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  • ARCA Driver Tom Hessert to Ken Schrader Racing in 2011

    ARCA Driver Tom Hessert to Ken Schrader Racing in 2011

    ARCA driver Tom Hessert announced that he would be running the full 2011 ARCA Racing Series schedule with Ken Schrader Racing after finishing third in points in 2010.

    Hessert, who drove the No. 77 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge to one win, 10 top-fives, and 15 top-10 finishes in 2010, informed Cunningham Motorsports owner Kerry Scherer last week that he will drive in 2011 for Ken Schrader Racing.

    Hessert had a solid year as he was in the thick of one of the tightest points battles in recent years with Patrick Sheltra and Craig Goess.

    [media-credit name=”tomhessert.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]”It was an awesome year,” Hessert told the ARCA Racing Network last month. “Obviously, I’ll say that this was the best season in my career to this point. I’m a little disappointed to not win after we came from such a difference after the first eight races – 220 points down – to lead the championship for a couple of hours (laughing), at least, after Salem. We got our first win and had a bunch of top-10s and top-fives, so I’m pretty pleased.”

    The first win is a moment that many refer to as the highlight of the year, as he held off Ty Dillon to win the Prairie Meadows 200 at Iowa Speedway.

    “It’s incredible,” he told me of that first win. “It’s my first win in a quite awhile and to win it in that fashion and leading all those laps at Iowa Speedway in front of a great crowd and with the Camping World Truck Series teams being on hand and all those people in the garage area and on Speed, it couldn’t have been a better day.”

    Hessert got into racing through his father.

    “My dad raced in sports car for a long time in the late 80s/90s and I grew up going to the races,” he told me. “I went to my first race when I was two weeks old and fell in love with it then.”

    His father, among others, has now given him the advice needed to get to where he is.

    “My dad’s been a mentor of mine all throughout my career, as he’s obviously a race car driver,” he said. “In our series, it’s Frank Kimmel, which everyone has been saying. Kenny Schrader’s also been a great friend, a great mentor the last year-and-a-half, and there’s Andy Hillenburg.”

    Hessert found himself with Cunningham Motorsports this season after a discussion near the end of last year.

    “Last year, I drove the first half of the season for Andy Belmont Racing and then the second half of the year for RAB,” he said. “Then near the end of the year, one of the guys from Cunningham Motorsports called me and I went down to Georgia and met with him and it was a very attractive offer. They ran really well last year and their affiliation with some of the big teams in NASCAR was very appealing and so far, so good. I couldn’t be happier.”

    Hessert had some experience running some Camping World Truck Series races near the end of the year of 2010 and has expressed interest in moving into the NASCAR ranks. Therefore this move to Ken Schrader Racing puts him in position to do with that with Schrader’s program and connections.

    Cunningham Motorsports may be in trouble as Dakoda Armstrong, Hessert’s teammate in 2010, has not yet informed Cunningham Motorsports of his plans for 2011, according to a team press release. 

    Cunningham Motorsports is actively looking for sponsored drivers for 2011, and continues to prepare for the January 11-13 ARCA Racing Series open test at Daytona International Speedway.

  • HOORAHS AND WAZZUPS: THE ABSOLUTE FINAL CRUMBS FROM 2010

    HOORAHS AND WAZZUPS: THE ABSOLUTE FINAL CRUMBS FROM 2010

    Over the past several days we learned that a true NASCAR legend, and Hall Of Famer, Junior Johnson is returning to the team ownership business. Meanwhile a financial investor literally stole a motorsports complex in Tennessee. Kyle Busch got married in a ceremony that was witnessed by the paparazzi and it appears we have the opportunity to smell like Carl Edwards. With those thoughts in mind, let’s begin with:

    HOORAH to the legendary Junior Johnson for opening a new race shop to support the racing effort of his 17 year son, Robert, whom he truly believes has the potential of becoming a NASCAR Sprint Cup star. The shops of the newly established Junior Johnson Racing is located on the Hall Of Famer’s 278 acre estate in Hamptonville-North Carolina.

    The plan calls for the team to field a car for Robert Johnson in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this year with some possible appearances in the Pro Series West such as the end of the season race at Phoenix International Raceway. During their free weekends on the schedule, Johnson will also drive in some UARA and NASCAR Whelen All American Series events.

    Junior Johnson recently purchased some Toyota Camrys from Red Bull Racing but has yet to make a final decision regarding the team’s manufacturer. Somehow Junior Johnson and Toyota just doesn’t feel right.

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

    WAZZUP with the Memphis Motorsports Park beging sold for the paltry sum of $1.8 million? Dover Motorsports, the owner of the famed complex since 1997, closed the Millington-Tennessee facility over a year ago and, this past April, put it on the market for $6 million. That price alone was a major bargain. Simply put: the dirt under the parking lot was worth more than that.

    But there were no takers and that led to the auction on the property held in mid December. The bidding began at $3 million and the auction audience sat there in stony silence. The result was no different when the opening bid was dropped to $2 million. When the opening price fell to $1.5 million that’s when Joe Lubeck, the managing partner of the Florida based Palm Beach International Raceway, stepped up and made his amazing deal. This entire process took approximately ten minutes.

    So, what did Mr. Lubeck get for his $1.8 million investment? It was a .75 mile paved oval, that used to, and could again, host NASCAR’s Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series along with a 1.77 mile road course. Also included in the deal was a quarter mile drag strip that used to, and could again, host the NHRA.

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

    From our God Bless department, congratulations to Kyle Busch and Samantha Sarcinella-Busch who were married on New Year’s Eve in Chicago. We wish the couple a life time of happiness.

    But, at the same time, WAZZUP with the paparazzi crashing the ceremony and leaking the wedding photos? In a “Twitter” message Kyle Busch wrote: “the photos weren’t leaked. Since it was a public church, u can’t turn anyone away and thus there was paparazzi there. The pics out there weren’t authorized by Samantha and I. We look forward to sharing our wedding with our fans on the “Style” Network in early March.”

    The “Style” Network? Are we talking about the making of another reality show here?

