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Category: Angie’s Spin Zone

Angie’s Spin on NASCAR

  • Danica Patrick Scores Career Best Seventh Place Finish at Kansas Speedway

    Danica Patrick Scores Career Best Seventh Place Finish at Kansas Speedway

    Danica Patrick made history in her first full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series when she became the first female driver to start from the pole in a Cup race at the Daytona 500 in 2013. She finished the race in eighth place capturing her first top-ten in only her 11th start in the series. Her next top-ten would prove to be elusive, taking another 46 starts to accomplish.

    Patrick began the 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas Speedway this past Saturday in the ninth position and ran competitively in the top-ten for most of the race. She completed the event in seventh place for her career best finish. Patrick was ecstatic.

    “I know that we haven’t had the best of times but its days like today that we work hard for,” she said. Patrick went on to say, “I’m just proud of everyone for working really hard and believing in me.”

    Patrick has had more than her fair share of detractors but her team has always stood behind her. Teammate Kevin Harvick may have given her the inspiration for her career best run at Kansas.

    “We talk a lot and I think for her it’s just the confidence in knowing exactly what the car is going to do,” Harvick said.

    “As we went through the weekend,” he continued, “she kept her track position on the restarts. That’s probably the biggest thing. But I guess the one thing I did tell her was just to quit thinking about it and smash the gas.”

    Harvick explained saying, “Sometimes your car is never going to be perfect and you just have to take what it’ll give you and expect that every time you pit, it’s going to be better, and if it’s not, you adjust and move on.”

    Patrick’s seventh place finish at Kansas puts her in elite company. She has the fourth best finish by women drivers in Cup Series history. Sarah Christian had a fifth place in 1949 at Heidelberg Raceway and a sixth place at Langhorne Speedway the same year. Janet Guthrie had a sixth place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in 1977.

    However for Danica Patrick, the biggest thrill of the race was something quite different.

    “I drove around the outside of the 48 on a restart,” she said proudly. “That was probably my most rewarding thing of the night. I say that with all the respect in the world because he’s Jimmie Johnson.”

    Patrick is currently 27th in the point standings, moving up two positions this week. It is only a slight improvement but it could be the motivation this team needs going forward.

    “I’ve always believed in myself,” Patrick says. “I’ve always believed that in the right situation, that I can do it.”

    There will be those who say this finish was a fluke that means little in the grand scheme of things while others will suggest that this could very well be a turning point in Patrick’s career. But if determination and faith in one’s abilities is any indication, we haven’t seen the last of Danica Patrick in the top-ten.

     

     

  • NASCAR – The Men Behind the Curtain

    NASCAR – The Men Behind the Curtain

    The governing body of NASCAR is reminiscent of the ‘Great Oz’ with its true agenda hidden behind a curtain of mystery. Sleight of hand and misdirection create the illusion that NASCAR is a sport driven by the desires of its passionate fans.

    They almost pull it off until something happens like the debacle at Richmond at the end of the regular season last year when the race results were blatantly manipulated to ensure certain drivers made it into the Chase. After a few days to review the incidents, NASCAR reacted by issuing fines and penalties. The boldest move was the addition of an unprecedented 13th driver (Jeff Gordon) to the Sprint Cup Chase.

    When the fans suggested that NASCAR was equally as guilty of manipulation as those being penalized, Chairman Brian France was quick to establish who is in charge.” I am Oz the great and powerful,” he proclaimed. Well, maybe not in those exact words, but France emphasized that the governing body has the authority to make whatever changes are deemed necessary to “protect the integrity, which is our number one goal of NASCAR.”

    The aftermath of this ruling brought out comparisons of NASCAR to the world of wrestling and did little to preserve the integrity of a sport that often struggles to define its identity. Is it sports, entertainment or perhaps a convoluted mixture of the two?

    Race results have been manipulated in one form or another since stock car racing began. These instances have run the gamut from the standard practice of allowing ones teammates to pass so that they can gain extra points to drivers being told to let someone else win.

    Darrell Waltrip found himself in one such predicament in 1990, his final year with Hendrick Motorsports. It was the first year since 1974 that Waltrip was winless.

    But according to Waltrip’s recollection in his book, ‘DW: A Lifetime Going Around in Circles,’ he won at North Wilkesboro Speedway on April 22, 1990 in the First Union 400. Yet, Brett Bodine is credited as the official winner due to a scoring error.

    According to the explanation given in the book, “NASCAR, and even Larry McReynolds, the crew chief at the time for Brett Bodine, later admitted to Waltrip, that Bodine did not actually win the race. Jeff Hammond, Waltrip’s crew chief, appealed to NASCAR officials to correct what was clearly an error in NASCAR’s scoring of the event.”

    Waltrip took his protest to Bill France Jr. and was told by France to “leave that boy alone, D.W., that’s his first win and you are going to win a lot more races.”

