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  • Speedway Media News and Bits

    Speedway Media News and Bits

    [media-credit name=”Auto Club Speedway” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]This weekend, NASCAR shifts from one of its smallest tracks – Bristol Motor Speedway – to one of its biggest – Auto Club Speedway.  Auto Club Speedway, a two-miler, which offers the fifth different track-size in as many weeks, a challenge to each driver’s skill and versatility. Up first this weekend is the NASCAR Nationwide Series, running the 13th Annual Royal Purple 300 on Saturday and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing wraps up the weekend, with Sunday’s 15th Annual Auto Club 400 – a race that’ll see a ratcheted-up sense of urgency. This one’s 50 laps — 100 miles – shorter than past spring races at Auto Club Speedway.

    And for the first time since 2005, there have been four different winners in the first four races. Competitive balance is high, especially when you consider that last year’s top winners – Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson – have yet to triumph. This weeks race schedule:

    NSS Practice 3 p.m. ET Fri. Speed

    NNS Practice 4:30 p.m. ET Fri. Speed

    NSS Qualifying 7:30 p.m. ET Fri. Speed

    NNS Qualifying 1:00 p.m. ET Sat. Speed

    NSS Practice 2:30 p.m ET Sat Speed

    NSS Final Practice 4:00 p.m ET Sat Speed

    NNS Royal Purple 300 5:30 p.m. ET Sat ESPN

    NSS Auto Club 400 2:30 p.m ET Sun FOX

    Can Kyle Busch driver of the NO. 18 M&M’s Toyota comes into the Auto Club 400 with a sweep the previous week at Bristol Motor Speedway winning both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. Busch has a driver rating of 100.7 the fourth-best at ACS with an average finish of 12.7. He has one win, four top fives, eight top tens, and a pole in his career at ACS. I would pay close attention to the NO. 18 this week in both races at Auto Club Speedway.

    *A New Day: After Sunday, 2011 Points Decide Top 35. For the first five races, the 2010 owner points are used when awarding top 35 teams guaranteed status to each race.
    Auto Club Speedway hosts race No. 5. After Sunday, the 2011 points will be used.
    That presents some interesting angles all around the top-35 bubble. Casey Mears and his No. 13 Germain Racing Toyota has had to qualify on speed for the first five races, and now sits directly on the bubble, in 35th. Mears is one point ahead of Dave Blaney and the No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet, in 36th.
    A few marquee teams are perilously close to the bubble. Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet sit 30th, 23 points ahead of the cut-off. Joey Logano and the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota are also 23 points up. Brian Vickers and the No. 83 Red Bull Racing Toyota are just 18 points ahead of the cut-off

    *Paul Menard Finds Perfect Fit at RCR. Paul Menard’s first full seasons were with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. He finished 34th in 2007, and 26th in 2008.
    A year later, with Yates Racing, he finished 31st. That was 2009.
    A year after that, last season, Menard enjoyed the best finish of his career, 23rd. That was in Richard Petty Motorsports equipment.
    Now, with his fourth team in as many seasons, Menard has gotten the break of his career. He joined Richard Childress Racing, an operation that houses six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, and last year landed all three of its drivers – Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer – in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
    This year, shirking predictions of another subpar points finish, Menard might be the next RCR driver in the Chase.
    He currently sits fifth – the best points position of his career, and the best of any RCR driver. He has been the top-finishing Richard Childress Racing driver in three of the four races this season.
    And at Bristol, he led 35 laps, the highest single-race total of his career.
    But this weekend presents another new challenge for Menard. In eight career Auto Club Speedway races, Menard has just one finish in the top 20 – an 18th last February.

    *Point Standings through Race 4 of 36:

    Position Drvier Points
    1 Kurt Busch 150
    2 Carl Edwards 149
    3 Tony Stewart 138
    4 Ryan Newman 138
    5 Paul Menard 136
    6 Kyle Busch 133
    7 Jimmie Johnson 130
    8 Juan P. Montoya 126
    9 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 124
    10 Martin Truex Jr. 123
    11 Mark Martin 123
    12 Kasey Kahne 122
    13 Matt Kenseth 117
    14 Bobby Labonte 115
    15 Kevin Harvick 110
    16 AJ Allmendinger 107
    17 Denny Hamlin 106
    18 Marcos Ambrose 105
    19 Jeff Gordon 104
    20 David Ragan 89

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: THE NATIONWIDE SERIES AT FONTANA

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: THE NATIONWIDE SERIES AT FONTANA

    [media-credit name=”FMCM” align=”alignright” width=”293″][/media-credit]The NASCAR Nationwide Series will visit “the left coast” for Saturday’s running of the Royal Purple 300 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana-California. Like any event featuring one of NASCAR’s big three national touring series, there are some story lines attached to this race. Some of them are very interesting and at least one of them has the characteristics of a daytime soap opera.

    THE STORY BREAKDOWN

    We already know what the number one NASCAR Nationwide Series story is going to be this weekend. It’s, of course, Rick Russell versus Jennifer Jo Cobb in a situation that has just hit another brand new level of bizarre.

    In previous editions of this motorsports soap opera, Rick Russell, owner of 2nd Chance Motorsports, and Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing announced an alliance, for the 2011 season, with plans to run at least the first five Nationwide Series races with hopes of attracting sponsorship for the full season.

    Already trying to race under tight financial circumstances, the operation hit a major snag at the Las Vegas race where Cobb was caught up in a crash, not of her making, that caused considerable damage to the team’s only race car. Following the massive expenses of repairing the car, Russell apparently decided it would be best to start and park at Bristol, a track notorious for sheet metal damage, and have the car ready for the Auto Club Speedway.

    It’s at this point when team communication apparently fell apart. Russell claimed that everyone was told about the start and park plan during a team meeting the day before the Bristol race. Cobb later admitted that she had heard some “rumblings” about it but didn’t actually get the official word from Russell until literally minutes before the race last Saturday afternoon. Cobb further claims that she had already hired a pit crew and purchased tires for the Bristol event. Russell countered with these expenses were incurred “behind his back”. That’s when Cobb, along with her crew chief Steve Kuykendall, left the track. Cobb later released a statement saying she refused to start and park out of a sense of commitment to her sponsors, the fans and to NASCAR. Russell had driver Chris Lawson suit up, get into the car, run four laps and park it in the garage. He pocketed $16,000 plus for the minimal effort which was apparently enough to cover the repair costs from the previous weekend at Las Vegas. He later announced his intent to sue Cobb for breach of contract.