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

    A God Bless also goes out to Crystal and Sam Hornish Jr who welcomed the arrival of their second daughter on December 28th. Eliza Jo Hornish weighed seven pounds and 15 ounces while measuring 20.5 inches long. Mom, Dad and big sister Addison are reported to be fine and thrilled.

    Another God Bless goes to SPEED Channel reporter Wendy Venturini and husband Jarrad Egert, of Joe Gibbs Racing. They welcomed the arrival of a son, Caleb James, on December 22nd.

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

    I suppose whether or not this next item is a HOORAH or a WAZZUP depends on what you smell like at the moment or how you would like to smell.

    It seems that the often mentioned girl friend, still a card carrying T shirt wearing member of the Junior Nation, is also an avid supporter of the Avon Cosmetics industry. I know this because approximately once a month a heavily painted lady arrives at our front door carrying small product bags and catalogs.

    Following the latest Avon visit the girlfriend couldn’t wait to show me the catalog page featuring a new men’s fragrance, endorsed by NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards, with the macho name: Turn 4 XT.

    According to the catalog write up: “Turn 4 XT is an eau de toilette spray. The invigorating drive of spicy pepperwood accelerates into a smooth, sexy finish intensified by a jolt of java vefiver and masculine mahogany.”

    For the nominal fee of $26 you can smell just like Carl Edwards. Look on the bright side: pepperwood and mahogany beats smelling like Sunoco race fuel any day of the week.

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

    The final WAZZUP of the week goes to NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Brian Scott. It’s seems this driver had problems with folding a fitted bed sheet and made the situation worse by telling the world about it on “Twitter.”

    Scott’s “Twitter” messages read: “AHHH ! It’s impossible to fold a fitted sheet. This is so aggravating. I have tried every trick and every angle of attack on those fitted sheets. I admit defeat. They piss me off.”

    By now you’re probably thinking the same thing I am. Considering the salary levels of modern day NASCAR drivers why not just hire a house keeper?

  • VISION AIR RACING TAKES A FLIGHT TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL

    VISION AIR RACING TAKES A FLIGHT TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL

    Since November there has been whisperings regarding the Las Vegas based Vision Air Racing, (VAR), and their plans to fly east and upgrade their operation to NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series.

    [media-credit name=”FMCM” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]In early December there was a report that indicated VAR had purchased a race shop facility in Mooresville-North Carolina and were planning to race Toyota Tundras supplied by Kyle Busch Motorsports. However, that report was completely upstaged by a December 22nd announcement that proclaimed the news that VAR was going to merge with Billy Ballew Motorsports, (BBM), one of the premiere truck teams in the series.

    The master plan calls for the new team format to run Ballew’s #15 and #51 Toyota Tundras with full factory support from TRD, Toyota Racing Development. While the operation will be under the VAR banner, Ballew will retain an ownership stake in the two teams. The new merger plans on running at least one truck full time in the Camping World Truck Series with the second team running a part time schedule, or a full time schedule if funding is available. Las Vegas based VAR drivers Justin Johnson and Dusty Davis will be behind the wheel. BBM plans on moving into the newly acquired VAR shop which should not be an issue because they are located across the street from each other.

    Despite an impressive effort during the 2010 Truck Series season, BBM endured the stress of the financial side of NASCAR racing and ran their operation on virtually a race to race sponsorship program. In a live interview on Sirius Satellite Radio’s NASCAR Channel last month, Ballew said “I needed help”.”From a financial standpoint, I couldn’t continue to do it on my own. A merger seemed to be the best way to insure that we could continue on in the Truck Series. The biggest part of the puzzle was finalized last night, (December 21st), and we’ll take care of the minor details after the holidays.”

    During the course of that same interview a seemingly rejuvenated Ballew stated ” I’m going to be very involved in the operation for at least the next 12 months. I’m also exploring a couple of options in the Cup Series next year.”

    Despite having to deal with the sponsorship roller coaster, BBM actually had a very good year during the 2010 season. Their primary team, driven by Aric Almirola, finished second in the Truck Series final standings based on two wins, 11 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes including 13 consecutive top tens. Ballew also finished third in the final owner’s points standings.

    On the other side of this new merger stands VAR General Manager Tom Davis who is equally exuberant regarding the future of his teams. From a company prepared statement, Davis said “this is an exciting time at Vision Air Racing and we’re thankful for Billy’s support with making this deal possible. We’ve built a winning operation with Justin and Dusty in late models, and moving to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with Billy delivers the level of excellence on the track that we’re used to.”

    Some very impressive team stats clearly indicates that VAR also had a very good 2010 racing season. The twin teams campaigned in the Pepsi Super Late Model Series at the California based Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, one of the most challenging half mile ovals in the country, where they finished one-two in the final points standings. En route to that impressive accomplishment, the VAR drivers compiled a start/win ratio of 74 percent.

    Justin Johnson was formidable last year and easily won the series’ championship based on his ten feature wins, which calculates to roughly 53 percent of his starts, along with 18 top five finishes. Twice during the season he enjoyed two different streaks of four feature wins in a row. Dusty Davis’ contribution to the VAR season included four feature wins and 15 top five finishes. He also holds the Toyota Speedway record for being the youngest feature winner in the super late model division.

    While the team is now busy preparing for a debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, a lot of the series’ avid followers are likely asking exactly who are these guys from Las Vegas? Those of us who dwell out here on the “left coast”, (the western states for those of you not into geographic slang), have known for quite a long time who and what Vision Air Racing is.

    25 year old Justin Johnson began his career as a teen driver in the small, but very fast, Bandolero cars back in 1999. He’s living proof how well the Bandolero program works in terms of developing future driving talent. The Las Vegas native soon began working his way through the progression of the stock car divisions eventually leading to last year’s success in the super late models. Along the way he accumulated 100 career wins and eight division titles. When he’s not strapped in the driver’s seat of his VAR Ford Fusion on the weekends, Johnson spends his week days as a driving instructor for the Ron Fellows Driving School.

    After completing his high school education last year, 18 year old Dusty Davis is now completely free and clear to pursue his racing dream which began at the age of seven in karts. By the age of 13 Davis won the championship for the World Karting Association Junior Division, for drivers age 13 to 16. From karts to super late models he has since amassed 75 career wins. Davis has two big picture goals for his racing career. The first is to represent America in the Formula One Series, the second is a winning and lucrative career in NASCAR racing.

