Archive for September, 2008
Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
Hey I’ve got a new contest for you to enter, it is the “Full Throttle Amp’d Adrenaline Contest”.
I’ve got two Full Throttle Adrenaline DVD’s to give out (thanks to the folks at A&E) along with 2 collector cans of Amp Energy Drink (thanks to the folks at Amp) featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr (cans 1 and 2 out of 4 to be exact).
If you want to know more about the Full Throttle Adrenaline DVD, or maybe buy one, then follow the link.
 If you want to know more about Amp Energy Drink then follow that link.
So you must be wondering how you can enter to win these fine products, right?
Well, starting tomorrow I’ll be posting one quote per day for four days from either Dale Jr or Dale Sr and all you have to do is tell me who said each quote.
I will then randomly select two winners from the correct entries.
Contest will close at midnight on Sunday Oct. 5, 2008.
Good Luck!
Here is a sample of what to expect:
Tell me who said, “That don’t mean (poo), Daddy’s won here ten times!”
Yes it is that easy - almost.
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
Denny Hamlin led 99 of the final 106 laps on the way to his fourth win of the season in the Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kansas Speedway on Saturday.
Hamlin: Our car was not so great at the beginning, it was probably a mid-top-10 car for the first 75 laps and then we just had one adjustment that really took the car off. I think it was the second or third pit stop—the car really took off.
Hamlin’s win—the 17th of the year for Joe Gibbs Racing—clinched the NASCAR Nationwide Series manufacturer championship for Toyota.
Hamlin: They’ve been a manufacturer that’s been behind this race team 120 percent. If we have any problems, any complaints, they’re the first to go to work on it so we’ve gotten everything, all the tools we need to win from them.
Clint Bowyer took home second.
Bowyer: Racing at this level, wins don’t come easy. They’re not going to give them to you. You know, the 18 and the 20 car have been beating us week in and week out pretty much all season long and on these bigger race tracks. You know, I maintained with him, I really felt like we were kind of tit for tat there and we were, you know as good as they were, and it’s been a long time on a track like this where we were as good as they were.
To hear an audio version of this interview and more about the race at the Kansas Speedway, visit http://www.nationwide.com/about-us/hamlin-kansas.jsp
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Filed Under ( NASCAR) by admin on September-27-2008
Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
Can you believe the start to The Chase that Greg Biffle (16) is having verses the start that Kyle Busch (18) is experiencing?
Biffle is unbeaten in two strait races and is headed to a track in Kansas that he won at last year.
Speaking of Biffle, did you see the racing between him and the two other Roush/Fenway owned cars of Edwards (99) and Kenseth (17) at the end of the race last week? That was some very good racing let me tell you. Even 49 year-old Mark Martin in the DEI owned car (8) was able to run with them until his tires faded – that was nice to see.
This weekend’s race should prove to be just as good as last week’s because the track in Kansas has ‘weathered’ into a multi-grooved racing surface where drivers can run both the hi-line and the low with ease – providing they have their cars set-up properly.
Kansas is a 1.5 mile D-shaped oval with 15 degrees of banking in the corners. The spots to watch on the track are going into turn 1 where it has become more bumpy over the last few years, and the exits of turns 2 and 4 where the car tends to push towards the wall because the speeds that they carry coming out of the corners.
My prediction for this race is that it might turn into a fuel mileage event with few caution periods and if a team does not get the set-up right for long runs look for drivers to start running higher and higher on the track as the car will push more and more. The team that gets the set-up right for the long run should finish better than those who do better in the short runs, unless of course there is a late race caution that would set up a sprint for the finish.
Drivers to watch for at this track include Biffle, who won this race last year, Kansas native Clint Bowyer (07), Jeff Gordon (24), Tony Stewart (20), and Jimmie Johnson (48) – all of who run statistically well here.
One other driver to watch this weekend is Kyle Busch, who all but threw up the white flag after last week’s blown engine seal at Dover. In just two races Busch has lost 240 points to current leader Carl Edwards.
Even though, for the time being, Busch has taken himself out of contention for the Cup I feel that he is now more dangerous than ever.
Why? Because, he has nothing to loose.
