Sweet!
"For me, I've learned a lot about Virginia Tech football today and about Virginia Tech," Harvick said during the event. "For me, not going to college, being able to see these facilities and everything that goes into it ? this is a first-class facility and there are a lot of people to make it go round."
Did you catch the key part of that quote? The "not going to college" bit. Harvick missed out on some great opportunities! Keg stands! All-nighters! Things that you don't ever mention again, even on your deathbed! Friends, there's opportunity here! "Kevin Harvick Goes To College" needs to be a reality show NOW.
Anyway, until that happens, you can get your own tickets to the Martinsville race, which is Oct. 30, by visiting the track's website right here.
Also in the mix there is Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell, who presented Beamer with a pair of lifetime suite passes to Martinsville. Sweet!
"For me, I've learned a lot about Virginia Tech football today and about Virginia Tech," Harvick said during the event. "For me, not going to college, being able to see these facilities and everything that goes into it ? this is a first-class facility and there are a lot of people to make it go round."
Did you catch the key part of that quote? The "not going to college" bit. Harvick missed out on some great opportunities! Keg stands! All-nighters! Things that you don't ever mention again, even on your deathbed! Friends, there's opportunity here! "Kevin Harvick Goes To College" needs to be a reality show NOW.
Anyway, until that happens, you can get your own tickets to the Martinsville race, which is Oct. 30, by visiting the track's website right here.
Maybach Highlights Personalization With Its Edition 125!
Maybach automobiles are, by design, rare and exclusive. With the number of options and configurations available, the chances of you seeing a Maybach 57 or Maybach 62 identical to yours at the country club lie somewhere between “slim” and “none.” Still, Maybach wants customers to be more aware of its personalization options...
Dale Earnhardt Jr. expects ?conservative? approach to Richmond in quest to secure spot in Chase field
Dale Earnhardt Jr. expects crew chief Steve Letarte to use a conventional approach to this week?s Wonderful Pistachios 400 at Richmond International Raceway before rolling out any significant changes once the Chase For The Sprint Cup field is set.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
NHRA US MAC Tools Nationals Photos Best of the Best
What an awesome weekend for the NHRA US MAC Tools Nationals here in Indy at O’Reilly Raceway Park. You couldn’t have asked for better weather or a better race. The event was absolutely amazing and one of the best I’ve attended in a long time. If you’ve never been to an NHRA event then these [...]
Hot/Not: Gordon earned plenty of Bristol goodwill
New Bristol produces, so does Brad Keselowski and what's happened to Kevin Harvick? That & more in this week's H/N...��
HOT: The battle for second between Martin Truex Jr. and Jeff Gordon in the closing laps of Saturday night's race at Bristol�reflected exactly what the new Bristol is: a place where hard racing is the name of the game. It was a complete flip from when the only lane to race at Bristol was on the bottom, as Truex held Gordon at bay by running the highest of high lines in the corner.
However, the real story of the battle is how it likely went quite a way in ironing out a wrinkled on-track relationship between Gordon and Truex.
Gordon and Truex first tussled at Bristol ? the old version ? in 2006 when Gordon spun the rookie while Truex was a lap down. Truex was able to continue, but later tried to retaliate a bit by holding Gordon up. In an odd twist of the story, Tony Stewart was immediately behind and ended up spinning Truex again ? ending his day.
Truex's ire was again raised in 2010 when Gordon's wrecking spree at Infineon Raceway nabbed his MWR No. 56. Truex was taken out in a subsequent crash and fumed after the race about Gordon's actions. By the next week ? and after Gordon apologized ? Truex still wasn't too pleased.
"I accept his apology, yes, but things are going to change between me and him. That's just the bottom line," Truex said, ominously.
Tensions never really boiled past that between Gordon and Truex, but you can bet they would have had Gordon even moved Truex out of the way on Saturday. Instead,�Gordon raced clean ? even if it meant watching the win slip from his most-laps-led fingertips was infuriating.
The ramifications from the clean racing could all be wiped out next week should they tangle, but as of now they serve good for both parties. Truex nabbed a runner-up finish and Gordon likely helped in staving off some payback from Truex ? especially in the coming Chase for the Sprint Cup.
HOT: Brad Keselowski. Need I say more?
NEUTRAL: Would you believe that Truex's second-place run at Bristol was his best finish since Michigan in 2007? And better yet, just his fourth top-5 run since the end of 2008?
After a few promising years at Dale Earnhardt Inc., the one-time winner in NASCAR (Dover 2007) hasn't panned out yet at Michael Waltrip Racing. However, he does now have two top-fives in the last three races. That's a start.
NOT: Remember when Kevin Harvick ? with that daringly original nickname of "The Closer" ? couldn't help but win races? Yeah, much of Richard Childress Racing doesn't either.
The RCR group had a terrible night at Bristol, with Jeff Burton's 15th-place finish leading the way. Clint Bowyer finished 26th while Harvick, continuing a slide to fifth in points, finished 22nd.