    No matter what speedway they’re racing at, it’s very easy to locate the Vision Air Racing team in the pit area. From the array of equipment needed to run the operation on race night to their mammoth double car hauler, this state of the art set up is eye popping and immediately noticeable. That’s largely due to the resources Vision Airlines provides this team.

    The story behind the team’s primary sponsor is equally as impressive as the accomplishments of the team. According to their official website, the Las Vegas based Vision Airlines was formed by Steve Acor back in 1994. At the time the company was operating a lone, nine seat, Piper aircraft that provided personal charter services as well as aerial tours of the Grand Canyon. That was approximately 16 years ago. Now Vision Airlines owns a fleet of Boeing 767’s and 737’s as well as Dornier 328 and 228 planes and, in that short amount of time, they have become the premiere charter airline service in the country. Their clientele now includes presidential candidates, heads of state, “A” list celebrities and executives representing major Fortune 500 companies. After establishing an administrative base in Suwannee-Georgia, Vision Airlines began the process of providing airline commuters affordable public transportation without sacrificing quality and safety amenities. They are currently flying passengers out of airports located in North Las Vegas, Gulfport and Biloxi-Mississippi and Miami-Florida with plans underway to expand flights and facilities in other key cities.

    Now the stage is set for VAR to join Ballew Motorsports and make their mark on NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series when the new season begins at Daytona in February. However before that can happen, drivers Johnson and Davis will have to get official approval from NASCAR to run the full series. This includes insuring that their respective experience levels will allow them to safely perform on the super speedways, such as Daytona, the Truck Series races at.

    This process should not present any problems. Anyone who has ever seen Justin Johnson and Dusty Davis drive their VAR super late models already knows that obtaining NASCAR approval is simply going to be a matter of formality.

  • Less is More: The Road to a Sprint Cup Series Title for Kyle Busch Could Be Through Slowing Down

    Less is More: The Road to a Sprint Cup Series Title for Kyle Busch Could Be Through Slowing Down

    Applaud Kyle Busch for winning 24 races in NASCAR’s top three series in 2010.

    Applaud Kyle Busch for winning three races in one weekend. Applaud Kyle Busch for setting the single season win record in the Nationwide Series. Applaud Kyle Busch for winning the Camping World Truck Series owners championship in the first year as a team owner.

    Now give Kyle Busch a thumb down for running in so many races.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]There’s no denying or criticizing the fact that Busch loves and lives to race. He’s damn good at what he does and the fans are in for a treat whenever he climbs behind the wheel.

    The big picture though, a Sprint Cup Series championship, is a different story. With all the talent that Busch possesses, it’s hard not to ask the question: when does the day come when it’s all put together and Busch takes home the biggest trophy of all?

    He’s come close; in 2008 he dominated the regular season winning eight races before having a dismal Chase. It was his first season at Joe Gibbs Racing and looked to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

    Not so in the last two seasons. He missed the Chase in 2009 and went through a crew chief change.

    In the meantime, he won a NNS championship (2009) and put his name in the history book in both there and the CWTS on a few different occasions.

    Those accomplishments are great on the resume, but mean nothing down the long run. Busch’s job is in the Sprint Cup Series; his job is to win Cup races and championships.

    For all the dominating Busch does in the minor leagues, the majors haven’t been as easy. In 2010 he won four races, the least of any series he competed in – he won eight in trucks and 13 in the Nationwide. It pulled his win total in Cup to 19 and he again qualified for the Chase, yet was never a factor.

    “Good year,” he said. “You always want more. Want more Cup wins, maybe you’d trade out some Nationwide wins for some Cup wins but overall, to win two owners championships is pretty darn good.”

    Good it was, but rewind to Busch’s previous statement, “… maybe you’d trade out some Nationwide wins for some Cup wins … “

    That’s exactly what he needs to do and the way to do it is by not running so many races. Cut back even more on the part-time NNS schedule as well as the CWTS schedule.

    Even at 25 years of age it’s possible to burn out and run yourself ragged. For Busch, running in three series is turning into too much and the road to a Sprint Cup title does not go through the NNS or CWTS series. Winning on Friday and Saturday’s are great, but when Sunday rolls around is Busch really at his best and refreshed?

    Think about it a different way, running in so many races presents more opportunities to loss his cool. Avoiding those situations would make Busch a different driver.

    Imagine a calm, cool, collected Busch every Sunday; that can only equal danger for the competition. What if Busch wasn’t already livid with NASCAR from the Nationwide race heading into the Cup race at Texas this past season?

    Would he have lost his cool and taken a car capable of winning out of contention by being penalized two laps?

    But it’s well known he wants to get to the 200 win mark and Busch fans can only hope it doesn’t take his focus away from the big picture. Winning all those races would be an incredible feat and will further add to Busch’s pages in the history book.

    Except, will his name be there under a driver that knew how to win a lot of races or could win races and championships?

    A lot goes into winning a championship with focus being a major part. One of the reasons Jimmie Johnson has been said to be so good and have won five straight titles is through intense tunnel vision. He and his No. 48 Lowe’s team see nothing but the Sprint Cup Series championship. Kyle Busch sees every trophy in front of him and wants them.

    Nothing wrong with that but wouldn’t a Sprint Cup title on the mantel look good too?

    How much better can Busch be if he didn’t have to go back and forth between garages? What if Busch’s tunnel vision only included the Cup Series?

    This is not the first time that the question has been asked. What brings it forth again is that it’s becoming a little more apparent that those who try and pull double duty don’t end up for the better.

    Contenders for the Sprint Cup title the last few seasons did not race as much as Busch does. Now five-time Cup champion Johnson doesn’t wonder outside his No. 48 to compete in anything but the Cup Series.

    Busch’s teammate, Denny Hamlin, only ran in four NNS races this past season. He finished second to Johnson in the championship after winning eight races. In 2009 Mark Martin won five Cup races and finished second in points. Third place finisher Jeff Gordon won a race as well.

