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Author: Michelle Lippold

  • And The Chase Is On

    And The Chase Is On

    So the official announcement was pretty much what we already knew, the game was changing. We knew this was coming, we just were not sure of the details.

    The fans of NASCAR have been looking at empty seats in usually sold out races. Fans have complained how boring the races have been, some giving up the sport completely. We yelled at our television screens begging for something to change, thinking no one was listening, no so called “higher-ups” could see what we saw, that the sport we love was losing it’s magic.

    The fans have been begging for this, and now that it’s here so many are already hating it. Although it seems a little hard to understand and the verdict will be out for a while on all the elimination rounds, but the concept of the final four is intriguing. The winner takes all will make the end of the season exciting but with the points not counting as much, the question remains, what happens mid season?

    NASCAR heard us and is trying to make it more competitive, let’s not jump the gun on the hater bandwagon just yet. Granted this new Chase format probably will have flaws, but so did the existing Chase as well as the old points system prior to the Chase. Nothing will ever be perfect, but it can be made better.

    The biggest thing for NASCAR is to be consistent with the rules. They shouldn’t penalize a driver for speaking their mind and then not do it for others. They need to crack down on the penalties so that drivers know it’s going to hurt if you commit an infraction.

    In closing I think NASCAR is trying to change with the times and we should all give it a chance before we hate it. It’s understandable that we all hate change, but NASCAR has realized what they had was not working. This may not work as well as they think but we will not know until the end of the year after seeing how it all plays out. We are NASCAR fans and we are strong in opinions, let’s give it a chance. Who knows, it could be just what NASCAR needs to bring back lost fans and viewers. If it brings back excitement then it can’t be all bad.

  • Daytona – What makes it so special?

    Daytona – What makes it so special?

    Who would have thought all those years ago that a race which is run partially on sand would become the biggest race in NASCAR?

    What would become the Daytona 500 started out on a track that wasn’t your typical track. It started off as a long square that was partially in the sand and partially on a highway that was near the beach. Can you imagine a race going from sand to asphalt then back to sand? Imagine trying to set up a car for sand then sliding onto a highway!

    In 1959 the first Daytona 500 was run, but its roots could be traced back as far as 1903. That was the year some daredevils decided that the level, hard-packed sands of Ormand Beach, Fla. would be a perfect place to see how fast a race car could run. From there, beach racing in the Daytona area became a hit. It actually was the second 500 mile race, following the Southern 500. Did anyone realize that the best was yet to come and soon the race would be the iconic race it has become today?

    Yes, there was one man who saw what things could be. It was 1934 when a mechanic named “Big Bill” France migrated to Daytona from Washington D.C. The only thing France enjoyed more than working on cars was racing them. It was “Big Bill” that announced in 1955 that he was building a track that was going to be called Daytona International Speedway He would also go on to organize the drivers and NASCAR was born. By 1961 the race was referred to as simply the “Daytona 500” but it would be far from simple. We just didn’t know it yet, or perhaps we did, but who would have guessed that it would grow to the magnitude that it has today?

    The year was 1979 and for the first time a 500 mile race would be broadcast in its entirety. Eager fans tuned in to see this race and it did not disappoint. Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough were in a tight race for the win. Neither driver was going to give and Yarborough ended up spinning into Allison, both cars ended up in the grass and a disagreement ensued. Bobby Allison, who at that point was a lap down, would stop his car, get out and then the fight was on. It was shown on live television and that race cemented Daytona as the place to be. Richard Petty would go on to win that race with Darrell Waltrip coming in second.

    NASCAR has had several great finishes at Daytona, too many to even really write about, which also has made it such a special place. It’s the one race every driver wants to win. It’s the race that little boys watch with their fathers and think “this is what I want to do.”

