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  • Joe Gibbs Racing 2011 Nationwide Series Lineup Raises Questions

    Joe Gibbs Racing 2011 Nationwide Series Lineup Raises Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • NASCAR Beginnings Featuring ‘Suitcase’ Jake Elder

    NASCAR Beginnings Featuring ‘Suitcase’ Jake Elder

    J. C. Elder only had a third grade education. He never learned to read and write but he was a natural born genius when it came to working on cars.

    Elder was a man of few words but he knew exactly what he wanted in a race car. If someone disagreed or questioned his decisions, more often than not, he would just pick up and leave. He soon became known throughout the racing community simply as “Suitcase.”

    Despite his cantankerous disposition, Elder was one of the most popular men in the garage. Some said he could just watch a car take a lap around the track and know what was wrong with it. People will put up with a lot for that kind of brilliance.

    “I have a problem getting people to understand how I want things done,” he once said. “Usually, I can get it done myself quicker than I can explain to them how I want it done.”

    Jake Elder began his NASCAR career as a fabricator for Richard Petty Enterprises around 1960.

    Jake came to work for us in Level Cross in the ‘60s, down from the Hickory area, and he was a fabricator,” Richard Petty said. “Jake was old school. There was no engineering; it was all off the cuff. He’d put something on the car and say, ‘OK, now it’s right. Here, you go drive it. And don’t come back in complaining to me, because I got the car fixed. You go learn how to drive it.’”

    He later went on to partner with the Holman-Moody Ford factory team. While there, Elder worked with Mario Andretti and led him to a 1967 victory of the Daytona 500.

    Elder also crew chiefed for David Pearson. Together they won 27 races and two championships in 1968 and 1969.

    He later helped Dale Earnhardt get his first Cup victory in 1979 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Earnhardt went on to win Rookie of the Year that season. Suitcase started out the 1980 season with Earnhardt but quit before the season was over. Even so, part of the credit for Earnhardt’s first Cup championship rightly belongs to Elder.

    His brief partnership with Earnhardt also produced one of the most colorful quotes in NASCAR history. After Earnhardt’s first win, Elder told the rookie, “Stick with me kid and we’ll have diamonds as big as horse turds.”

    Ironically it was Elder who left Earnhardt.

    Dale Earnhardt never forgot Elder. When jobs were scarce, Earnhardt hired Elder to crew chief for his Busch team.

    Elder helped mold the careers of some of NASCAR’s most legendary drivers including Darrell Waltrip, Fred Lorenzen, Terry Labonte, Fireball Roberts and Benny Parsons.

    During the 1970s and 1980s, he probably worked with almost every driver on the track, moving on whenever his mood or circumstances called for a change.

    Elder worked with Darrell Waltrip many times over the years and was with Waltrip for his first and last Cup victories.

    “He was my crew chief about 10 different times,” Waltrip said. “I fired him a lot, and he’d go on and work with Dale, or somebody else, and then he’d be back with me.

    “He helped me, he helped Dale Earnhardt, he helped Terry Labonte — every young driver that came along, Jake made winners out of them because he gave you a car and taught you what a car is supposed to feel like.”

    Jack Roush entered the Cup series as an owner in 1988 and describes Elder as having an almost supernatural ability to diagnose problems.

    “If you had a demon, if your team was beset by bad luck, he would bring his little bag of templates and stuff to check out a car with,” says Roush. “And he would go in and the guys would get out of his way, and he would make his adjustments, and when he was done, if there was a demon in there, he’d have it chased off.

    In the 1990s, more and more teams began using engineers and specialists. Jake Elder and his kind were becoming obsolete.

    But at one time, Jake Elder was the man to call whenever someone had a problem that needed fixing.

    Jeff Hammond described Elder as unique.

    “Jake was into precision before we knew what precision was. Think about the people he worked with: Fireball Roberts, Dale Earnhardt, and David Pearson. He had a huge influence. A lot of the time, if people needed their car fixed, they called Jake Elder.  He wasn’t a people person and he was as rough as a corn cob, but if you got to know him, there wasn’t a better guy to know in that garage area. There is not another Jake Elder. That is one thing we do not have anymore.”

