I’ve been seriously slacking here. I’ll try to post more often…. life has been crazy and I have too many logs on the fire.
Kyle Busch is on a role. I enjoyed the race nonetheless and even though the Shrub is one hell of a racer his dominance is getting to be a bit like deja’ Vu….. JJ last season.
I sat and watched The Biff having a great night wondering when some piece of Murphy’s law would come into play. I even mumbled out loud that this is too good to be true. Perhaps his statement during his DNF interview has merit. He seemed to be conveying a message that his RoushSox equipment is crap. When is his contract up? I’ll have to look into that or if someone knows please tell me. I can see Greg doing very well in a Chevy.
Dale Jr. is really having a great season. His Hendrick car is almost always good and he is driving incredibly well. A victory for him is very high on my wish list. It was nice to see his mother there with him…she looks good. I think that may have been the first time I’ve seen her. He needs a win, but his stoic attitude is awesome. No whining, no bitching, just disappointment with determination.
Looking forward to the All Star race on Saturday night. It’s alway fun to watch.
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To me this is how the whole thing played out at Richmond last night.
Busch is a brash win at all costs 23 year old who got in over his head when he went into the corner under Dale Jr. More take than give.
Dale Jr is a sensible racer who hasn’t won a point race in exactly 2 years and was trying very hard to hold onto the lead because he knew that if Busch got in front of him Busch would take the high line away from him a make him try to pass in the low groove where he couldn’t run. Mare take than give here too.
It’s just one of them there racin’ incidents. No more, no less.
I just hope Kyle had some sort of military security team with him when he left the track last night because those Earnhardt fans, the more militant ones anyway, won’t see it this way.
You know who I really feel sorry for though? Denny Hamlin. He is the one who really should have won the race.
The Joe Gibbs #20 NASCAR Nationwide Series car has been in victory lane three times so far this year, 3 times in a row as a matter of fact, and it gets better, they have done it with 3 different drivers (Kyle Busch in Mexico, Tony Stewart at Talladega, and now Denny Hamlin at his home track of Richmond).
You know, that is a pretty amazing feat, especially in this day and age.
Congratulations to the Joe Gibbs organization for the awesome job they have done with that Nationwide team. Three wins in a row with three different drivers is not easy to do, not even in the early years when the those Hudson Hornets dominated the NASCAR circuit. This is such a difficult feat that no one has ever done it before, period.
Some bits and pieces I picked up today:
1) I think Kyle had every right to be upset with Steven Wallace, but I don’t think he should have pulled in front of him and slowed down while still on the cool down lap. What he did also collected an innocent third car (don’t know who, only saw the replay once). Not fair to that driver.
2) Steven Wallace should not have reached out and grabbed Busch’s helmet. He should have got out of the car and ’spoke’ to him like a man.
3) Steven Wallace had a good interview until he quoted Dale Earnhardt when he responded “I just wanted to rattle his cage a bit” to the question asking him why he grabbed Busch’s helmet. Give me a break!
4) Denny Hamlin got some good practice in for the burn out competition at the All-Star event later in the month.
5) O.K. I hate the reference to the Cup drivers poaching in the Nationwide Series as “Claim Jumpers”. I know it is meant to be in reference to insurance claims because Nationwide is the sponsor, but all I can think of when I hear “Claim Jumpers” is the old comic book based 1950’s TV show ‘Sergeant Preston of the Yukon’ (see picture). Please, oh please, can someone come up with something better like “Occasional Drivers” or “Broker Breakers” or “Benefit Bandits” or “Cancelled Policy Holders” or “Policy Thieves” or something!
Slumber overtook my desire to see the finish to the Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond. I even snoozed during the afternoon yesterday with hopes of seeing the Nationwide race in it’s entirety, but when one rises long before the birds do on a daily basis, by 9:00 pm the Sandman is dumping bags of the stuff on my eyes.
I am happy for Denny Hamlin, JGR and the Virginian folks who wanted to see their hometown hero in Victory Lane. A feel good finish that I missed… I am staying awake tonight if I need to super glue my eyes open.
Kudos to Steve Wallace for finally finishing a race.
Back at the Cottage… Every so often I include this segment in a post. It gives my readers a look into my life and allows them to get to know the person. George of “Vroom” used to do this too….. Where Oh Where are you George!!… I’ll have to Email him… anyway, life here at home has been anything but peachy for the past six months. My posting here has been lax and this is in part due to my photography and what life has handed us here.
New York State, like all states, has Workmen’s Comp. regulations, but when someone actually gets hurt on the job a battle ensues. The Comp. insurance companies will not pay without a long drawn out battle in court. My wife Patty was hurt on the job before Christmas and has been out of work since. With a Law Office fighting for her, things are moving in a positive direction, but we are not wealthy people by any means. Just average Joe’s with several mouths to feed. My small contracting business has barely kept us afloat, but I have done all I can and worked my arse off with literally bleeding fingers to prove it. This unfortunate situation has placed hardship and serious stress on our lives, but we are standing our ground. I have fallen behind in household bills. I’ve had to ask the Power Company [heat and lights] to defer a $1,600.00 overdue account, which they graciously did, we’ve had to have help from family and friends at times just to put food on the table, we had to borrow money to keep insurance on our vehicles and the list goes on and the matter continues and will continue for several more months.
That’s all difficult stuff for anyone and our Country is full of stories like this. Many people are losing their homes with record foreclosures. A tank of gas and a weekly grocery bill is taking many folks entire pay check. The state of our economy is the worst it’s been in years and it looks as if it’s only going to get even worse.
