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  • NASCAR 2012 Season Predictions

    NASCAR 2012 Season Predictions

    [media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]*Kevin Harvick’s wife DeLana gives birth to a healthy baby boy on July 14th. The couple refuses an anonymous $1,000,000 offer to name the baby “Jimmy John,” as well as an anonymous $2,000,000 offer to name the baby “Kyle Hates.” Instead, the Harvick’s name the child “Richard Childress Harvick.”

    Then in July during an incident in the New Hampshire Motor Speedway garage area, Kyle Busch is punched by a “Richard Childress” for the second time in less than a year when young Harvick nabs Busch trying to steal candy from a baby.

    Kevin Harvick finishes the season with four wins and finishes fourth in the final Sprint Cup standings.

    *Brad Keselowski leads at the halfway point of the Daytona 500, earning the $200,000 bonus, and tweets about it as he speeds around the 2.5 mile oval at over 200 miles per hour. NASCAR is not too pleased, and true to their commitment to abolishing secret fines, announces a $25,000 fine for Keselowski on Twitter.

    *Kurt Busch, in his new ride for Phoenix Racing, is the laughingstock of the NASCAR garage, and this time, it has nothing to do with his ears. Busch remains bewildered as to the reasons of the laughter, that is, until Roger Penske, a Greek mythology aficionado, explains to Busch the legend of the Phoenix, a mythical firebird that builds a nest, then burns the nest and itself to a pile of ashes, after which a new Phoenix emerges.

    Busch is oblivious to the connection, and says he’s never burned a nest, but does cop to burning several bridges.

    *Four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon begins the “Drive For Five,” the 11th installment of his annual quest for his fifth Sprint Cup title.

    Hendrick Motosports teammate Kasey Kahne simultaneously begins his own “Drive For 5,” as he takes over the No. 5 car driven by Mark Martin. Kahne’s first order of business in his new car is to adjust the seat. His second order of business is to squelch the retirement rumors inherent in driving the No. 5.

    *In honor of the deal with Stewart Haas Racing that ensures Danica Patrick a starting spot in the season’s first five races, the Bradford Exchange offers the “Danica Patrick Silver Platter” collectible edition place settings. Each plate is hand-crafted, and comes with a matching spoon, as well as a GoDaddy.com napkin holder.

    Patrick starts 29th in the Daytona 500, and finishes 39th after a wreck with Robby Gordon sends her to the garage, where a miffed Gordon demands an apology, and a refund for some worthless merchandise he hastily purchased.

    *Boris Said wins the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway on June 24th, slipping by Marcos Ambrose on the final lap. In the post-race press conference, Said Shockingly announces his retirement from racing in order to pursue his true love, rock and roll. Said introduces his band, the “Said Heads,” featuring Said on vocals, Boris Heard on guitar, Boris Smelled on bass, Boris Tasted on drums, and Boris Felt on keyboards.

    The “Said Heads” first single, “Greg Biffle Needs A Friggin’ Whoopin,’ And I’m Going To Give It To Him,” debuts at Number 198 on Billboards Top 200 modern rock tracks, and the band later embarks on a Japanese tour opening for Slipknot and GWAR.

    *The pairing of Denny Hamlin and new crew chief Darian Grubb is an instant success, as Hamlin wins three of the season’s first eight races, including back-to-back wins at Martinsville and Texas. An optimistic Hamlin starts thinking about winning a championship, while a pessimistic Grubb starts thinking about losing his job.

    *Bill Elliott’s pilots his Wal-Mart-sponsored car to a solid 9th-place finish at the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona on July 7th, a result that proves two things: 1) Elliott’s still got it, and 2) you can still get a 27 cent can of kidney beans at Wal-Mart.

    *Carl Edwards wins the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway, dominating a race marked by few lead changes and ever fewer cautions. Luckily, massive 2011 road construction projects alleviate traffic issues at the track, allowing fans speedy egress from the Sparta facility, resulting in some of the weekend’s best racing.

    Edwards posts five wins in the season’s first 26 races, and starts the Chase For The Cup in first, and finishes second to Jimmie Johnson for the Sprint Cup title.

    *Dale Earnhardt, Jr. snaps his winless streak by winning the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega on May 6th, starting from the pole and leading 198 laps. After a victory lap, Earnhardt drives his No. 88 Chevrolet into the infield, where legions of Junior Nation fans, ironically “amped” up on Diet Mountain Dew, lift the 3,400 machine over their heads, as it becomes the first vehicle in history to “crowd surf.”

    Earnhardt doesn’t win again until December, when he captures NASCAR’s most popular driver award.

    *Kyle Busch sweeps the weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway in late August, winning the Camping World Truck, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup races.

    Busch celebrates with the slowest victory procession in history, a drive which takes him from Bristol to Mooresville, NC at four miles per hour. There, Busch cruises at a snail’s pace through the winding back roads of rural Iredell County for hours, until a county officer stops him and advises him that “You’ll have to go faster.” A satisfied Busch complies.

    *Prior to the Nationwide STP 300 at Chicagoland Speedway, the Reverend Jesse Jackson voices his protest over the lack of minorities in NASCAR by uttering the phrase “bigotry, bigotry, bigotry” in his invocation, leading to a firestorm of controversy, as well as an Auto-tuned Youtube hit song.

    The situation leads to a dialogue between Jackson and Brian France, and the

    Simpleminded NASCAR chairman agrees to make changes, starting the following week in Indianapolis, where France taps the Black Keys to perform before the race.

    *Columbia Pictures announces it will film a sequel to Talladega Night: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby titled Talladega Nights 2: The Ballad Of An Entirely Fictional Character Loosely-Based On Tony Stewart. A clean-shaven Zack Galifianakis is tapped to play the title role, and immediately begins a strict dietary regimen to gain 15 pounds for the role.