    Winston Kelley, the executive director of the NASCAR Hall of fame, called Elder “one of the true pioneers and classic personalities of our sport.”

    “One of my most vivid memories of Jake is asking him what happened to one of his meticulously prepared cars and Jake putting it so succinctly and simply in saying, ‘It blowed up.’”

    In 2006 “Suitcase Jake” Elder suffered a stroke and his health slowly began to deteriorate. He battled dementia and ended up in an assisted living facility in Statesville, North Carolina. On February 24, 2010, Jake Elder passed away.

    Some called him a miracle worker. Others said he had a magic touch. One thing is certain. Suitcase Jake Elder was one of a kind and his influence on NASCAR should never be forgotten.

    Achievements:

    1968 Cup Championship with David Pearson

    1969 Cup Championship with David Pearson

    1980 Cup Championship with Dale Earnhardt

    Quotes courtesy of The Associated Press, Mike Hembree, Speed TV, Sports Illustrated, Scene Daily and NASCAR.

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

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: CARL EDWARDS-THESPIAN?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Scott Speed Files 6.5 Million Lawsuit Against Red Bull Racing

    Scott Speed Files 6.5 Million Lawsuit Against Red Bull Racing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Clint Bowyer’s Restrictor Plate Prowess in 2010 Should Lead to Even Bigger 2011

    Clint Bowyer’s Restrictor Plate Prowess in 2010 Should Lead to Even Bigger 2011

    Clint Bowyer’s name doesn’t normally come to mind when thinking about whose going to be one to watch when racing at Daytona and Talladega. But according to team owner Richard Childress, it will one day.

    “Clint Bowyer, he’ll go down in history as one of the greatest restrictor plate racers, just like Kevin [Harvick],” he said in late October.

    [media-credit name=”SM.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Harvick won two of the four plate races in 2010. Often compared to the late Dale Earnhardt, easy to do since Harvick drives Earnhardt’s car, he’s become one of the top plate racers in the sport. With four wins at Daytona: two point paying and two Budweiser Shootout wins, plus a win at Talladega, he’s a dangerous superspeedway driver.

    As Harvick grabbed the headlines, RCR teammate Bowyer quietly came into his own. In three of the four plates races Bowyer led laps: 19 in the season-opening Daytona 500, another 19 in the July race and then 37 at Talladega in the fall.

    Bowyer could have easily swept all four plate races.

    During the first red flag in the Daytona 500 for a pothole, Bowyer was the leader. With the race past the halfway point NASCAR could have made the decision to call the race official. Had they done so, Bowyer would have won his first Daytona 500.

    Instead the race restarted but Bowyer’s No. 33 Chevrolet was still strong enough to contend for the win. Coming off turn two on the last lap he was running third behind a side-by-side Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray, ready for a final charge to the finish line.

    But when Dale Earnhardt Jr. then made it three wide, Bowyer lost the position and ended up finishing fourth. In restrictor plate race No. 2, at Talladega in April, Bowyer didn’t lead a lap but finished seventh. Two plate races and two top 10 finishes.

    In the return trip to Daytona, Bowyer was in much better position for the win than he was in the Daytona 500. This time around he was leading with three laps to go before being passed by Jeff Gordon.

    With help from teammate Harvick, Bowyer retook the lead a lap later and led the start/finish line when the caution came out, setting up a green-white-checkered finish.

    On the restart Bowyer was swallowed up by Harvick, Gordon and others and ran fourth at the white flag. Going down the backstretch however, after losing two more positions, Bowyer was spun by David Reutimann.

    Another restrictor plate finish he should have gotten was gone. There was one final plate race left in 2010 and it was finally going to be captured by the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper team.

    The dramatic finish seemed fitting; no one knew who had won except Bowyer tried to help sway NASCAR in his direction when he started celebrating before NASCAR officially ruled. He later joked, “Hell yeah. Claim that baby before somebody else does.

    When NASCAR did rule it became official: Bowyer had finally gotten the best of Harvick. They finished one-two for RCR as Bowyer got his second win of the 2010 season.