    As they say on those late night television infomercials: “but wait, there’s more.” This soap opera developed an unexpected plot twist when Russell announced that he has filed an official police report against Cobb and her crew chief alleging larceny. Russell claims that Cobb and Kuykendall stole approximately $16,000 in race car parts from his race shop located in Mooresville-North Carolina.

    In comments made to “ESPN Dot Com” on Tuesday, Russell said that police investigators located about half of the missing car parts, last Sunday, in a storage bin used by Cobb located near the race shop. “Both her and her crew chief said they didn’t know how it, (the car parts), got there,” Russell said adding “I’m in the race parts selling business. There were containers of parts, (in the storage bin), that came right off of my shelves with the prices still marked on them.”

    Cobb later claimed that the storage bin actually belonged to Russell and that he agreed to let her and Steve Kuykendall relocate some of the parts there in order to clear some work space in the race shop. She further claimed this arrangement was made with Russell while their partnership still existed. She adamantly claims that there was no attempt to steal anything and that she told Russell on Sunday to take all of the parts that were his.

    Both parties have clearly parted ways at this point. Russell has entered his #79 Ford, with driver Tim Andrews, sans sponsorship in Saturday’s Nationwide Series race at the Auto Club Speedway. Cobb, earlier this week, said she will be driving the #41 Ford for Rick Ware Racing, also with no posted sponsor on the official entry list, on Saturday. She also intimated that she has been talking to “some people” and hopes to make an announcement regarding future plans soon.

    It would appear that, at some point, the “L WORD”, that would be lawyers not losers, is going to play a prominent role in this motorsports soap opera. That’s too bad because it appears that both sides really can’t afford massive legal expenses right now. Then again, maybe the word loser does apply here because the only possible winners will be the lawyers.

    Jennifer Jo Cobb, during a television interview on SPEED earlier in the week, appears to prefer an amicable resolution that would simply, and officially, dissolve the partnership, everyone wishes each other good luck and then move on and go racing. That’s actually a very good idea.

    Again, you expect to hear a lot of commentary about this story prior to Saturday’s Royal Purple 300 Nationwide Series race.

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

    Fortunately that’s not the only story line connected to Saturday’s race at the Auto Club Speedway. There has been a long time NASCAR Nationwide Series policy that states any team entrenched within the top thirty in series owner’s points will be awarded a guaranteed start in the next race on the schedule. During the first five races of any new NASCAR season this privilege is bestowed based on the owner’s points from the previous year. After race number five the current 2011 points becomes effective.

    Saturday’s Royal Purple 300 at the Auto Club Speedway is race number five on the Nationwide Series schedule and the jockeying for position to stay in the all important top thirty could get most interesting. Going into Saturday there is only a three point separation between positions 27 through 31 in the current owner’s points. The teams in positions 28 through 30 are tied with 70 points each.

    Then there’s the matter of who’s on the outside looking in. There are six teams within eight points of the 30th place cut off. They are led by 69 year old ageless wonder Morgan Shepherd. The owner/driver is currently 31st in the owner’s rankings just a mere two points away from a guaranteed start in the next series race at Texas.

    Do you believe that Morgan Shepherd is going to drive his heart out at the Auto Club Speedway on Saturday? I do. Do you think every NASCAR Nationwide Series fan in the country is going to pulling for this fine gentleman to make the top thirty? So do I.

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

    Speaking of points, how about Steve Turner’s teams and how well they’re doing in the Nationwide Series championship standings? Late last year Turner Motorsports announced they had acquired select assets of Braun Racing and planned to run three full time teams in the series in 2011. Turner entered a fourth car at Las Vegas for veteran Mark Martin who presented him with his first series’ win.

    Turner Motorsports goes into Saturday’s race with driver Jason Leffler leading the points while his team mates, Justin Allgaier and Reed Sorenson, are third and fourth in the championship standings.

    By the way, Leffler is really looking forward to returning to southern California and the Auto Club Speedway this weekend. That’s because it’s a homecoming for the driver. He’s from nearby Long Beach. He would love to win Saturday’s Royal Purple 300 with family and friends cheering him on from the grandstands. He’s also looking forward to visiting his favorite restaurant: In And Out Burgers. Apparently that’s the only burger joint that doesn’t have a franchise back east.

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

    Steve Turner also arranged for Mark Martin to make another appearance in the Nationwide Series in his fourth team: the #32 Chevrolet. After winning at Las Vegas, Martin now has a series high 49 career wins and he wants to become the first driver to win 50 times. So does Kyle Busch who, after winning at Bristol last weekend, now has 45 Nationwide wins. Expect a little good natured ribbing between these two while at the Auto Club Speedway.

    Their Nationwide Series career stats are remarkably close. Martin has 232 starts with a winning percentage of 21.1 percent. Busch has 206 starts with a win percentage of 21.8 percent. At the Auto Club Speedway Martin has two Nationwide starts and has made the best of them by scoring a win and a third place finish. Busch has 12 career starts at NASCAR’s home in southern California. He’s also made the best of the opportunity with four wins, seven top five finishes, nine top tens and two poles. Both men are the only drivers who have scored wins in all three of NASCAR’s national touring series while racing at the Auto Club Speedway.

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

    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    The Royal Purple 300 is 150 laps/300 miles around the Auto Club Speedway’s massive two mile, D shaped, oval.

    There are 45 posted entries for the race vying for the 43 starting berths.

    14 of those entries are on the go or go home list meaning they do not have a guaranteed starting berth in the race because they are currently outside of the top 30 in Nationwide Series owner’s points. These teams will have to rely on qualifying speeds to make Saturday’s race. Three of these drivers, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Green and Joe Nemechek, have past champion’s provisionals available to them if needed.

    Kyle Busch is defending race champion from last year. He actually won both Nationwide Series events at the Auto Club Speedway in 2010.

    The Royal Purple 300 will be broadcast live by the ESPN Network on Saturday beginning with the pre race show at 5 pm eastern time.

