Monday, April 30, 2012
Who else gets nominated for the NASCAR Hall of Fame?
NASCAR releases the list of 25 people nominated for the 2013 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame today. Most of the list is familiar - beginning with 20 of the 25 who did not get in last year. Only five new names will added today. Here are the nominees who did not make the 2012 Class: -Buck Baker,first driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series championships (1956-57) -Red Byron, first NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, in 1949 -Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR?s three national series -Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion -H. Clay Earles, founder of Martinsville Speedway -Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion -Rick Hendrick, 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR?s three national series -Jack Ingram, two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion -Bobby Isaac, 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion -Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600 -Cotton Owens, driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson -Raymond Parks, NASCAR?s first champion car owner -Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion -Les Richter, former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway -Fireball Roberts, won 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series races, including the 1962 Daytona 500 -T. Wayne Robertson, helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Senior VP -Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 1951, ?53 -Curtis Turner, early personality, called the ?Babe Ruth of stock car racing? -Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion -Leonard Wood, part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops
Talladega Superspeedway Fan Appreciation Day
Talladega Superspeedway Fan Appreciation Day Is Sept. 26th: Talladega Superspeedway will welcome race fans to the track on Sept. 26 for the second annual Fan Appreciation Day. This event is open to the public and free of charge. Best of all, ticket buyers to either of the two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Talladega, [...]
Lucas, Pedregon, Arana lead into eliminations at Houston
Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas raced to his fourth No. 1 qualifying position of the season Saturday at the 25th annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Join us for the latest Yahoo! Sports NASCAR live chat, Tuesday at 1pm ET
Time again for another NASCAR live chat! Let's talk Texas and so much more. Be here at 1 p.m. Eastern. We'll have sandwiches. BYOB. See you here!
Yahoo! Sports NASCAR Live Chat, 4/10/12
Yahoo! Sports NASCAR Live Chat, 4/10/12
Are You Ready For DEGA, got your clear bag? FAQ?s
One of many tips you may need to know before you head to the gates at Talladega! 16. What can be brought into the grandstands? - Soft-sided coolers or insulated bags are allowed into the grandstands provided they fit the required size requirement: 6″X6″X12″ or smaller. ONLY ONE SOFT-SIDED COOLER OR INSULATED BAG ALLOWED PER [...]
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Trevor Bayne will sit out Nationwide race at Texas
Trevor Bayne, who is currently fourth in the NASCAR Nationwide Series points standings, and earned his first series victory last fall at Texas Motor Speedway, will miss Friday night's race at Texas due to lack of sponsorship. Bayne was not listed on the original Entry form for this week's race and on Tuesday Roush Fenway Racing officials confirmed he is not running the event. The missed race could all but end his quest at a series title this season. There was no immediate comment from RFR or Bayne. Bayne had been hoping to run the full season in Nationwide and compete for the series championship. He had one top-five and three top-10 finishes in the first five races of the 2012 season. Bayne is scheduled to drive the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford in Saturday night's Sprint Cup Series race at Texas.
Kurt Busch wins at Nationwide race at Richmond
Kurt Busch held on in a side-by-side, last-lap duel with local favorite Denny Hamlin to win the Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway on Friday night.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
IndyCar schedules Honda hearing
IndyCar has scheduled a hearing for the protest filed by Chevrolet over the series decision to allow Honda to make a parity-based change to its turbocharger ahead of this weekend's race in Sao Paolo.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Jimmie Johnson: Forbes' most influential athlete
NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson, for the second straight year, is ranked by Forbes as America's Most Influential Athlete.
22 Worst Crashes Of 2011, Bentley Crash, 2012 NACTOY: Today's Car News
The 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards (NACTOY) are nearing completion, with the finalists named ahead of the announcement of the winners at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. A Bentley driver went a bit haywire, crashing into a police car and seven others. And, if you can stomach it, we have 22 of the worst crashes of 2011 all in one...
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Chevy Performance Tests Its COPO Camaro Concept: Video
We last saw the Chevrolet Performance COPO Camaro concept in the parking lot of the 2011 SEMA show. Aside from the fact that it was built for NHRA Stock Eliminator competition and appeared to be (loosely) based on the upcoming ZL1 Camaro, we couldn’t provide you with many details. We still can’t give you numbers, since those behind the...
Monday, April 23, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Join us for the latest Y! Sports NASCAR live chat, Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET
Time again for another Yahoo! Sports live NASCAR chat. Perhaps we'll go the full distance, perhaps we'll be cut off by rain. You never know, do you? Join us here at 1 ET for the festivities.
Yahoo! Sports NASCAR Live Chat, 3/27/12
Yahoo! Sports NASCAR Live Chat, 3/27/12
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Repave of Kansas Speedway a hot-button issue
Kansas Speedway will have a different feel when the Sprint Cup series returns this fall.
Townley placed on probation by NASCAR through Dec. 31
NASCAR on Thursday placed John Wes Townley, a driver in the Camping World Truck Series, on probation until Dec. 31 as a result of his arrest last month on drunk driving charges in Georgia. At the time of the incident, Townley was indefinitely suspended by his RAB Racing team and did not compete in the series opener at Daytona. According to the statement issued by NASCAR, in addition to the steps already underway by RAB Racing, Townley will be evaluated by a certified substance abuse professional at NASCAR?s discretion and will be subject to random alcohol and drug testing. The Athens Banner-Herald reported that Townley was disoriented, seemed intoxicated and was bleeding from his feet at the time of his accident. His car, a 2012 BMW, had run off the roadway and hit a telephone pole, the newspaper reported. RAB Racing said it would welcome Townley back to the team "at the appropriate time."
Friday, April 20, 2012
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 [...]
New Jersey F1 race group denies possible delays
A spokesman for Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial, the F1 street race in New Jersey scheduled for 2013, has denied suggestions by F1 commercial manager Bernie Ecclestone that the race could be postponed until 2014.
Should Kyle Busch be banned from racing?
It’s often said that racing is a gentleman’s sport, however this past weekend Kyle Busch proved this was indeed, incorrect. You see Busch has a temper, so much so that it seemingly gets him into hot water just about everywhere he goes. For instance, this past weekend at Texas Motor Speedway Busch intentionally plowed fellow [...]
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Vietnam Vet festival at Charlotte Motor Speedway ends in tragedy
A daylong festival at Charlotte Motor Speedway meant to honor the sacrifices of Vietnam veterans ended in tragedy on Saturday as two motorcyclists riding on the track died following a collision. A third rider is in critical condition.
The Vietnam Veterans Homecoming Celebration, which attracted more than 62,000 people, was meant as a way to commemorate the service of Vietnam veterans and their families. The event included a performance by the Charlie Daniels Band and the passionate support of advocacy groups and others supporting veterans and their families, as well as a traveling exhibition of the Vietnam War Memorial.
During the course of the event, motorcycle riders took to the track. And while the details of the wreck have not been released, several witnesses interviewed by area newspapers indicate there was plenty of unsafe driving going on. The two riders killed were operating motorcycles that collided.
Many of the estimated 2,000 riders were not wearing helmets. Some riders were attempting to scale the speedway's high-banked turns, which aren't meant for slower-speed driving. Finally, there were reports that traffic was going both ways on the speedway, which, of course, has no lane markers to guide riders.
Concord, N.C. police are investigating the incident. Neither the track nor the event's sponsors, the USO and the N.C. Association of Broadcasters, would comment on the accident.
The Vietnam Veterans Homecoming Celebration, which attracted more than 62,000 people, was meant as a way to commemorate the service of Vietnam veterans and their families. The event included a performance by the Charlie Daniels Band and the passionate support of advocacy groups and others supporting veterans and their families, as well as a traveling exhibition of the Vietnam War Memorial.
During the course of the event, motorcycle riders took to the track. And while the details of the wreck have not been released, several witnesses interviewed by area newspapers indicate there was plenty of unsafe driving going on. The two riders killed were operating motorcycles that collided.
Many of the estimated 2,000 riders were not wearing helmets. Some riders were attempting to scale the speedway's high-banked turns, which aren't meant for slower-speed driving. Finally, there were reports that traffic was going both ways on the speedway, which, of course, has no lane markers to guide riders.
Concord, N.C. police are investigating the incident. Neither the track nor the event's sponsors, the USO and the N.C. Association of Broadcasters, would comment on the accident.
Greg Biffle wins quickest race ever at Texas
FORT WORTH, Tex. ? If you wanted the guide to the complaints about modern-day intermediate track racing in the Sprint Cup Series, Saturday night's Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway was all that you needed to see.
There were long green-flag runs. Oh, were there long green-flag runs. The race's second and final caution was from Laps 95-100. That meant the last 234 laps were run under green.
The racing was single file and spread out. Twelve cars finished on the lead lap. Only seven cars finished one lap down. Most of the races 16 lead changes happened while pit stops were being exchanged.
[ Related: Rick Hendrick puts four cars in the top 10 at Texas, but not in the top spot ]
There weren't any crashes. Both of the race's cautions were for debris, though on the second caution, the debris stemmed from Trevor Bayne's smack of the Turns 3 and 4 outside wall. The previous fewest number of cautions at Texas was five.
The race winner Greg Biffle ?�not an intermediate track complaint, unless there's a large unknown legion of Biffle haters ?�who passed Jimmie Johnson for the lead with 30 laps to go. After the pass, Johnson gave chase to Biffle, but that quickly ended when Johnson got loose and brushed the wall in Turn 3, allowing Biffle to pull away for the easy win, unspoiled by any late race incidents necessitating a green-white-checker finish.
"We ran with him [after Biffle's pass for the lead] for the next eight to ten laps and then I made a mistake into three and hit the fence, and at that point just needed to make sure I brought it home," Johnson said.
The win extended Biffle's lead at the top of the Cup Series points standings to 19 over teammate Matt Kenseth, who finished fifth, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished 10th. Something that could have also been extended? That 234-lap, green-flag run. If this was the 24 Hours of Texas, they could have raced until 3 a.m. without the yellow flag waving.
Did the steady 25 MPH winds all evening at Texas also contribute to the quality of racing? Biffle said he was surprised that there were no incidents, but also felt that the wind played a factor into the spacing of the field.
"That could be a factor as to why there were no accidents," Biffle said. "You would think 'Oh it would cause one,' but it made it so you really couldn't race side-by-side real tight with a guy. "
[ Video: High winds in Texas wreak havoc on NASCAR pit stops ]
Because of the relative equality in equipment throughout the field, the competition in the Sprint Cup Series has been billed as the toughest it's ever been. And that's not an untrue statement ?�a race like this 30 years ago would be considered competitive. But that equality and aero sensitivity from the exponential increase in engineering technology in the series has made a habit at intermediate tracks of metasticizing into high speed parades minus the pretty floats and the marching bands.
Has that equality spoiled people into expecting a knock-down, drag out fight to the finish every single week? Perhaps. And it doesn't help matters that the Camping World Truck Series returned to Rockingham on Sunday, a worn-out racetrack with multiple grooves that's a staple of NASCAR history.
