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  • Meet Darlington Raceway’s Real ‘Lady in Black’

    Meet Darlington Raceway’s Real ‘Lady in Black’

    While the ‘Lady in Black’, otherwise known as Darlington Raceway, gets ready to bestow her stripes and tame the best drivers NASCAR has to offer this weekend, the real ‘Lady in Black’ Kaitlyn Bailey is ready to assume her role as the track’s most visible ambassador.

    Bailey was awarded the ‘Lady in Black’ honor after competing against over 50 other contestants, from in-person interviews to on-line voting. The college senior thought this would be a perfect fit for her having grown up near the track, along with her family involvement over the generations.

    “My mother contacted me about the competition and said that they had announced the contest on the radio station and she’d read about it in the paper and thought this would be right up my alley and that it would be cool,” Bailey said. “We’ve grown up around the track in Darlington and I’ve been to several of the races. It’s always been something that my family has been involved in.”

    “My grandmother was on the Miss Southern 500 Committee, which was a pageant they held there many years ago,” Bailey continued. “My mom was also on the committee and it’s just a tradition that continued through my family.”

    “Since that’s not around anymore and I always wanted to be involved somehow, I thought this would be a great way to give back to the track because I’ve loved growing up in the area.”

    “I sent an application and they had over 50,” Bailey said. “They interviewed all of the applicants and after that narrowed it down to the top five. They announced that at the inaugural Speed & Feed BBQ Cook-Off and there was a short question and answer session on stage.”

    “Then they started on-line voting and fans were able to go to the website and cast their votes for their favorite contestant for the ‘Lady in Black’ competition,” Bailey continued. “And I was lucky enough to receive the most votes and here I am.”

    While Bailey said that she did a few things to campaign for the honor, she said it came down to someone that could interact with the fans as well as represent the track in the best light possible.

    “I think they were focused on getting a good girl, who would be a good example and a good role model that would reflect back on the track well,” Bailey said. “And I think they wanted to get a local girl to get back in touch with the community of Darlington in order to get everyone more involved and interested in the race again.”

    “We want support from the community as well as the out-of-town guests,” Bailey continued. “I think they wanted a girl that could draw positive feedback for the track. They wanted someone that was outgoing and would do well around the public. And hopefully that is what they saw in me.”

    While Bailey, a senior at the University of South Carolina majoring in political science and minoring in journalism, has been busy representing the track at various events throughout the year, she will be particularly visible as the ‘Lady in Black’ during the Bojangles’ Southern 500 race weekend itself.

    And yes indeed, Bailey will be decked out totally in black to live up to her and the track’s famous name.

    “They had a custom Simpson racing suit made for me with all of the sponsor logos on it,” Bailey said. “It’s all black with my name across the belt and down one side it says ‘Darlington’ on the side of one leg and ‘Too Tough to Tame’ on the other side.”

    So, what is the real ‘Lady in Black’ looking forward to most for her big race track weekend?

    “I’ve grown up around the track and always had my favorite drivers but to me NASCAR is a sport that really should be pushed and known more widely among the public,” Bailey said. “I do know a little bit about racing but I’m interested in learning more about how the track functions. There’s a lot that goes into making the race happen. With the race this weekend and seeing all that goes into it, it’s a really outrageous process.”

    “Growing up my father was a Dale Earnhardt fan and I’ve always been a fan of that family,” Bailey continued. “So, meeting Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be something. Looking at him and knowing that I’ve watched his dad and now him race and compete, it will be like I’d like to touch him to make sure it’s real.”

    “I’ve also been a Jeff Gordon fan and I really liked Dale Jarrett,” Bailey said. “He’s a little older but my mom was a big fan and met him several times. To hear her talk about how excited she was, I can’t wait to also experience that same excitement.”

    Bailey admits that she may be a bit awestruck when NASCAR comes to town this weekend but she is firm in wanting all the fans to know that she herself is definitely not too tough to tame.

    “I may be the ‘Lady in Black’ but I wouldn’t say that I am tough at all,” Bailey said. “I have a lot of goals for myself but I’m a very easy-going person. I can be a little bit feisty at times if there is something I am passionate or care about.”