    NASCAR history is filled with similar examples. These were all accepted practices, until they weren’t. Who determines what is fair, where the line is drawn and who keeps moving the line? It’s often difficult to determine who is pulling the strings but in today’s world of social media, the fans have added their collective voice to shape the perceptions of right and wrong. NASCAR says that they are listening.

    This season brought more machinations by NASCAR to deliver the type of racing they believe fans want with rule changes to the Sprint Cup Chase format that place more emphasis on winning. However, many fans have been adamant in their dislike of a system that places more value on one win than a season of competitiveness.

    The changes were also intended to promote more competitive racing and discourage points racing. Over half of the race finishes this season have been impacted by late race cautions. Coincidence or design?

    Is this a true reflection of what fans desire or NASCAR’s misguided interpretation of “I know I’m not the wizard you expected but I might be the wizard you need.”

    This was never more evident than this past weekend at Richmond International Raceway when Marcos Amrbose and Casey Mears had an altercation after the race. A shove by Mears and a right cross by Ambrose overshadowed Logano’s second win of the season.

    There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that this fight will make it onto the highlight reel as it showcases what many fans love about short track racing. These tracks are known for intense racing and competitors with short fuses. It also fits right in with the on again, off again motto of “Have at it Boys,” that NASCAR likes to dust off when the racing becomes a little too predictable

    Once again, however, NASCAR intervened with fines and probations issued to the drivers involved. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that their rule book has been updated to make the line between what is appropriate and what isn’t, more readily apparent. But there are still enough gray areas that the fans can never anticipate which ruling NASCAR will pull from their hat.

     

    Quotes from the film, ‘The Wizard of Oz’

     

  • Trevor Bayne – Making the Most of Every Opportunity

    Trevor Bayne – Making the Most of Every Opportunity

    Trevor Bayne’s career has been a roller coaster ride of highs and lows but throughout it all he has remained constant in his belief that God has a plan for him. His faith gives him a unique perspective that allows him to accept both triumph and adversity with a maturity and grace that belies his young age.

    We sat down together at Darlington Raceway after the first day of practice and spoke about the challenges of racing at the legendary track.  Bayne recounted his previous two efforts in 2010 and 2013.

    “In 2010,” he said, “We had a little incident with Matt Kenseth and last year I crashed with a lapped car in turn one.” This year, the goal is to “finish the race.”

    He explained the strategy for the upcoming race, saying, “You just have to be patient here. It’s so narrow that it’s easy to get frustrated. You have to keep your head on straight and hit your line perfect every single lap. You’ve got to hit your marks and be consistent.”

    Bayne qualified 10th at Darlington, finished in ninth place and currently is ranked fifth in the point standings. In seven starts this season, he has one top-five and six top-10 finishes. But what will it take to propel this top-ten team to victory lane? The simple answer is speed.

    “Overall our Roush Fenway Mustangs as a group are not very fast at the beginning of a new car run,” he told me. “Late in the run we can catch guys and pass them but the leaders just get so far gone on new tires that we never have a chance. We’re working on some things to get our cars better; it’s just a speed thing.”

    “I think Chad (Crew Chief Chad Norris) and I have done a good job with the balance,” he continued. “We’ve been really patient this year and not made many mistakes other than blowing the right rear last weekend which really isn’t in our hands. We just need raw speed on new tires.”

    We also spoke about Bayne’s recent multiple sclerosis diagnosis and the impact it has had on his life.

    “If I put my value in who I am in Christ, it doesn’t change much through the ups and downs,” he said. “Christ got me through that knowing that this is temporary and his kingdom is eternal and that’s where my perspective comes from.”

    Bayne acknowledged that, “when you go through something tough like that, especially something health threatening, it makes you think. It makes you appreciate the good days even more and want to make the most out of every opportunity.”

    After the Easter break this weekend, NASCAR Nationwide Series racing resumes at Richmond International Raceway on April 25th as Bayne and his team look for their first win of the season.

  • Jeremy Clements – Achieving More with Less In NASCAR

    Jeremy Clements – Achieving More with Less In NASCAR

    Jeremy Clement’s recipe for success is a combination of talent, tenacity and mathematical wizardry. Throw some sponsorship dollars and a little luck into the mix and it would not be surprising to see him standing in victory lane.

    He drives the No. 51 Chevy in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for family owned team, Jeremy Clements Racing and seven races into the season is ranked 18th in the point standings. Driving for a small, underfunded team often requires juggling expectations with financial limitations. But drivers race with one goal, winning races. After an 18th place finish at Texas, I asked Clements if he would repeat that finish at Darlington Raceway.

    “Heck no, we always want better. A top 20 is good for our team but we always want better,” he said.