    *Dale Earnhardt, Jr. adopts the phrase “One In ‘12” as the official rallying cry in his quest to capture his first Sprint Cup championship. However, after a late-season slump leaves him in 15th place in the points standings, “One In 12” quickly becomes Earnhardt’s rallying cry for simply making the Chase.

    *It takes three months for Matt Kenseth to earn his first win of the season, a victory at Charlotte in the Coca-Cola 600, and another two months for people to start caring.

    *Jimmie Johnson, feeling that he needs a change, shaves his signature beard and grows a Fu Manchu mustache, which affords him a more serious and sinister look. Johnson becomes the most-feared driver at autograph signings, as well as on the track, where his newfound persona rankles many drivers, including Joey Logano, who is envious of any type of facial hair.

    Johnson wins his sixth Cup title with a masterful performance in the Chase, winning four races and wrapping up the title at Phoenix on November 11th.

  • Common Sense Rules for NASCAR

    Common Sense Rules for NASCAR

    CIA Stock Photo

    I was reading a NASCAR news story the other day and thinking to myself, ‘What ever happened to common sense?’ And then it occurred to me that the term common sense is an oxymoron.

    Having the sense to do or say the right thing has become a characteristic that is rare in today’s society. NASCAR is a perfect example of this.

    Common sense and truisms are closely linked so I thought I would share some of these truths as guidelines for the common sense impaired.

    A closed mouth gathers no foot. This one is simple. Think before you speak (or tweet) and avoid those embarrassing headlines (Kasey Kahne-Breastgate).

    Be careful who you step on while climbing the ladder of success; you’re liable to meet them on the way down. Kurt Busch

    Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Just ask Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman or Brad Keselowski-Secret fine recipients.

    Expect the unexpected. Trevor Bayne wins the 2011 Daytona 500.

    Good things come in small packages. Mark Martin

    Hope springs eternal. Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans

    Money talks. “It doesn’t matter if you have the most wins, pole positions, a championship or talent. If you have the money, you get a job.”  Mike Skinner

    Keep your hands to yourself. “Hold my watch.” Richard Childress

    Nobody loves a winner who wins all the time. – Jimmie Johnson

    Close, but no cigar. Carl Edwards

    Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. – Tony Stewart

    If in doubt, remember this. There is nothing so small it can’t be blown out of proportion.

    Mike Skinner quote courtesy of Angie Skinner-SiriusXM NASCAR Radio via Facebook

  • Countdown to Daytona: 88

    Countdown to Daytona: 88

    The number 88 has an impressive history in NASCAR and a who’s-who list of drivers and owners whose cars have been adorned with the number.

    [media-credit name=”Ted Van Pelt” align=”alignright” width=”241″][/media-credit]As was the case with no. 89, car no. 88 made its debut at Langhorne in 1949 with Pepper Cunningham of Trenton, New Jersey behind the wheel. Cunningham finished 33rd in his debut after wrecking his ’49 Lincoln. Cunningham would only compete in nine other races (he failed to start a 10th), and just one other using number 88. That start would result in his career best finish of sixth, coming at Langhorne.

    The first win for car no. 88 came in 1954. Tim Flock would have had that honor, but his ’54 Oldsmobile was disqualified, handing the win to Lee Petty. Buck Baker would win later that season at Wilson Speedway in Wilson, North Carolina for the first of 66 wins for no. 88. Baker would win two other times using no. 88—later in 1954 at Morristown Speedway in New Jersey and five years later at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. Other notable drivers using the number include Neil “Soapy” Castles, Fireball Roberts (just two races), Tiny Lund, and Banjo Matthews.

    In 1973, a little-known team called DiGard showed up at Dover with driver Donnie Allison. Comprised of Bill Gardner and Mike DiProspero, the team finished a disappointing 38th after the engine failed after just 18 laps. However, the stage was set for a run that spanned 14 years.

    Allison ran the first two seasons for DiGard and 10 races in 1975. After the Pocono race, DiGard dropped Allison for a cocky young kid named Darrell Waltrip. Outside of five races for Bud Moore, Waltrip had driven his own equipment in every other start, winning once at the old Nashville Fairgrounds. Waltrip won once in 1975 for DiGard at Richmond; the first for no. 88 in 16 years.

    Gatorade joined the team the following season for a five-year run with Waltrip in which he won 25 more races. It was during his time in car no. 88 that Waltrip earned his now-famous moniker of “Jaws”, a name given to him by rival driver Cale Yarborough.

    Waltrip bought out his contract in 1980 to drive for Junior Johnson, a move that was unheard of at the time. DiGard would replace Waltrip with Ricky Rudd. Rudd didn’t win in his one season with DiGard and he left for Richard Childress Racing.

    Bobby Allison replaced Rudd in 1982 and responded with eight wins, 20 top-ten finishes, and a runner-up finish in the points. Miller replaced Gatorade for ’83 and DiGard switched their number to 22. Gatorade and the number 88 moved to Cliff Stewart’s Pontiacs and driver Geoff Bodine. When Bodine left for Hendrick Motorsports the following season, Stewart signed Rusty Wallace, who won the ASA championship in 1983. Wallace won Rookie of the Year in 1984, besting a class including Phil Parsons, Greg Sacks, Doug Heveron, and Clark Dwyer.  In 1985, Gatorade left and was replaced by Alugard Antifreeze.

    [media-credit name=”Ted Van Pelt” align=”alignright” width=”239″][/media-credit]Buddy Baker took over car no. 88 in a car co-owned by himself and Danny Schiff. According to Sports Illustrated, Schiff was the CEO of Bull Frog Knits, a children’s apparel company. Baker had first used the number in 1959 in a race at the Southern States Fairgrounds; dad Buck used no. 87.  The partnership lasted four seasons, with Baker driving the majority. Morgan Shepherd filled in for Baker in 1988, along with Rick Mast, who made his Sprint Cup debut in the car.Greg Sacks started 1989 in Bakers’ Crisco-backed machine, but was replaced by Berwick, Pennsylvania’s Jimmy Spencer. Spencer earned three top-ten finishes in the ride. Following the 1989 season, the team closed its doors.

