Author: SM Staff

NASCAR’s 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship will officially hit the half way point Saturday night when the green flag falls on the Bank of America 500 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. By the time this race is over, there should a sharper focus on the Chase picture and we will know which teams are serious championship contenders, which teams are still in contention but need to charge a little harder and we should know which teams can start focusing on the 2011 season. In other words, the Bank of America could likely turn out to be deal maker or a deal breaker for the Chase teams.

THE STORY BREAKDOWN

If anyone driver is going to deter Jimmie Johnson’s “drive for five championships” run then that process needs to start this weekend. That deterrent won’t be easy because Johnson leads all active drivers with six wins at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. That includes being the defending race winner from last year, an event that he won from the pole position.

However, Johnson doesn’t have a lock on the standings.  Denny Hamlin is right behind him only 36 points away. Kevin Harvick holds down third and is only 54 points out. Both Hamlin and Harvick will have a daunting challenge this Saturday night in Charlotte: finish ahead of Johnson at a speedway that more and more is being referred to as “Jimmie Johnson’s House.”

Then there’s the matter of Jeff Gordon, Johnson’s team mate and team co owner who’s 85 points away in fourth. Gordon is a five time winner at Charlotte and, like his team mate, is also seeking his fifth Sprint Cup championship this year. This team is still a factor in the Chase due to their high level of consistent finishes. But we’ve all heard the talk regarding closing the deal plus the fact the #24 hasn’t found victory lane since Texas last year. If there was ever an opportunity to rectify that situation then Saturday night is it. Gordon knows the fast way around the Charlotte Motor Speedway. His five wins there proves that.

Under the theory of “where there’s smoke there’s fire”, keep a sharp on eye on Tony Stewart Saturday night. Were it not for running out of gas, en route to winning the first Chase event at New Hampshire, Stewart would be right at the top of the Chase standings instead of being fifth 107 points out. Stewart is riding a huge wave of momentum right now. He won in California last Sunday, on top of his USAC Sprint car teams having a very good weekend, and then on Tuesday he announced that Mobil 1 Oil will be joining the Stewart Haas primary sponsor list for next year. But most of all look for Stewart to be in a hard charge, willing to gamble, mode Saturday night. He’s well aware that what’s required to get back to the top of the Chase standings.

Also keep a sharp eye on Kurt Busch and his Penske Racing Dodge as well. Sixth in the standings, 140 points out, the elder Busch brother is in a do or die situation in terms of winning his second Sprint Cup championship. But there’s some extra motivation here. Busch won the Sprint All Star race and the Coca Cola 600 last May at Charlotte. He’s planning on becoming the first ever Cup driver to sweep all three major races at this track in a single season.

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But the one factor, in the Bank Of America 500, that could seriously impact the outcome is the mood of Mother Nature. The weather forecast for the greater Charlotte area calls for sunny skies and 76 degrees during the day. But this is a 500 mile night race that begins at 7 pm eastern time. That means the temperature is expected to drop as the race progresses. In fact the atmospheric temperature could likely drop to the 40’s during the late portion of the race.

That means changes in track temperature throughout the night. That, in turn, means changes in the handling of the cars. It also means major concerns, not to mention headaches, for the crew chiefs who will have to deal with the decisions regarding pit road adjustments on their cars. This is especially true during those final pit stops when a crew chief only has one final opportunity to come through for his driver.

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THE VEGAS BREAKDOWN

The Las Vegas based World Sports Exchange, (WSE), to no real surprise has Jimmie Johnson on top of their list to win Saturday night’s race at Jimmie Johnson’s house. They’re backing that theory with 7 to 2 odds based on the driver’s six wins there.

Right behind Johnson is Kyle Busch at 7 to 1 odds. Busch is still looking for his first Cup win at Charlotte. He’s also looking to revive what’s left of his Chase hopes following last Sunday’s blown engine in California. Right behind him is the aforementioned Kurt Busch who has been rated at 8 to 1 odds.

At 10 to 1 you will find Roush Fenway Racing drivers Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards. Each driver’s Chase hopes took a major hit last Sunday in California due to unexpected engine problems. They, also, will be looking to revive what’s left of their Chase hopes Saturday night.