    NASCAR is all about family. The Alabama Gang of Bobbie, Donnie, and Davey Allison, along with Red Farmer is one example. You also have Ned Jarrett and son Dale, Dale Earnhardt and son Dale Earnhardt Jr. as well as Darrell Waltrip and his brother Michael. Most of those named have won the Daytona 500, though for some it was easier than others.

    Darrell Waltrip finally won the Daytona 500 in 1989 on his 17th attempt in the car No. 17 and celebrated by doing the “icky shuffle.” Dale Earnhardt Sr. tried 19 times and so many times something would happen on the last lap. His is probably the most special win of all, as on his 20th time he finally conquered the Daytona curse and won the race. No one will forget seeing the black No. 3 coming down pit road with members of other teams and the media lined up to slap his hand and congratulate the “Intimidator” on his victory. When he got to victory lane, all he said was, “finally!”

    There has been tragedy as well, 22 drivers have been killed at the track. Of course the most notable was Dale Earnhardt Sr. but others have been lost as well, including Neil Bonnett and Rodney Orr.

    What makes Daytona special? I think Darrell Waltrip summed it up perfectly when he said, “For a race driver, when you drive through that tunnel and into the infield at Daytona, it’s like you’ve entered the gates of Heaven. If you roll onto the track at Daytona and don’t get goosebumps, buddy you ain’t a racer.”

    So as we get closer to Daytona this year think to yourself, what was your special moment that gives you goosebumps? Close your eyes and picture yourself there, feel the sun hitting your face and the roar of the crowd. Imagine that you can see Fireball Roberts, Lee Petty, Tiny Lund, and Pete Hamilton taking the checkered flag. If you close your eyes and look into turn four you can see the black No. 3 coming at you and that smirk on his face as he takes the checkered flag. Little boys that will be drivers someday dream of that checkered flag, and we are lucky enough to experience it all.

  • Looking Back at NASCAR’s 2013

    Looking Back at NASCAR’s 2013

    Looking back at the 2013 season, NASCAR had the usual ups and downs but this year would be different. NASCAR unveiled its new GEN-6 car to mixed reviews and fans waiting to see what this new car would bring to actual racing.

    It started with the horrific wreck during the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season opener at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).  Unfortunately, we watched the same scene played out at most restrictor plate tracks like Daytona, only this time when the “big one” happened the fence didn’t hold and fans were hurt, some seriously.  Everyone waited and listened the rest of the day for updates on those injured and looked back in amazement that the car of Kyle Larson, which had hit the fence, was destroyed, yet he walked away.

    The next day at the Daytona 500 we all waited and watched, held our breath and prayed that the scene the day before would not repeat itself and thankfully it didn’t. The 55th running of the Daytona 500 went off without any major issues with Jimmie Johnson in his 400th start taking the prize. That perhaps was a sign of the year to come.

    It was the fifth race of the season in Fontana, California that Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin got together with six laps to go and ended up wrecking each other. Denny Hamlin suffered a compression fracture in his back that most thought would sideline the driver for the season.  But Hamlin worked hard at his recovery and was able to return to race at Talladega.

    Talladega was a rainy day and eventually the race was red flagged due to the rain. The red flag was three hours and 36 minutes long and darkness had started to fall but with the rain stopped, NASCAR made the decision to go ahead and race. A late race caution bunched the field up with 20 to go. By this time the skies were even darker and the “big one” happened sending Kurt Busch flipping and landing on top of Ryan Newman’s car. In all 14 cars were involved and Newman went on to criticize NASCAR for continuing the race in the dark.

    It was at Iowa Speedway where Tony Stewart crashed hard into a car that spun in front of him. Stewart was taken to the hospital where it was determined by doctors that he had broken both his tibia and fibula in his lower right leg. Stewart would be sidelined for the rest of the season, after undergoing several surgeries and then physical therapy, so that he would be ready for the 2014 season.