  • Slugger Labbe Named The WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in Bristol

    Slugger Labbe Named The WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in Bristol

    Roswell, GA (March 23, 2011) – Slugger Labbe, crew chief for the No. 27 CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet driven by Paul Menard, has been named the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Sunday’s Jeff Byrd 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS).

    The Labbe-led team help Menard accomplish many “firsts” in his career at Bristol. He had his best start (4th) at BMS, best finish (5th) and led at the .533 high-banked oval for the first time ever (was up front for 35 laps). Just as impressive was the fact that Menard ran in or around the top 10 throughout the day.

    After battling tight handling conditions, Labbe and crew were able to make the right adjustments to the car to keep Menard in the mix. After a series of cautions and restarts, the Labbe-led crew aided their driver in gaining spots on pit road. Menard started eighth on a restart on lap 436, but then fought his way up to the fifth at the race’s conclusion. He now stands 5th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Points standings.

    “The CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet was fast all weekend. Slugger and the No. 27 guys did a great job getting it adjusted with the new tires,” said Menard. “I am very proud of all these guys and the start we’ve had to our season. What’s cool is that we’ve been to four very different race tracks and we’ve had strong runs at all of them. I think this is a testament to Slugger and everyone at RCR. Slugger has built a hell of a race team and we are just having a lot of fun right now.”

    “Slugger led his driver to a great qualifying start and then [Paul] to lead a career high 35 laps is pretty strong,” said WYPALL Wipers crew chief representative and FOX/Speed analyst Jeff Hammond. “Slugger has a lot of caliber and has great experience. Since joining RCR, he has displayed the leadership this young team needed and has just what it takes to be named the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race”.

    WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Results

    Steve Addington led Kurt Busch’s No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil team to an impressive seventh place finish, earning his fourth top-10 of the season. Starting from the 20th position, the Addington-led team made the right calls to keep Busch, who is now in sole possession of the points lead, in contention all day.

    “We’ve shown some pretty good consistency so far this season and that’s something our Shell-Pennzoil Dodge Team is very proud of,” said Addington. “If we can keep it up, we’re hopeful that the wins will come our way. It really feels good to come out of Bristol with the points lead, but we realize that we have to get stronger to stay up there running with these guys every week as the season goes on.”

    Paul Wolfe and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge of Brad Keselowski finished a disappointing 18th after fighting an ill-handling car and going down two laps due to a flat tire. Despite the bad luck, the Wolfe-led team was able to nurse the car back to a condition that allowed them to get the Lucky Dog and finish on the lead lap.

    “I’m telling you, this Miller Lite Dodge was much better than an 18th-place car today,” said Keselowski. “Despite being torn up and running a couple of laps down for most of the race, we sure did pass a lot of cars today. I’m excited about that and excited about the speed we had today. We just continue to get caught up in situations not of our own making. But if we continue to have cars like we did today, the finishes will come.”

    WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Voting Team

    Addington and Wolfe, along with Hammond and Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Claire B. Lang, serve as the panel for the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge and vote for the weekly crew chief winners.

    Each weekly WYPALL Crew Chief Challenge winner will be a guest on Lang’s “Dialed In” program on Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 128 at 8 p.m. EST on Wednesdays throughout the season.

    The crew chief with the most weekly top wins will be honored as the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $10,000 check during the weekend of the WYPALL 200 Presented by Kimberly-Clark Professional Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, November 12, 2011.

    About WYPALL Wipers:

    Since 2004, Kimberly-Clark Professional’s WYPALL Wipers brand has been affiliated with some of racing’s top teams. Offering heavy-duty to versatile light-duty towels, WYPALL Wipers provides race teams with a number of products providing strength and durability. Defeating the toughest of challenges, from absorbing tough grease and oil to wiping down windshields without leaving residue behind, WYPALL Wipers continue to offer performance and versatility.

    The WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge will continue throughout the remainder of the 2011 season and spotlight the men behind the machines. For more information, log onto www.wypall.com.

    About Penske Racing

    Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced 332 major race wins, 396 pole positions and 23 National Championships. The team has also earned 15 Indianapolis 500 victories. For more information about Penske Racing, please visit www.penskeracing.com.

  • Johnny Benson Enjoys Coaching Danica But Still Yearns To Race

    Johnny Benson Enjoys Coaching Danica But Still Yearns To Race

    After the 2009 accident in a Super Modified that left him in serious condition, as well as bruised and battered, Johnny Benson has fully recuperated and simply cannot hide how much he is itching to get back behind the wheel of a race car or truck.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”290″][/media-credit]”Physically I’m feeling great,” Benson said. “We obviously had a little accident a little while awhile ago but I’m really good on that end and enjoying my time at the moment, working in my shop and building and selling race cars, the Outlaw Late Model stuff.”

    “I’m staying busy but not busy enough.”

    While he continues to pursue a ride, the former NASCAR Nationwide and Truck Series champ is keeping busy coaching one of the sport’s most visible up and comers, Danica Patrick. Benson was tapped by Patrick’s crew chief Tony Eury Jr. to assist her in her development in the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Nationwide ride for JR Motorsports.

    “I have been helping Danica a little bit,” Benson said. “Tony Eury Jr. called me and wondered if I’d come give a hand. He was trying to be both coach and crew chief and as we talked he really wanted to focus on the race car.”

    “I’ve always admired the work he’s done and because he called is why I did it,” Benson continued. “That’s why I’m there.”

    “They have a great race team and I’m impressed with how they work and their rapport,” Benson said. “It’s a good group of guys and that on my end is pretty cool to see.”

    “And to work with Danica is a pretty neat deal,” Benson continued. “Hopefully we are giving her the advice and help she needs.”

    “It’s been working out great,” Benson said. “Danica’s doing a great job and we’re just helping her out in the areas she needs for stock car racing.”

    Benson is no stranger to the coaching and mentoring role. Last year, he worked with Trevor Bayne, the 20 year old that this year won NASCAR’s most prestigious event, the Daytona 500.

    What is the secret to Benson’s mentoring success, with both Bayne and now Danica Patrick?

    “I can’t tell you everything I’m telling her,” Benson said playfully. “I think a whole lot of it is just trying to get her acclimated with the stock cars.”

    “They are very different than the Indy cars,” Benson continued. “Some of the things that I see from Indy car drivers coming to the stock cars is that they do not like loose race cars.  And unfortunately you have to be able to do some of that.”