    The win was further proof that Bowyer is one of the best plate racers in NASCAR today, right there with Harvick and even McMurray, whom get most of the praise and picks on Sunday’s.

    When the 2011 season begins back in Daytona in February, it could be the quiet Bowyer who winds up in victory lane sometime during Speedweeks.

    Should he, it would help Earnhardt-Childress Racing pick up right where they left off in 2010 at restrictor plate tracks.

    The partnership formed in 2007 between Teresa Earnhardt and Richard Childress, when the two decided to pull together their restrictor plate programs. They now produce the engines for all three RCR cars and the two Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing entries.

    This past season an ECR engine was in victory lane at all four plate tracks. McMurray started it off in the Daytona 500 and said, “The ECR engines have always been known for really good restrictor plate engines.”

    The summer classic in Daytona saw domination from the RCR cars. At a time the three were all lined up in the top five and had it not been for Bowyer’s last lap spin, they might have well finished there.

    “ECR engines were running great and just proud of them,” said owner Richard Childress.

    “To have all three RCR cars up there leading the race, racing each other, it was really cool to watch.”

    The spring Talladega race further proved that ECR engines were ones to be dealt with. Behind Harvick’s win came McMurray in second with teammate Juan Pablo Montoya in third, all driving ECR engines.

    The same happened again in the fall Talladega race this time with Bowyer ahead of Harvick and Montoya. Another ECR top three sweep.

    “There was one time in the race I was like ‘Hey, get Junior out of there,’ “ Bowyer said after his win.

    “There’s going to be five RCR cars in a line. Good picture for the engine boys. Get him out of there. Need a good picture for the engine shop,” he continued.

    “Maybe we can Photo Shop him out of there. It would be a pretty good picture.”

    The picture for the 2011 seasons four restrictor plate tracks won’t be clear until the checkered flags fall on those events. Racing at superspeedways is too unpredictable, but if some bit of history repeats itself expect Bowyer to be a major player.

    However, the same could be said for anyone driving an ECR engine.

    With two of the biggest names in NASCAR, Earnhardt and Childress, building engines that get better and better every week, it’s only natural that the two companies that have long been the restrictor plate masters have taken their place at the head of the field.

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: Guess Which NASCAR Drivers Made The All Time Dirtiest Athletes List?

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: Guess Which NASCAR Drivers Made The All Time Dirtiest Athletes List?

    Anyone who religiously followed the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series during the 2010 season has already figured out that the two drivers who made a list like this has to be Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. You’re absolutely right.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]The 50 Dirtiest Athletes Of All Time was recently released by the “Complex Media Network” following what appears to be a massive amount of research. The New York City based media conglomerate publishes “Complex Magazine” and also maintains the popular website “Complex Dot Com.” According to the company website they describe themselves as being the “premiere on line destination for the most influential 20 something male consumers. This discerning audience is driven by style, sports, music, games, gear and girls.”

    Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards was listed number 48 on the list of 50. The “Complex Media Dot Com” write up on Edwards read as follows: “we all get road rage at times but, when it happens in NASCAR, careers and lives are put in danger. Such was the case at the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500, (at the Atlanta Motor Speedway), when Edwards repeatedly tried to take revenge on Brad Keselowski for a crash causing block laps before. Edwards eventually succeeded, sending Keselowski’s car airborne at 190 MPH. Don’t let the endorsement cake and smile fool you. Edwards knows all about riding dirty.”

    Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch was listed at number 38 on the list and, yes, I suppose that makes him the dirtiest driver in NASCAR. Even the harshest critics of Busch, and they’re are quite a few of you, would blanch at the write up the often controversial driver received from this survey.

    It read as follows: “from causing wrecks to flipping off officials and even breaking s**t after victories, (that would be the famous Gibson Guitar incident), Busch makes cars going around in a circle 400 times slightly more entertaining. The thing that makes Busch one of the most loved and loathed drivers is the fact that he knows he’s an a**h**e, but simply doesn’t five a f***.”

    Again, a little on the harsh side but you have to admit there’s a strong element of truth there.

