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  • Johnny Sauter Hoping to Take Kulwicki Path to Championship

    Johnny Sauter Hoping to Take Kulwicki Path to Championship

    Johnny Sauter, driver of the No. 13 Safe Auto/Curb/Carrier Chevy Silverado for ThorSport Racing, sits third in Camping World Truck championship points, tied with veteran Ron Hornady, just 15 points behind leader Austin Dillon.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”229″][/media-credit]Although many may consider him an underdog, Sauter definitely wants no one to count him out of championship contention for one simple reason. The 33 year old Wisconsin native is simply following the ‘Kulwicki path’ to glory.

    “I’m going to use the Alan Kulwicki approach to his championship run in ’92,” Sauter said. “No one even considered him to have a chance but by the end of the day, he was champion.”

    “You can’t listen to everybody and what they say,” Sauter continued. “We just have to keep racing hard. Probably some things are going to have to happen, but you never know what will happen.”

    Sauter certainly did not know what was going to happen to him last weekend in Talladega. The race weekend started off rocky for the driver, getting hit in the left eye with a piece of debris shortly after practice began.

    Sauter was then cleared to race, but had to start mid-pack after experiencing some transmission problems. When he and his teammate Matt Crafton dropped to the rear of the pack to try their hands at some tandem racing, they both went for a spin after the car in front of them blew a tire.

    “It was brutal,” Sauter said. “We were playing the strategy of riding around in the back seeing who was going to crash and nobody did, except for us.”

    “It was terrible,” Sauter continued. “We were back there doing our own thing trying to run the tandem deal. The guy in front of us cut a tire down and Crafton’s initial reaction was to turn left. When someone was tucked up behind him like we were, it had a bad outcome.”

    Yet even after being three laps down, Sauter remained focused and in the hunt. He was able to rebound to finish in the 15th spot.

    “When we originally wrecked, I thought that we were in trouble now,” Sauter said. “At one point, we were two laps down and got in position to get our laps back. We had a truck capable of running in the top ten because I pushed Brendan Gaughan all the way up to the front.”

    “That was a solid effort,” Sauter continued. “Obviously I hate the way it turned out through nobody’s fault. But we’re still in the game.”

    After surviving one of NASCAR’s fastest, most sweeping tracks, Sauter was excited to put Talladega in his rear view mirror and head to the short track at Martinsville. The track known as the ‘paper clip’ was the site of not only a victory in the spring for the driver, but also the birth of his second child, who arrived right after the race.

    “It’s obviously a fond memory, winning the race the way we did, passing Kyle Busch on the last few laps,” Sauter said. “Obviously the birth of our baby girl, it made you feel good.”

    “It’s a feel good race track for me,” Sauter continued. “But I’ve been racing long enough to know that was six months ago.”

    For Sauter, his race at Martinsville this weekend was all about track position, as well as staying out of other competitors’ way. In spite of tempers flaring often, Sauter was able to bring his race truck home right where he started the race, in fourth place. This was Sauter’s tenth top-5 finish this season.

    “Ultimately, it all worked out,” Sauter said after the race. “We found our way to the front. This was fun racing and anytime we see Martinsville on the schedule, I’m a happy guy.”

    Sauter is also excited about the final two races, one at Texas and the finale in Homestead. Sauter has a good record in the Lone Star state, having finished second in both of last year’s races, as well as leading 56 laps in the spring race before receiving a late race penalty.

    “I think we can go there and win the race,” Sauter said of Texas. “We’ve run really well there.”

    “We had the truck to beat there but had some trouble in the pits and still finished second,” Sauter continued. “We did everything right and in my mind we won the race.”

    Even with his good run at Martinsville and hopefully another at Texas, Sauter is convinced that, just like during Kulwicki’s run, the championship will be decided  in the finale at Homestead, where the driver has top 10 finishes in two of four starts.

    “I hope it does come down to Homestead,” Sauter said. “That’s what I’ve been saying all year. I think it’s going to.”

    Interestingly enough, with two young guns in front of him and the wily veteran Ron Hornaday now tied with him, Sauter has no interest whatsoever in his competition. In fact, he almost relishes the role of underdog and flying under the radar.

    “To be honest, I’m not looking out for anybody,” Sauter said. “I’m more focused on what we’ve got to do.”

    “Obviously, Hornaday has found something the last month that has got him back on track,” Sauter continued. “But I’m not really concerned about anybody.”

    “I think we need to go to the race track and execute and do our own thing and accumulate points,” Sauter said. “Everybody is focused on Dillon and Hornaday the way that they’ve run.”

    “I probably would look at us as underdogs right now,” Sauter continued. “That’s fine with me. I don’t need the attention.”

    Sauter may not need the attention, but there would be nothing more meaningful to him than to be hoisting that trophy over his head in Florida during the championship race weekend.

    “Man, that would be something,” Sauter said about a championship win. “I probably wouldn’t even know until it happened what I’d feel like.”

    “Coming from a racing family, that would be a huge accomplishment not only for me, but for my family,” Sauter said. “I’d probably be speechless for a little while. I’d have to just take it all in.”

    But for now, with three races in the season left to go, Sauter is just staying the course, as well as hoping to emulate NASCAR champ Alan Kulwicki.

    “You just have to keep digging,” Sauter said. “That’s all you can do.”

  • NASCAR Mixes Chase, Charity and Gout Awareness at Charlotte

    NASCAR Mixes Chase, Charity and Gout Awareness at Charlotte

    This weekend marks the midway point of NASCAR’s closest yet Chase for the championship, with just eight drivers within 20 points of the top of the leader board. Yet in the midst of the Chase, charity has also been a major theme at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the race weekend.

    [media-credit name=”goutpitstop.com” align=”alignright” width=”223″][/media-credit]The major charitable focus, as expected in the month of October, has been for breast cancer awareness.  Almost all of the race cars have been adorned with some sort of pink accents, from the recognizable pink ribbon logos, to pink lanyards and gloves worn by the NASCAR officials.

    “Breast cancer awareness month is one of those unique opportunities in which the NASCAR industry and NASCAR fans rally together for such a special and important cause,” Sandy Marshall, executive director of The NASCAR Foundation, said. “Each year the program gets bigger.”

    Other charities featured in the Chase race weekend at Charlotte include the USO on Clint Bowyer’s No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevy, as well as the No. 16 machine of Greg Biffle sporting a paint scheme for the 3M/Give Kids a Smile effort.