    That year, Martin ran one NNS race. Gordon has run a Nationwide race since 2000 when he ran in five events. He like Johnson hasn’t strayed from the Cup Series.

    Look back even further, to 2005, the last time a driver not named Johnson won the title. Tony Stewart took home his second Sprint Cup championship after only competing in 12 Nationwide races that year.

    Competing in one series has paid off in big ways for these drivers. Of course this past season Kevin Harvick ran in almost as many NNS and CWTS races as Busch and was able to finish third in the Sprint Cup points. Carl Edwards pulled double duty in 2008 and finished second in points to Johnson.

    Yet for Busch, his success hasn’t carried through all three series in the same year. So, why not take a year to try something different, try racing less.

    He will be a Sprint Cup Series champion one day and a multiple champion at that. If he took one year to slow himself down however, that day might come sooner than it currently appears.

  • ‘Have At It Boys’ Becomes a NASCAR Key Phrase in 2010 with Edwards and Keselowski

    ‘Have At It Boys’ Becomes a NASCAR Key Phrase in 2010 with Edwards and Keselowski

    When Robin Pemberton uttered those four words last year in January, a lot of people were curious as to how the drivers would react. Most thought it would equal some emotions being shown, but at the end of the year, it went beyond just a little bit of emotion.

    Notably the biggest “Have At It Boys” Story is Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski that started at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]On lap 39, Keselowski and Edwards made contact on the restart, sending Edwards and Joey Logano into the wall. On the initial replay, it looked as if Keselowski got into the back of Edwards. Though upon further review, Edwards actually came down in front of Keselowski, causing Keselowski to get into him. Either way, blame was placed on Keselowski for the incident.

    “He cut down on me on the restart and I couldn’t lift faster,” Keselowski said of the accident. “I appologize to him.”

    “Looking at that replay, it didn’t look as bad as I first thought,” Edwards said. “We were on the restart and I was going for the bottom. I knew Brad was peeking inside, but I thought he’d give me just a little bit of room and he didn’t and we ended up overlapping.”

    “I know Brad (Keselowski) has made his career on being super-aggressive,” Edwards continued.  “But it’s just a little too aggressive overall for that early in the race and caused us to wreck.”

    Carl Edwards also added that, “Brad is somebody who doesn’t ever give me any room.”

    After spending numerous laps behind the wall, Edwards returned to the track, looking to make the points loss due to the incident minimal. However, with six laps to go, Edwards did something that’d become the No. 1 hot topic: He retaliated.

    Edwards got behind Keselowski with eight laps to go and took three swipes at him, finally wrecking him on the third try. The result was Keselowski flipping upside down on the front stretch at Atlanta Motor Speedway, not injured, and Edwards being parked for the remainder of the race.

    After the wreck, Keselowski said Carl Edwards, “decided to just wreck me intentionally down the straightaway and about killed me and a couple thousand people in the grandstands. It’s one thing to race somebody hard and get in an accident when you’re going for position. It’s another to just intentionally wreck someone at 195 mph at a track like this. I know it’s ironic that it’s me saying that but I didn’t do it on purpose.”

    After the race, Carl Edwards posted the following on his Facebook page:

    Considering that Brad wrecks me with no regard for anyones safety or hard work, should I: A-Keep letting him wreck me? B-Confront him after the race? C-Wait til bristol and collect other cars? or D-Take care of it now? I want to be clear that I was surprised at his flight and very relieved when he walked away. Every person has to decide what code they want to live by and hopefully this explains mine.

    NASCAR had suspended drivers in the past for incidents of rough driving. Kevin Harvick was suspended for cup race at Martinsville after retaliating in the truck race the previous day while Ted Musgrave was suspended in 2007 for getting into Kelly Bires under the caution. So there were those who were calling for Edwards to be suspended.

    “Parking a guy for this race is not enough,” Keselowski said. “I think he deserves at least one race. He could have killed somebody in the grandstands wrecking somebody intentionally. Things happen. We wreck race cars. That’s going to happen and they happen out of the pursuit of competition and the aggression to go out and win.

    “But they should not happen at tracks like this, at this speed, out of anger or emotions that are not in check at tracks like this at this speed. The bottom line is, Carl is an awesome guy – one of the best in the garage. But he made a move that was uncalled for and cannot be tolerated in this sport, or we’re going to kill somebody.”

    “I just have no comment on it,” Edwards said when asked about Keselowski calling for him to be suspended.

    Some others within NASCAR Nation, though, agree with Brad Keselowski.

    “Well Brad K isn’t the first car to flip from Carl this year,” Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s spotter TJ Majors posted on twitter. “Lost all respect I had for Carl today. Get a grip. Obviously has no care for being safe. Park him. Teach a lesson.”

    “This is a black eye on NASCAR. He (Edwards) shouldn’t show up at Bristol.” Kyle Petty said on SpeedTV’s show NASCAR Victory Lane.

    However, NASCAR made the call not to suspend Edwards. Instead, Edwards was put on probation for three races, no suspension, no fines, and no point penalty. Helton added that Edwards “knows what that means.”

    In pulling Edwards off the track and speaking with him in the trailer, Helton said that NASCAR “wanted to make it clear that this goes beyond what we said in February, and we think the driver of the No. 99 understands that.”

    In his opinion, he thinks their “reaction of putting Carl in the garage for the rest of the event and our probation is enough.”

    He went on to add that in talking with both Roger Penske (Brad Keselowski’s owner) and Jack Roush (Edwards’ owner), they came to this decision and plan to meet up with both drivers to “clean the slate so they can get back to hard racing” as the “drivers need to sort it out themselves.”

    Of the drivers, Helton added, “If there’s a rivalry that goes beyond racing, they need to figure out how to manage that before we get involved in it. It’s not as much us mentoring at this point, as it is the two drivers talking it out with the owners listening.”

    Though Helton went on to add, “There is a line you can cross, and we’ll step in to maintain law and order when we think that line is crossed.”

    When Helton was asked what’s crossing the line, he said, “We’ll see it when we see it” and then went said, “We may react to first incident different then we’d react to third, forth or fifth incident.”