    “Going fast for her is not a huge issue,” Benson said. “But getting the car to go faster in practice and faster yet in the race has been a bit more challenging for her.”

    Benson is working with Patrick to as to the feel of the race car, as well as not being such a perfectionist during practice. He also has been coaching her on different lines around the race track.

    “She’s got a good feel of the car,” Benson said. “I’ve been impressed with that. It’s just a matter of trying to narrow that down from practice to the race.”

    “She wants it perfect for practice and every driver does,” Benson continued. “But I’m trying to show her what’s going to be good for the race.”

    “Practice doesn’t do anything but give her track time,” Benson said. “But when we’re good in practice, we may not be good in the race and she’s understanding that now.”

    “I’m changing her line on the track and where she needs to run,” Benson said. “That’s something that every driver tries to accomplish from practice into the race. It’s just helping her close those gaps.”

    After mentoring Patrick to a fourth place finish at Las Vegas, the highest ever for a female in NASCAR history, Benson set his sights to guiding her around Bristol Motor Speedway this past weekend.

    “She ran a great race,” Benson said, in spite of Patrick’s on-track incident with Ryan Truex leading to a 29th place finish and a totally wrecked race car. “We wanted to run as many laps as possible and stay out of trouble.”

    “She ran good, she was passing cars and she did well there,” Benson continued. “She had an unfortunate incident late in the race but it was just a racing deal.”

    “She was frustrated but it happens so fast there that it’s just one of those scenarios,” Benson said. “You chalk that up to experience and move forward. It’s too bad she’s not racing this weekend rather than waiting a month or two to get back in again.”

    Because of her IndyCar schedule, Benson will also now go on hiatus as far as coaching Ms. Patrick.

    “The three race deal was strictly because she’s going back to do the Indy stuff right now,” Benson said. “She needs to concentrate on it because that’s her main job.”

    “At this time I was just going to help her out until that time comes,” Benson continued. “Hopefully I can help her some more. There’s some areas that we can still work on.”

    “Hopefully, I will get that opportunity…if I’m not doing anything.”

    “I’m still looking for a ride,” Benson said. “I’d love to be able to go run for a championship in the Truck Series but obviously we can’t do that this year. But yeah, I’m still looking for a ride with someone that can run a bunch of races.”

    “It’s obviously going pretty slow, but I’m still hopeful.”

    What Benson misses most is simple. He desperately wants to compete again.

    “I miss the competition,” Benson said. “I’ve always built race cars from the ground up and that’s what I like.”

    “I like building new cars and going out and proving them on the track,” Benson continued. “That’s what I enjoy the most. And of course racing at the NASCAR level, that’s the biggest part of what I enjoy.”

    “I really want to run the Truck Series,” Benson said. “That would be in my mind the best case scenario.”

    “I would run for a Nationwide championship,” Benson continued. “As far as the Cup stuff, I don’t really see many opportunities there and I don’t necessarily believe in the ‘start and park’ deal, so I don’t know that I’d venture down that road.”

    “But if it comes down where I can’t run for a championship in the Truck or Nationwide Series, my next one I’d like to run for a championship is in the Super Modifieds.”

    “I’ve got an Outlaw Late Model Championship, an ASA Championship, a Nationwide Championship and a Truck Series Championship,” Benson said. “So, I’d like to get one in another series. I think that’d be really cool.”

    “I don’t have that many years in the NASCAR side, but I’ve got a lot of racing left in me that’s for sure,” Benson said. “And I’ve got a couple of championships left in me. That’s also for sure.”

  • NASCAR Sprint Cup Point Standings Analytics – After Race 4

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Point Standings Analytics – After Race 4

    The announcement of a change to the distribution of points across NASCAR national series sparked debate among even the most conservative NASCAR fans.  One of the explanations behind the change was to develop a more dramatic points battle to increase fan interest.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]A debate arose over the fact that a quick calculation would show that very little, if anything, would change in the final championship standings. In fact, even among the more common point distributions across all major racing series, by the end of the season there did not appear to be much of a difference in the order of the final standings.

    Here, I shall contend that debate with weekly comparisons across the three most commonly mentioned distributions, plus my own personal points schedule designed to reward both race winners and consistent high finishes.

    Classic Points System – Standings After Race 4

    By virtue of another strong finish, Carl Edwards would take the top spot under the classic system from Tony Stewart. Kurt Busch would be hot on his heels just 23 points, while there would be a three way tie for third between Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart.

    Notable changes in position compared to current system: None really… as we move forward in the season it is becoming apparent that there is little, if any difference, between the two point distributions.

    F1 System – Standings After Race 4

    Carl Edwards would have a commanding 14 point lead over the younger Busch brother. Jimmie Johnson would be third, 31 points back and more than a full race behind Edwards. Jeff Gordon and Trevor Bayne would round out the top five, each driver only scoring points in their respective victories.

    Drivers without points: Clint Bowyer, David Reutimann, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Burton, Joey Logano

    Notable changes in position compared to current system: Jeff Gordon (+15), David Gilliand (+11), Kevin Harvick (+5), Ryan Newman (-5), Paul Menard (-7), Kurt Busch (-7)

    IndyCar System – Standings After Race 4

    Once again, Carl Edwards maintains a lead over Kyle Busch in the standings, this time by 18 points. Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart close the top five as all driver are within a race points of the lead.

    Notable changes in position compared to current system: Kevin Harvick (+5),  Jimmie Johnson (+3), Paul Menard (-4), Dale Earnhardt Jr (-5), Mark Martin (-8)

    Phat’s System – Standings After Race 4

    For an explanation of the points distribution, please see consult table below standings. This distribution is designed to reward race winners, while also rewarding those who run well every week.

    Edwards sweeps all four standings for the week, again over Kyle Busch, with a 104 point advantage. Again, the top five is littered with the same drivers as Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman round the spots in the standings.

    Notable changes in position compared to current system: Jeff Gordon (+13), Bobby Labonte (-3), Mark Martin (-4), Martin Truex, Jr. (-9)

  • What’s Wrong With Bristol Motor Speedway? One Word, Intensity

    What’s Wrong With Bristol Motor Speedway? One Word, Intensity

    [media-credit id=5 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Several years ago the idea of empty seats at Bristol Motor Speedway would have been considered blasphemy. How in the world could a track, where tickets were often the focus of divorce proceedings, have not just one empty seat, but thousands?