    The most unique charitable initiative, however, is one led by Kevin ‘Bono’ Manion, crew chief for the No. 1 Bass Pro Shop/Arctic Cat Chevrolet driven by Jamie McMurray. Manion has been leading the charge for a new gout awareness campaign in conjunction with the Men’s Health Network and Takeda.

    Manion suffers from gout, a form of arthritis that affects over 8.3 million people in the United States. It is often misunderstood as a disease afflicting those who are rich who indulge in too much food and alcohol.

    “It’s an educational campaign to bring awareness to anyone suffering from gout,” Manion said. “I’ve had it for about ten years and for awhile I didn’t know what it was.”

    “I suffered a lot until the pain got so unbearable that you couldn’t sleep because the sheets couldn’t touch your foot,” Manion continued. “I’ve heard of gout before but always thought of somebody that drank a lot or that it was a rich man’s disease.”

    “I’m basically trying to get the word out there and to let others know that they are not alone.”

    Manion has partnered in the awareness campaign with Men’s Health Network and Takeda. His participation as a spokesperson has not only helped to educate himself about the disease but also to reach others who may be suffering.

    One of the biggest issues related to gout is the shock of receiving the diagnosis, particularly due to the stigma and stereotyping of the illness.

    “When I got my diagnosis, I was surprised for sure,” Manion said. “I’m not a heavy drinker and don’t do those things that they say trigger a flare up.”

    “When I went to the doctor finally, I thought I had a broken foot or a broken toe,” Manion continued. “I went to get X-rayed and they told me that I had gout instead.”

    “It was surprising but you wouldn’t believe the people that I’ve met who are suffering too.”

    Manion has learned many lessons after being diagnosed with gout. Other than having some occasional pain climbing up the ladder to the top of the pit box or running around on race weekend, he has been able to manage his symptoms.

    “What I’ve learned is that you have to take care of yourself,” Manion said. “Like your race car, you’ve got to take care of your body”.

    “As we get older, things change and for me I hopefully have not done any damage by not taking care of myself,” Manion continued. “Everyone’s different.”

    “There’s surely ways to manage through medication, exercise and watching your diet,” Manion said. “But it’s basically being cautious of what’s going on.”

    This weekend, Manion has spent time in the Fan Zone sharing his experience and educating race fans on this illness.

    “A lot of people I’ve met haven’t been to the doctor so encouraging people to see their health care provider to get checked out,” Manion said. “We have information at the ‘Gout Pit Stop’ booth and people can also visit the website www.goutpitstop.com for more information as well.”

    While Manion and many of the other drivers and teams in the sport focus on charitable endeavors throughout the race weekend, they have just one other goal in common. All want to chase the win in the Bank of America 500.

    “Our goal is to win the race,” Manion said simply. “We have a great record and Jamie loves this place. We have a win here so with a 500 mile race, we hope to have a good car for the long haul.”

  • Move Over Boys, It’s Time for Fans to Have at It

    Move Over Boys, It’s Time for Fans to Have at It

    While the action has been intense on the track all season long with ‘boys have at it’, double-file restarts and the most intense battle for the Chase still to be played out, NASCAR fans will soon have the opportunity during Champion’s week to ‘have at it’ themselves with their favorite drivers , unfiltered, in Las Vegas.

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: nascar.com” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]NASCAR’s wildly successful ‘After the Lap’ event will be repeated for the third year at the Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Vegas. Tickets for the December 1st opportunity to ‘have at it’ with the champ and Chase contenders are officially now on sale by visiting www.nascarafterthelap.com.

    “It’s one of our favorite events,” Norris Scott, Vice President of Partnership Marketing and Business Solutions for NASCAR said. “It’s 3,000 fans packed into the Hard Rock getting an hour or even more of unfiltered access to the drivers.”

    “At this point, they have their helmets off, the champion has been decided and it’s a lot of fun,” Scott continued. “There’s a large Q&A session with the fans and Jamie Little hosts it to keep it all going.”

    “What I like about it most is the drivers are just having fun up on stage with the fans and with each other,” Norris said. “We’re glad to be continuing this.”

    Last year’s event definitely lived up to the ‘unfiltered’ status that Scott described. But, according to Scott, that is exactly what makes the event so special and unique.

    “There were some really funny moments,” Scott said. “One of the questions to Tony Stewart was ‘If you were on a reality show, which one would you want to be on.’ He went through all of the reasons he wouldn’t want to be on one but then ended up saying it would be ‘The Bachelor,’ much to the delight of the fans.”

    “Clint Bowyer was talking about the green room and about how all the guys were changing into more comfortable clothes and he was busting Kyle Busch for wearing green underwear, asking him what that was all about.”

    “Unfiltered is the best way to describe it,” Scott said. “They’re just so good and so comfortable up there and the fans love it.”

    Do Scott and the NASCAR leadership ever worry that the fans may cross the line or get out of hand a bit with their questions?

    “They’re respectful but I’m not going to lie to you,” Scott said candidly. “There were a few moments last year where we wondered where this was going to go. But Jamie Little is a great host and keeps it in line.”

    Last year, one of the Vegas headliners, Carrot Top, made a special appearance, adding another unique element to the event. This year will be no different with Bill Engvall, best known from The Blue Collar Comedy Tour, making his own cameo appearance.

    “He is pretty funny and he will spice it up a little bit,” Scott said. “When I tell people about the event, I really have a tough time finding another sports league as a comparable event to this.”

    “ There’s no doubt that others have a Q&A for fans but I can’t think of another event where the top 12, including the champion of the sport, are in a venue allowing fans to ask these raw questions to them and them answering them on the spot,” Scott continued. “It’s really unique and special for us.”

    Another unique aspect to this year’s event will be that all proceeds, $20 per ticket, will benefit the NASCAR Foundation, particularly programs helping children.

    “That’s a new element this year,” Scott said. “In prior years, it’s been free but this year all the event proceeds will go to the NASCAR Foundation. The Foundation has a new focus on kids and children’s initiatives so the money will go through that.”

    The ‘After the Lap’ event, while special and unique, is just one of the many events planned for Champion’s Week.

    “Prior to the NASCAR ‘After the Lap’ event, the drivers are doing their drive around on the Strip, doing burnouts and then they pull into the Hard Rock,” Scott said. “There is the Coca Cola Fan Zone and the drivers sign autographs. That builds on the excitement before the drivers get into the Hard Rock.”