Here’s where it gets worse for us… I have two dependent kids from a previous marriage. My ex-wife and her husband are not hurting one iota. She is a tenured school teacher with a rather large salary and he is retired from the Navy with a now cushy State job. They just returned from a Cruise to Mexico and the Cayman’s. They own several rental properties and their home is worth several hundred thousand. They not only have 5 vehicles, they also have a 30 foot camper. Life is good for them and I’m happy my kids have it good there.
Due to our rotten circumstances I have fallen behind in Child Support. This heartless woman is taking me to collection court in Warren County with her bitch of an Attorney seeking full payment of the arrears, which exceeds $4,000. I am facing six months in the County Lock Up for contempt of court. My dear wife has offered her full payment when she receives her Comp. settlement, but that is not good enough. She won’t communicate with us and has directed all correspondence to her Lawyer. Patty feels responsible for this, but I have ensured her it’s not her fault for getting hurt at work.
If indeed I do go to jail we will lose everything…our home…our vehicles and our lives will be a total wreck. I have done my very best to keep us going one day at a time. I have fought off the insurgence of stress, fear, anxiety and desperation. We have maintained our sanity clinging to a cliff, yet one persons heartlessness and greed is smashing what little pieces we have left to smithereens. This without thought to how it’ll effect the kids, the devastation it’ll cause here and all the other lives, Patty and my two step kids.
NASCAR Star Kyle Busch Celebrates His BirthdayWith M&M’S® Candies
and Finds His “Inner M”
Busch Shows Fans How to Find Their Fun Side This Race Season
HACKETTSTOWN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Mars Snackfood US announced today it is presenting NASCAR’s hottest young driver, Kyle Busch, with a unique gift to help him celebrate his 23rd birthday – his own “Inner M” print advertisement. Busch is the latest celebrity to join the brand’s “Inner M” ad campaign which illustrates how those who’ve found the M&M’S® chocolate candy inside themselves embrace the fun side of life. The brand also presented Busch with a giant 3-D birthday cake of his “Inner M” today at Richmond International Raceway.
“We are excited to unveil Busch’s new ‘Inner M’ ad and celebrate his birthday,” said Michele Kessler, vice president, marketing, Mars Snackfood US. “Kyle has an adventurous, unwavering spirit and his ‘Inner M’ reflects those characteristics.”
Busch’s first ad appeared in today’s edition of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and additional ads will appear in People Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, Soap Opera Weekly, and TV Guide.
“My ‘Inner M’ is the fun-loving, chill side of me, and the side of me that likes to relax with friends,” said Busch.
M&M’S® Racing is Always in the Groove
Kyle Busch started off the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a new team (Joe Gibbs Racing) and sponsor (M&M’S® Brand, the official chocolate of NASCAR) driving the No. 18 M&M’S® Toyota Camry. Since the first green flag waved, Busch has made his presence known in the Sprint Cup Series – winning the Kobalt Tools 500 in Atlanta, Ga. on March 9, the Aaron’s 499 in Talladega, Ala. this past Sunday and securing five top five finishes. Considering the season is still young, it should be a sweet year for Busch and M&M’S® Racing.
Create Your Own “Inner M”
Consumers can create their own “Inner M” likeness at http://www.mms.com/. At the heart of the site is the Character Creator which leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver an exciting user experience that will capture the imagination of M&M’S® fans everywhere. The Character Creator provides access to a wide variety of M&M’S® candy shapes, colors, hair, facial features and accessories creating millions of possible combinations to create “Inner M” likenesses. Fans can choose from about 27 million combinations of features that best show their inner fun – everything from body shape and color to facial features and eyewear.
To find more details on M&M’S® chocolate candies plus other fun NASCAR tips and tools, visit http://www.mms.com/.
About M&M’S®, America’s Favorite Candy:
M&M’S®, America’s favorite candy, has been producing colorful chocolate fun for Americans since 1941. There are 10 permanent varieties of M&M’S® Candies, and then Seasonal Candies made for special occasions including Easter, Holiday, Halloween and Valentine’s Day. Customers seem to be most passionate about the color found in each bag of M&M’S® Candies. Existing product lines includes: M&M’S® Milk Chocolate Candies, M&M’S® Peanut Chocolate Candies, M&M’S® Almond Chocolate Candies, M&M’S® Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies, M&M’® Chocolate Mini Baking Bits, MY M&M’S® Milk Chocolate Candies and M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies.
About Mars Snackfood US:
Mars Snackfood US is the United States snack operations of Mars North America. With more than $7 billion in annual sales in the United States, Mars North America includes food, snack and pet care segments, which are a symbol of excellence for quality brands. Headquartered in Mount Olive, N.J., Mars North America employs more than 12,000 associates in the United States, with 54 facilities nationwide. Mars Snackfood US, headquartered in Hackettstown, N.J., includes some of the world’s favorite brands such as DOVE® Brand Chocolate, M&M’S® Brand, MILKY WAY® Brand, SKITTLES® Brand, SNICKERS® Brand, STARBURST® Brand, 3 MUSKETEERS® Brand, TWIX® Brand and more. Additional popular brands in the petcare and food segments for Mars North America include UNCLE BEN’S® Brand, PEDIGREE® Brand Food for Dogs, and WHISKAS® Brand Food for Cats. Please visit http://www.mars.com/.
I was crawling the Internet looking for some NASCAR related media when I stumbled upon this article written by Ben White (Senior Editor NASCAR Illustrated) entitled “One Great Man, One Simple Question”.
