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  • Boris Said Says ‘I’m Back’

    Boris Said Says ‘I’m Back’

    Boris Said has just two words to share with his fans, dubbed ‘Said heads’ in honor of the curly wigs they wear to mimic their driver’s mane. “I’m back,” Said said to his fans. “And I hope you didn’t forget me.”

    [media-credit name=”Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”217″][/media-credit]After being absent since August of last year, Said will be taking over for young up-and-coming driver Landon Cassill in the No. 51 Security Benefit/Thank A Teacher Today Chevrolet. Said will be proudly representing one of his favorite people, James Finch, and his team Phoenix Racing on the road course in Sonoma.

    Cassill who had his career best finish in the 12th position last weekend in the Irish hills of Michigan, will return to the helm of his race car the following weekend at Daytona.

    “I’m pretty excited about it,” Said said. “Landon is not a road course guy and they’re not running for points so they decided to put me in.”

    “I’m in a Hendrick car owned by James Finch,” Said continued. “I ran for him in Mexico City in the Nationwide Series and had a blast with him.”

    “I haven’t been in a car since last August so I’m chomping at the bit to get in and drive one.”

    Although off the NASCAR Cup circuit for some time, Said has been keeping busy in other areas of racing. He also has entered a whole new phase of his life, with a ‘real job’ as he terms it, as well as a new partner to boot.

    “The biggest thing I’ve been doing is the Grand Am Rolex Series,” Said said. “My other big thing is that I was awarded a BMW franchise, the first one in ten years that BMW has awarded.”

    “We’ve been open two weeks and one day,” Said continued. “And my partner is Rick Hendrick, so that’s really exciting working with him.”

    “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d be a partner with Rick Hendrick,” Said advised. “So, I’ve been working a real job which has been pretty fun.”

    “I guess they’ll let me out of the dealership for the race,” Said said.

    What has Said missed most about being behind the wheel?  Simply the roar of the engines according to this road course racer, as well as the thrill of the competition.

    “It’s a blast feeling the horsepower,” Said shared. “It’s a blast racing with those guys.”

    “They are a bunch of animals and it’s so much fun,” Said continued. “I’ve always wished I could do it full-time but I’ve always cherished every race I get to do.”

    “I can’t wait to go out and start driving.”

    Said has been keeping up with the action on the track throughout the time that he has been away. And he realizes that at Sonoma, there will be plenty of action, especially with the double file restarts.

    “Especially at Infineon, I don’t think there’s a more exciting track to have those double file restarts,” Said advised. “The first couple of times that I did it, I had to be cautious and I just got run over. So, there’s no other way but to be aggressive.”

    “I always hear that ‘you only run one race and you shouldn’t mess with the regulars, blah, blah blah’,” Said continued. “But the fact is that James Finch is a regular and he pays me to do a job. I want to be as aggressive as I can no matter who I’m racing with.”

    While Said knows that the competition will be fierce, he is hoping that the final outcome will not be decided on fuel mileage, as so many races have recently.

    “I hope it doesn’t come down to fuel mileage,” Said said. “That’s not my style. But I would take it any way I could.”

    “I’ve been there and I’ve been the fastest car and then have had really bad luck,” Said continued. “It just takes so much to get a good finish in one of those races, whether it’s pit stops or knowing when to pit or not to pit, or getting involved with somebody. There’s so much that can go wrong.”

    Said is most grateful that he will not have to qualify in on time. Finch’s Phoenix Racing car is firmly locked into the show.

    “The last time we had that opportunity, I was in the Army car and I sat on the pole,” Said advised. “To not have that pressure feels so good.”

    Does Said see himself as that ‘road course ringer’?

    “You know I don’t like that term,” Said shared. “But I think it’s good because at least people are talking about us.”

    “The thing is that no part-time guy has ever won a Cup race,” Said continued. “But it’s still possible. Is it likely? No. It’s a long shot but it’s a long shot for lots of guys.”

    “I’m hoping that I can be competitive and I’m going to try my hardest to be competitive,” Said advised. “We’ve always run in the top-10 there and when that happens, you never know.”

    “You can always get lucky,” Said continued. “And I hope I can put on a good show.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards led 30 laps at Michigan and finished fifth, earning his series-best eighth top-5 result of the year. Edwards boosted his lead in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now leads second-place Kevin Harvick by 20.

    “How does it feel to lead with nine laps to go and not win the race?” Edwards asked. “It’s the pits. My No. 99 Roush Fenway Ford was adorned with the Aflac ‘Now Hiring’ paint scheme, which hopefully served as a not-too-subtle hint to my crew members of the fleetingness of employment.”

    Now, as a driver for Roush Fenway, baseball and racing go together like Joe Gibbs Racing and cheating. From personal experience, I know an illegal oil can part when I see one. ‘Oil Can’ Boyd once roamed Fenway Park. ‘Oil Can Ployed’ makes its home at JGR.”

    2. Kyle Busch: An eventful week for Busch ended on Sunday with a solid third-place finish in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan. Busch’s probation ended last Tuesday, then the Joe Gibbs Racing fleet was ordered by NASCAR to change oil pans on Friday. On Sunday, Busch fought an indigestion problem before crew chief Dave Rogers rectified it with Tums and water. Busch improved one spot in the point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 29.

    “Take it from me,” Busch said. “It’s not always a bad thing to run out of gas.”