    As the announcement broke, drivers and NASCAR members alike began tweeting their opinions, in which some turned out to be quite interesting:

    “I wonder what would of happened to me in that situation?” Robby Gordon (@RobbyGordon) questioned. “Hmmm someone playing favorites?”

    “Huh!” Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) tweeted soon after. “Surprised by the penalty or lack there of….. I’m thinking about asking for a refund for all of my penalties!!!!”

    “Rules or comments of unintended consequences, all any league can do is act, then react,u make rules based on what you know at the time!” Darrell Waltrip (@allwaltrip) tweeted.

    “Gotta say I think NASCAR handled the situation the right way, glad 2 c they ackowledged the car getting airborne is the biggest issue.” Regan Smith (@Regan_Smith_) tweeted.

    “My heading is spinning,” Delana Harvick (@DeLanaHarvick) tweeted. “I can’t understand what a 3-race probation actually does. Maybe @kevinharvick should awe shucks more. Seems to work.”

    “Yo go #nascar!!!” Scott Speed (@scottspeed) tweeted. “3 race probation for Edwards! Awsome I love it!!! I bet Keslowski is scared now lol”

    Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) tweeted it best with, “Agree or not, precedence is set. If I’m Driver-X, and somebody’s holdin’ me up, I ain’t a damn bit scared to bomb into 1 and send ’em now.”

    The story continued to blossom when at Gateway, Edwards turned Keselowski coming to the checkered flag for the win.

    A lot of people believed Edwards would be suspended there, however he was not as NASCAR believed it was a racing incident.

    NASCAR could have simply done something about the incident, however they didn’t and left it in the driver’s hands. In the end, it equaled some heated racing yet by the end of the year, the drivers sorted out their issues themselves.

    Also, had NASCAR took an offensive approach, they probably would have stopped all the following events with “boys have at it” as people would have been scared.

    In the end, Edwards and Keselowski are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to “Have at it Boys” as seen throughout the season with all the controversies.

  • NASCAR’s Richard Childress, Driven to Success

    NASCAR’s Richard Childress, Driven to Success

    The inaugural Talladega 500 was short of drivers because the Professional Drivers Association, led by Richard Petty, organized a mass exit of NASCAR’s top drivers. They feared the tires were unsafe at the high speeds on the new track.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]Bill France Sr. was determined to run the race, so he called upon drivers with less experience and recognition to fill the field.

    Richard Childress was one of the replacement drivers who competed in the first big race at the Alabama superspeedway.

    Childress became an independent driver in 1971 and fielded a car bearing the No. 3 in honor of Junior Johnson’s number. He never won a race in NASCAR’s top-tier of racing, but he did have 76 top-10 finishes. His best finish was third place in 1978.

    The high school dropout had the wisdom to take the money he earned racing in the early days to buy land in North Carolina. Childress owns a lot of land now and a good portion of the North Carolina land is used for his Vineyard, mansion and of course Richard Childress Racing.

    In 1981 Childress retired from racing to become an owner. Rod Osterlund sold his racing operations and his driver, Dale Earnhardt, was hired to drive the No. 3 Wrangler Jeans car for Childress.

    The union only lasted one season and Earnhardt left with Ricky Rudd taking over the ride for two seasons.

    In 1984, Earnhardt returned to Richard Childress Racing and the most potent owner/driver relationship in the history of the sport was formed.

    Together the team forged out six NASCAR Winston Cup (Sprint Cup) Championships in 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994. Childress proved to be a savvy businessman in many ways, but securing the GM Goodwrench sponsorship for the feared, black No. 3 was a coup.

    During the 1990’s, Childress expanded his operations to include Busch (Nationwide) and Craftsman (Camping World) Truck Series teams. In 1995, RCR won the championship with driver, Mike Skinner, during the first season for the Craftsman Truck Series.

    In 2001, the world as Childress knew it collapsed with the death of his best friend and driver, Dale Earnhardt, on the last lap of the Daytona 500. He seriously thought of closing down his racing operations.

    Childress managed to move ahead and continue racing with Kevin Harvick behind the wheel of the former No. 3 car renumbered with No. 29. Childress went on to win two Busch (Nationwide) championships with Harvick in 2001 and 2006.

    Childress has found great success with his teams, though he has not won a championship since the last one with Earnhardt. In 2011 he will return to four teams with drivers Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer and Paul Menard.

    RCR supplies engines and chassis to other NASCAR teams as well.

    The man who started with little but a dream has amassed great wealth and he knows how to enjoy it. His Childress Vineyards winery in Lexington, N.C. has garnered much attention and success.

    Childress is and avid outdoorsman and conservationist. He was elected to the NRA Board of Directors in 2009. His big game hunts around the world have become a passion for him.

    NASCAR has given a great deal to the respected team owner, but it has taken much from him as well.

    Childress had the wisdom to invest wisely as a young man, a bit of magic with the union he had with Dale Earnhardt and the skills to build a racing empire along with the other profitable operations.

    Childress was indeed driven to success.

  • New Year Resolutions for Some of NASCAR’s Top Stars

    New Year Resolutions for Some of NASCAR’s Top Stars

    With Christmas now behind us and the New Year coming fast ahead, the tradition is not only to reflect one last time on another year that has quickly passed, but also look ahead.

    Looking back upon the 2010 season fans and drivers have already given thanks for another great season. A few different drivers made history and the competition was at an all time high.

    They gave and received new gifts and gadgets to help them survive the rest of the offseason and head into a new calendar year. Leaving just one thing to do before the curtain on the 2010 season and year officially drops.

    Many around the globe are preparing their resolutions for 2011, something they vow to do in the New Year they haven’t done in the past.  Most resolutions made before Friday night will be broken before the first week of the New Year is complete.

    Resolutions though, are meant to be broken. The fun comes from even coming up with a resolution to eventually toss by the wayside. Will any of our favorite drivers come up with their own resolutions this year?

    Here are a few that might not be bad ideas …

    NASCAR: Force all drivers to ride in same safety ambulance and install cameras

    With a full year of “boys, have at it” under their belts, the drivers will be ready for a fresh slate to do it even bigger in 2011. For NASCAR that’s great news because as was shown in 2010, it puts on great racing.

