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  • Jason White Scores First Top 10 at Circuit ICAR in NASCAR Canadian Tire Series

    After having a frustrating weekend last week at Mosport, Jason White was ready to rebound strong this weekend at Circuit ICAR north of Montreal, Quebec. White did that as despite not having a lot of experience on the road courses, he brought home the No. 21 A&W Dodge in the top 10.

    “I knew there was going to be all kinds of carnage on those final two laps,” White said of the final green-white-checkered.  “I just kept my wits about me and stuck it in there when I had the chance and made a couple of passes in those last two laps.”

    This marks the first top-10 for White with his new crew chief Derek Lynch.

    “It’s been a long time coming” he said afterwards.  “My Crew Chief Derek Lynch and the whole team gave me a car I could drive and not have it drive me.  I’ve got to thank all the guys for their hard work this weekend.  This whole team is super excited to get back into our oval car and get to Delaware next weekend.”

    Following testing, White said he was just looking for a solid run on the 2.11 mile road course that was laid out on the Mirabel Airport.

    “It’s a very tight course and really technical,” White explained.  “Our team wanted to set the car up to run very consistently throughout the race” he added.

    Qualifying wouldn’t be as perfect as he would’ve liked as he’d qualify 17th for the 30-lap race.

    “I really wanted to get under a time of one minute forty for a lap and we just missed,” White said.  “But I was able to run those laps times all through practice and qualifying which set us up nicely for the race.”

    So when it came to the beginning of the race, White knew he had be patient and slowly work his way up front.

    “Through the first part of the race the #21 A & W Dodge Challenger was really consistent and we picked up a couple of spots and got up close to tenth and I thought we were in pretty good shape,” White said.

    The next event for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will be this coming Saturday June 11th at Delaware Speedway near London, Ontario.  The race from Circuit ICAR can be seen on TSN Sunday June 12th at 11AM Eastern.

    Race fans can follow Jason White through his website http://www.jasonwhiteracing.com and on twitter @racinjasonwhite

  • NASCAR Issues Probation and Financial Punch to Richard Childress

    NASCAR Issues Probation and Financial Punch to Richard Childress

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]
    Permanent Press
    NASCAR announced season long probation and a fine of $150,000 against Sprint Cup team owner Richard Childress for an altercation involving Kyle Busch Saturday night at Kansas Speedway.

    It was reported that Childress grabbed Kyle Busch, administered a headlock and punched him several times about the face. The attack took place in the garage after Saturday’s Camping World Series Truck race.

    Shortly after publishing its findings, NASCAR released a statement.

    “The penalty we have announced today for Richard Childress reflects NASCAR’s response to the incident at Kansas Speedway on Saturday. We feel this action is appropriate and are confident all parties involved understand our position on this matter and will move forward appropriately.”

    Speculation about what provoked the incident centers around Busch and his recent on track aggression towards Childress drivers and equipment.

    Busch, already on probation for incidents at Darlington Raceway, was cleared of any wrong doing in the most recent altercation.

    Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing, also released a statement about the altercation.

    “First of all, I’m responsible for my actions, plain and simple. As you know, I am a very principled person and have a passion for what we do at Richard Childress Racing. I believe passionately in defending my race teams and my sponsor partners.”

    “In this instance, I let that passion and my emotions get the best of me. I accept the penalty NASCAR announced today and, as a company, we will now focus on this week’s races at Pocono Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.”

    Speculation about what provoked the incident centers around Busch and his recent on track aggression towards Childress drivers and equipment.

  • Rod Johnson Jr. Picks Up Third Win of Season at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale

    [media-credit name=”Position One Motorsports” align=”alignright” width=”175″][/media-credit]It’s been 4 weeks since Rod Johnson Jr stepped into his #03 King Taco/Sunrise Ford Super Late Model entry at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, but from tonight’s result there was absolutely no rust that this 21 year old had to shake off.  The driver from Canyon Country, CA put on a race tonight that displayed his incredible driving talent. Johnson and the Position One Motorsports team had much to do during the 4 week break, namely repairing the #03 entry, which was heavily damaged at the last event when a part failure sent Johnson into the turn #3 wall.   Arriving Saturday, the team was confident that the car was fixed and race ready.

    While taking the car around the 1/2-mile track during the first practice session of the day, the team and RJ were confident that there were no remnants from the wreck and the speed proved that.  Johnson finished the session in first with a fast time worthy of 1st on the timesheets (18.151).  The team opted not to go out for the 2nd practice session as there was nothing to be gained by it and RJ was comfortable with the car as is. Qualifying came and Johnson took the # 03 car around the track, immediately put it at the top of the charts with a time of 17.719.  The #17 of Jason Patison would end up snatching the pole away by the slimmest of margins, but the race would eventually even that out.

    “Everything came together for the race.  We had a really fast car and managed to get to the front in the beginning and we were able to set our own pace from there on after and everything worked out, said Johnson after the win.

    Starting in the 3rd spot, Johnson  took the green flag and charged forward in blazing fashion and by lap #2 he had managed to snag the lead.  He never looked back.  Johnson’s nearest competitor at the beginning, Kevin Thompson, was 3 car lengths away and RJ began putting himself in a commanding lead.

    Patison eventually got around Thompson for 2nd but would never really pose a threat to Johnson throughout the 75-lap race.  By lap # 20 Johnson’s lead had increased to 6- car lengths, where it would stay for most of the race.

    “Well today this team showed that it’s a championship caliber team.  We came back from a big wreck at the last event and dominated today, said John Schuetze Johnson’s crew chief. Schuetze also added that, “We missed qualifying a bit, but came back for the race and Johnson did an excellent job and showed what this team is capable of.

    “We were the fastest car and came home in one piece and I’m pretty sure we could have gone another 75 laps and been just as good.  The team did an excellent job as well, so my thanks to everyone”.

    Over the radio Johnson conveyed to the crew that the car was smooth and with every lap RJ smoothly hit his marks and would eventually take the checkered flag in first place, putting an exclamation point on his weekend’s performance.  This marks Johnson’s third race win of the season.  In addition to the win, RJ also had the distinction of running the race’s fastest lap of 18.022.

    Johnson also took time to thank those around him, “My thanks to the team and our sponsors King Taco, Sunrise Ford, Eibach Springs, DJ Safety, Bell Helmets, Jan’s Towing, Ron’s Rear Ends and Wilwood Brakes”.

  • Round One Could Be Costly to Childress

    Round One Could Be Costly to Childress

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”246″][/media-credit]I have been around NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series since it was known as the Grand National Series and I’ve never seen or heard about anything that compares to what happened in Joliet this weekend. We’re used to seeing drivers get physical with each other after a race ends, but owners? I cannot imagine Joe Gibbs, Jack Roush, or Rick Hendrick throwing punches, but then again, I couldn’t have pictured Richard Childress doing that either. But he did, and it wasn’t a very wise thing to do.

    From all reports, the event happened as Kyle Busch was walking to either his transporter or motor home. I’ve heard both. It’s not clear whether Busch said anything to Childress, but Childress took off his watch, got Busch in a headlock, and punched him four times. Busch did not resist, knowing that if he did anything in that situation, he would break his probation agreement. He also knew that trying to stay out of Kevin Harvick’s way at the end of the race at Darlington did him no good. He still got punished because he hit Harvick’s car and knocked it into the pit wall while trying to get away. That wasn’t going to happen this time. Busch walked away for all the eyewitness accounts I’ve heard.

    Childress will get the usual $25-30,000 fine and probation from NASCAR according to most of the media experts, but I’m not so sure it will be that lenient. Car owners are held to a higher standard than competitors. NASCAR considers them businessmen and leaders of their respective teams. Back in the old days, the sanctioning body might have looked the other way in a situation like this, but I don’t think they will today. I can’t recall a real fist fight except for Jimmy Spencer punching Kurt Busch through his car window a few years ago (why is it always a Busch?). I do remember standing beside Matt Kenseth when Jeff Gordon, wearing his helmet, pushed him at Bristol. I’ve seen crew members hold back drivers so they wouldn’t get at each other, but never a punch thrown.

    It doesn’t matter if Busch said anything to him or not, but a 65-year old man should have sense enough to take whatever a person less than half his age can dish out. Childress as out of line and that’s why NASCAR restricted his movements on Sunday. I look for a heavy penalty for the legendary car owner.

    NASCAR promises a full statement and the penalty on Monday. Whatever it is, it won’t set well with fans who have generally taken Childress’ side in the skirmish. Just like they took Harvick’s side in the altercation at Darlington. Busch has his fans, but the loudest cheers come when he falls out of a race or gets passed on the track. I guess he should take solace in that it used to be Jeff Gordon getting that treatment, but this time, the blame falls on Richard Childress. And NASCAR agrees. Prepare for the worst.

  • Wheaties FUEL Puts ‘Bowyer in Black’ for Coke Zero 400 at Daytona With FanVote and Sweepstakes Promotion

    WELCOME, N.C. (June 6, 2011) – General Mills Inc. is putting Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer back in black. Beginning today through June 15, fans have the opportunity to put “Bowyer in Black” by voting which black Wheaties FUEL paint scheme Richard Childress Racing driver Bowyer will pilot at the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 2nd, 2011.

    By visiting the official “Bowyer in Black” website at , fans can simply log on and vote for their favorite orange-and-black paint scheme. The site boasts four options for the No. 33 Chevrolet and features an opportunity for fans to enter-to-win a sweepstakes with a grand prize VIP trip for two to a Sprint Cup Series race. The package features airfare, hotel accommodations, VIP passes and $500.

    The event marks the return to familiar surroundings for the four-time Sprint Cup Series winner, who drove a primarily black paint scheme the first three NSCS seasons of his career at RCR.

    “I’m very excited that General Mills is giving me the opportunity to drive a black car again,” said Bowyer, the 2008 Nationwide Series champion. “It was fun to drive the Wheaties FUEL Chevrolet at Las Vegas earlier this season and any of the black paint schemes in the vote will look sharp under the lights at Daytona.”

    Fans who visit the website can vote for their favorite paint scheme one time per day (with a valid e-mail address) from June 6-15 and the winning scheme and sweepstakes winner will be announced on June 20th. The sweepstakes winner will have the choice of attending a NSCS event at Daytona, Indianapolis in July or Richmond in September.

    “This really is a cool deal for my fans or any fans of the sport for that matter. Not only do you get to pick the black paint scheme for my Wheaties FUEL Chevrolet at Daytona, but two fans will get to come out to the track for a VIP experience of a lifetime,” added Bowyer.

    About General Mills Racing

    One of the world’s leading food companies, General Mills operates in more than 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Yoplait, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2010 global net sales of US$16 billion, including the company’s $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales. General Mills has been fueling race teams since 1998. In 2011 Cheerios and Hamburger Helper are the primary sponsors of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 33 Chevrolet Impala SS with Clint Bowyer behind the wheel. Visit www.cheeriosracing.com.

     

    About Richard Childress Racing

    Richard Childress Racing has earned more than 190 victories and 12 NASCAR championships, including six in the Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its 2011 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menard’s Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) and Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet). Its Camping World Truck Series program includes 2010 Rookie of the Year Austin Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Joey Coulter, Jr. (No. 22 RCR Development Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. (No 31 RCR Development Chevrolet) and Ty Dillon (No. 41 Chevrolet) will compete in the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. For more information, visit www.rcrracing.com.

  • Robin Buck Scores First NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Win at Circuit ICAR

    In the final laps, Alex Tagliani and Andrew Ranger made contact, which opened up the door for Robin Buck to capitalize and score his first career NCTS victory in the inaugural visit to Circuit ICAR.

    On lap 28, Tagliani and Ranger made contact as they battled for the lead heading into turn 11 on the 15-turn, 2.113-mile road course. The incident caused Tagliani, who had led a race-high 24 laps after winning the Keystone Light Pole Award, to hit the guard rail, which brought out the caution. NASCAR then penalized Ranger a pass-through penalty for aggressive driving.

    Ranger had made his way through the field after starting at the back after missing qualifying yesterday due to another racing commitment. The penalty caused Ranger to finish 21st, while Tagliani worked is way back to eighth on the final green-white-checkered.

    Scott Steckly, last week’s race winner, finished second, followed by Don Thompson Jr., L.P. Dumoulin and Mark Dilley. Jeff Lapcevich finished sixth while JR Fitzpatrick fought his way back to seventh after having a flat tire on lap 26. Tagliani was eighth while John Farano and Jason White rounded out the top 10.

    The race was slowed by a total of four cautions as the first came out on lap seven for debris in turn 13. The second caution was for Isabelle Tremblay stopping in turn 11 on lap 14 while the third was on lap 24 for debris in turn three.

    The race will air on TSN at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday June 12th while the next Canadian Tire Series race is Keystone Light 200 at Delaware Speedway on Saturday June 11th.

  • Second again and moving up; Earnhardt Jr. is back

    Second again and moving up; Earnhardt Jr. is back

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”215″][/media-credit]Dale Earnhardt Jr. has done everything but win thus far in 2011. He’s won a pole, wrecked, led laps and finished well. But he still hasn’t found a way to snap the looming over 100 race winless streak.

    He’s come close in races such as Martinsville and Charlotte where he was in the lead until Kevin Harvick came along for the win on both occasions. Sunday in Kansas, Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy team worked themselves to another great finish, but it came in a way they would have preferred to avoid.

    During a period where Earnhardt Jr. said he was trying to find more speed and gain ground, he “busted my butt in three and four” and spun out. It sent him to the rear of the field after making a pit stop. That however set them up to run the race with just one remaining stop while the leaders would have to pit twice.

    Leaders started to pit as the laps wound down and Earnhardt Jr. climbed up the board. Eventually he found himself running second to Brad Keselowski who was making the fuel gamble also. In the end, Earnhardt Jr. would tie his best finish of the season, second.

    “We got lucky at the end on fuel mileage to get second place,” said Earnhardt Jr. “We ran real good. We found some speed at the end of the last practice and when the race started the car was pretty good and I think we made it better in the race. It’s just so hard to pass here, the worst I’ve ever seen it and starting where we did wasn’t easy.”

    Luckily points are given where you finish and not where you start.  Earnhardt Jr. moved into third in the series points standings, just 41 out of the lead. He also has the second best average.

    While some are quick to point out that Earnhardt Jr. has appeared more lucky than good this season, he’ll agree to a point. Acknowledging that his team has been performing very well.

    “We’ve had some runs were we drove ourselves into the position we finished,” he said. “We finished well by running well and by getting lucky. That’s what championship teams do. You always scratch your head when Jimmie [Johnson] and those guys look like they’re out of it in and the next thing you know at the end of the race they’re right in the middle it. Now, I guess I’m on that side of the fence.”

    The 2011 season is the first in many were Earnhardt Jr. has been in contention. Revealing last weekend after Charlotte that he looks forward to coming to the racetrack each weekend, no longer having to force himself to find something to be happy about. Other members of the team say they love being able to come to the track knowing they have a chance to win.

    Earnhardt Jr. has had fast cars and a few chances to win already. A little luck here or strategy there and who knows.

    A different Earnhardt Jr. attitude has taken center stage and no longer is it a stretch to talk about an eventual win. Such as what almost was on Sunday in another fuel mileage race.

    “We did what we had to do, I’m happy,” said Earnhardt Jr.

    He was also happy to praise his new crew chief, who has been credited with a big part in Earnhardt Jr.’s turnaround. For the second week in a row, Steve Letarte knew that the only way to get his driver back in contention with the cards they were dealt was through pit strategy.

    Last Sunday night in Charlotte they were just a few hundred yards from the win, but ended up seventh. But Letarte didn’t shy away from trying again and kept Earnhardt Jr. on the track and coached him toward the front and a second place finish.

    “Me and him get along great,” said Earnhardt Jr. “He’s a good crew chief and he’s real smart with the cars. He’s not afraid to try what he sees other people doing. He’s just sharp, we all could do better and be better at our job. Right now it’s working out. We’re getting along great, we’re running good. Hopefully we can keep it up, it’s going along good. I’m not going to do anything to mess it up, I’m going to stay on the positive side and work hard right along with him and give him everything he needs.”

  • Hot, Slick and full of Passion … The STP 400

    Hot, Slick and full of Passion … The STP 400

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”252″][/media-credit]Kansas is my home track. I have seen  it go from a run down residential area to the modern state of the art facility that it is now. It’s a beautiful place. The people of the community are hard working Nascar fans who waited a long time for this facility and it’s second date. But early summer in the plains of Kansas, it’s brutal.  It will take it’s toll on everything and everyone, including the STP 400.

    The race was lack luster with very limited passing. Dale Earnhardt Jr said, “It’s so hard to pass here. It’s awful hard to pass. Worst I’ve ever seen it. And I went to searching for more speed and busted my butt up there on 3 and 4 and lost us all the spots we worked for all day.. But it gave Steve a chance to play the strategy game.” He went on to say, “The track didn’t like the heat too much. You had to run dead against the apron. If you was off the apron by two or three inches you’re in trouble there’s no grip.”

    Kansas officials have stated that the track will be repaved following the fall race here for the 2012 season. The track is peppered with slick tar seams with heat and weight sensitive pavement. As the heat of the day grew so did the slickness of the track. You could smell the oil in the tar and after the race there was a haze that hung just above the pavement.

    The heat was stifling out of the cars as well as inside the cars. Denny Hamlin described it as a sealed sauna at about 140 – 180 degrees with very little air movement. “These cars are hotter than the cars we used to run. We are sitting right on top of our exhaust system that’s a thousand degrees. in these new cars are completely sealed off. We’ve got our window nets now to where they pretty much seal the left side of the car so there’s no air getting in or out of the car.”

    Jeff Gordon said that the track freed up a lot over the day, “I felt like we needed to free it up a little bit more. It seemed like the track freed up at the same time so that adjustment definitely hurt us a little bit but we were still able to maintain second so I am guessing everybody was dealing that.”

    Tony Stewart seemed to be the only one that didn’t notice the heat. Living up to his nickname Smoke he said “It was warm. But I didn’t think it was that bad. It didn’t really bother me. It’s normal.”

    The fuel mileage game was unfortunate, but lets not take anything away from Brad Keselowski.  He was smart enough to know how to save enough fuel by coasting through the corners. Give the 88 credit.  Earnhardt Jr. knew what he had to do and he did it. Give Denny Hamlin some big kudos as well, he finished 3rd in a car with an unidentified broken part in the front end.

    The fans did their part as well. The near sell out took place in heat that was stifling and draining. Even the shady areas offered no relief. Many stayed as long as they could bear it or their children could bear it. The second date for this track was much sought after and highly anticipated by everyone in this community. But the day and the time of the year it was given was a horrible choice in this part of the country not only for fans but for drivers as well.

    Hopefully after this experience Nascar will make some tweaks in the schedule for next year and schedule us a little earlier in the year.

    As the sun is beginning to set and Nascar’s Kerry Thorpe announces that post race inspection is clear and the engines of the 2, 88, and the 5 are going back to the R&D center and the 2 and the 5 cars will also be going back to the R&D center for routine post race.  The media center has grown quiet and only the clicking of lap top keys can be heard. The haulers have begun pulling out and the weekend has come to a close.

    It had it’s excitement with Clint Bowyer winning the truck race. It’s controversy with the Childress and Busch altercation. It had it’s concerns with the heat. But the one constant, the one thing that didn’t change or even give second thought was the fans. No matter whose shirt they were wearing, no matter what make they supported, they were there and die hard. They are what makes Nascar work. They are the life blood of the sport. They may get disgruntled. They may not always agree with the sanctioning body but they will stand behind their driver and their sport. And Nascar, it’s drivers, it’s officials and even those of us that cover the sport are thankful that they do.

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * * * * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    Congratulations to Brad Keselowski on his Sprint Cup Series win, his first in 2 years.

    Congratulations to Justin Allgaier on his NNS win. The first for a NNS regular with Sprint Cup regulars in the field.

    And congratulations to Clint Bowyer on his impressive Camping World Truck Series Win.

    That said, to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.

  • Keselowksi wins the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway

    Keselowksi wins the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”277″][/media-credit]Brad Keselowksi conserved just enough fuel and held off Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Sunday to win the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway.

    “We finally caught a break. Awesome call, Paul.” Keselowski radioed to crew chief Paul Wolfe.

    Keselowksi snapped 75-race winless streak for his first win of the season and the second of his Sprint Cup career.  This was also the first win for Penske Racing since Kurt Busch won last year’s Coca Cola 600.

    “We’ve been so close.  We’ve been plugging away.  We had a car that I thought was capable of winning.  I had a car last week that sat on the pole and had a shot at it and just caught the wrong line on the restart.  The same thing at Dover and Darlington, we could just never catch that good break.  You can only put yourself in that position so many times before you’re going to catch the right break.  We caught a great break today because of all the hard work by the Miller Lite team that works on these Dodge Chargers.  We got great gas mileage and that doesn’t hurt either.” Keselowksi said.

    Both Keselowksi and Earnhardt were driving a fuel mileage race.  Earnhardt Jr. appeared to be looking a late charge on Keselowksi for the win, but he was also advised to back down to insure he would make it to the finish.  Earnhardt just came one position short again this week, just one spot short from snapping his 106-race winless streak.

    “I had a good car, you know. I spun out up there tryin’ to find a little more speed on the top. We had a fast car though. Just started way back there in the back, man. We ain’t qualified no better than 22nd besides Daytona and Talladega. We need to fix that somehow. It was a fast car.” Earnhardt said.

    “We shouldn’t have run second again. We’ve got to fix some things. We’ve got fast cars so we can be fast.” Earnhardt added.

    Denny Hamlin finished third, Jeff Gordon fourth and Carl Edwards finished fifth.

    “It was a good run for our FedEx team.  We had a good car at the beginning, the middle and just at the end I think something gave out in the front end and it just went real bad tight.   Luckily, we came in to make an adjustment and coming in and getting fuel obviously worked out for our advantage.” Hamlin said of his third place finish.

    “Well it is an awesome run for our Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet. That is for sure.” Gordon said.  “They did an awesome job. We had a great race car all weekend long. We unloaded great and it showed up in the race all day long today. We got a little bit loose, it seemed like the track freed up a little bit on that last run and Kurt (Busch) got out there on me.  But, all-in-all a great top-five, a great day in the points for us.”

    Polesitter Kurt Busch led for 152 laps.  Whole leading he had to stop for fuel with 10 laps remaining.  He finished ninth.

    “I’m proud of the way that this team has run.  To have a car to lead laps today and be very competitive, I was all smiles.  I felt coming into the weekend that if we could pace ourselves, have good team communication, we would be competitive.  It was great.  There was always something in the back of my mind today that we weren’t going to win, but I’m glad that Brad Keselowski got this win for those Miller Lite guys, for Dodge.” Kurt Busch said.

  • Pre-race at Kansas… Busch, Childress and NASCAR take on it all

    Pre-race at Kansas… Busch, Childress and NASCAR take on it all

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Tempers flared hotter than the Kansas sun after the Camping World Truck Race on Saturday. With rumors and stories about a wild altercation between legendary car owner Richard Childress and driver Kyle Busch. The stories appeared to grow in intensity from the time the story broke until this morning when everyone returned to the track.

    There wasn’t a black eye as far as I could see for Busch, but he was wearing his normal vision sun glasses.  Although when he went into the NASCAR truck he was not wearing them. He was in pretty good humor for someone who was punched by a 65 year old man who is significantly larger than he is. No one will say absolutely for certain that some of the extreme stories that have been reported are true. Everyone does agree on one thing however, that is that.at least one punch a piece was thrown. I attempted to ask Kyle Busch about the incident and he said,”You can ask me a question as long as you are not asking about yesterday.”

    Coach Gibbs was the first to go into the NASCAR truck. He was followed shortly by Kyle and then approx 15 minutes later by Richard Childress.The entire meeting took approx 15 minutes with all parties declining comment on their exit from the truck. Coach Gibbs did say he would have a statement later on today.

    If I may be blunt and honest, There have been a lot of liberties taken here with this story. Richard Childress of late has lost a lot of man hours to fixing equipment that Kyle Busch has been involved in tearing up. Man hours equal money. I doubt that Richard Childress is hurting for money but to spend it unnecessarily is frustrating to have to spend it.

    Also if you stop and look at it RCR cars or trucks have been involved in more incidents with Busch than any other team. Combine that with the heat and humidity here. Combine it then again with the frustration of wrecks and mechanical issues and you have the recipe for disaster and aggression. Now I am not making excuses for Childress if he threw the first punch, then he is responsible and should at least get what the drivers would have gotten for the same behavior. He obviously did by accounts throw the first punch. My real issue with that is it was apparently pre-meditated as he removed jewelery and handed it to Austin Dillion. It appears, and appearances are sometimes deceiving, that he intended to spark the physical altercation.

    NASCAR issued the following statement at approximately 930AM.

    “NASCAR has reviewed the incident involving Richard Childress and Kyle Busch after the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Saturday at Kansas Speedway. We have met with all parties involved and have determined what happened yesterday is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by NASCAR

    Richard Childress’s actions were not appropriate and fell short of the standard we expect of owners in this sport. We have met with Childress this morning and made our position very clear to him. Further, we expect he will make it clear to all in his organization to ensure this situation does not escalate any further. We will announce our actions regarding this incident Monday.

    Kyle Busch remains on probation with NASCAR and we continue to watch his actions carefully. However, we have determined that Kyle’s involvement in this incident does not violate his probation and no further action is required.”

    Mike Helton made it clear that there were restrictions on Richard Childress as far as where he can and can’t be for this race. He didn’t give out any specifics except to say that the teams required leadership for this weekend and he would be allowed to stay at the track with restrictions.

    Helton also stated that they would make further decisions on penalties and actions this week perhaps sooner than they normally would.