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  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson fell to 36th after an early spin at Charlotte, but recovered to finish third in the Bank Of America 500, one spot ahead of Denny Hamlin. Johnson now leads Hamlin by 41 points in the Sprint Cup standings with five races remaining.

    “Five points may not be a lot,” Johnson said, “but it puts me five points closer to the Sprint Cup championship. And five is the operable number. That fifth title will give me five rings, one for each of my five fingers. And, with five fingers, you can make a very convincing ‘clinched’ fist.”

    2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished fourth in the Bank Of America 500, his 12th top-5 finish of the year. Hamlin chased Jimmie Johnson for many of the closing laps but was unable to get close enough to pass. Johnson’s five-point edge in the race put him 41 ahead of Hamlin as the series heads to Martinsville, where both Johnson and Hamlin are strong.

    “The No. 11 Fed Ex Ground Toyota was good,” Hamlin said, “but not good enough. We’ve slipped back in the standings by small margins the last two races. In Japan, they call that ‘Tokyo Drift.’”

    Now, I want the Sprint Cup championship badly. To me, it’s the Holy Grail of auto racing. With Johnson on his game, it may take a bit of magic, and we may have to pull something out of our rear end to defeat him. If that’s the case, then we’ll call my car ‘Fed Ex-calibur.’”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished eighth at Charlotte, posting his series-best 21st top-10 result of the year. He is third in the point standings, trailing Jimmie Johnson by 77 points, and besides Denny Hamlin, may be the only hope to end Jimmie Johnson’s title reign.

    “There’s an election approaching,” Harvick said, “so it’s fitting that the No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil team is offering ‘hope’ and ‘change.’

    Others have thrown in towels, as a result of engine failures, wrecks, unjust rulings by NASCAR, or what have you. We’re much too close to Johnson to call it quits. There will be no ‘concession’ speech, except maybe by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s director of merchandising, because sales have to be slow for him.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch led 217 of 334 laps at Charlotte, but his dominance was interrupted by a debris caution with 26 laps to go that bunched the field. Busch was passed by Jamie McMurray, who pulled away in clean air, while Busch settled for second. Busch improved four spots in the point standings to fifth, 177 behind Johnson.

    “Was their actually debris on the track?” Busch said. “I don’t know. This I do know: NASCAR has the best spotter in the business.

    I still don’t like our chances to win the Cup. There’s a joke going around: ‘What did Kyle Busch say when asked about his attitude towards winning the Cup, despite facing nearly insurmountable odds?’ If you don’t know the answer and replied ‘I give up,’ then you’re right anyway.”

    5. Tony Stewart: Stewart fought an ill-handling car for much of the night at Charlotte and finished 21st, the last car on the lead lap. It was a crushing blow to Stewart’s title hopes after last week’s win at California. He is sixth in the point standings, 177 out of first.

    “The naming of Mobil 1 as a sponsor for next year eases the pain of our disappointment in the Chase thus far,” Stewart said. “We may have ran out of fuel in New Hampshire, but now we’re ‘gassed’ up for next year.”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards started second at Charlotte but immediately faced handling problems that dropped him well out of the top 10. Numerous adjustments led to minor improvements, but the No. 99 Ford never found the speed to compete up front. Edwards remained seventh in the point standings, and is 200 out of first.

    “The Aflac Fusion lacked handling all night,” Edwards said. “Give Matt Kenseth a football, and he’ll throw one, but I’m not used to driving a ‘wounded duck.’

    I’m not quite ready to declare my Sprint Cup hopes over,” Edwards said. “At least not officially. But, as you can see by a 200 point deficit and my body language, a ‘declaration of inference’ is imminent.”

    7. Jeff Gordon: Gordon dashed to the pole for the Bank Of America 500, but his night in Charlotte was felled by a battery issue and a late pit road speeding penalty. He finished 23rd, and is now 156 points behind Jimmie Johnson in the Sprint Cup standings.

    “That’s two speeding penalties in the last two races,” Gordon said. “I’m obviously in a hurry to get somewhere, but apparently not to the finish line.”

    8. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished fourth at Charlotte, overcoming a slow start to claim his seventh top-5 result of the year. He moved up two spots to eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now trails Jimmie Johnson by 225.

    “It was nice to ‘finish’ on Sunday,” Brady said, “as opposed to last week’s disaster at California, in which we were ‘finished.’”

    9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished sixth in the Bank Of America 500, his second top 10 of the Chase and only his fifth of the year. Kenseth, in the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford, started 17th and made continual improvements to position himself for his best finish of the Chase.

    “I drive the Crown Royal car,” Kenseth said. “And the way things are looking, Jimmie Johnson drives the ‘crown royalty’ car.”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch, the spring winner at Charlotte, fell out of contention early in the Bank Of America 500 with a spin that dropped him a lap down and languishing far back in the field. Busch eventually finished 30th, three laps down, and fell to ninth in the point standings, 237 out of first.

    “Saturday’s race was a far cry from May’s race,” Busch lamented. “Believe me, it’s humbling being called a ‘defending champion’ in the presence of Jimmie Johnson.”