    “Sprint will also have their Sprint Experience there,” Scott continued. “They are bringing a smaller version of what they bring to the track each week outside the Hard Rock.”

    One of the sport’s other major partners, Ford, will be further sweetening the fans ‘have at it’ experience with their unique ‘Send Me to Vegas Sweepstakes.”

    “One of the unique things about Ford is not only is there the ‘Send me to Vegas Sweepstakes’ where fans can not only go to ‘After the Lap’ but also a chance to win a 2012 Ford Explorer,” Scott said. “Ford is bringing a lot to the table in terms of supporting the event as well as making it pretty memorable for one lucky fan.”

    Scott affirmed that Las Vegas is the perfect place to hold all of the Championship events, from the banquet to the burnouts on the Strip to the Hard Rock event. Last year, close to 20,000 fans lined the streets and the ‘After the Lap’ event was sold out with 3,000 fans in attendance, as it is expected to be again this year.

    “Las Vegas has been a great city to work with,” Scott said. “Vegas is very quickly become a packed week in terms of events for the fans.”

    “Being on the Strip, with the lights and the casinos, it is pretty awesome.”

     

  • Travis Pastrana Renews NASCAR Commitment During Recovery

    Travis Pastrana, who was so seriously injured during an attempted freestyle X-game trick on his motorcycle, renewed his commitment to NASCAR racing during an appearance in the media center at Dover International Speedway.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”222″][/media-credit]And although the action sports super star was still hobbling on crutches, he was thrilled to be back at the track, especially at the Monster Mile.

    “I was real excited to come out here to Dover because this is like my hometown track,” Pastrana said. “This is the first time I’ve been able to see it really up close. I definitely am disappointed to not be out there driving for sure.”

    In spite of his disappointment to not be out on the track, Pastrana has every intention of getting back behind the wheel of his No. 99 Boost Mobile Toyota for Pastrana Waltrip Racing in the Nationwide Series as soon as possible.

    “Right now recovery has been slow but going well I guess,” Pastrana said. “I get the pins out on Monday, which is always nice.”

    “Hopefully, I get all the pins out and start getting in the pool and be able to get down to the shop a little more,” Pastrana continued. “I want to drive the I-racing simulator a little bit more. I’ll do whatever I can to get back driving cars as soon as possible.”

    Pastrana will not be able to race at Daytona, however, his plan is to make his Nationwide debut at Phoenix. Although Boost will continue as his sponsor next year, providing twenty races at present, Pastrana hopes to race as many different types of cars and as many different series as possible.

    “Not being able to start out at Daytona and not being able to run the entire Nationwide Series is definitely a disappointment,” Pastrana said. “But we’re basically looking to do as many as we can do.”

    “I’m trying to do as many Nationwide and K&N and any kind of car races I can to get as much experience as I can,” Pastrana continued. “I haven’t really finalized all the deals for next year but I’m really hoping to get more than less I guess.”

    “The goal is definitely the same, to race as much as possible,” Pastrana said. “We just have to work out the sponsorship. My goal is to get in as many cars as possible.”

    Pastrana has experienced many lessons learned by being injured an unable to race. Although disappointed, he has also gained invaluable experience that he would not have had otherwise.

    “Definitely sitting on the sidelines and not racing, every time I watch a race, the disappointment is there,” Pastrana said. “It’s a small positive, but I’ve been able to watch all the races.”

    “I’ve been able to watch all the drivers,” Pastrana continued. “I actually know a lot more about who runs up front and who runs aggressive and who doesn’t, which drivers tend to stay up there at the end, and which drivers tend to qualify well.”

    “It’s been a great learning experience but I would much rather have been learning on the track of course.”

    Although he will not be officially racing until into the 2012 season, Pastrana does plan on doing some testing in his race car as soon as possible.

    “Doctors say that I’ll be walking in a month,” Pastrana said. “And I figure as soon as I can walk, I can drive. Put me in coach.”

    With all this talk of NASCAR racing, is the XGames superstar done with that chapter of his life?

    “To be perfectly honest, I was supposed to do my exit from the X-games,” Pastrana said. “That was not exactly the exit that I was looking for.”

    “I will not be on a bike this next year and do not plan to be on it for X games ever,” Pastrana continued. “But at the same time, motorcycling is something I’ll always do for training.”

    “Whether I’ll be riding at a competitive level, I sincerely doubt it,” Pastrana said. “But with Red Bull and a lot of the stuff they have in years to come, I’ll never say I will never do motorcycle stuff again.”

    “It’s who I am,” Pastrana continued. “But at the same time, this is my number one priority for the next two years. And then we can assess what life is going to bring.”

    Pastrana has also been busy with another project, filming the Nitro Circus 3-D movie. This too, however, has seemed to solidify for the action sports phenomenon that those days are over, with only racing ahead as his new goal.

    “We just finished filming Nitro Circus 3D movie, which Waltrip Racing had helped us with many products along the way,” Pastrana said. “For me, as soon as that movie is done filming and I have to do a little press for that, my action sports career is done.”

    “But as far as anything taking risks, I’m definitely going to be in this car and do the best I can to put my best foot forward,” Pastrana continued. “It was the most disappointing thing in my life to not only have myself but an entire team waiting for me and banking on me being in the car.”

    “I see the guys around the track and they’re all on different teams,” Pastrana said. “It’s tough because not only did we lose some of the top guys but a lot of friends had to find other work. Definitely something that I took to heart and I don’t want to happen ever again.”

    As soon as Pastrana has his pins removed, his intense rehabilitation will being. This will include time in the pool, as well as bicycling, based on whatever his ankle will tolerate.

    “I’m sure it will start out for an hour or two a day and work up from there,” Pastrana said. “My only job right now is to get that ankle healthy and to learn a little bit about the car.”

    “We’ll be doing physical therapy as much as that ankle will tolerate it without making it swell.”

    But even with his injury, one that he characterized as “the biggest failures” that he has ever experienced, Pastrana acknowledged that it has just made him even more focused on his upcoming racing career.

    “It’s been really frustrating but fortunately or unfortunately, I’ve been in a lot of pain the first month,” Pastrana said. “ It hurt to have the foot down.”