    There was a lot of hype over Danica Patrick joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) for the 2013 season. There was a lot of expectation put on her but she was still a rookie and ended up with a best finish of 8th, her only top-10 finish, which came in the Daytona 500 where she had also won the pole.  Her boyfriend, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, competed with Patrick for Rookie of the Year in which Stenhouse took home the prize.

    Jamie McMurray won at Talladega, his second at that track, and his seventh win overall in his NSCS career. The win snapped a 108 winless streak for McMurray.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. would see the 2013 season close without a win.  But it was a consistent season overall and he ended up fifth in the series standings.

    We had the announcement that Mark Martin had decided to retire along with Ken Schrader. Martin ended a long career with NASCAR starting in 1981 in North Wilkesboro and giving him a career with 40 wins, 453 top 10′s and 56 poles. Schrader started his career in 1984 in Nashville and went on to have four wins, 184 top 10′s, and 23 poles. NASCAR will not be the same without these drivers and they will both be missed in 2014.

    To everyone’s astonishment we also had what was dubbed “Spingate” which was Michael Waltrip Racing’s (MWR) attempt to manipulate the chase for the championship. This not only marred MWR but their reputation was further damaged by Clint Bowyer who is believed to have spun to cause a caution in order to get a teammate into the chase.  These issues actually made NASCAR add a 13th spot to the chase, to the benefit of Jeff Gordon being that 13th driver. This put another mark on NASCAR for adding the 13th spot but with the chase outcome in question, it was the only course of action NASCAR could see to attempt to right what MWR had attempted to change. The biggest loser in that whole deal was Martin Truex Jr. who had done no wrong but paid a penalty all the same.

    Matt Kenseth probably had one of his best years of his career and in the end was truly the only driver in contention with Johnson to take home the big prize. Kevin Harvick, having a good run of his own, was unable to catch Kenseth and Johnson. Kenseth did everything he could and came out strong at the end but it was Johnson who would bring home the 2013 Sprint Cup Series trophy, the sixth of his career, making him at the moment the only driver with the chance to tie or surpass Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt’s seven championships.

    When we look back on the year there were tragedies as well.

    On June 12th 2013 on a Wednesday night we heard of a serious crash at Bridgeport Speedway involving former NASCAR driver Jason Leffler in a Sprint car. We would find out later that Jason “LEFturn” Leffler had died from the injuries that he sustained in the accident. He left behind one son, five year old Charlie. The biggest tragedy of all is learning that if Sprint cars used the same neck restraints as NASCAR does, he may have survived the accident.

    It was May 16th that I learned of the death of my friend, Richard Leroy Trickle, aka Dick Trickle; he had taken his own life after years of struggling with chronic pain. He had raced in NASCAR becoming the oldest Rookie of the Year at age 48 in 1989. He was best known for his career in the Midwest. Known best as “the White Knight,” it is estimated that he ran well over 2,200 races in his Midwest short track career and his many loyal fans will remember not how he died, but how he lived.  He will be remembered wearing snakeskin boots, a cigarette in one hand, and a cup of coffee or barley pop (beer) in the other, signing autographs and even going down to his knees to be eye level with children who wanted an autograph.

    With a new season beginning, questions remain to be answered.

    • What will the 2014 NASCAR season bring?
    • Which rookie will come out on top, maybe Kyle Larson or perhaps Parker Kligerman?
    • Who will win their first race this season?
    • Will Austin Dillon, driving the number three, live up to the expectations of fans that are waiting to see if he will do the number three proud?
    • Who will take it all? Matt Kenseth or maybe it will be Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s breakout year, or will it be Jimmie Johnson again, tying that seventh championship.
    • What new rivalries will form, and what old rivalries will manage to put it behind them?

    Hopefully in 2014 there will be no injuries or tragedies as we’ve seen this year. Perhaps it will be NASCAR’s best year yet. We won’t have to wait long as it’s right around the corner!

  • My Interview with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver German Quiroga

    My Interview with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver German Quiroga

    Right now my guess is many of you are saying to yourselves, who is German Quiroga? Well, I hope to change that!