    At Texas in November when Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton got into a tussle on the track they both had to go to the infield care center … in the same ambulance. Viewers were eager to be a fly on that wall in hopes the two drivers went at it again.

    As long as boys have at it is going to be around, NASCAR needs to make sure there are cameras everywhere, ready to catch all the action.

    Jimmie Johnson: To make a final decision

    Hard to image that the now five-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion would have anything he needs to change but there’s one thing. The last year in a half Johnson has flirted with having a beard, shaving it and then bringing it back. It really wasn’t a big deal being that it’s his facial hair and he can do as he pleases.

    That changed, however, when it became its own news story. It was brought up during championship weekend as “the beard won a championship,” and there’s repeated stories devoted to how Johnson likes to annoy crew chief Chad Knaus.

    No need for so much publicity over a beard. Meaning that Johnson has to help out by choosing to keep it or shave it for good.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Find a new vocabulary

    Working with a new team and crew chief will be among a few changes in 2011 for Dale Earnhardt Jr. The one he personally needs to make comes from within and how communication with Steve Letarte could take a turn.

    Never one to back down and hide how he’s feeling or how he expresses himself, Earnhardt Jr.’s radio is more suited for Comedy Central then Nickelodeon. The problem is that Letarte lets his family at home listen to the team communication through a home stereo system.

    While it’s been said time and time again that those who are offended by the radio communications shouldn’t listen, in this case it might not be good for team chemistry if the driver begins giving the crew chief’s children an English lesson.

    Denny Hamlin: To never, ever think about the last two races of the 2010 season

    It can be argued, but for 34 races of the 2010 Sprint Cup Series season Denny Hamlin was the guy to watch. After declaring in the season finale of 2009 that his team was going to be champions in the near future, Hamlin walked the walk this past season.

    In fact, Hamlin may have been 15 laps away from clinching his first title at Phoenix after dominating the day. Until a little thing called strategy came into play. Then came the equally bad day in Homestead-Miami a week later.

    As Hamlin enters the 2011 season he needs to wash his brain of those two races and instead burn into his memory how his team performed in the first 34 races. Put them on a tape that replays in every room of his house, listen to old radio broadcasts of his eight wins, just burn it in his mind what his team accomplished. Should he do that and his team come out in 2011 as they did in 2010, they’ll again be in the thick of the title hunt.

    Juan Pablo Montoya: Become the team leader

    Like most drivers in the garage, Montoya possesses an intense fire that drives him every weekend. But that fire has gotten him in trouble sometimes, especially when it comes to losing races that he’s dominated.

    For the second year in row Montoya should have been the man in victory lane at the Brickyard 400, but instead was left heartbroken. His crew chief took the blame as Montoya exploded over the radio after their pit stop.

    The reason that his resolution is to become the team leader is that Montoya needs to step up and not let everything fall on his crew chief’s shoulders. In 2009 it was Montoya, not his crew chief that was speeding on pit road. And in 2010 it was Montoya, not his crew chief that drove too hard trying to get back to the front and wrecked.

    Yet it was Brian Pattie in tears talking about costing Montoya wins. This is a team that can win on the oval tracks, but if the team is going to be at odds, it’s not going to help. It also doesn’t help when you’re insulting you’re teammate either such as what happened in Las Vegas.

    Carl Edwards: Go back to being Cousin Carl instead of Crazy Carl

    The driver of the Aflac Ford is one of the easiest drivers for fans to cheer for. This past year however, he changed some of their minds when he engaged in a season-long rivalry with Brad Keselowski.

    Having a little bit of competition and being the villain every once in a while can be a good thing. But when Edwards sent Keselowski airborne in Atlanta and then spinning in front of the field at Gateway, things got a little out of control.

    That’s not the driver that Edwards wants to be, especially when he respects the sport and the fans as much as he does. He even celebrates with them in the stands. Edwards will always have fans, but avoiding dangerous incidents he had in 2010 might bring him more and it’ll also help the image of the sport to have one of their friendliest drivers back.

    Mark Martin: Not to pull a Brett Favre

    The 2011 season will be the last for Martin behind the wheel of the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Martin says he expects to drive either part-time or full-time in 2012 for another team.

    Whatever he chooses to do, Martin should make sure the ink is dry on the deal before announcing anything. Martin had already announced in 2005 that he was going to retire at the end of the season, and then came back for another full year in 2006, which was then expected to be his last.

    In 2007 he moved to what was still Dale Earnhardt Inc., to share time with Aric Almirola. He did the same in 2008 as he said he was working toward retirement. But then he announced he was going to HMS for the 2009-2010 season, again expected to be his last. Then came a contract extension.

    All the moving around and mixed signals about whether he wanted to race full-time, part-time or retire is beginning to become all too familiar.

    Kasey Kahne: Don’t walk out on his team

    Whether or not Kahne was actually sick can still be up for debate, but what’s not is the fact that he left his team in the middle of a race. It was much like Kyle Busch did back in 2007 when he wrecked at Texas, said his back hurt and left the track while his team repaired the car.

    Following a wreck at Charlotte, Kahne refused to get back in his No. 9 Ford and said he was sick and left. The following week he was released from Richard Petty Motorsports.

    His reasoning was that the team hadn’t been putting unsafe cars underneath him and he was sick of it. Many argued that Kahne was being reduced to a lame duck because he had announced he was leaving at the end of the season anyway.

    In 2011 he’ll find himself in that same spot with Red Bull Racing as he prepares for 2012 with Hendrick Motorsports. Should Kahne again feel let down by a team he should revert to this resolution and be the bigger man.

    Steve Wallace: Don’t be Steve Wallace

    Sounds harsh but the reality is that Wallace needs to step up in the Nationwide Series. It’s unrealistic that he’ll lose his ride seeing that he drives for his father, but that doesn’t mean the criticism will go away.

    The potential is there as he finished 10th in points this season. However, he only had one top five. Time to make a change for 2011 that will get the Wallace name back in NASCAR’s victory lane.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Don’t fall into a sense of déjà vu

    Much like Denny Hamlin, Stenhouse Jr. is another driver that needs to forget some races. For him, it’s almost the first half of the 2010 season, which saw him nearly lose his ride.