    “My No. 18 hauler was parked beside Kevin Harvick’s No. 29 hauler. That was risky, because even our haulers are feuding. I’m guessing NASCAR thinks a parking lot is the only place these two teams can get ‘along.’ But seriously, it looks as though NASCAR is sending us mixed signals. It appears probation was NASCAR’s way of saying ‘no more.’ This must be their method of asking for ‘more.’ I rate NASCAR’s disciplinary methods an ‘A’ for ‘ambiguity.’ Let me say, though, there was a lot of glaring going on between the two teams. I believe that’s the first time Harvick and I have seen eye to eye.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick came home 14th at Michigan, struggling with handling issues and surviving  in the Heluva Good! 400. However, due to subpar days from Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Harvick vaulted two places in the point standings to second, and now trails Carl Edwards by 20 points.

    “See,” Harvick said, “I can revel in the misery of someone besides Kyle Busch. And I will continue to pester Busch without end. You would never hear me complain of heartburn. I’ve got a foolproof immunity to heartburn. It’s called being heartless.”

    4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished 21st at Michigan, seeing a possible top-10 result fall to the wayside when his No. 88 Amp Energy Chevrolet was pinched into the wall on lap 191 when Mark Martin got loose and slid up the track. The contact caused a tire rub that ended Earnhardt’s charge to the front. He remained third in the point standings, 27 out of first.

    “It’s hard to stay mad at Mark,” Earnhardt said. “That’s why my crew and I held a ‘re-tire-ment’ party in the pits shortly after he sent me into the wall. At Mark’s last retirement party, I asked him to ‘stay in touch.’ Apparently, he took that a bit too literally. Now, unfortunately, he has to deal with the wrath of Junior Nation. The first rule of Junior Nation is: ‘If you ‘turn against’ the No. 88, regardless of circumstances, Junior Nation will ‘turn against’ you.”

    Despite it all, I still expect Mark and I to remain professional and work together. We’ve got lots of information to share. Mark’s finished second in the Sprint Cup rankings four times, so he’s got a wealth of advice to share about ‘not winning.’”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: An early spin on lap 8 foreshadowed a tough day for the No. 48 Lowe’s team at Michigan. A broken sway bar was found to be the culprit, and Johnson fell down two laps quickly after racing without the necessary equipment. A scarcity of yellow flags left the team with little opportunity for repairs, and Johnson finished 27th, one lap down. He tumbled three spots in the point standings to fifth, and trails Carl Edwards by 29.

    “As the five-time Sprint Cup champion,” Johnson said, “I normally advocate the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ philosophy. Not in this case. A broken sway bar sent me for a loop. And even the sport’s most notorious ‘spin’ doctor, Chad Knaus, couldn’t put it back together. Chad’s and the No. 48 strategists often have cram sessions to find ways to skirt NASCAR’s nebulous rules. We call those meetings ‘unapproved part-ies.”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth chased Denny Hamlin down the stretch at Michigan, but came up short after a last-gasp effort in the final turn. Kenseth spun his tires on the final restart, but got a boost from Roush Fenway teammate Carl Edwards, but pushed him to clean air. He got close to Hamlin, but lost by .281 seconds. Kenseth improved one spot to sixth in the point standings, and trails Edwards by 41.

    “Kudos to NASCAR officials,” Kenseth said. “They did something that I couldn’t—‘catch’ Hamlin. I now know why the Joe Gibbs cars had to go back to their old oil pans—because the new ones were ‘busted.’ In any case, Hamlin applauded me for my efforts with the same words NASCAR uttered to the Gibbs team—‘nice try.’”

    7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won the race out of the pits during the final caution at Michigan, and repelled the advances of Matt Kenseth over the final laps. Hamlin’s narrow victory was his first of the season, and quite fulfilling in the wake of recent strong runs in which victory eluded him. He jumped three places in the point standings to ninth, and is 77 out of first.

    “Due to my slow start this season,” Hamlin said, “many people had written me off as a championship contender. To them, I say the same thing I told NASCAR inspectors last Friday: ‘It was an honest mistake.’ NASCAR’s fined the three JGR crew chiefs $50,000. That’s chump change, and not nearly enough to cause the ‘Great Oil Pan-ic of 2011.’”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 11th at Michigan after earning his third consecutive pole, just missing his fourth-straight top-10 result. He improved one spot in the point standings to seventh, and is now 41 out of first.

    “Even with an 11th-place finish,” Busch said, “I’m still not happy. I’m a habitual complainer. My crew chief Steve Addington will vouch for that. Tums may shut my brother Kyle up, but there’s not a product made that will stop my whining.”

    Despite my qualifying efforts, I’m still winless on the year. That, as well as my reputation as the most-punched driver in NASCAR, indicates that I’m unable to finish what I ‘started.’”

    9. Ryan Newman: Newman finished sixth in the Heleva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400, posting his seventh top-10 finish of the year. Newman is now eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 76.

    “Amid all the fighting, probations, and unapproved car parts,” Newman said, “I’ve quietly ascended to No. 8 in the point standings. Just like my fine for punching a fellow driver, you could say I’m flying under the radar.”

    10. Jeff Gordon: Gordon was running seventh when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. hit the wall, bringing out the race’s final caution at Michigan. Gordon opted for four tires, which set him back to 15th for the restart. He lost two positions in the remaining five laps and finished 17th.

    “Obviously, two tires was the right call,” Gordon said. “We just made the ‘right’ call twice. And, as the saying goes, two ‘rights’ make a wrong.”

  • Chad Hackenbracht’s Biggest Hurdle Not the Racing But His Own Last Name

    Chad Hackenbracht’s Biggest Hurdle Not the Racing But His Own Last Name

    Chad Hackenbracht had his best ever career finish in this past weekend’s ARCA race, scoring a fourth place in his family-owned No. 58 Tastee Apple CGH Motorsports Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway.

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: CGH Motorsports” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]But even greater than the challenge of the intense competition on the track is the 19 year old driver’s challenge in just getting folks to pronounce his last name correctly.

