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Tag: Darrell Waltrip

The Final Word – Texas was all about Jimmie and Kevin with a Junior cameo

Jimmie, and Kevin, and Dale, oh my. Jimmie, and Kevin, and Dale, oh my.

Last Saturday night was a good one if you happened to be a fan of one of the above-mentioned drivers. Johnson was the class of the field, leading 128 laps, including the final one. It was his second win of the season and the 72nd of his career. Six-time rather likes the Texas track, having won the last three fall races, now four in his last six attempts, and his fifth win overall in Fort Worth. I am starting to think he likes the place.

Kevin Harvick, also with a pair of victories this season along with four runner-up finishes, led 96 laps and came home second. Life must be good when finishing eighth at Martinsville represents a slump. As for Junior, well, Mr. Earnhardt led zero laps but he was close, closer still near the end, to claim third. If he could only get a mulligan for both Phoenix and Martinsville, for he has finished between third and sixth everywhere else.

Another good day as well for the likes of Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, as the Penske duo finished in the Top Five. Proof positive you can get away with being a two car operation if those teams actually matter. Same goes for single car outfits, as Martin Truex Jr. now has a Top Ten in each race of this season, a huge turnaround from a year ago. As for the likes of Tony Stewart and Sam Hornish Jr, nothing much to write home about regarding this race or this season. Maybe this weekend things will be different. Probably not.

Maybe they could join the rest of us, experiencing success at home driving a video game version. Next month the new NASCAR ‘15 game comes out. Of course, for me, realism is being able to switch to indestructible mode in order to take out the entire field en route to victory. Hey, it could happen in real life. Having cars flying a hundred feet into the air, now that was unrealistic.

Unrealistic, like me growing taller, or having my hair back, or holding out hope that one day I might actually become a Cup driver. If I could just shed 60 pounds and 40 years, I could be Erik Jones. You might as well become familiar with the 18-year-old, who is registered in the trucks. All he has done there is win four of his career 20 events, with 16 Top Tens. When he was 16 and 17, he ran ARCA, winning one of 14 with eight Top Tens. Oh, Jones also runs Xfinity, winning his first in nine attempts last weekend to go with six Top Tens. Joe Gibbs did not want to rush him into Cup, going with David Ragan instead of Jones to fill in for Kyle Busch. Even though Ragan sits 10th in the standings, maybe they might want to re-think that. The man child might be ready.

We are always ready for a day at Bristol, where Jimmie and Kevin and Dale have all won. Once. Jimmie won it five years ago while 10 have gone by for the other two. Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon each have five, but a few years have ticked by even for them.

No, your best bet would be Carl Edwards. Winner of three, including the event one year ago, he did pick up his first Top Ten last Saturday. Maybe it is his time to shine this season though if he falters I am sure teammates Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin would be more than willing to pick up the slack. Both are also past Bristol winners.

As for some Bristol trivia, there were 56 races run at that track between 1973 and 2000. Thirty of those, more than half, were won by Cale Yarborough (9), Darrell Waltrip (12), Dale Earnhardt (9), and Rusty Wallace (9). Hall of Famers all. Oh my, indeed.

April 13, 2015
The Final Word – The Countdown to the New Season is Down to Single Digits

The countdown has begun to the start of a new season, with less than ten days to go before the Sprint Unlimited exhibition race at Daytona. A new campaign, some new teams and some new expectations.

Stewart-Haas had a year of mixed results in 2014. Kevin Harvick has his crown, but I think if you claim one championship you might like to claim another. Hey, it works for Jimmie Johnson. His boss, Tony Stewart, has three, but just having a year without the drama would be a Godsend. Kurt Busch won a race, which placed him in the Chase, but he actually was not even as good as Austin Dillon, Paul Menard, or Brian Vickers over the course of the season. He needs to show this year as to why Gene Haas spent the big money to bring him into the stable.

Danica Patrick must do well. I hear that, I believe that should be so, but I am not so convinced the bloom is off the rose just yet. With the big money funding, a solid organization behind her, and the media attention she gets, I do not believe she needs to be anything more than the novelty she already is. Being the best female driver in NASCAR history might still be enough, but results better than those of, say, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. should be expected as the soon-to-be 33-year-old embarks on her third full season.

Kasey Kahne turns 35 this spring and probably is considered the little guy at the big boys table at Hendrick by some. Seventeen wins over his career, including six in the past four years, argues otherwise. The only reason Kahne is not more front and center is due to having teammates who have either won the title multiple times or who happens to be the sports most popular performer. Even Harvick and Stewart would be considered fourth on the depth chart on this outfit.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a new crew chief. After matching his win totals of the previous nine seasons in 2014, Junior has Greg Ives on the box after Steve Letarte left for the broadcast booth. The 40-year-old needs to repeat what he did in 2014, as 23 Cup wins, 23 more on the junior circuit, two Daytona 500 wins, five Talladega celebrations, and a dozen straight Most Popular Driver of the Year nods might not be enough to make the Hall…in 2030.