Saturday night's race at Texas will likely not fall into the "unforgettable" category for anyone but Greg Biffle. But not every sporting event is. Let's chalk it up and move on to Kansas ?�another 1.5 mile track ?�and hope we don't see a repeat.
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There were long green-flag runs. Oh, were there long green-flag runs. The race's second and final caution was from Laps 95-100. That meant the last 234 laps were run under green.
The racing was single file and spread out. Twelve cars finished on the lead lap. Only seven cars finished one lap down. Most of the races 16 lead changes happened while pit stops were being exchanged.
[ Related: Rick Hendrick puts four cars in the top 10 at Texas, but not in the top spot ]
There weren't any crashes. Both of the race's cautions were for debris, though on the second caution, the debris stemmed from Trevor Bayne's smack of the Turns 3 and 4 outside wall. The previous fewest number of cautions at Texas was five.
The race winner Greg Biffle ?�not an intermediate track complaint, unless there's a large unknown legion of Biffle haters ?�who passed Jimmie Johnson for the lead with 30 laps to go. After the pass, Johnson gave chase to Biffle, but that quickly ended when Johnson got loose and brushed the wall in Turn 3, allowing Biffle to pull away for the easy win, unspoiled by any late race incidents necessitating a green-white-checker finish.
"We ran with him [after Biffle's pass for the lead] for the next eight to ten laps and then I made a mistake into three and hit the fence, and at that point just needed to make sure I brought it home," Johnson said.
The win extended Biffle's lead at the top of the Cup Series points standings to 19 over teammate Matt Kenseth, who finished fifth, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished 10th. Something that could have also been extended? That 234-lap, green-flag run. If this was the 24 Hours of Texas, they could have raced until 3 a.m. without the yellow flag waving.
Did the steady 25 MPH winds all evening at Texas also contribute to the quality of racing? Biffle said he was surprised that there were no incidents, but also felt that the wind played a factor into the spacing of the field.
"That could be a factor as to why there were no accidents," Biffle said. "You would think 'Oh it would cause one,' but it made it so you really couldn't race side-by-side real tight with a guy. "
[ Video: High winds in Texas wreak havoc on NASCAR pit stops ]
Because of the relative equality in equipment throughout the field, the competition in the Sprint Cup Series has been billed as the toughest it's ever been. And that's not an untrue statement ?�a race like this 30 years ago would be considered competitive. But that equality and aero sensitivity from the exponential increase in engineering technology in the series has made a habit at intermediate tracks of metasticizing into high speed parades minus the pretty floats and the marching bands.
Has that equality spoiled people into expecting a knock-down, drag out fight to the finish every single week? Perhaps. And it doesn't help matters that the Camping World Truck Series returned to Rockingham on Sunday, a worn-out racetrack with multiple grooves that's a staple of NASCAR history.
Saturday night's race at Texas will likely not fall into the "unforgettable" category for anyone but Greg Biffle. But not every sporting event is. Let's chalk it up and move on to Kansas ?�another 1.5 mile track ?�and hope we don't see a repeat.
Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Sergeant dresses as umpire to surprise son at Mariners game
? Lingerie Football League goes on hiatus for 2012 season
? Y! Autos: See the $5 million garage and driveway elevator used to park RV
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Townley apologizes to the NASCAR community
NASCAR Truck series driver John Wes Townley opened a media availability session on Friday morning at Martinsville Speedway by offering an apology to the NASCAR community for his actions that led to a drunk driving arrest in February. Townley's team, RAB Racing, suspended him immediately and he did not drive in the series opener at Daytona. NASCAR has since placed Townley on probation for the remainder of the season and ordered him to seek an evaluation from a certified substance abuse counselor. Here was Townley's opening statement: "I want to start by apologizing to everyone -- to NASCAR, my team and to everybody that made this deal happen. This is something that I feel I'm really serious about as an individual and a driver in NASCAR. What happened that night, I take full responsibility for it. It reflected poorly upon my team, on my sponsors and everyone else and I want to sincerelyapologize. "It's up to me moving forward to put this behind me and to make better decisions in the future and to really learn from this. I know that a lot of these words are real easily spoken, but its actions in the future that I'm going to be judged by."
Supercup team withdraws from Bahrain
While Formula 1 teams are all going ahead with plans to compete in this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, one of the team's for the supporting Porsche Supercup race there has pulled out, citing security concerns amid ongoing unrest in the region.
Amanda Beard doesn?t have nice things to say about Carl Edwards in memoir
In her book that was released Tuesday, gold-medal winning swimmer Amanda Beard detailed her year-long relationship with Carl Edwards six years ago in some pretty unflattering terms, saying that Edwards "only wanted to be on Carl time."
From the Sporting News:
Beard wrote in the book that she has cut ties with Edwards "severely and permanently." She says she at first was enamored with the NASCAR lifestyle but that the excitement quickly waned.
She described having a beer with other drivers' wives and girlfriends in the driver motorhome lot at the track.
"Their entire existence revolved around their significant others," she wrote. "Three beers and a thousand predictions later, I wanted to scream, Don't you guys have lives? They were very sweet, but I didn't have anything in common with the rest of the women."
Beard's book, "In the Water They Don't See You Cry," is about her life and battles with bulimia and self-mutilation.�Sixteen of the book's 349 pages are devoted to�her relationship with�Edwards, who�was unavailable for comment.
Beard is set to compete in the 2012 London Olympics, while Edwards is currently 11th in the Sprint Cup points standings.
As the adage goes, there are two sides to every story ? and we all know how experiences from broken relationships can be twisted, tugged and exaggerated. And we realize that Beard has books to sell, so taking her words at face value is foolish. Edwards is unlikely to publicly comment on the book, and quite honestly, why should he? Ignoring the story on a NASCAR off-weekend is probably his best plan of attack, as commenting would only extend its shelf life. Both he and Beard have moved on and are married with children.
From the Sporting News:
Beard wrote in the book that she has cut ties with Edwards "severely and permanently." She says she at first was enamored with the NASCAR lifestyle but that the excitement quickly waned.
She described having a beer with other drivers' wives and girlfriends in the driver motorhome lot at the track.
"Their entire existence revolved around their significant others," she wrote. "Three beers and a thousand predictions later, I wanted to scream, Don't you guys have lives? They were very sweet, but I didn't have anything in common with the rest of the women."
Beard's book, "In the Water They Don't See You Cry," is about her life and battles with bulimia and self-mutilation.�Sixteen of the book's 349 pages are devoted to�her relationship with�Edwards, who�was unavailable for comment.
Beard is set to compete in the 2012 London Olympics, while Edwards is currently 11th in the Sprint Cup points standings.
As the adage goes, there are two sides to every story ? and we all know how experiences from broken relationships can be twisted, tugged and exaggerated. And we realize that Beard has books to sell, so taking her words at face value is foolish. Edwards is unlikely to publicly comment on the book, and quite honestly, why should he? Ignoring the story on a NASCAR off-weekend is probably his best plan of attack, as commenting would only extend its shelf life. Both he and Beard have moved on and are married with children.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Marco Andretti goes airborne in crash at Long Beach
The scariest moment of Sunday's Izod IndyCar Long Beach Grand Prix involved Graham Rahal and Marco Andretti and invoked some unnerving flashbacks to the last race of 2011.
As Andretti moved to overtake Rahal, he catapulted over Rahal's right rear tire and went airborne, thankfully landing right side up before spinning and slamming into the tire barriers. Andretti was unhurt, though he emerged from the car grabbing his left wrist.
It was the first time that an IndyCar has been airborne in a race since the fiery crash that took the life of Dan Wheldon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October, and the first time that the new DW12 chassis -- named in honor of Wheldon -- had experienced that type of a real-world crash.
The DW12 chassis features rear wheel protectors behind the back wheels to hopefully prevent these type of incidents. Unfortunately, they seemed no deterrent, as Andretti's car appeared to easily vault over Rahal's. Both drivers placed the blame on the other, with Andretti offering this after the race:
"That was our stint to make hay and we were trying to do so," Andretti said. "It's one thing blocking but it's another thing chopping, and that was a chop. I'm lucky I didn't get upside down, I could have been killed."
Understandably, Andretti and others have been shaken by the loss of Wheldon. While we know all too well that the possibility of death still exists in auto racing, it's still jarring every time a driver references the notion after a crash, no matter the severity.
Thankfully, both drivers were OK. And hopefully we're not seeing any other cars airborne anytime soon.
As Andretti moved to overtake Rahal, he catapulted over Rahal's right rear tire and went airborne, thankfully landing right side up before spinning and slamming into the tire barriers. Andretti was unhurt, though he emerged from the car grabbing his left wrist.
It was the first time that an IndyCar has been airborne in a race since the fiery crash that took the life of Dan Wheldon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October, and the first time that the new DW12 chassis -- named in honor of Wheldon -- had experienced that type of a real-world crash.
The DW12 chassis features rear wheel protectors behind the back wheels to hopefully prevent these type of incidents. Unfortunately, they seemed no deterrent, as Andretti's car appeared to easily vault over Rahal's. Both drivers placed the blame on the other, with Andretti offering this after the race:
"That was our stint to make hay and we were trying to do so," Andretti said. "It's one thing blocking but it's another thing chopping, and that was a chop. I'm lucky I didn't get upside down, I could have been killed."
Understandably, Andretti and others have been shaken by the loss of Wheldon. While we know all too well that the possibility of death still exists in auto racing, it's still jarring every time a driver references the notion after a crash, no matter the severity.
Thankfully, both drivers were OK. And hopefully we're not seeing any other cars airborne anytime soon.
Presenting the 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees
On Wednesday, NASCAR announced its list of nominees for the 2013 Hall of Fame class. And without further ado, here they are. First, carryovers from previous years:
Buck Baker: First driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series championships (1956-57)
Red Byron: First NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, in 1949
Richard Childress: 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jerry Cook: Six-time NASCAR Modified champion
H. Clay Earles: Founder of Martinsville Speedway
Tim Flock: Two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Rick Hendrick: 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jack Ingram: Two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion
Bobby Isaac: 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Fred Lorenzen: 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
Cotton Owens: Driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson
Raymond Parks: NASCAR's first champion car owner
Benny Parsons: 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series� champion
Les Richter: Former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway
Fireball Roberts: Won 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
T. Wayne Robertson: Helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Senior VP
Herb Thomas: First two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 1951, '53
Curtis Turner: Early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"
Joe Weatherly: Two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Leonard Wood: Part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops
Next up, the five newcomers:
Ray Fox, former NASCAR owner, engine builder and official
Anne B. France, first secretary and treasurer of NASCAR, wife of founder Bill France Sr.