What Ben did was ask many people in the NASCAR Garage area ranging from drivers to owners and from former crew members to Dale Jr himself, one simple question, “What would Dale Earnhardt’s life be like if he were here today?”
Everyone seemed to echo the same responses; he would be hunting more, he would be heavily involved with DEI, Dale Jr would still be at DEI, when Dale spoke NASCAR listened, etc., but two comments really stuck out for me. One was Elliott Sadler’s (driver, #19 Dodge):
“Dale was really good at talking to the young drivers just getting into the Cup series. He was always giving the rookies hints and advice. I think the kids coming into the sport would have a better attitude about things. They wouldn’t be so hotheaded and ‘punkish.’
“Dale Earnhardt really knew how to put you in your place and set you straight. He reminded you how hard to race each other, how to take care of each other and to make sure you took care of the fans and sponsors. He was a great role model.”
I have to say I agree with Elliott, do you think Carl Edwards would have done some of the stupid things he has if Dale Sr were alive? I’d like to see Carl’s face after Dale Sr got a hold of him after Carl went all “Days of Thunder” on Jr at Michigan.
The other statement I found interesting was Kenny Wallace’s (part time driver and Speed TV analyst):
“If not for the death of Dale Earnhardt, the soft walls wouldn’t be as prominent and the HANS device wouldn’t be as popular — you might even be called a wimp if you had one. All of the state-of-the-art safety equipment might not be inside these race cars today. His death was not in vain.
He was very influential with Mr. France and Mike Helton because they truly listened to what Dale had to say. Dale filled up the grandstands, just like his boy does today. I truly feel the sport would be headed in an entirely different direction. That’s how strong Dale Earnhardt was. If he were alive, we may not even have the car of tomorrow.”
Wow. You know, there might be some truth in that statement.
Certainly Dale was old school, but I do honestly think that he would have seen the light as far as safety is concerned - he was always concerned with Dale Jr’s safety - and Dale was not a stupid man, he and Richard Childress made improvements in their race cars after Dale’s huge crash at Talladega that NASCAR later mandated for all other teams. But I do think more people would have been injured (or even died) needlessly before NASCAR would have acted like they did when Dale died.
The speedy advances in safety and the like would probably have taken longer to be introduced for sure. I think things like the HANs device would have made their way into NASCAR, but they would have be more optional at first rather than a requirement. Would Dale have worn a HANs? Probably not, but I think he would have worn an early version of the Hutchens Device which was less restrictive than the HANs at the time and was being tested by RCR through Bobby Hutchens, the General Manager for RCR.
Would we have the CoT? Don’t know. Maybe, to some degree anyway, but it would probably look different than it is now.
As Jeff Gordon stated in the article, Dale tried to look at every issue from all points (driver, NASCAR, sponsors, etc.) and then make his decision and certainly that side of him would have eventually seen the need for safety improvements, just how long would that have taken? Don’t know.
So maybe Kenny is right when he said that the sport of NASCAR would be headed in a totally different direction. I think NASCAR would maybe not be as safe as it is now, but still better than it was when Dale died.
So what is your take on this? Here is an added bonus question, “If Dale Earnhardt were here today, would we have the Chase format?”
Almost the same age my dad was when he died, 3 years 3 months after Dale died. See the “3-Factor” there?
I got an email from someone asking me to put together something about Dale so they could post it on their new all NASCAR Blogger’s site - actually, I’m sort of included on the site too, although I haven’t really ‘officially’ posted there yet (too busy man).
That email got me thinking; thinking about Dale’s death and how easily it could have been prevented, thinking about how much NASCAR has changed since his death, thinking about how much a fan can invest emotionally in a driver, thinking about how I will never invest that much ever again into another driver, thinking about how, for lack of a better word, ‘happy’ it made me to watch him race - win or lose, and so on …
Well here it is, my ultimate tribute to the ‘Man in Black’;
“Miss you Dale, wish you were here.”
Kind of a let down for some of you, I know. But if you get it, truly get it, then you know.
For those of you who are interested, below is a link list of my favourite Dale Earnhardt posts from this site.
- “Who is Your Favourite Driver?” - Why Dale is mine.
- “Great Finishes” - 1991 Daytona 500, Ugh!
- “Dale Earnhardt’s Top 10 Races” - O.K., I went past 10 and still missed one great race.
- “The Moment” - when I became a hard core Dale Earnhardt fan, complete with video.
- “Trash Talking and Responsibility” - one of my most favourite stories about Dale and how he tried to psych-out a very young (and in second place) Mark Martin before the final race in the 1990 season
- Gordon vs Earnhardt: The Debate Continues - Dale wins!
I know there are a few more, but these are the ones that stand out in my head.
NASCAR did the right thing in flying the yellow flag when they did. Wow, I’m agreeing with what NASCAR did, pinch me to see if I’m sleeping.
NASCAR may have set a precedent back at the 2007 Daytona 500 when they didn’t let the yellow flag fly when the competitors started wrecking coming out of turn 4, headed into the tri-oval area, but it does not apply to this situation.
Why?
O.K. at Daytona they started wrecking coming out of Turn 4 onto the front stretch and NASCAR allowed them to continue the rest of the distance knowing full well that once the cars cross the finish line they will slow down long before they get to the mess and carnage in Turn 4, thus providing a safe environment for both the crashed drivers and the rescue workers.
Where as Sunday’s race the mess happened coming out of Turn 2 onto the back stretch and that, combined with the fact that the start/finish line is just before Turn 1 at the the end of the front stretch, you end up with a very unsafe environment for those who crashed, the drivers who didn’t crash who are still moving at a high rate of speed because they raced hard until the end, and of course the rescue workers who would either still on route to the scene of the crash or already there.