    The number 88 saw sporadic use the next five seasons; Larry Pearson used the number in a one-off in 1990. Baker used the no. 88 twice more in 1991 and Jeff Fuller made his debut using the number in 1992.

    Robert Yates, who had built engines for DiGard resurrected the number 88 in 1995 for Ernie Irvan’s triumphant return from a traumatic head injury—an injury Irvan had sustained the previous year at Michigan International Speedway. Given just a 10% chance to survive, Irvan overcame the odds and was back in a Sprint Cup car just 14 months later. Irvan finished sixth in his return, besting teammate Dale Jarrett by one position. The following season, Irvan returned to the 28 car and Jarrett was moved to the 88 with new sponsor Ford Quality Care.

    In his first race, Jarrett won the 1996 Daytona 500, beginning an association with the number that spanned 11 years. In those 11 years, Jarrett won a total of 28 races and the 2000 championship. Jarrett’s final win came in car no. 88 at Talladega in 2005, beating Tony Stewart back to the flag. After Jarrett left for Michael Waltrip Racing, his vacancy filled with Ricky Rudd.

    [media-credit name=”Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignleft” width=”90″][/media-credit]

    Rudd retired after the 2007 season, and Yates retired the number after the 2007 season, giving it to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt’s grandfather Ralph had used the number 50 years prior.

    Earnhardt’s well-documented drought has been in car no. 88; his last win coming in June 2008 at Michigan.In total, the number 88 has netted 55 poles, 66 wins, and 568 top-ten finishes in its 1,419 starts; which ranks seventh overall.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Tony Stewart: Stewart won at Homestead, his fifth win of the Chase, and took home the 2011 Sprint Cup championship, the third of his career. Stewart and Carl Edwards both scored 2,403 points in the Chase, but Stewart won by virtue of his Chase victories.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]“If being a car owner in tough financial times has taught me one thing,” Stewart said, “it’s how to close the deal.

    “I’m going to enjoy a long, off-season celebration, one that may require a rewrite of an infamous Rolling Stone article. My work here is done, and so is crew chief Darien Grubb’s. He’s looking for a job. Oddly enough, it seems someone counted Darien out too early, as well.”

    2. Carl Edwards: Edwards was unable to run down Tony Stewart over the closing laps at Homestead and finished second, failing in his bid to win his first Sprint Cup championship.

    “Everyone has lauded my graciousness in a losing effort,” Edwards said. “So, I’m going out like a champion, but not as one.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished eighth at Homestead, earning his sixth top-10 result of the Chase. He finished third in the standings, 58 out of first.

    “Tony Stewart had ‘Destiny’ on his side,” Harvick said, “and probably on his lap late Sunday night. I can only imagine what the victory celebration was like. I can only imagine it because I wasn’t invited.”

    4. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth came home fourth in the Ford 400, posting his fifth top-5 result of the Chase and finishing fourth in the point standings.

    “My first order of business next year,” Kenseth said, “is to exact my revenge on Brian Vickers in a race that matters to him. I vow that I will make sure his go-cart slams the wall.”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson ended the Chase For The Cup without a championship for the first time in six years. He finished 32nd, six laps down, and ended the year sixth in the point standings, 99 out of first.

    “Congratulations to Tony Stewart,” Johnson said, “for synchronizing his best Chase performance with my worst. What’s the bigger story here? Stewart’s crowning, or my uncrowning? I hate to ‘reign’ on Stewart’s parade, but the end of a five-year run as champion trumps Stewart’s third title in ten years.

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 20th in the Ford 400, one lap down after a strong qualifying effort of fifth. He finished fifth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 84 out of first.

    “NASCAR fined me $25,000 for criticizing fuel injection,” Keselowski said. “That’s called getting ‘throttled.’”

    7. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished strong in the Chase, taking fifth at Homestead for his 18th top-5 result of the year. He improved three place to eighth in the point standings, 116 out of first.

    “Congratulations to Tony Stewart,” Gordon said. “It’s amazing that Tony won five of the ten Chase races. And even more amazing that it still took a tiebreaker for him to win the Cup. Ironically, Stewart will have loads of personal appearances to make, so it appears he’ll be back in a ‘tie’ soon.”

    8. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt just missed a top-10 finish at Homestead, crossing the line 11th in the Ford 400. He finished the season seventh in the point standings, 113 out of first.

    “My winless streak continue and we made no noise in the Chase whatsoever,” Earnhardt said. “If I had to grade my performance, it would be somewhere between a ‘D’ and an ‘F,’ which would make it a little ‘E.’”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin closed a disappointing season with a ninth at Homestead, ending the Chase For The Cup ninth in the standings, 119 out of first.

    “Joe Gibbs Racing faces a long off-season,” Hamlin said. “Kyle Busch faces a longer off-season, and a shorter leash. Most of us in the organization will be strategizing for the 2012. We’ll put our heads together, while Busch will try to get his together.”

    10. (tie) Kyle Busch/Kurt Busch: Kyle and Kurt finished 23rd and 34th, respectively, at Homestead to mercifully end a disappointing Chase for both. Kurt finished 11th in the final Chase standings, 141 out of first, while Kyle finished 12th, 16 behind Kurt.

    “If there was any doubt as to our kinship,” Kurt Busch said, “this should prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are, in fact, brothers. Luckily, our parents still claim us. I wish I could say the same for our race teams. Who did more yelling this year? Me at my team, or Kyle’s at him?”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards chased Kasey Kahne to the finish at Phoenix, but had to settle for the runner-up spot in the Kobalt Tools 500. Edwards remained on top in the Sprint Cup point standings and will take a three-point lead over Tony Stewart to Homestead.

    “I would say the Sprint Cup championship is mine too lose,” Edwards said. “That would be inaccurate. It’s not mine to lose; it’s Jimmie Johnson’s. Jimmie had a great run; unfortunately, it’s slowed to a ‘walk.’