    After starting the season in the No. 6 for Roush-Fenway, Stenhouse was benched by owner Jack Roush. The time out of the car did the rookie some good as he came back stronger than ever.

    He ended the season with five top 10s in the final 10 races and captured Rookie of the Year honors. He’ll be back in 2011 for a sophomore season and Stenhouse desperately needs to pick up where he left off.

    Justin Allgaier: Embrace his “Little Gator” nickname

    Nice guys do finish last and in 2010 that was Justin Allgaier. The former Penske driver did win his first race at Bristol in March, but a few slipped through his fingers and Allgaier wishes he had them back.

    Near the end of the season Allgaier traded paint with Aric Almirola, whom he’ll be racing full-time with in 2011. But Allgaier said he didn’t mean to go up there and get into Almirola, he was just trying to slow down. That’s nice to say but Allgaier shouldn’t have to, it’s OK to show some aggression.

    In 2011 lets see Allgaier go up and show drivers that while he can be the nice guy, he’s not going to be taken lightly. In 2010 he was the highest finishing NNS regular driver and he’ll be one to contend with in 2011, but he’s got to take a bite out of the competition to take home some checkered flags.

    Austin Dillon: Remain Austin Dillon

    His rookie season was a success, as was the fans taking to the young kid and his driving of the black No. 3. But now comes the hard part because as a rookie there aren’t that many expectations and as Dillon heads for another season after which he won two races, seven poles and the ROY, the expectations will rise.

    As they do Dillon needs to not get caught up in them or who the fans may want him to become. With any driver that climbs aboard the No. 3 there comes the added pressure of doing the Earnhardt name justice and hopefully Dillon doesn’t crack under that pressure. He did a great job in 2010 but he’s not out of the woods yet.

    There you have it, just a few of NASCAR’s top drivers from 2010 with resolutions for 2011. Happy New Year NASCAR fans.

  • Joe Gibbs Racing 2011 Nationwide Series Lineup Raises Questions

    Joe Gibbs Racing 2011 Nationwide Series Lineup Raises Questions

    Joe Gibbs Racing made the announcement last month that they’d have three teams next year in the Nationwide Series.

    The first team will include Brian Scott running the No. 11 car full-time with crew chief Kevin Kidd.

    The second will include Adam Stevens, previously an engineer on the Cup side, as crew chief on the No. 20 with Joey Logano running the majority of the races. Denny Hamlin is also expected to run some of the races.

    The last team will include Jason Ratcliff with Kyle Busch driving the majority of the races as they try to defend their Owner’s Championship title.

    This all looks good on the surface, though it begs questions. Joe Gibbs Racing has drivers in development, including Brad Coleman and Matt DiBenedetto, so why not give them the chance behind the wheel full-time? Both have proved that they are talented and are worthy of being champions if given the equipment.

    Why let drivers like Busch, Logano and Hamlin compete in a series and win just to look good? All the fans know they are just winning due to competing against smaller teams and less talented drivers?

    By allowing DiBenedetto and Coleman full-time shots, you are allowing the talent pool to expand, which is why the Nationwide Series was built. It was built to give drivers a shot and get them ready for the Sprint Cup Series. Numerous drivers have come through that ladder and it has worked successfully. Why delete that system now and have drivers behind the wheel who have succeeded the ladder?

    It’s simple—Gibbs wants the publicity and knows the sponsors will pay the big bucks if he goes down this road.

    This is something you see with numerous of teams as you saw Penske Racing (Brad Keselowski) and Roush Racing (Carl Edwards) do it last year, just for a start. Though at least they stepped it up and put drivers full-time behind the wheel to give them a chance (Justin Allgaier and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.), but they still add to the problem.

    Till somebody, like NASCAR, stands up and puts an end to this, you are going to see the problem grow and the series lose fans. NASCAR has spoken about getting back to their roots and it’s about time they start doing it by starting with the Nationwide Series.

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: CARL EDWARDS-THESPIAN?

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: CARL EDWARDS-THESPIAN?

    We’ve always known that NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards can hold his own in the many humorous tinged television commercials he’s appeared in on behalf of his team sponsors. His numerous appearances with the AFLAC duck certainly proves that point.

    But Edwards’ next television appearance could actually elevate to the ranks of being considered as a serious actor. It was just recently announced that the popular driver has joined the cast of an upcoming mini series on the Home Box Office Network, (HBO). “To Appomattox” is an eight episode mini series based on the civil war era. It details the final battle from this page of American history and the events that leads to the surrender terms that concludes the war. Edwards will be taking on the role of General John B. Gordon, the Confederate officer selected by General Robert E.Lee to officially surrender the Army of Northern Virginia.

    In terms of fellow cast members, Edwards will be in some impressive company. Actor Michael C. Hall, the star of the “Showtime” series “Dexter”, leads the cast of the production along with William Peterson, from the CBS television drama “CSI”.

    There’s also some very impressive names from the world of country music connected to the cast of “To Appomattox” All three members of the country group Rascal Flatts are in the cast as is Kix Brooks, of Brooks and Dunn fame, along with Dwight Yoakum. This famed group of country musicians will also be making a contribution to the mini series’ musical soundtrack as well.

    The series’ producers has also left some strong indications that other personalities from the world of NASCAR may also be asked to join the cast. In a prepared statement from the production’s official website, “www.toappomattox.com,” the producers said “the connection between the civil war and drivers who race in NASCAR is simple: those values of the civil war- the patriotism, the spirit of American competition, the regional and national pride that poured both from and for its heroes- is best exemplified in the American values and American spirit embraced today by the NASCAR affiliated drivers and their fans. This production is honored to have developed a connection between this ultimate American sport with the ultimate American story and is proud to announce an association between select NASCAR affiliated drivers and roles that best exemplify this tradition of patriotism and competition in our production.”

    “To Appomattox” is currently reported in still be in the pre-production phase. No official air date has been announced by HBO as of yet but production for the eight episodes is expected to begin sometime in the spring of 2011.