Ralph Seagraves, former president of R.J. Reynolds who introduced corporate sponsorship to NASCAR's premier series
Wendell Scott, first African-American to win a NASCAR premier series event
Rusty Wallace, 1989 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 55 wins, 36 poles
Notable exclusions include Bruton Smith, Janet Guthrie and Ray Evernham. My picks? I'm going with Red Byron, Rick Hendrick, Curtis Turner, Wendell Scott and Rusty Wallace. And you?
Buck Baker: First driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series championships (1956-57)
Red Byron: First NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, in 1949
Richard Childress: 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jerry Cook: Six-time NASCAR Modified champion
H. Clay Earles: Founder of Martinsville Speedway
Tim Flock: Two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Rick Hendrick: 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jack Ingram: Two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion
Bobby Isaac: 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Fred Lorenzen: 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
Cotton Owens: Driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson
Raymond Parks: NASCAR's first champion car owner
Benny Parsons: 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series� champion
Les Richter: Former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway
Fireball Roberts: Won 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
T. Wayne Robertson: Helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Senior VP
Herb Thomas: First two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 1951, '53
Curtis Turner: Early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"
Joe Weatherly: Two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Leonard Wood: Part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops
Next up, the five newcomers:
Ray Fox, former NASCAR owner, engine builder and official
Anne B. France, first secretary and treasurer of NASCAR, wife of founder Bill France Sr.
Ralph Seagraves, former president of R.J. Reynolds who introduced corporate sponsorship to NASCAR's premier series
Wendell Scott, first African-American to win a NASCAR premier series event
Rusty Wallace, 1989 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 55 wins, 36 poles
Notable exclusions include Bruton Smith, Janet Guthrie and Ray Evernham. My picks? I'm going with Red Byron, Rick Hendrick, Curtis Turner, Wendell Scott and Rusty Wallace. And you?
F1?s Lewis Hamilton To NASCAR?
In a bizarre twist of fate, Lewis Hamilton, the F1 wunderkind and star driver for McLaren Mercedes, will jump ship and head to NASCAR. Conveniently, Tony Stewart will give up his NASCAR ride and take Hamilton?s seat in last year?s McLaren MP4-25. The catch? Both are exhibition drives, courtesy of NASCAR and F1 sponsor Mobil [...]
Monday, April 16, 2012
Piquet calm over NASCAR truck penalty
Nelson Piquet Jr. chose to accentuate the positive on losing his chance of a potential first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race to a pit speed violation at Rockingham.
Help your favorite driver make the NASCAR All-Star Race
As the date of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race approaches, Sprint is asking fans to again help determine the starting lineup for what is one of the most highly anticipated events of the season. Through the annual Sprint Fan Vote, under way now, fans can cast ballots for their favorite eligible driver. The driver receiving the highest number of votes will earn a spot in the prestigious Sprint All-Star Race on May 19 and a shot at the $1 million payday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Last year, fans cast more than 2.4 million votes, a record number. Fans can vote by using the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile Android application on their Sprint phone, or by texting ?VOTE? to 229466 on any wireless carrier (standard text messaging and data rates apply). Voting is also open at NASCAR.com/AllStar or by visiting the Sprint Experience, located in the midway at all Cup races. Voting will continue until 5 p.m. Eastern on May 19. As an added customer benefit, votes submitted from a Sprint, Boost, Nextel or Virgin Mobile device count double toward an individual driver?s total. Winners of the Sprint Fan Vote include: Ken Schrader (2004), Martin Truex Jr. (2005), Kyle Petty (2006), Kenny Wallace (2007), Kasey Kahne (2008), Joey Logano (2009), Carl Edwards (2010) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2011).
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Rosberg claims Chinese GP for 1st career F1 victory
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg started from the pole and was in charge all the way en route to winning the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday.
Fireball Cup: Jeff Gordon leads a still-tame competition
Catching up with our year-long Fireball Cup competition, recognizing excellence in the field of NASCAR brawling. And through five races, it's been a pretty damn boring season, frankly. We could use some more anger and fist-throwing; everybody's just too darn calm these days.
Recall our rules, which can and do change on a whim:
? Verbal/Twitter exchange; slightly aggressive driving leading to issues: 1 point
? Bumping cars in an aggressive, making-a-point fashion: 2 points
? Spin, non-critical: 3 points
? Spin, critical: 4 points
? Out of car, punches thrown: 5 points
Fireball Cup stats, Bristol and California:
Jeff Gordon: 1 point for jawing at Dale Earnhardt Jr. over a flat tire. (Bristol)
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 1 point for overly aggressive driving that knocked out Gordon. (Bristol)
Kevin Harvick: 1 point for threatening to put Tony Stewart in the wall. (California)
So that gives us the following standings:
Jeff Gordon, 4 points
Dale Earnhardt Jr., 3 points
Kevin Harvick, 1 point
Matt Kenseth, 1 point
Joey Logano, 1 point
Ryan Newman, 1 point
Danica Patrick, 1 point
David Ragan, 1 point
With Martinsville on the horizon, we should have plenty more opportunity to add to these totals. Come on, guys! Step it up!
Recall our rules, which can and do change on a whim:
? Verbal/Twitter exchange; slightly aggressive driving leading to issues: 1 point
? Bumping cars in an aggressive, making-a-point fashion: 2 points
? Spin, non-critical: 3 points
? Spin, critical: 4 points
? Out of car, punches thrown: 5 points
Fireball Cup stats, Bristol and California:
Jeff Gordon: 1 point for jawing at Dale Earnhardt Jr. over a flat tire. (Bristol)
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 1 point for overly aggressive driving that knocked out Gordon. (Bristol)
Kevin Harvick: 1 point for threatening to put Tony Stewart in the wall. (California)
So that gives us the following standings:
Jeff Gordon, 4 points
Dale Earnhardt Jr., 3 points
Kevin Harvick, 1 point
Matt Kenseth, 1 point
Joey Logano, 1 point
Ryan Newman, 1 point
Danica Patrick, 1 point
David Ragan, 1 point
With Martinsville on the horizon, we should have plenty more opportunity to add to these totals. Come on, guys! Step it up!
Happy Hour: Mob justice for the 48 team
Welcome to the latest Happy Hour mailbag! You know how these work: You write us with your best rant/ joke/one-liner at happyhournascar@yahoogroups.com or on Twitter at @jaybusbee, we respond to your messages, everyone goes away with a smile on their face.
So. Going to see "The Hunger Games" this weekend? All the kids are. You know the plot, right? Twenty-four kids are dumped in the wilderness and the last one left alive wins. Which, of course, brings up the question of NASCAR Hunger Games. I'll be doing a post on this later this week, but I'd like your thoughts: which driver do you think would best survive a NASCAR Hunger Games? Email your thoughts pronto.
Until then, enjoy a sampling of the bile and outrage that arrived in the wake of the overturning of the penalties against the 48 team:
Let's see: powerful boss who has been known to engage in shady practices to get his own way, a right-hand man willing to do whatever he has to so the boss can obtain his goals, and a naive young driver drawn to the dark side when the going gets tough. Sounds like a good movie plot. Oh wait, they made it already; it was called "The Godfather"! Too bad Marlon Brando died, or he would be great playing Rick Hendrick in the NASCAR version!
? Joyce Keith
Yeah, the highly controversial appeal decision overturning penalties against Chad Knaus and the rest of the 48 team dominated our letter column inbox this week. We're still processing all this, but the early sentiment (and the early tenor of the emails we've received) is that this does absolutely nothing to convince people of the 48 team's innocence ... even if, in fact, they are.
ESPN.com's Bill Simmons has pretty much killed the usage of "The Godfather" in any sports context, but I have to say, that's a solid comparison right there. And who's Fredo, the poor brother who tries so hard to impress his dad but can't win, no matter what? Three guesses, and the first two don't count.
____________________
Well, seeing as NASCAR has to eat crow with regards to the 48 team, will NASCAR be inspecting the 48 even harder from now on?
? Tom
Columbus, OH
Oh yeah. Chad Knaus is going to be getting a penalty if he chews with his mouth open. It'll be very interesting to see how well the 48 runs now that it's going to be watched from every angle, even satellite.
Next, we have a comment on the first episode of "Pit Chatter," our new animated series. (Click here if you haven't seen it yet so you can get up to speed.)
____________________
Just goes to highlight the misogyny endemic in NASCAR. Can say "pulling a Johnson" when you are a guy, and it's fine to have grid girls and show girls like they had in Vegas. But a female driver wearing a swimsuit? Can't have that.
The piece is very amusing, but for heaven's sake, get better voice actors. The two were atrocious. You get better voice acting out of high school vids. And trust me, I have seen my share from my kids.
? Dean
Bentonville, AR
Hey, Dean, I agree with you. I thought the actors' performances were wooden and stilted. Almost as if they'd been done by computer. But someone else wanted to chime in with some thoughts on your commentary:
Well! That was rude. My apologies, Dean. We'll have a talk with our actors. Next episode coming later this week!
____________________
I like the Bristol driver intros, with each driver being introduced to a song of their choice. I can only hope that Bristol itself was introduced with "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was" by Toby Keith.
Even Infineon and Watkins Glen have provided more bent fenders and flared tempers than Bristol has over the past few years. Incredible.
? Patrick Jacques
In the wake of all the criticism it's taken for the racing on Sunday, I see Bristol sitting alone in Thunder Valley and playing one of those "I'm trying so hard to be defiant and uplifting but I really really need your approval" songs like Katy Perry's "Part of Me." I imagine that after this past weekend, Bristol spent a lot of time texting Martinsville and Darlington, trying to feel better about itself and worrying when they didn't text back immediately. ("Are they talking about me to Talladega?") Bristol didn't even bother with reaching out to Richmond. That bitch hasn't been the same since she got the Chase-deciding race. Thinking she's so much better than everyone else. You know how it goes.
____________________
With all the complaints about the amount of commercials during the race chat, I went to http://www.cawsnjaws.com/ and according to the data I collected from them, the average percentage of race broadcast that is commercials is 25.18% on Fox, 25.40% on TNT, and 20.46% on ESPN.
So anyone complaining about Fox and their commercials and wishing the other networks' coverage would start sooner should think again. TNT was actually a little worse than Fox last year and ESPN only marginally better.
Oh and Sunday's Bristol race? 22%.
? Nathan Caldwell
Look, here's the secret to why there are so many commercials. And I'll give it to you right after a few words from our sponsors. Subway sandwiches! They're delicious! And so healthy-
Oh ha ha we're so funny. Anyway, when you boil it down that way, it doesn't SEEM that bad. Only one-fourth of the broadcast devoted to commercials? That's right in line with regular TV programs, which feature eight minutes of commercials for every 22 minutes of content (or thereabouts). I think the problem is that the commercial breaks come exactly when cautions seem to hit. And that the commercials don't come at regular intervals; saving up tons of broadcast time for the finish means they have to cram more commercials in the first half of the race.
You didn't even read all that justification, did you? Commercials are all perception. And like death, taxes and Junior fans, they'll be with us forever. And hey, speaking of Junior fans...
