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  • NASCAR’s Greatest and Most Memorable Race is Only a Dream Away

    NASCAR’s Greatest and Most Memorable Race is Only a Dream Away

    Beneath the array of the brightly colored paint schemes, one would think they just woke up in the middle of some far away garden oasis. Colors are so vivid and full of explosive vibrancy that it makes even the Rose Parade look like a black and white picture. Your eyes long to adjust to the beauty of the beast, which stands at just a stone’s throw away.

    As you begin looking around to see if anyone is watching, it is then you strengthen your nerves in hopes of getting the chance to climb between the twisted mazes of steel, which seems to be calling your name. You already know that once inside, the world that you have dreamed, talked, and bragged about will take you by force and whisk you away into a land that only the few who can handle it have conquered.

    Your knees start to quiver as slowly step closer and closer and all of a sudden you’re heart begins thumping harder and harder as you look beyond the small side window, and see the  glistening metal eyelashes of the instrument cluster seductively inviting you to jump right in. You know at any moment you are about to enter a forbidden zone, as your senses begin to wonder what exactly it is going to takes place once the carbon fiber seat put its massive arms around you as the two of you become one.

    Before reality sets in, you have already climbed inside and prepared yourself to see exactly what it is that compels these drivers to after crave the feeling of traveling at speeds in excess of 180 miles-per-hour. It doesn’t take long before the adrenaline starts pumping madly through your body as you reach over to push the start button, because you know at any moment the massive 850 hp, gas-guzzling monster will submit to your every desire. Your blood begins boiling as the first click from the starter energizes life into the fire-breathing dragon. Almost instantaneously the car begins shaking wildly and the veins in your body feel as though they are ready to burst as you rap the gas pedal, letting the engine know that you are now in control.

    Your senses begin to speak in a foreign language, telling you to get ready for the ride of your life. Once you sink back into the seat, all you see are the rays from the sun trying to peek through the Plexiglas windshield, gently whispering to the rest of the car—we have a rookie. This is the moment of truth, and there is no backing out once this sleek racing machine has you in her grasp. Immediately your mind starts racing at the thought of letting the clutch out, and feeling the rush of 850 hungry ponies ready to explode out of the corral. The roar of the engine is so deafening you almost forget that this is your moment of glory, and no one is around to take it away.

    The steering wheel begins to entice you as you slowly wrap your sweaty, glove covered fingers around its smooth, silky curves, along with your trembling legs begin to tremble while feeling the thunder of the Sunoco thirsty power plant slowly make its way out of the concrete covered pit stall. You look ahead and realize that there are no other cars around to help you through your paces, as you hear the racing gods calling out for you to mash the pedal, and hold on for dear life because you have just entered a zone that is beyond your wildest fantasies.

    Is your mind playing tricks on you…or are you actually about ready to hit speeds that 60 years ago were unimaginable?? There is no speedometer to confirm what you believe—just the rush of the wind as it races through your tight-fitting helmet. A thought prances through your mind about what a great feeling each NASCAR driver must have as he makes his way around some the best tracks that America has to offer.

    Then, in the twinkling of an eye, it’s all over. The rush of adrenaline is all gone in a matter of seconds and you begin to evaluate exactly what happened? Your body goes into a frenzy at the thought that the worse is about to happen and in a few short seconds it will all come to an abrupt halt. Time will continue as you roll around, looking for something to grab onto, and all you can hear is the annoying buzzing in your ears as you begin to scream in agony and pain…why me?

    As you slowly open your eyes to make sure everything is alright it is then that you realize it was only a dream…

  • Jeff Gordon’s Crew Chief Alan Gustafson Likes It Hot, Hot, Hot

    Jeff Gordon’s Crew Chief Alan Gustafson Likes It Hot, Hot, Hot

    [media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”242″][/media-credit]After a scorching race weekend in Kansas, the Cup Series is at an equally warm Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA this weekend.  And yet, Jeff Gordon’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, could not be happier.

    “I love the heat,” Gustafson said. “I would much rather be hot than cold.”

    “I think mental toughness in the driver and the team comes out under those conditions,” Gustafson said. “And if you’re mentally tough and strong, that will give you an advantage.”

    “Obviously the slicker and the hotter the conditions, it is more difficult, but that’s where the best come out,” Gustafson continued. “I do think the hotter conditions also help better cars.”

    “When it’s cool, anybody who gets out front is going to be good because the grip is there,” Gustafson said. “But when it’s hot and slick, it doesn’t matter, the good cars get on it.”

    “I prefer the heat,” Gustafson said. “I hope it stays hot and gets hotter. I think that will be an advantage to us.”

    [media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Gustafson is not only happy with the heat but also with his evolving relationship with his driver, four-time champion Jeff Gordon.

    “I think the relationship is good,” Gustafson said. “Personally we get along really well and the communication’s been good.”

    “There has been a little bit of a learning curve knowing his driving style and what he needs in the car,” Gustafson continued. “Early on that was a hurdle that we struggled with and had to get over.”