Wow, look at what the WSE has for you at 12 to 1 odds this week. It’s a quartet of Chase contenders featuring Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick. This is a rock solid opportunity worthy of any one’s consideration. It’s also worthy of obtaining kitchen pass permission to call the WSE.

Looking at the WSE’s middle portion of this week’s rankings you will find another wager worthy of consideration. Its three time Charlotte winner Kasey Kahne at 15 to 1. Right behind him is Matt Kenseth, another Charlotte winner, at 18 to 1. At 20 to 1 you will find Childress Racing drivers Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton who is a three time winner at this track.

At the bottom of this week’s rankings are Joey Logano and David Reutimann, whose only Cup win came at Charlotte, at 30 to 1. The third driver in this group is five-time Charlotte winner Mark Martin and that could turn out to be a worthy wager for those who like long shots. After suffering a dismal 2010 racing season, the Martin team looked really strong last weekend. Completing this week’s WSE rankings is the second Stewart-Haas entry driven by Ryan Newman at 40 to1.

Now for the disclaimer. NASCAR wants us to remind you that these posted numbers are for information and entertainment purposes. They neither encourage nor condone the placing of wagers on their events.

But, if you’re going to do it anyway, then seriously take a look at those four drivers in the 12 to 1 category. Pardon me while I take a break and go to the kitchen to have a friendly chat with the house “Sweetie.”

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THE RACE BREAKDOWN

The Bank of America 500 is 334 laps/501 miles around the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1.5 mile quad oval.

With the vast majority of NASCAR race shops calling the Charlotte area home, this race is considered to be a home turf event and that’s likely why this race has an unusually high 51 entries vying for the 43 starting positions.

16 of those entries are on the go or go home list meaning they are not guaranteed a starting berth in the race because they are currently outside of NASCAR’s top 35 in owner’s points. These teams will have to rely on qualifying speed to make the race.

Opened in 1960, the Charlotte Motor Speedway has hosted 103 Sprint Cup races that has sent 43 different winners to victory lane.

Chevrolet leads the manufacturer’s stats at Charlotte with 37 wins. By the way Chevrolet wrapped up the 2010 Manufacturer’s Cup following Tony Stewart’s win last Sunday at the Auto Club Speedway. It’s their 34th Cup championship since the contest was created back in 1950.

In this day and age qualifying has become increasingly important to a Sprint Cup team. It determines pre race track position and, of equal importance, pit stall selection. Elliot Sadler holds the track qualifying record, 193.216 MPH, set in back in October of 2005. But it’s the “Rocket Man” who owns the qualifying stats at Charlotte. Ryan Newman has won the pole a series high nine times followed by Jeff Gordon at seven.

The Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1.5 mile quad oval has 24 degrees of banking in the turns and five degrees on the straight-aways. The pit road speed is 45 MPH.

The speedway presently has seating for 171,000 fans.

The Charlotte Motor Speedway complex is located on approximately 2,000 acres of property. The land was originally the site of a working plantation during the civil war and, earlier than that, President George Washington ate lunch and rested in a house that later served as the speedway’s office.

The Bank of America 500 will be broadcast live by ABC beginning at 7pm eastern time. The re airs will be Sunday morning, 3 am ET, on ESPN2 and the following Wednesday, 12 pm ET, on SPEED.

Rick Hendrick poses the question that many have been asking since the late 1980s, “Looking back, what could have been? How many championships could Tim Richmond win?”

Hendrick is among the likes of Richard and Kyle Petty, H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, A.J. Foyt and others who bring NASCAR fans a closer look at a driver who did everything at full speed. His lifestyle was what made him unique in a sport he took by storm and left an everlasting mark upon.

All that remain today are the archived pictures of Richmond and his No. 25 Folgers Chevrolet and will remain in the hearts of NASCAR fans around the world.  Photo retouching can bring back the old No. 25 car photos to life, but unfortunately nothing can bring back the driver.  Richmond always pushed the car to the absolute edge, just like he lived his life, burning the candle at both ends

Tuesday, October 19 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, the newest “30 for 30” documentary titled Tim Richmond: To the Limit will showcase the career and life of a man that was taken away way too soon.

Every day was a party for Tim Richmond and he was the life of that party. The way he lived was by making sure his life was to the fullest and that he had fun while doing it. The talent he possessed behind the wheel had even Dale Earnhardt aware of whom his toughest competitor was going to be.