There is no more pressure of being in first. He and his crew can afford to take gambles in car set-up and pit strategy and go for the win.
This is a good time for his team to go out and re-focus on the things that got them into the Championship in the first place, like winning races.
This Joe Gibbs Racing Team is capable of doing it too as Busch won the race in July at Chicagoland Speedway, which is nearly identical to Kansas Speedway. Chicagoland and Kansas Speedway are so close in their physical features that, at first glance, they could be twins - that’s how similar they are.
There are still 8 races remaining and anything can happen to anyone at anytime, I mean Patrick Carpentier (10) almost took out Cup contender Jimmie Johnson last week when he lost control of his car right next to Johnson’s. So don’t count Busch and his team just yet.
If there were just 4 or 5 races remaining I might start nailing the lid on the coffin shut of Busch’s Championship hopes, but not right now. There’s still hope, after all Jimmie Johnson came back from a similar deficit last year and won the Championship, so it isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
This situation has provided Kyle with a unique opportunity, to show everyone what he is made of. Now is the time for Kyle Busch to shine, and to prove to everyone how much he has matured as a person and a driver.
That might just be better than winning the Championship - although he still has a chance to do that too.
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Filed Under ( NASCAR) by admin on September-26-2008
Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
Man, I’m behind in everything. Since the last week of August I’ve been running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and I feel like it too.
I’m still trying to catch up with stuff around here and one thing that needs to be done is to give you the answer to the Autographed Kevin Harvick Hat Contest.
I will notify those who won by email within the next 24hrs and send their new hats to them ASAP.
The question was; “In what year did Shell win its first NASCAR race as a primary sponsor and who was the driver?”
And the answer is; “Shell’s first NASCAR victory was in 1996 when Bobby Labonte won the Opryland 320″.
Thanks to all of you who entered, and stay tuned for my next contest that is going to be announced this weekend (probably this Sunday), it is full of ‘Adrenaline’ and is bound to ‘Amp’ you up - if you get my drift.
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
One race in the Chase is now down and there are nine more to go. This week’s stop is in Dover, Delaware at the all-concrete track dubbed the “Monster Mile”.
This track poses its own list of unique and potential hazards for each and every driver, with the most significant being that the track is banked 24 degrees in the corners and 9 degrees on the straight-aways. With so much banking in the corners and on the straight-aways there will be considerable pressure on the front right tire and the crew chief will have to be careful in how they set up the race car – too much camber (or lean) in the tire will make it wear out too fast and not enough camber will make the car push toward the wall, which it already wants to due to the high speeds the car carries into the corners anyway.
Car set-up at this track is indeed a fine line and with the pressure of the Chase mounting with each race mistakes can happen. Case in point: Kyle Busch (18).
Looking back at last week’s race I’m quite certain that the reason Kyle Busch had such a bad day was not due to a faulty part but human error instead. The bolt that broke in the front suspension almost never breaks unless it has not been tightened up properly and that is what I think happened.
That bolt is one of the last things to be affixed to the car after it passes inspection, and based on what was said during the race telecast it appears that Busch’s car was one of the last to pass tech inspection on race day and as a result the crew was forced to rush to get the car out of the garage area and onto pit road. In this scenario I can see that bolt getting overlooked very easily.
It is these kinds of mental errors that can make or break the Championship for a team.
As the Chase goes on not only do teams have to minimize their mistakes but good driver communication to his crew on how his car is working on the track is also needed.
This is something that has been buzzing around on the internet about Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) and his crew chief Tony Eury Jr. because Earnhardt went on a tirade over the radio to Eury about the changes in the car after a mid-race pit stop which resulted in him loosing valuable positions on the track.
While Eury usually gets the blame from the fans, and from Earnhardt himself at times, about the lack of performance of the 88 car, team owner Rick Hendrick was quick to point out in an interview on nascar.com that Earnhardt has to be better at giving feedback about the car’s behavior on the track to Eury so Eury can make the proper decisions needed to make the car better for Earnhardt.
If Earnhardt and Eury can communicate better during races they could be a force to contend with before this Chase is over, but I have a feeling Edwards (99) and Johnson (48) will have something to say about that.
Look for good runs from most of the Chase drivers this weekend, but don’t count out non-chase contenders like Martin Truex Jr. (1) who usually runs well at this track.