2015 marks the final full-time season for Jeff Gordon. You better enjoy it, as he will not be eligible for the Hall of Fame until at least 2023. That would mark 30 years since he began his career, which is one qualification. If he has to wait until he is 55, that would be in 2027. Gone is the former three years in retirement qualification, as of this year. This alone causes me to expect more tinkering to the qualification rules between now and then.

Trevor Bayne has a Daytona 500 to his credit, and not much else over the past four seasons. He leaves his part-time job driving for the Wood Brothers to a full-time gig with Roush Fenway. Bayne turns 24 the day they run the Duels at Daytona, with hopes of taking Mark Martin’s old No. 6 ride back to the front. The question is, does he and teammates Greg Biffle and Stenhouse represent an organization on the rise?

Bayne takes the place of Carl Edwards, who hopes to realize that first championship with his move. Twice he has been the season’s runner-up, as the 35-year-old seeks some greener grass on Joe Gibbs’ side of the fence. Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth are a pretty good trio of teammates to roll with. Without question, one of NASCAR’s Big Three organizations, along with Hendrick and Stewart-Haas.

Or should that be Big Four? Penske is just a two car outfit, but with Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano on the reins their wagons can make something happen. Both finished amongst the season’s Top Five, combining for 11 victories last year. Yes, Big Four is more like it.

Is there anyone to make it a Big Five? Childress has youth in Austin Dillon, with brother Ty waiting in the wings. They have experience in Ryan Newman, who was just one point behind Harvick when the smoke cleared at Homestead last November. Then there is Paul Menard, who has yet to crack the season’s Top Fifteen in his career, the past four with Childress. On the positive side, he does come complete with a sponsor. Is that enough?

Michael Waltrip’s crew once was considered a top flight team, until the wings came off. Martin Truex Jr. found himself with Furniture Row, where their gains with Kurt Busch disappeared with his replacement. Brian Vickers is on the mend with a heart issue, so he will require a temporary replacement. As for Clint Bowyer, Captain Skid dropped to 19th in the season rankings after being the runner-up in 2012 and seventh the season after. Bowyer is locked in for another three years, but will they be the best of times, or the worst of times?

Ganassi has 22-year old Kyle Larson, who just missed the Chase in his rookie season, along with veteran Jamie McMurray. Am I the only one who thinks this team should have been, and should be, more successful? McMurray has only seven wins over 13 seasons, but where he won is impressive. Two came at Daytona, including the 500 in 2010, two at Talladega, two at Charlotte, as well as the Brickyard 400. Not enough to make one a contender, but certainly one who gets remembered.

You cannot forget Petty, if only for the guy the outfit is named after. Aric Almirola is back, after a single win got him into the Chase…for three races. That victory was just one of five the team has had over six seasons. Coming in is Sam Hornish Jr. who, in 239 NASCAR races in all three top series, has just three wins on the junior circuit. Two of them came over his last 39 races run there over the past two campaigns. Let us not forget his 19 IndyCar wins between 2001 and 2007, including the 2006 Indianapolis 500. Does that get one excited? Sadly, not much.

Maybe the biggest move comes off the track. Gone is ESPN. Thank God Almighty. FOX returns, with NBC taking over the second half of the season. Mike Joy is a good lap-by-lap announcer, while Rick Allen is even better. While he may have a few detractors, I enjoy Darrell Waltrip, along with Larry McReynolds, providing color analysis. I think Steve Letarte will be even better though, surprisingly, Jeff Burton may be the weak link until he smooths out his delivery. Still, he has a few months to work on it. All are infinitely better than the ESPN crew, and that works for me.

It all begins on Saturday, February 14th with the Sprint Unlimited from Daytona on FOX. Dare I say it, “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity.” Sorry, I just could not resist.

February 4, 2015
For Jeff Gordon Fans, It’s Personal

As the tributes to Jeff Gordon continue to pour in, most recently from Darrell Waltrip’s pronouncement of Gordon as one of the ‘Greatest of All Time’ NASCAR drivers, some of the most poignant reactions to have been from long-time Jeff Gordon fans.

And for them, the news that Gordon will step out of the car after this season is simply personal.

“I followed him casually since he came into the sport so I’ve always been a fan, but I turned rabid ten or so years ago,” Linda Caracciola said. “Honestly it was a combination of things ‘Jeff’ that hooked me. Obviously he’s an incredibly talented racecar driver, but when I started listening to him in pre and post-race interviews, he really impressed me.”

He’s a class act,” Caracciola continued. “Then add to all of that what he does off the track philanthropically, he’s the total package.”

“And he’s not hard on the eyes either!”

Caracciola learned of her favorite driver’s news on Twitter. At first she thought it might be a joke or a rumor, but then she was simply stunned.

“I just sat there for a few minutes trying to process it,” Caracciola said. “I knew the day was coming, but I honestly didn’t expect it yet. I thought for sure he would race two more years and throw in his fire suit after the 2016 season.”