    For those of you who are curious, the number one dirtiest athlete on this list is National Hockey League player Marty McSorely who, in 2001, delivered a blow on fellow competitor Donald Brashear that was so brutal he actually received an assault conviction from the legal system and a record setting one year suspension from the NHL. McSorely never returned to active player status following this incident. Brashear returned following recuperation from a grade three concussion.

    Dial up www.complexmedia.com and check out the “Dirtiest Athletes Of All Time.” I think you’ll find it interesting sports fans.

  • SportsCenter Special: My Wish Following Up on Jeffrey Buzell Who Met Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    SportsCenter Special: My Wish Following Up on Jeffrey Buzell Who Met Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Fans might remember 15-year-old Jeffrey Buzell, who met NASCAR’s most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. this past summer after being featured on ESPN’s “My Wish” series. He was the young kid who told his story of fighting a disease that was taking over his kidney’s.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]Now a few months later, Christmas Eve, they get the opportunity to learn the latest on Buzell. A SportsCenter Special: My Wish is highlighting a few different wishes that were granted this past year, including 10-year-old Jailen Cooper who wished to be an Oakland Raider for a day and 13-year-old Anna Schmidt who wanted to spend a day with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers.

    Jeffrey Buzell’s story was nothing short of heartbreaking. He suffers from a genetic kidney disorder and needs a kidney transplant within the next year or face his kidney’s possibly beginning to shut down. Buzell’s uncle suffered the same disease and passed away at 15-years-old, the current age of Buzell.

    “It just makes me wonder what’s going to happen to me,” Buzell said in the summer.

    His wish was to meet his favorite driver, Earnhardt Jr., and race go-karts against him. In conjunction with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the “My Wish” series made his wish a realty. But it was Earnhardt Jr. who not only made it a day he would never forget but gave Buzell much more.

    When Buzell arrived at Earnhardt Jr.’s home in North Carolina, he not only got to race him on his personal go-kart track but a few others as well, including 2010 Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski. A tour of Earnhardt Jr.’s Nationwide Series team JR Motorsports followed, as well as a lunch.

    He invited the Buzell family to the Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Sprint All-Star race that Saturday night, where Buzell met crew chief Lance McGrew who let Buzell sit in his favorite drivers racecar. But it wasn’t over yet. When Earnhardt Jr. was introduced to the crowd during driver introductions, he had Buzell walk out with him and ride around the track in the pickup truck with the team as they waved to the fans.

    The 30-minute epsiode will air this Friday, December 24 on ESPNEWS at 11:30 p.m. ET. It will run continually through December 25th, Chris Connelly hosts.

    Connelly: “It’s a great time of year to revisit these stories that touch so many people, and we’re pleased to have some updates on Anna, Jailen and Jeffrey.”

    To revisit Jeffrey’s wish see: Jeffrey Buzell Meets Dale Earnhardt Jr.

  • Top Nationwide Series Performances In 2010

    Top Nationwide Series Performances In 2010

    There was plenty of action this year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. We really haven’t been focusing on what the Nationwide drivers have accomplished this past season and more on the Cup and that is about to change. We are going to give out some awards right now for those very special drivers. And yes, it is my Christmas vacation and that is why I have been on some sort of a ‘hiatus’. Now, let’s get to the awards!

    CIA Stock Photo

    Driver Of The Year

    Kyle Busch — Look, I know Brad Keselowski won the 2010 championship, but look at what Kyle accomplished. He didn’t run the full season and yet found another way to have another record-breaking season. Busch broke the win record, winning 13 of the 29 races he competed it in 2010, so that gives him a winning percentage of 45% for the season! His incredible driving led Joe Gibbs Racing to its third owners championship in a row. Originally, both Sam Ard and Kyle Busch shared the win record with 10, but he shattered it this year. Coming into 2011, Busch will be five wins short of Mark Martin’s all-time record of 48 and expect Kyle to break that really quickly.