____________________
Here's my Junior complaint for the week. While setting in the stands at Bristol wearing my Jeff Gordon gear I couldn't help but notice the delight of Junior fans everywhere when he made contact with Gordon and Gordon's day was finished. Junior fans were high-fiving and cheering and they were so thrilled. Would they be so forgiving if Gordon had made accidental contact with their almighty Junior? Probably not. So I had to do my part and scream "KARMA" over and over when Junior was black-flagged.
So would you agree that Junior doesn't bother most people as much as his fan base does? It's just like Tim Tebow. Tebow does nothing but play football but his fans make me not like him. Could you ask Junior fans not to be so annoying next time? I know, I know, that could never happen.
? Wes R
There are plenty of perfectly enjoyable things in life that are so tarnished by their supremely annoying fan bases ? wine, alt-rock music, indie film, any sports team north of Baltimore ? that you want to just avoid them altogether, and yes, I can see how Junior fans would fit into that dynamic.
So, yeah, Junior fans: chill out. We want to be happy for you when your guy wins, but you're going to be like Red Sox fans after they won the World Series: you'll burn through our goodwill before the night's out.
____________________
Two organizations put their whole rosters in the top 10 at Bristol. In fact, MWR put all 3 of its drivers in the top 5 while EGR's 2 drivers were 7th and 8th. Do you think either of these teams now have the strength to run at the front on a consistent basis with the power teams?
? John Davis
No. But on the plus side, they all received a stay of execution thanks to their outstanding performance this past weekend. And if they all joined together, they could make a gargantuan one-car superteam that would manage to finish third.
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 happyhournascar@yahoogroups.com. You can find Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR coverage on Facebook right here, and you can follow me on Twitter at @jaybusbee and on Facebook here.� Make sure to tell us where you're from. We'll make you famous!
So. Going to see "The Hunger Games" this weekend? All the kids are. You know the plot, right? Twenty-four kids are dumped in the wilderness and the last one left alive wins. Which, of course, brings up the question of NASCAR Hunger Games. I'll be doing a post on this later this week, but I'd like your thoughts: which driver do you think would best survive a NASCAR Hunger Games? Email your thoughts pronto.
Until then, enjoy a sampling of the bile and outrage that arrived in the wake of the overturning of the penalties against the 48 team:
Let's see: powerful boss who has been known to engage in shady practices to get his own way, a right-hand man willing to do whatever he has to so the boss can obtain his goals, and a naive young driver drawn to the dark side when the going gets tough. Sounds like a good movie plot. Oh wait, they made it already; it was called "The Godfather"! Too bad Marlon Brando died, or he would be great playing Rick Hendrick in the NASCAR version!
? Joyce Keith
Yeah, the highly controversial appeal decision overturning penalties against Chad Knaus and the rest of the 48 team dominated our letter column inbox this week. We're still processing all this, but the early sentiment (and the early tenor of the emails we've received) is that this does absolutely nothing to convince people of the 48 team's innocence ... even if, in fact, they are.
ESPN.com's Bill Simmons has pretty much killed the usage of "The Godfather" in any sports context, but I have to say, that's a solid comparison right there. And who's Fredo, the poor brother who tries so hard to impress his dad but can't win, no matter what? Three guesses, and the first two don't count.
____________________
Well, seeing as NASCAR has to eat crow with regards to the 48 team, will NASCAR be inspecting the 48 even harder from now on?
? Tom
Columbus, OH
Oh yeah. Chad Knaus is going to be getting a penalty if he chews with his mouth open. It'll be very interesting to see how well the 48 runs now that it's going to be watched from every angle, even satellite.
Next, we have a comment on the first episode of "Pit Chatter," our new animated series. (Click here if you haven't seen it yet so you can get up to speed.)
____________________
Just goes to highlight the misogyny endemic in NASCAR. Can say "pulling a Johnson" when you are a guy, and it's fine to have grid girls and show girls like they had in Vegas. But a female driver wearing a swimsuit? Can't have that.
The piece is very amusing, but for heaven's sake, get better voice actors. The two were atrocious. You get better voice acting out of high school vids. And trust me, I have seen my share from my kids.
? Dean
Bentonville, AR
Hey, Dean, I agree with you. I thought the actors' performances were wooden and stilted. Almost as if they'd been done by computer. But someone else wanted to chime in with some thoughts on your commentary:
Well! That was rude. My apologies, Dean. We'll have a talk with our actors. Next episode coming later this week!
____________________
I like the Bristol driver intros, with each driver being introduced to a song of their choice. I can only hope that Bristol itself was introduced with "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was" by Toby Keith.
Even Infineon and Watkins Glen have provided more bent fenders and flared tempers than Bristol has over the past few years. Incredible.
? Patrick Jacques
In the wake of all the criticism it's taken for the racing on Sunday, I see Bristol sitting alone in Thunder Valley and playing one of those "I'm trying so hard to be defiant and uplifting but I really really need your approval" songs like Katy Perry's "Part of Me." I imagine that after this past weekend, Bristol spent a lot of time texting Martinsville and Darlington, trying to feel better about itself and worrying when they didn't text back immediately. ("Are they talking about me to Talladega?") Bristol didn't even bother with reaching out to Richmond. That bitch hasn't been the same since she got the Chase-deciding race. Thinking she's so much better than everyone else. You know how it goes.
____________________
With all the complaints about the amount of commercials during the race chat, I went to http://www.cawsnjaws.com/ and according to the data I collected from them, the average percentage of race broadcast that is commercials is 25.18% on Fox, 25.40% on TNT, and 20.46% on ESPN.
So anyone complaining about Fox and their commercials and wishing the other networks' coverage would start sooner should think again. TNT was actually a little worse than Fox last year and ESPN only marginally better.
Oh and Sunday's Bristol race? 22%.
? Nathan Caldwell
Look, here's the secret to why there are so many commercials. And I'll give it to you right after a few words from our sponsors. Subway sandwiches! They're delicious! And so healthy-
Oh ha ha we're so funny. Anyway, when you boil it down that way, it doesn't SEEM that bad. Only one-fourth of the broadcast devoted to commercials? That's right in line with regular TV programs, which feature eight minutes of commercials for every 22 minutes of content (or thereabouts). I think the problem is that the commercial breaks come exactly when cautions seem to hit. And that the commercials don't come at regular intervals; saving up tons of broadcast time for the finish means they have to cram more commercials in the first half of the race.
You didn't even read all that justification, did you? Commercials are all perception. And like death, taxes and Junior fans, they'll be with us forever. And hey, speaking of Junior fans...
____________________
Here's my Junior complaint for the week. While setting in the stands at Bristol wearing my Jeff Gordon gear I couldn't help but notice the delight of Junior fans everywhere when he made contact with Gordon and Gordon's day was finished. Junior fans were high-fiving and cheering and they were so thrilled. Would they be so forgiving if Gordon had made accidental contact with their almighty Junior? Probably not. So I had to do my part and scream "KARMA" over and over when Junior was black-flagged.
So would you agree that Junior doesn't bother most people as much as his fan base does? It's just like Tim Tebow. Tebow does nothing but play football but his fans make me not like him. Could you ask Junior fans not to be so annoying next time? I know, I know, that could never happen.
? Wes R
There are plenty of perfectly enjoyable things in life that are so tarnished by their supremely annoying fan bases ? wine, alt-rock music, indie film, any sports team north of Baltimore ? that you want to just avoid them altogether, and yes, I can see how Junior fans would fit into that dynamic.
So, yeah, Junior fans: chill out. We want to be happy for you when your guy wins, but you're going to be like Red Sox fans after they won the World Series: you'll burn through our goodwill before the night's out.
____________________
Two organizations put their whole rosters in the top 10 at Bristol. In fact, MWR put all 3 of its drivers in the top 5 while EGR's 2 drivers were 7th and 8th. Do you think either of these teams now have the strength to run at the front on a consistent basis with the power teams?
? John Davis
No. But on the plus side, they all received a stay of execution thanks to their outstanding performance this past weekend. And if they all joined together, they could make a gargantuan one-car superteam that would manage to finish third.
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 happyhournascar@yahoogroups.com. You can find Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR coverage on Facebook right here, and you can follow me on Twitter at @jaybusbee and on Facebook here.� Make sure to tell us where you're from. We'll make you famous!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Schumacher finally happy at Shanghai
Michael Schumacher says he has finally got his hands on a car that allows him to enjoy the Shanghai circuit, after securing a spot on the front row for the Chinese Grand Prix.
Ruling on Jimmie Johnson appeal
NATIONAL STOCK CAR RACING CHIEF APPELLATE OFFICER STATEMENT On March 20, 2012, the Chief Appellate Officer heard and considered the appeal of the penalties resulting from the #48 Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. This stemmed from an opening day inspection for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2012. The penalties concern Section 12-1 of the NASCAR Rule Book ?Actions detrimental to stock car racing;? Section 12-4(J): ?Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the Race Equipment used in the Event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the NASCAR Rule Book, or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the Event;? and Section 20-2.1(E): ?If in the judgment of NASCAR Officials, any part or component of the car not previously approved by NASCAR that has been installed or modified to enhance aerodynamic performance, will not be permitted: Unapproved car body modifications.?The results of the appeal hearing were as follows:Rescinding the loss of 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Car Owner points (for Jeff Gordon). Rescinding the loss of 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Driver points (for Jimmie Johnson). Rescinding the six (6) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Events suspension for the Crew Chief (Chad Knaus) and Car Chief (Ron Malec), however both will remain on NASCAR probation until May 9, 2012. $100,000 fine remains in place for the Crew Chief (Chad Knaus). John Middlebrook ? Chief Appellate Officer
Friday, April 13, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Presenting the 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees
On Wednesday, NASCAR announced its list of nominees for the 2013 Hall of Fame class. And without further ado, here they are. First, carryovers from previous years:
Buck Baker: First driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series championships (1956-57)
Red Byron: First NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, in 1949
Richard Childress: 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jerry Cook: Six-time NASCAR Modified champion
H. Clay Earles: Founder of Martinsville Speedway
Tim Flock: Two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Rick Hendrick: 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jack Ingram: Two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion
Bobby Isaac: 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Fred Lorenzen: 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
Cotton Owens: Driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson
Raymond Parks: NASCAR's first champion car owner
Benny Parsons: 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series� champion
Les Richter: Former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway
Fireball Roberts: Won 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
T. Wayne Robertson: Helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Senior VP
Herb Thomas: First two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 1951, '53
Curtis Turner: Early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"
Joe Weatherly: Two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Leonard Wood: Part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops
Next up, the five newcomers:
Ray Fox, former NASCAR owner, engine builder and official
Anne B. France, first secretary and treasurer of NASCAR, wife of founder Bill France Sr.
Ralph Seagraves, former president of R.J. Reynolds who introduced corporate sponsorship to NASCAR's premier series
Wendell Scott, first African-American to win a NASCAR premier series event
Rusty Wallace, 1989 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 55 wins, 36 poles
Notable exclusions include Bruton Smith, Janet Guthrie and Ray Evernham. My picks? I'm going with Red Byron, Rick Hendrick, Curtis Turner, Wendell Scott and Rusty Wallace. And you?