    “I could win the Cup without a single victory in the Chase. If that happens, I expect NASCAR to react quickly, and hire meth-head Jeremy Mayfield as a consultant, his job being to ‘tweak’ the Chase points system.”

    2. Tony Stewart: Stewart led 160 of 312 laps at Phoenix, but had to pit for fuel with 18 laps to go. He worked his way back to the front and finished third, right behind points leader Carl Edwards in second, to stay three points behind. The Sprint Cup championship will be decided next Sunday at Homestead.

    “You’ve got me,” Stewart said, “with four wins in the Chase, against Edwards, with not a single win in the Chase. How am I not in the lead, and how am I three points down? How has Edwards pulled that off. I’m mystified. In any case, the Chase For The Cup comes down to ‘Smoke’ versus ‘Smoke And Mirrors.’

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished an uninspired 19th at Phoenix, and remained third in the point standings, 51 behind Carl Edwards.

    “I’m out of the running for the Cup,” Harvick said. “That’s no surprise, because I’ve been driving like it for nine races.

    “But with nothing to race for, I can finally take care of some unfinished business. That would be wrecking Kyle Busch and finally gaining vengeance for the incident in Darlington. Alas, no one cares anymore, especially Busch.”

    4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson came home 14th at Phoenix and improved one spot to fifth in the point standings. He now trails Carl Edwards by 68.

    “I’m finally giving up the crown,” Johnson said. “So, expect a ‘reign-out’ at Homestead. To Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards, I say ‘May the best man win.’ But since I’ve been eliminated from Cup contention, that won’t happen. So, ‘May the next best man win.’”

    5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 18th in the Kobalt Tools 500, his third straight finish outside the top 17. He improved one spot to fourth in the point standings and is now 68 out of first.

    “Expect me to be a fixture in the Chase for years to come,” Keselowski said. “I like what we’re doing at Penske Racing. Despite my young age of 27, I feel like my presence alone has raised the maturity level immensely at Penske. Between Busch and I, it seems he’s the ‘baby’ of the duo.”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole at Phoenix and was dominant early before Brian Vickers wrecked him on lap 177. Kenseth finished 34th and is now sixth in the point standings, 70 out of first.

    “Somebody give Vickers at mirror,” Kenseth said, “because he better ‘watch himself’ at Homestead.”

    7. Kurt Busch: Busch led 57 laps at Phoenix but ran into trouble on lap 279 when came down pit road for a splash of fuel but was tagged for speeding. Forced to serve a pass-through penalty, Busch’s chances at the win were done, and he eventually finished 22nd, one lap down.

    “I was ‘officially’ eliminated from Cup contention twice in one race,” Busch said. “Of course, there’s no one to blame but myself, so I’ll blame everyone but myself.”

    8. Kasey Kahne: Kahne captured his first win since 2009, snapping an 81-race winless streak by outrunning Carl Edwards to the line at Phoenix.

    “I’ll hate to see Red Bull out of NASCAR,” Kahne said. “That’s a sentiment shared by everyone in the garage, except for Matt Kenseth. Brian Vickers will soon drive off into the sunset. And when I say ‘into’ the sunset, I mean it literally, because Vickers will probably hit it.”

    9. Jeff Gordon: Snake bitten first by handling problems, then brake issues, Gordon finished 32nd at Phoenix and was officially eliminated from Sprint Cup title contention. He is now 11th in the point standings, 112 out of first.

    “It’s been a season I’d like to forget,” Gordon said. “Unfortunately, at my age, and even as a four-time champion, now the ‘seasons to forget’ far outnumber the ‘season’s to remember.’”

    10. Kyle Busch: Busch started from the back at Phoenix after an engine change, but his slide continued when his engine blew on lap 188. Busch finished 36th and is 12th in the point standings, 135 out of first.

    “We suspected we may have engine troubles,” Busch said. “And we were right. Like my sponsor, my engine gave up on me.

    “I may be last in the standings, but I can also be ‘first,’ to admit that my anger issues need addressing. I think it wise that I should ‘seek counseling’ for my issues, before my issues force me to ‘seek counsel.’”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Kobalt Tools 500

    With NASCAR traveling to the ‘Valley of the Sun’ for the next to the last race of the season, it was no surprise that the reconfigured race track was soaked instead with liquid sunshine. Yet, the track dried, veteran racer Adrian Fernandez uttered the four most famous words in racing, and the green flag waved as scheduled.

    [media-credit id=40 align=”alignright” width=”221″][/media-credit]Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 24th running of the Kobalt Tools 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

    Surprising:  While it was no surprise that PIR was new and improved, with brand new pavement as well as a new track layout, it was surprising to see the new faces that showed up in Victory Lane this weekend.

    From the Nationwide race with Sam Hornish Jr. scoring his first ever NASCAR win to young Ryan Blaney, son of Dave Blaney, notching the ‘W’ in the K&N Pro Series West finale, PIR definitely had some fresh-faced winners.

    But most surprising was Cup winner Kasey Kahne, scoring his first win since 2009, his first victory of the 2011 season, and his first victory ever at Phoenix International Raceway. Kahne’s victory came in his next to the last ride in his No. 4 Red Bull Toyota.

    “It feels great to get a win for Red Bull and get a win in the 4 car,” Kahne said. “To win a race at this level, as competitive as everything is right now, for myself, to see how happy all the pit crew guys were, the guys preparing the race cars at Red Bull, it was pretty cool.”

    “Makes you feel pretty good to be a part of that.”

    Not Surprising:  To no one’s surprise, Carl Edwards, behind the wheel of the No. 99 Aflac Ford, and his championship Chase nemesis Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, stalked each other all race long, finishing second and third respectively.