    “But now as of late, I feel like we’ve got a really good handle on what Jeff needs and what he looks for in his adjustments,” Gustafson said. “So, that’s going good.”

    “It’s always going to be an evolution for anybody, even if you’ve been together ten years,” Gustafson said. “Tires change and cars change and rules change so you’ve got to continue to work hard and to grow and improve.”

    “But I feel like we’re getting to the point where we should be, competing for top-10s and top-fives every week,” Gustafson continued. “We’re getting a whole lot closer to that.”

    Gustafson knows that these next few months are going to be critical for his Hendrick Motorsports team. He also knows that driver Jeff Gordon needs to get a few more wins under his belt to make it into the Chase whether by the wild card or on points.

    “For me the summer’s the most important stretch of the season,” Gustafson said. “That’s when you’re in a position for the Chase and gives you the momentum in the Chase.”

    “We may have struggled early but we had to put ourselves in the position to be going through this summer push and really strong in the Chase,” Gustafson continued. “We’ve got ourselves in a really strong position.”

    “But we’ve got to win,” Gustafson said. “I feel like we’re going to get in on points and that’s our goal, but I’d still like at least two more wins. That would put us in really good position.”

    Gustafson has been working around the clock on his strategy, especially fuel mileage strategy, to continue to get his driver into Chase contention.

    “We work really hard and you have to utilize all hours of the day,” Gustafson said. “I feel like we can work on a little bit of the extracurriculars or the intangibles, like fuel mileage.”

    “At Kansas, we had a car to win and things didn’t work out,” Gustafson continued. “As we evolve and improve, not only do we have to have fast cars but we have to have the fuel mileage to go with it.”

    Fuel mileage is obviously on Gustafson’s mind, as well as on the minds of all of the crew chiefs as they attack the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “This is a fuel mileage track,” Gustafson said of Pocono Raceway. “If you’re just working on your fuel mileage now, you’re too late.”

    In addition to fuel mileage, crew chiefs and drivers alike will have to deal with another wrinkle at the ‘Tricky Triangle,’ that of being able to shift.

    “It’s another variable which we can use and which I like,” Gustafson said. “We can tune to that and it plays to Jeff and good drivers for sure.”

    “Shifting is going to change depending on how your car is,” Gustafson said. “If your car is not very good, shifting may be a huge advantage but if your car is really good, shifting may not be that big of a problem or that big of an advantage.”

    “I’m glad that NASCAR made the decision to give us that ability,” Gustafson said. “I think Jeff will be really good at it. He’s had the experience of doing it here in the past and he’s really good.”

    Another issue on Gustafson’s mind is the new qualifying rules, which sometime entails further strategy, and even some sandbagging, in order to get into the best qualifying order at each track.

    “It’s just part of it,” Gustafson said. “It’s very counter-intuitive to me for someone to get rewarded for being slow. I don’t think that’s right.”

    “I think NASCAR will look at that, Gustafson continued. “What I would like to see is that the fastest guy chooses when he wants to go in qualifying.”

    “That would be really ideal if in the practice, the guy who is fastest gets to choose if he wants to go first or last,” Gustafson said. “Then that way, that takes the sandbagging out of it. I think being rewarded for going fast is the way our sport is built.”

    Whether fuel mileage, shifting or qualifying strategy, Gustafson feels very strongly that he, his driver and his No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet team have to have the entire package to win, get into the Chase, and win another championship. He sees several factors, including versatility, adaptability and even perfection, as the most critical.

    “It used to be where the strategy didn’t have to be pin-point perfect,” Gustafson said. “Now, you do have to be perfect.”

    “I think what it takes to win these races is to be very versatile,” Gustafson continued. “You have to have a fast car and you have to adapt to whatever circumstances come up.”

    “Now you have to have a good, fast car and the ability to be good in a multiple strategy situation,” Gustafson said. “And that’s a little bit tougher than it used to be.”

    “You can be good on two tires, you can save fuel, you can be good on four tires, you can be good on a five lap shoot out at the end,” Gustafson said. “A champion is going to be good at all of those situations.”

  • Pocono Raceway Update – Friday

    Pocono Raceway Update – Friday

    A lot went on at Pocono on Friday as the Sprint Cup cars took to the track for both of their only practice sessions. With NASCAR allowing for different gear ratios that would allow for shifting again at the uniquely shaped race track everyone would expect that to be  a hot topic, but it wasn’t the only hot topic.

    [media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”240″][/media-credit]First, it was not surprising that the fastest car in happy hour was Denny Hamlin followed by Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson.

    One hot topic that came up was the “secret fining” of Ryan Newman for reportedly hitting Juan Pablo Montoya in the NASCAR trailer during a meeting. There are denials from NASCAR and of course this leads to credibility issues when they’re not transparent. I’ll leave this to others to work on. I was not the person that was apparently lied to when NASCAR spokesperson’s were asked about fines for incidents the weekend of Darlington.