Buck Baker: First driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series championships (1956-57)
Red Byron: First NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, in 1949
Richard Childress: 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jerry Cook: Six-time NASCAR Modified champion
H. Clay Earles: Founder of Martinsville Speedway
Tim Flock: Two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Rick Hendrick: 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jack Ingram: Two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion
Bobby Isaac: 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Fred Lorenzen: 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
Cotton Owens: Driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson
Raymond Parks: NASCAR's first champion car owner
Benny Parsons: 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series� champion
Les Richter: Former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway
Fireball Roberts: Won 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
T. Wayne Robertson: Helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Senior VP
Herb Thomas: First two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 1951, '53
Curtis Turner: Early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"
Joe Weatherly: Two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Leonard Wood: Part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops
Next up, the five newcomers:
Ray Fox, former NASCAR owner, engine builder and official
Anne B. France, first secretary and treasurer of NASCAR, wife of founder Bill France Sr.
Ralph Seagraves, former president of R.J. Reynolds who introduced corporate sponsorship to NASCAR's premier series
Wendell Scott, first African-American to win a NASCAR premier series event
Rusty Wallace, 1989 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 55 wins, 36 poles
Notable exclusions include Bruton Smith, Janet Guthrie and Ray Evernham. My picks? I'm going with Red Byron, Rick Hendrick, Curtis Turner, Wendell Scott and Rusty Wallace. And you?
NASCAR: Kurt Busch makes headway at Dover ? Detroit Free Press
NASCAR: Kurt Busch makes headway at Dover – Detroit Free Press
The Virginian-Pilot
NASCAR: Kurt Busch makes headway at DoverDetroit Free PressKurt Busch is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings after driving to victory at the AAA 400. / GEOFF BURKE/Getty Images DOVER, Del. — Kurt Busch stormed into contention for a second Cup championship, holding off fellow Chase drivers Jimmie Johnson …Kurt Busch wins NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event in Delaware | Auto racingThe Seattle Times
NASCAR: Kurt Busch trumps the fieldThe Virginian-PilotNASCAR: Tony Stewart Dover 300 race reportMotorsport.comUSA Today -The News Journal -SB Nationall 653 news articles »
The Virginian-Pilot
NASCAR: Kurt Busch makes headway at DoverDetroit Free PressKurt Busch is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings after driving to victory at the AAA 400. / GEOFF BURKE/Getty Images DOVER, Del. — Kurt Busch stormed into contention for a second Cup championship, holding off fellow Chase drivers Jimmie Johnson …Kurt Busch wins NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event in Delaware | Auto racingThe Seattle Times
NASCAR: Kurt Busch trumps the fieldThe Virginian-PilotNASCAR: Tony Stewart Dover 300 race reportMotorsport.comUSA Today -The News Journal -SB Nationall 653 news articles »
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Amanda Beard doesn?t have nice things to say about Carl Edwards in memoir
In her book that was released Tuesday, gold-medal winning swimmer Amanda Beard detailed her year-long relationship with Carl Edwards six years ago in some pretty unflattering terms, saying that Edwards "only wanted to be on Carl time."
From the Sporting News:
Beard wrote in the book that she has cut ties with Edwards "severely and permanently." She says she at first was enamored with the NASCAR lifestyle but that the excitement quickly waned.
She described having a beer with other drivers' wives and girlfriends in the driver motorhome lot at the track.
"Their entire existence revolved around their significant others," she wrote. "Three beers and a thousand predictions later, I wanted to scream, Don't you guys have lives? They were very sweet, but I didn't have anything in common with the rest of the women."
Beard's book, "In the Water They Don't See You Cry," is about her life and battles with bulimia and self-mutilation.�Sixteen of the book's 349 pages are devoted to�her relationship with�Edwards, who�was unavailable for comment.
Beard is set to compete in the 2012 London Olympics, while Edwards is currently 11th in the Sprint Cup points standings.
As the adage goes, there are two sides to every story ? and we all know how experiences from broken relationships can be twisted, tugged and exaggerated. And we realize that Beard has books to sell, so taking her words at face value is foolish. Edwards is unlikely to publicly comment on the book, and quite honestly, why should he? Ignoring the story on a NASCAR off-weekend is probably his best plan of attack, as commenting would only extend its shelf life. Both he and Beard have moved on and are married with children.
From the Sporting News:
Beard wrote in the book that she has cut ties with Edwards "severely and permanently." She says she at first was enamored with the NASCAR lifestyle but that the excitement quickly waned.
She described having a beer with other drivers' wives and girlfriends in the driver motorhome lot at the track.
"Their entire existence revolved around their significant others," she wrote. "Three beers and a thousand predictions later, I wanted to scream, Don't you guys have lives? They were very sweet, but I didn't have anything in common with the rest of the women."
Beard's book, "In the Water They Don't See You Cry," is about her life and battles with bulimia and self-mutilation.�Sixteen of the book's 349 pages are devoted to�her relationship with�Edwards, who�was unavailable for comment.
Beard is set to compete in the 2012 London Olympics, while Edwards is currently 11th in the Sprint Cup points standings.
As the adage goes, there are two sides to every story ? and we all know how experiences from broken relationships can be twisted, tugged and exaggerated. And we realize that Beard has books to sell, so taking her words at face value is foolish. Edwards is unlikely to publicly comment on the book, and quite honestly, why should he? Ignoring the story on a NASCAR off-weekend is probably his best plan of attack, as commenting would only extend its shelf life. Both he and Beard have moved on and are married with children.
Lucas Oil Off Road Notebook: New rules, new stars
Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series' Phoenix round includes premiere of mandatory pit stop, while Corry Weller adjusts to running in Pro 4.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
NASCAR News
Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. Before the Daytona 500 all cars must pass inspection. This year the #48 car of Jimmie Johnson was taken out of the line after John Darby declared it illegal. He didn’t like the way the c-posts looked. The c-posts were confiscated and the team had to correct [...]
Presenting the 2012 Fireball Cup, recognizing excellence in NASCAR fighting
Look, let's be honest. We all like NASCAR rivalries here. But even though this is a sport that tracks every single segment of every single lap of every single driver, there is as yet no comprehensive method for tracking the many disputes that occur every week.
Until now. With a deep bow in the direction of our pals at Every Day Should Be Saturday and their Fulmer Cup, we proudly present the 2012 debut of The Fireball Cup, recognizing excellence in NASCAR brawling. (We did a soft launch of this last year, but this is the kind of thing you need to start early in the season.)
Here's how it works. Every week, we'll award points based on participation in fights or rivalries across all series, breaking down in the following way:
? Verbal/Twitter exchange: 1 point
? Bumping cars in an aggressive, making-a-point fashion: 2 points
? Spin, non-critical: 3 points
? Spin, critical: 4 points
? Out of car, punches thrown: 5 points
So far this year, no driver has amassed more than one nomination. (Step it up, guys!) And we will always err on the side of assuming everything is aggressive. Points are cumulative; you can pile up multiple points for a single incident. As a result, we have a surprise leader:
Jeff Gordon, 3 points (see below)
Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2 points (bumping Mark Martin at Vegas)
Matt Kenseth, 1 point (upset at Carl Edwards after Vegas)
Joey Logano, 1 point (angry with Kurt Busch at Daytona/Nationwide)
Ryan Newman, 1 point (hints at retaliation on Edwards after Phoenix)
Danica Patrick, 1 point (rages at Cole Whitt at Daytona/Nationwide)
David Ragan, 1 point (rages at Elliott Sadler at Daytona)
Gordon at Vegas is our first multi-point leader, first for hammering his car into Logano (2 points) and second for his over-the-air shot ("There's going to be a caution soon if this dumb [censored] doesn't get out of the way," 1 point).
So there you have it. Feel free to send in your nominations after each race, and if you have a write-in vote (like somebody going crazy at your local dirt track), hey, let us know that too!
We'll total up the figures and award a Fireball Cup to our brawling champion at the end of the season. Any guesses who it'll be?
(One note: We need a trophy. So if you have Photoshop skills, or craftmaking skills, write us at jay.busbee@yahoo.com with your submission. We'll be sure that the winning driver sees this at the end of the year. You'll be famous!)
Until now. With a deep bow in the direction of our pals at Every Day Should Be Saturday and their Fulmer Cup, we proudly present the 2012 debut of The Fireball Cup, recognizing excellence in NASCAR brawling. (We did a soft launch of this last year, but this is the kind of thing you need to start early in the season.)
Here's how it works. Every week, we'll award points based on participation in fights or rivalries across all series, breaking down in the following way:
? Verbal/Twitter exchange: 1 point
? Bumping cars in an aggressive, making-a-point fashion: 2 points
? Spin, non-critical: 3 points
? Spin, critical: 4 points
? Out of car, punches thrown: 5 points
So far this year, no driver has amassed more than one nomination. (Step it up, guys!) And we will always err on the side of assuming everything is aggressive. Points are cumulative; you can pile up multiple points for a single incident. As a result, we have a surprise leader:
Jeff Gordon, 3 points (see below)
Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2 points (bumping Mark Martin at Vegas)
Matt Kenseth, 1 point (upset at Carl Edwards after Vegas)
Joey Logano, 1 point (angry with Kurt Busch at Daytona/Nationwide)
Ryan Newman, 1 point (hints at retaliation on Edwards after Phoenix)
Danica Patrick, 1 point (rages at Cole Whitt at Daytona/Nationwide)
David Ragan, 1 point (rages at Elliott Sadler at Daytona)
Gordon at Vegas is our first multi-point leader, first for hammering his car into Logano (2 points) and second for his over-the-air shot ("There's going to be a caution soon if this dumb [censored] doesn't get out of the way," 1 point).
So there you have it. Feel free to send in your nominations after each race, and if you have a write-in vote (like somebody going crazy at your local dirt track), hey, let us know that too!
We'll total up the figures and award a Fireball Cup to our brawling champion at the end of the season. Any guesses who it'll be?
(One note: We need a trophy. So if you have Photoshop skills, or craftmaking skills, write us at jay.busbee@yahoo.com with your submission. We'll be sure that the winning driver sees this at the end of the year. You'll be famous!)
Monday, April 9, 2012
Ticket holders for Rockingham Truck race get a bonus
Race fans attending next month's inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Rockingham Speedway will get an extra bonus with their ticket. The NASCAR Hall of Fame will offer a 20-percent discount on admission to anyone presenting a ticket from the April 15 race. "The NASCAR Hall of Fame is committed to preserving and honoring the history of our great sport," said NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley, "and Rockingham Speedway is an important part of that history. Considering that, it was a natural fit for the Hall to partner with Rockingham to offer this benefit for race fans." For more information on the Good Sam 200 Truck race, contact the speedway at (910) 205-8800 or visit online at www.rockinghamspeedway.com. For more information on the NASCAR Hall of Fame, visit them online at www.nascarhall.com.