    And not surprisingly, thanks to that close finish, the championship will be decided at the final race of the season in Homestead, Florida. Edwards is currently just three points ahead of Smoke going into Ford Championship weekend, one of the closest margins between first and second in the Chase in NASCAR Sprint Cup history.

    “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a dead heat going in there,” Stewart said of the upcoming Homestead weekend. “We just got to do our job like we’ve been doing.”

    “I’m still pumped up,” Smoke continued. “I want to go to Homestead tomorrow and start. I want tomorrow to be Friday. I’m excited about it and ready to go.”

    “Yeah, Homestead is going to be a lot of fun,” Edwards said. “I really enjoy racing there.”

    “The cool thing about Homestead, you’re going to be able to move around, pass, and not get hung up as badly in traffic as you can at other racetracks,” Edwards continued. “I don’t think there’s a better place to go than Homestead to fight for this championship.”

    Surprising:  After Phoenix, with only those two drivers remaining in contention for the championship, it is indeed surprising that five-time champion Jimmie Johnson will not be six-time champ.

    Johnson, behind the wheel this weekend of a black No. 48 Lowe’s Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, finished 14th in the race and sits currently in the fifth position in points, 68 points out of first and officially out of contention.

    “Yeah, I’m definitely disappointed that we won’t be able to go to Homestead and race for our sixth, but that’s motorsports,” Johnson said. “It’s a very tough business.”

    “What we did over the last five years was absolutely spectacular,” Johnson continued. “What we did over the last five years is abnormal. Now we’ll get a taste of normalcy.”

    Also surprisingly, Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates, especially Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. also had difficulty in the ‘Valley of the Sun.’ The driver of the No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet fared especially poorly, struggling with brake problems to finish 32nd.

    “We weren’t good when we got here,” Gordon said. “We were fighting and battling but then the brake problem happened and that pretty much ruined our day.”

    Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 Retro Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard, also struggled and finished 24th.

    “We pitted and got caught with the caution and lost a couple of laps and just never got a chance to get it back,” Junior said. “We missed it. We didn’t hit it.”

    Not Surprising:  As bad as Hendrick Motorsports team members fared, it was no surprise that the other half of the Stewart Haas Racing duo fared well. Ryan Newman, with his No. 39 US Army Veteran’s Day Tribute car covered with pictures of vets, finished top-five yet again.

    “The guys on the US Army Chevrolet, with the Veteran’s Day special paint scheme, that was an amazing comeback for us to come from 30th to fifth,” Newman said. “I’m really proud of that.”

    Surprising:  Although the two tangled at Martinsville, it was surprising to see the feud continue between Brian Vickers, soon to be out of work with his No. 83 Red Bull Toyota team exiting the sport next week, and Matt Kenseth, race pole sitter, who was looking for a good run in his No. 17 Crown Royal Ford.

    “My two year old could watch that and know it was intentional,” Kenseth said of his wreck with Vickers. “It was real pre-meditated.”

    “I don’t understand what happened,” Vickers said of his Kenseth encounter. “He just stopped on the straight-away.”

    “He wrecked me at Martinsville,” Vickers continued. “He got wrecked here. He just lifted halfway down the back stretch. I’ll count that one.”

    Kenseth finished a miserable34th, dropping two positions to sixth in the point standings. Vickers soldiered on for a 23rd place finish, languishing in the 25th position in the points.

    Not Surprising:  Having had the most miserable week leading up to the race, from being parked to losing his sponsor for the last two races, it was not surprising that Kyle Busch’s most miserable weekend continued.

    Busch had to start the race from the back of the field due to engine troubles caused by human error. He managed to work his way up through the pack, only to have the engine of his No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota expire on Lap 214.

    “It’s just devastating,” Busch said. “To go through turmoil like this, all you can do is group together and pull through it and try to persevere and move on.”

    “Catastrophic engine failure,” Busch continued. “It’s terrible to have one in a weekend, let alone two in a weekend.”

    “It’s certainly a tough few weeks and all we can do is look forward to next week at Homestead.”

    Surprising:  It was surprising to see another crew swap during the race, this time for AJ Allmendinger, whose pit crew let him down during a stop, most likely costing the driver of the No. 43 Wix Filters Ford, a race win.

    Allmendinger’s crew was swapped out for the crew of David Ragan, another Ford driver who was not in the hunt, helping the Dinger to a top-five finish.

    “We were losing four or five spots on a stop,” Allmendinger said. “You can’t do that and win a race and those guys are pretty good.”

    “Thanks to the 6 guys, our Ford teammates coming over and pitting the last two stops,” Dinger said. “They did a good job.”

    Not Surprising:  To no one’s surprise, Allmendinger’s Richard Petty Motorsports teammate Marcos Ambrose also had a good run at PIR. The driver of the No. 9 DeWalt Ford finished a respectable eighth.

    “We had a good car today,” the Aussie said. “We were solid all day long. It bodes even better for the first half of next season.”

    Surprising:  Since Jeff Burton has had a fairly difficult 2011 season, it was a bit surprising to see the driver of the No. 31 Caterpillar Global Mining Chevrolet end up with a fourth place finish. The top-five finishing driver hopes that the turnaround will continue right into the 2012 season.

    “The Caterpillar Chevrolet was good, really, all day,” Burton said. “When things are tough, you find out what people are made of. My group has just kept digging and kept their heads up.”

    “Nobody has quit on this team, not once,” Burton continued. “I’m real proud of that.”

    “We’ve run really well the last month and hopefully we will build some momentum going into next year.”

    Not Surprising:  With no ride secured for next year, it was not surprising to see David Reutimann, ousted driver of the No. 00 TUMS Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing, drive his guts out for a seventh place finish in the next to the last race of the season.

    “We qualified in the top-10 and we were able to stay up there all day long,” Rooty said. “I’m proud of the crew guys for the job they did today. They really stuck with me.”

    “This is a great group of guys, probably one of the best in the garage and they’ve been with me a long time,” Reutimann continued. “We have one more week together and I want to go out on a high note at Homestead.”