    The day started out with a brief statement by Richard Childress regarding his altercation with Kyle Busch in Kansas and the subsequent heavy fine levied by NASCAR. Childress only made a statement and allowed for no questions. I hurried off to the media center because Kyle Busch was in there and frankly he was getting grilled.

    Kyle was asked if he had a “respect issue” in the garage and if it has an effect on him. In part he said, “ It makes your day a little bit easier.  Makes your job a little bit easier.  I’ve been able to have good conversations and talk to people outside the race car or at driver intros or stuff  like that.  Whether it’s the case that they’re not being true to my face — I don’t know, I can’t read that.  I’m not in people’s minds.  If you’re mad at me, you’ll have to tell me.”  I thought that was a bit interesting.

    When asked if he felt he was wearing the “black hat” he responded, “I’m not sure that there’s really any hats to be worn here.  The black hat deal…the villain type thing, I’m not sure that I really did a whole lot to bring that back upon myself.  I feel like I’ve acted in the utmost respect to every case that’s come up my way and has been thrown in front of me.  I’ve tried to do it with dignity and class and I feel like that comes from people wearing white hats… not black.”

    So Busch feels it was a total misunderstanding and mentioned that he gave Childress’ driver a “congratulatory tap”. He went on to say,  “There was no malicious intent to be involved in hurting or damaging a RCR (Richard Childress Racing) vehicle.”

    I was able to ask a few drivers about fuel mileage and whether it was as difficult as managing your tires. The answers differed somewhat and look for  a further story on that topic soon on www.speedwaymedia.com

    What I really found interesting was how satisfied Dale Earnhardt Jr. is with just about everything. When he was in his press conference he was very relaxed and was even more so during the practice sessions where he was doing pretty well. I was impressed with his candor regarding being a car owner and what happened when Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselwoski had a run in at Charlotte when Keselwoski drove for Earnhardt’s JR Motorsports. Earnhardt said, “When Denny and Brad were being idiots at Charlotte that one race and banging into each other’s fenders and stuff it really upset me. I was in another car and I went up there and ran into Denny.” The good thing about that entire thing was that he had a very big smile on his face.

    The weather forecast has changed a bit so hopefully we’ll get qualifying and racing in tomorrow and Sunday

     

  • Matty’s Picks – Vol. 5 – Pocono – June 12, 2011

    Matty’s Picks – Vol. 5 – Pocono – June 12, 2011

    [media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”220″][/media-credit]This week, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the first state to list their web site URL on their state license plate.

    Pocono provides high speed action, three unique turns as opposed to the traditional four, and the longest straightaway in NASCAR. Although, it has been criticized as of late from many in the racing world for not only being far too long of a race, but there has also been concerns of the overall safety of the track.

    You may recall last seasons’ races at Pocono ending with a couple violent wrecks, one involving Kasey Kahne climbing the wall and obliterating several hedges on the outside of the track. The other, one of the most vicious wrecks I have witnessed with Elliot Sadler slamming the wall at the entrance of the Tunnel Turn and subsequently sending his engine flying from his ravaged race car.

    I have had the pleasure of visiting Pocono International Raceway, and might I say that the folks in Long Pond were quite hospitable in my particular case.

    I would like to give Pocono International Raceway and the Mattioli Family Kudos this week for their efforts making Pocono Raceway the largest solar-powered sports facility in the world. Following last year’s race in June, PIR began a project to satisfy the entire energy consumption for the track, as well as help to power an additional 1,000 homes. By December 2010, the 25 acre solar module facility was fully operational and had already produced over 1,000,000 kilowatt hours of electricity. Being that my career (besides providing readers less than helpful NASCAR picks each week) happens to be in the energy industry, this story really hits home for me.

    Kansas Recap

    Another race and another Top 5 for my pick of the week was the story from Kansas. I will have to admit that submitting my picks before qualifying does get me nervous from time to time, but never as much as it did last week.

    My Dark Horse last week started the race in the 26th spot, and couldn’t manage to improve his spot in the end either. A.J. Allmendinger had a rough go of it last Sunday, fighting a loose race car for all 400 miles. Allmendinger flirted with the Top 15 just after the midway point in the race, but never really contended to bring me points for a Top 10 finish as a Dark Horse.

    I did have a high-quality pick in my pick of the week as Jeff Gordon drove his Drive to End Hunger Chevy to a fourth place finish. Gordon had me second-guessing my pick following his qualifying efforts on Saturday, putting his #24 machine in 22nd spot; however he put my indecision to rest quickly following the green flag. Gordon flew into the tenth spot just 22 laps into the 267 and never really looked back from there. It took Gordon just 118 laps to reach the Top 5, and reached a race high second place on lap 171. The #24 would end up in the fuel-mileage game at the end, and would eventually finish fourth. Kudos to me for another Top 5.