    “So, I’ve been watching a lot of NASCAR,” Pastrana said. “For better or for worse, it was a good learning experience.”

  • Chrissy Wallace Comes Into Her Own With Two Championships

    Chrissy Wallace Comes Into Her Own With Two Championships

    Although Chrissy Wallace may be from a famous racing family, including Uncle Rusty, Uncle Kenny, cousin Steven and dad Mike, she is definitely  coming into her own, especially with two championships now under her belt.

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Julian LeBallister” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The 23 year old racer scored the I-44 Speedway Track Champion title, as well as the championship of the ASA West Regional Series. In the latter, Wallace made history as the first female champion ever.

    “It’s a huge honor,” Wallace said. “It means so much to me. I still have butterflies in my stomach from being so excited.”

    Although her own racer, Wallace is still following in her family’s footsteps, especially her father Mike, with these two championships.

    “Years ago, my dad did the same thing,” Wallace said. “He won the track championship at I-44 Speedway and then he won the West Regional Championship.”

    “It means a lot because of the whole family but at the same time it means a lot to me,” Wallace said. “I’ve never achieved a championship before.”

    Wallace’s championships are even more impressive due to her team’s limited budget, as well as the staffing.

    “There is so much support and effort that we’ve put into that car all year,” Wallace said. “We have one guy that works on our car full-time. My uncle and his son help me at the race track.”

    “So, to achieve what we have is beyond my goals,” Wallace continued. “My goals at the beginning of the year were to finish in the top five in points and be able to win one race.”

    “We wound up winning two championships and six races.”

    Wallace has also been able to leverage her success, scoring a ride in the final ARCA race, the Toledo ARCA 200, presented by Federated Car Care, in Toledo, Ohio on October 16th for Cunningham Motorsports. The deal came about quickly, thanks to some sponsorship from her famous father and family.

    “After I won the championship, Cunningham Motorsports and Paul Andrews did not have anybody running their car,” Wallace said. “They had Dakoda Armstrong that had been running their car on and off this year.”

    “They didn’t have a sponsor so they came to my dad and said, ‘Look we know your daughter needs an opportunity and she would be a very good person to be in our car,” Wallace continued. “But we need sponsorship.”

    “Pretty much we pieced together a deal to where my dad helped fund the deal along with a few more sponsors and some that we’re waiting back for a response.”

    “This means so much to me,” Wallace said. “It’s finally something that I’ve been able to achieve to help my career go even further.”

    Although Wallace has never been to Toledo, she has raced in the ARCA ReMax Series before. In her previous two efforts, she finished ninth at Talladega and was in second at Pocono before crashing out of the race.

    “It will be my first time ever at Toledo,” Wallace said. “I’ve never seen the race track, never practiced, nothing.”

    “We’re going to go to test next week at a track similar to Toledo,” Wallace continued. “We’ll spend the day testing.”

    While Wallace has her hands full as champion of two series, as well as some upcoming racing, her future remains uncertain. And, like all young racers, the future is contingent on sponsorship.

    “Right now we don’t have anything set in stone due to sponsorship,” Wallace said. “We have talked to certain truck teams that feel that they can help me out through the year to where I could possibly run seven Truck races for next year.”

    “If we don’t have a sponsor, we will run the Late Model Series full-time,” Wallace continued. “If we find the sponsorship, I would run at least seven Truck races, and some ARCA races and perhaps even some Nationwide races.”

    Who might Wallace consider as the most ideal sponsor for her and her career?  She has some interesting and creative thoughts for sure.

    “Honestly my ideal sponsor is a company like Maybelline or Victoria’s Secret, a female based sponsor that will be behind me and know that I can market them,” Wallace said. “I can help them as much as they can help me.”

    “Even something like Tampax would be a great sponsor,” Wallace continued. “It’s never been on a race car and all the guys would never have it on their cars.”

    “But I want a female-based or female-driven company as a sponsor,” Wallace said. “Of course, I’d be happy to have any other sponsor, but a female driver with a female-based  company directed to females would help me out more.”

    “I want to be able to market somebody and give them the value back they are giving me,” Wallace continued. “I really think that it would work out well.”

    Although now one of many up and coming female racers, from most recognizable Danica Patrick to Johanna Long and Jennifer Jo Cobb to name a few, Wallace feels she is definitely unique.

    “Honestly I’ve had the chance to race against some of the other female drivers,” Wallace said. “What’s different for me is that I have the talent, I have the passion and I have the wins and the championships to prove it.”

    “I have more seat time too,” Wallace continued. “I think I have more of a driven goal than some of the others do.”

    Wallace is indeed driven in all that she does and refuses to give up, in spite of sponsor struggles.

    “I’ve been working hard trying to stay in the NASCAR Series since I was 19 years old,” Wallace said. “I’ve got to set my goals really high and try to over-achieve them.”

    “I never want to under-achieve, I only want to over-achieve.”

    “My main goal is that I want to start off in the Truck Series, win the Rookie of the Year and move my way up to be the first successful female as a NASCAR driver,” Wallace said. “I have to thank my family, all my fans and the sponsors that have helped me throughout my career.”

    The young driver definitely credits her family as one of her primary supports. Yet having that famous last name can also add even more pressure to the mix.

    “A lot of people expect things about of me because of having the last name of Wallace,” Wallace said. “I want to be the first successful female NASCAR driver.”

    “ I want to be in the Cup Series and I want to win the championship,” Wallace continued. “So, I do put pressure on myself.”

    “To make it to the level of achievement that my family has means a lot to me,” Wallace said. “There are not enough words to say what all this means to me because I haven’t figured out the right words yet to make it sound right.”

     

  • J J Yeley Does Double Designated Driver Duty at Dover

    J J Yeley Does Double Designated Driver Duty at Dover

    J. J. Yeley is pulling double designated driver duty in Dover, Delaware this weekend.

    [media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”230″][/media-credit]On the track, Yeley is the designated driver to get the No. 38 Ford team of Front Row Motorsports not only into the race, but also into the top 35 in the point standings by the season end.

    And off the track, Yeley is participating in a special promotion entitled, “J.J. is My D.D.”, encouraging all to “Drive Sober, Arrive Alive” by using a designated driver.

    For Yeley, his primary focus this race weekend as the team’s designated driver is getting the car into the show. This will be especially daunting due to the fact that Yeley wrecked his primary car in practice, with a too close encounter with the Monster’s wall.