    “But I don’t think I’m too tough to tame.”

    “I’m genuinely excited to have this opportunity as the ‘Lady in Black’, Bailey said. “To me, it’s a very high honor that I’m ecstatic to receive.”

    “When I entered the competition, I thought it was a great opportunity to represent something that has been such a part of my life. As soon as the race came to town, we could hear the cars on the track from the time trials to the race itself that night. It’s always been something I’ve really enjoyed,” Bailey continued. “So, getting this opportunity to get more involved and see how it all works is so exciting.”

    “Not only am I able to be the face of the track that has been close to my heart for so many years, I have no words because I’m so excited.”

  • Dale Jarrett and Nicole Briscoe Excited for NASCAR Contenders Live Event

    Dale Jarrett and Nicole Briscoe Excited for NASCAR Contenders Live Event

    While the contenders for the NASCAR Chase may still be uncertain at present, there are two NASCAR personalities who are most certainly looking forward to the special event, NASCAR Contenders Live Sponsored by Toyota and Sprint, where fans will formally meet the twelve Chase competitors.

    Nicole Briscoe, ESPN analyst, and her colleague and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett will both take lead roles in the NASCAR Contenders Live event at Chicago’s Navy Pier in the Grand Ballroom from 1:30 to 3:00 PM CT on September 12th. The event, back by popular demand for the second year in a row, will be featured prior to the first Chase race at Chicagoland Speedway.

    NASCAR Contenders Live will begin with Dale Jarrett sitting down in front of the fans with NASCAR President Mike Helton to discuss how NASCAR will approach officiating of the final races to decide the Sprint Cup championship.

    “I think the biggest thing that I’m excited about in the NASCAR Contenders Live event is creating a little excitement with the fans before the get to see the twelve Chase drivers,” Jarrett said. “Mike Helton and myself have been around this a long time, have experienced a lot and seen a lot of things happen and this is an opportunity to set things up for the fans and to give them a perspective from the NASCAR-side of the Chase.”

    “We’ll talk about what NASCAR expects from the drivers and even what they may or may not tolerate just because it’s kind of the playoffs,” Jarrett continued. “I wasn’t a big fan of the Chase when Mike Helton first talked to me about it but I’ve become a huge fan of it because it is exactly what our sport needs.”

    Jarrett is excited to talk to Helton about the Chase format, as well as other aspects of the Chase scenario itself.

    “NASCAR knows that every driver involved will make a great champion for the sport but they want to make it as fair as they can make it,” Jarrett said. “I want to ask Mike if they scrutinize with these twelve teams any more than others.”

    “I’ll talk to him about the pressure ramping up in NASCAR control to make calls and are they more lenient or strict with those Chase drivers as they battle for the championship,” Jarrett continued. “I think it’s great for the fans to see the NASCAR side of it.”

    “We’re very fortunate in our sport to have someone like Mike Helton who understands about everything involved in our sport,” Jarrett said. “He can answer and talk on all different levels and I think the fans appreciate that.”

    Jarrett is not only looking forward to discuss the Chase format with Helton but also sharing his thoughts with the NASCAR President on the Chase itself.

    “From my side, even though I’m going to do most of the questioning, there will also be opportunities to throw in my ideas on the Chase,” Jarrett said. “Right now we have no idea who is going to be in the Chase and that’s a great thing.”

    “For us in television, it gives us the next three weeks to keep up with and talk about all the scenarios.”

    Jarrett has some ideas about who may be a favorite for the Chase, but is also intrigued by the wide-open nature of the Chase to date.

    “You have to make Jimmie Johnson a favorite but after what happened this past week, you have to wonder just how much anyone can be considered a favorite,” Jarrett said. “We say this every year, but the competition does get stronger each year.”

    “There are more teams capable of putting together a ten race stretch where they do things right,” Jarrett continued. “It literally could come down to four or five drivers at Homestead to win the race and take the championship.”

    “And it might take like a Tony Stewart a few years ago winning the race to win the championship.”