Yet, long before he was racing, Richmond was already impressing. As a kid he had his father time him as he ran to the mailbox. Speed came natural to Richmond and a natural is the best way to describe a man that sister Sandy Welsh says was good at everything he ever did, or else he wouldn’t do it.

Richmond became very good at NASCAR racing, even though it came after a less than pleasant stint in open-wheel. It did help get his name out and fans began to fall in love with him, quickly adding Mr. Popularity to his character traits.

A bad wreck at Michigan in 1980 however, ended his open wheel stint. It wasn’t so much about the wreck, Sandy will reveal to fans, which also includes a bit of family humor.

IndyCar became the past, NASCAR was the future and what a ride it would be. Richmond didn’t know much about stock cars but it didn’t matter to him. On track this was a man who knew how to drive, be it a bit aggressively.

Wrecks and torn up equipment were Richmond’s first impression on the NASCAR world.

Known as a womanizer, Richmond might have been welcomed by fans but fellow NASCAR drivers such as Darrell Waltrip recall that they didn’t know what to make of him. Good ‘ol boy he was not, nor was he from the south where they wore jeans and cowboy hats. Richmond showed up in silk suits.

Wrapped or packaged differently maybe, but everything was there to make Richmond a star and champion. Enter Rick Hendrick and the rest is “Days of Thunder.”

Pairing Richmond with crew chief Harry Hyde proved to be the magic combination as they tore through the then Winston Cup circuit. The team that finished third in points in 1986 was expected to become the next champions of the sport until a tragic fate got in the way.

What was passed off as double pneumonia, AIDS kept Richmond out of the car and racing for six months. When he finally returned it didn’t take long to pick up right where he left off, winning. Outside the car however, he wasn’t the same man that many were used to seeing.

Listening to friends and family talk about Richmond’s illness eat away at him, becoming a shell of his former shelf, is a sobering part of the documentary. No one wanted to be around him, rumors ran rampant in the garage about what was really ailing Richmond.

Drug use was repeatedly thrown out and Richmond’s name was dragged through the mud. ESPN journalist Ed Hinton provides a deep look into how AIDS not only affected the Nation’s mentality, but the sports and drivers as well.

Before the start of the 1988 season NASCAR suspended Richmond for failing a drug test and even after Earnhardt went to NASCAR on Richmond’s behalf, he would never again climb aboard a racecar.

For the NASCAR fans that never got to see Richmond race or truly know the story of Richmond’s decent from the sport, or the harsh truth never told, this is their opportunity. ESPN is telling the story and straight from Bill France Jr. comes the admission that Richmond was treated wrongly.

The suspension sent Richmond back home. Racing was over and so was life to Richmond. The best insight into Richmond’s thought over his final years, what his life was about, and who he really was will again come from his sister.

Viewers will be introduced to a different side of the Richmond story. Only a family member could provide a story as heart wrenching as hers.

When the end comes it’s always the saddest part. The ending of Richmond’s life in 1989 didn’t bring an end to the story though. Now’s the chance for every NASCAR fan to learn more about a man that might have been NASCAR’s first rock star.

With six races left in the NASCAR Sprint Cup season, the race for the NASCAR championship is heating up. However, that’s not the only battle that is left in the Cup Series.

The top 35 is another battle, between four teams as they try and guarantee themselves into the 53rd Daytona 500 in February and the first five races of the 2011 season.

For those of you unclear about the NASCAR rule, the top 35 teams in owner points at the end of 2010, will race in the first five races of 2011, guaranteed. That gives them a big jump start on the season.

Let’s take a look at those cars fighting to get or stay into the top 35. Right now the No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet is sitting 34th in the standings, just 53 points to the good. The No. 7 Robby Gordon Motorsports Toyota sits 35th just 25 points ahead of The #38 Front Row Motorsports Ford who sits 36th. Lagging back in 37th, with still a shot however, is the No. 26 Latitude 43 Motorsports Ford, just 170 points back with six races remaining.

Don’t think these guys are taking it seriously? Think again.

Front Row Motorsports has made many crew chief changes on their team to try and get themselves into the top 35. Just recently y it was announced that veteran crew chief Peter Sospenzo would take over the 38 team for the rest of the year.