    “There are a lot of things that make Dover unique and there is a reason they call Dover the ‘Monster Mile,” Yeley said. “The straight-aways at this race track have more banking than other tracks where we go.”

    “It is by far the fastest race track we go to,” Yeley continued. “What makes this place the toughest is the transitions from the corners to the straight-aways.”

    “That’s what bit me in practice,” Yeley said. “As I exited Turn Two, the car jumped sideways and there was no time for recovery.”

    “They call it a self-cleaning race track but it’s more a gobble them up and spit them out track.”

    Is Yeley worried about having to be the designated driver of his back-up car? While he might be confident, he also admitted that it makes for an even more unnerving situation.

    “The back-up car is actually going to be better,” Yeley said. “That’s the beauty of having a multi-car team.”

    “Me and David (Gilliland) have a compatible driving style,” Yeley continued. “So, I’m not worried about jumping into a back-up car. Most likely it will just be a lot of fine-tuning.”

    “We will have to make it in on time,” Yeley said. “But we should easily make the race based on my practice averages.”

    “It’s still very difficult because you cannot afford to make any mistakes,” Yeley continued. “The difference between who makes the race and who goes home is the matter of a thousandth of a second.”

    “It always makes you nervous, no matter if you’re a veteran driver or one with a short amount of experience,” Yeley said. “I talked with Bill Elliott last year and he even got nervous when he had to qualify in and perform under those circumstances.”

    “The team has to prepare the car as good as possible and I as a driver cannot make any mistakes.”

    Yeley has a singular focus as the team 38 designated driver.

    “The goal for this weekend is to gain points on the No. 71 team,” Yeley said. “We’ve been making up an average of 5-7 points per race.”

    “So, by the end of the year, we should get the car back into the top-35 in points,” Yeley continued. “Ultimately for 2011, that’s the goal for the No. 38 team.”

    “It makes 2012 so much easier,” Yeley said. “Those first five races, you don’t have to worry and it makes getting sponsors so much easier.”

    “All we can do is go out there and do our best,” Yeley continued. “This is a particularly tough race track but I think we can capitalize.”

    Yeley’s other Designated Driver duty is even more critical, as this one is designed to save lives. Yeley is partnering with the Delaware Office of Highway Safety to call attention to the dangers of drinking and driving.

    “When I was here in the spring race, I worked with the Delaware Office of Highway Safety on their seatbelt promotion,” Yeley said. “I had some friends who were killed in accidents where they were not wearing their seat belts so we just built that relationship.”

    “Anytime you can have a sponsor, it’s a fantastic thing but when you can promote such a great cause, it is perfect.”

    The Delaware Office of Highway Safety is also thrilled to be working with Yeley yet again.

    “The Delaware Office of Highway Safety is very excited to partner with J.J. and Front Row Motorsports to promote the Drive Sober message,” Jana Simpler, Director of the OHS, said. “NASCAR is a very popular sport with lots of loyal fans.”

    “We think that promoting Designated Driving and a Drive Sober message with a NASCAR racing team will create more buzz among 18- to 34-year old males about driving sober and arriving alive.”

    Both Yeley and the DOHS agree that the partnership between their office and Yeley is the best way to reach a maximum number of people, especially in that targeted age group.

    “When you have over 100,000 people at a race, most of them having a good time, it’s very important to pass along the “Drive Sober, Arrive Alive” message,” Yeley said. “You have so many people show up at these races that sometimes people forget the fact that they have been drinking all day, which just magnifies the alcohol.”

    “Having a designated driver because usually there is so much traffic leaving the races, getting caught with a DUI is not only costly but very dangerous.”

    For Yeley, being the designated driver is not only a passion, but it is personal.

    “The previous team that I was with, one of the sponsor’s had a niece that was almost killed by a drunk driver six months ago in Dallas,” Yeley said. “She almost lost her life but she was one of the lucky ones.”

    “Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who don’t give it a second thought,” Yeley continued. “That is what this promotion is all about.”

    Yeley will actually be participating as a designated driver for a fan this race weekend. He will be traveling with a contest winner, Andy Anderson, to several local pubs as his DD.

    “We will start signing autographs at a local pub and then travel to another bar at Dover Downs,” Yeley said. “Andy Anderson was the lucky recipient. He will have more than a good time than I will as I won’t be drinking obviously.”

    For more information about the ‘Drive Sober, Arrive Alive’ campaign, visit www.duirealtime.com or www.jjismydd.com.

  • Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Timmy Hill Both Pursue Nationwide Dreams

    Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., driver of the No. 6 Blackwell Angus/Cargill Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing, and Timmy Hill, behind the wheel of No. 15 Poynt.com Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing, have more than just driving for the same manufacturer in common.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”237″][/media-credit]Both young, up and coming drivers are pursuing their NASCAR dreams, one for a Nationwide championship and the other for the youngest ever Nationwide Rookie of the Year title.

    Stenhouse Jr., who won the Nationwide ROTY honors last year, is 23 years old while Hill is just 18 years of age, with his highest achievement being the Allison Legacy Series Championship.

    For Stenhouse, the achievement of the NASCAR Nationwide championship would be a dream come true.

    “It would mean a lot,” Stenhouse said. “It would definitely be my biggest accomplishment ever in my racing career.”

    “After the way last year went, struggling so bad the first part of the year and turning it around at the end of the year, it really makes you appreciate where we are right now as a race team,” Stenhouse continued.

    “We came into the year thinking that we were gonna be able to run for it and now that we’ve got six races left and have a shot at it, it’s exactly where we need to be.”

    Similarly for Hill, the Nationwide Rookie of the Year title would be just as good as the championship would be to Stenhouse, Jr. And if he won those coveted rookie honors, Hill would make history as the youngest ROTY at the tender age of 18 years.

    “It would be awesome for me to be the youngest one to do it,” Hill said. “We just hoped at this time in the year to have a shot at the Rookie of the Year and everything has worked out.”

    “We’re leading now by just two points.”

    For both drivers, achieving their respective dreams will be tough, especially with the level of competition. Stenhouse, Jr. is battling veteran Elliott Sadler, driver of the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet, for the Nationwide title, while Hill is battling Blake Koch, driver of the No. 81 DayStar.com Dodge, for the ROTY honors.

    “I think you have to be on your game,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “You have to go out and try to win because Elliott Sadler is not gonna finish outside of the top 10.”