The driver I’m going to be watching closely is Kyle Busch (18). I’m wondering if he will have the maturity to bounce back from last week’s set back. He has the potential to win this race if he keeps his head, but if he gets too aggressive trying to get to the front he has the potential to come out of Dover with his car looking like it was just pulled out of the demolition derby pen at the Binbrook Fair.
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
VERIZON WIRELESS AMPITHREATRE TEAMS UP WITH 2008 WAM JAM CHARITY CONCERT
CONCORD, N.C. – The Annual WAM JAM Charity Concert 2008 has changed locations. The concert is moving from Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium, Kannapolis, NC to Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Charlotte, NC. Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports (WAM), along with Verizon Amphitheatre, is making this venue change to better accommodate ticket holders, the performing artists and uncertain weather conditions.
The 2008 WAM JAM will still be held October 18, 2008 with the first act scheduled to appear on stage at 5:30 p.m. Ticket prices for the concert are $65, $55 and $35.
Recording artists’ Rick Springfield, Eddie Money, Lou Gramm and John Waite will all take the stage as part of WAM JAM 2008. This will be the first time all four of these artists have played a concert together.
“While we are disappointed to have to change locations at such short notice, we feel confident that Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre will provide a great atmosphere for our WAM JAM,” said Cyndi Johns, President of WAM. “This will allow us the opportunity to offer better seats. On behalf of all the ladies of WAM, we appreciate Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre for being our partner in this event.”
For those who have already purchased tickets, please call WAM at 704-788-9299 to exchange those for Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre seating. Tickets for this event may be purchased by calling the stadium box office at (704) 522-6500 or www.livenation.com. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre’s box office is located at 707 Pavilion Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28262. 707 Pavilion Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28262.
For more information on WAM please visit www.waminc.org.
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
Let’s talk about the race now shall we?
Here are my observations in point form;
1) Dale Jr runs great until just past the halfway point yet again.
Much has been said about his verbal outburst over the radio to Eury Jr, but honestly, let’s put it into proportion; yet again he has a killer car, he comes into the pits, they put new tires on and his car drives like Kyle Busch’s car at the beginning of the race.
O.K. I might be exaggerating a little bit, but at the time I bet that is how Dale Jr felt and what is he supposed to do about it? Get out of the car and have a gentleman’s discussion with Tony Eury Jr and the rest of the crew? No. Dale’s only source of venting, besides driving the car into someone or something is to push the mic button on the steering wheel and verbally abuse whoever is listening.
This is nothing new here folks, it has been going on since drivers first started using radios and will continue to go on.
A good example of this happened back in 1999 when I was listening to Dale Earnhardt Sr’s radio while he was running 5th at MIS. I thought his car was driving pretty good and he was staying in the top 5 for most of the race but Dale thought otherwise. Dale keyed the mic and said the car was tight and they needed to make it turn better. Dale’s crew chief, Kevin Hamlin, replied that Dale was running fine, not too worry, and that they could maybe do a slight air pressure adjustment next stop. Dale’s response was, “Get your head out of your a$$ Kevin and make this thing turn.”
Nothing new here folks, let’s move along now.
2) Kyle Busch can kiss his bonus points good-bye. I don’t care what the official word is I believe that the reason the bolt broke is because it wasn’t tightened properly. It may have been hand tightened and then overlooked for some reason.
If indeed the bolt was tightened properly and just broke if I were JD Gibbs I would replace all the bolts I have in the parts department because it was defective and where there’s one there’s bound to be more.
3) Watch out for Jimmie Johnson, that cat is stalking that Championship trophy. He is capable of second and thirding them to death over the next 9 races in order to secure his place in history with Cale Yarborough as the only 3 time consecutive winners of NASCAR’s biggest prize.
4) Hamlin, Harvick, and Burton all had good runs, but expect them to put together 9 more races like that.
5) Kenseth’s luck can’t get any worse. Well, at least he is still mathematically in the hunt but that is the extent of it I’m afraid. Add Gordon to that too.
6) Yeah for the Biff! Great run, but I wouldn’t be slotting him as the next Sprint Cup Champ just yet as teammate Carl Edwards might have something to say about that (along with several others in the Hendrick camp - you know who they are).