    Pocono Pics

    This week, I have decided to go with a driver who is very familiar with Victory Lane at PIR. For my winner pick, I am going with a guy who has finished outside the Top 10 only twice in ten starts at the Tricky Triangle. As a Rookie, he swept the pole in both races at Pocono, and went on to win both races. Denny Hamlin is my winner pick this week not only for his history at Pocono, but for his strong finish last week at Kansas. Coming off a third place finish last week, Hamlin will be hungry to improve his chances of making the Chase – sitting in 11th currently with no wins on the season. Hamlin won this race last June, and is no stranger to the front of the field at Pocono.

    Juan Pablo Montoya seems to have something when it comes to high speeds. With the Long Pond Straight, NASCAR Sprint Cup cars can reach speeds topping 205 mph. Montoya started outside pole last week at Kansas, and I expect him to be towards the front again this week. Pocono seems to cater to drivers who start near the front, and Juan has laid down some fantastic qualifying laps this year. He has three Top-10’s, including a runner up finish in 2009, in his last four starts at Pocono, so this week look for him to surprise you Sunday Afternoon.

    On a side note, I would like to say Happy Fathers Day to all the dads who read my column each week. And in honor of my father, I will add in a bit for his favorite driver Tony Stewart. Watching the show from Eldora this past Wednesday night brought me back to my days of going to Brewerton and Fulton Speedways in Upstate New York. My dad introduced me to the sport of racing with Quarter-Midgets and hometown tracks at a young age, and has given me a sport that I will continue to enjoy for days to come. So Kudos to Smoke on yet another successful Prelude To A Dream, and Kudos to you dad for introducing me to one of the most joyful parts of my life.

    Until next week, you stay classy NASCAR NATION!!!

  • Childress Pleads the Fifth at Pocono

    Childress Pleads the Fifth at Pocono

    Richard Childress made a brief statement but would not take questions at the Pocono Raceway Friday morning. A press release had indicated that Childress would take “Q&A” at 10 AM at the hauler of his No. 31 team. However, shortly after Childress arrived at the hauler the public relations staff came and asked what we were doing there to a bevy of laughter. He said, “Richard will make a brief statement but will not take any questions.

    [media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”202″][/media-credit]Childress appeared a few moments later and was very candid but the one thing that was missing was an apology. Childress basically said he was very passionate about his race teams. Childress said, “Here is the deal. I am going to make one statement on this deal. I appreciate everyone’s patience during the last week when I couldn’t talk to everyone. The main thing is I take all the responsibility for my actions last week. I am very passionate about this sport. I am passionate about my race teams, our fans and I let my emotions get…come in front of my passion. But that is behind us.”

    Busch said in the media center that it was a “congratulatory bump”. He also said he’s an owner and he understands how passionate it can be. He also said that he was “racing for fifth, in the truck series.”  Busch’s conference was very interesting, if you get a chance review the entire thing here on Speedway Media.

    Childress said about the fine, “We had a lot of fans to send in donations last week toward our fine, I am going to pay it personally. All that money that has been sent in, that is still coming in, we’re going to take and donate to the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma.  At least in every bad situation, something good will come out of it.”

    I think its over, but it has certainly been entertaining.

  • Germain Racing Teammates Ready to Battle for the Title of Mr. Texas

    Germain Racing Teammates Ready to Battle for the Title of Mr. Texas

    Todd Bodine hasn’t had a lot go right thus far in 2011. After winning the championship last season he’s suffered what’s known as the champions curse.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”243″]Todd Bodine during the 2011 North Carolina Education 200[/media-credit]He entered Friday night’s race in Texas with only two top fives and two top 10s after eight races. He’s yet to find victory lane.

    Unlikely statistics for a driver who could do no wrong a year ago, the Onion stunk up the show. No pun intended. Even in races where he spun put and could have lost points, Bodine came back to win. Not the case in 2011 as his team has struggled to remain on track, plagued by accidents and ignition problems.

    Last weekend in Kansas, Bodine finally had an uneventful race, finishing third. Now he heads to a track that during the last five visits he’s been unstoppable.

    Texas Motor Speedway is Todd Bodine. Last June he won for the sixth time at the speedway, and it was his fourth win in the last five Texas races. Just as Jimmie Johnson or Denny Hamlin are guarantees at Martinsville in the Sprint Cup Series, Bodine is a guarantee in the Lone Star state.

    “We always feel like we can go win at Texas any time we race there,” said Bodine.

    Now is a great time to go there and for Bodine to win. Currently sitting ninth in points his Germain Racing team is working hard to repeat as champions. Unlike how easy it appears for him to find victory lane in Texas, it’s not as easy to go back-to-back as the Camping World Truck Series champ. In fact, it has yet to be done.

    If Bodine is going to climb back into the title hunt Texas would be a great place to start. This time around though, Bodine believes he and his No. 30 team are going to have to work a little harder to be first to the finish line.

    “Goodyear’s coming back with a different tire so the advantage we had with our old setup for our NTB/Service Central/Valvoline Tundra is one we’ll have to work on with the tire change,” said Bodine. “We’ll just have to work hard to get out Toyota to go as fast as it normally does, but I’m sure this Germain Racing team will have no problem doing just that.”