    For Carl Edwards the scheduling for this acting stint is going to be interesting when you consider his full time schedule in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide racing series. But one has to believe that he’s well accustomed to tight schedules and how to make the best of them. He’s also well known for loving new adventurers and playing the role of a general in the Confederate Army is definitely going to provide a sense of adventure.

    Don’t be too surprised if Edwards performance levels in this project qualifies him to add the word thespian to his resume. He’s going to working on a project that will be aired by a television network well known for quality presentations. Over the years HBO has created an impressive list of full season series, mini series and quality films that has garnered them high critical acclaim and every industry award you could name. To quote their own corporate logo: “it’s not television, it’s HBO.”

  • Scott Speed Files 6.5 Million Lawsuit Against Red Bull Racing

    Scott Speed Files 6.5 Million Lawsuit Against Red Bull Racing

    After being told he wouldn’t be driving for them at the end of November, Scott Speed is filing a $6.5 million lawsuit against Red Bull Racing for breaking terms in the contract.

    After finishing 30th in points, Speed said he was notified by fax on November 24th that he wouldn’t be returning to the team in 2011.

    “I’m obviously stupid disappointed that I didn’t even get a phone call, not a conversation, not anything from anyone from Austria,” Speed told Bob Pockrass Wednesday in a phone interview. “They all showed up at Miami. None of them spoke a word to me. I got a fax.”

    He also added that he did have a contract for 2011, yet wouldn’t discuss the terms.

    “I can’t describe how upset I am just over the morality of it,” Speed said. “I don’t understand how you can treat people like this. Whatever. I know that’s not how I treat people.”

    SceneDaily in their report said, “According to the lawsuit, Speed signed a three-year deal in September 2007 for a salary of $300,000 in 2008, $500,000 in 2009 and $1 million in 2010. He would receive 50 percent of prize money for each top-10 finish, 45 percent for finishes 11th-20th and 40 percent of prize money for finishes of 21st or worse.

    “In June 2008, the deal was amended to include 2011 at a salary of $1.5 million and options for 2012-2013 at raises of $500,000 annually. In January 2010, the deal was revised to cut Speed’s pay from $1 million to $500,000 for 2010, according to the complaint.”

    Speed adds in the lawsuit that Red Bull picked up Speed’s option through 2013 in May 2010, but then broke that promise via firing him on November 23rd. The $6.5 million represents the salary that Speed would have received from 2011-2013.

    The 2010 season was meant to be Speed’s breakout year and it started out that way, yet went down hill once teammate Brian Vickers got sick.

    “When Brian got sick, we were both in the 20s in points just because of luck – honestly, we ran better than that,” Speed said. “We were going to put this driver in [for Vickers], and their old team was trying this [setup], so [we decided], ‘Let’s try this.’ … As a team, we kind of [crapped] the bed, really. There’s no question throughout the year we performed terribly.

    “At the end of the day, I was a scapegoat for that, I guess.”

    In August, when it was announced that Kasey Kahne would be joining the team in 2010, a lot of people had counted Speed out of Red Bull Racing with Vickers set to return come the following year. Speed said there were options laid on the table for him, however.

    “They made it pretty clear with four or five races left that their plan was pretty simple – that if Brian doesn’t get better, then I’m their guy, but if Brian does get better, the options are open for maybe a third car, maybe Nationwide or something – that was the last I heard, was basically I’m waiting there to see if Brian is all right,” Speed said.

    In the process of everything, Speed said he understood the decision, but doesn’t like how it was done.

    “They had the opportunity to get Kasey Kahne, which is a no-brainer,” he said. “I would do the same thing. Then it’s ‘OK, do you want Scott Speed or Brian Vickers next year after that?’ Even though I think I’m probably performing at a similar level to Brian, I’d still take Brian over myself even because of his experience level.

    “It makes sense what they’re doing. I just think they did it all wrong. They didn’t treat me fairly over the whole deal.”

    He also adds, “They thought it was OK to kick me to the curb and not try to do absolutely anything for me. They didn’t want to pay me anything. They didn’t want to help me get into any other kind of ride. Nothing. They were, ‘OK, we’re done with you. Thank you for seven-and-a-half years.’

    “Honestly, I’m still a little bit shocked over the whole situation.”

    Also with Kahne coming over, it was announced that some employees were being laid off as Kenny Francis, crew chief for Kahne, was bringing over his own bunce of guys. Speed said that his guys shoudn’t be blamed for the bad performance as that should be on the guys at the top of the chain.

    “Changes that change the performance of the car are made at the top level,” Speed said. “When John Probst took over [general manager] Jay Frye’s sort of role running the team from a competition side, things changed and stuff got a lot better. … Then shortly after that, with everyone sort of fighting for their job, sort of a little bit working against each other, things got worse again.

    “But the cars, during the middle part of the year, were terrible. They were terrible not because of the guys physically working on the cars. That’s not fair to say at all. That’s never the case. There’s three or four guys at the top that are deciding what bodies are going on what cars, what cars are going to run and that’s where the speed is at.”

    He claims in the lawsuit that the real reason the team did not run well was due to the lack of funding in place.

    This past month has not gone as well for Speed as a whole as he found out the same day that he was released that his mom had cancer.

    “My mom was diagnosed with cancer on the same day [I was released], so it kind of puts life into a little bit more perspective than, ‘Oh my God, I just lost a racing ride,’” Speed said. “It’s terrible, but priorities change a little bit. In any case, it’s not just a case of finding a new ride or a new sponsor.

    “I’ve never had a manager my whole career, for example. Red Bull has always told me where to go and what to do. There’s never been a need for a manager, especially somebody trying to find money and a ride. The decision I make for myself and where I go after Red Bull is a huge one. What brand do I associate myself after a seven-and-a-half year relationship with Red Bull? I have a global brand name with my career in Formula One and with what Red Bull has done with my stock-car racing career.”

    Red Bull Racing was approached by SceneDaily for a comment, yet said they did not have anything to say.

    Speed is not the first driver to be suing someone this offseason as Robby Gordon is suing Extenze after he feels he was wronged by them in terms of putting Kevin Conway in his car.