A precedent may have been set at Daytona in 2007, but NASCAR didn’t follow it and rightly so. Now quit your moaning, because if you look at the facts you’ll agree with me that NASCAR got it right.
Kevin Lepage moving above the blend line too early while exiting pit road with almost the whole field of cars doing about 190 mph coming straight at him with nowhere to go. I’m not a Carl Edwards fan, but man am I glad to see him walk away from that one.
Please see the YouTube.com link provided. Included in it is Kevin’s interview after the ‘Carnival of Carnage’ caused by him and his spotter.
O.K. Kevin here goes;
1) You are wrong, the blend line is way past turn one.
2) Of course your spotter is good, she is your wife. Did you forget to mention that on TV?
3) The first half dozen cars did not clear you, the first two did.
4) You have been racing for quite a while, and how far ahead can you actually see when your nose is stuffed right up the backside of another car? Even if your car was flouresent pink no one two cars back could have seen you.
5) It is the other team’s spotters that are to blame? I guess they all forgot to look into their crystal balls before the race so they would know that you were going to come up over the blend line too soon. You came up over the blend line just as the pack got to you, what are the other spotters to do? They had no time to react to you and your mistake!
Kevin, suck it up and admit you are wrong. Take responsibility for your, and your wife’s, actions.
I’ll be back tomorrow for the rest of my Talladega observations, including my replacement driver prediction for Dario.
Update: Lepage apologizes after all:
“After reviewing the tapes of the accident I realize I need to apologize to NASCAR, the car owners, my fellow competitors and, most importantly, the fans,” he said in a statement released by his team, Specialty Racing. “I made a huge driver error by blending onto the racetrack in the wrong area. This caused a multi-car accident and changed the outcome of the race for many teams. (I think it was his team that made him apologize, but you never know)
“I’m so thankful that no one was hurt considering the number of cars involved.”
Lepage vowed not to make the same mistake again, and said not accepting blame initially made him look like a “heel.” (Heel? Really? I was thinking Jackass)
“There is not a single person to blame for this huge mistake except myself,” he said. “I have worked very hard over the years to gain the respect of NASCAR, the owners, competitors and the fans, and it will take a long time to gain it back after what happened.” (I could be exceptionally cruel here, but I won’t, it would be uncalled for)
Lepage said if he could do it over, he would have let the leaders by before blending on to the track. (hindsight is 20/20 baby) - nascar.com
In the absence of any solid drug testing by NASCAR, and given the recent Aaron Fike admission, Kevin Harvick took it upon himself to at least do something that was within his limits to police drug use in NASCAR.
Like NASCAR, Harvick’s own race team, Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) really had no testing policy of its own, until now. KHI’s Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series drivers and crew chiefs have been tested, and an independent testing company has been hired to test the rest of the company.
“I’m proud that we went home (after Phoenix) and made ours right,” Harvick said. “We’re considered a drug-free environment at KHI. … Hopefully everyone will follow suit, and I think it would be good for our garage.”
Kevin also went on to say that he wished that every team in NASCAR would do the same and that NASCAR could introduce required drug testing for every yearly garage pass (hard card) it hands out.
“Have an outside source come in and randomly drug test the teams as they submit their approvals for a hard card. You send your drug test [paperwork] with it, and that would make it a lot easier on NASCAR.”
In other words, “You want in the garage area? Then pee in a cup please. Thank you.”
But Harvick didn’t stop there, he also suggested one other thing. Something that I’ve always thought should be done, but has never been done.
“If you wreck or something and you have to go through the infield care center, it should be just standard procedure to take a drug test even if you’ve been through there 10 times in 10 weeks,” Harvick said. “I think that would fix a lot of the questions that we have and be a pretty simple solution.”
Smoke finally gets a Dega win albeit in The Nationwide Series.
What in the hell was Kevin LaPage thinking!!?? When I watched and listened to him give his live statement to millions watching the Tele my thoughts were almost sympathetic. He is either very stupid or just plain deaf, dumb and blind. I’m sorry, but I need to blast this idiot. Mistake… I suppose it was and they are all entitled, but to then justify it and blame the pack barreling at him at 180 mph was just downright ridiculous. I only live about 2 hours southwest of his hometown and he reminds me of the stubborn hard nosed attitudes of so many people that live in these parts. I am a midwesterner having lived in the Northeast for 30 years and like the wonderful Southern hospitality, the Midwest is also friendly and on the humble side of life. The Northeast, for the most part, is anything but! The demographics here are far different than anywhere in the Country and LaPage is no different. I suppose that is where my sympathy comes in, because as long as I have lived here it is part of me that will never get accustomed to or understand. That mistake could have easily taken the life of another driver. I hope LaPage rescinds and feels some responsibility today.
I was watching the Philadelphia Flyers - Washington Capitals play-off game the other night and something hit me, something I should have seen long ago but didn’t - Kyle Busch is NASCAR’s version of the NHL’s Alexander Ovechkin.
That’s right, he is.
Putting aside the obvious fact that they are not in the same sport, or even from the same country, they are both brash young stars in their perspective sports.
It has been said that Kyle Busch is the only driver who can drive 3-wide all by himself, well have you ever seen Ovechkin skate? That guy skates 3-wide all by himself.
Have you ever seen the goal he scored while sliding on his back head first toward the boards with his face turned away from the net? Ovechkin may never be the next Wayne Gretzky, but Gretzky never scored a goal like that. In fact, Ovechkin scored that goal in front of Greztky as he was playing against the team Gretzky is coach for.