    In addition to being on a quest for name recognition, the driver is having a little fun with it all. His team has just developed T-shirts, which say “What’s a Chad Hacken-something?”

    The correct pronunciation of that all important last name is in parentheses (hock en bra) on the new T-shirts, which are on sale on Hackenbracht’s website  www.cghmotorsports.com for just $19.95.

    “That actually was started by my marketing guy who is looking for sponsorship for us,” Hackenbracht said of the T-shirt venture. “It has turned into a really big hit.”

    Hackenbracht, however, is focused solely on his racing and was thrilled with his good performance at Michigan.

    “We wound up getting a fourth place out of it which wasn’t too bad,” Hackenbracht said. “We were up there in contention.”

    “It’s a career best for us,” Hackenbracht said. “It was really good.”

    The young driver from New Philadelphia, Ohio has been on a tear even before the career best finish in Michigan.  He scored an 11th place finish at Toledo in May, a ninth-place finish at New Jersey and seventh place finish at Pocono Raceway.

    This is Hackenbracht’s first full year in the ARCA Series, after running a limited schedule in 2010, with just the televised races on the docket. Prior to that, the young driver ran the Legends series, scoring 18 wins and the national championship.

    Hackenbracht is a bit unusual as far as his driving pedigree. He is not from a traditional racing family, but instead caught the racing bug by seeing it on television.

    “I basically was watching the Daytona or Talladega Cup race and I saw it and said to my parents, ‘Hey, I want to race.’ Hackenbracht said. “I don’t think they took me seriously but they said to come up with different options.”

    “I came up with four-wheelers and go karts and my mom said no to both of them,” Hackenbracht continued. “So, then we saw quarter-midgets and started with that.”

    The young driver has been moving on up the ranks ever since, with his eye eventually on a Truck or Nationwide ride. Like so many others, Hackenbracht definitely sees himself in the Cup Series sometime in the near future, with just the economy standing in his way.

    “I’m in the perfect age range,” Hackenbracht said. “But just the wrong economic time.”

    “In a couple years, you’ll have a lot of rides opening up,” Hackenbracht continued. “But you’ve got to survive until then.”

    Hackenbracht survives with a little help from his friends, particularly those in the Cup garage, as well as good friend and mentor Ron Hornaday, Jr.

    “ARCA is kind of like a big family,” Hackenbracht said. “All the teams work with you.”

    “I’ve got a connection with Ron Hornaday in the Truck garage,” Hackenbracht continued. “He’ll stop in the shop after a race and we’ll talk a little bit.”

    Hackenbracht does follow one particular Cup driver, one in fact that he has inherited from his mother.

    “My mom’s driver is Jeff Gordon,” Hackenbracht said. “I follow him just because of my mom and dad.”

    “But I really like Mark Martin myself,” Hackenbracht continued. “He races hard but he races clean. That’s what I do and what I want to be.”

    In addition to the racers that Hackenbracht follows on the track, he also models himself after the premiere drivers in the sport as far as putting time in at the shop and at the gym. But he does have one other duty that has led to yet another name for the young driver.

    “The guys at the shop call me ‘Sticker Boy’ because I put all the details on the car,” Hackenbracht said. “That’s kind of my thing.”

    Whether you call him ‘Hacken-something’ or ‘Sticker Boy’, Hackenbracht will next be doing his thing in the ARCA Racing Series on Saturday, June 25th in the Winchester ARCA 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts at Winchester Speedway in Indiana.

    “We came to Michigan and showed our performance was no fluke,” Hackenbracht said. “I’m anxious to get to Winchester as I feel we have a shot at our first career win.”

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: WHO’S GOING TO DRINK THE FANCY BOTTLE OF WINE AT SONOMA?

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: WHO’S GOING TO DRINK THE FANCY BOTTLE OF WINE AT SONOMA?

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be making their annual visit to Sonona-California’s wine country this Sunday for the running of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway. Race number 16 on the 2011 season schedule is the first of two road course events.

    [media-credit name=”SaveMart350″ align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]So, who’s going to drink the fancy bottle of wine presented to race winners at Infineon? It’s probably going to be a driver with experience in making sharp, high speed, left and right turns. It’s probably going to be a driver who will not allow those non traditional lefts and rights interfere with his ability to maintain focus.

    It will probably be a driver who has a crew chief comfortable with the process of counting race laps backwards. Because fuel mileage is so critical at this race track, the crew chief will employ the non traditional process of counting the laps beginning at 110 to insure accurate fuel mileage figures.

    It will probably be the driver whose pit crew will not lose a half a second during the stop because they were distracted by the sight of their car arriving in the pit box facing the wrong way. That’s yet another non traditional aspect to racing at this track. Because of the unique pit road entry, the crews will be changing the tires on the driver’s side first. Just the slightest distraction, even a mere one half second, could be catastrophic to track position which will be very difficult to make up on a road course this size.

    At the conclusion of the Toyota/Save Mart 350, the driver will be treated to a glass of some of the best vino from California’s wine country. That’s yet another non traditional aspect to this race.

    CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS FROM WINE COUNTRY

    To get an accurate view of who’s favored to drink the win at Infineon, we again call on the experts from “The Las Vegas Insider”, (LVI), who are well known for their ability to crunch numbers and produce very accurate predictions.

    JEFF GORDON AT 7 TO 2 ODDS.

    We begin with NASCAR’s “Mr. Road Course. When it comes to turning left and right on a race track Jeff Gordon is one of the best in the business and he has the stats to back it up. Gordon leads the Sprint Cup Series’ Infineon stats in wins-5 including three consecutive trips to victory lane from 1998 to 2000. He also leads the series in the categories of top five finishes-11, top tens-14 and most laps led by a race winner-94. Gordon is also very good at qualifying at Infineon. He has a series high five pole wins there and holds the track qualifying record, 94.325 MPH, set in June of 2005.