    Purists point to the redesigned track and the new multi-groove racing we see now twice a year. Optimists state that it is merely a reflection of both the national and local economy and that in time it will bounce back. In reality, it is more likely a combination of changing a spectacular product at precisely the wrong time.

    While growing up, Bristol had an aura about it. Sure Daytona was the sports big shiny stage and Darlington was mythical in its stories, but Bristol… that’s where the ‘real racing’ was. As the years wore on, the media would play off of this notion which caused it to grow even further.

    And, to be honest, the fact that Dale Earnhardt was involved in two of the most well-known finishes at the track merely fueled its expansion.

    Alas, times change and the track owners decided that Bristol was in need of a face lift. Visually the track would look the same, but the character of it would become more polished. What followed after that first race was, perhaps, more unexpected than anticipated.

    The racing we see today at Bristol is vastly different to the races of old. Multiple lanes provide drivers ample opportunity to snake their way up and down Bristol’s high banks, seeking a way past a competitor. It is not necessarily bad racing, but it is not the Bristol that fans had come to know and love.

    It used to be that 500 laps at Bristol was an intense experience for both drivers and fans alike. A sense of the unknown and of excessive anticipation hung like a cloud over the speedway on race day. It was something that fans would feed off of and, I venture, is mostly responsible for packing those 160,000 seats year after year.

    One never knew if Carl Edwards would simply dive into turn three on the last lap to give Kyle Busch a nudge. It could be for first place, or it could be for twentieth, and for the fans it honestly did not matter.

    Some call it dirty racing, while some do not call it racing at all. That was racing at Bristol though, good ole boys duking it out Saturday night style in front of 160,000 screaming fans.

    That racing no longer exists, nor will it most likely ever come back. The product the track produces has changed; the intensity is no longer present which leaves previously conditioned fans hungry for more.

    In time, the fans will come back as they grow accustomed to the new Bristol.

    Until that point, and from now on, we’ll have to live with the comparisons and recognize the difference between the two. The old Bristol’s legend will continue to grow as the years wane, perhaps growing in grandeur as well while fans continue to miss that intensity and anticipation.

    Do not discredit the racing at the new Bristol, however much disdain you may have for it. For as long as drivers like Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards lurk among Bristol’s high banks, there will always be a chance that another driver will have their cage rattled.

    Because for all of the complaining, that’s what fans truly want… right?

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: WHO’S GOING TO RING THE BELL IN FONTANA?

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: WHO’S GOING TO RING THE BELL IN FONTANA?

    The elite of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series are preparing for the long cross country trek to southern California for next Sunday’s race at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. The question is: which one of the drivers from the 43 car staring field will earn the right to participate in the traditional ringing of the El Camino Real bell that adorns the speedway’s Gatorade victory lane?

    [media-credit name=”FMCM” align=”alignright” width=”272″][/media-credit]The bell ceremony has become a time honored tradition, at the Auto Club Speedway, that represents a significant portion of southern California history. El Camino Real is Spanish for The Royal Road also known as The King’s Highway. It was a 600 mile stretch of road that connected missions from San Diego to the California wine country in Sonoma. Between 1683 and 1834 a series of religious outposts were constructed, approximately 30 miles apart from each other, to facilitate overland travelers. In 1892, in lieu of modern day road signs, the route was marked by a series of bells. From 1920 to 1931 the Auto Club of Southern California donated the resources to care for those bells. That would be the same Auto Club that will be treating race fans to the NASCAR weekend at the Auto Club Speedway.

    THE NUMBERS BREAKDOWN

    To pinpoint which driver is going to ring the bell at the Auto Club Speedway you have to crunch the numbers from NASCAR’s archives and combine them with the efforts of the professional number crunchers from “The Las Vegas Insider,” (LVI).

    #48 Jimmie Johnson, LVI rating 5 to 2 odds. To no real surprise Jimmie Johnson tops the numbers list. The five time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion is also a five time, series leading race winner at the Auto Club Speedway. His Fontana numbers are extremely strong and include 11 top five finishes along with 12 top tens. His series high average finish ratio, 5.3, is absolutely tops among his peers. “The Las Vegas Insider”, (LVI), also has Johnson on top of their numbers list as well and has rated him at 5 to 2 odds to win next Sunday’s race. By the way, the LVI has gone on record as saying that Jimmie “Five Time” will become Jimmie “Six Pack” by the time the Chase for the Championship is over in November. He appears to be on his way. Following a rather dubious start at Daytona, where he left 27th in the points, he has now worked his way to seventh after four races.

    Also, don’t overlook Johnson’s strong personal and emotional ties with the Auto Club Speedway. His first ever Sprint Cup win came there back in the spring of 2002. He’s also the defending race champion from this past February. An even stronger tie is the fact that Johnson is southern California born and bred. His hometown of El Cajon is just a short freeway drive from the track. That means quality time with family and friends as well as some hands on work with the Jimmie Johnson Foundation that benefits his home community in so many ways.

    #99 Carl Edwards, LVI rating 3 to 1 odds. A lot of NASCAR observers are saying if there’s anyone that can stop Jimmie Johnson’s championship streak then this may be the guy. Edwards is off to a strong start in 2011. He has already hit the Sprint Cup win column, at Las Vegas, and is a solid second in points just one marker from the top. His previous Fontana numbers are also very healthy. He’s a previous race winner there and also has six top five finishes, 10 top tens along with an average finish ratio of 9.2. Also, don’t overlook the fact that those Roush Yates engines are really cranking out the horsepower these days. We could be witnessing another post race victory back flip next Sunday.

    #24 Jeff Gordon, LVI rating 4 to 1 odds. After breaking a 66 race win less streak at Phoenix, Gordon endured some bad luck at the Las Vegas and Bristol races that saw him slip to 19th in the current points standings. However the Auto Club Speedway is a perfect place for Gordon to get his drive for five championship run headed in the right direction again. He’s a three time winner there, including winning the first ever Sprint Cup race at the speedway back in 1997. His other Fontana stats include ten top five finishes, 11 top tens and a finish ratio of 10.9.