Ovechkin pushes himself to the limit every time he is on the ice, skating with youthful fearlessness, hungry for the next goal and the victory. Every time Ovechkin puts on his visored helmet he goes full throttle flat out until the final siren. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Just change ice to track, and goal to green flag and you’ve got Kyle Busch.
They even are the same age; Busch was born on May 2, 1985, while Ovechkin was born on September 17th, 1985.
They both started their careers at a young age. They are both outspoken at times. They both have been held back at times, not because of their lack of skill but due to their young age (Busch has sat out races because they have been sponsored by companies that are not allowed to sell to anyone under 18 yrs of age and he was younger than 18 at the time). And most importantly, I hated them both just a few short years ago (even last year).
I disliked Ovechkin when he was on the Russian Junior Hockey Team. I disliked Kyle when he drove for Hendrick Motorsports. Now, as they both have matured, I am much more tolerant of them both.
I may never be a true Kyle Busch fan, or a true Ovechkin fan, but I certainly enjoy watching them do what they do. I also respect and appreciate them for the athletes that they are - you never know what they will do next, how they will pull that next win out of a hat.
I’ll announce the winner to the Daytona 500: 50th Anniversary DVD Contest tomorrow!
O.K., so most of you know about Dale Jr’s new business, he’s a bar owner now. He has moved up considerably from his days with “Club E” in his basement.
“Whisky River” is the bar’s name. Dale came about the name through the Willie Nelson song of the same name. Here is Whisky River’s official web presence.
Why am I writing about this? Why not, is my reply.
Alright, the reason why I’m writing this is not to promote the bar, I think being linked to Dale Jr is promotion enough, it is because there is an interesting interview with Dale Jr about the bar and racing at nascar.com.
The best part about the interview, for me anyway, had nothing to do with the bar really. It had more to do with about Jr’s keen sense of himself and how much this man has really matured over the last few years.
Case in point;
Q: Some people are still going to say, ‘Oh he’s too involved in his bar now.’ How do you address that?
Earnhardt: I don’t have to. I think people underestimate my drive and determination. They always have. It’s followed me around just like the pressure has, just like the name has. It’s always there. It’s OK. I’ve got to do things that might work out for me in my life. I might not always be driving that car. I would like to think that I could just race that car and at 50 I could quit and be all right, but I don’t trust that. I don’t know what the dollar is going to be worth when I’m 50.
I don’t think he has shown more maturity in a simple statement before than he did with this one, especially the “just like the name has” part. I mean everyone knows it, but for him to come out and actually say it, that is powerful.
To be honest with you, I did question Jr’s drive and determination at one point, but I certainly haven’t since he decided to move from DEI to Hendrick Motorsports. In fact, I have become more of a fan of his since he made that difficult decision to leave DEI.
I don’t question his drive or determination anymore.
After capturing the checkered flag south of the border, Kyle Busch had this to say:
Kyle Busch : “It was a good run for us. We had a great race out there. You know, some pit strategy played into it somewhat there towards the middle and towards the end of the race in what was going to happen. We weren’t exactly sure which way to go, but we stuck to our plan. What we had originally anticipated on which was to pit at lap 12, pit at lap 44 to 46 and try to go the rest of the way from there. We had a caution there at the end, and when we had a green checkered flag, Marcus was pretty good at coming up there. Fortunately, I built up a bit of a lead there, where I could hold him off. And I got by Pruitt there with a little mistake he made getting into turn four and smoking the tire. From there on out it was a sort of smooth sailing. (I was) just trying to bide my time, hit my marks, and make sure that I didn’t screw up any in order to come home with a victory.”
Q. This is your first win on a road course. Can you talk about that – racing in this format?
A. Obviously, being able to win my first race on a road course is pretty special anytime. It’s fun to be able to win to be able to win on a road course, because there’s only certain guys that tend to be able to do it. We should have had some better finishes at Watkins Glen in the Cup car a couple of times. I had a shot to win there a couple of years ago. Finally, to be able to get a win on a road course means a lot. It shows I’m capable of winning anywhere, I guess, so that’s pretty cool.
Q. You’ve won three of these races in a row. Have you done anything different in these last three races compared to the first six of the season?
A. “A little bit. I think there’s been more patience in these three races…which is sort of proving dividends, I guess Fortunately in these three races we’ve been pretty much mistake free. The guys on pit row have been awesome. They’ve been flawless each week and here again today, they were pretty good at getting us out and getting us a gap built up on the pit stops, even though cautions were thrown. All in all, it’s just down to smart racing and being able to be smooth and having a good car. Everybody thinks we’re cheating or doing something, but when it comes down to it, this Joe Gibbs Racing Team is just pretty up on top of their game, and myself, I’ve been on top of the wheel. With those two combinations put together, it’s hard to beat.”
Sorry I’ve been absent lately, we’ve had a very busy weekend here. More birthday parties than you can shake a stick at.
Danica Patrick:
Well Danica finally won her first race. Now that the monkey is finally off her back maybe she can win a few more. Also, now that she is a proven winner in Indy cars that makes her more marketable to NASCAR. I wouldn’t be surprised to see her in a stock car sometime in the future. I wonder if Richard Childress has that seat filled in the 33 car yet?
She is not without her critics though, check out what Bob Margolis had to say.