    “I’m more excited about this year than I ever have been because you have drivers trying to make history and those that are looking for that first ever opportunity,” Jarrett said. “And then you look at someone like Kurt Busch at what some would consider a small team showing his muscle.”

    “And you have his brother Kyle Busch, who wants to do well in the Chase just so we will quit asking him about it,” Jarrett continued. “So, there are a lot of great storylines and I think it’s pretty wide open.”

    So what advice would the NASCAR veteran give to the drivers who will be competing for that coveted Sprint Cup?

    “Although I’ve never raced for the championship in this format, I know what this time of year is like when you are racing for a championship,” Jarrett said. “The biggest thing is to embrace the moment in these final ten weeks.”

    “You like to think that you will be in that position again but the reality is that you may not,” Jarrett continued. “It’s not that you can get rid of the pressure because that pressure is there every week but have to have fun with it.”

    “Have a good time because if you can’t do that, it’s not worth doing.”

    Dale Jarrett photoIn addition to sharing his words of wisdom for the twelve special drivers and lobbing questions at the NASCAR President, Dale Jarrett thinks that the NASCAR Contenders Live event is special for one other reason.

    “With this event, the thing that intrigues me is the opportunity for the fans to see the drivers as they prepare for the Chase,” Jarrett said. “There will be serious questions but there will also be some fun.”

    “I love the fans interactions with the drivers.”

    After his portion of the program concludes, Dale Jarrett will hand the baton over to his ESPN colleague Nicole Briscoe for the main event of introducing the Chasers to the fans.

    “I am the host of NASCAR Contenders Live, which for me is super-exciting because it’s more of a relaxed event,” Briscoe said. “The drivers are away from the track and not in that competitive place so you get to have more fun with the guys.”

    “Plus the fans are involved and that is the most fun.”

    While Briscoe approaches every aspect of her job seriously, she has not yet developed the questions that she will ask of the Chase drivers and for one very good reason.

    “At this point, we don’t even know the bottom half of the Chase,” Briscoe said. “I can pretty much guarantee Jimmie Johnson and I think this weekend a few more drivers may lock into the Chase.”

    “But the rest, I swear will be decided on that last lap at Richmond.”

    Like Jarrett, Briscoe acknowledges that the NASCAR Contenders Live event is one where the drivers’ personalities can shine. And she too has the opportunity to relax a bit herself and let the fans see her personality as well.

    “The fans want to see the drivers’ personalities and I’ll let them go wherever they want to go,” Briscoe said. “It’s totally an opportunity for me to let my hair down as well.”

    “I enjoy the personality side of it because that makes this so interesting and different.”

    Does Briscoe expect some interplay between the drivers as they come out to be questioned by her?

    “I think there will be some trash talking because the drivers will come on in groups,” Briscoe said. “You will have those different personalities up there and that will make it be the event.”

    Just like Jarrett, Briscoe is also most intrigued with the whole notion of the Chase because in her mind, it is ‘one giant question mark’ at present.

    “I think when I look at the season right now to me it is one giant question mark on how the Chase will play out and who will make it,” Briscoe said. “You look at Joey Logano who just won and he got closer but that doesn’t guarantee him a wild card.”

    “Then you look at a guy like Martin Truex Jr. who was so excited after his win at Sonoma and then look at how the next races have played out,” Briscoe continued. “Then you have to look at the question marks around Kurt Busch in terms of what is he going to do next year and what can the little team that could do.”

    “And then if you look at the top of the points, what Jimmie Johnson has done so far is really quite remarkable.”

    “He is one of the greatest drivers that the sport has ever seen and I have so much respect for what he has done,” Briscoe said. “So, I look at who can compete against Jimmie Johnson and is there anyone that can run with him?”

    “That’s my question mark about how this is going to play out.”