7) That was a great fight after the truck race, wasn’t it? Seeing that gave me visions of Harvick jumping up and over cars in pit lane in order to get to the driver that peed him off like he did in Martinsville in 2001.
Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
I was going to write about the race yesterday, but I’m going to put that off until tomorrow (sorry) due to an email that I got and feel that I should address.
I don’t normally talk about my emails here, unless it is to pass along information that some company or NASCAR sponsor has given me to share like contests, promos, and, more importantly, charity events, but sometimes I get emails that leave me shaking my head.
I’ve gotten a few good ones over the last few years let me tell you.
Some people think I have a direct line to Mike Helton and the powers that be at NASCAR. I don’t. I don’t know any high ranking NASCAR official although I did meet Robin Pemberton at a race about 15 years ago when he was a crew chief, if that counts.
Some people think I have a direct line to all of the drivers in NASCAR. I don’t, although I do have Andrew Ranger’s agent’s number with his blessing to call anytime I want an interview, but that is it as far as drivers go.
You wouldn’t believe all the email I got about Joe Gibbs Racing moving to Toyota, and how I was to pass the info along to them and to Tony Stewart. Up until a few months ago I had never even met the Tony and I don’t think the 10 or 15 minutes I spent with him would put me in his ‘circle of friends’ cell phone plan - if you know what I mean.
Well yesterday I got another one that leaves me shaking my head. No, it isn’t bad in the grand scheme of things but honestly, especially in this day and age, I thought we were all beyond this. Quite frankly it disappoints me. Really.
Here is the email in its entirety, I have removed the person’s name and company - yep he sent this through his company’s e-mail.
“I realize that new hampshire is close to Canada but why the hell would they sing the Canadian national anthem at a race in the US? I don’t care if it is on the boarder, I am pissed and would think that others would be to. I really don’t want to hear that crap. I wonder what others think but I can do without it!”
I’m not even going to go on to state the obvious reasons why the Canadian national anthem is played or defend my nation’s piece of ‘crap’ anthem. Based on what was written it would fall on deaf ears anyway. I guess, according to his logic anyway, Canadians should stop playing the U.S. national anthem at hockey and baseball games, but I digress.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe in patriotism. I’m a strong proponent of it in fact. A country cannot thrive or survive without patriotism. I envy the patriotism that is shown in the U.S. and I think more Canadians should show that type of patriotism more often, but the type of patriotism that this particular person is displaying isn’t really patriotism at all, it is ignorance. Pure and simple.
A lot of people who send me email don’t realize that I’m from Canada, and that this site is also based in Canada. I guess this guy didn’t know that either - unless that was part of his plan. I don’t know.
I just can’t believe that he would email this to me from his company’s address. Does he think that I will ever be interested in his goods or services ever again? As a matter of fact, I have an interest in the type of goods and/or services that the business he works for is in and, if the opportunity presents itself, I will never purchase any product related to his company or participate in any event that his company sponsors, sanctions, or anything of the like, that’s for sure.
This guy wants to know what you think, and honestly I do too. Let me hear you - pro or con - I don’t care. What are your feelings about this topic?
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Submitted by NASCAR Eclectic
The #11 in this shot is Don Miller. This car is an older model of this class, but his dad, Don Sr., brought this car out last week because their primary car was tore up the previous week. Don asked me to get some shots of this car…which I did… because it’s racing days are pretty much over. Young Don nearly had the victory in this race and it makes me happy to have had the opportunity to photograph it in action.
The Miller’s are great people. They are my first paying customers in the owner/driver circle and they have talked my work up to everyone which has created more sales. What’s even better is Don Sr. and I have developed a nice relationship and has made my entry into the dirt track racing community awesome. I feel very welcome and comfortable as the newcomer and am very pleased to be looking forward to next season.
The Biff!! That just put the icing on the cake of what was already a good day. Greg is one of my top drivers and to see him in victory lane on the opening of the “playoff’s” was an awesome sight to behold. This momentum will hopefully follow Greg to Dover, a track he runs well at.