    #18 Kyle Busch, LVI rating 5 to 1 odds. Whether you want to be the next president of his fan club or the fan who tosses out the most “boo berries” during driver introductions, there is no denying the natural talent of Kyle Busch. He certainly proved that point last weekend by sweeping Bristol for the second year in a row. That effort moves him to sixth in the points standings. His Auto Club Speedway stats includes one win which, by the way, was his first ever Sprint Cup win back in 2005, along with four top five finishes, eight top tens and a finish ratio of 12.7. There seems to be a stronger display of maturity from Kyle Busch these days. Common sense thinking seems to be replacing a flair for the dramatic and that’s only going to make him stronger on the race track.

    #22 Kurt Busch, LVI rating 8 to 1 odds. The elder Busch brother owns the exact same stats as his younger brother. He’s a former Fontana winner with a 12.7 average finish ratio. The difference maker is the fact that the driver of the double deuce Penske Dodge has been a model of consistency this year and remains on top of the championship standings. If crew chief Steve Addington can create some handling magic next Sunday, this driver could surprise us all and score that first win in a points race.

    #14 Tony Stewart, LVI rating 10 to 1 odds. After several efforts “Smoke” finally crossed winning at the Auto Club Speedway off of his list of things to do last October. He also has five top five finishes there and that consistency could help him with the points profile. He goes into Fontana third in the championship standings.

    #29 Kevin Harvick, LVI rating 12 to 1 odds. Harvick’s stats at the Auto Club Speedway aren’t that strong. He’s still looking for his first win and has a finish ratio of 17.1. His 2011 season got off to a horrible start at Daytona and he left there 37th in the points. Despite that, Harvick and company are looking and sounding like a championship caliber team. They proved that point last Sunday when they turned a crash damaged car into a sixth place finish which elevated them to 15th in the points. If you’re into long shot wagers, this team might be worthy of consideration.

    #17 Matt Kenseth, LVI rating 15 to 1 odds. With all extreme respects to “The Las Vegas Insider”, I’m not understanding Kenseth’s rating for next Sunday’s race. He’s a three time Fontana winner with seven top five finishes, 12 top tens and a healthy average finish ratio of 10.3. Kenseth has a habit of quietly advancing his status during a race at this speedway. From the grandstands you barely notice him. You hear very little about during a television broadcast. Then, somewhere during the final 50 laps of the race, there he is on his way to becoming a major player in the final outcome. During the past two seasons the entry way to his crew chief office practically had a revolving door. However, the presence of iconic crew chief Jimmy Fennig in that office seems to working well for the driver. Kenseth is a rock solid consideration for winning next Sunday’s race.

    That’s just some of the potential El Camino Real Bell Ringers that could find victory next Sunday in the Auto Club 400. Here’s some more potential dark horse teams, along with their Las Vegas rating, that could surprise us all by the time the race is over.

    15 to 1: #33 Clint Bowyer.

    20 to 1: #16 Greg Biffle, former race winner, #20 Joey Logano, #5 Mark Martin, former race winner.

    30 to 1: #42 Juan Pablo Montoya, #31 Jeff Burton, #4 Kasey Kahne, former race winner, #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    40 to 1: #39 Ryan Newman, #00 David Reutimann.

    50 to 1: #83 Brian Vickers

    60 to 1: #56 Martin Truex Jr

    75 to 1: #6 David Ragan.

    100 to 1: #43 A J Allmendinger, #2 Brad Keselowski, #27 Paul Menard.

    150 to 1: #9 Marcus Ambrose, #47 Bobby Labonte

    200 to 1: #78 Regan Smith.

    Note: if you’re favorite driver’s name doesn’t appear in this listing then he’s automatically rated by “The Las Vegas Insider” at 40 to 1

    Now for the disclaimer: NASCAR want us to remind you that these posted odds numbers are for informational and entertainment purposes. They neither encourage nor condone the placing of wagers on their events. But if you’re going to do it anyway, and many of you will, then you may as well have the latest information from professionals like “The Las Vegas Insider.” That way you won’t be betting your next mortgage payment based on your favorite number or favorite color of auto paint.

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

    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    Sunday’s Auto Club 400 is 200 laps/400 miles around the Auto Club Speedway’s massive, D shaped, oval.

    The race has 43 entries vying for the 43 starting positions. That means all entries will get to race and those teams outside of the top 35 in owner’s points will not have to endure “knock out qualifying.”

    The weather could impact qualifying. The forecast for the greater Fontana area calls for 62 degrees and a 40% chance of rain on Friday. On Saturday expect partly sunny skies, 66 degrees with a 10% chance of showers. The forecast for Sunday race day calls for sunny skies, 71 degrees and no rain expected.

    The Auto Club Speedway opened in 1997. The first ever event there was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race won by Ken Schrader. The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held in June of 1997 and was won by Jeff Gordon. Since that time there has been 21 Sprint Cup races at the speedway that has sent 13 different winners to victory lane. Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with five wins. Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth have won three races each. Hendrick Motorsports tops the team win list with nine. Ford and Chevrolet are tied in the manufacturers win listing with ten each while Dodge has found victory lane one time.

    The track qualifying record, 188.425 MPH, was set by Kyle Busch back in February of 2005.

    The Auto Club Speedway’s D shaped oval is 75 feet wide allowing plenty of room for three wide racing. The four turns are banked 14 degrees, the front stretch measures 3,100 feet with 11 degrees of banking. The backstretch measures 2,500 feet but only has three degrees of banking.

    The speedway’s pit road is 2.200 feet long and has 44 spacious pit stalls. The pit road speed is 55 MPH.

    The Auto Club Speedway has grandstand seating for 92,000 fans plus 1,800 RV spaces in its infield camping area.

    The Auto Club 400 will be broadcast live by Fox Sports with the pre race show beginning at 230 pm eastern time. The re air of the race will be on Wednesday, March 30th, beginning at 12 pm eastern on SPEED.

  • Economy Is Not The Reason For Bristol Shortfall

    Economy Is Not The Reason For Bristol Shortfall

    I think anyone who has any clue about the economies of Florida, Arizona, Las Vegas, or Tennessee is getting sick and tired of hearing the non-stop whining and complaining that it is the economy, and only the economy, that caused the Jeff Byrd 500 to not be a sellout. I had a lot of emails pointing the finger at the enormous gas prices that Tennessee supposedly has. Well, let’s be original and start researching for ourselves.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Before I start, I will say I enjoyed the race, but I honestly like the old Bristol surface better. I think that the bumping and banging style that Bristol used to offer was much more exciting. Still an exciting race, but not what it used to be. Is that why the numbers were so low? No. It’s a combination of many things as I will show you.