Robby Gordon Motorsports even decided to bring down their No. 07 Toyota this weekend in an effort to try and knock out the No. 38 team from this weekends Bank of America 500.

Latitude Motorsports has hired veteran Ken Schrader to run at Martinsville and Talladega for them, as they try and claw their way into the top 35. Think they would have hired him had they had just given up? Me neither!

Some people say that some teams will be bumped into the top 35 because Richard Petty Motorsports is losing a team. However, that is not something you want to bet on for next year.

I understand Richard Childress Racing is expanding its organization with Paul Menard. I understand they will need to get points from somewhere, somehow. But who will it come from? The only theory to me is that the No. 71 team gives up their points to Richard Childress. However, I don’t see TRG Motorsports doing that. Still, leaves the No. 98 points out and no clue where they will go for 2011. Rumors are the No. 19 car might come back next season, so they may try and use those points.

Yet, when you are talking to a sponsor it’s easier to say, “Yes we are in” than “Well we may be in,” especially in this economy.

All four teams fighting to stay in the top 35 do not have full-time sponsorship for 2011. Not only that, it’s been announced that a few more teams will try and run full time making it even tougher to get into the field come next February.

So when you say the racing in the back of the field isn’t good and they don’t care. That is absolutely false. They do care and for many teams the top 35 is the difference between racing next year and packing it in.

Sunday night in California. The NASCAR Sprint Cup cars are growling around the track and the racing is three, four, and even five wide at times. Tony Stewart won the race and nearly 2 million less viewers watched. The attendance was estimated at 70,000 (21,000 less than capacity), the same as the last couple of races there. This is not an indictment of Auto Club Speedway; rather it is a symptom of what the average NASCAR fan is thinking in the year 2010.

Listening to fan comments this week, it may be a combination of things. Witness this scene as described to me by a fan that had a little race watching get-together at his home Sunday night. As he described it, there were seven fans gathered in his family room watching the big screen television.   

Most were in the 50-60 year old age group. There were fans of every brand and every driver. His recollection was that the minute that Jimmie Johnson took the lead, the discontent started. Then, as the race went on, the lack of cautions caused more discontent among the group. Half the crowd left before the race ended. The final four stayed until the end and none were happy. Why?

As much as NASCAR has tried to expand the sport to younger fans, they are in the minority. NASCAR has a base of fans in the age group mentioned earlier that seriously want their NASCAR back. More often than not, I hear fans wish for the days of Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty and David Pearson. Go to any track, and the No. 3 flag is dominant in the campgrounds, an area I consider to be the core fans. They come to the track early and stay late. These campers spend more money and are more rabid than any other. And their numbers are shrinking. As we head to Charlotte for another race, last May there were spots empty for the first time in memory.  Many would say it’s the economy, but it’s much more. I contend that it is boredom.

A few years ago, NASCAR started to police the sport. Don’t touch was the rule. How many times were drivers “warned” during a race to watch what they were doing? The result was that drivers were not taking the chance because they knew the trip to the NASCAR trailer was the next step. When things started going south, NASCAR decided to let them race. I give credit to Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, and others who continued on with what they do best, but they are in the minority. On top of that was the emphasis on the championship. The creation of the Chase has made drivers more tentative and more cautious. The result has been that the core fan is simply turned off. A man I know who attended every race at Bristol Motor Speedway from 1994-2006 summed it up best. “They ruined my track and they ruined my sport. I’m done.”

Yes, the racing was good at Fontana, but it didn’t feed the core fan. A long discussion happened on NASCAR radio today whereby the question was asked if the lack of “wrecking” was the reason for the lack of viewers and attendance. There are varying opinions on this. Racing incidents have always been a part of this sport, and we don’t see so many these days. Also, there is the feeling among racing purists that if the competition is good throughout the field, it’s a good race. Unfortunately, there are many of us who understand, but the majority of fans want to see rubbing and action. That was sorely missing at Fontana and many races throughout the season.