    I call this an interview, but in actuality it really wasn’t one. It quickly felt more like I was chatting with a friend than interviewing a driver. It quickly became clear that Quiroga is someone special and I hope after reading this you feel the same way as I do.

    Quiroga was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1980. He began his racing career at age 15 in the Retro Neon Series and went on to claim Rookie of the Year in 1996, followed by the Championship in 1998. Quiroga claimed the Formula Renault 2000 championship alongside Rookie of the Year honors. He then started racing in the NASCAR Mexico Series and went on to collect three consecutive championships from 2009-2011, the only driver in history to do so.

    After his success in Mexico, he left everything behind, his family, his home, his friends, and his fame.

    “It wasn’t easy,” he said, “but I committed a year and half ago myself to it. I wanted to get to a higher level. That’s how my dream started.”

    He came to America to race in our NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and now drives the Red Horse Racing No. 77 Toyota Tundra. He made his debut in 2011 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, finishing 16th.

    When Quiroga started in the sport there wasn’t a lot of diversity in drivers but Quiroga said that everybody was willing to be nice and helpful.

    “The NASCAR Community, I think, and everyone has been very friendly and willing to help me, not just the drivers and teams but NASCAR as a company. I have a lot of opportunity for sure,” Quiroga told me.

    In speaking of his first year in the sport, he also talked about the learning curve, stating, “the learning curve will keep on growing but we are past the rough part in the beginning.”

    This past season, Quiroga finished 13th in points with two top fives and six top 10s, including a third at Pocono. The success this year has the driver feeling proud of his accomplishments.

    “We had a decent year,” he explained, “achieved some very good things, as a Mexican driver, to accomplish a third place ever in a National Division in NASCAR. We also had a pole and a track record. Obviously I wanted to get my first win. Unfortunately that didn’t happen last year but with the changes we are making for next year I think we are going to be very strong.”

    We also talked about the differences and how difficult it was coming from the NASCAR Corona Series to the NASCAR Camping World Truck series. I asked about any difficulty adjusting to the different type of vehicle.

    “There is a lot of aero involved,” he said. “The first thing I noticed was the speed. In our ovals we would go maybe 160-165 mph average but here you jump to 200 mph average. It doesn’t seem like it would be a lot but when you are on the track you notice the difference.”

    Quiroga also stated that the tires were a challenge because in Mexico they do not race radial tires. They run on normal tires.

    “Getting to know the tracks was another challenge,” he continued. “Growing up I saw them on television but you don’t get the experience until you are there and for me, getting to know the tricks on gaining positions or passing someone; there is a lot to learn. I am excited to be a part of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. It’s a great series to learn. I want to do very well here and step up my career to the next level which is the NASCAR Nationwide Series, then hopefully lead to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.”

    We talked awhile about his past championships in Mexico and his past season. He stated that he was trying too hard and felt that maybe could have hurt his season some. This year he plans on going back to what he knows and is familiar with, including running for wins but also for points so at the end he can contend for the championship. Focusing on this year I asked him the question that probably every driver gets asked, but being from Mexico I thought his answer would likely differ.

    I asked him what the words Daytona 500 mean to you.

    “You hear Daytona and it’s such a legendary track. 2013 was actually my first year there, my first thoughts are, I had been testing and gotten back to the hotel and turned on the television to watch the finish of the Daytona 500. I saw what happened to Dale Earnhardt Sr. I had watched the last 50 laps or so and I was very, very sad. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was a hero to me and unfortunately he died there.” He went on to say, “I like super speedways, the first super speedway I actually ran was Talladega in 2012 and then 2013 was my first race at Daytona.”

    His first race at Daytona ended in a crash but he was thankful for the opportunity and Quiroga said he wished he had been racing back when Earnhardt Sr. drove. He was someone you could have learned a lot from.

    I asked him what he thought his greatest or best moment to date was.