  • The Hall of Fame and the memories of a NASCAR senior citizen

    The Hall of Fame and the memories of a NASCAR senior citizen

    The memories of carefree moments from my youth are exactly what I received from last week’s announcement regarding the 2010 class of NASCAR’s Hall Of Fame. While everyone else was debating the merits of the five names on this year’s list, I was lost in my own private little world of family memories, our South Carolina home and how NASCAR racing played a role in our lives.

    Like many residents of the southeast during the 1950’s our family quickly became NASCAR racing fans. This was the era of the sport when a racing season often exceeded 60 events. The teams raced on every track configuration from quarter mile dirt ovals to the mammoth Daytona International Raceway. The majority of these events were located in the southeast so there was no shortage of opportunity to see this exciting new sport.

    My first ever NASCAR experience was in the summer of 1958 at a dirt track in Columbia-South Carolina. I was all of six years old at the time. This event was also the NASCAR debut that launched the racing career of King Richard Petty. I was thrilled to get autographs from both Richard and Lee Petty that night.

    Dad eventually became a member of the Darlington Rescue Squad and that opened a brand new level of racing opportunity for his son. It meant spending race weekends there sleeping under the mammoth army tents. My job was to pass out aspirin and small Dixie Cups of water to infield campers who had way too much fun the night before. That job kept me quite busy on race day mornings. It also provided unfettered access to the raceway’s garage area where any autograph a young race fan could ever want was now available.

    Over the years there were plenty of NASCAR themed family mini vacations. That included attending races at Darlington, Daytona, Atlanta and Charlotte plus the collection of paved and dirt short track ovals the series ran on back in the day.

    All of those family memories came flooding back while monitoring the progress of NASCAR’s Hall Of Fame. Many of the video clips used to announce the newest members of the Hall looked very familiar to me. I was there to witness many of those moments first hand. That’s the true reason why the Hall Of Fame means so much to me. It’s those memories of quality time with my family. Over the years I jokingly said that it was NASCAR racing, along with Atlanta Braves baseball, that got Dad and me through the so called generation gap. It was something we could share together completely free of any form of hassle.

    I was especially glad to see Bobby Allison receive his well deserved induction into this year’s Hall Of Fame class. I had a chance to talk racing with Allison last September when he was making a personal appearance at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino.

    Allison arrived in NASCAR’s upper tier of racing in the mid 1960’s driving a family owned independent Chevrolet Chevelle. Independent meant that Allison’s team wasn’t receiving the factory sponsorship support that was available to other teams. To help with the travel expenses associated with launching a national NASCAR career, the Allison team began selling two dollar memberships to their official fan club. Allison seemed amazed when he learned that I not only knew this but actually had one of those cards that was purchased in 1966 at Darlington. I suspect it was one of the last things he expected to hear while signing autographs in southern California.

    Over the past week there has been a lot of lively debate from the NASCAR media and the fans regarding whom should have been inducted into the Hall Of Fame’s second class. The debate seems to be centered around Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough being excluded from this year’s vote.

    It’s not me for me to say which NASCAR icon needs to voted in the Hall and who should wait for at least another year. I can’t even comprehend the angst the voting committee went through to whittle 25 well deserving candidates down to five inductees. I wasn’t the least bit surprised to learn that the process took over a reported four hours to complete.

    I’m just glad that there is a NASCAR Hall Of Fame, an official organization to honor those whose contributions created the sport we all enjoy today. I’m perfectly content reliving the memories of a NASCAR senior citizen despite the realization that I’m getting older by the minute.

  • The Best Part About Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series Race at Martinsville Won’t Be the Racing

    The Best Part About Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series Race at Martinsville Won’t Be the Racing

    At the end of a long hard fought day, following the champagne spray, the hat dance and when the media has begun working toward their deadline, the driver will marvel at his winnings.

    The points they gained in the championship. Another win they added to their growing column. Maybe even the hefty winner’s check that their wives or girlfriends can’t wait to help them put to good use.

    All of it though, fails to compare to the trophy.

    Some are cooler than others. Some mean more than others. One, Las Vegas, isn’t a trophy at all. Then there’s one that every driver can’t wait to bring home.

    No, it’s not Daytona or Indianapolis. Although you’ll never hear a driver pass one of those up, more like offer to make a trade of one of their championship trophies for one. That’s because for the past nearly 60 years the Martinsville Speedway has created a unique brand by awarding winners in the Sprint Cup Series Grandfather clocks.

    Whether he’s won only one or nine, no driver gets tired of being awarded a Martinsville clock.

    Except, unless you race in the NSCS that experience will never be felt. It’s why heading into the upcoming weekend the excitement felt in the Camping World Truck Series is bound to overshadow what’s taking place in the NSCS garage and the Chase for the Sprint Cup. When the green flag falls on the Kroger 200 Saturday afternoon there will be 36 drivers that have more incentive to be the first to the checkered flag than ever before.

    There’s one, tall, $10,000 reason.