    Fans who wish to participate in NASCAR Contenders Live Sponsored by Toyota and Sprint can visit www.NASCAR.COM/ContendersLive to purchase tickets for $10 dollars and to enter the Contenders Live sweepstakes for a chance to win a new 2014 Toyota Tundra CrewMax Limited, as well as other prizes.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: New Hampshire Sylvania 300

    Surprising and Not Surprising: New Hampshire Sylvania 300

    [media-credit name=”Noel Lanier” align=”alignright” width=”246″][/media-credit]From late-arriving pit crews to the second time around for the Cup Series at the mile track in Loudon, New Hampshire, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the second Chase race, the Sylvania 300.

    Surprising:  While being in Victory Lane is always special, it was a surprisingly big moment for the winner of the Sylvania 300, his team and his team owner.

    For Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota, it was truly a big moment as he delivered on his promise, via tweet, to win the race.

    And it was a major accomplishment for his team, who after overcoming mistakes of the previous race and during their qualifying lap at New Hampshire, rallied around each other and their driver to score the victory.

    But most of all, it was a huge moment for team owner Joe Gibbs, who achieved a milestone, his team’s 100th NASCAR Sprint Cup win, at the Magic Mile. The 100 wins were scored by Tony Stewart with 33, Denny Hamlin with 22, Bobby Labonte with 21, Kyle Busch with 20, Dale Jarrett with 2 and Joey Logano with 2 wins.

    Joe Gibbs Racing is now only one of six teams in NASCAR history to achieve the 100 victory mark.

    “It was a huge day for us,” Coach Gibbs said. “Bobby Labonte came into victory circle and I appreciated Bobby, Dale Jarrett, Jimmy Makar, everybody when we first started, Tony Stewart, so it took a lot of people down the road.”

    “But, certainly, gosh, thinking back on my 21 years – just doesn’t seem like it was that long ago and you realize that we’ve got a hundred wins.”

    “That was a huge deal for us.”

    Not Surprising:  Runner up for the second week in a row, Jimmie Johnson, continues to not only rack up the points, but count each one most carefully, right to the points lead.

    This was Johnson’s 15th top-10 finish in 22 races at the Magic Mile and his 19th top-10 finish for the season.

    “We had a great race car, just not an amazing car like the No. 11 had,” Johnson said. “To only leave seven points on the table in two races is pretty good.”

    “We missed the win last week and this week and we didn’t lead the most this weekend,” Johnson continued. “But it is probably seven points total.”

    “That’s not bad.”

    Surprising:  Brian Vickers did his own surprising Denny Hamlin impersonation, slicing and dicing his way from the back of the field after an engine change to a ninth place finish.

    “Really proud of the guys – everyone at MWR, Toyota, just this 55 crew,” said the driver of the No. 55 Freightliner/Jet Edge Toyota. “All the guys did a great job.”

    “We had a car good enough to go and race with them for a little while.”

    Not Surprising:  In spite of still being 45 points behind the leader and in the 12th Chase position, this driver continues to keep the faith, just like every other four-time past champion should.

    Jeff Gordon, in the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, started on the pole and finished 3rd at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    “It was a really solid effort,” Jeff Gordon said. “It’s a shame what happened to us in Chicago last weekend because I think we would have back-to-back top fives.”

    “There is no doubt we can get ourselves back into this.”

    Surprising:  It was surprising just how badly the Ford camp performed, especially Chase competitors Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle, who finished 14th and 18th respectively.

    “We were just battling overall grip,” Biffle, pilot of the No. 16 3M/GE Appliances Ford, said. “We chattered the front tires. We chattered the rear tires.”

    “There at the end we chattered all four.”

    “On a long run, we had about a 10th place car, which is probably a little bit better than we usually do here,” Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Zest Ford Fusion, said. “But on short runs, we weren’t very good at all and then we got that caution there at the end and that didn’t work in our favor.”

    “We weren’t that great overall.”

    Not Surprising:   As has his season gone, so did the New Hampshire race play out. Kyle Busch had a great outside pole start go south with engine woes yet again.

    And while his crew chief Dave Rogers attempted to put the best spin on it, Busch was less then complimentary behind the wheel of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota.

    “Unfortunately, we picked up a ‘miss’ under the hood,” Rogers said. “We just stayed out there and rode it out, and got the best finish possible.”