    Clements went on to talk about the issues he would face at this unique track, saying, “The biggest challenge is probably just trying to stay off the wall and conserve tires. The other problem is we don’t have sticker tires for tonight. You need four sets for the race, plus the one you start with.  It’s just about tire management. We still need two more sets. One set we have has four laps on them but that’s an every week thing, honestly. Four laps doesn’t sound like a lot. It’s not but it is, especially here. You don’t have the grip. You take off and they’ll just leave you.”

    Clements qualified 21st at Darlington and had a competitive car. But a faulty power steering hose caused him to go 10 laps down during repairs and they had to settle for a disappointing 31st place finish.

    Photo Credit: David Yeazell
    Photo Credit: David Yeazell

    Each race has its own set of problems but the one constant for Jeremy Clements Racing and other small teams is the lack of sponsorship dollars. They don’t have the newest engines or best equipment and sometimes can’t afford many of the items that better funded teams take for granted. Most race off the purse, using winnings from the previous race to finance the next one. If they’re lucky enough to have a sponsor for a race, they have to decide where to spend that money because it’s never enough.

    Clements used the following example to explain the dilemma.

    “We have two sets of four lap tires that we could buy for $100 each or spend four grand on two sets of stickers and we’d still need more. So what do you do? How much money do you have for this race? You want to run good of course, that’s the whole reason we’re here but you can’t break the bank. It’s frustrating. You want to run good every week but you know you’re kind of handicapped somewhat.”

    Although he admits that the financial struggles can sometimes be slightly overwhelming, he is also quick to point out that he’s not complaining. He is, after all, living his dream and when all is said and done, it comes down to this; Jeremy Clements is a racer. It is not a job description; but rather, defines who he is.

  • Jeffrey Earnhardt Continues the Family Tradition

    Jeffrey Earnhardt Continues the Family Tradition

    Jeffrey Earnhardt may have a famous last name but he’s determined to make his mark in NASCAR on his own terms. His determination is unmistakable and his desire undeniable as he talks racing.

    This season he has a full-time ride in the Nationwide Series with a new team, JD Motorsports. Jeffrey is committed to the team for believing in him and giving him the opportunity to drive even when he hasn’t had sponsorship.

    “Being out there every week has been huge for me,” he said. “It’s definitely helping me learn to be a better driver. I’m fortunate to have an awesome group of guys that I get to work with every weekend.”

    However, many of his fans continue to ask about the possibility that Jeffrey will partner with his uncle, Dale Earnhardt Jr. at JR Motorsports.  Dale Jr. spoke to the media about his nephew at Darlington Raceway this past weekend.

    “I watch him every week during the Nationwide races, he stated. “I think he’s done a couple of good things with that team, had a great qualifying effort at Bristol and got spun out the first lap of the race. He has had some other good situations that I’ve seen where he’s had some speed in practice or in qualifying and in particularly in the race he has done well on a few occasions. We keep an eye on him. Him and I are close; he lives real close to me. He’s supposed to come over to the house Sunday to hang out a little bit. I mean we stay pretty tight.”

    While it’s conceivable that Dale Jr. and Jeffrey will team up at some point in his career, Jeffrey is especially pleased that they are forming a closer personal bond and spending time together away from the track.

    “I’m not looking for him to hand me a full ride. It would have to be the right scenario,” he explained. “The fact that he’s reaching out to try and create a better relationship, because we didn’t used to have one, he was always busy and I was off doing my own thing, it’s pretty cool.

    Photo Credit: David Yeazell
    Photo Credit: David Yeazell

    Jeffrey was competing at Darlington for only the second time in his career. His first experience at the track was in 2011 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Before the race we talked about his goals and the challenges he would face during the race.

    “Darlington is a unique track,” he continued. “It’s really hard to learn and get used to. The biggest thing that everyone has always told me about this track is to race the track and not to race other cars.”

    Jeffrey qualified in 26th and brought home a 20th place finish. It is his second top-20 of the season and he is currently ranked 17th in the point standings.

    “I feel like this team is very capable,” he told me. “It’s my first year with them and we’re still learning but I think we’re capable of a top-15 every weekend. We want to get better each weekend and get everything we can out of these cars.”

    NASCAR will take a week off for Easter break but you can catch up with Jeffrey when the action resumes at Richmond International Raceway on April 25th.

     

  • Darlington Raceway Rewind

    Darlington Raceway Rewind

    There’s nothing like a weekend at Darlington Raceway to remind you why you love racing. The excitement begins to build as you drive through the tunnel. As you step out of your car and gaze out at the grandstands, your mind begins to fill with the memories of all that has gone before and the anticipation of things to come.

    Will a first time winner be crowned? Will records be broken? Whose dreams will come true and whose hopes will be crushed?

    A look back at some of the highlights from another historic racing weekend at Darlington:

    Nationwide Series:

    Kyle Busch scored his 37th career Nationwide Series pole and with 65 wins in the series was a serious contender for the win in the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 race. But the “Lady in Black had other plans and he had to settle for a fourth place finish.”

    Chase Elliott made it look easy Friday night winning in his first start at Darlington. He also etched his name in the record books becoming:

    • The youngest driver to win two NASCAR Nationwide Series races at 18 years, 4 months and 14 days.
    • The youngest driver to win a Nationwide Series race at Darlington
    • The youngest driver to lead the series point standings.
    • The fourth driver to win in his first start at Darlington. Johnny Mantz did so in 1950, Herb Thomas in 1951 and Dick Rathmann in 1952.

    He now has two wins in only seven starts in the series but if you listen to team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. the best is yet to come.

    “He has amazing car control. We saw that on several occasions out there tonight.” Earnhardt continued saying, “He’s got a great level head, good character and nothing really rattles him. So when it came down to the end there and it was time to really get after it, he kept his composure and did what he needed to do to make it work. That’s going to be tough to contend with for many years. I’d like to think that we’re going to hang on to him for a little bit and try to get him ready for the next level but he’s ahead of schedule.”

    Sprint Cup:

    Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson gave the crowd an electrifying finish at the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Saturday night as Harvick grabbed his second victory of the season in a green-white-checkered finish. He became the first driver to capture two wins this season which virtually assures him a place in the Sprint Cup Chase.

    Harvick waxed poetic as he talked about the allure of Darlington.

    “You’ve got to love it, gray racetracks”, he said. “You can almost see the sparkle of the rocks coming out in the asphalt. That’s so exciting. Maybe we need to spread the South Carolina sand on Kansas and Charlotte and all these other racetracks that haven’t aged as fast as this one. When you start to see that gray and you start to see the seams and you can see the sparkle of the small rocks in the asphalt, it just makes it fun. Darlington is what it was supposed to be tonight, the cars slipping and sliding and bouncing off the walls and hard to drive something, I don’t know.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second for the third time this season and Jimmie Johnson saw another race win slip away.

    Earnhardt was clearly disappointed that he came up short but proud of the effort.

    “It’s a little disappointing,” he admitted, “to come that close because I know I don’t really run that well here and the opportunities to win are going to be very few compared to other tracks. It hurts a little bit to come that close because we worked so hard to try to win races. Running second is great but nobody is going to really remember that. But we’re proud of it. ”

    Johnson said that moving forward, their efforts would be focused on “unloading closer.” He explained, “We seem to find a way come race time to get a good finish and honestly have a shot to win some races. But showing up at the track a little bit closer is key for us. We’re really just trying to get a grasp on these rules, and we go home with what we’ve learned from a previous race, bring a new mousetrap, and unfortunately we’ve had to continue to work on it each week. That’s really our goal is to show up closer.”

    2015 and Beyond:

    Darlington Raceway continues to cement its place in NASCAR history and promises to deliver more with plans to “honor the track’s history and shape its future.”

    As part of the celebration, Bill and Chase Elliott were introduced Saturday as the “face” of the program. Track president Chip Wile, along with Bill and Chase, talked about future plans which will include a retro ticket design for the 2015 Bojangles’ Southern 500 and a Classic merchandise product line that will focus on previous decades and will be available for purchase.

    Wile encouraged fans to share their stories saying “We have the most passionate, loyal fans in all of motorsports and we look forward to the role they will play as we celebrate our past, present and future.”

    If you have a story to share or an idea on how to celebrate the history of Darlington and NASCAR, you can send an Email to mailto:darlington1950@darlingtonraceway.com.

    As I left the track and made my way home, my only regret was that it would be another year before I could reunite with old friends and make new memories together at “The Track Too Tough To Tame.”

  • Why Wendell Scott Should be Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame

    Why Wendell Scott Should be Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame

    As the 2015 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame were announced on February 21, I began putting together my list of hopefuls for induction. Wendell Scott’s name immediately came to mind.

    He was selected as a nominee for the 2013 class but even before then, his worthiness has often been a subject of debate. If you look only at his statistics, you may agree that he falls short of Hall of Fame status. In a career that spanned 13 years and 495 races in what is now the Sprint Cup Series, he has one win, 20 top-fives and 147 top-10 finishes.

    But if you dig deeper, it’s obvious that the numbers do not tell the whole story.

    In some ways, his story is not so different from the grass roots racers who built this sport. Like many others, Scott raced in inferior equipment with little or no financial backing. He raced because from the moment he strapped into a racecar, he was hooked.

    But his story diverges from other racers when you add in the discrimination he faced each time he chose to get into a car and compete. Most of the people didn’t want him there and that included the fans, track promoters and other drivers. His tires were slashed and rules were fabricated to discourage him.

    One of the most glaring examples of this animosity happened when he won his first race. Buck Baker was initially named as the winner of the race. Officials eventually admitted their “scoring error” and declared Scott as the winner.

    But the truth is that it wasn’t a mistake in scoring at all.  It was simply a way for the track owner to avoid the backlash from a black driver kissing a white trophy queen during the victory celebration.

    Scott never got to accept the winner’s trophy. In fact, it wasn’t until October 2010 that NASCAR presented the trophy to Scott’s family.

    It would be easy to speculate on what he could have accomplished…if only. But Hall of Fame honors aren’t handed out for what could have been.

    How do you measure a man’s (or woman’s) worth in this sport?

    It’s not only about wins and championships. If that was the case we wouldn’t need a voting committee. They also consider the contributions and impact a person has on the sport.

    Scott is the only African-American to ever win a Cup race in NASCAR. That alone should guarantee him a place in the Hall of Fame.  However, this particular achievement is not only his biggest accomplishment but his detractors would add that it is also his biggest failure.

    If his win made such an impact, they ask, why did we have to wait almost 50 years for another African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race?

    Maybe it has less to do with his impact and more to do with the perception of those doing the judging.

    Maybe his impact seems diminished only through the eyes of a sport whose roots are firmly entrenched in the antiquated traditions of the good old days. Just ask NASCAR’s appointed king, Richard Petty, who recently questioned the role of women in NASCAR.

    NASCAR will tell you they are fully invested in expanding the sport through institutions like their Drive for Diversity program and I have no reason to doubt their sincerity. But is it enough? Despite their efforts, does NASCAR truly reflect the America we live in today?

    Perhaps the importance of someone like Wendell Scott is not apparent because of some perceived failure on his part to inspire but simply because change takes time.

    I would also suggest that the members of the voting committee are asking the right questions but are looking for the answers in the wrong places. If you want to measure Scott’s influence, speak to the African American community. How many youngsters watched him and said, ‘if he can do it, maybe I can too.’ How many have tried and failed? Is success the yardstick by which we measure his influence?

    Shouldn’t we be asking, how many would have never tried if not for someone like Wendell Scott?

  • NASCAR’s Winner-take-all Format Changes the Definition of a Champion

    NASCAR’s Winner-take-all Format Changes the Definition of a Champion

    In an effort to put more emphasis on winning, NASCAR has virtually thrown consistency out the window with changes to the 2014 Chase format. Brian France announced those changes today in his State of the Sport address and seemed confident that this is what fans want.

    “The vast majority of the fans that we communicated with, and I think we’re the best in sports in staying close to our fan base, really love this,” he said.

    I disagree.

    Most of the fans I’ve spoken to have been adamant in their dislike of a system that places more value on one win than a season of competitiveness. In theory, a driver could have one win, finish 30th in the points standings and advance to the Chase. Is that driver more deserving than a driver who has no wins but finished consistently in the top ten the entire pre-Chase season?

    No one is debating the importance of winning races but there has to be a balance and this new format may tip the scales too far in one direction.

    It’s not likely that we will have 16 different race winners leading up to the Chase so consistency will have a part to play. However, it will only take a driver so far in this Winner-take-all game that NASCAR is intent on playing.

    Once you make it into the Chase, the only certain way to advance through their version of the elimination rounds is to win a race. The Chase will culminate with the last race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the remaining top four battling for top position.

    Brian France says, “It’s going to elevate racing. It’s going to make winning the most important thing by a wide margin.”

    This may be accurate but is this the true measure of a champion?

    Sometimes being a champion is not about the glory of standing in Victory Lane. It’s about all the small moments that led up to it. It’s about making the most of a bad day. It’s about taking a tenth place car and getting a fifth place finish through sheer determination.

    It’s about sacrifice, hard work and dedication and most importantly, it cannot be manufactured.

  • NASCAR Class of 2013 Yearbook Memories

    NASCAR Class of 2013 Yearbook Memories

    The 2013 season of NASCAR will be remembered as one of the most tumultuous in recent memory. The year would not be complete without a few snapshots to commemorate the highs and lows.

    Favorite Couple: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte

    The partnership between the most popular driver and his Hendrick Motorsports crew chief continues to improve with each passing year. In 2013 the pair had their best season together earning fifth place in the Chase point standings.

    Dale Jr. had an impressive run during the final 10 races of the Chase with five top-5s that included three runner-up finishes and 8 top-10 finishes. His most disappointing result was due to a blown engine at Chicagoland Speedway.

    “I don’t know what would have happened if we could have done Chicago over but we ran so good in the other nine races, we’ve just got to be real proud of ourselves,” Earnhardt said.

    “We’ve got nothing to be disappointed about. We’ve gotten better each year, and that’s what we’re supposed to do.”

    Worst Breakup: Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing

    Few in NASCAR will ever forget how Harvick took over the vacant seat at RCR after Dale Earnhardt’s tragic death in 2001. They were shoes that could never be filled but Harvick handled the challenge with humility and respect.

    When Kevin Harvick first announced that he was leaving Richard Childress Racing after the end of the 2013 season, many were surprised. However Harvick emphasized that he and the team were committed to finishing the year on a positive note by contending for the championship. From the outside, it appeared to be an amicable split.

    But appearances can be deceiving.

    During a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway, tempers flared between Harvick and Ty Dillon as they were competing for second place during the final laps of the race and got together. The two drivers spun out and continued to show their displeasure with each other on the track. Things disintegrated further when Dillon’s crew members got involved by going after Harvick on pit road.

    It was Harvick’s comments after the race that sealed the end of this partnership.

    “The 3 just dumped me,” he said. “Exactly the reason why I’m leaving RCR because you’ve got those kids coming up that got no respect for what they do in this sport and they’ve had everything fed to them with a spoon.”

    Although Harvick later apologized, it was obvious that the relationship had actually ended long before the season came to a close.

    Most Popular Race: Eldora Speedway – The Mudsummer Classic Camping World Truck Series race

    The race at Eldora Speedway was one of the most highly anticipated events of the 2013 NASCAR season and it lived up to expectations.  It wasn’t the biggest or the fastest but it showcased the best short track competition that NASCAR has to offer.

    Austin Dillon won the inaugural event becoming the first driver to win a Camping World Truck Series race on dirt.

    The event marked NASCAR’s first national series dirt race since 1970. It was filled with side-by-side racing action, exciting passes and enough beating and banging to keep the sold out crowd on their feet. This back to basics, stripped down version of racing is the heart and soul of a sport that many feel has lost its way.

    Biggest Controversy:  The September 7th race at Richmond International Raceway

    The final race of NASCAR’s 2013 regular season will be remembered as a turning point in the sport’s history. A suspicious spin by Clint Bowyer led to an investigation and NASCAR determined that Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) manipulated the race results at Richmond. Penalties were issued, points were deducted and as a result MWR teammate Martin Truex Jr. lost his spot in the Chase to Ryan Newman.

    But that was only the beginning. Further allegations of cheating by two other teams led to more investigation by NASCAR and an unprecedented decision to add a 13th driver, Jeff Gordon, to the Chase for the Championship.

    Brian France explained, “We believe that there were too many things that altered the event that gave an unfair disadvantage to Jeff and his team, who would have qualified. It’s just the right thing to do. I have the authority to do that, and we are going to do that.”

    Many fans applauded NASCAR for doing the “right thing” but just as many were appalled at what they saw as NASCAR “fixing” the Chase to include one of its most influential drivers. The fact that Gordon drives for Hendrick Motorsports, arguably the most powerful team in NASCAR, only added fuel to the fire.

    Has the integrity of NASCAR been irreparably damaged by this incident? Only time will tell.

    Most Likely to Continue to Succeed: Jimmie Johnson

    Jimmie Johnson’s sixth championship title has catapulted him into an elite group of NASCAR champions. Only Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have more with seven each.  Johnson already has the record for most consecutive championships with five titles between the years 2006-2010. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that he will not only equal but surpass the record set by Petty and Earnhardt.

    There is no doubt that Johnson has earned his place as one of the best drivers in the history of NASCAR and he’s not done yet. The more intriguing question is this. Does success equal greatness?

    Best Move: Matt Kenseth

    Matt Kenseth’s move from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing has provided what Kenseth called an “unbelievable” year.

    “Obviously it’s been a great year, best year I’ve ever had,” said Kenseth. “I think when you look at our season overall, when I talk about it being the best season of my career, we didn’t come up with the championship, the championship is the ultimate goal, you always want that, but from a competitive standpoint it’s been by far the best season of my career.

    “We lead the most laps, qualified the best, most wins, all that stuff. From a competitive standpoint, it was our best year.”

    Kenseth scored a career best seven Sprint Cup wins in one season, a career best of 1,783 laps led and captured three poles along the way.

    Most Significant Victory: Darrell Wallace Jr.

    When Darrell Wallace Jr. won the Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in October, he became the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race since Wendell Scott’s win on December 1, 1963.

    After the race, Wallace spoke passionately about the impact of this win.

    “It means everything,” Wallace said. “This is an emotional one for me, especially to do it in Wendell Scott’s backyard. I love coming here to Martinsville. It’s always good to me, and it finally paid off.”

    He also hopes that it will help propel his career forward.

    “Winning, there’s nothing better than winning,” he said. “And I think that’ll help kind of pave its own way there, and hopefully get my name out there even more. Winning this big race can always do that, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do all year is to get my name out there, to keep pushing, to strive for kids younger than me to get in the sport and be here sitting here talking to you guys one day.”

    Best Comeback: Shane Hmiel

    Shane Hmiel’s story is one of triumph over adversity. As he made his way through the ranks of the Busch Series (now Nationwide Series), his career was put on hold when he failed a drug test in 2003 and was suspended indefinitely. He was reinstated in 2004 but over the next couple of years failed two more drug tests and in 2006 was banned from NASCAR for life.