    Early this year it was announced that they too would finally be getting their hands on the beloved winner’s “trophy” of the Martinsville Speedway.

    It’s something defending winner Timothy Peters doesn’t believe came quick enough, “This is a huge deal. I wish it had started last fall. I would have it sitting in my trophy room right now.”

    For some drivers winning at the short track in Virginia can’t get any better. The emotion on Peter’s face last year after he won not only his first career race, but in his home state, won’t be forgotten anytime soon. For others, just winning at a short track is the greatest accomplishment.

    Then there are those like Mike Skinner who have a score to settle with the speedway. Up until a few weeks ago Skinner had no idea that Martinsville would begin awarding Grandfather clocks.

    “I know you don’t get a clock at Martinsville because I’ve won three of them,” he remarked in regards to his three victories at the paperclip. But when told by the media and fellow driver Todd Bodine that this year was different, Skinner said, “They need to send me a truck load of them then.”

    Should he get back into a familiar groove, Skinner won’t need to just be given a clock. He’s the driver that the rest of the competition will be gunning for as he’s led more laps at the speedway, 600, than any other driver. He’s also tied for the most wins at the speedway with Dennis Setzer.

    However, thus far in 2010 Skinner’s been held winless and is all but eliminated from the championship battle. Sitting eighth in points, over 600 markers behind, the No. 5 team has nothing to lose and everything to gain from here on out. Skinner wants back in victory lane and he most certainly wants a clock he feels is owed to him.

    The racing on Saturday afternoon will be nothing less than frantic and exciting. The NCWTS always good for that but now every driver wants to be the first to take home the newest prize, they want that clock.

    This is no ordinary clock. Valued at $10,000 the Martinsville Speedway gave out the first one in September of 1964. They’re built by a local furniture manufacturer, Ridgeway Clocks, and stand seven feet tall.

    Said Bodine, “That Grandfather clock from Martinsville is just like having that guitar [from Nashville].”

    There will be those in the NASCAR world that don’t understand what the big deal is, why it’s important to a driver who isn’t even taking home a real trophy. Is it possible to ask whether the racing might end up being overshadowed by the driver that ends the day in victory lane and sees the Grandfather clock waiting for him?

    There have been 18 winners at Martinsville in the NCWTS and none of them have one. No more than a what could have been for those drivers who can only be left with a burning desire to again capture the checkered flag in Martinsville.

    This race won’t crown a champion. It won’t send a driver to the new NASCAR Hall of Fame. It may not even be a typical bumping and banging wreck-fest that some races have been in the past.

    It will however, be memorable. It’ll be coveted and relived by a driver for years to come. A brand new, shining, invaluable Grandfather clock will be given away and then treated like gold.

    Sometimes it’s really not about the check. Or the points and the flattering stories from various media outlets. Sometimes it really is all about the hardware.

  • Kahne booted from No. 9 car, will race the 83 car

    Kahne booted from No. 9 car, will race the 83 car

    Richard Petty Motorsports announced late Wednesday evening that Kasey Kahne would be released from the team effective immediately. Aric Almirola will take over the No. 9 ride at Martinsville this weekend with a driver to be named replacing Kahne for the remainder of the schedule.
    Almirola was originally scheduled to race the No. 83 Red Bull Racing Toyota for Reed Sorenson, who is in Gateway for the Nationwide Series race with Braun Racing. Red Bull Racing officials confirmed Thursday afternoon that Kahne will finish the season with the No. 83 team.

    “With our agreement only being for one year, there is a great sense of urgency to get started on 2011,” Jay Frye, Red Bull Racing Team’s vice president and general manager, said. “With Kasey coming earlier than planned, we are excited to have a five-race head start.”

    While no reason was given in the two-sentence press release from RPM, it is believed that last weekend’s incident between Kahne and an unnamed team official sparked the decision. The team’s bad chemistry surfaced when Kahne said that a team official told him he was laying down on his team when the Washington-native did not return to race the damaged No. 9 car, complaining of an illness. Kahne said he vomited once after exiting his car after a late-race crash but did run in a 5K charity run the next day.

    Kahne became frustrated when his brakes failed for the second consecutive race last weekend at Charlotte and third time this year.

    “I lost it,” Kahne said. “I was just mad. I came into the race thinking we had a shot to win, thinking we had a good car in practice, we had a good shot. It went green. We were a little bit tight, but still actually passed cars and really felt good and then boom, my brakes are gone.

    “It’s not like you have half-brakes, like you can pump them. Your foot goes to the floor. It bottoms out. It’s a joke.”

    Kahne has gone winless so far this season and sits 21st in the Sprint Cup Series driver points standings. Kahne’s struggles come a year after he won two races and made the Chase despite the financial issues of the George Gillett Jr. and RPM’s communications within the race teams.

    Kahne announced this summer that he would leave Richard Petty Motorsports and move over to Red Bull Racing for 2011 and then to Hendrick Motorsports for 2012.