    Bodine has good reason not to be concerned. Texas will be the second time that chassis GR-019 has seen the racetrack, the first being its debut at Kansas. Bodine led laps and earned just his second top five of the year. It’s given him added confidence heading into the weekend.

    “The good thing about this NTB/Service Central/Valvoline Tundra is its brand new and it really responds,” he said. “This Toyota Tundra was awesome and I can’t wait to see how it runs in Texas.”

    Neither can teammate and returning CWTS star, Brendan Gaughan. Back full-time in the series after what might be described as rough stints in Cup and Nationwide, Gaughan is also looking for a Texas turnaround of his own. He might also be the only challenge to Bodine as he looks to recapture his TMS magic.

    Bodine has been the Mr. Texas of the last few seasons but it was Gaughan who first wore the crown. In 2002 and 2003 the competition might as well not have shown up as Gaughan won four straight races, the first driver to accomplish the feat. However, Friday night will be the first time that he’s run at the facility in a Truck since 2008.

    “Big Red is on the No. 62 Tundra this week and I couldn’t be more excited to have a sponsor and they couldn’t have picked a better race for me,” said Gaughan. “Texas is a race I’ve been looking forward to racing with this Germain Racing team and I hope Todd and I can be there at the end, battling it out for a win between Germain teammates. It would make for a great race for our Texas sponsor, Big Red.”

    Gaughan sits 10th in points with only three top 10s but no top fives or wins. Far from the driver who was once a weekly contender in the sport. And who was one race away in 2003 from potentially winning the championship. Now back in the CTWS, Gaughan is eager to return to prominence and Germain Racing is the place to do so.

    Things just haven’t gone as planned because like his teammate, Gaughan has also been plagued by various problems. Texas couldn’t come sooner for the two. Every trip to the Lone Star state though is special for Gaughan, as Friday night will be and not just because of his history there.

    Gaughan says the facility is special to his whole family and calls it one of the most important venues on the CWTS schedule next to his home track of Las Vegas. Gaughan also knows of the expectations not only on himself but the entire Germain Racing team. The company has a combined 11 Texas victories heading into Friday night.

    “Texas feels different than any other race track because of the history there,” said Gaughan. “It feels great to show up at Texas, knowing that we are capable of winning with our Big Red Tundra but it’s a double-edged sword. If I have a bad race at Texas, it makes it that much worse.”

  • Chad Johnston replaces Pat Tryson as crew chief of the No. 56

    Chad Johnston replaces Pat Tryson as crew chief of the No. 56

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Lead engineer Chad Johnston replaces Pat Tryson as crew chief beginning this week at Pocono Raceway for Sprint Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. and the Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) No. 56 Toyota team.

    “This is a good opportunity for me since this is the direction I have always wanted to go in my NASCAR career.” Johnson said.

    Tryson was reassigned to another position at MWR.  Tryson moved to MWR in 2010 and never had the success he had at Penske Racing. The problems started surfacing at Richmond earlier this season that resulted in pit crew changes and now the replacement of Tryson.

    Johnston, 31, joined the team midway through last season has proved himself at MRW.

    “He’s shown a lot of leadership in his position and has shown me he really understands a race car.” Truex Jr. said.

  • 5-hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway Preview

    5-hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway Preview

    Pocono may just be the most interesting race track that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits. No other track has three different straightaways of different lengths and three completely different corners. This creates a challenge for both driver and crew. The driver must be able to adapt to all the elements that the track presents them while their crew chief must not only keep up with the track, but make the car handle the best it can in all three corners of the track.

    [media-credit name=”PoconoRaceway.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Many people often ask the question, “What corner is most important at Pocono?’ The most common answer that I have heard is, “The one right before the longest straightaway.” The reason for this is so that the car can carry as much speed as possible down the long straightaway into the next corner. If that is the case, what do you do about the remaining three corners? Most crew chiefs today try to get the car as balanced as possible through all corners of the track, while some make one corner really good and have their driver deal with an ill handling car in the remaining. Both styles of setup have worked before so there really is no one way to go about it.

    Also, for the first time in since NASCAR implemented the gear rule, drivers will be able to shift going down the long straightaways at Pocono. Back in the day, this was common practice and the fast way around the track. A few years back, NASCAR changed the gear that the teams had to run which made shifting the cars a thing of the past. Now that it’s back, it just adds another challenge for these drivers and teams on Sunday. Don’t look for transmission failures like you used to see in the past. These things are bullet proof now and they rarely go out.

    Many fans and drivers alike complain about the races at the Pocono Raceway. Fans think the races are too long, too boring and we should only visit there once a year. Many drivers agree that the races are too long as some drivers have said that 500 miles at Pocono feels longer that 600 miles at Charlotte. It’s not secret that the triangle shaped track doesn’t have a history of exciting racing, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen.