    If any of you guys have ever been down to Daytona and I’m not just talking about the track, what do you see? This town isn’t very classy. There are plenty of trailer parks to be seen and unfortunately many people consider the place to be a slum, with the exception of the race track. Daytona International Speedway is the only source for any economic boom in that city. Daytona’s unemployment rate comes dangerously close to 13% and as a state, Florida is about 12%. The Daytona 500 this year did sell out, so for some people that was surprising, but it is a new year and it’s always good to start off on the right track. There were no delays to fix a pot hole this time around. The average price for a gallon of gasoline in Florida is actually higher than the average for the entire country at $3.55 per gallon. Daytona track President Joie Chitwood III realizes this and says, Well hey…we need to lower the ticket prices. Done. More fans come.

    Ok, so we arrive in Phoenix. Unemployment in Avondale is about 10% and relatively the same for the state. Gas prices are about $3.54 per gallon on average, so Arizona and Florida are kinda in that same area. Hotel prices are relatively the same, but it really depends where you stay. If you stay at a resort, you will pay higher prices. That is obvious. This race also sold out! Woah…we are really on a roll this year. Now, we go to Las Vegas a city that really needs a boost.

    Welcome to Las Vegas and holy…gas prices are through the roof compared to Florida and Arizona. On average it costs about $3.67 per gallon and the unemployment rate has jumped to a record 15%! Las Vegas had an unemployment rate of just 3% in 2004. I got a lot of emails saying for example things like this, “There is no way they are going to sell out! HAHA NO Way!!” And guess what? The race sold out.

    Obviously the economy isn’t having much of an effect on the fans and the sport they love. In case you didn’t know, all three of these race tracks cut the prices to the races and look at the difference!

    And after a two week break we are now in Thunder Valley for the Jeff Byrd 500. Bristol has an unemployment rate of about 10% and some guys said, “Oh man. This is cake. They will sell out again.” Uh oh. We have run into a problem…this race fell way short of expectations. Is it the economy? No. If you haven’t taken a good look at Las Vegas’s economic problems, then take another look. What did Bristol Motor Speedway not do that the other tracks mentioned did? They lowered the prices of the tickets. This is a continuing problem in other sports for example, the NFL. Tom Brady makes $25,000 an hour + endorsements. Fans are no longer willing to pay arm and leg to see a football game. The players are making and demanding so much money, the prices are getting higher and higher.

    The Green Bay Packers for example have announced that they will raise ticket prices by at least $5.00 for the 2011 season, but they are in a lockout, so obviously that won’t happen. NHL had the same problem. The league lost money and the players wanted more. That’s a problem and the NHL has never really recovered from that lockout.

    Bristol didn’t prepare for the race and they got bit right in the arse because of it. Don’t blame the economy. Blame yourselves. Like I said before, the fans want to pay a reasonable price for the race and when they feel that the prices are too steep, well they stay home and watch Darrell Waltrip yap the entire race, or Larry McReynolds say, “We are about to take the green flag.” It’s much more exciting.

    Opinions anyone? Good. Let it rip.

  • Jeff Gordon Is Ready For His Close Up

    Jeff Gordon Is Ready For His Close Up

    After a fourteenth place finish at Bristol and a slight disagreement with fellow competitor Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon is ready to move on to the next race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”275″][/media-credit]Not only will Gordon head for the Hollywood hills to race but the driver of the No. Pepsi Max 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motor Sports is also preparing for another important close up, his upcoming role on the big screen.

    Gordon announced during the pre-race festivities at ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile’ that he would be appearing this summer in Pixar’s movie Cars 2. The driver will make his close up as ‘Jeff Gorvette’, an up and coming racer that is “turning hoods wherever he competes”.

    The Pixar release states that “Jeff Gorvette is one of the greatest American race cars alive today.” Gordon’s character in Cars 2 closely mirrors his real life, including his animated character hailing from Vallejo, California who travels to Indiana to pursue a racing career, just as Gordon has done.

    Another similarity is that Gorvette’s car number in the movie will be the same as Gordon’s car number in real life, the infamous No. 24.  In Cars 2, the No. 24 Corvette C6.R will, however, race on tracks in the Grand Touring Sports circuits, competing for the World Grand Prix, while Gordon makes his rounds on the familiar NASCAR tracks on which he has garnered four Cup championships.

    Gordon stated that he was most excited about his close up in Cars 2 as he could not wait to take his children, daughter Ella and son Leo, to see the animated feature. He will be talking about his role more fully this week as he is scheduled to appear on The Ellen Degeneres Show on Friday.

    Gordon is also preparing for his upcoming close up at Auto Club Speedway. The driver has three wins, ten top-fives, eleven top-10 finishes and two poles at the Fontana, California track.

    “It’s big and fast,” Gordon said of Auto Club Speedway. “You got to have the power down the straightaways, you got to have the grip in the corners, same as all the other big tracks.”

    “Certainly a track I love, look forward to going to, one we’ve had success at,” Gordon continued. “Especially when I think of this team, I think of Alan and his group, they’ve run well there.”

    Gordon has the fifth best driver rating at Fontana, a 99.6. He has an average finish of 10.9, with an average running position of 9.3, the third best at that track.

    While Gordon is looking forward to his California close up, he acknowledges that Auto Club Speedway can be a bit challenging.

    “When you get to a track like California, it can get tricky,” Gordon said. “There’s a lot of different combinations of setups that you can put underneath the car to make it go faster.”

    “You plan ahead,” Gordon continued. “You spend so much time in the off-season trying to create new bump-stops, shock packages, springs, sway bars, you hope the direction you were working in is the right one.”

    “We learned a lot about that at Vegas, but we’ll learn even more when we go to California,” Gordon continued.  “That’s what I’m most anxious to see, where we stand as well as where our competitors are at.”

    “To me, I look forward to going to every racetrack every weekend because it’s kind of like starting over and doing some new things that I look at their past performance and I look at their current performance,” Gordon said. “It’s got me really excited to go to the racetrack and see what we have for the weekend.”