    “I came to the United States with nothing so getting to know people and to keep on working to accomplish my dreams. I have two good sponsors, Otter Box and Net 10 Wireless, and having the opportunity to race the entire season. I want to pressure myself to achieve what I want.”

    He talked further about needing to be physically fit for racing so he wants to get his strength up to get ready for the upcoming season.

    “I had a challenge this year to run a marathon,” Quiroga said, “which is something I really don’t like to do is running, but I trained. Some days I was up at 4:00 a.m. and go running then go to work and race all day but it is something I am proud of.”

    I put him a little on the spot by asking him where he thinks he may get his first win, which earned me a slight chuckle on his part. He did say though he really, really likes Pocono since he almost won there, but it’s too far along in the season.

    “I did really well at Martinsville qualifying in the top ten and finishing in the top ten both races, he said.”I like mile and a half tracks like Texas as well. We had a third place finish there and I was very comfortable there. The only track I didn’t like was Homestead but after running well there too all the tracks are fun actually and wherever that first win comes will be great.”

    My last question to him was this. When your racing career is done and it’s time to walk away, what kind of legacy do you want to leave either personally or professionally?

    His answer was fairly simple, “I want to be well known in my country because of my achievements and how I represent the people of Mexico. My life has changed a lot. I have had struggles. I want to be the guy that achieves all of his dreams and worked very hard for them.”

    I have to say that this has been one of the best interviews I have done to date. German Quiroga was one of the nicest, most down to earth drivers I have had the pleasure of talking to. He opened himself up to me and quite honestly has left an impression on me that will stay with me. I am proud that I had the opportunity to get to know him and hopefully you have too. He is so genuine and caring and deserves respect for leaving Mexico and chasing his dreams. I hope I am there when he accomplishes them.

  • What makes an athlete and why isn’t a driver considered one?

    What makes an athlete and why isn’t a driver considered one?

    Most of you have probably already heard about Donovan McNabb’s statement about Jimmie Johnson (and all others drivers) are “not athletes”.  With that said, Johnson’s reply was, “Yes, I am an athlete, and so is every other driver in one of these race cars.”  So I wanted to go a little deeper into the subject as to why motor sports in general is not seen as a sport.

    In today’s world, many new sports have been recognized, such as chess and beach volleyball.  So why is it that motor sports is not taken seriously?  Racing or now NASCAR originated from the moonshine runners outrunning each other and/or the police.  Since it was primarily in the south and for years was not shown live on television, I can see why it wasn’t initially nationally recognized when it first became an actual series.

    In the 70’s, the sport then started to really bloom and finally started seeing more and more coverage on radio and television.  Were the drivers back then athletes?  Perhaps not as much as a football or basketball player.  Back then, many of the drivers drove and were their own mechanics.  It wasn’t about sponsorship’s like today, it was more about racing.

    With growing popularity, the cars, teams, sponsors and the sport became more streamlined.  Live television coverage and additional races were added to the series schedules.  Somewhere from running moonshine, to the late 80’s the sport grew up, NASCAR became a sport.  With more races and a longer season, the drivers needed more endurance and the teams needed to be in great shape.  Drivers and teams began to work out, they became athletes.

    Today NASCAR or racing in general is still not recognized as a sport, such as football.  It’s time for some respect for the sport. It’s time for football players and all other athletes to open their eyes to what the sport truly entails. As one driver I spoke to stated, “I work out up to four times a week, run roughly five miles three times a week, and mountain bike five miles 2-3 days a week to help with my stamina and concentration, if this is not athletic I do not know what is.”

    In short, whether you are a pro-football player, a weekend warrior, or any type of athlete, just show some respect to racing.  That’s really all that we are asking for.

  • Ken Schrader, the forgotten goodbye

    Ken Schrader, the forgotten goodbye

    As we head into Homestead for the season ending races, along with all of the the fanfare of the 2013 NASCAR Champions, we will say goodbye to some important drivers. There will be tears of joy for the drivers that win, and there will be tears of sadness for those drivers that are not going to be racing next season.