     

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr and Brad Keselowski at the NASCAR Hall of Fame

    Dale Earnhardt Jr and Brad Keselowski at the NASCAR Hall of Fame

    To promote the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, all of the eligible drivers have been making appearances at the NASCAR Hall of Fame to spend some time with their fans. 

    [media-credit name=”Ed Coombs” align=”alignright” width=”238″][/media-credit]Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski were the featured drivers this Tuesday for a fan question and answer session.

    Miss Sprint Cup Monica Palumbo started things off with a round of trivia questions and prizes for the fans. After the crowd was warmed up, Keselowski took the stage with the Executive Director of the Hall, Winston Kelley.

    He delighted the crowd with both his honesty and humor.

    The biggest laugh came when Keselowski was asked, “What is the strangest thing you’ve ever been asked to autograph?”

    His answer was “the baby in a bucket of beer.”

    Yes, you read that right.

    A woman once asked Keselowski to sign her baby that she had placed in a bucket of beer. He drew the line at autographing the baby, signed the child’s shirt instead and sent the satisfied fan on her way.

    Keselowski answered the tough questions too.

    He was asked what he thought about the actions that NASCAR had taken after Kyle Busch intentionally wrecked Ron Hornaday at Texas Motor Speedway.

    “I feel pretty good about the way NASCAR handled the situation. I don’t think there’s any way that you can handle it that makes everyone happy because you can’t go back in time and fix it.”

    He went on to describe the nature of racing as an evolution in progress. He used the ‘Boys have at it’ decree from NASCAR as an example of something that is constantly evolving to the next level until someone finally has to say, “Stop!”

    Keselowski was also quite outspoken about NASCAR’s decision to switch to a fuel injection system next season.

    Is he happy about the change?

    “I’m not a big fan of it at all,” he said.

    He went on to say that he thought the main impetus for the change was simply public relations.

    Keselowski went into more detail when he talked with members of the media after the fan question and answer session ended.

    “We’re not doing this because it’s better for the sport or better for the teams. I don’t even think we’re really going to save any gas.”

    “It gives them something to promote,” he continued. “And we’re always looking for something to promote. But the honest answer is it does nothing for the sport except cost the team owners money.”

    Keselowski knows that speaking his mind may get him in hot water with NASCAR.

    “But that’s the honest part of it. I think it’s a disaster.”

    After a short break, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the stage to answer questions.

    Winston Kelley started things off by asking Earnhardt Jr. to name someone, in addition to his father, who he had looked up to while he was growing up or admired.

    He answered with three names; Jimmie Means, Cale Yarborough and David Pearson.

    “I always liked Jimmy Means a lot,” he said. “I just admired how hard he worked and how dedicated he was to what he was doing.”

    “Cale Yarborough was a guy that I thought a lot of. I admired how he carried himself around the race track and how he handled his business.”

    “I thought David Pearson was pretty cool but I didn’t get to know him that well as a driver. But watching old films and old footage and reading about him, he seemed like an interesting character.”

    The questions from the fans ran the gamut from “What sports do you like?” to “What is the best way to pursue a career in racing?”

    Quite a few of the fans simply stood up to proclaim that they were his biggest fan or to ask for an autograph.

    We learned that he’s not particularly superstitious and doesn’t have any pre-race rituals.

    “I just get up in the morning, put my clothes on and go to work,” he said laughing.

    Then one young fan stood up and quietly asked, “Whenever you are racing do you feel your father watching over you or feel your father’s spirit when you are driving the car?”

    Without hesitation, Dale Jr answered, “I think so. I think that you kind of carry that with you all the time and with everything you do.”

    “I do feel like his spirit rides with me in the racecar and keeps me safe.”

    A small ripple of applause spread throughout the crowd.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. may not be the most eloquent of speakers but at moments like these it’s easy to understand why his fans feel such a special connection to him.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Tony Stewart: Stewart out dueled Carl Edwards at Texas, holding off his championship rival to win the AAA Texas 500. Stewart led 173 laps on the day, and now trails Edwards by only three points in the Sprint Cup standings.

    [media-credit name=”Mike Holloway” align=”alignright” width=”261″][/media-credit]“Last week I said Edwards should be worried,” Stewart said. “This week, tell him ‘I’m coming.’ He knows where I’m going, and I do, as well, because I’ve ‘been there before.’

    “As I’ve said before, I don’t care about second. Second place is for losers. Or is it? I’ve won four races in the Chase, yet I’m only second in the points. Apparently, second place isn’t for losers.”

    2. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished second at Texas to Tony Stewart, as the two battled over the last third of the AAA Texas 500. Edwards’ eight-point lead in the point standings was trimmed by five, and now he leads Stewart by only three.

    “Who says you need to win races to win a championship?” Edwards said. “Certainly not the NASCAR rule book. So far, Stewart has been ‘great’ in four races. I’ve been ‘good’ in eight. So far, so ‘good.’ If I win the Cup without a victory, I’ll endorse the headline ‘My Goodness! Edwards Wins Cup.’”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 13th at Texas, and remained third in the point standings. He now trails Carl Edwards by 33 with two races left in the Chase.

    “Kyle Busch took stupidity to a new level,” Harvick said, “for the third or fourth time this year. Despite having over 100 wins in NASCAR competition, he’s still ‘lost it’ more than he’s won. In Texas, NASCAR decided his fate for him. Call it a ‘parking lot.’ As they say, ‘M&M’s melt in your hands, Kyle Busch sits on his.”

    4. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished fourth in the Texas AAA 500, posting his fourth top-5 result of the Chase. He moved up to fourth in the point standings and now trails Carl Edwards by 38.

    “Kyle Busch is in a class by himself,” Kenseth said. “That is, anger management class.”

    5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski struggled at Texas, finishing a lap down on his way to a 24th. He fell one spot to fifth in the point standings where he is 49 out of first.