    When told by his crew chief that he could not fix the car and to just ride it out, Busch said simply “Imagine that.”

    Surprising:  The two Michael Waltrip Racing teammates in the Chase had diametrically opposite experiences at the Magic Mile this past weekend. Clint Bowyer, in the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota, finished fourth but Martin Truex Jr., in the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, finished 17th.

    “We had a solid race car,” Bowyer said. “But we needed a little bit more.”

    “There’s a lot of racing left,” Bowyer continued. “It was a solid finish and kept us in the game going to Dover.”

    Not Surprising:  While Stewart Haas Racing had a seemingly solid day, with Tony Stewart finishing seventh and teammate Ryan Newman finishing tenth, both were disappointed when the checkered flag flew.

    “It might’ve been a solid result, but we need to be better than that,” Stewart said simply.

    “It was just not what we wanted,” Newman said. “Two top-10s aren’t bad, but we’d like to get Aspen Dental a win, too.”

    Surprising:  Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 5 Farmer’s Insurance Chevrolet, had a surprisingly consistent run at the Magic Mile. He finished in the same place as his number, position five.

    “We had another consistent day,” Kahne said. “We have been pretty consistent so far so the first two are good for the Chase.”

    “Hopefully, we can keep it going and get a little faster if we want to catch those other guys,” Kahne continued. “That would be pretty cool.”

    Not Surprising:  With a thirteen place finish and an issue with his pit stop, it was no surprise that the Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was in a state of dislike.

    “I didn’t like the car in practice and didn’t really like it all weekend,” Junior said of his No. 88 AMP Energy/Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet. “We’ve got to get our stuff together to compete with these guys.”

    “This ain’t good enough.”

    Surprising:  Regan Smith, celebrating his 29th birthday and finishing 16th, got a real surprise. He found out that he was being replaced in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet.

    “You just have to keep plugging away,” Smith said. “You need to figure out a way to make the best of the situation.”

    Not Surprising:  Brad Keselowski, scrappy as ever, could only talk about beating, banging, clawing and digging after his 6th place finish in the Blue Deuce.

    “There was a lot of clawing in the race,” Keselowski said. “We’d have liked to have been a little faster but we still had a decent day.”

    “Like my 2 crew does every week, they just keep digging and made something happen.”

    When asked about his position in the point standings, now just one point behind Jimmie Johnson, Keselowski was direct and to the point.

    “One point doesn’t seem too bad,” Keselowski said. “We’ll go to Dover and give ‘em hell.”

     

  • Michael Annett Is Flying High Yet Under the Radar

    Michael Annett Is Flying High Yet Under the Radar

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Phil Cavali” align=”alignright” width=”172″][/media-credit]At Texas Motor Speedway, Michael Annett scored his second top-10 and fifth top-15 finish in just six races with his new team, Richard Petty Motorsports. And with that good run, he officially moved up two spots to fifth in the Nationwide Series point standings.

    Yet, as high as the young driver of the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang is flying early in the season, he still is very much under the radar in a series dominated by the likes of veteran Elliott Sadler, reigning champ Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., up and comer Austin Dillon, and Danica Patrick.

    “To me, that’s how I’ve lived my whole life,” Annett said. “Even when I played hockey growing up, I never did anything outlandish.”

    “I was just the guy that got the job done,” Annett continued. “That’s pretty much my M.O. and how it’s been for me in my racing career.”

    Although flying under the radar so far this season, the new Richard Petty Motorsports driver has had some impressive initial success, especially with his recent run at Texas. Annett finished ninth, rebounding from running into a lapped car and taking advantage of the lights going out at the speedway.

    “We probably could have won the race if I hadn’t run into a lapped car,” Annett said. “But I loved it when the lights went out because we were overheating and getting ready to pit.”

    “So, I liked that the lights brought out the caution,” Annett continued. “The whole night was about overcoming adversity, so to come out ninth and to see the guys faces with a top ten finish, it was cool.”

    Annett also contributes his early success at Richard Petty Motorsports with the team’s affiliation with Roush Fenway Racing, particularly in light of their driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. winning last year’s Nationwide championship.