    Mark Martin:
    There has been a lot of talk about Martin, who says he “is” retiring at the end of this season.  Will he really retire?  Sadly I believe Martin is retiring  this time. Martin will be greatly missed.  Anyone that has followed Martin’s career, knows all the hardships and the great driver he became.

    Bobby Labonte:
    Labonte may be having his career cut short, although not planned; his is just the circumstances of the sport.  For long time viewers and fans of NASCAR, it will be sad to not see a Labonte in the field.  But I am holding out hope that his circumstances will change and we all will be fortunate enough to have him for another season.

    Ken Schrader:
    Schrader announced his retirement as well to very little fanfare.  It was a small blip and if you blinked you may have missed it.  Schrader is a very important driver to the sport and has been overlooked throughout his career.

    Born in Fenton, Missouri in 1955, Schrader started his racing career in 1971 at Lake Hill Speedway in Valley Park, Missouri.  In the early 80’s Schrader started racing in the USAC series.  Then in 1983 he made an attempt to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 but wrecked his car in practice.  Schrader’s  first NASCAR race was in Nashville in 1984, in a car owned by Elmo Langley.  Schrader’s first NASCAR win came in 1988 at Talladega Superspeedway in the Diehard 500.  He went on to win four races, 23 poles, and 184 top-10 finishes.

    What makes Schrader so special?  His relationship with his fans.  His sense of humor is one very few have, and his love of life and racing is bigger than anyone’s I have ever met.

    The focus this weekend may be on Martin and Labonte, but lets not forget that we are losing another great driver, Schrader, whom has been a great part of NASCAR and deserves the same goodbye.

  • The sport needs more drivers like Busch, not Vanilla Ice Cream

    The sport needs more drivers like Busch, not Vanilla Ice Cream

    The long time Dale Earnhardt Sr fan in me makes me reflect back on the good old days when there were racing rivalries and those rivalries were not just words that were shown on or even off the track.

    Everyone tuned in to see what Darrell Waltrip, aka “Jaws,” or Earnhardt Sr., aka “The Intimidator,” would do.  Those drivers didn’t get these nicknames for no reason.  They were the kind of drivers you either loved or hated, but you had an opinion on them, one way or the other.

    With that said, Kyle Busch stands out with that type of personality.  Busch may be cocky, but through his wife Samantha, we can see his softer side. We need more drivers like Busch to make this sport more interesting.  I now find myself partly watching to see Busch drive the wheels off the car, get into a track scuffle, or cause an “accident” with someone, because Busch is a “no holds barred” type of driver.  With Busch, what you see is what you get and I may never own up to it, but I like that.

    Looking back, I like drivers with attitude.  I like drivers that push the envelope such as Kevin Harvick and Tony “Smoke” Stewart.  The sport needs more of what made the sport so popular years ago when everyone flocked to the tracks each weekend.

    Both Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth are good drivers, both deserve the 2013 championship, but they are like vanilla ice cream.  It’s okay, but not anything there.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but for a sport to thrive you need flavor. You need some sprinkles on that ice cream. So yes, I am a closet Busch fan for being the type of driver NASCAR used to have.  This is something the sport needs more of.

    I look at the “cookie cutter” tracks today and there are a lot of empty seats. Even the outcome of the race is predictable.  So why spend hard earned money to see what you already know is going to happen? NASCAR needs to take a look at what made them big because what they are doing now, is not working.

    I like Busch because he is not predictable.  You love him or you hate him, but you feel something and I can’t say that about too many other drivers.

    As I sit in my Dale Earnhardt Jr gear, watching the season wind down to a vanilla ending, in my pocket are a few M&M’s.

  • Is Jimmie Johnson Bad for NASCAR?

    Is Jimmie Johnson Bad for NASCAR?