    Whether on or off the track, Gordon has already proved the value of his close ups, particularly in the area of brand exposure. According to Joyce Julius & Associates, Gordon has generated more on-screen time for his sponsors during the television coverage of the 2011 season than any other driver to date.

    Gordon leads the pack with one hour, 50 minutes, 16 seconds of exposure for his sponsors in the first three Cup races for the season. This totals to approximately $7.6 million of in-broadcast exposure value.

    Gordon will no doubt strive to continue his on and off track marketability. His Auto Club Speedway close up is scheduled for this Sunday, March 27th at 3:00 PM ET, where he will compete in the Auto Club 400.  And Jeff Gorvette’s Pixar Cars 2 close up will come to the theaters throughout the country later this summer.

  • Jennifer Jo Cobb, 2nd Chance Racing Saga About More Then Driver Walking Away

    Jennifer Jo Cobb, 2nd Chance Racing Saga About More Then Driver Walking Away

    As the Jennifer Jo Cobb vs. Rick Russell saga approaches midweek, the mudslinging continues.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”262″][/media-credit]What started as pure confusion Saturday afternoon when it was reported that Cobb was getting out of the No. 79 before the start of the Scotts EZ Seed 300 has turned into flat out drama. Both sides are alleging wrong doings and battle lines are being formed.

    There won’t be any winners in this fight.

    Of course the court the public opinion is always rendering verdicts. And there are plenty of opinions to go around, in this sport that’s nothing new. As soon as both sides had their say on Saturday, the responses started coming. Many drivers, owners, fans and media members told Cobb “kudos” for taking the action that she did.

    Case closed for the court of public opinion, Cobb has already been declared the winner. But it’s just not the simple.

    The reason is that while she will be racing this upcoming at the Auto Club Speedway for Rick Ware Racing, last week won’t be put behind her. This is far from over, unfortunately for her and for everyone involved in the sport.

    For 2nd Chance Racing they are now looking for a driver and fielding the backlash from their decision in Bristol. An owner having to defend his action is abnormal; the driver is usually the one with some explaining to do.

    At this point ladies and gentlemen it’s just sad.

    Everyone loves a good drama and NASCAR is certainly no stranger to such events. But this drama is between a driver and team that do not need to be in the spotlight. Both are still trying to get their big break and make headlines for accomplishments.

    Now they’ve taken center stage, become storyline A for not playing nice.

    It was Kyle Busch who asked the fans before the start of the Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, “Can’t we all be friends?”

    The answer is an astounding no. When saying that 2nd Chance Racing has been dealing with the backlash it may have been putting it lightly. They’ve been getting burned and burned badly.

    Before sunset on Saturday they had to take down their Facebook account because of all the messages they were receiving. Since then their Twitter page has also been taken down.

    Social networking at its best, it’s great when it’s there and provides and inside look for fans of the sport as well as a great communication tool for teams and drivers. Yet, when something goes wrong it helps deliver blows.

    After the incident on Saturday the voice behind the Twitter page for 2nd Chance Racing did their best to explain the situation to fans. But every one of their messages came off in a negative way and weren’t well received. In a way, they just added fuel to the fire.

    Messages like: “For anyone that disagrees with any decisions we make, no one is making you ‘follow’ us.” Or, “It is not my place to give the details.  All I will say is wait for the official word if you want to know the true story.”

    There was also, “Owner unable to hear reporter track-side due to hearing loss from fighting in Vietnam.  Want to blame him for that too?”

    It’s hard to find anyone, at least those who will admit it, that agree with them.

    Then again, if the allegations from Cobb are true, such as Russell refusing to return her driver’s seat, it becomes hard. By not returning a driver’s seat, it is as Cobb said, a safety issue. It is also pure childish.

    Such behavior from a team owner is appalling but it should be remembered that at this point it is just an accusation. Accusations that are making Russell and company come off as the villains and let Cobb walk with her head held high.

    From Russell’s standpoint, Cobb went behind his back to try and race on Saturday. She and crew chief Steve Kuykendall were putting a pit crew together when they knew beforehand that they were not going to be racing.

    According to Russell, everyone understood they were starting and parking.

    He also claims team members attempted to remove parts from the car. And as of Tuesday night he had filed police reports for larceny charges against Cobb. Claiming that $16,000 worth of car parts was stolen from him.

    There is no end in sight for these two. If NASCAR fans thought the ongoing battle between NASCAR and Jeremy Mayfield was getting out of hand, Cobb and Russell could be headed down the same path.

    Yet, what is made this become news and become big news has nothing to do with a driver walking away from their team. For instance, Kasey Kahne did the same thing last year to his Budweiser team after crashing out of an event.

    He refused to get back in the car. Even Kyle Busch has done the same thing. Back in 2007 at Texas when Busch wrecked he walked away and headed home as his team repaired the car.

    Those incidents were dropped within a day.

    The real root of Cobb vs. Russell saga is the fact that it had to do with what has become a necessary evil in NASCAR: starting and parking.

    Nowhere in the NASCAR rulebook does it say that a team cannot start and park. But again, in the court of public opinion you better think otherwise. By Russell deciding his team needed to do so in order to race in California it got everyone’s attention and it got attention fast.

    He and 2nd Chance Racing immediately became the bad guys. How dare they start and park?

    Cobb immediately won the fans over and never took a lap on the racetrack. Hooray for her for refusing to do such a ridiculous thing anyway.

    Starting and parking will never, ever go over well with anyone in the sport. Except maybe those who are being forced to do so just to be able to race. It’s something that is never going to fly under the radar either, not with ESPN broadcaster Marty Reid being sure to point out which drivers have pulled behind the wall.

    Now when Cobb and Russell going at it, starting and parking has been given a whole new platform. Who would have ever thought it with all the other great action and storylines out there?

    Drivers who are never a factor are mentioned every weekend.

    That’s why people are so up in arms about the whole incident. Most of the time no one would care if an owner and driver were going at it or arguing about a contract. But when Cobb stated on national television that she was told to start and park and she refused, the ears perked up and the gloves came off.

    If no one liked starting and parking before, they certainly aren’t going to like it now that drivers are starting to fight back. The only thing that can be agreed on is that this needs to resolved soon because it’s making everyone look bad, from both sides fighting to bringing more attention to the unwanted and unpopular starting and parking.