    “I think the success started with what Roush Fenway built last year with the championship and the relationship we have with them,” Annett said. “That partnership is huge.”

    “At Texas, we unloaded and we were close but we were still missing a little bit,” Annett continued. “To be able to go and talk to the No. 6 team and use some things they found, it’s just a huge advantage to us.”

    In spite of early success at Richard Petty Motorsports, the reality for Annett was that he had to make a difficult  transition rather abruptly when his former team, Rusty Wallace Racing, shut down at the end of last year due to lack of sponsorship.

    “It was definitely tough, very unfortunate and a testament to the economic times,” Annett said of the demise of his former team. “They couldn’t find a sponsor for Steven (Wallace) with 5-Hour Energy leaving.”

    “Rusty said he didn’t want to do it out of his pocket,” Annett continued. “So, the month before Daytona, they announced they were shutting down and we had to go find a place to race.”

    Fortunately for Annett his long-time sponsor, Pilot Flying J, stuck with him and gave him the opportunity to seek out another team. He was especially pleased when Richard Petty Motorsports ended up being one of the teams interested in him.

    “I’m definitely blessed to have Pilot as a partner that I’ve had since I’ve started racing,” Annett said. “That enabled me to go to other teams and when I went to Richard Petty Motorsports, it just felt right.”

    “It felt like a family, listening to Richard (Petty),” Annett continued. “He and I saw eye to eye on everything and it felt right.”

    Annett said it hit him how fortunate he was to be with Richard Petty Motorsports when he and the team went out for their first race together at Daytona in the Drive4COPD 300.

    “It’s funny,” Annett said. “It didn’t hit home to me until Daytona when Richard (Petty) was standing on one side and Dale Inman on the other side, both giving me pointers before I got into the car.”

    “And all I could think was ‘this is crazy,’ Annett said. “I’ve ridden on the plane with Richard and talked to him and the best way to put it is that I’m blessed. It’s pretty cool.”

    The other ‘cool’ discovery for this low-key driver was his new crew chief at Richard Petty Motorsports, Philippe Lopez.

    “I had no idea about Philippe Lopez before this season started,” Annett said. “His name got brought up and I didn’t know a thing about him.”

    “When I asked around, there is always somebody who doesn’t like somebody, but not one person had anything bad to say about Philippe,” Annett continued. “That’s pretty cool.”

    “From Daytona to now, there hasn’t been one mechanical problem and his confidence on the radio is huge,” Annett said. “It’s been a really good relationship.”

    After his strong run at Texas with his new crew chief and team, Annett will have another off-weekend before heading to Richmond International Raceway next weekend for the NASCAR Nationwide Series 250.

    “Richmond is one of those tracks that I’ve struggled at,” Annett said. “But each time, we go back, I get better.”

    “I think I finished 11th or 12th last time so if I crack the top-10, I know that we’ll have had a good race,” Annett continued. “At Richmond, if you get the right car, you can come out of there with a top-5 or a win.”

    Yet even with his impressive start to the season and in spite of having total upheaval in his team, the young driver is not one often mentioned in the Nationwide Series discourse.

    “I don’t mind it, but I worry more about the guys on the team because I want them to get the credit they deserve,” Annett said. “I was hoping that at Daytona when Dale Jarrett started talking about me that would be the start of things.”

    “But I’ve fallen back into my old ways of just getting my job done, under the radar,” Annett continued. “But where we finish and the results will show themselves.”

    “And if they want to talk about us, they will,” Annett said. “My guys still know I’m driving my butt off for them and they’re doing the same back to me.”

  • 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 and The Brickyard; A Perfect Match

    NASCAR and The Brickyard; A Perfect Match

    When stock cars first graced the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1992 for a Goodyear tire test, the hallowed grounds of the speedway were rocked with a sound never heard before. Drivers were excited as were crews, fans and dignitaries from the speedway and NASCAR alike. Every driver wanted to be able to say, “I was the first driver to turn cross the yard of bricks, in a stock car!”