    Remember the 2000 Winston Cup Series season? Go back to the day when Jeremy Mayfield and the Dale Earnhardt duked it out on the 2.5 mile triangle. When Mayfield pulled an Earnhardt on Earnhardt. Go back to just last year. Where Joey Logano gave us one of the great sound bites of recent memory when he questioned Kevin Harvick’s role in his family. The late Tim Richmond also pulled off a stellar win at the tricky triangle after coming back from illness. These moments prove that you can have great events happen at Pocono Raceway.

    Now to get down to business.

    Hot Drivers at Pocono

    Denny Hamlin- What more needs to be said about Denny other than he is simply masterful at Pocono. Ever since he has began racing in the Cup Series, he has pretty much owned this joint. In ten starts, Denny has four wins most recently coming in this race last year. Plus, Denny is on a role as of late. This would be a prime weekend for the 11 team to get to victory lane.

    Jimmie Johnson– Johnson is the only other driver to average a top ten finishing position at Pocono( Hamlin is the other). Jimmie has always been extremely solid here and even swept the races in 2004. Be sure to watch that 48 team this weekend!

    Jeff Gordon- In 36 starts at the triangle, the wonder boy has ripped off 4 wins, 16 top 5’s and 25 top tens. His average finish is 10.5 which puts him in elite class at this track. Gordon has not been up to the Gordon standard as of late, but you really can’t count him out for a good run.
    Solid Pick

    Tony Stewart- Pocono was the track where Stewart-Haas Racing picked up their first points paying Sprint Cup win back in 2009. In his last 11 starts at Pocono, Tony has 10 top 10 finishes. If they team can give Smoke a piece to work with, he can get it done this weekend.

    Brian Vickers- Few people remember how strong Vickers was in 2005 at Pocono. It looked as though Brian was going to pull off his first Cup win that day until a late race pace by Carl Edwards. The Red Bull team has fast cars and Brian is back to the Brian of old so to speak. With an average finish of 14.5, Brian could be in for a nice day Sunday.
    Sleeper Pick

    Juan Pablo Montoya- Montoya has really taken to the big flat tracks. With how dominant he has been at the Brickyard, it was a matter of time before it transfered to the triangle.

    Sam Hornish Jr.- I know this one sounds a little bit crazy, but just think for a second how close Sam was to winning here just two years ago. Sam is filling in for Travis Kvapil this weekend in the #38 Front Row Motorsports entry. If he can stay on the lead lap, and get a late race caution with some strategy, watch out for the former Indy 500 champ.
    Stay Away From…

    Marcos Ambrose- While Marcos has had a great year so far, the Pocono’s are not place for the Aussie to get excited about. Ambrose, who finished sixth in his first attempt here, has never finished better than 30th since. Sunday might be a challenge for the tin topper.

    With all that said, my pick for the race is…..
    Denny Hamlin

  • Joey Coulter Still Feeling Awesome After Career Best Truck Run

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”260″][/media-credit]While much of the attention was focused on what happened after the Truck race at Kansas Speedway, Joey Coulter was still riding on a self-proclaimed high of awesomeness after his career best finish.

    The driver of the No. 22 Richard Childress Racing/Darrell Gwynn Foundation Chevrolet started eighth in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas this past weekend. Yet he was able to finish the race with the first top five of his rookie season.

    “It was huge,” Coulter said of his run at Kansas. “We’ve had some good runs in the ARCA Series at a mile and a half but to run as good as we did at Kansas was awesome.”

    Coulter contributes his great run to a combination of great pit strategy, keeping up with the race track and working with his RCR teammate Austin Dillon.

    “Austin (Dillon) is a great teammate,” Coulter said. “His crew chief and my crew chief, me and Austin, we talk a lot.”

    “We sit down all the time during practice and talk about what we are fighting,” Coulter continued. “Austin has brought me up to his level really quick.”

    “He’s done a great job explaining to me the different ways to drive these trucks,” Coulter said. “I’ve watched a lot of video and I’ve talked to a lot of drivers and it’s just all that combined that contributed to our run at Kansas and we were just able to put it all together.”

    “We both know that if he is faster than me, he’s the guy I can go to and find out why,” Coulter continued. “That’s going to bring me to his speed. Then once I get there, I might hit on something and end up a little bit faster than him.”

    “He’s going to come to me and we’re going to tell him what we did and it’s just going to keep going back and forth until we’re both really, really fast,” Coulter said. “The great thing about a teammate is that open line of communication is there and you can always get the information you need.”

    “It works and I love having a teammate,” Coulter said. “It’s my first time having one and I love it.”

    Coulter also contributes his success to the equipment available to him at Richard Childress Racing. And finally Coulter gives all the due to his family, who has stood with him since he began his racing journey.

    “RCR in my opinion is the best equipment in the Truck Series,” Coulter said. “The guys that build those trucks are the same guys that go to the race track and work on them at the track.”

    “So, when they build something at the shop, they really put everything they’ve got into it,” Coulter continued. “Everybody puts so much pride into their work that when the race truck rolls into the trailer on the way to the race, it looks more like something that would roll through the block on Barrett Jackson.”