Shrub did not have such a good day, but then neither did a few others, especially Kenseth. His whole attitude is rather drab. He’s visibly unhappy with the Roush-Sox equipment and seems decidedly content on not winning the Cup. His words… “cautiously optimistic” pretty much summed it up.
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
Let’s move on and evaluate the next 6 seeded contenders for this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup;
Denny Hamlin (11): Hamlin is another Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver, who has had the same bad luck this year as his teammate Tony Stewart. Hamlin certainly has had the car to beat on occasion this year, but something always happened to knock him out of the race or at least out of contention for the win.
Hamlin’s frustration with the lack of performance from his crew and car has shown at times throughout the season and he has made no attempt to be quiet about it either.
Hamlin certainly has the potential to pull off a win in the Chase – maybe even this weekend at New Hampshire – but I don’t think his team will be able to be consistent enough to put together 10 solid races to win the Championship.
Look for Hamlin to be sitting in 10th when the final checker flag flies in Miami in November.
Clint Bowyer (07): Bowyer is the driver of the third and final Richard Childress Racing (RCR) car in the Chase. Unlike his teammate Harvick, Bowyer has won a race this season and that is why he is seeded higher than him, but if you take the 10 bonus points away Bowyer would be sitting much lower in the Chase standings.
Out of all of the drivers in the Chase I believe that Bowyer has the least odds of winning the Cup. Even though he has finished nearly 99% of laps run this year Bowyer’s consistency to finish in the top 10 has just not been there this year. Bowyer has an average finish of 15.7 this year with only 4 top 5’s to his credit. Hardly the kind of finish stats you would expect from someone who stands to win the Cup.
Bowyer also suffers from that lack of performance that all of the RCR cars seem to have this year making Bowyer’s chances slim and next to none in the hunt for the Cup. Look for Bowyer to finish 12th in the Chase this year.
Dale Earnhardt Jr (88): Since his move from Dale Earnhardt Inc (DEI) Dale Jr. has proven that his poor performance was not his fault. Earnhardt has had a respectable year drivng for Rick Hendrick this season. I know his fans this season wanted more wins than what he currently has (1), but if you look at his stats he is quietly putting together one of his best seasons ever even though it does not show in the win column.
Now that I’ve said that, I don’t think NASCAR’s most popular driver will win the Championship this year.
Wait! Don’t give me any hate mail for saying that, I’m a Jr. fan after all, but lets be realistic here even though Jr has had a good season he still lacks the consistency needed to win a Championship.
Earnhardt has made mistakes on the track, like jumping the restart a few weeks ago and being put a lap down (which he never recovered from), while his crew has made mistakes in the pits.
Unless this team can get it together and be absolutely perfect in their execution over the next 10 races Dale Jr will finish his first season for Hendrick 5th in points.
If they do manage to put it together for the last 10 races then Dale Jr may potentially be the 2008 Sprint Cup Champ.
Jimmie Johnson (48): Johnson is the only other driver besides Kenseth to participate in all of the Chase Championships since it was introduced 5 years ago.
Johnson is also the defending Cup Champion and is looking to “3-peat” this year. Only one other driver in the history of NASCAR has ever won the Championship 3 years in a row and that was Cale Yarborough. Not even the legendary 7-time Champions of Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty were able to do it.
Jimmie Johnson and his Crew Chief Chad Knaus seem to be able to turn it up a notch when it counts near the end of the season. Johnson is just coming off of a two race win streak too.
Johnson has ice water in his veins at this time of year. On or off the track you never see him get emotional or on the edge. He is cool and calculating and when it counts he is not afraid to take his car anywhere on the track to get it to front.
Look for Jimmie to be holding the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship trophy at the end of it all.
Carl Edwards (99): Edwards is the driver of the last of the Jack Roush cars in the Chase. Edwards has had a good season so far - only Kyle Busch has won more races this year than him.
Edwards is a solid runner who is not afraid to ‘mix it up’ when he has too.
He also has a pretty good relationship with his Crew Chief Bob Osborne, who is no slouch with a wrench either.
All of the buzz on the Internet this past week has been that the Championship is going to come down to just three drivers; Johnson, Busch, and Edwards. I really have no problems with that, those drivers make the most sense really and Edwards certainly has all of the tools and equipment to win himself his first Cup Championship. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if her were able to do it either, but I don’t think he will.