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The drivers were sent out onto the speedway in numerical order, and since there was no number one car, Rusty Wallace in his number two Penske Pontiac was the first car to hit the speedway. Thinking that the warm up lap was going to be an easy cruise, Wallace never expected to see a car catching him. “I looked up in my mirror and saw this black car getting closer” Wallace said. That car was none other than the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.

    Earnhardt passed Wallace down the front stretch and right then and there, is where the stock car competitiveness began at Indianapolis.

    In 1994, NASCAR graced the grounds once again, but only this time, there was a race taking place. On Saturday August 6, 1994, the tradition began with the Inaugural Brickyard 400. The race was filled with a record number of lead changes for the speedway at the time, and some of the most side by side battles at the speedway. The race was won by none other than a driver that called Indiana his home, Jeff Gordon.

    While the win was special for Gordon, drivers like Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Tony Stewart, had some extra incentive placed on winning at the Brickyard.

    Earnhardt, a seven time cup series champion, wanted nothing more than to be the first driver to roll into victory lane at Indianapolis in NASCAR. After a lap two pounding of the turn four wall, Earnhardt wanted to become the first “man” to win the Brickyard 400. When the second annual Brickyard 400 finally got underway, Earnhardt began to show what kind of driver he really ways. After a late race pit stop, then leader of the race, Rusty Wallace, had troubles on pit road due to cars in front of him and multiple scares with loose tires. Wallace tried desperately to get out first, but when he got to the backstretch, that black car that passed him back in 1992, was right there again, and just like that time, he blew right passed him.
    Dale went on to claim the victory indeed becoming the first “man” to win the Brickyard 400.

    Growing up in Indiana, Tony Stewart had always dreamed of winning the Indianapolis 500 in an Indy Car. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be racing at the Brickyard in a stock car. Stewart, who was one of the member of the Indy Car world who did not like stock cars coming to Indy, was in the middle of a successful Indy Car career when he was signed by Joe Gibbs Racing for 1999. Always being one of the favorites to win, Stewart placed even more pressure on himself. In 2005, that dream was finally a reality after holding off Kasey Kahne in a late race shootout to win his first Brickyard 400. Taking in the moment buy hanging on the fence, and grabbing a Coke from his family, Stewart had finally lived his lifelong dream of winning at the Brickyard.

    Many other drivers have graced the checkered floor of victory lane in the Brickyard 400. Names such as; Elliott, Harvick, Jarrett, Johnson, Labonte and McMurray. Indianapolis is a place where the cream rise to the top more than any other racetrack on the NASCAR circuit. You cannot fluke your way into a good run here.

    You must put the whole package together to be among the greats, as an Indianapolis winner.

    With the vast amount of history the speedway brings, and how far the sport of NASCAR has come in just over sixty years, the two are a perfect match for each other. They both show the fruits and labors of the racing world over the years better than maybe any other combination out there.

    While the racing may not be stellar by any standards, the element of winning at Indy is probably the most difficult. History takes center stage when you come to the Brickyard.

  • Dale Jarrett, Tom Higgins, Waddell Wilson Receive Honors

    Dale Jarrett, Tom Higgins, Waddell Wilson Receive Honors

    Dale Jarrett, 1999 Cup Champion and three-time Daytona 500 winner, Waddell Wilson, engine builder and crew chief, and Tom Higgins, noted NASCAR journalist, were inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in a grand style in Charlotte this weekend.

    [media-credit id=11 align=”alignright” width=”237″][/media-credit]The three inductees joined other NMPA Hall of Fame notables including Bobby and Davey Allison, Neil Bonnett, Dale Earnhardt, A.J. Foyt, Barney Hall, Harry Hyde, and Junior Johnson just to name a few.

    Father Ned Jarrett gave the induction speech for his son Dale.  He noted how proud he was that his son had followed in his footsteps not only in his racing career but now in his broadcasting career as well.

    “We truly have been blessed in our careers, both Dale and I, to have been able to share a lot of good things together along the way,” Jarrett said.  “For him to follow in my footsteps as a driver and now as a broadcaster is very, very special.  Those of you who have children know what that means.”