  • And Then There Were Three

    And Then There Were Three

    And then there were three. That is effectively all there is left in the Chase for the Sprint Cup half way through the playoff. Unless Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, and Kevin Harvick really just drop out over the final three races, that’s all that is left. After Saturday night’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, I can’t see anyone else even having a chance.

    When the field was announced, I really felt like Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, and Kurt Busch would challenge for the championship and that Jimmie Johnson would have some real competition. It was not to be. Gordon’s team has not shown championship form the latter half of the season, and made some uncommon mistakes at Charlotte. Biffle has run well, but a big disappointment at Dover and another at Auto Club Speedway, tracks where his Roush-Fenway Ford have shined ruined his chances. Edwards usually finds himself just outside the top ten and that’s his undoing. Kyle Busch has two 21st place finishes on his resume (Kansas and Fontana) and that was the end for him. Brother Kurt just hasn’t been very competitive. In the meantime, Johnson has finished first, second, or third in four of the first five playoff races, leaving everyone else to struggle to catch him.

    That leaves three likely contenders, and even though each of the three are just a bad day away from elimination, it appears that Johnson has the inside track to the championship. This week the boys head to Martinsville, Virginia, the only short track in the Chase (a big mistake in my opinion—there should be at least two), and a place that Johnson and Hamlin have great success. That should separate the field even more, but then Talladega looms the next week where anything can happen. I imagine we’ll either be down to two contenders or the points standings will be a real mess. Regardless, I can’t see anyone out of the three at the top winning the trophy this year. And other than the threat of Hamlin at Martinsville and Harvick at Talladega, the rest of the schedule seems to be smooth sailing for Johnson. He can run conservatively the rest of the season and cruise to his fifth straight championship, as the others cannot afford one mistake the rest of the way.

    It was somewhat amazing to see the emptiness of the campgrounds at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. The attendance at the race was announced at a tick over 100,000 when there used to be a full house for every race. A lot of this stems from the inevitability of a fifth straight Johnson championship. The glee at Johnson’s bad luck in the beginning of the race led to the realization of Johnson just making another step closed to the fifth straight championship in the closing laps of the race. People left early and even a popular win by Jamie McMurray failed to lift the spirits of the fans. No fault of Johnson or his crew, who are fantastic, but fatalism has gripped the fan base. Why come to a race if you see the same old story five years running?

    Under the old points system, Harvick would have a 249-point lead with Johnson in second. The purpose of the Chase was to have a close battle for the championship, but it has artificially made the field closer. Somewhat like the “lucky dog” and “wave around,” it makes the finishing position not exactly what it should be. NASCAR wanted a closer finish, and they have it, but at what cost? Lower television ratings and fan attendance? Yes, the economy is bad, but there’s more to it than that.

  • David Ragan Takes UPS Charity Ride To Top Ten Finish

    David Ragan Takes UPS Charity Ride To Top Ten Finish

    David Ragan, normally behind the wheel of his UPS sponsored Cup ride, switched it up this weekend under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway to highlight UPS’ favorite charity, the United Way.  With United Way’s motto ‘Live United’ on the hood, the young driver piloted his No. 6 Ford Fusion to a rare top-ten finish in the Bank of America 500, his second of the 2010 season.

    “It was a great run,” Ragan said.  “I think we may have even had a better car than 10th, but, all in all, it was a pretty good night.”

    “It seems like a lot of things we needed to do right went how they were supposed to,” Ragan continued.  “We’ve had some real good cars the last couple of weeks and it’s good for United Way and UPS to finish in the top 10.”

    Ragan’s crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer, attributed the tenth place finish to a good car but also to his driver’s burgeoning confidence.

    “I think the most important thing is giving David some confidence,” Blickensderfer said.  “I’m not a miracle worker and I’m not doing anything that’s different than anybody else would do.  I’m just a different guy and it might have lit a spark under David.”

    Perhaps David had a bit more pep in his step knowing that one of the nation’s best known charitable brands, the United Way, was also featured prominently on his race car.  UPS, Ragan’s primary sponsor, agreed to step aside for the United Way in honor of UPS being the first corporate donor to surpass one billion dollars in contributions to the charity.

    “UPS is a major NASCAR sponsor and approached us about repainting the No. 6 with United Way’s logo and colors,” Joseph V. Haggerty, Chief Operating Officer of United Way Worldwide, said.  “We were of course delighted to have the opportunity to work with UPS, Roush Fenway Racing and driver David Ragan to bring this all together.”

    “In addition to the financial resources, UPS employees volunteered more than 1.2 million hours of service last year,” Haggerty continued.  “United Way was thrilled with the opportunity to bring visibility and to thank UPS for all they do for the community every day.”

    United Way and UPS celebrated all weekend long at the track, continuing to call attention to their core mission of giving, advocating and volunteering.  Ragan’s top ten finish fire suit and helmet are currently being auctioned off to raise additional dollars for the United Way, capping off the weekend’s race celebrations.

    “In addition to co-branded die cast cars, T-shirts,  and lots of publicity, UPS sponsored a race-day volunteer activity, bringing in 50 UPS employees from all of the country to build literacy kits with United Way Worldwide and children from A Child’s Place,” Haggerty said.  “It’s all part of United Way’s focus on improving education, income and health.”