Then there’s Jimmie Johnson. Among many fans, it is a conceded fact that he will be the champion for another year. Who wants to watch the same story over and over? Outside of the usual Christmas specials and “Blazing Saddles” (remember, I’m talking NASCAR fans here), no one does.   People turn the race off or leave when Johnson seems to be winning another championship. It’s not Johnson’s nor the Lowes team’s fault, but it has become very old to many NASCAR fans. If there was ever a time the multitudes wish for a new champion, it’s this year. And many realize that it’s not going to happen. 

So they turn the race off, watch the NFL, and ratings and attendance suffers. So what’s the answer? Handicap the field? Scrap the Chase? Do away with the monetary advantage that the championship brings? I do not know. I just think that something needs to be done. Television ratings and attendance is important to the sport. And unless this slide is stopped soon, we may not have racing on the tube every week. That would be a tragedy.

During the course of the previous NASCAR weekend at the Auto Club Speedway, in Fontana-California, we watched “Smoke” elevate his championship status and we watched the status of other championship efforts go up in smoke. We watched another milestone from the Joe Gibbs Racing Series-er excuse me Nationwide Series, and, oh yeah, Danica was there. With those thoughts in mind let’s begin with:

HOORAH to Tony Stewart and his #14 Stewart-Haas team for winning Sunday’s Pepsi Max 400.. “Smoke” clearly proved that his focus on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship is firmly intact. Sunday’s win moved the team from tenth in the standings to fifth and only 107 points out of first.

 Stewart scored his second win of the season, his 39th career win and he removed the Auto Club Speedway off of the list of tracks he hasn’t won on. Stewart led the Pepsi Max 400 three times during the day for a total of 27 laps including the final 11 circuits around the raceway’s mammoth two mile oval. Stewart shared the front row with Jimmie Johnson during a green-white-checker finish and won the race by a mere margin of 0.466 seconds.

For Stewart the Pepsi Max 400 was a resurgence from the first Chase race at New Hampshire when his car, on the way to the win, ran out of gas with less that two laps remaining. Had this incident never occurred Stewart would now be second in the Chase standings and only 13 points away from first.

Stewart gets another HOORAH for spraying that large Pepsi Max can with Coca Cola during the victory lane ceremony. The Pepsi can was part of the beautiful winner’s trophy. Stewart has an endorsement deal with the “other” soft drink company and is a member of the Coca Cola Racing Family.

A HOORAH goes out to Darien Grubb, the race winning crew chief, who was treated to a nice birthday present. Grubb turned 35 last Saturday.

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While Tony “Smoke” Stewart was burning up the competition at the Auto Club Speedway, there were other Chase contenders who spent the day helplessly watching their championship runs going up in smoke. Reluctant WAZZUPS goes to the following:

Roush Fenway Racing. Despite three cars in the Chase that were considered pre race favorites to win the race, Jack “The Cat in the Hat” Roush had absolutely no reason to smile during his California weekend.

The California Carnage began on lap 41 when Greg Biffle’s engine blew up. After winning the Kansas race the weekend before, Biffle arrived in California eighth in the standings and 85 points out. He left the “left coast” with a 41st place finish along with tenth in the standings and 241 points out.

The next blow came on lap 58 when the Roush Ford of Carl Edwards dramatically stalled on the track and had to be escorted to the garage via a wrecker. A faulty distributor turned out to be he culprit and that led to a 34th place finish. Edwards fell from fourth in the standings, 53 points out, and plummeted to seventh and minus 162.

The hits just kept on coming for Roush Fenway when Matt Kenseth’s engine began smoking during the waning laps of the race. The driver started going backwards through the field and the 30th place finish landed him 11th in the Chase standings at minus 241.

But wait there’s more. The fourth Roush Fenway Ford, driven by David Ragan, found himself in the middle of a hard crash with only seven laps remaining in the race. The other car involved in this crash belonged to Chase contender Kurt Busch who remains in sixth in the standings but falls from minus 70 to minus 140.

The news wasn’t any better for the other Busch brother. With 45 laps to go Kyle Busch’s engine blew up with the result being a 35th place finish. The teams slipped from seventh to ninth in the standings and are 187 points out. Busch came over the radio saying “anyone who wasn’t sure that this championship is over, it’s certainly over now.”

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A rarely issued HOORAH-WAZZUP-HOORAH combo package goes to Jeff Gordon and his #24 Hendrick Motorsports team. First off the team pulled off a four tire stop in an amazing 11.8 seconds. Sub 12 second stops are a very rare sight these days.