Edwards has all of the ingredients to be a Champion, but I think he still lacks the maturity and experience to handle the pressure of the Chase format which will cause him to make mistakes. It will be those mistakes that cost him the Championship and make him finish in 3rd.
Kyle Busch (18): In an interview I did at the beginning of the season I was asked who I thought the best up and comer driver out there was and I replied Kyle Busch without hesitation and look at what he has done this season. He has destroyed the field.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has had an incredible year with 8 wins, 15 top 5’s, and 17 top 10’s. Incredible! People have won Championships with worse stats than that!
No doubt about it, this kid has had a Championship year, but the question remains, “Can he close the deal?”
Certainly having “The Coach” Joe Gibbs in your corner is a benefit. If anyone can get young talent, like Busch, focused on winning Gibbs can. But it is still Busch out there in the car by himself. Busch does not have the luxury of coming off the field in between plays to get refocused on the task at hand like you can on the football field and I’m afraid that the young Busch might just let his emotions get the better of him as he has in the past.
Busch certainly has shown more maturity this year than last, but he still has let his emotions get the better of him at times this season and with the added pressure of the Chase format all he has to do is screw up one race and he could be out of Championship contention.
Busch could, and by all counts should, win the Championship this year, but I have him finishing in 2nd place in the standings once the season is over.
There you have it, my crystal ball has spoken. The predictions are out there for your amusement – don’t laugh too hard. We’ll see how close I was to getting it right in November.
You know, no matter who wins the Championship this year it will come down to one thing; consistency.
In this kind of ‘play-off’ format the team that runs the most consistent, making the fewest mistakes, should win the Championship - ’should’ being the operative word of course.
For the edited newspaper version of yesterday’s and today’s postings, complete with a slide show, go here.
Photo Credit: REUTERS /Robert LeSieur (UNITED STATES)
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
The Chase is on! This weekend marks the beginning of the 10 race ‘play-off’ for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.
The playing field has been reset with the top 12 qualifying drivers all within 80 points of each other.
For the record, all 12 drivers have had their point totals reset to 5,000 plus 10 bonus points for each win this season. The driver standings are then reestablished using the number of second, third, fourth, and so on place finishes as tie-breakers.
Before I give you a breakdown on all the Chase drivers and where I think they will finish – I just got my crystal ball out of the repair shop – I just want to mention a few things about this year’s Chase.
It you look close at who is in the Chase and who isn’t you’ll notice that there is not one single Dodge driver in the Chase. The most notable of Dodge drivers absent from the “Terrific Twelve” is Kasey Kahne (9). Kahne won 2 races this year and came close to making it, but a few 40th place finishes this summer did him in.
Kahne is proof positive that to make it into the Chase, and perhaps even win it, you must do more than just win races, you have to be consistent and finish as strong as you can for each and every race. You don’t win the Championship by finishing 40th, you do it by running up front each and every race, keeping yourself in the top 10.
Now let us look at the top 12 contenders for this year’s Sprint Cup starting with the 12th place seed and working my way to number 1;
Matt Kenseth (17): Kenseth is a former Sprint Cup Champion and although he has not won the Cup since the Chase format was introduced he has not missed the Chase since its inception.
I’ll be honest, Kenseth’s performance has not been great for the past few years even though he has consistently made it into the Chase – he really misses his former Crew Chief Robby Reiser turned general manger for team owner Jack Roush. Although Reiser was present at the track last week to make sure Kenseth got into the Chase I don’t expect to see him at any other races this season – not in that capacity anyway.
Kenseth has completed 97% of the laps run this year, but he would have to drastically improve his 16.0 finishing spot to even contend for the Cup and unless something really changes between him and his team I don’t see Kenseth finishing any better than 11th in the final standings.
Kevin Harvick (29): Harvick was thrust into the spotlight 7 years ago when he was selected to be the driver to replace Dale Earnhardt who died in a crash while racing in the 2001 Daytona 500. A tough task for anyone, that’s for sure. Harvick and his car owner Richard Childress eventually fought through the turmoil of Earnhardt’s death and brought Richard Childress Racing (RCR) back to the glory that it once had – well almost anyway.