Three things I’d like to point out to Bob are; 1) most Indy 500 races have fewer than 10 people on the lead lap too (unless it has been shorten due to rain), does that make winning the Indy 500 any less significant?, 2) does Carl Edwards posing half naked on the Cover of ESPN Magazine make him any less of a driver too? and 3) perhaps having Danica pose half naked in magazines like Sports Illustrated and FHM (I used to own a yellow ‘57 Chevy BTW) and for her sponsors (I must admit, I laughed at the Go Daddy ‘beaver’ commercial) isn’t bad for the struggling open wheel leagues out there, maybe the IRL even encouraged her to do those ads to generate waining fan interest in the IRL - think about it, it wouldn’t be beneath the IRL’s PR company owned by womanizer Gene Simmons to be involved in something like that.
Mexico:
Unlike last year I got to see the race in Mexico during daylight hours. Awesome! Too bad the race wasn’t as awesome! Oh well, at least I enjoyed the Rolex race on Saturday - that was good racing.
There were too many cautions for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, if there are cautions that means there is some hard driving going on, and there was, but it also means there is some stupid driving going on too, and there was some of that as well. Some might be an understatement.
I know it’s a road course, but even still there are mistakes and then there are ‘mistakes’.
Kyle Busch won again. What do you think about that?
Some people are already predicting him to be the first ever NASCAR double series Champion within the same season. Hmm … Kyle Busch Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series Champion all in the same racing season? It’s never happened before you know.
OK, stop it already people! It is way too early in the season to be predicting that. Let’s talk about this in August if he is still in this position, until then quit talking about it like it is going to happen. Geesh! Speculate? OK. Predict? No, (not yet anyway).
Sorry, no picture tonight - I’m too beat to look for one.
Take Care, and don’t forget to enter my “Daytona 500: 50th Anniversary” contest today - you only have until midnight this Monday to get your entry in, so hurry on up and get it in!
Finally an “On Track” victory for Danica Patrick. It was fuel strategy that earned her the win. A good call by her team manager, Kyle Moyer. A first for her and a first for Indycar.
I have nothing but good thoughts over this. I am not even one bit against women in racing and in fact find it to be pretty wonderful. If the scantly clad photo layouts she’s done haven’t brought her world wide fame… this Indycar victory certainly will.
Well, here is the contest. Read the rules carefully and make sure you follow them correctly. Since this DVD celebrates the 50th annual Daytona 500, and I’m bit of a Dale Earnhardt fan (hence the 4ever3 handle), you will find the skill testing question is in celebration of both the event and the driver (sort of) - the 50th correct answer to the following question will be the winner; “Who won the 3rd ever Daytona 500?”
1) Starting at 12:00 pm (noon) EST on Wednesday April 16, 2008 the “Daytona 500: 50th Anniversary Contest” will officially begin and will run until 12:00 am (midnight) EST Monday April 20, 2008. Winners will be notified by email on April 21st. Chances of winning is depended on the number of entrants.
2) Please answer this ’skill testing’ question: “Who won the 3rd ever Daytona 500? (First and Last name)” and email me at daytona500dvdcontest@hotmail.com with the answer. Any email sent prior to the starting time will be deleted, the same holds true for any email sent after the deadline.
Please Note: you must place your answer in the subject box of your email, if you do not then your answer will be void. Also, you may have more than one entry, but you are only allowed to win once, after you have won then any emails after that will be void.
3) Please include your full name and mailing address in the text portion of your email so that Kodak can contact you in the event that you have won. Any personal info you give me will be kept in the strictest of confidence.
4) The Winner will be determined as follows: 50th correct answer. If there are not at least 50 correct answers when the contest closes on Monday April 21, 2008 then the prize will be awarded to the last correct answer.
5) NO LIABILITY: By participating, entrants agree to release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless the Promotion Sponsor and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents from and against any claims made by winners, entrants, or other third parties, related in any way to the operation of this Promotion as well as any other claims, damages, or liability due to any injuries, damages or losses to any person (including death) or property of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse or use of any prize or participation in any Promotion-related activity or participation in this Promotion.
6) CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE PROMOTION MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEY FEES) FROM ANY SUCH ENTRANT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
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I think about Kyle Busch. My thoughts are mixed because last season and previous seasons I rarely gave the kid any notice. One cannot help but notice him this season. He has stepped out of the Hendrick shadows and into the Gibbs Limelight. I see a different man… no longer a boy… he is showing integrity and his pompousness is not so apparent anymore. He expresses gratitude and seems genuinely humble in some subtle way. His recklessness on track has leveled off, but not so much to take away from his driving style. It could be that I’m beginning to like him…or at least showing him the respect he deserves. A prodigy.
Mark Martin topping the speed chart in final practice….. hmmmm! DEI has given him a winning car. To see him in Victory Lane in the #8 would be outstanding!
“Smoke Racing Incorporated”
“Tony Stewart Racing”
“Smoke Motorsports”
Talk of Tony owning a Cup team in the future… now there’s a man who would knock down doors in the France office.
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First…. My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Brienne Davis.
Things in the NASCAR world just seem to be plugging along without anything silly or controversial. Last year at this time things were off the hook with the inception of the CoT, Michael Waltrip, Toyota and more. The biggest story so far this year is McDowell’s introduction to the world. Silly season is apt to bring some interesting stuff.
Phoenix has been the Hendrick’s track the past two races… Gordon in the Spring, Johnson in the Fall. My crystal ball is clouded on this one….but again… the Gibbs machines are the ones to watch.
Phoenix is an interesting track… it falls somewhere in between a short track and a super speedway at one mile. The cars average around 110 - 115 mph with a relatively slight banked Tri-oval design. It’s almost a cookie cutter, but shorter. Should be a good race.