Unfortunately it turned sour, with 44 laps to go, when Gordon had to serve a penalty for speeding on pit road during another pit stop. Despite the huge loss of track position, Gordon climbed up on the wheel and drove to a ninth place finish. The effort elevates him one position in the Chase standings. He’s now fourth at minus 85.

HOORAH to Jimmie Johnson, and the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team, for again turning up the heat during Chase fever. Their third place finish kept them on top of standings while increasing their points lead to 36 points over Denny Hamlin.

Speaking of Hamlin, his Joe Gibbs Racing team gets the HOORAH for making chicken salad out of chicken do-do. A sudden need for a transmission change relocated the #11 Toyota to the rear of the starting field prior to the race. Then there were frequent struggles with the restarts following caution flags that hindered maintaining track position. Despite this Hamlin drove his way back to an eighth place finish and remains second in the standings.

HOORAH to Mark Martin for once again looking like the Mark Martin of old during the Pepsi Max 500. After the season this team has endured, a sixth place finish had to seem like a win. Martin led the race twice for a season high 41 laps and the crowd went crazy.

WAZZUP with Dale Earnhardt Jr for having to announce that he’s not a “whacko” during the race? Sunday was NASCAR’s most popular driver’s 36th birthday and he was hoping to give himself a special present by generating a strong finish in the race. Unfortunately his afternoon in Fontana was another round of enduring an ill handling race car and a 16th place finish. That’s something we’ve seen too many times this year. After several minutes of listening to his driver’s frustration over the radio, crew chief Lance McGrew said “look, I know it’s your birthday but you’re freaking out of control.” Earnhardt responded with “don’t take it personal, I just want to do better, I’m not being a whacko or anything.”

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HOORAH to Kyle Busch for winning Saturday’s Camping World 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Auto Club Speedway. The win was his unbelievable 12th of the season and his fourth at the Fontana track. Interestingly enough, it also marked the third time this season Busch won a Nationwide Series race after having to work his way back from a penalty for speeding on pit road.

You know that old saying that goes: “if you think you’ve got problems stop and look around’? Well, if you’re feeling a little down then look on the bright side. What is the bright side? You’re not a member of Kevin Harvick’s Nationwide pit crew.

WAZZUP with the pit road meltdown this crew experienced? One of their pit stops was a whopping 17.7 seconds and that level of performance consistency cost their driver valuable track position. The problem also caused Harvick to completely lose his temper. After the race Harvick said expect to see changes on pit road adding “this is not what we’re about, it’s terrible, if they can’t stand the pressure then they’re going to have to look for something different to do.”

HOORAH to Danica Patrick and the progress displayed during her ongoing transition from Indy car to NASCAR racing. This accolade is despite the disappointing finish. With ten laps left in the race, Patrick was hit by James Buescher and sent hard into the backstretch wall and her 30th place finish does not reflect how well she performed during this race.

Her goal was more educational seat time and a top 15 finish. Patrick raised more than a few eyebrows by her fourth place listing on the speed charts following the series’ practice session. She qualified her car with a highly respectable 14th and she was on her way to obtaining that top 15 finish before the late race accident.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this transition is being handled with a great deal of intelligence by both the driver and her team, JR Motorsports. I will again stand behind another observation from the past: if you’re looking for instant gratification then call your local pizza delivery company.

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The final HOORAH this week goes to the Auto Club Speedway. Both races during their NASCAR weekend were very exciting. The Pepsi Max 400 Cup event was aptly described as one of the speedway’s best races ever. Driver and fan reaction to this race being shortened from 500 miles was very positive.

The speedway also deserves a HOORAH for their promotional ideas that often demonstrates a willingness to think and work outside of the box. This was certainly true of the wedding opportunity they presented to their fans. On Sunday morning, marriage and commitment renewal vows were exchanged on the start-finish line. Speedway President Gillian Zucker, adorned in a judicial robe accented with a checkered flag collar, presided over the ceremonies for a reported 69 couples. NASCAR driver/team owner Michael Waltrip was the official best man while Miss Sprint Cup was the matron of honor. This is yet another reason why a NASCAR weekend at the Auto Club Speedway is so special.