Sure Harvick can mix it up with the best of them, and he has really matured into a top notch driver, but the performance of his RCR cars seems to be just a wee bit off compared to the Hendrick, Gibbs, and Roush cars.
Harvick, like Kenseth, has finished nearly 97% of the laps he has run but he too will have to improve his average finish of 13.6 in order to contend for the Cup. Harvick’s relationship with Crew Chief Todd Berrier is certainly better than that of Kenseth’s and Bolin’s, and that just might be the catalyst for him to make a run for it in these last 10 races, but unless something significant happens to those Hendrick, Gibbs, and Roush cars I don’t see Harvick finishing any higher than 7th when everything is said and done.
Jeff Gordon (24): This 4-time Cup winner is struggling this year. I know, the man is in the Chase and has won nearly 4.2 million dollars this season, but compared to what he is used to this season has been a difficult one for him.
Gordon is still winless this season, and honestly he may still be winless when the season is over. His best chance for a win is at Talladega, but only if he finds a drafting partner that will stay with him to the bitter end. Good luck with that one.
Gordon’s Crew Chief, Steve Letarte, has been under a lot of scrutiny this season from both the fans, and at times from Gordon himself. They still don’t seem to have a good enough handle on the new Car of Tomorrow (CoT) yet.
With that being said, Gordon can still drive a car and the man knows how to win races and Championships and I would never count him out of it - never ever - but unless they get a hold of the CoT fast and improve his average finish from 15.1, don’t expect him to finish any higher then 8th when the dust settles on the Championship.
Greg Biffle (16): “The Biff” is another Jack Roush driver in the Chase this year and he can drive a car too. I like the way Biffle handles a race car, he reminds me of a younger Cale Yarborough (not the UFC guy – that is spelt differently).
Biffle has had a strong car this year and if it weren’t for some bad luck in the parts department he could have very easily won a few races and have been higher in the points.
Look for Biffle to run strong at the Intermediate tracks and if he doesn’t have anymore part failures he could finish as high as 3rd or 4th in the points, but realistically I see him finishing about 6th in the standings at the end of it.
Tony Stewart (20): Stewart is the only driver to win a Championship under the old point system and under the new Chase format. Stewart is a fiery competitor and he knows how to win – the man wins in everything he does, he knows nothing else.
With that being said, he still has not won this year and the pressure is mounting. After the race last weekend in Richmond Tony blew up over the radio to his crew because he finished second.
To add to the pressure and drama, Tony is leaving Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) at the end of the season to start his own team and I know there is nothing that Tony wants more than to win the Championship one more time for JGR.
If it weren’t for some bad luck earlier this season Tony could very well have had 2 or 3 wins already this season and if the team and driver settle down over the next 10 races Tony just might give them all a run for their money.
I think Tony will do well in the Chase, but the tension and pressure on his team to win that last Championship will eventually become the Achilles heal for the Home Depot team and Tony will end up finishing his last season at JGR in 4th - the same position he finished in in his first year at JGR.
Jeff Burton (31): Burton is another Richard Childress Racing (RCR) driver and is a super nice guy. He is known to keep a low profile on the track and save his equipment until the end when it is needed the most and if anything that might be a saving grace when he is up against other, more aggressive, Chase contenders like Kyle Busch (18). Burton just might sit back and be ready for the kill when the other Chase contenders wreck each other by driving too hard.
Unfortunately, Burton’s car suffers from the same lack of performance as his teammate Kevin Harvick’s does and that will be the deciding factor in Burton’s Chase chances.
Even if the other contenders manage to crash each other out of a race or two, Jeff might not be able to make a huge point gain by winning the race because of a lack of performance to get his car to the front and keep it there. This is why I see Burton finishing in 9th at the end of it. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see the man win the Championship – he deserves to – but in this case nice guys really do finish last (or in 9th).
Stay tuned for the other guys tomorrow!
Photo Credit: REUTERS /Robert LeSieur (UNITED STATES)
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
Look at this picture. I mean just look at it.
NASCAR has been talking about making the Nationwide Series its own distinct series and could this new Dodge nose be hinting at what direction NASCAR intends to go?