    Comeback Driver Of The Year

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — I’m going to have to give this one to Stenhouse. Stenhouse started off the year wrecking in just about every race he competed in. Some people went as far to say that he is the Marcos Ambrose or the Sam Hornish Jr. of the Nationwide Series. He didn’t let that talk get to him and Stenhouse came back to score eight Top 10 finishes and added three Top 5’s to finish 16th in the final standings. Expect Stenhouse to improve in 2011.

    Owner Of The Year

    Joe Gibbs– Need I say more? Third straight consecutive owners championship. Gibbs owns the Nationwide Series.

    Breakthrough Performer Of The Year (Sorry Not Danica Patrick)

    Trevor Bayne — Bayne had eight Top 10’s in the final eighteen races and even made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Texas and finished 17th! That is pretty good considering that he was driving for the Wood Brothers.

  • Speedway Mailbag: Top Stories Eclipse Lunar Light Show

    Speedway Mailbag: Top Stories Eclipse Lunar Light Show

    “When the moon is in the Seventh House
    And Jupiter aligns with Mars
    then peace will guide the planets
    and love will steer the stars”
    Aquarius[media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]

    Last night’s lunar eclipse wasn’t exactly Jupiter aligned with Mars, but it was a spectacular event.

    For those race fans from Venus and Mars who did not see the rare celestial congregation, I have enclosed a picture for your viewing pleasure.

    Bulging at the seams, the Speedway Media mailbag is proof positive there have been other noteworthy events this past week.

    Since our last installment, the hard working e-mail man has filled our Tupperware bowl with cards and letters from fans around the short track.

    Denny in Detroit writes: Dear Speedway Media: Did Rick Hendrick really buy a car for $225.000?
    Rick Hendrick did buy a new Chevrolet Volt, the first one available for sale to the general public, for $225,000 via an online auction. Proceeds of that sale will go to benefit various portions of the Detroit Public Schools Foundation.

    A successful hard core business man, Hendricks latest round of philanthropy is also a wise business decision.

    Because it is a charitable donation, all of the money above the original $40,000 MSRP of the car, approximately $185,000, is a tax deduction.

    Also, since the purchase was made before the end of 2010, Hendrick will also receive an additional $7500 federal energy tax credit for purchasing an electric car.

    Hendrick, a collectible car enthusiast, also has a first issue Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 in his museum.

    Bob in Boston writes: Dear Speedway Media, was the repaving of Daytona International Speedway a success?
    The repaving of DIS was an absolute success Bob. It was done in record time, within budget, and, with the help of DIS President Joie Chitwood III, the most publicized construction project in recent NASCAR history.

    Even with all that success, there is one little issue here. It is still Daytona, and the racers are still harnessed by restrictor plates.

    While visiting the track last week for tire testing, it was difficult not to think about how much money ISC had spent, how great a job their newly acquired construction company had done, and how refreshed the track looked with its new face lift.

    But still, other than a smoother ride, the cars will really not go any faster.

    To add some perspective, just imagine this.  A hurricane is only moments away and all you have is a handkerchief. It’s obvious you need to do more, but chose not to.

    Not a good analogy? Still confused?  Ok, lets look at it from a racing perspective.

    Consider Dale Earnhardt Jr. who basically got a complete makeover after leaving DEI. He partnered with a new owner, received new equipment and has acquired several new crew chiefs.

    He still doesn’t go any faster.

    Ron in Roanoke writes: Dear Speedway Media: Is Kasey Kahne’s new car number a good sign or a bad sign?
    Kasey said the No. 4 was his favorite number Ron. Looking back at a few things, I find the No. 4, alone and in a group, might just be a lucky charm for KK.

    Let’s do a little “by the numbers.”

    Kasey was Rookie of the Year in 2004.

    Ernie Ervin’s second win (a divisor of 4) came in the Daytona 500 driving the No. 4 Kodak Chevrolet.

    Sterling Marlin’s first and second career wins were the Daytona 500, driving the No. 4 Kodak Chevrolet.

    Kahne has now raced for all four NASCAR manufactures, had four different team names and will be the fourth driver in the Hendrick Motorsports stable starting in the year 2012, which happens to be divisible by four.

    And finally, should Kahne win the season opening Daytona 500, it will be the fourth for the No. 4.