    “These things come out looking great.”

    “My family has been there since the beginning,” Coulter said. “Mom, dad and my girlfriend have been there since I was short track racing in Florida.”

    “It’s really hard for them to miss a race, which is cool,” Coulter continued. “I love having them there.”

    Coulter did take at least a little bit of time to celebrate his great finish. But that run actually made Coulter even more anxious to get to the next track.

    “When I got back after the race, I hung out with my parents and soaked it all in,” Coulter said. “I kept watching the highlights on Speed Center and reading the articles on line, just soaking it all in.”

    “We really enjoyed it, but at the same time it just made me a lot more excited to get to Texas,” Coulter said. “I just kept telling my crew chief, ‘Let’s go to Texas right now. I’m ready to go.’”

    Coulter has actually been to Texas Motor Speedway before, running there last year in the ARCA Series.

    “I love that race track,” Coulter said. “It is so much fun. It’s unreal how fast you can go through the corners with so much grip.”

    “It’s wide open from what I’ve heard,” Coulter continued. “It’s going to be an experience to go around the track and never take your foot off the gas. I can’t wait to do that.”

    Coulter admits that he expects more of the same at Texas as at Kansas in terms of the weather and the intense heat. He credits his growing up in Florida for his ability to handle the heat, that and a new tip that his teammate recently gave to him.

    “I’m very glad that I was born in Florida, where there are two seasons, hot and very hot,” Coulter said. “It’s just something I’ve gotten used to over the years.”

    “My teammate actually got me drinking Pedialyte this weekend and I felt way better before and after the race this time,” Coulter continued. “I’m working out every day like I have been for awhile and that helps with the heat too.”

    Coulter will also be celebrating a personal milestone when he reaches Texas this week. He will turn 21 years old on Wednesday, June 8th.

    “We are actually going to head to Texas a day early so I don’t have to be traveling on my birthday,” Coulter said. “I’m definitely not going to do anything crazy because we have to work this weekend.”

    “I’ll probably go some place and see if they card me,” Coulter said with a chuckle. “I’m excited about it. It’s really kind of like the last real exciting age.”

    For his birthday, Coulter may also indulge in one of his favorite confectionaries. In fact, he is nicknamed after one of them, “Cupcake”.

    “Before the Darlington race, we did a media event, me and Johanna Long,” Coulter said. “We got to talk to a bunch of young kids about how important it is to stay in school.”

    “There was this little hole in the wall, family cupcake place and somehow I got stuck carrying the box of cupcakes,” Coulter continued. “I guess that’s where I got the nickname of ‘cupcake’ from.”

    From celebrating his birthday to his top-five finish, Coulter has just one word to sum up his life at present.

    “Awesome,” Coulter said. “It’s a great feeling to be in the situation I am.”

    “I’m extremely fortunate to have the opportunities I’ve had,” Coulter continued. “My dad has always been sure to tell me that there are plenty of unemployed race car drivers.”

    “I’m grateful for this opportunity,” Coulter said. “RCR is an awesome organization and there are an awful lot of awesome people that have gotten me to where I am.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards posted his series-best tenth top-10 result of the year, placing fifth in the STP 400 at Kansas. He increased his lead in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now leads Jimmie Johnson by 40.

    “As temperatures rose,” Edwards said, “the track conditions changed, and we weren’t able to stay on top of those. But, I’ll never complain about finishing fifth, unless it’s in a fight between me, the two Busch brothers, and two girls.

    “I consider myself an expert on physical confrontations. But never in a thousand years could I have foreseen a car owner assaulting a driver. Normally, Richard Childress is very calm and level-headed. I’m not sure how that team will respond without the brains of the operation. It seems that RCR has lost its ‘mind.’”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick came home 11th at Kansas, Richard Childress Racing’s top finisher, just missing his eighth top-10 finish of the year. Harvick fell two spots in the point standings to fourth, and now trails Carl Edwards by 43.

    “Like a lot of cars,” Harvick said, “we had handling issues. That’s quite different than the problem Kyle Busch experienced. That was a case of man-handling issues. Richard Childress kicked it old school. And by ‘it,’ I mean Busch’s tail.

    “RCR, drivers and owners alike, have declared war on Kyle Busch. It’s a team effort. I got inside Busch’s head; Richard Childress went upside it.”

    3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished second at Kansas, coming up short in a fuel-mileage race for the second straight week. This time, though, Earnhardt’s No. 88 Amp Chevy had the fuel to finish, but so did race winner Brad Keselowski, who held off Earnhardt over the final nine laps. Earnhardt moved up one spot in the point standings to third, trailing Carl Edwards by 41.

    “Keselowski made the most of his last stop for fuel,” Earnhardt said. “I knew we had the gas to finish, so all I could do while trailing the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge was hope for ‘less filling.’ Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. I’m tempted to say ‘You win some, you lose some,’ but only half of that statement would be true.