I don’t know, but it looks like the Nationwide Series could be headed in a pony car direction.
The new Trans Am series of sorts.
That would be cool seeing Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers out on the track again.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
Photo Credit: Jaolopnik.com
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
Carl Edwards edged out Clint Bowyer for a win in Sunday night’s Nationwide Series Emerson Radio 250 at Richmond International Raceway, a race that was delayed 48 hours due to a visit from tropical storm Hanna.
Despite Bowyer’s dominance in leading 195 of the 250 laps, Edwards said he was never discouraged.
Carl Edwards: I would never think that — you can never give up. I learned that racing at the local dirt track. I mean, I’ll never forget the first race like that where I almost gave up and I was like “no I’ll just go ahead and run this last corner as hard as I can,” and the guy messed up and I beat him by a nose and it was like, “wow, I’m glad I didn’t give up on that,” you know? So, from there, you know I never give up, but looking at that lead he built, and seeing you know how good he was, I definitely knew that we’d have to beat him to win the race.
Scott Wimmer was also able to slip by Bowyer towards the end of the race and came home second.
Scott Wimmer: I figure those guys had 14 more restarts than I did today, but those guys had the opportunity to know what the track was gonna do all night long, it definitely got tighter for us and I’m sure it did for a lot of other guys, and you know they maybe had a little advantage running laps and knowing what the track was gonna do, so. It feels good though.
Clint Bowyer led the most laps but failed to follow through with a win for the second time in the last three races, instead settling for third.
Clint Bowyer: We just got to got to go out and you know keep doing what we’re doing, we’ve got to be consistent, and of course we wanna win races, I mean that’s the second one in what, a couple of weeks here. I mean it sucks, but it is what it is.
To hear an audio version of this interview and more about the race at the Richmond International Raceway in Virginia, visit http://www.nationwide.com/about-us/edwards-wins-richmond-page.jsp
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
This weekend’s ‘Chevy Rock & Roll 400’ at Richmond International Raceway is NASCAR’s last race before ‘The Chase’. It’s the do or die race for a few drivers like Clint Bowyer (07), Kasey Kahne (9), and David Ragan (6).
If you are going to watch only one NASCAR Sprint Cup race this month then this should be the one. It promises to have lots of story lines for those who still have to fight to keep their spot in the top 12 in points as well as for those who still stand a chance of getting into ‘The Chase’ by taking one of those 12 spots away.
In the past we have seen drivers wheel their cars into ‘The Chase’ on the last few laps at this race, while others have faltered and fallen out of Chase contention.
The most recent example was in 2007 where Tony Stewart (20) was 8th in points going into this race, but once the dust settled he found himself outside of ‘The Chase’ - just 16 points out of the last position. The person in the last Chase spot was Kasey Kahne (9) who had to race his way in as he was not eligible for ‘The Chase’ until that final race at Richmond where he finished 3rd.
Stewart might find himself in the same position again this year if he isn’t careful, and as it sits right now, it could be Kahne that does evict Stewart out of Chase contention again.
I like Richmond, it looks like a super speedway with its D-shaped oval appearance, but it is only a .75 mile track with a meager 14 degrees of banking in the corners and is technically classed as a short track.
If a team can’t give their driver a car that turns well, especially in turns 1 & 2, he will fall behind fast as he will be forced to use his brakes more which won’t allow him to set the car up right to enter the corners properly to keep that much needed momentum onto the next straight-away.
The drivers to keep an eye on at this race are those that are sixth to fifteenth in the points as they will be beating and banging their way into ‘The Chase’ if they have to, in a no holds barred scramble to finish ahead of the ‘other guy’ in “The Chevy Rock & Roll 400” baby!
I think I’ll go listen to some ‘Highway To Hell’ by AC/DC now, or perhaps maybe Metallica’s ‘Fuel’, to get myself pumped up for the race.
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Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
Due to inclement weather from Tropical Storm Hanna, tomorrow’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway has been postponed until 1 p.m. Sunday. The Nationwide event will now be run at 7 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit NASCAR.COM
All I’ve got to say is; “Why the heck didn’t they do this last year in Aug at MIS?”
Maybe this announcement is a direct result of the fiasco at MIS last year.
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