    Ned Jarrett also noted how important 2011 has been and will be for the Jarrett family.

    “A number of good things are happening in 2011,” Jarrett said.  “First is Dale being inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame.  It was announced last week that he was also elected to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.”

    “And it has been documented that I will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame this year,” Jarrett continued.  “So, 2011 is a very special time for us and our family.”

    Jarrett noted that there have been many opportunities for he and his son Dale to share in the sport of NASCAR.   The most special of all, however, was being able to broadcast the Daytona 500, pronouncing his son Dale as the winner.

    “To do the things that we’ve been able to do together, like him winning the 1993 Daytona 500,” Jarrett said. “I was working with CBS in the booth.  That was a very, very special moment for us and it turned out it was a very good moment for the sport of auto racing too because that moment has been shown a lot over the years.”

    Jarrett noted that his son was also an all-around “sports nut”.  He, as did many others in their tributes to Dale Jarrett, noted his prowess not only on the race track but also on the golf course.

    After accepting the presentation by his father and donning the grey NMPA Hall of Fame jacket, Dale Jarrett took a moment to pay tribute to his fellow honorees, as well as the many other honorees in the room.

    Jarrett thanked Tom Higgins for “always being a great friend, treating me fairly from the press, and having fun on the golf course” and recognized all of the support he had been given by Waddell Wilson, especially as he struggled with his own Busch Grand National team.

    “Whether it be a gear that I needed that he loaned me and never charged me anything to sharing a closed test at Daytona,” Jarrett said.  “These are the things that most people don’t know about that are so important.”

    While Jarrett thanked and recognized many in the room who had helped him in his racing career, as well as his current broadcasting career, the most powerful moment of his remarks came when he was recognizing his family, his parents, his wife, his two sons Zach and Jason, his sister and brother-in-law, who were with him for the celebration.

    “It’s a tough business we’re in,” Jarrett said.  “When you’re on the road all the time, it makes it pretty difficult.  I was fortunate that throughout a lot of my career, I had my family there. That helped ease things.”

    Another famous NASCAR family  member, Kyle Petty, made the induction remarks for engine builder and crew chief Waddell Wilson.  He noted how Wilson’s career as an engine builder at Holman Moody launched his success including winning 109 races, 123 poles and three championships, two with David Pearson in 1968 and 1969, and one with Benny Parsons in 1973.

    Petty also noted that the Daytona 500 was a special race for Wilson, just as it had been for Dale Jarrett. Wilson won three Daytona 500s, as crew chief to  Buddy Baker in 1980 and with Cale Yarborough in 1983 and 1984.

    “I’m here for Waddell,” Petty said.  “I talked to Waddell the other day and I asked Waddell why am I introducing you.  And he said ‘Because the Pettys have always been a pain in my ass.’

    When Wilson took the stage to don his NMPA Hall of Fame jacket, he did indeed reminisce about many aspects of his career, especially chasing after the “Petty blue” cars.  He not only drove in his career, but became one of the sport’s most noted engine builders and crew chiefs.

    Steve Waid, himself a noted journalist, introduced the final inductee and his best friend Tom Higgins. Chronicling many of their exploits together, Waid paid tribute to a man that chronicled some of NASCAR’s most interesting times, especially its years of growth and expansion.

    Higgins started his career at the Asheville Times in 1958, eventually writing for the noted Charlotte Observer. He was one of the first reporters to cover the sport on a full-time basis and did so until his retirement in 1997.

    When Higgins took the stage for his induction, he told story after story about the special people that he had met in the sport.  He was especially emotional telling some of the tales of his favorite drivers who he counted as friends, from Cotton Owens to Dale Earnhart, Sr.

    Kyle Petty summed up the honors best for Higgins and all three inductees.

    “This is a big deal,” Petty said.  “I grew up in the sport when there wasn’t a lot of media.  Higgins and Steve (Waid) were two of the first.  The group that we had looked after the sport and protected the sport.”

    “The sport has gone on to higher heights but the foundation that these inductees laid, we’re not here in this room,” Petty continued.  “It’s important to touch base with that and to continue to educate the new fans.”