    “So, you’ve got to do something better to beat him in this championship.”

    “It’s close,” Hill echoed. “Blake has been right there and we’ve been right beside each other almost every race.”

    “It’s a real tight battle, but hopefully we can hang on to it,” Hill continued. “We hope to finish that deal out.”

    Both dream chasing drivers share a very similar background, having started in go-kart racing, as well as continuing through the ARCA ReMax Racing Series. Hill, in particular, has racing in his blood from watching his father, Jerry Hill, race in the Truck Series for many years.

    “My dad ran Truck Series and the Busch Series back then, Nationwide Series now,” Hill said. “He ran a full season of Trucks in 2003 and that was his last season.”

    “I kept bugging him when I was a kid that I wanted to race,” Hill continued. “Finally he said OK and he put me in a go kart and let me try it out.”

    “The first race, I loved it and I was instantly hooked.”

    One interesting thing that the two drivers on their dream quests share, however, is actually a person. Both have ties to Cup Chase contender Carl Edwards.

    For Stenhouse, Jr. his tie to Carl is that of teammates both seeking a championship. As Stenhouse chases the Nationwide championship, he is also cognizant of getting Edwards, in the No. 60 Fastenal Ford, the owner championship for Jack Roush.

    “Jamie Allison from Ford came in this week and we’ve got a lot of things going,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “We’re obviously going for the driver’s championship.”

    “We’ve got to get Carl the owner’s championship and then we’ve got to get Ford the manufacturer’s championship,” Stenhouse continued. “Ford is putting a lot of effort into it and we’ve got a lot of things to accomplish this year and I think we can do it as a race team.”

    For Hill, Carl Edwards is not teammate but hero.

    “A guy I like to pattern myself after is Carl Edwards,” Hill said. “He handles himself real well and I like the way he treats his fans.”

    “Almost everything he does I like to pattern myself after.”

    The two young up and comers also share one unfortunate aspect to their careers. They both are uncertain of what their future holds.

    “Right now, my biggest focus is this Nationwide championship,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “I think I’ve always said after running a couple of years in Nationwide I would like to run maybe a partial schedule or something just to kind of get my feet wet.”

    “But I don’t want to jump into things too quick.”

    “I may go to college next year,” Hill said, who just graduated high school. “I just want to focus on racing. I just want to keep my focus right now on the Rookie of the Year battle.”

    So, for now, both Stenhouse, Jr. and Hill realize that the road to achieving their dreams runs straight through the Monster Mile at Dover this weekend. Not unexpectedly, both drivers are confident that they will conquer the concrete track.

    “For us, every time I’ve come to Dover, we’ve had a better finish,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “We finished fourth the last race here and had a really fast Mustang.”

    “I think, obviously, we’ll have a good race here.”

    “This is my second time here since the spring race,” Hill said. “So, we’ve got the experience and we’ve got the feel.”

    “The banking and the way it drops off makes it a monster,” Hill continued. “It’s a wild ride.”

     

  • Mark Martin Ever Humble, Always Blessed

    Mark Martin, currently behind the wheel of the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, has had one of the most storied careers in NASCAR, including 40 wins, 266 top-fives, 437 top-tens, and 50 poles to date.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”241″][/media-credit]And yet, the driver whose career has spanned almost thirty years racing a stock car at the Cup level, remains ever humble, as well as considering himself very blessed.

    Martin, as one would expect, humbly credits one person, team owner Jack Roush, as being the most influential person throughout his racing career.

    “I spent nineteen years with him,” Martin said of his mentor and team owner Roush. “He was someone that was wiser and more experienced in many ways than I was.”

    “He was more experienced in life,” Martin continued. “So, that one is easy to answer.”

    In fact, Martin’s most memorable car, one that he hopes may one day accompany him to the Hall of Fame, is that No. 6 car that he drove for his mentor Jack Roush.

    “The No. 6 car is most representative of my career,” Martin said. “That and my time with Jack Roush.”

    “That’s the core and foundation of my career.”

    In addition to Jack Roush, Martin credits having chemistry with his various teams over the years as another key to his success. And according to Martin, it all starts with the relationship between driver and crew chief.

    “I believe in team chemistry,” Martin said emphatically. “It’s sort of intangible. But it does help spawn better results.”

    “It’s the whole team but it really starts with the crew chief,” Martin said. “It’s like a number of other things in life, like a relationship or a marriage or anything else.”

    “There are good ones and there are bad ones and there’s all in between,” Martin continued. “You have to work hard on it but the very best ones require no effort.”

    As effortless as it might seem, Martin said that team chemistry cannot be forced, an experience that he has had several times throughout his career.

    “It’s not something that you can force to happen,” Martin said. “It just does.”

    “It happens or it doesn’t or it falls somewhere in between,” Martin continued. “I’ve had a lot of that.”

    “I’ve been very fortunate to have been in very few poor situations, “Martin said. “I’ve been in a lot of great situations and I’ve been really, really blessed.”

    Although Martin has been credited as a mentor to many throughout his racing tenure, he humbly declines to discuss even one of those that he has helped in their career development.

    “I haven’t had the kind of influence on young people that people give me credit for,” Martin said humbly. “I certainly don’t take credit for that.”

    While Martin has seen competitors come and go throughout his years on the track, he acknowledged only one change in competition as the most significant in the sport.

    “The number of competitive cars and the discrepancy between the slow and the fast cars is the most competitive change I have seen,” Martin said. “This has changed the face of NASCAR racing forever.”

    Is the veteran driver bothered by all the talk of late of fuel mileage and its place in the competition of the sport? For Martin, the fuel mileage discussion is all about ‘been there, done that.’

    “It’s not new by any means,” Martin said. “I feel like I’ve lost probably forty races to fuel mileage in my career. So, certainly, it’s not new.”

    “We might have went through a spell where we had less of it then we used to and now we’re having more than we used to,” Martin continued. “Some of that is just coincidence.”

    “I don’t think it’s bad for the sport because you don’t know who is going to win until the leader comes off Turn Four,” Martin said. “Isn’t that the whole appeal of racing?”

    “I wouldn’t want to see it ever leave because I think it brings drama to our sport.”

    Martin himself is no stranger to the drama that stock car racing often entails. While he has experienced his share of the low points, he also has had many memorable moments.