NEUTRAL: Jamie McMurray won't be able to take advantage of the Chase for the Sprint Cup wildcard this year, but his fifth-place finish on Saturday is hopefully the start of better things for the Earnhardt-Ganassi team. The finish was his second top-five in five races.
NOT: Kyle Busch's 14th-place run was slightly surprising, seeing as he has roughly 89 trophies from Bristol in the past few seasons. However, Rowdy gets the downgrade this week for his actions in the Camping World Truck Series race against Elliott Sadler.
Did Sadler run Busch hard early in the race? Sure. But it wasn't Sadler who caused Busch's race-ending wreck. The gut reaction to taking out Sadler may be another reason to doubt how well Busch will handle the pressure of the Chase.
HOT: Between Richard Petty Motorsports' Marcos Ambrose and A.J. Allmendinger, the team now has a win and four other finishes inside the top-15 in the last three races. That's not a corner turned, per se, but it is progress for a team that was on the brink of disappearing about this time last year.
NOT: Please, save your complaints about not liking the "new" Bristol. The racing continues to get better, and the lack of it being a wreckfest only gives the finishing results more credibility. If you think Bristol is boring now, you'd probably be best served lodging those complaints with the TV network's presentation.
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? SEC's Texas two-step should include TCU
? Video: Teammate pranks Mark Sanchez during interview
? Why college coaches should ban players from using Twitter in season
HOT: The battle for second between Martin Truex Jr. and Jeff Gordon in the closing laps of Saturday night's race at Bristol�reflected exactly what the new Bristol is: a place where hard racing is the name of the game. It was a complete flip from when the only lane to race at Bristol was on the bottom, as Truex held Gordon at bay by running the highest of high lines in the corner.
However, the real story of the battle is how it likely went quite a way in ironing out a wrinkled on-track relationship between Gordon and Truex.
Gordon and Truex first tussled at Bristol ? the old version ? in 2006 when Gordon spun the rookie while Truex was a lap down. Truex was able to continue, but later tried to retaliate a bit by holding Gordon up. In an odd twist of the story, Tony Stewart was immediately behind and ended up spinning Truex again ? ending his day.
Truex's ire was again raised in 2010 when Gordon's wrecking spree at Infineon Raceway nabbed his MWR No. 56. Truex was taken out in a subsequent crash and fumed after the race about Gordon's actions. By the next week ? and after Gordon apologized ? Truex still wasn't too pleased.
"I accept his apology, yes, but things are going to change between me and him. That's just the bottom line," Truex said, ominously.
Tensions never really boiled past that between Gordon and Truex, but you can bet they would have had Gordon even moved Truex out of the way on Saturday. Instead,�Gordon raced clean ? even if it meant watching the win slip from his most-laps-led fingertips was infuriating.
The ramifications from the clean racing could all be wiped out next week should they tangle, but as of now they serve good for both parties. Truex nabbed a runner-up finish and Gordon likely helped in staving off some payback from Truex ? especially in the coming Chase for the Sprint Cup.
HOT: Brad Keselowski. Need I say more?
NEUTRAL: Would you believe that Truex's second-place run at Bristol was his best finish since Michigan in 2007? And better yet, just his fourth top-5 run since the end of 2008?
After a few promising years at Dale Earnhardt Inc., the one-time winner in NASCAR (Dover 2007) hasn't panned out yet at Michael Waltrip Racing. However, he does now have two top-fives in the last three races. That's a start.
NOT: Remember when Kevin Harvick ? with that daringly original nickname of "The Closer" ? couldn't help but win races? Yeah, much of Richard Childress Racing doesn't either.
The RCR group had a terrible night at Bristol, with Jeff Burton's 15th-place finish leading the way. Clint Bowyer finished 26th while Harvick, continuing a slide to fifth in points, finished 22nd.
NEUTRAL: Jamie McMurray won't be able to take advantage of the Chase for the Sprint Cup wildcard this year, but his fifth-place finish on Saturday is hopefully the start of better things for the Earnhardt-Ganassi team. The finish was his second top-five in five races.
NOT: Kyle Busch's 14th-place run was slightly surprising, seeing as he has roughly 89 trophies from Bristol in the past few seasons. However, Rowdy gets the downgrade this week for his actions in the Camping World Truck Series race against Elliott Sadler.
Did Sadler run Busch hard early in the race? Sure. But it wasn't Sadler who caused Busch's race-ending wreck. The gut reaction to taking out Sadler may be another reason to doubt how well Busch will handle the pressure of the Chase.
HOT: Between Richard Petty Motorsports' Marcos Ambrose and A.J. Allmendinger, the team now has a win and four other finishes inside the top-15 in the last three races. That's not a corner turned, per se, but it is progress for a team that was on the brink of disappearing about this time last year.
NOT: Please, save your complaints about not liking the "new" Bristol. The racing continues to get better, and the lack of it being a wreckfest only gives the finishing results more credibility. If you think Bristol is boring now, you'd probably be best served lodging those complaints with the TV network's presentation.
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? SEC's Texas two-step should include TCU
? Video: Teammate pranks Mark Sanchez during interview
? Why college coaches should ban players from using Twitter in season
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