Sadler to drive five Sprint Cup races for MWR
Elliott Sadler will drive the No. 55 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing in five Sprint Cup events this season starting at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 18. Sadler will drive both Bristol races, both Martinsville (Va.) races and the July 15 race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Mark Martin is the primary driver of the No. 55 Toyota. "This is an awesome opportunity," said Sadler. "We?ve been talking about this for a while, but wanted to get through Daytona before we announced it to everyone. If I had to pick a place on the circuit to start then Bristol would be my first choice. I can?t thank Michael and everyone at MWR enough for giving me this opportunity."-- Ron Green Jr.
Hight qualifies No. 1 in Funny Car at NHRA
Robert Hight will attempt to earn his third consecutive Funny Car victory of the season Sunday from the No. 1 qualifying position at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Changes are coming to Bristol: But what will they be?
After the race at Bristol on March 19th produced lots of long green-flag stretches and many fans dressed as empty aluminum bleachers, SMI chairman Bruton Smith said that changes to the track would be possible before the Sprint Cup Series returned to Bristol in August.
Smith and Bristol announced Wednesday that the changes were in fact a comin'. But what those changes are is still unknown.
"The race fans have spoken," Smith said in a release. "We had input that included a wide range of opinions. But the majority we heard from said they wanted to see changes made. As a result, I have ordered the equipment and work will begin within the next two weeks to allow time to have everything ready for August."
The details of the changes will be announced in the near future.
While it's easy to assume that what is old ? a single groove that required drivers to root and gouge for position on the bottom line of the track, resulting in lots of fender rubbing ? will be new again with the changes, a move like that would be unprecedented in modern NASCAR.
Like many tracks that have undergone pavement replacement in the last 10 years, when Bristol Motor Speedway was resurfaced, progressive banking was installed in the corners to allow for multiple lines of racing from the top to the bottom. For some, the progressivity of said banking worked too well: drivers were able to run relatively far apart from each other at race pace and the driver on the upper line was able to pinch the driver in the low line off the corners, rendering it impossible to pass inside at times.
But none of the tracks which have recently installed progressive banking have reverted back to a consistent corner banking system. Theoretically, it seems easy to do if that's a potential fix�? the gradient would just be raised gradually from the bottom of the surface to match what it is at the top. But that's likely easier said than done�? and it's far from a guarantee that the "old" Bristol will return. (Tire compounds and the new car also play a major factor.)
And it's also no guarantee that the grandstands will magically fill up because of the "newer" Bristol in August, either, simply because the costs of hotels in the area and fuel are things out of the speedway's control. The summer night race traditionally draws more than the March race anyway,� so August may serve as a practice test of sorts for the 2013 spring race.
Let's have it. How pleased are you that Bristol is going to make changes with the track? Do you think they're needed? Do you think they'll be impactful? You know where to let us know below.
Smith and Bristol announced Wednesday that the changes were in fact a comin'. But what those changes are is still unknown.
"The race fans have spoken," Smith said in a release. "We had input that included a wide range of opinions. But the majority we heard from said they wanted to see changes made. As a result, I have ordered the equipment and work will begin within the next two weeks to allow time to have everything ready for August."
The details of the changes will be announced in the near future.
While it's easy to assume that what is old ? a single groove that required drivers to root and gouge for position on the bottom line of the track, resulting in lots of fender rubbing ? will be new again with the changes, a move like that would be unprecedented in modern NASCAR.
Like many tracks that have undergone pavement replacement in the last 10 years, when Bristol Motor Speedway was resurfaced, progressive banking was installed in the corners to allow for multiple lines of racing from the top to the bottom. For some, the progressivity of said banking worked too well: drivers were able to run relatively far apart from each other at race pace and the driver on the upper line was able to pinch the driver in the low line off the corners, rendering it impossible to pass inside at times.
But none of the tracks which have recently installed progressive banking have reverted back to a consistent corner banking system. Theoretically, it seems easy to do if that's a potential fix�? the gradient would just be raised gradually from the bottom of the surface to match what it is at the top. But that's likely easier said than done�? and it's far from a guarantee that the "old" Bristol will return. (Tire compounds and the new car also play a major factor.)
And it's also no guarantee that the grandstands will magically fill up because of the "newer" Bristol in August, either, simply because the costs of hotels in the area and fuel are things out of the speedway's control. The summer night race traditionally draws more than the March race anyway,� so August may serve as a practice test of sorts for the 2013 spring race.
Let's have it. How pleased are you that Bristol is going to make changes with the track? Do you think they're needed? Do you think they'll be impactful? You know where to let us know below.
Fireball Cup: Jeff Gordon leads a still-tame competition
Catching up with our year-long Fireball Cup competition, recognizing excellence in the field of NASCAR brawling. And through five races, it's been a pretty damn boring season, frankly. We could use some more anger and fist-throwing; everybody's just too darn calm these days.
Recall our rules, which can and do change on a whim:
? Verbal/Twitter exchange; slightly aggressive driving leading to issues: 1 point
? Bumping cars in an aggressive, making-a-point fashion: 2 points
? Spin, non-critical: 3 points
? Spin, critical: 4 points
? Out of car, punches thrown: 5 points
Fireball Cup stats, Bristol and California:
Jeff Gordon: 1 point for jawing at Dale Earnhardt Jr. over a flat tire. (Bristol)
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 1 point for overly aggressive driving that knocked out Gordon. (Bristol)
Kevin Harvick: 1 point for threatening to put Tony Stewart in the wall. (California)
So that gives us the following standings:
Jeff Gordon, 4 points
Dale Earnhardt Jr., 3 points
Kevin Harvick, 1 point
Matt Kenseth, 1 point
Joey Logano, 1 point
Ryan Newman, 1 point
Danica Patrick, 1 point
David Ragan, 1 point
With Martinsville on the horizon, we should have plenty more opportunity to add to these totals. Come on, guys! Step it up!
Recall our rules, which can and do change on a whim:
? Verbal/Twitter exchange; slightly aggressive driving leading to issues: 1 point
? Bumping cars in an aggressive, making-a-point fashion: 2 points
? Spin, non-critical: 3 points
? Spin, critical: 4 points
? Out of car, punches thrown: 5 points
Fireball Cup stats, Bristol and California:
Jeff Gordon: 1 point for jawing at Dale Earnhardt Jr. over a flat tire. (Bristol)
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 1 point for overly aggressive driving that knocked out Gordon. (Bristol)
Kevin Harvick: 1 point for threatening to put Tony Stewart in the wall. (California)
So that gives us the following standings:
Jeff Gordon, 4 points
Dale Earnhardt Jr., 3 points
Kevin Harvick, 1 point
Matt Kenseth, 1 point
Joey Logano, 1 point
Ryan Newman, 1 point
Danica Patrick, 1 point
David Ragan, 1 point
With Martinsville on the horizon, we should have plenty more opportunity to add to these totals. Come on, guys! Step it up!
Jeb Burton hoping to carry on family tradition
Ward Burton's transition from race car driver to parent of a race car driver hasn't always been easy.
Talladega Superspeedway Fan Appreciation Day
Talladega Superspeedway Fan Appreciation Day Is Sept. 26th: Talladega Superspeedway will welcome race fans to the track on Sept. 26 for the second annual Fan Appreciation Day. This event is open to the public and free of charge. Best of all, ticket buyers to either of the two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Talladega, [...]
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Jeff Gordon?s gas man goes for a ride as the four-time Cup champ exits the pits
Sunday was a rough day on pit road for Jeff Gordon and his crew.
Gordon had driven up to as high as fifth after starting 21st, and during his third stop of the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway, the team wanted to make sure that the car was packed full of fuel. When, as customary, Gordon accelerated out of his pit when the jack on the left side of the car was dropped, gas man Brad Pickens still had the fuel can engaged in the car.
As Gordon pulled away, Pickens went for a scary tumble as the fuel can finally disengaged after Gordon sped off. However, the can -- and Pickens -- went outside of Gordon's pit box. That meant a penalty, and Gordon was forced to serve a stop-and-go penalty under green.
Then, as the race was under caution for rain, Gordon pitted from a lap down in 17th. On that final pit stop, a tire got away from the crew, relegating Gordon to 26th.
Unfortunately for Gordon, mistakes and mishaps have overcome fast race cars through the first five races of the season. Thanks to Sunday, a blown engine at Daytona and a cut tire at Bristol, Gordon is in 25th, already 91 points behind points leader Greg Biffle.
Gordon had driven up to as high as fifth after starting 21st, and during his third stop of the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway, the team wanted to make sure that the car was packed full of fuel. When, as customary, Gordon accelerated out of his pit when the jack on the left side of the car was dropped, gas man Brad Pickens still had the fuel can engaged in the car.
As Gordon pulled away, Pickens went for a scary tumble as the fuel can finally disengaged after Gordon sped off. However, the can -- and Pickens -- went outside of Gordon's pit box. That meant a penalty, and Gordon was forced to serve a stop-and-go penalty under green.
Then, as the race was under caution for rain, Gordon pitted from a lap down in 17th. On that final pit stop, a tire got away from the crew, relegating Gordon to 26th.
Unfortunately for Gordon, mistakes and mishaps have overcome fast race cars through the first five races of the season. Thanks to Sunday, a blown engine at Daytona and a cut tire at Bristol, Gordon is in 25th, already 91 points behind points leader Greg Biffle.
Create-a-caption: ?How did Montoya drive into the upper deck??
Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano are looking at ... something. What, pray tell? And what might they be saying to each other? Have your say here, friends. Have your say.
After the jump, Chad Knaus tries to figure out what to do with some extra time on his hands.
Sandbag Six:
So that's an out-of-compliance roof height with a side of unapproved fuel-injector modifications. Would you like fries with that?
Christopher:
Uh, yeah, I would like to place an order for the jet engine on page 48 in your new catalog. No, no, it's NASCAR legal now...just don't tell anyone.
Gary:
Jimmie, if you win in this car, slam the wall with both sides. We gotta crush those C-posts before final inspection.
Ghost in the Ruins:
Chad goes through the list of people to cover his "vacation." Malec? Nope, on vacation with me. Grubb? Crap, at Gibbs now. McGrew? Ehh ... no.
After the jump, Chad Knaus tries to figure out what to do with some extra time on his hands.
Sandbag Six:
So that's an out-of-compliance roof height with a side of unapproved fuel-injector modifications. Would you like fries with that?
Christopher:
Uh, yeah, I would like to place an order for the jet engine on page 48 in your new catalog. No, no, it's NASCAR legal now...just don't tell anyone.
Gary:
Jimmie, if you win in this car, slam the wall with both sides. We gotta crush those C-posts before final inspection.
Ghost in the Ruins:
Chad goes through the list of people to cover his "vacation." Malec? Nope, on vacation with me. Grubb? Crap, at Gibbs now. McGrew? Ehh ... no.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Happy Hour: Do we need to change the Green-White-Checker rule?