    “I’m not counting myself out yet,” Keselowski said. “Anything’s possible. That is, anything’s possible….with Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers both in the field.”

    6. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 14th at Texas and remained sixth in the point standings. He is 55 out of first, and will be Sprint Cup champion for only two more weeks.

    “So, will it be Carl Edwards or Tony Stewart as next Sprint Cup champion?” Johnson said. “If Creedence Clearwater Revival made that query, they would surely say, ‘And I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the reign? CCR rules. RCR doesn’t.

    “I’m going to say something that I haven’t had to say in half a decade. And that’s ‘It just wasn’t my year.’”

    7. Jeff Gordon: Gordon posted his second straight top-10 finish, coming home sixth at Texas after a third at Martinsville. He improved two spots to eighth in the point standings, 81 out of first.

    “Much like a Kyle Busch apology,” Gordon said, “it’s ‘too little, too late.’ If he continues to go rogue, so will his sponsors.”

    8. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished seventh at Texas and climbed to seventh in the point standings. He trails Carl Edwards by 79 points.

    “I didn’t make the Chase last year,” Earnhardt said, “so this year would have to be considered an improvement. I went from the ‘outside looking in’ to the ‘inside looking in.’”

    9. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 30th at Texas, two laps down, and fell one spot to ninth in the point standings. He trails Carl Edwards by 87.

    “What’s that continuous high-pitched sound heard on the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil radio frequency?” Busch said. “I don’t know, but it sounds like a ‘whine.’”

    10. Kyle Busch: Busch was banned from Sunday’s Cup race after blatantly wrecking Ron Hornaday under caution in Friday’s trucks race. Busch retaliated after the two trucks made contact when they went three-wide to navigate around a slower truck. Busch is now 100 points out of first in the Sprint Cup standings and has been officially eliminated from championship contention.

    “If I had it to do over,” Busch said, “I’d do it differently. By that, I’m referring to my career, and not Friday’s truck race.”

  • Confidence A Double Sided Coin

    Confidence A Double Sided Coin

    A long time ago, the short track ace and 89 Winston Cup Champion Rusty Wallace made the statement, “It’s not cocky if you can get it done. It’s confident.” Then there was the standard that was attributed to Dale Earnhardt, “When the green flag drops the BS stops.” Both come down to one thing, if you can do what you say you can do you are speaking from a position of confidence not arrogance. Tony Stewart has proven over the last 8 weeks that he is confident and can back up what he says.

    [media-credit name=”Mike Holloway” align=”alignright” width=”232″][/media-credit]Confidence turned around Tony Stewart’s season and made him a serious contender being only 3 points out of the chase lead. But confidence can be a bad thing in excess. This weekend we saw that as well with Kyle Busch who was parked for the weekend after the Camping World Truck Race in which he retaliated and drove Ron Hornaday into the outside Safer Barrier, destroying both trucks. When asked if he was concerned about NASCAR parking him or removing him from the competition on Saturday and Sunday he said he wasn’t concerned and didn’t care.

    On Saturday morning, when NASCAR handed down it’s decision to maintain his parked status through this weekend, he seemed more concerned and to care a great deal more. Busch issued a letter of apology to his fans, the drivers, the team, and ownership for his actions. He watched the race from atop of the pit box and seemed to be seriously depressed and contrite. Although, he has granted no interviews or made any statements other than the letter of apology that he issued Saturday night, the emotion was all over his face.

    The question was asked by many of why Kyle Busch and not Carl Edwards. The answer came from Mike Helton in the form of history. Kyle had already been placed on probation this year for similar aggressive driving. And basically they found the line for have at it boys. That was the limit and he went past it.

    The real victim this weekend was Ron Hornaday. If you take yourself out. If you make a mistake or the engine blows and you are taken out of the championship hunt it’s difficult but you can swallow it. When you are taken out for a normal racing incident that has to be gut wrenching.

    I think that the one thing that we are missing here is the probability of contributing factors to the incident. The length of the season is a primary factor. Sprint Cup drivers compete for 10 months out of the year. That is longer than a woman carries a baby. And if you ask any one who has had that honor, they will tell you that it is an exhausting experience. The drivers are fatigued simply by the length of the season. When you add the stress of the chase and the PR commitments that go with it you have compounded the issue yet again. It comes down to one common factor, they are tired. We all know that people deal with tired differently. Kyle is known to be short tempered and aggressive. He had gotten himself together and showed himself worthy of his championship contention until 3 weeks before the end of the season and after 4 weeks of being involved in wrecks. He snapped. What he did was very very wrong.

    NASCAR’s action was very appropriate. But the solution maybe not in parking him but looking at the cause. Obviously the young man’s temper is a part of it. But the schedule and pressure of the chase also have to be considered as a part of that.

    Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards are obviously handling the stress and long schedule much better. Leaving Texas the Championship race is separated by 3 points going into the “new” Phoenix. Stewart has proved that he and his team are worthy contenders and capable of taking Carl Edwards to the very line in Homestead. Stewarts dominating performance at Texas left little doubt that Smoke intends to sit at the front table in Las Vegas. Carl Edwards left no doubt that he has the same intention.

    Perhaps the chase contender performance that slipped through the cracks was that of the 88 of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt struggled all day but stayed solidly in the top 20 all race. Finally, crew chief Steve Letarte hit the nail on the head on the next to last caution and Earnhardt flew through the field into the top ten. The final stop of the race came under green and Earnhardt’s crew redeemed themselves for earlier chase race failures getting him out and picking up one spot when all the stops shook out. The 88 finished 7th and moved up to 7th in the points. He made his move quietly and without fan fare. But the last 2 weeks have shown the Earnhardt that JRNation had hoped to see from the beginning of the chase.