    “Winning Phoenix in the No. 5 car was my most memorable moment,” Martin said. “It was pretty incredible.”

    Martin, 50 years old at the time, started the 2009 Phoenix Subway Fresh Fit 500 from the pole and never looked back. With that win, Martin became the fourth driver to win a Cup race after turning 50, joining the ranks of Bobby Allison, Morgan Shepherd and Harry Gant.

    That victory snapped a 97-race winless streak that went all the way back to 2005. After the win, Martin paid tribute to one of his dear friends Alan Kulwicki by doing the ‘Polish Victory Lap’.

    “I don’t have words to describe it because I never thought I’d win again,” Martin said humbly. “And I think most of the competitors thought so too. They all seemed to receive it really well.”

    “It was a big win,” Martin continued. “I didn’t know if I’d ever get to experience that feeling again.”

    One of the feelings that Martin experiences over and over again is the adoration of his large fan base. And without a doubt, his most memorable moments with his fan posse are the interactions he has with them during his annual fan appreciation event in Batesville, Arkansas.

    “I’ve been incredibly blessed with support and a lot of fans with a lot of love,” Martin said.

    “My favorite part of my fan event is the Q&A,” Martin continued. “That’s the part when you get the one and one and the personalities come out. The people get to ask what they really want to know.”

    “And they get answers from somebody in a peaceful setting so there is no pressure, time pressures or limitations.”

    That peaceful setting is another one of the goals that Martin has been continually seeking, both on and off the track. He also has been practicing the art of trying more diligently to balance his career with his home and family life.

    “I’ve got some experience at it,” Martin said of his work/life balancing act. “Through the middle stages of my NASCAR career, I didn’t manage it as well as I needed to.”

    “I worked really, really hard and gave everything that I had and the problem I had was that I brought home my frustrations, disappointments and pressures,” Martin continued. “That affected the vibe around me.”

    “And I hated that,” Martin said. “I thought it was just because I was extremely intense.”

    “But I’m still extremely intense and I do a better job of isolating my personal life.”

    Of all of the many experiences throughout his career, the ever humble Martin struggles to single out one that he would like to do over.

    “I don’t do those things,” Martin said. “I’m not into it. It’s not me.”

    “There are too many great experiences in life to say one tops it all.”

     

  • Scott Speed Back at the Track and Still Laid Back, In Every Way but One

    Scott Speed, now driving the No. 46 Red Line Oil Ford for Whitney Motor Sports, is back at the track after being losing his Red Bull ride to Kasey Kahne last year.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”216″][/media-credit]Yet in spite of being back in the competition fray, the 28 year old former Formula 1 driver seems unfazed, still maintaining his laid back, mellow persona, at least in every way but one.

    Speed definitely is laid back as far as being at the track. Yet he has also missed much when he was away, more than he even realized.

    “It feels great to be back here,” Speed said. “It certainly gives us something to do on the weekends.”

    “I have a lot of friends out here,” Speed continued. “I forgot how many actually.”

    “There are a lot of people here and I know a lot of them,” Speed said. “And to be back in sort of a routine that’s normal for me is for sure nice.”

    Speed is back in the race saddle thanks to a thirteen race Cup deal with Whitney Motorsports, driving for owner Dusty Whitney.

    “I really like Dusty and his guys,” Speed said. “They work really hard with the little amount they have.”

    “There’s a lot of passion over here and I love how tight a group we are,” Speed continued “We’re the underdogs and I love it.”

    “We’re going to run a couple more full races and start and park the rest,” Speed said. “We’ll just keep trying to build it.”

    “We have so little people, and help and money,” Speed said. “We’re just trying to make it by in this tough economy.”

    For Speed, getting back behind the wheel of a stock car proved easier than he had anticipated. And as usual, Speed approached getting back at it with his typical laid back style.

    “I felt like I might be a little rusty, but we were still pretty quick right away,” Speed said. “It’s one of those things where I don’t think you forget.”

    Did Speed learn any lessons on his hiatus away from the track?

    “You learn a little bit every day,” Speed said. “Nothing really sticks out that I can recall. I don’t take anything for granted but then again I never have.”

    Speed has, however been keeping himself occupied throughout his time away by pursuing one of his primary passions, golf, as well as picking up a new hobby or two.

    “I’m still golfing and still getting better,” Speed said “And I’ve been cycling a lot.”

    “Me and Josh Wise have been riding our bikes around Charlotte,” Speed continued. “Just staying fit and staying busy.”

    Speed is also doing some mentoring of his own, taking fellow up and comer Josh Wise under his wing. Wise made his second Cup start at Loudon behind the wheel of the No. 37 Front Row Motorsports Ford.

    “He’s doing good,” Speed said of Wise. “We’re good buddies. We’re kind of teammates at the moment. I help him out as much as I can.”

    Although he maintains a good relationship with his former team, Red Bull, Speed is also laid back about his continuing legal battles with them. In spite of that unfolding drama, he remains relatively unfazed.

    “I have a good relationship with a lot of the guys there,” Speed said. “We’re still in the law suit. It’s going slowly but surely.”

    “And it’s all looking really good at the moment,” Speed continued. “I couldn’t be happier at this point.”

    Although Speed is set for this season, his future plans remain unsettled. Yet again, he tries not to stress about that.

    “I don’t know,” Speed said of his future. “Right now I hope we can grow this into something that’s better for next year where we can run more races and be more competitive. That would be the best thing.”

    While Speed is laid back about most everything else, there is one thing that revs him up significantly. He cannot wait for his wife Amanda to have their daughter Juliet, due at any minute.

    “The baby is coming Monday at the latest,” Speed said. “We’ll be induced. Amanda’s doctor is good and has been able to schedule it for us.”

    Will Speed be a laid back new father? And will he still be behind the wheel of a race car as their child grows up?

    “Hopefully, I’ll be just like my dad,” Speed said. “But I don’t plan on being the dad that when my daughter is at that age of ten to thirteen and starts to be really be active and do sports, I won’t still be racing.”

    “I can’t miss every single weekend of my child’s life doing what I want to do,” Speed continued. “My dad did that for me and I’ll do that for my daughter for sure.”

    Speed is also not laid back about pressuring his child to pursue a career in any form of racing, no matter how athletic or competitive she turns out to be.

    “No, absolutely not,” Speed said when asked about racing as a future for his daughter. “I would push her the other way.”