Welcome to the latest Happy Hour mailbag! You know how these work: You write us with your best rant/ joke/one-liner at happyhournascar@yahoogroups.com or on Twitter at @jaybusbee, we respond to your messages, everyone goes away with a smile on their face.
I'm on golf duty this week, covering The Masters from Augusta. (Follow along over at Devil Ball Golf or on Twitter. Trust me, it's not just white guys hitting a little ball with a stick.) While the patrons at Augusta are supposed to be more well-behaved than the infield denizens at Daytona, I'm hoping that's not the case. I'll see if I can shout "Go Junior" when Tiger tees off. Hey, better than "Get in the hole!"
Anyway, your letters.
I certainly hope NASCAR is happy with its green-white-checker policy. Honestly, more often than not, the only thing left after these is a bunch of wrecked race cars and a driver in victory lane that doesn't deserve to be there. Not saying I like races to finish under yellow, but I feel NASCAR and/or the drivers need to figure out a better way to handle these late race cautions that seem to come up every week these days. Thoughts?
? David
West Lafayette, Ind.
My thoughts are what they always are in these situations: virtually any idea that you try to implement will have blowback you can't expect. Doing away with GWC? No way. Finishing a race under caution sucks. Adding a lap to the GWC (so it'd be a GGWC, I guess)? That might solve the problem, particularly at a small track like Martinsville. Two laps really isn't enough to get going there, whereas two laps at Talladega is a lot more room to maneuver.
I understand it's frustrating for fans of, say, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson this past weekend, but really ... what more can we do? The race has to end sometime. Otherwise it'd be like soccer, which ends whenever the ref decides it ends ... and nobody wants that.
____________________
Answer me this: how many ugly race car drivers are out there with 20 times the talent Danica Patrick has racing their hearts out on Friday and Saturday nights that will never get the opportunity she has been given simply because of looks? Call me a chauvinist if you like but there is no denying facts are facts.
? Curtis Largent
"Who you callin' ugly?" - Dozens of Friday and Saturday night drivers
I seriously want to meet these legions of drivers who are being unfairly kept down by Danica Patrick. The guys who are astonishing drivers but, because they've got a snaggletooth or a harelip, don't get the chance to race in the big time. If you're mad at Danica, why not be mad at, say, Paul Menard too? He's gotten where he is because he brings along a sponsor. How's that different?
Yes, in absolute terms, there are plenty of drivers who are better than Danica Patrick. But everyone from Big Bill France right on down to Trevor Bayne knows that racing isn't just about talent; it's about marketability, too. You can get doors opened with one, but you can only prop those doors open with both.
____________________
If NASCAR wants to know why they're losing fans, and television viewers, they have to look no further than Fox's coverage of the first part of Martinsville. One of the big reasons I watch NASCAR is for the strategy involved, watching a race unfold, and seeing the different decisions that are made play out. A key component to that is pit strategy; yet, time and time again, it seems, television coverage is unwilling, or unable, to break away from their precious commercials to cover an accident and the resulting pit stops accordingly. I'm not familiar with the inner workings of a live sports broadcast, so I don't know if there are outstanding reasons as to why breaking in from a commercial doesn't happen, but some of the best racing is done on pit road.
Either NASCAR and its broadcast partners should make the dual screen during commercials mandatory for the entire race, have the broadcast network break in during commercials during important race altering events, or prepare themselves to continue to lose viewers and fans.
? Jeremy
Binghamton, N.Y.
The "can't come back from commercials" issue is one that rears its head every race. Here's the deal, friends: broadcast networks don't put on races out of the goodness of their hearts. They do it to attract advertisers. And given a choice between upsetting the fans over a missed pit stop and upsetting a multimillion-dollar-paying advertiser who wants to hawk some sandwiches or auto parts? Guess who's going to be the loser there.
This is why online coverage of a race is going to be so much more important going forward. If it means that much to you to catch every element of the race, pony up the dough and get in on the subscription models. They're good stuff. Barring that, though, we're all at the mercy of the networks.
Man, I'm coming down against all the letter writers today, aren't I? Surly mood. Let's go on ... whoops, I disagree with this too. Ah, well.
____________________
What's the difference between what David Reutimann did and intentionally spinning on the track to bring out a caution? He ignored pit lane with flat tires to bring out the caution. And the only reason they did that was to not lose spots and points so they would keep at least 35th place in the rankings. He and his team should have / should be penalized the same as a spinner.
? Tim Madigan
Fairfax, Va.
Well, technically his car broke down, so it wasn't really the same thing. If you saw his interview afterward, he was clearly upset not only over what happened, but over being impugned (SAT word!) for allegedly altering the balance of the race.
Look, Reutimann was doing what he had to do based on the way that the system's set up. Yes, it altered the race, but he WAS playing by the rules. And are you really THAT upset Jimmie Johnson didn't get a win? (Calm down, Vader fans. Joke.)
____________________
I'm so sick and tired of hearing about Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus, what's wrong with Kasey Kahne, and will Danica live up to the hype. I get that fans like to hear about them,but where's the love for guys flying under the radar? Paul Menard, 11th in points,with 3 top 10's. Dave Blaney, took what would've been a start and parker and got it in the top 35 solidly. Do they get interviewed after a race? Very rarely. Instead we get to hear from a guy who finished 20th talk about their bad day.
? Eddie
Ohio
It's a question of serving the masses. More people want to hear about Jimmie, Danica, Kasey et. al. than Menard or Blaney. Sorry, but them's the hard facts. We like the home-run hitter more than the utility infielder, we like the lead guitarist more than the bass player. Nobody likes the bass player. (Except in Rush, the Beatles and the Chili Peppers.) Yeah, the bar is higher for these guys to clear to get more attention, but them's the breaks.
Finally, an insult that comes from someone who may not follow football very much:
____________________
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the Eli Manning of NASCAR, if his last name wasn't Earnhardt, no one would be following the 134-race loser.
? "frajoyh"
Would that be two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning? Misfire, my friend. You should have gone with Cooper Manning, the one who didn't play football. Next time.
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 happyhournascar@yahoogroups.com. You can find Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR coverage on Facebook right here, and you can follow me on Twitter at @jaybusbee and on Facebook here.� Make sure to tell us where you're from. We'll make you famous!
I'm on golf duty this week, covering The Masters from Augusta. (Follow along over at Devil Ball Golf or on Twitter. Trust me, it's not just white guys hitting a little ball with a stick.) While the patrons at Augusta are supposed to be more well-behaved than the infield denizens at Daytona, I'm hoping that's not the case. I'll see if I can shout "Go Junior" when Tiger tees off. Hey, better than "Get in the hole!"
Anyway, your letters.
I certainly hope NASCAR is happy with its green-white-checker policy. Honestly, more often than not, the only thing left after these is a bunch of wrecked race cars and a driver in victory lane that doesn't deserve to be there. Not saying I like races to finish under yellow, but I feel NASCAR and/or the drivers need to figure out a better way to handle these late race cautions that seem to come up every week these days. Thoughts?
? David
West Lafayette, Ind.
My thoughts are what they always are in these situations: virtually any idea that you try to implement will have blowback you can't expect. Doing away with GWC? No way. Finishing a race under caution sucks. Adding a lap to the GWC (so it'd be a GGWC, I guess)? That might solve the problem, particularly at a small track like Martinsville. Two laps really isn't enough to get going there, whereas two laps at Talladega is a lot more room to maneuver.
I understand it's frustrating for fans of, say, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson this past weekend, but really ... what more can we do? The race has to end sometime. Otherwise it'd be like soccer, which ends whenever the ref decides it ends ... and nobody wants that.
____________________
Answer me this: how many ugly race car drivers are out there with 20 times the talent Danica Patrick has racing their hearts out on Friday and Saturday nights that will never get the opportunity she has been given simply because of looks? Call me a chauvinist if you like but there is no denying facts are facts.
? Curtis Largent
"Who you callin' ugly?" - Dozens of Friday and Saturday night drivers
I seriously want to meet these legions of drivers who are being unfairly kept down by Danica Patrick. The guys who are astonishing drivers but, because they've got a snaggletooth or a harelip, don't get the chance to race in the big time. If you're mad at Danica, why not be mad at, say, Paul Menard too? He's gotten where he is because he brings along a sponsor. How's that different?
Yes, in absolute terms, there are plenty of drivers who are better than Danica Patrick. But everyone from Big Bill France right on down to Trevor Bayne knows that racing isn't just about talent; it's about marketability, too. You can get doors opened with one, but you can only prop those doors open with both.
____________________
If NASCAR wants to know why they're losing fans, and television viewers, they have to look no further than Fox's coverage of the first part of Martinsville. One of the big reasons I watch NASCAR is for the strategy involved, watching a race unfold, and seeing the different decisions that are made play out. A key component to that is pit strategy; yet, time and time again, it seems, television coverage is unwilling, or unable, to break away from their precious commercials to cover an accident and the resulting pit stops accordingly. I'm not familiar with the inner workings of a live sports broadcast, so I don't know if there are outstanding reasons as to why breaking in from a commercial doesn't happen, but some of the best racing is done on pit road.
Either NASCAR and its broadcast partners should make the dual screen during commercials mandatory for the entire race, have the broadcast network break in during commercials during important race altering events, or prepare themselves to continue to lose viewers and fans.
? Jeremy
Binghamton, N.Y.
The "can't come back from commercials" issue is one that rears its head every race. Here's the deal, friends: broadcast networks don't put on races out of the goodness of their hearts. They do it to attract advertisers. And given a choice between upsetting the fans over a missed pit stop and upsetting a multimillion-dollar-paying advertiser who wants to hawk some sandwiches or auto parts? Guess who's going to be the loser there.
This is why online coverage of a race is going to be so much more important going forward. If it means that much to you to catch every element of the race, pony up the dough and get in on the subscription models. They're good stuff. Barring that, though, we're all at the mercy of the networks.
Man, I'm coming down against all the letter writers today, aren't I? Surly mood. Let's go on ... whoops, I disagree with this too. Ah, well.
____________________
What's the difference between what David Reutimann did and intentionally spinning on the track to bring out a caution? He ignored pit lane with flat tires to bring out the caution. And the only reason they did that was to not lose spots and points so they would keep at least 35th place in the rankings. He and his team should have / should be penalized the same as a spinner.
? Tim Madigan
Fairfax, Va.
Well, technically his car broke down, so it wasn't really the same thing. If you saw his interview afterward, he was clearly upset not only over what happened, but over being impugned (SAT word!) for allegedly altering the balance of the race.
Look, Reutimann was doing what he had to do based on the way that the system's set up. Yes, it altered the race, but he WAS playing by the rules. And are you really THAT upset Jimmie Johnson didn't get a win? (Calm down, Vader fans. Joke.)