    When Jeff Gordon won the race on Sunday,  I decided I would go to some various Facebook NASCAR groups outside of my own.  Although I saw some fans very happy that Gordon won, I also saw quite a few comments saying, “anybody but Jimmie”.  I was surprised in a way to see how many people seemed to be saying that along with all of the “debates” from fans. I also noticed people saying that if Johnson wins the 2013 Sprint Cup Championship, they will refuse to watch NASCAR anymore.

    So I started thinking about how I felt throughout my many years as a fan and how I felt about Johnson if he wins the championship this season.  As a Dale Earnhardt Sr. fan, when Earnhardt was winning races and his championships, did I even consider it would be bad for the sport? No and why, because he was my driver.  Then came along a hot shot named Jeff Gordon or “Wonder Boy” as Earnhardt use to say, and Gordon started winning and I disliked him just because of just that, he was winning.  I saw the other side of that coin and frankly didn’t care for it all that much.

    Next came the next best thing, Johnson.  Suddenly Gordon didn’t seem all that bad to me after all. So now here we are with Johnson poised to dethrone Dale Earnhardt Sr. and the “King” Richard Petty and I think that is the reason that he is liked or even hated.

    Let’s face it, Petty was the “King”, Earnhardt Sr. the “The Intimidator”, Gordon the “Wonder Boy” and now we have Johnson, “5-time”.  I remember when Gordon was winning, I swore I was never watching NASCAR again, but yet I did.  When Earnhardt died, I swore I would never watch it again, and yet I did. Why? Because above all things I am a racing fan plain and simple.

    My point is, some may say he is bad for the sport, but there will always be a Johnson. Perhaps Kyle Larson or Austin Dillon is next in line?  Who’s to say? We watch NASCAR because we want to see the next “Big Thing”, to either cheer for or to be against.

    So will NASCAR lose fans if Johnson wins the championship this season?  Perhaps, but I think most will stay because love it or hate it, its our sport and we are #NASCARStrong.

  • My Interview with Camping World Truck Series Driver Justin Lofton

    My Interview with Camping World Truck Series Driver Justin Lofton

    So, for my second interview I had the privilege of interviewing Justin Lofton who spoke about his past, where he is at in the present, and his goals for down the road, and of course just some fun things to get an idea of the things that he enjoys.

    Justin grew up watching his dad, uncle, and grandfather race so he knew early on that racing was going to be in his future. He started out racing off road cars and then when he was a little older he decided that he wanted to drive something else, something different

    He was inspired by several drivers among them  Robby Gordon, Jimmie Johnson,  and Michael Schumacher, he states “These are all great drivers but I get to go racing with mine every weekend”.

    Justin’s big break came in 2008 while he was driving in the ARCA series that’s where he was approached by Red Horse Racing about driving a truck for them. He didn’t start racing with them until 2010 but he states “That started the whole process”.  His advice to others “Don’t rush yourself and win races”. It is such a simple statement ,but very true. So aspiring drivers take note of Justin’s advice.

    I wanted to delve a little further into his driving, when asked if any tracks scare him, he replied “I can’t say any scare me. I love going and attacking tracks”. Justin also says that he does have one pre-race ritual “Mainly just putting my left glove on before the right. I try not to get a solid routine down because of distractions and obligations during race weekends”. I think it brought him luck for not being hurt any worse than just a broken thumb in the crash at Talladega. That’s just my opinion, something or someone looked after him in that nasty crash, it could have been so much worse.  Sponsorship and himself he sees as his biggest competition right now . “I always go out and give %110 so the only pressure I have is to run well and put myself in a position teams will want to pick me up for a full-time ride” Justin says. The next step in his career is a full time ride in cup, that is what he hopes for in 2014 that is what he is focusing on for his career.