    “It would take me a lot to put her in a car,” Speed continued. “I know how it is. I’m not rich. I don’t have a dad that can sponsor me halfway up, which is what you need to have these days.”

    “I got really lucky to make it from what we had. I’ll push my daughter into something more reasonable like tennis or golf,” Speed said. “I’m sure she’s going to be really athletic and competitive knowing myself and Amanda.”

    “So, if she wants to do that, then sure,” Speed continued. “It’s whatever she wants. I’m certainly not going to push her.”

    While Scott may be laid back in his approach to all things racing, there is one thing that he is most passionate about, greeting his soon-to-be daddy’s little girl.

    “I’m sure that’s how it will be.”

     

  • Cole Whitt Wide Open

    What makes Cole Whitt, driver of the No. 60 for Turn One/Red Bull Racing in the Camping World Truck Series, tick? Whitt explains it simply as running his life on and off the track “wide open.”

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]Whitt’s exposure to his now wide open racing style started at a very young age. And, as with many drivers in the various levels of NASCAR, he credits his family with initiating him in the sport.

    “I’d say who got me hooked is my cousin Brandon,” Whitt said. “He used to race and got me started in go kart racing and then moved up into the stock car world with late models.”

    “I watched him race the trucks a lot while I was just racing go karts,” Whitt continued. “I’d say my cousin Brandon got me my real start, but my dad and my grandpa all raced so, it’s really been in my family.”

    While Whitt’s cousin may have gotten him going in the wide open world of racing, his dad is the one that he credits for his competitiveness in the sport.

    “My dad helped me be competitive,” Whitt acknowledged. “A lot of my good characteristics come from my dad.”

    “He’s a hard worker,” Whitt continued. “He just raised me that way, to be competitive and be at the top.”

    In learning to race wide open, Whitt not only credits his father with being his mentor along the way but also mentions several other racing mentors. Tops among them are Cory Kruseman and Jon Stanbrough, both from the sprint car racing world.

    “There have been a lot of people that have helped me along the way,” Whitt said. “I’d say my dad definitely got me my main start. My cousin helped me out.”

    “But even along the way in sprint car ranks there are people like Cory Kruseman, who helped me find my way to Indiana and got me my start with Skeeter Ellis,” Whitt continued. “As I was racing out there, I became friends with Jon Stanbrough, who is the ‘King of Indiana’, in sprint racing.”

    “I became friends with Jon and we really hit it off,” Whitt continued. “We became good friends and had a lot of good battles throughout our career. Jon helped me out a lot.”

    With his support wide open, when did the light bulb go off for Whitt so that he knew that racing would be his career of choice? The young rookie Truck Series driver has an interesting response.

    “I don’t think the light bulb has gone off yet if racing is it for me,” Whitt said. “Trust me, if I can do it, I want to do it.”

    “The problem is actually being able to do it,” Whitt continued. “It’s hard.”

    “So, I’m not saying necessarily this is it for me,” Whitt said. “But at the same time, this is what I want to do for sure.”

    “As a kid racing go karts and I was doing good, winning races and championships, it was so much fun just enjoying all that with my family,” Whitt continued. “That was the time where I really wanted to race. That’s when it all happened for me.”

    Progressing from his early sprint car racing roots to being wide open in the Truck Series, Whitt has seen his share of ups and downs, especially in this his rookie year. Yet Whitt remains steadfast as well as confident in his abilities.

    “You can never quit,” Whitt said. “If it was easy, everybody would do it.”

    “Racing is a hard sport,” Whitt continued. “There are ups and downs.”

    “Obviously, the days that are great are the days you live for,” Whitt said. “But then the days that are bad, you just want to come back and redeem yourself and be that much better.”

    “You love to hate it,” Whitt continued. “It’s tough but it’s almost like an obsession to me.”

    Throughout his racing obsession, Whitt has had moments to remember, as well as moments that have broken his heart.

    “I’d say probably the pole at Darlington was my best moment,” Whitt said. “Also, running second to Kyle (Busch) at Dover was good.”

    “But another good moment would be Charlotte, when we ran third,” Whitt continued. “It was the last run of the day and we were running eighth to tenth.”

    “We jumped up to the high groove and worked our way up to third at the end,” Whitt said. “I was pretty proud of that moment too.”

    As wide open exciting as his career has been, Whitt also has had his moments of heart break.

    “There’s been a few,” Whitt said. “Missing the show at Daytona was crazy and one of the worst feelings I’ve ever had.”

    “And also another heart break was blowing the motor at Texas running fourth,” Whitt continued. “And we were running fourth at Atlanta and blew a motor.”

    “It seems like we can’t get any luck,” Whitt said. “The days that we run tenth to twelfth all day, nothing can go wrong.”

    “You’re sitting there thinking ‘Why couldn’t the motor blow up on a day like that instead of when we’re running up front?’

    “I guess that’s part of rookie luck and a first season,” Whitt continued. “You’ve got to pay your dues, just hopefully long enough to cash them in.”

    Whitt admitted that he also has some interesting ways to cope with these vagaries of the sport. He not only throws himself into fishing and hunting, but channels all of his energy right back into his racing career.

    “My life is pretty much all racing,” Whitt said. “When I’m at home, I go to the shop every day and work on the truck.”

    “I grew up that way,” Whitt continued. “My dad wanted me to be ‘hands on.’ It makes me appreciate my equipment more and my team appreciates me working with them.”

    What does Whitt want to accomplish for the remainder of this 2011 season? The rookie has only one thing on his mind.

    “Hopefully we can get a win,” Whitt said. “We’ve been chasing that win since the beginning of the year.”

    “I want to be a front-runner,” Whitt continued. “When I walk through the gate, I want people to know that I’m the guy to beat and that I have a fast truck.”

    “More than anything, I want to get a win and win this rookie championship.”

    While Whitt focuses on running wide open for the win and the rookie championship, he also acknowledged the need to think, at least briefly, about his future. And that is unfortunately wide open as well.

    “I don’t know,” Whitt said simply. “It’s going to be a weird and pretty crazy off season.”

    “The rumors started flying this year earlier than they ever have,” Whitt continued. “It’s kind of tough. I really don’t know what’s going to happen.”

    “Hopefully we can finish off the season strong and move on to something different,” Whitt said.  “Racing is all I’ve ever done.”

    “It’s the only way of life that I understand.”