____________________
I'm so sick and tired of hearing about Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus, what's wrong with Kasey Kahne, and will Danica live up to the hype. I get that fans like to hear about them,but where's the love for guys flying under the radar? Paul Menard, 11th in points,with 3 top 10's. Dave Blaney, took what would've been a start and parker and got it in the top 35 solidly. Do they get interviewed after a race? Very rarely. Instead we get to hear from a guy who finished 20th talk about their bad day.
? Eddie
Ohio
It's a question of serving the masses. More people want to hear about Jimmie, Danica, Kasey et. al. than Menard or Blaney. Sorry, but them's the hard facts. We like the home-run hitter more than the utility infielder, we like the lead guitarist more than the bass player. Nobody likes the bass player. (Except in Rush, the Beatles and the Chili Peppers.) Yeah, the bar is higher for these guys to clear to get more attention, but them's the breaks.
Finally, an insult that comes from someone who may not follow football very much:
____________________
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the Eli Manning of NASCAR, if his last name wasn't Earnhardt, no one would be following the 134-race loser.
? "frajoyh"
Would that be two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning? Misfire, my friend. You should have gone with Cooper Manning, the one who didn't play football. Next time.
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 happyhournascar@yahoogroups.com. You can find Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR coverage on Facebook right here, and you can follow me on Twitter at @jaybusbee and on Facebook here.� Make sure to tell us where you're from. We'll make you famous!
Harvick leads throughout to dominate Martinsville
Pole-sitter Kevin Harvick led all but two laps and won the spring NASCAR Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday for the third time in the past four years.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Dale Earnhardt Jr. says incident with Jeff Gordon at Bristol was a ?freak situation.?
Usually at Bristol, the severity of the contact equates to the consequences from that contact. However, last Sunday, a slight side-by-side bump from Dale Earnhardt Jr. had disastrous results for Jeff Gordon, as it cut down the left rear tire of the No. 24 car and sent Gordon into the wall.
"It was just a freak situation and you kind of got to remember that, you know, and not really beat yourself up too much about it," Junior said. "Jeff has a good reputation in this sport.� I've got a lot of respect and enjoy being his teammate.� I've learned a lot from him even before we were teammates, just racing him over the years.� He has been here a long time and I think we will be able to race each other without any problems.
Two weeks ago at Las Vegas, teammates racing each other also contributed to an incident when Matt Kenseth slapped the wall after being three-wide with Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle, his Roush teammates.
Before Bristol, Kenseth said that he hadn't talked to Edwards, but didn't harbor any animosity towards his teammate for the situation, saying that he was responsible for his own car in that situation. On Friday, Junior said that he and Gordon had talked after Bristol and that the two were still on good terms.
"We talked and I feel pretty good about how that went.� We should have no problem going forward.� It was an unfortunate situation, especially for him.� I'm sure it stings a little bit for him and the team."
Unfortunately for Junior -- a cut tire was his downfall at Bristol too. With a handful of laps to go he cut down a tire and limped to the finish line in 15th.
"It was just a freak situation and you kind of got to remember that, you know, and not really beat yourself up too much about it," Junior said. "Jeff has a good reputation in this sport.� I've got a lot of respect and enjoy being his teammate.� I've learned a lot from him even before we were teammates, just racing him over the years.� He has been here a long time and I think we will be able to race each other without any problems.
Two weeks ago at Las Vegas, teammates racing each other also contributed to an incident when Matt Kenseth slapped the wall after being three-wide with Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle, his Roush teammates.
Before Bristol, Kenseth said that he hadn't talked to Edwards, but didn't harbor any animosity towards his teammate for the situation, saying that he was responsible for his own car in that situation. On Friday, Junior said that he and Gordon had talked after Bristol and that the two were still on good terms.
"We talked and I feel pretty good about how that went.� We should have no problem going forward.� It was an unfortunate situation, especially for him.� I'm sure it stings a little bit for him and the team."
Unfortunately for Junior -- a cut tire was his downfall at Bristol too. With a handful of laps to go he cut down a tire and limped to the finish line in 15th.
Will Power's blog: Ready to go racing
"Roger Penske was instrumental in attracting Chevrolet back to IndyCar, so we feel a strong responsibility to the brand, as well as to ourselves and our sponsors, to be as prepared as we can and to go out and kick butt."
Townley apologizes to the NASCAR community
NASCAR Truck series driver John Wes Townley opened a media availability session on Friday morning at Martinsville Speedway by offering an apology to the NASCAR community for his actions that led to a drunk driving arrest in February. Townley's team, RAB Racing, suspended him immediately and he did not drive in the series opener at Daytona. NASCAR has since placed Townley on probation for the remainder of the season and ordered him to seek an evaluation from a certified substance abuse counselor. Here was Townley's opening statement: "I want to start by apologizing to everyone -- to NASCAR, my team and to everybody that made this deal happen. This is something that I feel I'm really serious about as an individual and a driver in NASCAR. What happened that night, I take full responsibility for it. It reflected poorly upon my team, on my sponsors and everyone else and I want to sincerelyapologize. "It's up to me moving forward to put this behind me and to make better decisions in the future and to really learn from this. I know that a lot of these words are real easily spoken, but its actions in the future that I'm going to be judged by."
NASCAR Announces 2011 Schedules
NASCAR announced the 2011 schedule for its three national series, highlighted by several key changes for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. One of those changes comes early, as the second race of the season will be held at Phoenix International Raceway on Feb. 27, a week after the season-opening Daytona 500. PIR replaces Auto Club [...]
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Wimmer Family Looking To Build On 2010
To say 2010 was a memorable year for the Wimmer family would be an understatement. A trip to South Africa, buying a race track, losing their house in a fire and almost winning the ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour late-model championship are only a few of their highlights.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. says incident with Jeff Gordon at Bristol was a ?freak situation.?
Usually at Bristol, the severity of the contact equates to the consequences from that contact. However, last Sunday, a slight side-by-side bump from Dale Earnhardt Jr. had disastrous results for Jeff Gordon, as it cut down the left rear tire of the No. 24 car and sent Gordon into the wall.
"It was just a freak situation and you kind of got to remember that, you know, and not really beat yourself up too much about it," Junior said. "Jeff has a good reputation in this sport.� I've got a lot of respect and enjoy being his teammate.� I've learned a lot from him even before we were teammates, just racing him over the years.� He has been here a long time and I think we will be able to race each other without any problems.
Two weeks ago at Las Vegas, teammates racing each other also contributed to an incident when Matt Kenseth slapped the wall after being three-wide with Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle, his Roush teammates.
Before Bristol, Kenseth said that he hadn't talked to Edwards, but didn't harbor any animosity towards his teammate for the situation, saying that he was responsible for his own car in that situation. On Friday, Junior said that he and Gordon had talked after Bristol and that the two were still on good terms.
"We talked and I feel pretty good about how that went.� We should have no problem going forward.� It was an unfortunate situation, especially for him.� I'm sure it stings a little bit for him and the team."
Unfortunately for Junior -- a cut tire was his downfall at Bristol too. With a handful of laps to go he cut down a tire and limped to the finish line in 15th.
"It was just a freak situation and you kind of got to remember that, you know, and not really beat yourself up too much about it," Junior said. "Jeff has a good reputation in this sport.� I've got a lot of respect and enjoy being his teammate.� I've learned a lot from him even before we were teammates, just racing him over the years.� He has been here a long time and I think we will be able to race each other without any problems.
Two weeks ago at Las Vegas, teammates racing each other also contributed to an incident when Matt Kenseth slapped the wall after being three-wide with Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle, his Roush teammates.
Before Bristol, Kenseth said that he hadn't talked to Edwards, but didn't harbor any animosity towards his teammate for the situation, saying that he was responsible for his own car in that situation. On Friday, Junior said that he and Gordon had talked after Bristol and that the two were still on good terms.
"We talked and I feel pretty good about how that went.� We should have no problem going forward.� It was an unfortunate situation, especially for him.� I'm sure it stings a little bit for him and the team."
Unfortunately for Junior -- a cut tire was his downfall at Bristol too. With a handful of laps to go he cut down a tire and limped to the finish line in 15th.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Create-a-caption: Buy the car, we throw in Tony Stewart
Oh, this is a good one. Plenty of opportunity for fun here, as the rain rolls in and Tony Stewart nears victory at Fontana. Have your say on this particular photo, friends. And after the jump, check out what your fellow commenters had to say about Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano staring longingly into the distance.
Jason:
BK: I'd have thought those F-16's would have taken the 42 car.
Logano: Man I can't believe Montoya took them down, how the heck did he do that?
Larry Dickman:
@Kes: So how did you get pair of Shrub's underwear?
Toast: I just waited for Coach to start talking to him and snuck into his motorhome.
@Kes: I can't believe they have M&M's on them.
Toast: Well they sure do look good up there on that flagpole.
@Kes: I owe you a Miller Lite.
Toast: Nah, I'm still not old enough.
N88Car:
Jet Ski: "Twittered her,....Twittered her,....Twittered her.....Twittered her."........
Toast: "Dude!...Your account gets around!"
Jason:
BK: I'd have thought those F-16's would have taken the 42 car.
Logano: Man I can't believe Montoya took them down, how the heck did he do that?
Larry Dickman:
@Kes: So how did you get pair of Shrub's underwear?
Toast: I just waited for Coach to start talking to him and snuck into his motorhome.
@Kes: I can't believe they have M&M's on them.
Toast: Well they sure do look good up there on that flagpole.
@Kes: I owe you a Miller Lite.
Toast: Nah, I'm still not old enough.
N88Car:
Jet Ski: "Twittered her,....Twittered her,....Twittered her.....Twittered her."........
Toast: "Dude!...Your account gets around!"
Monday, April 2, 2012
NASCAR Racing At Bristol
Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. NASCAR is at the Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend for the fourth race of the season. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be racing the Food City 500 race on Sunday, while the NASCAR Nationwide Series will be on track for the Ford EcoBoost 300 race on [...]
Spirit of Daytona dominates at Barber
Spirit of Daytona scores team's and Corvette's first DP victories, while SpeedSource Mazda claims GT honors.
Fast Friday At Auto Club Speedway
Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. NASCAR heads out west this weekend to the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA. Fast Friday saw practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the Auto Club 400 race on Sunday. The NASCAR Nationwide Series also practiced for the Royal Purple 300 race on Saturday. NASCAR [...]
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Travis Pastrana Breaks Ankle, Foot In X-Games Crash
This just in: freestyle motocross is a dangerous sport, and it?s best not to participate when you?ve got your NASCAR Nationwide debut coming up in a few days. That?s advice that adrenaline junkie Travis Pastrana didn?t heed, and the result is a broken right ankle and foot, and torn ligaments in his hand. The damage [...]
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 [...]
Barrett-Jackson To Auction Off JFK's Cadillac Hearse: Video
At last year’s Scottsdale auction, Barrett-Jackson offered a 1963 Pontiac Bonneville ambulance that the seller claimed had transported the president’s remains from Andrews Air Force base to Bethesda Naval Medical Center for autopsy. Except it may not have. Per Naval records, the actual 1963 Pontiac Bonneville ambulance used to...
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