    For Ragan, this top ten finish rivaled his best finish at Charlotte in seven attempts.  His previous top ten finish occurred in the fall race there in 2008.

    With the great run still fresh in their minds, Ragan and his relatively new crew chief agreed on one thing.  Their relationship is gelling and they are getting better and better each and every week.

    “Yeah, we’re getting better and that’s the main thing,” Blickensderfer said.  “You have to be able to get better every single week and to prove that when you run 15th, that wasn’t good enough and you can run 10th.”

    Perhaps Ragan summed it up best.  “Hopefully this is some good momentum we can carry with us into next week,” the young driver said.

    Ragan will return to his UPS branded No. 6 next week when the Cup Series motors into Martinsville.  The Tums Fast Relief 500 will run on Sunday, October 24th at 1:00 PM EDT on ESPN.

  • Sprint Cup Series Possibly To Go To Pony Cars

    Sprint Cup Series Possibly To Go To Pony Cars

    In 2013, a new Sprint Cup Series car is expected to roll out, integrating what they’ve learned from the current car and the new Nationwide Series car.

    Speed TV wrote today that there are talks between NASCAR and the manufactures to bring the pony cars from the Nationwide Series to the Cup Series with the new car. Ford will most likely run the Mustang while Chevrolet would run the Camero, Toyota would run the Camry and Dodge wound run the Challenge.  

    “The dealers are really excited about the Challenger running in NASCAR because it’s something that (Dodge) sells,” said NASCAR team owner Roger Penske as according to the article. “These are high gross margin vehicles that they love to sell. When you start to look at Camaro and Mustang and Challenger, these are icons in the business.”

    “We like to see our iconic brand in all forms of motorsports,” Jamie Allison, director of Ford North American Motorsports. ” … Any further consideration of the Mustang would have to be complemented and linked to more brand identity to the car that’s raced. It can’t just be the current car of tomorrow. It has to be a progression beyond what’s in Nationwide.”

    “Chevrolet, in any series that we race in, we’re looking for three things,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet’s general manager. “First, we want to see technologies in the race cars that are applicable to what we do on the production side without driving a tremendous amount of cost. Secondly, we’re (wanting) race series to use biofuels, because that’s what we need to do going forward. Many of our (production) cars are ethanol-capable. And third, we want to see the cars that we race look like the cars that we sell, as close as we can.”

    The new Cup Car in 2013 is suppose to take the idea from the Nationwide car in having the frontends look like a real car, though have some structure differences to increase safety and competition.

    On the surface, this would look to be a good idea as it’d bring the idea of brand identity back to the series. You may pull some of the old school fans back into the sport as that is something that they’ve complained has been missing. It could also, as Roger Penske states, create the manufacture rivalery of back in the day and bring more discussions forward.

    Though on the contrary, this could also be a negative as once again, you’d be bringing the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series to an equal level. The idea of the pony cars for the Nationwide Series cars was to set the Nationwide Series as something different than the Sprint Cup. However with using the same brands and look, aren’t we just staying at the point that we’re at now?

  • Earnhardt Ganassi Racing – Martinsville Speedway Advance Notes

    Race: Tums Fast Relief 500 on Sunday, Oct. 24

    Track: Martinsville Speedway (0.526-mile oval)

    Location: Martinsville, Va.

    Earnhardt Ganassi Media Contacts at Martinsville Speedway

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS)

    Jarrod England No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet

    Shayna Keller No. 42 Target Chevrolet

    NOTES

    Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Team

    Martinsville and McMurray: McMurray has 15 starts at the Martinsville Speedway, with three starts from the outside pole all occurring during the Spring NSCS events at Martinsville. In his 15 starts at the paper-clip shaped oval, McMurray has brought home nine top-10 finishes, including a best finish of second in 2004. McMurray has only one DNF at the challenging half-mile which came during his first Martinsville race when his day ended with a blown engine.

    Charlotte Winner Recap: Jamie McMurray and the No.1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Team continued to add to their already impressive 2010 resume by bringing home their third victory of 2010 in this past Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. McMurray, who shocked the racing world by winning this same race in his first NSCS start for team owner Chip Ganassi while filling in for an injured Sterling Marlin in 2002, did just the same for his owner by winning the same race for Ganassi in his first year back with the organization, eight years and three days later.