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races on two road courses per year: Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen. Gordon’s combined stats, for road courses, are also chart topping and includes nine wins, 17 top fives and 23 top tens along with an average finish ratio of 11.8. He’s a top notch wager consideration worthy of being on top of the LVI’s list this week.

    JIMMIE JOHNSON AT 9 TO 2 ODDS.

    In June of last year Jimmie Johnson became the latest Infineon wine taster after race leader Marcos Ambrose stalled his engine while trying to save fuel. Many called it a silver platter win, and still do. But, remember, to take advantage of a silver platter opportunity, one must be in position to do so. Johnson and company has a way of often being around at the end of a race and that makes them a worthy wager consideration despite the fact that his career Infineon stats only shows the lone win, three top fives and a finish ratio of 15.6 .

    KYLE BUSCH AND TONY STEWART AT 6 TO 1 ODDS.

    Kyle Busch is a former Infineon winner but has a somewhat roller coaster performance level there with just the lone win, one top five and a finish ratio of 20.2. Busch and his Joe Gibbs Racing team has been the topic of NASCAR headlines for all of the wrong reasons for several weeks now. Some NASCAR observers may want to believe that these headlines may become a distraction to this driver. Don’t even go there. Whether he’s setting new speed records on a North Carolina country road or taking on the challenge of a road course, anytime Busch puts on his helmet he’s focused.

    Tony Stewart has also earned the right to be called “NASCAR’s Mr. Road Course and, at 6 to 1, he’s an excellent wager consideration. “Smoke” is a two time winner at Infineon with a very healthy average finish ratio of 9.2. His overall road course stats are also very impressive and includes seven wins and a finish ratio of 7.3. Seriously consider this driver as a potential winner this Sunday.

    JUAN PABLO MONTOYA AT 7 TO 1 ODDS.

    With his success in the Indy Racing League and Formula 1 racing it’s only natural that Montoya would be a road racing ringer. His two Sprint Cup wins came on the road courses. There should be no distractions regarding his current contract status with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. It’s anticipated that an announcement regarding a contract extension will be made within the next couple of weeks. This is another strong wager consideration.

    MARCOS AMBROSE AT 8 TO 1 ODDS.

    It’s very likely that this very popular Australian is one of the most prolific road racers among the Sprint Cup drivers. We all remember what happened at Infineon last year. Ambrose, during the final laps of the race, was conserving fuel during a final caution flag by turning his engine off and on. Unfortunately he turned his engine off, while coasting up hill, and the the car stalled. That’s why Jimmie Johnson is the defending race winner. That mistake was quickly dubbed “the blunder from down under” and you can bet Ambrose won’t let that happen again. He’ll be arriving at Infineon believing Infineon Raceway owes him one and he’ll be looking to collect on Sunday.

    KEVIN HARVICK AT 10 TO 1 ODDS.

    Harvick is still looking for his first Sprint Cup win at Infineon but he does have a road course win at Watkins Glen. Harvick has a way of showing up at the end of a race and becoming a major player in the outcome. That’s exactly how he has won three races this year and why everyone now calls him “The Closer.” At 10 to 1 he’s a very worthy long shot consideration.

    Taking a look at the middle tier, of the “Las Vegas Insider’s” ranking this week, you will find the Dodge power of Kurt Busch ranked at 14 to 1.

    The “LVI’s” 16 to 1 ranking is rather interesting because of a pair of possible long shot considerations here. It’s begins with previous race winner Robby Gordon. His road racing prowess is well known and respected but, let the buyer beware. This owner/driver has endured terrible racing luck that has been going on for quite a long time now.

    Also listed at 16 to 1 is Carl Edwards. His driver stats indicates that road racing is not one of this driver’s major strengths. But, let’s face it, it’s Carl Edwards. He’s the series points leader, his momentum is red hot, and he has the power of the FR9 engine under the hood of his Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

    The 18 to 1 category is also interesting featuring road racing ringer Boris Said, driving for owner James Finch, and previous race winner Kasey Kahne who’s determined to give Red Bull Racing another Sprint Cup win during what will possibly be the organization’s final NASCAR season.

    Denny Hamlin, at 20 to 1, will be bringing a lot of momentum to Infineon Raceway coming off of last Sunday’s win at Michigan but the stats indicate road racing isn’t exactly a source of strength. Ranked behind Hamlin is Jamie McMurray, 30 to 1, and Ryan Newman at 35 to 1.

    The “LVI’s” 40 to 1 group includes a group of hard chargers featuring Greg Biffle, Paul Menard, Dale Earnhardt Jr and and Clint Bowyer. At 50 to 1 you will find drivers A J Allmendinger and Andy Lally. Both are successful road racing veterans from other racing series but I don;t know if I would put any money on them in a NASCAR race.

    In the 60 to 1 ranking you will find previous race winner Mark Martin along with Matt Kenseth. Also at the bottom of this week’s list are Brad Keselowski and Jeff Burton, at 75 to 1 and David Ragan at 80 to 1, Martin Truex Jr and Joey Logano are ranked at 100 to 1 while Brian Vickers closes the list at 125 to 1.

    Time for this week’s disclaimer: NASCAR wants us to remind you that these numbers are for informational and entertainment purposes. They neither encourage or condone the placing of wagers on their events. They would much prefer that you spend your money online at the NASCAR store where you can find those special items such as the Dale Earnhardt Jr bar b que grill covers.

    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    The Toyota/Sav Mart 350 is 110 laps/218.9 miles around the Infineon Raceway’s mammoth 1.99 mile, ten turn, road course.

    The race has 44 entries vying for the 43 starting berths and the winner’s share of the $5.5 million plus purse. Nine of those entries are on the go or go home list. These teams are not guaranteed a starting berth in the race because they are currently outside of the top 35 in owner’s points. These teams will have to rely on qualifying speeds to make the race.

    The Infineon Raceway opened in 1968. The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held in 1989 and won by Ricky Rudd. Since that time there has been 22 Sprint Cup races there that has sent 14 different winners to victory lane. Chevrolet leads the manufacturers list with ten wins.

    Track position is extremely important at Infineon Raceway and so is qualifying. Five of the 22 races there has been won from the pole position, 14 have been won from the top five and 17 races has been won within the top ten starting berths.

    The Infineon Raceway currently has seating for 47,000 fans but there’s also plenty of room on the grassy hills that surrounds the track for spectators to see a good race. Those grassy areas are carefully maintained by the annual presence of 3,000 sheep.

    Some patchy fog, prior to 11 am, could make Friday’s practice session a little interesting but, other than that, it should be ideal weather conditions for racing. Look for sunny skies and daytime highs of 77 to 80 degrees throughout the weekend.

    The Toyota/Sav Mart 350 will be broadcast live by the TNT Network with the pre race showing beginning at 2 pm eastern time. The race re air will be on Wednesday, June 29th, at 12 pm eastern on SPEED.

  • Red Bull’s Jay Frye Speaks Out About Future of Team to The Media

    Red Bull’s Jay Frye Speaks Out About Future of Team to The Media

    This morning Jay Frye, General Manager and Vice President of Red Bull Racing Team, had a teleconference to answer questions from the media concerning the story that surfaced last week about Red Bull Racing possibly leaving the NASCAR series.

    Frye started off the 40 minute conference by saying that Red Bull Racing is looking for a potential investor or sponsor to take over the day to day operations of the organization for the upcoming 2012 season.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Frye did mention the team would continue until the end of the current season under the Red Bull Banner, and could possibly field a two-car race team next season to give them more time to find an investor by financing the team for one more year.

    Frye did say said that, “There are some potential investors outside of motorsports who might be willing to invest in the team”, which would include the race shop, as well as the cars and other equipment that would be needed to run the team.

    Frye added that, “We’re very enthused and excited about some of the prospects and things we have got going on. This process has just started, and there have been a lot of inquiries based on what happened yesterday, in addition to some other people we already were talking to.”

    As far as which manufacturer or eventual sponsor the new team owner would work with, Frye said that decision would be left to the new owner. As far as the speculating that surrounded Kasey Kahne signing with Hendrick Motorsport to take over Mark Martin’s seat in 2012, then driving for RBR in 2011 with the possibility that Hendrick might be interested in starting a satellite team in 2012.

    That theory was quickly put to rest when Frye said that, Hendrick’s involvement was purely based on his 30 years of knowledge in the sport, and that Hendrick never showed any interest of wanting to buy the team.

    Frye also said that he was hoping to begin talking with an investor within the next 30-45 days, but knew that it’s impossible to put a time frame on when and where any negotiations will actually take place.

    With Kasey Kahne moving over to Hendrick Motorsports, and Brian Vickers contract running out at the end of the year, that would leave the team without a driver for next season. The focus right now is first get an investor, then worry about who will drive for them which shouldn’t be a big problem when you look at the talent coming up from the Nationwide and Truck series. “We’re very keen and very encouraged about the prospects of everything moving forward.”

  • For Toyota, the Bad News Keeps on Coming

    For Toyota, the Bad News Keeps on Coming

    One doesn’t have to look hard to find story lines during the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series season. The stories are everywhere. Perhaps the story of the Joe Gibbs Racing team ranks at the top of the list. It has been a strange season for the Toyota team headed by the former NFL coach.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”258″][/media-credit]First came driver Kyle Busch’s battles with Kevin Harvick that resulted in suspensions, and then the “fight.” Who knows what Richard Childress was thinking when he got Busch in a headlock and began punching him. Everyone knows that Jack Roush and many others feel the same way about the younger Busch, but to lower himself to actually physically attacking the young driver? There had to be a full moon that day.

    Then came last week’s “oil pan gate” scandal, and it’s just too much.

    The story is that the three Gibbs cars came to Michigan last weekend with unapproved oil pans. That may seem like a minor offense, but not to NASCAR. With all the talk this week about how it could offer the Gibbs teams a competitive advantage, you could say that it’s not been a fun month at JGR. Even Denny Hamlin’s win at Michigan was overshadowed by the oil pan story.

    Add to that the rumor that Carl Edwards was talking to JGR about signing with the team for a fourth car, “if the rest of his teams approved and a proper sponsor could be found.” Add to that the praising of Ford, its vehicles, its CFO, and everything Ford in victory lane on Saturday and after the Cup race on Sunday. Old Joe and JR must have barfed.

    But the Toyota camp had more to worry about with the news on Monday. In a report by the Associated Press’ Jenna Fryer and others (followed by an official non-announcement late Monday afternoon), it appears that Red Bull, who owns the two Sprint Cup Toyota’s driven by Brian Vickers and Kasey Kahne, may be leaving the sport. While many are wringing their hands over this move, it’s no secret that the Red Bull team has had little success during their short time in the series. Since 2007, Red Bull only has one victory, that by Brian Vickers at Michigan. One of the original teams Toyota brought to Sprint Cup, it seems that they have come to the end of the road, leaving JGR as the only successful Toyota team in NASCAR’s premier series (yes, Michael Waltrip Racing has won a couple of races). With money in the sport not plentiful, and the seats for drivers scarce, you have to wonder what it means to both JGR, MWR, and even Brian Vickers. Silly Season might be a dandy this year.

    With Gibbs having its severe problems and the demise of Red Bull Racing, many traditionalists (and heck, maybe even Jack Roush) are almost giddy. Toyota is already dominating the Nationwide Series and has been near-dominating the truck series, and it rubs many the wrong way. This is a small victory for those of that ilk, but kids, just remember this. Toyota is a worthy adversary. The Japanese manufacturer isn’t dead yet, no matter how bad it looks.

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: IT’S BEEN A VERY EXPENSIVE WEEK FOR THE COACH

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: IT’S BEEN A VERY EXPENSIVE WEEK FOR THE COACH

    NASCAR has now issued its verdict regarding those extraordinary heavy oil pans confiscated from all three of the Toyota Camrys owned by Joe Gibbs Racing, (JGR), prior to the start of the NASCAR weekend at the Michigan International Raceway. It turned out to be a very expensive week for Coach Gibbs. From Pocono to Michigan, a period of five days, the tab has now hit $175,000 in NASCAR issued penalties.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]This expensive process started following the June 12th race at the Pocono Raceway where JGR driver Kyle Busch finished third. However, a post race technical inspection indicated that the team’s Toyota had exceeded NASCAR’s official tolerances for body height. The left front of the Busch car was 1/16th of an inch too low. Crew chief Dave Rogers later speculated that the problem was based on a possible broken part sustained from racing on the aggressive Pocono Raceway.

    None the less, the car was simply too low. The result was NASCAR fining Rogers $25,000 and, at the same time, docked Busch six driver’s championship points and docked Gibbs six owner’s championship points.

    Now, fast forward to the Michigan International Raceway five days later. During a technical inspection, prior to the first scheduled practice session, it was discovered that the oil pans on all three of the Gibbs’ cars were unapproved parts.

    Simply put, all parts on a Sprint Cup car has to be officially approved and registered by NASCAR before it can be used on the race track. If a team wants to try a new or different part, they must first submit it to NASCAR for approval.

    When the unapproved oil pans were discovered, NASCAR inspectors informed JGR to remove and replace them with the approved part which they promptly did. However, later that morning, NASCAR took the process a little bit further by weighing them. A standard, approved, oil pan for a Sprint Cup car weighs approximately four pounds. The three pans, confiscated from the JGR cars, weighed in at 20 to 30 pounds each. The pans were taken to the NASCAR Research and Development Center, in Concord-North Carolina, for a more detailed inspection.

    Once the word got out, the conspiracy theorists went into overtime. Many of them pointed out that the heavier oil pans would allow the teams to move their car weights elsewhere, such as the front of the car, thereby creating a possible advantage in the car’s overall handling package.

    In the aftermath of that procedure came more penalties levied against JGR. Crew Chiefs Dave Rogers-car #18, Mike Ford-car #11 and Greg Zipadelli-car #20 were fined $50,000 each and placed on probation until December 31st, 2011.

    Additionally the three JGR car chiefs: Chris Gillin-car #11, Wesley Sherrill-car #18 and Jason Shapiro-car #20, along with JGR Vice President of Racing Operations Jimmy Makar, were placed on probation until the end of the calendar year.

    No driver or owner points were docked by NASCAR from this penalty decision. You’re likely to hear some comments on that issue this weekend during the Sprint Cup race at the Infineon Raceway. The line of thinking here appears to lie in the fact that the JGR Toyotas, with the unapproved oil pans, never actually went out on the race track. That’s basically a fair and understanding decision.

    None the less team owner “Coach” Joe Gibbs is looking at unexpected expenditures of $175,000 accrued within a period of five days. The good news here lies in the fact that JGR driver Denny Hamlin won the Michigan race. With that comes a check worth $202,200. That will help Gibbs cover the NASCAR fines will some change leftover.

  • JGR crew chiefs fined $50,000 for Michigan oil pans

    JGR crew chiefs fined $50,000 for Michigan oil pans

    NASCAR has handed down penalties for Joe Gibbs Racing’s illegal oil pans discovered during opening day inspection last weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

    The oil pans were not submitted to NASCAR for prior approval, which was one of the infractions cited in the press release announcing the penalties.

    NASCAR confiscated the oil pans off of the No. 11, No. 18 and No. 20 teams before the opening practice sessions last weekend and followed up today with a $50,000 fine to the crews of the teams: Mike Ford (11), Dave Rogers (18), and Greg Zipadelli (20). All three crew chiefs, as well as the car chiefs of the cars (Chris Gillin-11, Wesley Sherrill-18 and Jason Shapiro-20) and Jimmy Makar, the senior vice president of racing operations at Joe Gibbs Racing, were placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

     

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: HAS THE RED BULL MADE ITS FINAL CHARGE IN NASCAR?

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: HAS THE RED BULL MADE ITS FINAL CHARGE IN NASCAR?

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”259″][/media-credit]Apparently the answer is yes. According to multiple published reports, in a very short amount of time, it appears that Dietrich Mateschitz, the owner of the two NASCAR Sprint Cup Toyota teams as well as the internationally famous Red Bull drink, has made the decision to leave NASCAR racing at the end of the current racing season.

    While no official announcement has been released, there were some reports, from “The Associated Press,” that said Thomas Ueberall, Red Bull executive in charge of their international motorsports operation, was at last Sunday’s race in Michigan and reportedly informed “industry executives” of the impending decision.

    In the days that followed, Red Bull Racing did release an official statement that read: “Red Bull Racing is currently seeking outside investors as we evaluate next steps in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. We are not at liberty to comment on details while negotiations are underway. Red Bull fully supports NASCAR for the remainder of the 2011 season as we fight for victories and a position in the 2011 Chase For The Sprint Cup.”