“The realization that I would only have this season to watch my driver race made me incredibly sad.”

“Now that the reality of it has sunk in, I’m still really sad that this will be his last season,” Caracciola continued. “Jeff is my driver. It’s not like stick and ball sports where you have your team. Players on that team come and go, but that’s still your team.”

“NASCAR is a different animal. When your driver retires, you can’t just randomly pick another driver and decide to be a fan. It’s a feeling you have to have, and for me, I don’t know if I’ll ever feel as passionate about another driver. I feel like I’ll be transitioning from a Jeff Gordon fan to just a NASCAR fan. At least for now…”

Like Caracciola, Jack Lewis, a NASCAR and Jeff Gordon fan since the age of four, is also struggling with his driver’s decision to step away from the sport.

“In 1993, my father went to Pocono Raceway while I stayed home,” Lewis said. “Naturally, I told him “buy me something” from the track, and he chose a Jeff Gordon flag to purchase for me. His reasoning was because his souvenir trailer was the most colorful of them all!”

“I first heard about Jeff’s announcement via an alert on my smartphone,” Lewis continued. “I was shopping and came to a dead stop after I read it–in shock, initially. It was something I knew was only a matter of time before it happened, but still, when you read something like that, you can’t help but be a little shocked.”

While both Caracciola and Lewis were saddened and shocked by their driver’s decision to step out of the car, both are very thankful for the memories and for the great Gordon moments that they have been able to experience.

“I have two favorite moments,” Caracciola said. “One has to be the first time I was at a race that he won. It was the June Pocono race in 2011. I cried… I’d watched him win for years but it was an amazing feeling to be there to see it in person.”

“The other, of course, was the first time I met him. He was exactly as I expected him to be.”

“There’s so many Jeff Gordon moments as a fan,” Lewis said. “Some of the best are his first Daytona 500 win in 1997, but the best had to be staying up until early Sunday morning in 2012 to watch Jeff come from multiple laps down to finish 2nd at Richmond and get into the Chase. Another that comes to mind was the Homestead win in 2012 after everything that happened the week before.”

While both Caracciola and Lewis wish that Gordon would reconsider and continue to race, they both want him to do whatever makes him happiest.

“I want to see him doing whatever it is that is going to make him feel happy and fulfilled,” Caracciola said. “I expect that he’ll continue to do great things and that he’ll make a positive impact doing whatever it is he decides to do.”

“After 2015, I would love to see Jeff do TV and still be very visible in the sport,” Lewis said. “I know that he’s mentioned he will still be at the track, so I am sure we will all see Jeff around the race track in years to come, just not behind the wheel.”

So, what would these two die-hard, personally attached Jeff Gordon fans say to their driver given the chance?

“If I could say one thing to Jeff, I would simply say ‘thanks’,” Lewis said. “Thanks for being such a great role model, thanks for paving the way for so many other drivers to make their way into NASCAR, thanks for giving back so much (with his foundation).”

“If it weren’t for Jeff Gordon, I’m not sure if I would even be a NASCAR fan,” Lewis continued. “It may not be much to just be a fan, but I feel like NASCAR plays such a role in my life (and Sundays throughout the year), and I have Jeff to thank for that.”

“If I could say one thing to Jeff, what would it be? Thank you,” Caracciola said. “Thank you for bringing us fans 23+ years of excitement on the track. Thank you for being a great ambassador for the sport that we love. Thank you for being the kind of person that young kids (and adults) can look up to.”

“And most of all, thank you for being Jeff Gordon.”

January 27, 2015
Hot 20 – The season’s best driver does not always claim the Cup championship

There is something about having a single win and getting into the Chase. It gives everyone a chance, one that for some would have pretty much been gone in the wind. Kurt Busch is having about as much luck as Danica Patrick right now, but he has his win. If Danica could just get one, somehow, somewhere, she also could launch herself amongst our contenders. It is that simple. Heck, even Josh Wise could make some noise if he could win, and work his way into the Top 30. Everyone in the Top 36, in fact, still has hope, and that might be a good thing. If not, then the debate as to who will be our new champion would be down to talking about no more than nine or ten drivers.

Using today’s point system, but giving the winner 25 points instead of just 3, the Hendrick duo of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson rise to the top. Yet, should Matt Kenseth take the prize at Pocono on Sunday he would take over the top rung no matter what the other two boys did. Winning has its privileges, and while it is not as generous or as forgiving as the official method, this does offer a truer reflection of who is hot and who is not.

If you are a sponsor of Carl Edwards, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, or Kevin Harvick, you should be pleased. At the one-third mark of the season, those drivers and the aforementioned trio have been the most relevant each week, with a nod to Denny Hamlin. He remains close even after having to take an extra week off. Yes, that win does help.

Being the best over the course of the season has never ensured a driver of a championship, no matter what points system or method has been used in the past. Jimmie Johnson (2004), Ryan Newman (2003), Jeff Gordon (1996), Rusty Wallace (1994), