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  • NASCAR Nationwide: Can Jennifer Jo Cobb Make More Money as a Start-and-Park?

    NASCAR Nationwide: Can Jennifer Jo Cobb Make More Money as a Start-and-Park?

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”262″][/media-credit]

    As a huge supporter of females having their right to play with the boys, I want to love Jennifer Jo Cobb. However, her inability to contend with the rest of the field this season has been somewhat alienating.

    Yes, I know she is strong-willed, business savvy and a diva with social media. I often find myself impressed by how upbeat and motivated she is despite not knowing what her racing future may bring. However, I’m at a loss when I see her soliciting donations through a website to keep her car running. I keep thinking…isn’t there a better way?

    The lack of money dredges ups the unpleasant idea of start-and-park. Respectfully, Cobb has taken a stance against the policy. Unfortunately, NASCAR is an expensive sport to participate in. Starting and parking a few races could potentially inject life into an otherwise flat lined season for Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing.

    Originally used to fill the field, starting and parking has become a regular part of NASCAR. With the economy in such a downfall, sponsorship dollars are hard to come by. Starting and parking has become a way for smaller teams such as Cobb’s to race a few laps and earn a portion of the purse.  Because they did not have the exuberant costs involved to run a full race, they can sometimes make a buck or two while they find more sponsorship money.

    Cobb has won $80,280 and driven 633 laps in six races compared to $77,314 and 17 laps to the last place finisher of the same six races who started and parked. That is a mere $2,966 more than the start-and-park car and does not include the costs of the full set of race tires or car repairs for two accidents she was involved in.

    I’ll admit, I have never advocated for start-and-park cars. Not to mention they always screw up my Yahoo! Fantasy Auto Racing team! However, JJC….if you are reading this…just know, your fans and I will continue to support you even if you must start-and-park a few races. Always remember, in every great team started a smaller team just like yours!

    Oh and by the way, I didn’t pay the buck for this week’s NASCAR pool guessing how many laps until your wreck or break down at Dover.
    @BimbolenaSports

  • Kyle Busch Wins Monster of a Truck Race; Nemesis Kevin Harvick Finishes Fifth

    Kyle Busch, behind the wheel of No. 18 Traxxas Toyota, put the controversy and trash talking with Kevin Harvick from last week’s Darlington race behind him to win the Lucas Oil 200 Truck Series race at the Monster Mile in Dover, Delaware.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”264″][/media-credit]Busch’s win also tied him with Mark Martin for the most wins in all three series, with both drivers now at 96 victories. He is also the first two-time winner in the Camping World Truck Series at Dover International Speedway.

    This was Busch’s 27th victory in 90 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races. The win also was his third victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2011.

    “It was a really good truck,” Busch said. “I can’t say enough about this Toyota.”

    While Busch seemed to dominate most of the race, he affirmed that it was not as easy as it seemed.

    “Overall the race went pretty well for us,” Busch said. “It wasn’t quite the walk in the park it seemed.  This place is so difficult and so challenging and you feel like you’re always on edge.”

    Busch said that he and his nemesis Harvick managed to race each other clean and without issues.

    “I thought today’s race was good,” Busch said of his competition with Harvick. “We had some close moments and we raced each other hard but it was fine. All is good as far as I know.”

    For his part, Kevin Harvick finished fifth after an eventful race. Harvick, piloting the No. 2 Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet, had to rebound from a speeding penalty to work his way back through the field to score that top five finish.

    Red Bull rookie Cole Whitt had almost as good a race as winner Kyle Busch, finishing in the runner up position. The driver of the No. 60 Red Bull/Fuel Doctor Chevrolet posted his first top-10 finish, his first top five and his career best finish.

    “It’s crazy,” Whitt said. “I’m happy to be here in the first place. Trying to live the dream and chase it and drive door to door with half these guys, let alone Kyle Busch, is pretty cool.”

    “We had a great truck all weekend and this thing’s been pretty spot on,” Whitt said. “We’ve just been turning things around from the way the season started.”

    “Early in the race, we were good on long runs and our truck just couldn’t do it on short runs,” Whitt said, crediting that issue to his runner up status. “That’s what it just turned in to be. It was all short runs after that.”

    Whitt also acknowledged that he went to school at the feet of Kyle Busch, especially on those late race restarts.

    “Kyle is one of the best in the business on restarts,” Whitt said. “He definitely schooled me a few times and then I felt like I got a good one there at the end but it wasn’t good enough.”

    “We’re all small team trying to make it big.”

    Matt Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Menards/Certain Teed Chevrolet, came in third but that was good enough for him to claim the points lead in the Truck Series.

    “At the beginning of the race, I couldn’t fire off and I was really, really loose,” Crafton said. “But at the end of the run, we’d be one of the best trucks on the race track.”

    This was Crafton’s sixth top-10 finish in 11 races at the Monster Mile. He is now leading the points by five over teammate Johnny Sauter.

    “It’s great to be the points leader,” Crafton continued. “We just need to keeping doing what we’re doing and running top five every week and having these top three finishes and throw a couple of wins off and see where we are at Homestead.”

    Austin Dillon, behind the wheel of the No. 3 BassProShops/Remington/Tracker Boats Chevrolet, finished in the fourth spot. Harvick rounded out the top five.

    Another notable in the race finishing order was rookie Joey Coulter, who qualified fifth and finished sixth in his No. 22 RCR/Rip-It Chevrolet. This was Coulter’s first trip to the Monster Mile and the driver and his family were thrilled with the result.

    Brendan Gaughan, James Buescher, Ron Hornaday, Jr. and Justin Marks, the pole sitter rounded out the top ten.

     

  • Matty’s Picks – Vol. 1 – DOVER – May 15, 2011

    Matty’s Picks – Vol. 1 – DOVER – May 15, 2011

    With the discontinuation of the Speedway Media Pick’Um Challenge, I have decided that I like picking drivers so much that I would start my own column each week dedicated to who I think will win the race come Sunday afternoon.

    [media-credit id=26 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Now I am not claiming to know everything there is to know about motorsports, but I like to think that I might be a little more knowledgeable about racing than your average fan. I’m not saying to re-mortgage your house on my picks (my apartment is way too small for another guest to move in), but at least you will have something to laugh at following the checkered flag on Sunday.

    I seem to have fairly poor luck with picking the driver who I actually think will win on Sunday. If you have a favorite driver that is hurting in the points standings, you may want to let me know before my column is published on Friday, as many of my picks have been seen exiting the track on the back of a wrecker rather than in Victory Lane. My luck has been in my Dark Horse picks as of late (excluding not picking Trevor Bayne at Daytona).

    With all this said, I have decided to stick with two picks per week; ‘Who I actually think will win’, and a “Dark-Horse” pick. The Dark Horse may not always be a team that is fighting for the 35th spot in Owner’s Points, but it might be a driver that is due for a win, starting a race for the first time, or it might be a driver that makes people say “not a chance he will have a top-10, what is he thinking?”

    I have also decided to include a brief recap of how my picks faired during the prior week, and what my stats have been like up to that point.

    Who I really think will win

    For my first column, I have decided to pick my mother’s least favorite driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He must behave himself this week as he was placed on probation Tuesday for his incident with Kevin Harvick last week at the conclusion of the Southern 500 at Darlington. Kyle Busch is my pick for this week at Dover because of his recent stats at The Monster Mile. I have completely overlooked his less than impressive average finish of 20.8 at Dover, to examine the fact that he has two wins in the last five Sprint Cup races there. I think that Busch really had the car to beat last week and will flex his muscles this week and end up in Victory Lane on Sunday afternoon.

    Dark Horse Pick

    I have picked this next driver a few times this year, and each time he has impressed. Paul Menard is having a decent year for Richard Childress Racing, with two Top-5’s and 3 Top-10’s so far in 2011. Dover is Menard’s second-best track with respect to average finish (20.43 in 7 starts). He has yet to register a Top 5 but does have a Top 10 at the Monster Mile in the Sprint Cup Series. Menard has become familiar with running in the Top 10 this year, so look for a strong finish for him this week.

    Be sure to stop by next week for a preview of both the Sprint Showdown Race as well as my picks for the All-Star Race Saturday night. If you have any insight or would like to help me pick for next week, you may send comments to riotwvu@yahoo.com.

    Until next week, you stay classy NASCAR Nation!

  • Martin Truex Jr. and Kurt Busch Show Unleashing on the Radio Can Be a Good Thing

    Martin Truex Jr. and Kurt Busch Show Unleashing on the Radio Can Be a Good Thing

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”255″][/media-credit]Before Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch starting ripping each other and dominating the headlines, Martin Truex Jr. and Kurt Busch were making headlines by ripping their teams. Changes have been made to both the Truex Jr. and Busch teams over the last two weeks, after both drivers appeared to have had enough with what was taking place.

    For Truex Jr. things came to a head two weeks ago in Richmond when he again had a car capable of contending for a top 10 finish but wouldn’t be around at the finish. It was a continuing trend for the No. 56 NAPA team from Michael Waltrip Racing, strong early but sputter to the finish. At Richmond the culprit was a loose wheel after Truex Jr. drove to the lead for a total of 12 circuits.

    That’s when things started to go wrong as the loose wheel lead to an unscheduled pit stop and soon they were multiple laps down. In the end they would finish 27th after Truex Jr. blew up on the radio telling his team “You’re all f—— fired. Every goddamn one of ya!” A few days following the race MWR did indeed fire pit crew members on the 56 team: front and rear tire changers and carriers.

    Said Truex Jr. last week, “The last five weeks have been very tough on this NAPA team. We’ve run well and have very little to show for it. But in Richmond, it was hard not to say anything when our night ended the way it did. NASCAR is an emotional sport. We go from taking the lead and me screaming, ‘Hell yea!’ on the radio to having a loose wheel and going several laps down. I got pretty upset.”

    Truex Jr. continued by saying when things are going wrong changes need to be made, even the driver should he not be doing his part. For Truex Jr., he says he wants to win more than anything in the world and continually having problems is what lead to his outburst.

    And while Truex Jr.’s fit behind the wheel might have been new, the same can’t be said for Penske Racing’s Kurt Busch. Ever since the season opening Speedweeks and Daytona 500, nothing has gone right for the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil team. The won two of the three races they were entered in but since leaving Florida it’s been downhill and fast for the team.

    Busch has repeatedly blown up on his radio, calling out his team for their troubles. They’ve dropped like rocks through the point standings going from first to currently sitting eighth heading into Dover.

    At Richmond Busch let off more profanity laced communication to his team, of the most memorable, “We look like a monkey f—— a football. The f—– Penske cars are a f——- joke.” Busch then turned his attention to Penske technical director Tom German and laced him with unpleasant thoughts.

    Before Darlington, Busch said he felt that ranting over the radio helped. While many others in and around the sport have stated in the past they don’t believe in handing team business over the radio, for Truex Jr. and Busch it ended up being a benefit.

    Others believe in taking care of business behind closed doors. No reason to spread it around the media and make things worse. Even drivers who are having issues with other drivers sometimes refused to speak about it in public, instead choosing to make a phone call or send a text message.

    Blowing up over the radio is becoming a popular and now effective way of getting what you want. Truex Jr. and Busch never heard about how they shouldn’t have publicly insulted their crew members, who might have already felt bad. Instead, they were noted as having some pull in their respective organizations.

    Truex Jr. with the new crew and for Busch, it was announced earlier this week that German was going to be leaving Penske to attend the Sloan School of Management at MIT. Whether or not it was solely because of Busch’s rant is up for debate, but the timing is certainly ironic, which Busch not only noted Friday at Dover but said that “my voice has been heard through the Penske organization.”

    It is not however, the first time a driver has been heard loud and clear. Last year in the Nationwide Series when driving for his own team, it almost became a weekly occurrence for Kevin Harvick to be upset with his pit crew, even calling them idiots during a race he would eventually win.

    After California late last year he told them he was terrified to come down pit road and that if they couldn’t stand the pressure they needed to find something else to do. Then again, Harvick was battling the same problems in the Cup Series at the time and after saying his team wasn’t gaining him positions on pit road team owner Richard Childress swap his pit crew with teammate Clint Bowyer’s.

    While his crew members weren’t swapped out or fired, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made sure they knew how he felt once saying, “If the wheels come off and I hit the wall real hard, I get to whack every damn one of you with a hammer.”

    Of course as Truex Jr. said, this is an emotional sport and on any given weekend 43 driver frequencies can seem better suited for Comedy Central then victory lane. Every individual handles adversity and pressure situations differently. Some can control their tempers and have high tolerance levels.

    Truex Jr. and Busch finally crossed theirs and repercussions were felt. Fortunately for both the wanted results may now be just around the corner. Sometimes, making your problems public works out well and Truex Jr. and Busch might have just opened the flood gates for more drivers to start ranting, raving and calling for and getting changes from the driver’s seat.

  • Miles The Monster Continues to Survive Amongst Today’s Bigger Giants

    Miles The Monster Continues to Survive Amongst Today’s Bigger Giants

    During a time when the economy has taken its toll on the entertainment world, NASCAR as a sport was not immune and all the average fan had to do was look around at all the empty seats.

    [media-credit name=”doverspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”263″][/media-credit]No longer are the tracks selling out like they used to, and the owners were left to begin experimenting with different promotions to try and draw the fans away from their television sets, and back into the stands.

    Gary Camp, who is the director of public relations for Dover International Speedway, was able to answer a few questions about how the economy has affected “The Monster Mile.”

    “The economy has affected ticket sales, but that is the case across the entire sport to some extent,” Camp said. “We are optimistic about 2011, and we are doing our best to improve the fan experience for everyone.

    “We haven’t raised ticket prices in over five years, and we have been working hard to add value for our fans. From free, live concerts, to the Monster Monument, to our new, expanded FanZone…there is plenty to see and do, even beyond the racing, when you make the trip to the track.”

    With Dover looked at as one of only three independent tracks left in the series, Camp was asked what type of impact it had over the bigger corporations such as the International Speedway Corporation which is owned by the France family, or Bruton Smiths Speedway Motorsports Incorporated.

    “Because we aren’t part of the ISC or SMI families, we are often deemed an ‘independent’ track. We also own and operate Nashville Superspeedway, near Nashville, and Gateway International Raceway, near St. Louis, but Dover is the only track of these three that hosts a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race,” said Camp.

    Camp also talked about the other entertainment options that are part of the Dover experience.

    “The unique nature of the facility in Dover sets us apart from other venues, we share the property with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, and all the amenities they bring to the table.

    “Fans love the opportunity to play the slots, eat at the multiple restaurants, and coming in 2010, they will play live table games. The ability to do this all on the same site as a race track is very unique.”

    The planning and preparation that goes into making sure everything is in place for a typical race weekend can be very stressful, along with the stress factor of knowing that everything needs to be close to perfect.

    A race weekend isn’t just put together in the few weeks leading up to the race, instead it takes months of careful planning.

    “It’s interesting how many people are surprised to learn that many of our jobs here at the Speedway are full-time positions,” Camp said. “Many think we just open the gates on raceday, close them when it’s over, and do it again the next year.

    “It’s a year-long, continual process getting ready for our two big NASCAR event weekends. Budgeting, advertising, creative development, promotions, and more all play in to our ultimate goal—selling tickets and getting fans to come to Dover to see a race,“ said Camp, while talking about the weeks leading up the big race.

    Camp has been part of the Dover family for seven years now, and he started out working for an advertising and public relations agency that used to service the track, and casino, as a client.

    Camp also mentioned that his most memorable moment throughout the years since he has been at the track was the Dover race following 9/11.

    It was the first major sporting event after the attacks, so everyone was in a heightened state of security, and patriotism. MBNA handed out U.S. flags to everyone in attendance, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place as the national anthem and flyover happened that day.

    Camp still remembers how vividly the “U.S.A.” chants were that rang through the grandstands, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. after having won the event, celebrated with a huge American flag flying out of his window during his victory lap.

    There is plenty to see and do at this unique one-of-a-kind entertainment venue, and the staff at Dover are doing all they can by working with the local hotel operators to get them to help the fans with more reasonable rates, and reduced minimum night stay requirements.

    The cost of lodging is typically the largest expense when attending a destination sporting event, so anything that the staff at Dover can do to make it easier on fans will be helpful.

    If Miles, the 46-foot-tall monster, doesn’t grab your attention, then maybe 43 of NASCAR’s biggest names racing on this one-mile concrete gladiator ring will.

    Either way you don’t know what you are missing, unless you experience it first hand and in person.

  • David Ragan Has Every Intention of Being NASCAR’s Next Cinderella Story

    David Ragan Has Every Intention of Being NASCAR’s Next Cinderella Story

    From Trevor Bayne’s win of the Daytona 500 to Regan Smith’s win last weekend at Darlington, Cinderella stories have been all the rage in NASCAR.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”279″][/media-credit]One driver who is ready to put on the glass slipper in Victory Lane is David Ragan, driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. In fact, Ragan is indeed planning to be that next big underdog winner.

    “Absolutely, I will be the next Cinderella story,” Ragan said. “I feel like we’re in a position to win a race. And if we can get a little more consistent, I think we have a team that can make the Chase.”

    “From our practice and qualifying efforts, our races and our pit stops, everything is a couple of notches better than what it was even in the year when we finished 13th in the points,” Ragan continued. “I feel like any weekend we go, we’ve got the attitude to win the race.”

    While Ragan may have the winning attitude for that Cinderella finish, he acknowledged that the upcoming race at Dover International Speedway will be a challenge.  In fact, he has one word for the track affectionately known as the Monster Mile and that is “breathtaking.”

    “You almost have to hold your breath all the way around,” Ragan said. “Even on the straight-aways, you still have to drive the car so you’re holding your breath most of the way around.”

    Ragan also affirmed that Dover, in addition to earning the nickname ‘Monster Mile’ has also earned its stripes as ‘Bristol on Steroids.’

    “If you took Bristol by your hands and stretched it out, you’d have Dover,” Ragan said. “You get a lot of speed and a lot of banking so ‘Bristol on Steroids’ is a good way to describe it.”

    “It’s real intimidating the first time you get there,” Ragan continued. “But once you get the hang of it, you actually look forward to it.”

    “You go into the corner and it feels like you fall down a story or two and as you get back on the throttle, you’re driving out of the corner,” Ragan said. “It’s a very cool sensation and when you have a fast car, it makes it even more fun.”

    In spite of the monster challenges at Dover, Ragan takes solace in the fact that his team, Roush Fenway Racing, has a history of running well there.

    “Clearly that’s a track that Roush cars are good at,” Ragan said. “So even in down years, we’ve been good there.”

    “The concrete doesn’t change,” Ragan continued. “Dover stays pretty much the same so we’ve got a good set up we can work with, which makes life a lot easier.”

    “We haven’t had the finish that we deserved,” Ragan said of his own Dover history. “We’ve had some crazy things happen there, from very bad pit stops under green to being caught up in a wreck or two.”

    In addition to hoping for better Dover luck, Ragan and team are also bringing a brand new chassis, Primary RK-759, to the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks race.

    “So, far having a brand new car has been very good,” Ragan said. “Our pole winning car at Texas was a brand new car. Our top five car at Richmond was a brand new car. The Daytona 500 car was a new car.”

    “So, that’s a testament to how good our new cars are,” Ragan continued. “That gives me some extra confidence that we’re taking the best car we can take to the track.”

    Last fall’s Dover race was also the first pairing of driver Ragan with crew chief Drew Blickensderfer.

    “This is the first track where Drew and I got to work together, so we’re going back to a track that we’ve run at before,” Ragan said. “That’s shown to have been better for us, going back to Texas and Martinsville where we’ve run at before last year and scored top tens.”

    “We have a great relationship,” Ragan continued about his crew chief pairing with Blickensderfer. “We’re both pretty young and we’re not afraid to venture out and be aggressive and try some different things on the race cars.”

    “Drew and I are both very hungry so we know we are capable of winning and want to make it happen,” Ragan said. “So, we definitely have high hopes this weekend.”

    One thing that Ragan wants to avoid happening this weekend is to get caught up in any of the ‘boys have it’ shenanigans that have occurred over the past two race weekends.

    “I don’t know if you’ll have the same couple of characters that we’ve had the past few weeks, but Dover is an exciting track and there’s not a lot of give and take there,” Ragan said. “Accidents do happen so I would say that you probably have a good chance of having a little more fireworks this weekend.”

    “I haven’t gotten into it with anyone but there’s always the next week,” Ragan said with a chuckle. “We’re just trying to stay focused on our plan and stay out of all that. But if something comes up, we’ll be ready.”

    But what David Ragan is most ready for is that first, and to date elusive win, which for him would complete his dream of a Cinderella race weekend.

    “Your first win is always special and at a track like Dover, it would be very special to get a win,” Ragan said.

    “Regan Smith proved that if you’re in a position to win, it can happen,” Ragan continued. “If we put ourselves in the top five or top ten, anything can happen.”

    “I can tell you one thing, there won’t be anybody trying any harder this weekend.”

  • NASCAR Bad Boys: Top Ten Most Fined Sprint Cup Drivers

    NASCAR Bad Boys: Top Ten Most Fined Sprint Cup Drivers

    [media-credit name=”Joe Dunn” align=”aligncenter” width=”225″][/media-credit]

    This weekend’s race at Darlington provided a storyline to the viewer that will be talked about for weeks to come.  It was a simple phrase that we have heard several times throughout the year…..”Boys, have at it!” And that, they did!

    We saw a sucker punch thrown. Overheard a name-calling shouting match between Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick’s team. We listened to rumors of a possible punch during a NASCAR meeting between Juan Pablo Montoya and Ryan Newman.

    We also saw Montoya accidentally get into the back of Johnson while Montoya’s actions were being scrutinized.  We even got to see a runaway car endangering the lives of NASCAR officials and crew members.

    After such an epic event, “Boys have at it!” will have consequences for the first time in 2011.  Those consequences come with a price tag in the form of a penalties.

    Let’s take a look at the Top 10 Most Fined Sprint Cup Drivers…..

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignleft” width=”233″][/media-credit]

    #10. Jeff Gordon, the four-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, finds himself ranked #10 on our most fined list with $126,000 in assessed penalties.

    In 2007, Gordon’s car was found to have a fender flare which created an unfair advantage.  This infraction led to the single highest penalty of $100,000 for the team.

    Good Boy Gordon did manage to lose his temper and decked Jeff Burton after being wrecked at Texas Motor Speedway in 2010.

    Since the two were able to work through their spat, NASCAR did not penalize either driver.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignleft” width=”255″][/media-credit]

    #9. Car owner/driver and published author, Michael Waltrip and his team have been fined a minimal $140,500 despite some of his crazy antics.

    After initial qualifying for the 2007 Daytona 500,  NASCAR inspectors found evidence in the engine manifold that Waltrip’s team had used an illegal fuel additive.  This became known as the “jet fuel” scandal, costing his team $100,000.

    An inappropriate gesture during a television broadcast in 2005 set him back $10,000.

    [media-credit name=”Motorsports Images and Archives” align=”alignleft” width=”250″][/media-credit] 

    #8.  Kurt Busch, winner of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship using the “Chase for the Cup” point system, is a bit of a hothead.  Busch and his team have been levied $156,000 in penalties.

    Tempers flared after some on-track antics between Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart at Dover in 2007.  Busch ran into Stewart’s car on pit road, barely missing the jack man.

    The No. 2 Penske Dodge driver was fined $100,000 for endangering crew members on pit road.

    In another on-track scuffle, Busch bumped Robby Gordon’s car from behind, spinning him out and causing a caution to “allegedly” improve his position.  The bump cost Busch $10,000.

    [media-credit id=2 align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit] 

    #7. Some would say that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a chip off the old block.  Naysayers would argue Jr. has a chip on his shoulder.  With $168,000 in penalties, we will let you decide.

    Dale Jr. took a hit when the COT debuted in 2007.  He and other Hendrick teammates were each fined $100,000 for unapproved modifications.

    2004 was the year of “Poop-gate.”  Earnhardt Jr. was fined $10,000 for using profanity during a live post-race interview.

    When asked about the significance of his fifth victory at Talladega, Jr. replied,  “It don’t mean s— right now. Daddy’s won here 10 times.”

    #6. The No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry driver, Martin Truex Jr. lands on our Top Ten list at no fault of his own.  Crew Chief, Kevin Manion, has garnered a whopping $175,000 in penalties for the Truex Jr. team.

    Manion’s biggest folly came in 2008 when the No. 1 Chevrolet failed a template inspection before the Coke Zero 400. The penalties levied were $100,000 and a six-race suspension.

    [media-credit name=”Steven Iles” align=”alignleft” width=”225″][/media-credit] 

    #5. Love him or hate him, Kyle Busch is a force to be reckoned with.  Holding the record for most NASCAR wins in a season between the top three NASCAR series comes with a price…$190,000 in penalties to be exact!

    We have all seen the endless replays of the skirmish between “Rowdy” Busch and Kevin Harvick from this weekend’s race at Darlington.  The tiff cost each driver $25,000 and earned them a four-race probation.

    Kyle is known for his garish antics.  He was recently penalized $25,000 for giving an obscene gesture to a NASCAR official during a live televised race.

    #4. Carl Long holds the record for the single largest penalty handed out by NASCAR at the tune of $200,000.

    What could Carl do to cost his team so much money you ask?

    After making just 23 career Cup starts and not appearing in a points-paying Cup race since 2006, Long felt he could qualifying for the 2008 All-Star Race and the Daytona 500. Preliminary to the All-Star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Long overheated the engine.  His team made an engine switch.

    Under the NASCAR rules, the bad engine was examined.  It was later determined that the engine exceeded the maximum cubic-inch displacement specifications.

    In layman’s terms, Long was using an engine that was far bigger than NASCAR allows.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignleft” width=”227″][/media-credit] 

    #3. NASCAR elite driver and five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner, Jimmie Johnson, has managed to rack up the fines on his way to supremacy.

    Crew Chief, Chad Knaus, aka “Cheating Chad” has earned $202,500 in penalties for the team with his Go Big or Go Home mentality.

    Johnson was fined $10,000 for his role in the “Bottlegate” fiasco when he placed a Lowe’s logo in front of some plastic Powerade bottles after he got out of his car in Pocono Raceway’s Victory Lane.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignleft” width=”259″][/media-credit] 

    #2. When it comes to drama, Kevin Harvick is where it is at!  Don’t get me wrong….I am a proud firesuit- T-shirt wearing fan who loves the Harvicks!  However, I was surprised to find $236,000 in penalties for all that drama.

    This weekend, Harvick landed a punch on Kyle Busch through an open window net. This netted Harvick with a $25,000 fine and a four-race probation.

    Kevin has on-track altercations involving Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Gregg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Burton.

    In Kevin’s defense…not all of the $236,000 were fines from altercations.  Harvick’s team had issues with aerodynamics, oil and fuel filters, rear suspension and a few other miscellaneous penalties to the tune of $156,000.

    [media-credit name=”FMCM” align=”alignleft” width=”120″][/media-credit] 

    #1. Yes, you read that correctly!  Robby Gordon takes the cake with an whopping $325,000 in NASCAR penalties.

    This driver/owner has been fined for just about everything thanks to his never-ending supply of crew chiefs.  Most notably, $150,000 for an unapproved front bumper while under the direction of Frank Kerr.

    Robby Gordon remains on probation after an altercation in Las Vegas with Kevin Conway regarding money and pending litigation.

    FAQ:

    What data was used for this article? We used the Jayski penalties posted from 2001-May 10,2011.  All data is assumed under the umbrella of each driver. Article assumes readers will know a driver name, but not a crew member name.

    Example…..If the stated driver’s crew chief was fined $50,000 for unapproved modifications..then that driver’s penalties will reflect that amount.

    Where did we get the data?  http://jayski.com/pages/penalties.htm

    What happens to the money from the penalties? Starting in 2008, all money collected from fines issued to drivers go to the NASCAR Foundation for its charitable initiatives; before, the money collected from driver/crew member penalties are generally placed into the Drivers Points Fund awarded at the end of the season.

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: A TAILGATE PARTY ON THE DOVER CONCRETE

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: A TAILGATE PARTY ON THE DOVER CONCRETE

    [media-credit name=”FMCM” align=”alignright” width=”264″][/media-credit]After a three break in their schedule, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action this Friday night, on the Dover International Speedway’s concrete oval, for the running of the Lucas Oil 200.

    It’s already been duly noted that this event is being held on “Friday the 13th”. While luck is always going to be a major part of racing, this series doesn’t need superstition like formidable calendar dates, black cats or walking under ladders to generate a lot of action. This NASCAR style tailgate party is quite capable of generating intensity with the 36 trucks that will take the green flag.

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    THE STORY BREAKDOWN

    Once again the words feud and retaliation have entered the NASCAR news thanks primarily to the episode between Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch during the Sprint Cup race at Darlington last weekend. We are already reading and hearing about a possible appearance of round two in this fight during Friday night’s truck race. These reports are being enhanced by the fact that neither driver is eligible, under new NASCAR guidelines, to compete for the truck series championship.

    That strikes me as being rather absurd and there are a few factors that supports the theory. First off, it’s a safe bet that NASCAR officials have already considered the possibility and the drivers have to be aware that they may be watched Friday night a little closer than usual.

    Secondly, the Sprint Cup cars that Harvick and Busch crashed at Darlington are owned by Richard Childress and Joe Gibbs respectively. They are the one who had to pay the repair bills on those cars. In direct contrast, the trucks Harvick and Busch will drive Friday night are actually owned by Harvick and Busch. That means they’re both responsible for paying the bills generated by their respective race teams. When the driver is also the owner he has a tendency to be a little more protective of the equipment he’s using.

    While it’s true that neither driver is eligible to win the truck series championship, there is another coveted title in the series they are racing for: the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Points Championship. Going into the Dover race, Kyle Busch Motorsports leads those standings with a healthy 39 point lead over Mike Curb, the owner of record for Johnny Sauter’s Thor Sport Racing team. Somehow I can’t imagine Kyle Busch sacrificing any part of that lead so he can tease Kevin Harvick again.

    Here’s one final question that could add to the fire already lit by the NASCAR conspiracy theorists: is it an omen that the Chevrolet Truck Kevin Harvick will be driving Friday night is sponsored by Bad Boy Buggies?

    *************

    The championship points profile for the series is also intense. Johnny Sauter remains on top of the standings with 187 points. But there’s only a 12 point separation between the top five with a Dover race coming up Friday night where anything can happen.

    The one title contender to keep an eye on is veteran Ron Hornaday Jr. The 2011 season, for the four time series champion, got off to a terrible start. He left Daytona 28th in the points. But the drive for five is apparently on and Hornaday followed the season opener with four consecutive top five finishes that has quickly elevated him to fourth in the standings and only five points away from the lead. Also bear in mind that Hornaday is a former series winner at Dover and has ran a ton of laps on this track in the other two NASCAR national touring series as well.

    *************

    With Dover Air Force Base being so close by, it’s an great opportunity for NASCAR to salute the men and women serving in our armed forces. No fewer than 16 teams will be extending hospitality to men and women from Dover AFB who have declared honorary crew members. On Thursday night team members from ThorSport and Red Horse Racing were treated to a private tour of the Air Force Base.

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    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    The Lucas Oil 200 is 200 laps/200 miles around the Dover Speedway’s challenging one mile concrete oval.

    The race has 36 entries for the 36 starting positions. That means the go or go home qualifying system will not apply for this race and all entries will be allowed to take the green flag Friday night.

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has raced at Dover 11 times in the past and has produced 11 different winners. Five of the 11 won their first ever series race at Dover. The only previous winners in the field Friday night will be Ron Hornaday Jr and Kyle Busch.

    Conservation of fuel and tires are going to be a must do situation in this race. The truck series events at Dover are notorious for long green flag runs. Some of those runs in the past have lasted as long as 150 laps.

    The Lucas Oil 200 will be broadcast by the Speed Channel beginning at 830 pm eastern time.

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: WHO’S GOING TO SMILE AT THE MONSTER MILE?

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: WHO’S GOING TO SMILE AT THE MONSTER MILE?

    [media-credit name=”Tammyrae Benscoter” align=”alignright” width=”216″][/media-credit]The elite of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be taking the concrete challenge this Sunday when 43 starters takes the green flag for the Fed Ex 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks at the Dover International Speedway, aka “the Monster Mile.” This one mile concrete oval may be regarded as an intermediate sized speedway, but it often displays the characteristics of short track racing. By the time this 400 mile automotive gauntlet is over, it will be interesting to see which driver gets to smile at the Monster Mile.

    THE STORY BREAKDOWN

    Okay, let’s get to it. We all know what the number one story line is going to be during the Dover weekend. It will be, of course, the subject of driver feuds. The Kevin Harvick versus Kyle Busch situation from the Darlington and the Juan Pablo Montoya versus Ryan Newman dust up from Richmond has been in the forefront of the NASCAR Sprint Cup news since last Friday.

    Is anyone expecting round two from any member of this quartet this Sunday in Dover? Yes, it’s likely that there are some who are expecting it and considerable more who would relish the sight of retaliation. Somehow I would be very surprised if some on purpose track altercation did occur among these four drivers. It’s just too early. All four of them are smart enough to realize that NASCAR officials will have extra pairs of binoculars on them during the Dover race.

    However there is one area that could benefit from these so called feuds. That would be the numbers associated with next Sunday’s race. It’s quite possible that the element of fan anticipation could create a spike in the television ratings and even sell some extra tickets.

    ***********

    We will naturally be monitoring the Sprint Cup championship points profile following Sunday’s race at Dover. Going into the race Carl Edwards has a 23 point lead over Jimmie Johnson.

    However, there is another area regarding points that warrants some extra scrutiny: the NASCAR owner’s points. The official policy states that any team within the top 35 in the owner’s points is automatically guaranteed a starting berth in the next race. That’s huge for owners trying to maintain solid business relationships with current sponsors or trying to entice new sponsor opportunity.

    Going into Sunday’s race, owner/driver Robby Gordon currently holds down the 35th position. It’s a four point advantage over Wood Brothers Racing and driver Trevor Bayne. That will of course change because the Wood Brothers are not running a full Sprint Cup schedule this year and Dover isn’t on their list of races.

    Third in the owner’s standings is the Kevin Buckler led TRG group with driver Andy Lally. That’s the driver that Robby Gordon will be searching his rear view mirror for. The team is 37th in the owner’s points but only 12 markers out of 35th.

    *************

    Congratulations to five time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson for being named America’s Most Influential Athlete. This honor was based on a fan poll conducted by E-Poll Market Research and Nielsen Media Research.

    In their research it was determined that NASCAR racing is enjoying a resurgence that has led to higher television ratings which, in turn, has increased a public awareness of the drivers. Also a factor here is the competitive nature, and multiple winners, we’ve seen from Sprint Cup racing so far this year.

    Hendrick Motorsports was a huge factor in the results of this poll. Hendrick drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jeff Gordon were ranked third and eighth respectively.

    In yet another unique honor the state of Delaware has proclaimed May 15th as”Jimmie Johnson Day. This honor was the result of a joint resolution by the state’s House of Representatives and the State Senate. The resolution lauds Johnson for his athletic achievements, especially his five consecutive NASCAR championships, and also cites his dedication to community service especially through the work of his Jimmie Johnson Foundation.

    This is quite an honor for Johnson especially in lieu of the fact that he’s from California, resides in North Carolina and only visits Delaware twice a year.

    *************

    Congratulations goes out this week to the NASCAR Hall Of Fame who celebrated its first birthday on May 11th. In their first year of operation the hall has welcomed over 270,000 visitors making it the second most visited sports museum in the country. On the special day, the Hall Of Fame offered special $5 admission rates with $1 of that being donated to the American Red Cross and their relief efforts for recent tornado victims.

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    THE VEGAS BREAKDOWN

    The Las Vegas based World Sports Exchange, (WSE), has drivers Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch sharing the top of their weekly survey at 5 to 1 odds. Currently second in the championship standings, Johnson has outstanding numbers at Dover. He leads all active drivers with six wins there, including the most previous Dover race last September, along with eight top five finishes and 12 top tens. He also has an excellent 9.7 average finish ratio.

    Kyle Busch is a two time Dover winner, including a win this time last year, along with six top fives, seven top tens and a finish ratio of 14.7. Currently third in the points, this driver is always a threat to find victory lane in any race he enters.

    At 7 to 1 odds is “Concrete” Carl Edwards so named because he has a history of success at tracks with concrete surfaces. The current Sprint Cup points leader also has some very impressive stats at Dover as well. He’s a former race winner with six top fives, nine top tens and a very healthy finish ratio of 7.7. Anyone of these three drivers would make excellent wager considerations.

    At 8 to 1 is Denny Hamlin. Following a somewhat shaky start to the season, this team is currently 16th in the standings and appears to be on the cusp of a charge to the top ten. However, Dover isn’t exactly one of Hamlin’s strongest tracks. He’s still looking for his first trip to the Dover victory lane and only has two top five finishes and four top tens there. Also his finish ratio of 21.4 indicates Dover has been a roller coaster ride for the driver.

    At 11 to 1 odds you will find the duo of Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick. Stewart is currently seventh in the points and has some strong numbers at this race track including two wins, 10 top fives, 15 top tens and a finish ratio of 11.8.

    On the other hand, Harvick’s Dover numbers are somewhat dubious. He’s still looking for his first win there. He does, however, have some strong finishes there with two top fives and seven top tens. But the finish ratio, 17.3, indicates Dover is not one of his better race tracks.

    The middle tier of this week’s WSE rankings starts strong with Jeff Gordon at 12 to 1. This is actually a very good long shot consideration. Gordon has good numbers at Dover including four wins, 14 top fives, 21 top tens and a respectable finish ratio of 12.1. So, why the 12 to 1 rating with those track numbers? It’s probably because of a recent tail spin that has seen Gordon fall to 17th in the points standings after spending the first several weeks well entrenched in the top ten. Dover would be a great opportunity for Gordon to get his program back on track.

    Another strong long shot consideration is Greg Biffle at 14 to 1. Biffle seems to have overcome some early season setbacks and has worked his way back to 12th in the points. His Dover numbers are quite good with two wins, six top fives, ten top tens and a 11.0 finish ratio.

    Also in the WSE’s middle tier is Matt Kenseth, at 17 to 1, who is a former Dover winner with a 12.9 finish ratio. Ranked at 18 to 1 this week are drivers Kurt Busch and Clint Bowyer with Dale Earnhardt Jr, another former race winner, behind them at 20 to 1. Also in the middle tier this week you will find Kasey Kahne at 22 to 1, former race winner Jeff Burton is ranked at 25 to 1 while Joey Logano comes in at 28 to 1.

    Headlining the WSE’s lower tier this week are drivers Ryan Newman and Mark Martin, at 30 to 1, and I must admit I find this a little perplexing. Newman, currently sixth in the points, has outstanding numbers at Dover with three wins, six top fives, 11 top tens and a finish ratio of 10.3.

    Martin’s Dover stats are equally impressive and includes four wins, 22 top fives, 30 top tens and a healthy ratio of 12.5. If you’re the type to take a chance on long shots, then here are two opportunities worthy of consideration.

    The WSE has a trio of drivers at 35 to 1 featuring Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team mates Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray along with Brian Vickers. Concluding the list, at 50 to 1, are Michael Waltrip Racing team mates David Reutimann and Martin Truex Jr. The Truex ranking may be a reason to pause for reflection. The New Jersey native considers Dover to be his home track. He’s had a lot of success there, in many racing formats, including his first ever Sprint Cup win.

    Now for the disclaimer: NASCAR wants us to remind you that these numbers are for information and entertainment purposes. They neither encourage or condone the placing of wagers on their races. However, if you find yourself with an extra “Benjamin” in your wallet that you don’t mind losing, Ryan Newman and Mark Martin at 30 to 1 is very tempting.

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    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    The Fed Ex 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks 400 is 400 laps/400 miles around the Dover International Raceway’s one mile concrete covered oval.

    The race has 44 entries vying for the 43 starting berths. Nine of those entries are on the go or go home list meaning these teams are outside of the top 35 in NASCAR’s owner’s points and will have to rely on qualifying speed to make Sunday’s race.

    The track opened in 1969 with the first ever NASCAR Sprint Cup race, won by Richard Petty, being held in July of that same year. Since that time there has been 82 Sprint Cup races at Dover that has sent 32 different winners to victory lane. Chevrolet leads the manufacturer’s list with 31 wins.

    In any Sprint Cup race, in this modern era, track position is always important and that applies to Dover. 13 of the speedway’s 82 races have been won from the pole position, 50 have won from the top five starting berths while 17 winners started from inside of the top fen. The track qualifying record is held by Jeremy Mayfield, 161.522 MPH, set back in June of 2004.

    The Monster Mile has 24 degrees of banking in its four corners. The straightaways measure 1,076 feet with nine degrees of banking. The track surface was converted to concrete back in 1995. The speedway presently has seating for 135,000 fans.

    The pit stalls are narrow, measuring 15 x 32 feet, and that could provide some interesting moments during Sunday’s race. The pit road speed is 35 MPH.

    Weather could play a major role during the Dover weekend. The Friday forecast calls for partly sunny skies and 68 degrees during the day but there’s a slight, 20 percent, chance of showers Friday evening. There’s a 30 percent chance of rain, with highs of 69 degrees, on Saturday. But the bad news here is the 40 percent chance of rain and thunder storms expected to hit the Dover area on race day Sunday.

    The Fed Ex 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks will be broadcast live by Fox Sports beginning at 1230 pm eastern time. The race re air will be on Wednesday, May 18th, on SPEED beginning at 12 pm eastern.

  • Blaney; Baldwin; Example of Hard Work

    Blaney; Baldwin; Example of Hard Work

    Team’s owner expresses gratitude for outpouring of fan support

    [media-credit name=”Steven Iles” align=”alignright” width=”289″][/media-credit]Amid little fanfare, Tommy Baldwin launched Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009.  Baldwin hired experienced crew members from other teams, preventing people from becoming unemployed.  After the 2008 season, several teams were in the process of closing up shop.  In TBR’s first season, their high watermark was an 18th at Talladega.  The team finished six of the races they entered that year; a considerable feat for a new start-up team.  2010 showed signs of improvement, highlighted by Steve Park’s 13th place run at Daytona.  Some of the races were used as a “start-and-park”, something most owners truly don’t want to do, but are forced to do so because of the cost of racing.

    In January of this year, Dave Blaney was named as driver for a full 36 race campaign.  TBR defied the odds as an independent, underfunded team when they qualified for their third consecutive Daytona 500. Golden Corral came on board to sponsor the team for the race. After leading early, a promising run was scuttled when Blaney was forced into the grass during a multi-car accident late in the race.

    Recently, the teams’ fortunes began to change.  At Talladega, Golden Corral returned for their second stint as sponsor.  Blaney led 21 laps, second-most among all drivers. Unfortunately, another promising run ended in disappointment when the #36 car was turned off the front bumper of Kurt Busch, resulting in a 27th place finish.  The strong performance did not go unnoticed, as the team’s one-race deal turned into a multi-race sponsorship. Golden Corral extended their support for an additional 19 races.  Big Red Soda also came aboard for an additional five races, leaving the team with a mere handful of races without major sponsorship.  This marks a turning point from two year’s ago when the “sponsor” was listed as Tommy Baldwin Racing.  Having well-known corporation adorn the hood and quarterpanels isn’t just a financial boost—it’s a motivational one as well.

    Blaney has shown the sponsorship dollars are well-deserved. Following Talladega, the circuit headed to Richmond, where Blaney stormed home to a 13th place finish; beating the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, and Matt Kenseth.  While Rick Hendrick, Roger Penske, and Jack Roush have hundreds of people working in their shops; Baldwin has slightly more than a handful.  Whoever said you can do more with less was right.

    The strong finish also propelled TBR into the coveted top-35 in owner’s points, guaranteeing the team a starting position each weekend.  The 24th place finish at Darlington gave TBR a 16 point cushion in the owners’ standings.

    Q: How much does the recent outpouring of fan support mean to you, as an independent team owner?

    Baldwin: It’s meant a lot. I think most people out there can relate to what we are going through as it mirrors what most are going through with today’s economy.

    Q: How does being in the top-35 in owner’s points change a team’s outlook come race weekend?

    Baldwin: It’s been a big relief. Now, we can plan all week on racing instead of trying to make the race first and then shifting our focus to racing.

    Q: Many fans don’t understand the true costs of racing and don’t understand a team’s decision when they do a so-called “start and park”. Can you outline how much it costs to operate a team from week-to-week and how unprofitable it can be?  How frustrating was it knowing you had the equipment to compete, but not the financial resources?

    Baldwin: The engine and tire cost per race is about $100,000, depending on where you race. Last week for example, we finished 24th at Darlington. The point money for that was $99,258, which obviously is less than $100,000. Now imagine if we were involved in an incident or had a problem and finished outside the top-30, the point money for that would be $70,000-80,000. So really if you run the entire race, it is impossible to cover your expenses without a sponsor. It’s been very frustrating not being able to compete at the level I know our team can, but if we work hard, we will succeed.

    Q:  You’ve successfully competed this season against some of NASCAR’s top teams, many who have large staffs.  How many employees do you have working on the car?

    Baldwin: We have 12 full time employees.

    Q: With Golden Corral coming on board for Daytona, what are the plans for Steve Park and the “Ole Blue” car?

    Baldwin: Dave Blaney will be driving the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet, and we will move Steve over to the No. 35 Chevrolet for the “Old Blue” tribute.