    Hmiel fought his way back to sobriety and began competing in the touring divisions of the United States Auto Club (USAC) Series. Then, in 2010 he faced the biggest challenge of his life.

    While attempting to qualify for a USAC Silver Crown race, his car hit the outside wall and rolled several times. The roll cage was damaged and Hmiel suffered head and spinal injuries that left him paralyzed. He wasn’t expected to live but once more, Hmiel defied the odds.

    In January 2013 his recovery took another leap forward when he was given the chance to get behind the wheel of a racecar one more time at Rockingham Speedway.

    Accessible Racing co-founder and president, Brian Hanaford, Hmiel’s mother, Lisa, and Andy Hillenburg, president of Rockingham Speedway, were instrumental in giving Shane this unique opportunity. Randy LaJoie whose company ‘Joie of Seating’ makes custom seats for race cars, provided the specialized seats.

    Hmiel drove 10 laps around the track and as he headed into the pits, the huge grin on his face spoke volumes.

    “I don’t want to get out, let’s go again,” he exclaimed!”

    Shane Hmiel’s tenacity is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

    “It felt so great to be back,” he said. “The conceited side of me loves this. It proves to people, do not quit. You can always do more. Believe in that. It’ll get you so far.”

    These are only a few of the most memorable NASCAR moments in 2013. Records were broken, champions were crowned and controversy abounded. The new season begins in less than three months. Will you be watching?

     

  • An Afternoon with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the NASCAR Hall of Fame

    An Afternoon with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the NASCAR Hall of Fame

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame Tuesday afternoon for a question and answer session with fans and the media. This event is designed to celebrate the drivers who are contending for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. The drivers will participate in these Q&A sessions in the High Octane Theater at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday afternoons from Sept. 17 – Nov. 5.

    The topics covered everything from the Chase, to team meetings, to pets, to girls, to girl fights and an unexpected remembrance of his late father.

    Winston Kelley, Hall of Fame Executive Director, began by asking Earnhardt to assess his season and talk about the ups and downs the team has experienced this year.

    “You’re gonna have some ups and downs,” Earnhardt said, “but I thought last year we were more consistent as far as just finishing where I felt like the car was capable of running. When we started this season we had more speed which was good to see. That’s the hardest thing to achieve and find in the shop, is more speed. We started off the year really strong. We came out of the gate and had a lot of top fives and top tens and was leading the points and then we started having problems; motors and different things, maybe mistakes I made or calls Steve made that didn’t go the way we wanted (them) to or getting caught on pit road under cautions and stuff like that. But the car’s been faster, like I said, which is one of the hardest things to find in the sport.”

    “We’ve gotten better each year as a team since I’ve started working with Steve,” he continued. “We started off together in our first year really working hard just to crack the top ten. Last year we were a consistent team that was running in the top ten every week. This year I think we’re a little bit faster yet we just didn’t quite have the luck we had last year but it’s been good.”

    Kelley then asked Earnhardt to describe a typical Hendrick Motorsports team de-brief.  His explanation provides a unique perspective on the inner workings of one of NASCAR’s premier teams.

    “It’s about the last race,” he explains. “We go over the whole process. It’s basically all four crew chiefs and all four drivers and a couple of guys from management sitting at a table. Each driver goes in turn and talks about the race; everything that they can remember that was unique. We’ll talk about how our cars drove and the changes we made to our cars we liked or didn’t like. The crew chiefs will pitch in if there’s something the driver didn’t think about or want to add. Then we’ll move on to the next race. The crew chiefs will talk about how they’re gonna start the first practice, whether we’re gonna be in qualifying trim or race trim.

    He went on to add, “While all this is going on, on a big old projector, there are all four cars’ setups from the last race, basically how we ended the race. All four cars’ setups are on the wall so we all can see what everybody had. Then as we lead into the next event they might bring up the setups for all the other cars, how they’re gonna leave the shop and unload. Some cars might be in qualifying trim, others might be in race trim. So you can kinda see what people are doing.

    Earnhardt summed up the process by saying, “it’s really an open book.”

    Below are some of the highlights from the fan Q&A session.

    The fan questions are always fun and this year was no exception. The first question was asked by a young boy who charmed the crowd with his enthusiasm.

    Question: “Dale, it’s been kind of like a blast this year.  You might not have had the luck to go to the Chase last year but it’s pretty cool that you’re in the Chase. Dale, how does this feel for you?”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.:  “It feels good. We had such a good year last year.  We were really excited about going into the Chase because we felt like we were a strong team and we didn’t get that opportunity last year due to the concussion. So this year having the chance to be in there, be in the car racing, even though we did have tough luck at Chicago, we still feel like we got a shot. We’re still gonna go to the racetrack with the attitude that we can get ourselves back into it and it’s just fun to be in the car. It’s fun to be racing. It’s fun to make the Chase. When you don’t make the Chase, that can bum you out. It’s hard being on the outside looking in; watching those guys all race for that championship knowing that you think you’re good enough and your team’s good enough to be in there, but you’re not. It feels good to make it. Hopefully if I’ve got to go through all the stuff in Vegas that they put us through during championship week, hopefully, I’m holding that trophy. We’re working real hard to do that.”