    The 48 of Jimmie Johnson continued to struggle eliminating themselves from any possibility of recovering for the 6th championship in a row. Johnson who spun the 48 off of turn 4 late in the race and then received a commitment cone violation for driving straight to his pit stall rather than going around the track finished a hard fought 14th while maintaining 6th in the points 24 points ahead of team mate Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    The race itself was a long drawn out follow the leader affair. No different than the spring race at Texas. But it’s hard to pan the race with a promoter like Eddie Gossage. Gossage put on an incredible show. From the infield rodeo to the incredible black hat 6 shooter display in victory lane. Without a doubt Eddie Gossage has stepped up and into the role of the most theatrical and entertaining promoter in all of racing.

    With that in mind, the racing on the track was unexciting. But the activities that surrounded it made it difficult not to enjoy the weekend even from afar.

    Confidence is a powerful thing. Whether it’s positive or negative it is the attitude that will carry us through on top or leave us flat and defeated. Talent will carry you a very long way. It will smooth ruffled feathers. It will open difficult doors. But the one thing that talent can’t over come is a negative attitude. But nothing lasts forever, and attitudes change, when they do confidence reigns and talented young men become Championship contenders.

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * * * * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    Congratulations to Kevin Harvick on his victory in the Camping World Truck Series and his victory as in the car owners points in that series.

    Congratulations to Trevor Bayne on his first Nationwide Series victory.

    Congratulations to Tony Stewart on his second consecutive victory in the Sprint Cup Series.

    To all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: After a tire issue left him floundering mid-pack for much of Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500, Edwards delivered a gutsy charge to the front late in the race. He salvaged a ninth-place finish and maintained his points lead, which is now eight over Tony Stewart.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”249″][/media-credit]“So, Stewart says I ‘better be worried?’” Edwards said. “He’s right. I am worried. Worried that I won’t be in first place when the Chase ends. But that’s better than worrying that I’ll still be in second when the Chase ends.”

    2. Tony Stewart: Stewart nearly fell a lap down midway through the TUMS Fast Relief 500, but battled back and passed Jimmie Johnson on lap 498 to take his third win of the Chase. Stewart now trails Carl Edwards by two points in the Sprint Cup standings.

    “The Cup championship is so close,” Stewart said, “I can taste it. I’m not sure what it tastes like, but it smells like victory.

    “Paul Menard wouldn’t push me to the win at Talladega. Ironically, his refusal to do so pushed me to the win at Martinsville. Supposed ‘team orders’ played no part in this outcome. Last week at Talladega, it was ‘team orders’ that reeked of ‘team odors.’ Something is rotten in Denmark, and at Roush Fenway, and at Richard Childress Racing.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth at Martinsville and clipped five points from Carl Edwards’ points lead. Edwards lead Tony Stewart by eight, with Harvick 21 behind Edwards.

    “That’s my sixth top-10 finish in seven Chase races,” Harvick said. “Despite those finishes, I still find myself hovering just outside the lead. It seems I’m ‘spinning my wheels,’ unfortunately not as a result of winning a race.”

    4. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 31st at Martinsville after slamming the wall on lap 464 after cutting a tire. He later tangled with Brian Vickers, spinning the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota only to have Vickers retaliate later. Kenseth fell from second to fifth in the point standings, losing 22 points to points leader Carl Edwards, who finished ninth.

    “Brian Vickers is hell on wheels,” Kenseth said. “Red Bull comes in a can. You know what else comes in a can? ‘Black Flag.’ Oddly enough, I’m jealous of Vickers. Why? Because he did so much ‘trading paint’ on Sunday that he had new sponsors by race’s end.”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson led on the final restart with three laps to go at Martinsville, but couldn’t hold off the charging Tony Stewart, who slipped by one lap later. Johnson took the runner-up spot and improved one place in the point standings to sixth, 43 behind Carl Edwards.

    “Brian Vickers cost me the race,” Johnson said. “He just had to retaliate against Matt Kenseth. That caution killed me. Vickers has no business intentionally spinning cars when he can do it just fine by accident.

    “As for my title hopes, I’m not conceding anything. Hopefully, something strange will happen. Ideally, something stranger than me not winning the Sprint Cup title.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski saw a sure top-10 finish turn into a disappointing 17th  after his No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge was collected in a wreck with two laps to go. Dale Earnhardt made contact with Denny Hamlin, sending the No. 11 into Keselowski’s Dodge. Keselowski is now fourth in the point standings, 27 behind Carl Edwards.

    “Brian Vickers hit a lot of cars on Sunday,” Keselowski said, “and it appears he ‘rubbed off’ on Earnhardt as well.”

    7. Kyle Busch: Busch led 126 laps at Martinsville and was headed for at worst a top-5 finish before he was wrecked on lap 464 when Matt Kenseth cut a tire in front of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota. Busch finished 27th, seven laps down, and fell to seventh in the point standings, a distant 57 out of first.

    “It’s hard to believe I was leading the standings before the Chase started,” Busch said. “What’s much more believable? That I’m not leading the standings after the Chase ends. I could blame it on luck, or fate, my own deficiencies as a driver, or, better yet, ‘un-lead-ed’ fuel.”

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon led 113 laps in the TUMS Fast Relief 500, sporting the best car on the track for much of the race. Unfortunately, his handling faded late, and his chance for a win fell to the wayside. He finished third and remained in tenth in the point standings, 76 out of first.

    “Apparently,” Gordon said, “2011 is not a good season for present five-time Sprint Cup champions, or future five-time champions, for that matter.”

    9. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished seventh at Martinsville, registering only his second top-10 result of the Chase. He is ninth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 73 out of first.

    “I’m not ready to call our 2011 season a failure,” Earnhardt said. “That is, unless I go four more races without a victory, thereby clinching a winless season. Only then will I call our year a ‘total’ loss.”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 14th at Martinsville, and since winning at Dover on October 9th, has not posted a top-10 finish. He now sits eighth in the point standings, 58 out of first.

    “Despite a ho-hum 14th-place finish,” Busch said, “there was reason to celebrate. I spun Ryan Newman and didn’t get punched.”