    “To my fans, I can only say ‘Hang it there.’ Junior Nation is experiencing pain at the pump. I strongly advise them to have a taste of a hot new product, Amp Energy Shot, fortified with a blast of penicillin. Hey, you know what they say: ‘What happens in the infield stays, period.’ In the meantime, we’ll keep working hard to unlock the secret to winning, as well as the secret to determining the No. 88 car’s exact mileage.”

    4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started 31st at Kansas and battled a loose race car for much of the race on Kansas Speedway’s slick surface. Timely adjustments enabled Johnson to battle near the front late in the race, but a late pit stop for fuel set him back before he charged to a finish of seventh. He moved up one spot in the point standings to second and trails Carl Edwards by 40.

    “We had the car to win,” Johnson said, “but gas mileage bit us in the end. This week, we lost time because we had to top off the fuel tank. Last week in Charlotte, we lost time because we ‘topped off’ the car with an adjustment wrench.

    “I’m appalled by the Richard Childress-Kyle Busch fiasco. And I think any other driver would feel the same if Chad Knaus attacked a rival driver. Was it a case of ‘butt heads’ or ‘buttheads?’ This kind of thing is certainly not what NASCAR needs, unless they want people to watch. Incidentally, Jerry Springer would make a great Grand Marshall.”

    5. Kyle Busch: A day after a heated altercation with Richard Childress, Busch finished 12th in the STP 400 on Sunday. Busch remained fifth in the Sprint Cup point standings and trails Carl Edwards by 60.

    “What did NASCAR almost say to Childress after he slugged me on Saturday?” Busch said. “’You’re not in Kansas anymore.’ Alas, Childress was allowed to hang around at the track, where he faced a slightly more enjoyable form of assault: being ‘slapped’ on the back in congratulations.

    “Realistically, I should be first in the point standings, because everybody is after me. Childress’ aggression put me in a no-win situation, which happens to always be the situation when a Busch brother fights. If I fight back, I’ll be accused of beating up a senior citizen. If I don’t fight back, I’m a wimp. I either save face or lose face. That’s why, when faced with a physical confrontations, I always do an about face, and turn the other cheek.”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch started from the pole and led 152 of 267 laps, but had to settle for a ninth-place finish after surrendering the lead to pit for fuel with ten laps to go. It was Busch’s second-straight top-10 finish, and he maintained sixth in the point standings, 71 out of first.

    “With better fuel mileage,” Busch said, “we could have won the race. I think it’s easy for people to listen to my radio communication and tell how the race is going. In Kansas, the further my fuel gauge strayed from ‘F,’ the closer my language veered to ‘F.’

    “I think Richard Childress should have shown a little more restraint. I know that’s hard when dealing with a Busch brother, but Childress should look to Roger Penske for inspiration. Roger’s wanted to punch me for years now, but hasn’t.”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished sixth at Kansas, earning his sixth top-10 result of the season. He held on to the seventh spot in the Sprint Cup point standings and trails Carl Edwards by 73.

    “If you asked fans to recall their favorite articles involving drivers being bullied,” Kenseth said, “you can be sure my name would appear in a number of the ‘submissions.’”

    8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin posted his fourth-straight top-10 finish, and fifth in the last six races, with a third in the STP 400 at Kansas. He improved one place in the point standings to 11th, 104 out of first, as he continues his gradual climb in the points after a dismal start to the season.

    “I dug myself a hole with my early-season performance,” Hamlin said. “But I can’t beat myself up over that. And I sure won’t let Richard Childress do it either. Look at that. I just took a ‘jab’ at Kyle Busch. But who hasn’t?

    “Anyway, despite my slow start to the season, I would be a coward if I didn’t choose to fight back. Another jab at Kyle Busch. Kyle’s usually got an answer for everything, except punches.”

    9. Tony Stewart: Stewart led twice for 20 laps at Kansas, and was in contention for the win before a late stop for fuel relegated him to an eighth-place finish. The No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 team had trouble filling the tank during a pit stop on lap 212, which necessitated an additional stop. Stewart improved one spot in the point standings to eighth, and now trails Carl Edwards by 92.

    “By golly,” Stewart said, “I’m a NASCAR driver. I expect ‘full’ service when I bring my car to the pits.

    “As for the Richard Childress-Kyle Busch incident, I warned years ago that NASCAR was descending into a WWE-like atmosphere. It looks like it’s come full circle. We’ve got back flips, championship belts, and owners involved in fights. Vince McMahon would be proud. What’s next? Overpriced pay-per-view offerings for events few people care about?”

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 18th in the STP 400, one lap down to the leaders after a race filled with handling issues. More notably, Bowyer won Saturday’s Camping World Truck series O’Reilly Auto Parts 250, a win that was soon overshadowed by the confrontation between Richard Childress and Kyle Busch.

    “NASCAR came down hard on Richard Childress,” Bowyer said. “He’s on probation until the end of the year, and he was fined $150,000. You can either call him ‘$150,000 Richard’ or ‘$150,000 Poorer.’”