    Continuing Consistency: The No. 1 Team’s victory at Charlotte helped to continue their impressive trend over the last 13 races, which includes two victories (Indy & Charlotte), two poles (Chicago and Fontana), eight top-10 starting positions, five top-five, six top-10, and nine top-15 finishes. The team also carries an average start of 11th and average finish of ninth after the last 13 races dating back to Chicagoland in mid-July. Since the mid-point of the season (Chicagoland) McMurray currently stacks up with the Chase contenders in the following statistics:

    – Two victories (Indy & Charlotte) – (Tied for 1st)

    – Two poles (Chicago & Fontana) – (Tied for 1st )

    – Five top-five finishes – (Tied for 2nd)

    – Six top-10 finishes – (Tied for 4th)

    – Nine top-15 finishes – (Tied for 4th)

    – Average start of 11th – (Tied for 2nd)

    – Average Finish of 9th – (Ranks 2nd)

    McMurray vs. the Chase: While not in the Chase, McMurray and the No. 1 team haven’t given up on being one of the most impressive race teams on the track. The team has been on a hot streak during the first 5 races of the Chase. Compared to the top-12 Chase drivers this is how McMurray and the No. 1 Team currently stack up:

    – Average start of 12th – (Tied for 4th)

    – Average finish of 9th – (Ranks 4th)

    – Tied for 3rd for the most points gained in the chase with 736 points gained

    Crew Member Grand Marshal: For this Sunday’s NSCS event, Martinsville Speedway will have 43 Grand Marshals, one crew member per team. The speedway has asked each team to nominate a crew member to be part of the TUMS Fast Relief 500 Grand Marshall line up. The crew member selected to represent the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Team will be Benjy Grubbs. Grubbs is a native Virginian who fell in love with NASCAR after a trip with his parents to the old Richmond Fairgrounds in 1983. Grubbs started as a welder building race care for Darrell Waltrip and has been with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing since 2005 as chassis fabricator during the week and gas man on the weekend. “It’s really something to see raw tubing on a shop floor and the next thing you know, there’s a race car sitting there. I really love the competition on Sundays, especially when you win the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 like we have this season.”

    Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team

    Montoya at Martinsville: Montoya has six starts at the Martinsville Speedway. He has accumulated 46 laps led, zero DNF’s, one top-five and two top-10 finishes at the .526-mile oval. His best finish of third came in this event last season.

    About Charlotte: Juan Pablo Montoya and the Target Team started from the 33rd position and raced their way to the front to finish out the Saturday night race in the 11th-position. The top-15 is the second consecutive one for the Target team and marks the 17th one of the season. With five races remaining in 2010, the No. 42 Target team has two pole awards, one win, five top-fives and 13 top-10 finishes.

    Homestead-Miami Ticket Package: This week Juan Pablo Montoya and Homestead-Miami Speedway announced they have once again partnered to offer fans a special Montoya ticket package for the NSCS season finale Ford 400. The “Race Day with Juan” ticket package will support the Montoya’s foundation- Formula Smiles. The ticket package is available for $142, with $42 going towards Formula Smiles Foundation and includes the following:

    – – Race Ticket to NSCS finale Ford 400 located on the front-stretch West in rows 11-21- JPM Section

    – – Private pre-race meet-and-greet with Montoya in the infield Driver’s Meeting Room

    – – No. 42 Target Chevrolet commemorative hat

    – – Pre-Race Track Pass, providing access to the track’s front-stretch to take pictures, sign the start/finish line and enjoy autograph and Q&A sessions with NASCAR personalities

    –

    To purchase “Race Day with Juan” or to upgrade to this package if tickets already have been purchased please visit HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com/Montoya or call (866) 409-RACE.

    Crew Member Grand Marshal: For this Sunday’s NSCS event, Martinsville Speedway will have 43 Grand Marshals, one crew member per team. The speedway has asked each team to nominate a crew member to be part of the TUMS Fast Relief 500 Grand Marshall line up. Ryan Quann will be the crew member representing the No. 42 Target Team. With parents having connections to NASCAR and serving the sport in various roles, Quann has been around stock car racing his entire life. The graduate of the Bobby Isaac Motorsports program at Catawba County Community College in Hickory, N.C., took his chassis-building skills to the Sprint Cup team owned by Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. Through a friend, the avid golfer and snowboarder received an invitation to work for the organization and presently helps the team in various capacities. “During the week I’m in the composite-component shop building carbon-fiber parts for the cars. On Sundays, I work in a pit support role. I was in the right place at the right time when I started with this team, and I love being here.”

    TUMS appearance: Race fans attending this Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 should be sure to visit the TUMS exhibit located outside the racetrack where Montoya will be signing autographs prior to the 500-lap event. Montoya will be on-site Sunday, October 24 from 9:50am – 10:05am (ET).

    CHASSIS INFO

    No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Track Boats Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1007. Bono and the No. 1 team will bring chassis #1007 to Martinsville Speedway this weekend. This chassis was used just last month at Richmond where McMurray finished 17th. The team also used this chassis earlier in the season at the first Richmond event finishing 19th and first Martinsville where McMurray battled handling issues after an on track altercation forcing a 30th-place finish. McMurray and team tested this chassis at Gresham Motorsports Park in August.

    No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1005. Pattie and the No. 42 Target team are bringing chassis #1005 to Martinsville Speedway this weekend. This chassis was last run in September at Richmond where Montoya started second and finished seventh. The chassis was also used at the first Martinsville event where Montoya had a tire expire forcing a 36th-place finish.