    When asked about his dream team if he could pick one his comment was “I would like to work with/around Chad Knaus.” which I can’t say as I blame him as half the teams would like that too. I thought I would sneak in a few fun questions as well, see a little more of his lighter side so to speak. I asked him about his off time and his answer came a little bit as a surprise,” I have a vinyl graphics company J6ink and video production company Weekend Warriors Productions so I stay very busy keeping up with them when I’m not racing.” Which I never knew about. Out of curiosity I asked Justin if you could race in any era which one would you pick? He surprised me there too, I expected maybe early 90’s but his reply was “Probably mid 60’s formula 1 tracks were amazing, and drivers were huge stars then and the whole Country was behind their drivers.”

    Justin talked about what he does during off season “I spend the two months off in California at my parents catching up with family, spend a week in Las Vegas for the National Finals rodeo and final off road race of the year. Then start preparing for my Charity Golf Tournament and 11th and get to spend a couple days in the sand dunes with my friends.” so I put some general questions in there some things that I guess are everyday things for us but for some reason I see drivers and different, elite in a way. Justin states his favorite food is fairly simple a New York Steak and white rice. He doesn’t really have a favorite movie as there are many great ones out there. When he was asked about his favorite type of music he listens to he answered “I go thru phases of country, big hair bands, and punk rock. As I do this, I’m listening to The Offspring”. His favorite time of year is Halloween and fall, one of his favorite ways to spend a evening is going to haunted attractions.

    Winding down I asked him simply where do you see yourself in 10 years? ” A full time Cup driver” was his response and after talking to him and watching him on the track, I think he will be there too. I want to thank Justin again for taking time for the interview. I am glad I got to know a little more about him, I hope you are too.

     

    I would like to send a huge thanks to Justin Lofton for being so kind and patient with me.  Stay tuned because I have interviews with drivers John Wes Townley and Jeb Burton coming up next!

    I want you all to know I do so appreciate the time it takes to read these articles, they are harder to write than I expected!

  • My view of Dale Earnhardt and the #3 issue

    My view of Dale Earnhardt and the #3 issue

    I know this is going to cause a lot of flack and comments, but this is my opinion to which I am entitled to. So for those that disagree with me fine I understand, that’s your opinion and I have no grudge against that so, to each their own.

    I realize that so many think the #3 should be out on the track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS). I disagree and think the #3 should be retired out of respect to the man that made the number something more than just a number, Dale Earnhardt. I know that many are not going to understand this, as many new fans were little when he died and have no clue the kind of impact he had on NASCAR. He was NASCAR, he was the best driver to so many fans, to others he was the one to cheer against.

    We avid fans know that the #3 was driven before him by other drivers and that Richard Childress owns the right to use that number however he wants. We also know that not even Richard Petty’s number has been retired, and we also know that Dale Jr has stated his consent, but what about us fans? Why do we not get a say? Dale made the number 3 more than a number, something no other driver will do and I dare say even Richard Petty is included in that category. Dale made that car and number a part of himself almost as if car, driver, and number were one unit that became the Intimidator. It was as if car and number were an extension of what he was on the track as a driver.

    The day Dale died is the day the car and number for so many of us died too. I know people will say it’s time to bring it back etc, but how many of them watched their favorite driver/icon die in the car? Most of them saw it perhaps when they were young, many that disliked him will say it was just a number and can’t fathom how a number can come to mean so much to his fans, but it did, and it should rest with the man that made it famous. Why? Because any driver you put in it will never be seen as part of that number, it will always be seen by fans as Dale’s and no amount of time will change that.

    I have nothing against RCR for wanting to use it but as a fan I don’t think you should but, realistically I know you will so as a fan honor Dale make it different. Does it have to be black and white? Can you make the #3 look different so it does not look like Dales? Compromise let us keep our memories in tact while you still use that number. Is that really asking too much? I don’t think so.

    For those of you that will think this is something you don’t “get”, let’s pray you never find out what it feels like to lose your hero because that is the only way to understand what I am talking about.