    Well that’s about it for this weeks edition of Speedway Mailbag. I usually comment on more letters, but I was distracted by the overwhelming amount of advertising in this week’s e-mailbag.

    Who knew you could get 50 million dollars from an unknown rich widow in Bangladesh, check your credit score, and buy non-prescription prescription medicine, all by e-mail.

    Feel free to send your questions, comments and suggestions to mailbag@speedwaymedia.com.

    Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of management.

  • Fourth Turn, Twas The Night Before Christmas NASCAR style

    Fourth Turn, Twas The Night Before Christmas NASCAR style

    After watching the tire test news conference it was time to decorate the Christmas tree. As I hung the last brightly colored ball and strung the last of the garland I laid down in the floor and closed my eyes. My mind began to wander as I drifted off to sleep. Suddenly there before me was ole DW sitting in front of a group of children all dressed in the brightly colored driver’s uniforms. What in the world was this, I wondered. I quietly approached the group and sat down to listen. To my amazement ole DW was reading the very young drivers a Christmas tale. Well a version of a Christmas tale anyway. As I shifted in the chair to get comfortable, this is what I heard.

    Twas The Night Before Christmas – NASCAR Style

    ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the sport

    Not a person was stirring, not even pit support;

    The bodies were hung on the chassis with care,

    In hopes that Daytona soon would be here;

    The drivers were nestled all snug in their beds,

    While visions of victories danced in their heads;

    And Denny and his crew chief and all in their caps

    Had just settled down for a Post Season nap,

    When out on the track there arose such a clatter,

    They sprang from their beds to see what was the matter

    Away to the window like Rocket Newman they dashed,

     Tore open the shop doors and threw back the sash.

    The moon on the breast of the newly paved track

    Showed not a pot hole in sight not even a crack

    When what to their wondering eyes should appear,

    But a COT sleigh with 800 horses and a very low gear,

    With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

    They knew in a moment it must be St. Mike

    More rapid than corvettes his coursers they came,

    He whistled and shouted then called them by name,

    Now, Jimmie !  Now, Jeff !  Now Tony and Ryan !

    On, Clint, On Kevin, On Junior and Carl

    To the top of the track! Stay out of the wall!

    Now race away! Race away! Bring back it all!

    And like jets after the anthem these babies did fly

    And if they meet with an obstacle, paint and body will cry,

    So off to the race track the haulers they flew,

    With a COT full of tools, and St. Mike on board too.

    And then in a twinkling, they heard on the track

    Roaring and spinning, NASCAR’s Horses were back.

    As they drew back their heads and were spinning around,

    Across the track, St. Mike came with a bound

    He was dressed in a suit, from his head to his foot,

    His white shirt was free from ashes or soot;

    A bundle of trophies he had flung on his back

    He looked like a promoter promoting the track.

    His eyes – how they twinkled. His dimples how merry!

    He was the pres for sure, this St. was no cherry!

    His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow.

    He’s happy to tell you, “We have the chase here you know.”

    Victories they mounted though some have a beef

    The smoke from the burnouts circle his head like a wreath.

    He had a kind face and a fire in his belly,

    And when he talked people listened even on the telly,

    He was gracious with class an impressive old elf

    And I gasped when I saw him in spite of myself

    A wink of his eye and a twist of his head.

    Soon put me at ease I had nothing to dread

    He spoke a few words and went straight to his work.

    He polished the trophy and turned with a jerk

    With a wave of his hand and a smile from his face

    He gave a quick nod and across the track he did race

    He jumped in his COT, to his the teams gave a whistle

    And away they all flew like the bullet from a pistol

    But I heard him exclaim, as they raced out in to the night

    Merry Christmas y’all, Daytona’s in sight!

    I would like to take a second to wish a very safe and happy Holiday season to all the NASCAR fans, officials and track employees you make our trips to your facilities a holiday all year long, so at this time of the year, I hope that Santa makes your holiday as wonderful as you make ours all season long.

    And to all the competitors in all the series Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt. May you be blessed with the peace and happiness of the holiday season.