    2010 STATS

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

    Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Ave Start Ave Finish Pts. Pos./(Prev)

    Jamie McMurray 31 3 4 9 11 13.8 16.0 13/14

    Juan Pablo Montoya 31 1 2 5 13 10.7 17.6 16/16

    CAREER STATS

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

    Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Ave Start Ave Finish

    Jamie McMurray 289 6 7 39 91 19.7 19.0

    Juan Pablo Montoya 140 2 4 17 40 17.4 19.8

    TEAM ROSTERS

    Tony Glover – Team Manager

    Steve Hmiel – Director of Competition

    No. 1 (NSCS) Hometown Hometown

    Crew Chief: Kevin Manion Boylston, MA Rear Tire Changer: Chris Taylor West Plains, MO

    Chief Mechanic: Gary Putnam Vernon, CT Rear Tire Carrier: Adam Mosher Fort Mill, SC

    Front Tire Changer: Cory DeMarco St. Louis, MO Gas Man: Benjy Grubbs Richmond, VA

    Front Tire Carrier: Doug Riepe Danbury, CT Catch Can: Eric Hoyle Asheville, NC

    Jack Man: Tracy Duncan Lincolnton, NC Spotter: Keith Barnwell Hudson, NC

    No. 42 (NSCS) Hometown Hometown

    Crew Chief: Brian Pattie Zephyrhills, FL Rear Tire Changer: Chris McMullen Troutman, NC

    Chief Mechanic: Heath Silver Asheville, NC Rear Tire Carrier: Chip Goode Statesville, NC

    Front Tire Changer: Trevor Lysne Fergus Falls, MN Gas Man: Mike Bodick Norwalk, CT

    Front Tire Carrier: Eric Bilyeu Waterford, MI Catch Can: Heath Silver Asheville, NC

    Jack Man: TJ Ford Charlotte, NC Spotter: Tab Boyd Pensacola, FL

  • The Final Word – A nice guy finished first at Charlotte, but the drive for five is very much alive for Mr. Johnson

    The Final Word – A nice guy finished first at Charlotte, but the drive for five is very much alive for Mr. Johnson

    So, what did we learn from Charlotte last Saturday night?

    Well, we learned that NASCAR’s home track for most teams still provides us with good racing that keeps us watching. Kyle Busch has never won a Cup race there, but he once again was the class of the field most of the night. He might have wound up second, but after leading nearly two-thirds of the way he was the star of the evening.

    We learned that nice guys can finish first. You sure get the feeling that Jamie McMurray is a nice guy, one who is thankful for where he is and what has happened to him this season. From not being sure where, if anywhere, he might be driving this year, he has claimed wins at three of the circuits most revered venues.

    We learned that Jimmie Johnson can get loose, go for a slide, fade back to 37th place, and still wind up third on the day. Now only two drivers, fourth place finisher Denny Hamlin (41) and Kevin Harvick (77), remain within a hundred points of the defending champion with only five events left in the season. You can almost hear the fat lady warming up.

    We have learned that there remain those who believe having a driver seek a fifth straight title as being something of a bad thing. What nonsense. We are in a special era that will be long remembered, just as we presently honor the New York Yankees of the 1950’s and the 1960’s Boston Celtics. True dynasties both, yet neither faced 42 competitors as Johnson has faced each race week. Five straight crowns is something to be celebrated and remembered. I hope we get the chance to do just that.

    We learned how important an alternator can be, as did Jeff Gordon. No power, no go, and if that wasn’t bad enough, a late speeding penalty in the pits really put this one to bed. He finished 23rd, and while Gordon remains fourth in the hunt, the 156 point deficit has curtailed any celebrations he might have been planning.

    We learned that even in North Carolina, the outside lane made more than a few feel like they were on an Alaskan ice road. Kurt Busch was an early victim, as was Ryan Newman. In fact, the Rocket’s problem became that of his boss when Tony Stewart got run into when the boys hit the brakes. None would be a factor.

    We learned that it does not matter how many cars you have in the Chase, you might not win if they come together. Clint Bowyer found Jeff Burton cutting across his bow, and hit ramming speed. Neither would be in the top fifteen, though team mate Harvick managed to finish eighth.

    We learned that things are not getting better for Dale Earnhardt Jr, and doubtful they will anytime this season. Charlotte found him 29th, the thirteenth time he has been outside the top twenty this campaign. I wish I knew what the problem was and its solution. Whoever does probably could wind up with a lifetime of free drinks at Whiskey River.

    Next up is Martinsville, where legends have been known to win a bunch. Those who have won three straight or more there include Fred Lorenzen, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace, and Jimmie Johnson. Denny Hamlin could join them, having won the last two. As he could soon be the only legitimate challenger left for Johnson’s title, this would be the time. Enjoy the week.

  • HOORAHS & WAZZUPS: The Charlotte Edition

    HOORAHS & WAZZUPS: The Charlotte Edition

    Over the previous weekend we watched another exciting episode of the comeback of the year. We saw another example of why a championship team may actually have a golden horseshoe inside of their anatomy. We also learned how to adjust a tachometer while driving a race car at a high rate of speed. With those thoughts in mind let’s begin with:

    HOORAH to Jamie McMurray for winning Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The effort marked the popular driver’s third win of the season and his sixth career Sprint Cup win. McMurray also became the first non Chase driver to win a Cup race since the championship series began.

    When you consider the state of McMurray’s career this time one year ago his racing career is absolutely the big comeback story of the year. Last year the driver was not sure what direction his Sprint Cup career would take. He was the odd man out at Roush Fenway Racing when NASCAR’s team ownership cap, limiting owners to four teams, became effective this year. He was signed by former owner Chip Ganassi to drive the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet for one year. There were reports that the team’s sponsor, Bass Pro Shops, was a little dubious about the arrangement.

    We all know what happened next. McMurray won the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis two of the most prestigious events on the Sprint Cup schedule. Needless to say his team owners are very busy preparing a contract extension and the sponsors are reported to be very happy.

    ************

    This week’s making chicken salad out of chicken do-do HOORAH goes to Jimmie Johnson and his #48 Lowes team. Johnson found himself involved in a solo car spin during the early laps of the Bank Of America 500. Amazingly, good luck followed the spin out. Despite the presence of on coming race traffic, no one hit the Johnson Chevrolet.

    The always stoic Chad Knaus led #48 team remained calm and used pit road to massage their car’s handling and help their driver charge through the field. Johnson wound up with a third place finish and even managed to add some padding to his Chase points lead over championship rivals Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick.

    Several months ago Harvick made a wry observation about this team’s good luck and speculated that they may have golden horseshoes up their backsides. It’s becoming more and more apparent that Harvick may be right.

    ***********

    Speaking of Jimmie Johnson, and we will be doing that a lot during the weeks to come, we have three HOORAHS for this week’s NASCAR notable quotable.

    The first one goes to SPEED Channel’s Jimmy Spencer who said “if the #48 teams wins a fifth consecutive championship I’m going to need therapy or least a few cases of beer. Maybe Kurt Busch. (driver of the Miller Lite Dodge), can help me out with that.”

    Another HOORAH goes out to Dave DeSpain, the host of the SPEED Channel’s “Wind Tunnel” who recently invited his viewers to come up with a suitable nickname for Jimmie Johnson. So far my favorite is “J-LOWE” although Jennifer Lopez might have an objection to that.

    Then there’s the matter of the girl friend. Upon learning that Jimmie Johnson padded his points lead following the Charlotte race, “Sweetie” growled “why don’t they just install him in the damn Hall Of Fame right now and be done with it?”

    It’s not that the girl friend is anti Jimmie Johnson. The remark was made out of sheer frustration. “Sweetie” is a card carrying, T shirt wearing, member of the Junior Nation and she was frustrated with spending the better part of three hours watching Dale Earnhardt Junior’s latest mediocre finish.

    ***********

    WAZZUP with Johnson’s team mate, Jeff Gordon, who could have used some of that golden horseshoe luck during the Charlotte race? Gordon’s Chevrolet suffered a mysterious loss of power that was later attributed to the voltage regulator not charging the car’s battery system. That resulted in a lengthy pit stop for a battery change. Adding insult to injury was a second pit road situation involving a speeding penalty. The result was an unfortunate 23d place finish.

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    HOORAH to Brad Keselowski for winning Friday night’s Dollar General 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. It marked his fifth win of 2010, 11th win in 135 series starts and his second win in the Nationwide Series Car Of Tomorrow. More importantly, Keselowski increased his points lead to a whopping 450 points over second place Carl Edwards. It’s absolutely guaranteed that he will be presenting team owner Roger Penske his first ever national NASCAR title.

    HOORAH to the fourth, and final appearance, of the Nationwide Series’ Car Of Tomorrow of 2010. Once again these racy new cars turned up another highly competitive performance during the Charlotte race while increasing the element of driver safety. This exciting new car will be on the track full time next season.

    WAZZUP with Carl Edwards having to make in car adjustments the old school way? During the Charlotte Nationwide Series event some paper debris lodged itself on the grill of Edwards’ Ford. This in turn created a rise in the engine’s water temperature. But Edwards had a problem reporting the water temperature to his crew chief. That was because the tachometer, attached to the steering column, was blocking the view of the water temperature gauge. While piloting his Ford at speeds of 190 MPH plus, Edwards used his left hand to loosen the tach and then hit it several times until the gauge was moved over to the right. It’s good to know that old school methods still work.

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    Finally this week we have two GOD BLESS items. The first notes the sad passing of Jeff Byrd who succumbed to a lengthy illness last Sunday at the age of 60. Byrd took over the reigns as President and General Manager of the Bristol Motor Speedway and Drag way in 1996. His vision and dedicated hard work was the catalyst that led to Bristol becoming one of the premiere racing facilities in the country. Our condolences go out to Mr. Byrd’s family, friends and fans.

    The second GOD BLESS goes to Chris Economacki, the founder of the famed “National Speed Sport News” who recently celebrated his 90th birthday. Economacki is a true NASCAR icon who played a major role in ushering the sport into its television age.