    One of those potential investment teams are rumored to be led by Jay Frye, who joined Red Bull Racing as their General Manager back in 2008. Adding fuel to the fire of this rumor is additional speculation that says Mark Martin will play a prominent role, both on and off the track, in this new operation. The rumor mill also says the new team owners will be powered by engines from Hendrick Motorsports which also indicates a move from Toyota to Chevrolet.

    There is an element of sense to that when you stop and think about it. Martin will be leaving the #5 Hendrick Motorsports ride at the end of this season. He has been very tight lipped about future plans, but has made it clear that he is not retiring and will be driving “something” in 2012.

    Ironically, the Hendrick ride Martin will be vacating this year will be occupied by Kasey Kahne who is currently driving the second Red Bull Toyota on a one year contract while waiting for his new ride in 2012.

    The second Red Bull driver, Brian Vickers, has been with the organization since its inception back in 2007. His contract with the team runs out at the end of the season and, in recent weeks, indicated that he considered himself to be a free agent and free to talk to other teams.

    Also floating around the NASCAR garage area is a rumor that states former Sprint Cup team owner Ray Evernham may be involved in the future of these Red Bull teams. However, Evernham recently made it clear that he has no knowledge of a potential ownership status with the Red Bull teams. Evernham has been working with Rick Hendrick, in the area of auto dealerships, and would prefer spending his time becoming more involved with Hendrick Motorsports.

    In a quote, made to Fox Sports, Evernham commented on a potential Red Bull deal and said “it would depend on the deal and it would depend on whether it was something Mr Hendrick would want me to do. I just don’t have the desire to be on the road 40 weekends per year.”

    The success of any motorsports operation is based on performance levels as well as the process of crunching numbers. Sadly, for Red Bull Racing, the history here has displayed low performance numbers along with a high cost of operation that comes with owning and sponsoring a two car team in the Sprint Cup Series.

    The operation began in 2007 with drivers Brian Vickers and A J Allmendinger. It was apparent early on that this organization was going to begin in a slow growth mode. Vickers entered 34 races that year and failed to qualify for 13 of them. On the track he only had one top five finish, along with five top tens, and finished a dismal 38th in the points.

    Allmendinger’s debut numbers were even worse. He missed 19 races, due to qualifying speeds, and finished 43d in the final points standings. Allmendinger was released the following year and replaced by ex Red Bull Formula One driver Scott Speed. To be fair, a seemingly good idea never materialized and Speed’s release from the team came at the end of last year and has become the source of a lawsuit between the driver and his former team.

    The fortunes of Red Bull Racing took an upswing during the 2009 season when Vickers gave the team their first ever Sprint Cup win. He backed that effort with four top five finishes, 13 top tens, won six poles and raised his average finish ratio to a respectable 17.3. He also got his team into the line up for the Sprint Cup Chase that year.

    Sadly the team took a staggering blow during the 2010 season. After making 11 starts in the new season, Vickers had to withdraw from his driving duties due to serious medical issues. It was eventually announced that the medical malady were blood clots severe enough to warrant heart surgery.

    Red Bull Racing somehow soldiered on during last season. They replaced Vickers, in their #83 Toyota, with a variety of drivers while hoping that Scott Speed would show some signs of performance life in their second team car. It turned out to be a very long year.

    When it was revealed that team owner Rick Hendrick was looking for a one year ride for driver Kasey Kahne for the 2011 season, Red Bull Racing was only too happy to jump on the offer and accommodate him. Meanwhile a healthier Vickers was now back at full strength and ready to resume his NASCAR career. Red Bull Racing was hoping for their biggest season ever.

    Unfortunately, the anticipation of the 2011 season seems to be slow in materializing. In 15 starts both teams are still looking for their first win of the year. Kahne has two top five finishes, five top tens and is 19th in the current points standings. Vickers has only been able to collect one top five, five top tens and is 24th in the points.

    In direct comparison are the numbers from Red Bull’s other team ownership effort: their two teams in Formula One racing. That operation began in 2004 and has managed to improve with each passing year. This was especially true of the 2010 season when Sebastian Vettel won the F1 driver’s championship, along with five grand prixs, while team mate Mark Webber won four grand prixs. So far in 2011, Vettel has a healthy lead in the points and appears to be on his way to a second title while Webber is third in the championship standings. Red Bull also has a healthy lead in the coveted constructor’s points championship.

    Compared to the F1 numbers, Red Bull Racing’s NASCAR operation has to seem like a complicated jigsaw puzzle with some pieces missing.

    There is, of course, going to be some collateral damage from Red Bull’s departure from NASCAR. Chief among them is a loss of jobs once occupied by the members of these two teams. There has already been reports that said some of the Red Bull crew members were having private conversations with other team owners during the Michigan weekend.

    This news will likely cast a dark shadow over the potential career of Red Bull development driver Cole Whitt. Already being referred to as NASCAR’s next possible real deal, Whitt has been driving a Stacy Compton owned Chevrolet, sponsored by Red Bull and Fuel Doctor, in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. So far the young phenom has a pair of top five finishes along with five top tens and is ranked second in the series’ points only 20 markers from the top. He’s also leading the Sunoco Rookie Of The Year standings as well. Many observers feel his first series win is literally around the corner. Here’s hoping there will be a way for Red Bull to continue to back his very bright future.

    The shame of this news is the fact that Red Bull is such a strong influence in the international motorsports community as well as many other sports. Here’s hoping they will find a way to maintain some sort of connection with NASCAR racing perhaps even as sponsors of their original two teams if referenced investor opportunities pan out. After all, sponsoring two cars is a lot cheaper than owning them.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

    From oil pan issues for the cars of Joe Gibbs Racing to the end of probation for driver rivals Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, the Irish hills of Michigan once again saw plenty of action for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”265″][/media-credit]Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 43rd annual Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

    Surprising: It was surprising that Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota, did not win last weekend at Pocono Raceway, a place that he had ‘owned’ for so many races in the past. But it was also surprising the Hamlin, who has been battling engine failures and other bad luck so mightily this season, finally put that behind him and took the checkered flag.

    This was Hamlin’s first win of the 2011 season, although he has had six top-10 finishes to date. His previous win was sixteen races ago when Hamlin was the victor at Texas Motor Speedway in November 2010.

    “We finished,” Hamlin said. “We got it done. It’s a big Father’s Day.”

    Not Surprising:  Since it was Michigan, Jack Roush’s backyard and Ford’s playground, it was not at all surprising that two drivers from that racing stable did well, scoring top five finishes.

    Matt Kenseth, behind the wheel of the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford, driving as hard as his car would go while not wrecking on the final lap, finished in the runner up spot. His RFR teammate Carl Edwards, piloting the No. 99 Aflac ‘Now Hiring’ Ford and winner of the Nationwide race the day before, finished fifth.

    This was Kenseth’s 15th top-10 finish in 24 races at Michigan International Speedway.  This was also Kenseth’s eighth top-10 finish in 2011.

    “We had a really fast car and thought we were going to have a chance to win,” Kenseth said. “I got back to Denny (Hamlin), but I could not get back around him. I tried everything I could, but I just could not figure out how to do it.”

    For Edwards’ part, he just really wanted to win the Cup race, vowing to head all the way to the top of the grandstands just as he had in the Nationwide race, if he did. While he scored fifth instead of first, Edwards did extend his Chase points lead to 20 points over second place.

    Surprising:  Continuing with the Carl Edwards theme, it was most surprising to see the driver, who is usually most professional and an excellent spokesperson for the sport, call NASCAR out after the race.

    “Track position is so important,” Edwards said. “Sadly, down force is such a big factor in these cars and I am really hoping that NASCAR will take the opportunity in 2013 to take down force away so the fans can see the guys race race cars and not race down force. That would be cool.”

    Not Surprising: Neither oil pan troubles nor physical ailments could stop Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Snickers Toyota, from his appointed rounds. After complaining of nausea and pain in the center of his chest, Busch drove forward from his 24th place starting spot to finish third.

    “He just had a little stomach ache,” Dave Rogers, crew chief, said. “We gave him some Tums in a bottle of water and it took care of it.”

    Busch’s crew did have Scott Riggs standing by if needed, but when Busch was leading at the half-way mark of the race, there was no way he was ever going to get out of his car, not matter how poorly he felt.

    “Kyle is pretty dedicated to this race team,” Rogers said. “He’s a pretty tough kid so I didn’t think he would get out.”

    “I didn’t feel that bad,” Busch said. “It felt like I was running a 400 mile marathon running on my feet instead of in a race car.”

    Although Busch has never won at Michigan International Speedway, this was his fourth top-10 finish in 13 races in the Irish hills. Busch’s third place finish mirrored his third place finish the previous week in the Pocono race.

    “It wasn’t going to be a great day but we turned it into a good one,” Busch said. “Overall I’m happy with today; happy with the finish. If you finish third in the last 10 races every single race, you might win this thing, so we’ll take it.”

    Surprising: The primarily poor performance of the Hendrick Motorsports team was fairly surprising. Five-time champion Jimmie Johnson spun on lap 8, bringing out the first caution of the race.

    Johnson, driving the No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, finished 27th and lost the second spot in the Chase standings, falling to the fifth position.

    Johnson’s teammate, four-time champion and winner of last weekend’s race, Jeff Gordon, also did not fare very well in the Irish hills. Gordon, this week driving the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, started 31st and finished 17th, falling one spot in the points to the 12th and final potential Chase spot.

    What was most surprising, however, were the harsh words HMS driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had for his teammate Mark Martin. The driver of the No. 88 Amp Energy/National Guard Chevrolet made perfectly clear that he was not happy with being squeezed into the wall by the driver of the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet.

    “He just come on up and drove us into the fence,” Junior said of his teammate Martin. “He ran us flat in the wall.”

    “I think we will get it sorted out,” Martin said in rebuttal. “I made a mistake.”

    Dale Jr. finished 21st, his first finish out of the top-10 this season. Junior was, however, able to hold on to his third place in the points standings.

    Mark Martin actually finished top-10, the best of all of the Hendrick Motorsports cars. He climbed one position in the points to 14th, just 20 points behind his teammate Jeff Gordon in the last Chase position.

    Not Surprising:  The majority of the Richard Childress Racing entries had a very good day at Michigan. Paul Menard, who has been struggling of late, had a terrific run, bringing his No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet home in the fourth position.

    Clint Bowyer also had a good day in the Irish hills. The No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet finished in the eighth spot.

    Finally, ‘the Closer’ Kevin Harvick overcame adversity and a brush with the wall to finish 14th in his No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet. Harvick leapfrogged over Dale Junior to lay claim to the second spot in the point standings.

    Surprising:  One of the best surprises of the day was the terrific run by young Landon Cassill, piloting the No. 51 Security Benefit/Thank a Teacher Today Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing. Cassill finished 12th, the best finish ever in his Cup career, tying the best finish for Phoenix Racing this season.

    “That was a great day all around,” Cassill said. “We lost some track position early but fought back all day. We had a good break at the end.”

    Not Surprising:  With Hall of Fame inductee Bud Moore on his race car in celebration of the US Army’s 236th Birthday, Ryan Newman had an ‘Army Strong’ day, finishing sixth.

    “It was a good finish for us,” Newman said. “We fought back hard.”

    Newman’s teammate and owner Tony Stewart also had a favorable race result. The driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet finished the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 in seventh.