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The final WAZZUP of the week goes to Jim Hill, sports anchor for the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles. He’s another one of these L A based sports authorities who have the stick and ball syndrome. In other words: if it doesn’t have a stick and ball then it’s probably not really a sport.

Hill was attempting to cover the Auto Club Speedway race, in the shortest amount of time possible, and it was clearly obvious that it was a struggle. During the broadcast he said “Stewart held off Clint Bowyer”, (while totally mispronouncing Clint’s name), and then added “Stewart moved up to fifth but still keeps the overall lead.” WHAT???

I single out Jim Hill because I happened to be watching the Channel Two late news that night. He’s typical of the stick and ball television sports anchors who often display a lack of knowledge and interest in auto racing unless there’s some death defying accident involved in the race. Anyone who watches a sports segment from a Los Angeles based television station knows exactly what I’m talking about.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. is the Mecca to which fans and anyone who has been involved with NASCAR can visit and pay homage to those who have made NASCAR the sport that it is today.

Every facet of NASCAR is addressed in the spectacular attraction opened in May of this year. History from the last 60 years is displayed, as racing artifacts, actual race cars and most importantly the Hall of Fame honoring drivers, owners, crew chiefs and others who have made tremendous impact on the sport.

The first class was inducted to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in May. The five inductees were Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Junior Johnson.

On July 1, 2010, 25 nominees were announced to be eligible for the second class to be inducted. On October 13 the Hall of Fame voting panel will meet to determine the five new inductees who will forever be enshrined at the HOF at a ceremony in 2011 and they will be announced that same day.

Fifty three ballots will be cast based on decisions made by 21 members of the nominating committee, 14 media representatives, one representative from Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota respectively, four retired drivers, three retired owners, three retired crew chiefs, four recognized industry leaders and one vote from the fans.

Eligibility for the HOF requires drivers and non-drivers to have been involved in NASCAR for 10 years and retired for at least three years.

One former driver certain to be part of the second class is David Pearson. The Spartanburg, S.C. driver known as the “Silver Fox” has 105 wins and 113 poles to his credit.

Pearson has three Winston Cup (Sprint Cup) Championships and never ran every race in any one season. Only Richard Petty had more wins and the two battled fiercely against one another.

Another good bet to be inducted is Raymond Parks. Parks was one of the participants at a meeting with Bill France, Sr. and others in the Streamline Hotel on Daytona Beach in 1947 that resulted in the formation of NASCAR.

The Georgia businessman fielded a car driven by Red Byron which won the first Cup Series Championship in 1949 which was also the first season for NASCAR.

Parks was an integral part of NASCAR and donated a great deal to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Some think he should have been inducted in the first class and sadly he died June 20, 2010 at the age of 96.

Bobby Allison is another driver who may well be in the second class of inductees. Allison was the 1983 Series Cup Champion and has 84 career wins. He was forced into retirement in 1988 after a crash at Pocono Speedway in Pocono, Pa. that

nearly took his life.

Allison was one of the NASCAR’s favorite drivers. He lost his son Clifford Allison in a racing accident during practice for the Busch series (Nationwide) in 1992 and his son Davey Allison was killed in a helicopter accident at Talladega Superspeedway in 1993 when his helicopter crashed.

Bud Moore is a car owner who quite possibly will make the second class of inductees. He ran cars in NASCAR’s top tier some 37 years and amassed 63 wins and 298 top-five finishes with drivers including Fireball Roberts, David Pearson, Buddy Baker, Dale Earnhardt, Bobby Allison and others.

Known as a country mechanic who could “make em’ run fast,” he was and is highly respected by those in NASCAR, having contributed much to the sport.

Dale Inman was Richard Petty’s crew chief for some 30 years. He just may be the first crew chief to be inducted in to the NASCAR Hall of Fame with his time coming in the second class.

Inman was innovative as a crew chief and brought status to the position especially after 1967 when he and Petty won 27 races, ten of them consecutively.

Those five men may be the best bets to be inducted in the second class. Other’s who will absolutely be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame are Lee Petty, Glen Wood and T. Wayne Robertson. Should any of the five picks listed above not make the upcoming induction, one or two could come out of these three men who are certainly worthy of going in the second or third class.

This list of best bets to be announced October 13 are based solely on the opinion of the writer.