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Well it is official, Ryan Newman was fined 25 points for having the one corner of his car too high after the Texas race last weekend. Penske was also fined 25 owner points, and Newman’s crew chief was put on probation until the end of the season and fined 25 grand.
Officially, Newman was found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock-car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 12.8.1C (right-rear quarter panel height did not meet the required specification; too high in post-race inspection) of the 2008 NASCAR rule book.
Now before all of you start screaming, “Why didn’t he loose 100 points like everyone else?” this fine handed down by NASCAR is consistent to the fine that Carl Edwards got last season at Dover for a similar infraction.
This now moves Newman from 8th in points to 10th.
Mayfield!
Jeremy Mayfield has been released from the CNC Haas #70 ride and has been replaced by Johnny Sauter for the race this week at Phoenix. It is still unclear as to weather Johnny will be driving the 70 car past this race or not.
The official language used in the CNC Haas press release given by team general manager Joe Custer is really interesting;
“Jeremy’s proven resume behind the wheel of a Cup car was a real benefit to our team,” Custer said. “He stepped into the seat and did everything we asked him to and more.
“Ultimately, we were unable to provide him with the right balance, handling and speed he needed to be successful. We wish Jeremy nothing but the best for his future.”
After reading the first line I was left asking, “OK, if he has done everything and more for you, then why are you releasing him?” But then I read the second line and everything was made clear to me, Jeremy asked to be released again. That is the only conclusion I could get from that quote. Essentially it is saying, “He did great for us, but Jeremy didn’t like anything about the car and has asked to be released.”
Do you sense a pattern here? Almost every single team he has driven for at the Cup level he has left for greener pastures due to poor performance. Those teams include Cale Yarborough’s operation, Penske and Evernham and now CNC Haas.
Maybe he wants to be in contention for the newly formed RCR #33 car and that is why he was ‘released’. Who knows really, all we can do is speculate at best.
I bet you can not sit there and read this and honestly say you know no one who has been effect by cancer. My father, and his father, and his father before him all died of cancer. I shudder to think I might be added to that list one day.
A friend of mine, Bill Hutchinson, has also seen the effects of cancer on both his friends and loved ones and he is doing something to raise money to help find a cure. He just launched his site today so please visit it, and help out if you can. If you can’t pitch in, then just send him your best wishes and blessings for a safe and successful race.
I’m in for $50.00.
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I just found this neat little site www.snickers.com/racing, so go and check it out - especially if you are a Kyle Busch fan. Even if you have peanut allergies you can visit this site, how about that!
Here is some of what you’ll find there;
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The Shrub finally pulls one off. Not much input from me on this because it’s obvious very early in the season that Busch will dominate this year. I remain neutral… I don’t particularly care either way. I suppose I’m done being so concerned about the dominance of one driver or another and instead place focus on the level of performance the drivers I do care about. This keeps me from getting aggravated.
Irony is a funny thing. I vividly recall my 8th grade English teacher driving home the meaning behind this word. Of course it is often coupled with coincidence, it has a varying degree of meanings and uses. In a previous post I wrote about Michael McDowell. I truly expected to see this kid climb to fame, but not so quickly and certainly not in this manner. Watching that crash…live, was scary.
So what will today bring? Another Toyota in Victory Lane? Perhaps another RCR car.
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The other day I was fortunate to be able to conduct and interview with Andrew Ranger, the inaugural NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Champion. After a brief conversation with Andrew we dove directly into the interview, so read on …
So how has your off-season been so far?
I’ve been training with an ice racing bike sponsored by KTM Canada. I didn’t run the whole season, just a couple of races, but it is fun having winter in Quebec and training on such a nice bike as KTM and do some racing, and snowmobiling too.
Do you go up to Mont Tremblant and do skiing there?
Not too much, I live about one hour south of Montreal in Granby (about 45 min north of Vermont) and go skiing in Bromont.
When you were growing up did you have any racing heroes or anyone who influenced you heavily to get into racing?
My dad was a race car driver. He raced 25 years in dirt modifieds in Granby and the Autodrome in Drummondville and from a young age I was with my dad watching him and try to help him a little bit (laughs) … clean the car. But for a long time I saw my dad driving and that’s why I like cars. I like everything with an engine.
Did you start out in dirt then?
No, my dad bought me a little go-cart in Montreal. That is why I like carting too because I was driving this little go-cart and did a lot of racing in Quebec. I did the world championship in Europe, I raced in the United States, I raced in Canada … pretty much everywhere. I won a lot of races and Championships and that is how I started.
How old were you when you started?
Eight years old.
So, you won the Championship last year and that was your first full season driving stock cars was it not?
Yes it was, it was wonderful. You know, it is great to be with a good team like Dave Jacombs, all the crew worked so hard the whole season last year. It was a first for Dave too as an owner and it was great for him to be there and he put in a lot of energy into the team and to win the Championship for him was a great experience.
You have an extensive open-wheel background, so what was the most difficult thing for you moving from open-wheel to stock cars?
For an open-wheel driver to move into a stock car you have to do many, many laps.
(Stock cars) are a much heavier car, the steering wheel is bigger, the power steering is different, not much brake either, turning left all of the time and to be 2 and 3 wide in the corner it is very tough for your first few laps let alone your first race.
It is great to drive in NASCAR and to race for 200 or 300 laps on an oval is something, you know. It is great to be in a Champ Car and race for 2 hours, but it is not the same thing in NASCAR, it is completely different.
How do you prepare for a race?
Try not to be nervous before the race and especially in the car during the race. You have to remember that anything can happen in stock cars – you can win from the last starting spot and then you get other things like the Lucky Dog involved to help you out. So I try to remain calm in the car (and let things work themselves out). For me, I try to be relaxed during the race because it is a long race but sometimes you are nervous - it is a part of racing.