    The next fan used her time to voice the sentiments of Junior Nation, amid cheers and applause.

    Question: “It’s not really a question, it’s a comment. I just wanted to tell you that Junior Nation has faith in you and we believe in you. Keep the spirits up because you’re going to get it.  You’re going to get it one day before you retire. I promise you, you’re going to get one!”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: “I appreciate it. I feel the same way. I think I got a lot of racing left. I feel like I was saying about our team, I think we’ve gotten stronger each year. I tell Steve and Steve agrees. He thinks we’ve gotten better each year. If we just stick together and keep working on the team in the off season, moving a few pieces around and keep getting the team better, it’s gonna happen. Our hard work’s gonna pay off.”

    The next question took an unexpected turn and we learn how Dale Jr. used to impress the ladies.

    Question: “Do you do doughnuts in your street car?”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: “I’ve done some doughnuts in my street cars from time to time. Yes, I have. It’s usually to show off for a girl. They make you do some crazy things. You’ll find out.”

    Earnhardt’s pets are almost as famous as he is so it’s no surprise that someone asked a question about those pets.

    Question: “Do you take any of your pets with you to stay in the motorhome with you at the racetracks?”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: “Yeah, I do. I used to have this cat named Buddy and he lived on the bus. After the race was over with he stayed on the bus. The bus driver would drive to the next race track and he’d be there on the bus. The only time he was off the bus was when the season was over.

    I’ve been dating Amy (Reimann) for several years now and she has a Pomeranian. I don’t claim it. He’s pretty cool but I don’t admit it. He goes every week because he’s so small, he’s easy to carry around.

    Killer, my boxer, he goes every once in a while if the grass is close to the bus. But if there’s a lot of concrete I don’t take him because you have to walk all the way across the track to get him to use the bathroom.”

    The next question was about football but elicited memories of a son and a race team who were left without a father and a leader in the wake of Dale Earnhardt’s passing.

    Question: “I’m a big Jr fan. I’m also a two time graduate of Clemson University and I recently heard that you’re a USC fan so I’m debating if I can stay a fan. Why are you a USC fan?”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: “I’ll explain how that happened. I wasn’t always a South Carolina Gamecocks fan. Back when my dad passed away I was trying to think of this cool idea to boost the spirits of all the employees at Dale Earnhardt Inc. I was trying to think of something we could do. Dad wasn’t there. The whole company had no direction. I thought that I would call Lou Holtz and see if he could come talk to us and sort of get everybody fired up and give us all direction so we could go into Daytona and work hard.  We’d get some encouraging words from Lou because apparently he’s really good at motivational speaking. He was the (football) coach of South Carolina at the time. So he came out and talked to us and blew everybody away. He got us all started on the right foot and we went on about our way and everything was fine. So I started watching Lou and pulling for the Gamecocks. “

    One of the last questions prompted Earnhardt to tell a hilarious story about his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller.

    Question: “I know you have a go-kart track at your house. Have you ever beat a woman on your go-kart track at your house?”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: “We’ve always had Powder Puff races where all the women race by themselves. Normally what we do with the go-kart track is we use it about once a year. I invite all the employees from JR Motorsports and all the employees from the 48/88 shop over and we have races all night.”

    He then went on to tell about one particular race that happened not long after he began racing for Rick Hendrick.

    “All the women had a race. Kelley and the wife of one of the guys in management had a disagreement on the last lap. My sister’s pretty fiery plus she had raced some cars before so she thought she had a leg up on the competition out there. But this girl didn’t like what Kelley did to her in the last corner. I guess Kelley had shoved her out of the way to get by her. They threw the checkered flag and they went into the last corner, slowing down, the race is over. That lady dumped Kelley and flipped her over.

    Now we had raced these karts hundreds of times and never flipped one. I looked over there and I’m like, that’s the bottom of a kart. What is one doing upside down? I’ve never even seen the bottom of one of these things before.

    I didn’t know who it was. Then Kelley crawled out from under it and she was high tailing it across the racetrack to get to this lady. They were gonna have a knock down drag out.”

    Earnhardt didn’t usually drive in these events. He had much more fun choreographing the races. But on this night he stood up, threw on a helmet and jumped in a kart to prevent the fight that he knew was about to happen.

    He finished the story saying, “We haven’t had a Powder Puff race since.”

    Please check the NASCAR Hall of Fame website for future driver appearances as the race for the championship continues.