What are your feelings about NASCAR being in Canada?
I am so happy with NASCAR in Canada, they work very hard and I was surprised about how much energy they put into the series and to be a race car driver in NASCAR Canada I think it is a fun race to watch. For fans, it is not very expensive and they get 200 laps of close racing with lots of passing.
Also, to have Nationwide in Montreal was great for the fans. To see the bumping and pushing each other, and a little bit of crashing … (and Carpantier finish 2nd) … is exciting for the fans.
Do you think Canada lacks the facilities to get a Sprint Cup race here?
If the Cup guys were to come to Canada, Montreal would be a fantastic place for them to race. The fans in Montreal are great and the facility is good.
What do you think about the media coverage of NASCAR Canada in Canada is like?
I think for the first season it was fantastic. For TSN to be involved was great, and the media coverage in Quebec was fantastic. They also promoted the Busch race in Montreal like crazy (in Quebec).
The NCTS is shorter than most of the other NASCAR series, does your contract allow you to race elsewhere?
Yes, I don’t have any problem with that. My sponsors, Tide and Wal-Mart, have supported that for a long time and (current car owner) Dave Jacombs does not have any problem if I go and race a dirt modified race, or something else on an off weekend.
This winter I was able to race in ARCA and practice in ARCA. I have a great deal with (the people) I work with to go and do those kinds of things.
Would you like to race in the Nationwide race in Montreal?
Defiantly, I would like to race in that race. It is my hometown. I’ve raced there in other series like Champ Car and this year in NCTS, but I would like to race there in a Nationwide car.
Have you been in contact with any Nationwide or even a Sprint Cup team about racing for them?
Yes, there has been some contact. I would like to race in Nationwide this year (but we have to wait and see).
Let’s talk open-wheel a second. You left Champ Car to go and race in the NCTS, and that in itself turned a lot of heads, but now Champ Car and the IRL have merged, what are your thoughts on that? Is it good for the sport? Is it too late?
It is good that they are now in one series, but is too late in the year for this to have happened. It is too late to find a new sponsor. You know what is bad about Champ Car, the big teams like Newman Hass, all bought the new cars and put millions of dollars into them and now they are no good for the new series. Now this is another problem, they have to put a lot of money into another new car. Now these 6 or so teams have to find money to buy new cars to race in the series this year.
What would you like to be doing in ten years, if everything went your way?
To be in Sprint Cup. I like NASCAR, they are so nice, they put a lot of money into the sport, and they have lots of races. Sponsors love NASCAR too. I think the way I want to go is to be in NASCAR (Sprint Cup).
Now for “The Chase Questions”! These are 12 one word answer questions! Here we go;
1) What book are you currently reading? I’m in between books right now, but I am reading about 7 racing magazines at the moment.
2) What is on your Ipod right now? 50 cent, and some Quebec music too. (I should have asked him if he had any of Jacques Villeneuve’s new album on his Ipod too – oh well).
3) What star, living or dead, would you like to meet? Angelina Jolie. (me too!)
4) What junk food are you addicted to? Poutine (French fries with cheese – no gravy). When I go to a dirt modified race I sit and watch it eating poutine.
5) Which energy drink do you like, Amp, or SoBe No Fear? Red Bull. (oops, forgot that one!)
6) What gaming system do you currently own? PS2.
7) What game is in your system right now? One of my many racing games. I have a hockey game too.
What is your favorite TV show? Don’t have one, but my favorite channel is SPEED.
9) Most favorite track to race at? Surfer’s Paradise in Australia.
10) If you could own any car in the world, what would it be? Any type of Ferrari.
11) Montreal Canadians or The Toronto Maple Leafs? (laughs) Canadians for sure!
12) OK, Montreal Canadians or the Quebec Nordiques? (laughs) No, no, no Montreal Canadians for sure.
I really had fun interviewing Andrew. He is an extremely nice guy and I wish him the best of luck this year, and I hope he gets to race that Nationwide race in Montreal this year. Hey George Gillette, are you reading this? Carpentier and Ranger in both of your cars this year would be cool - Andrew is a Canadians fan after all.
Look for more interviews with Andrew throughout this year’s NASCAR Canadian Tire Series racing season.
This interview is exclusive to NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog, if you are reading this somewhere else without proper acknowledgement then that site has illegally obtained this article and is violation of current copyright laws.
From left, NASCAR Canada managing director, Randy Paul, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series director Richard Coughlin, Andrew Ranger, Canadian Tire Corporation’s Vice President, Automotive Tony Kuczynski and NASCAR’s Director of Touring Series, North America Richard Buck
3) Andrew’s #27 Ford - I don’t know, help me out.
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The Toyota… interesting because they’ve never really been serious muscle car builders, but they sit on top of the charts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The TRD started in the off-road circuit with huge success, entered into the NCTS with even more success and now they are in the big leagues and there is no stopping them.
A great race yesterday at Martinsville. Amazing how the race went on with a continuous light rain. This probably due to the slower speeds.
It was pleasing to see Hamlin take the win in his home state. Several drivers had a good day including Dale Jr. He is showing consistency with the Hendrick team, but it’s the Childress guys that are leading the pack. Jeff Burton is doing very well, but his “Tude” towards Michael McDowell was out of character. It’ll be interesting how Burton does at Texas … being last years winner there.
Gordon and Johnson have finally broken into the top ten. Momentum??
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What is your favorite TV show? Don’t have one, but my favorite channel is SPEED.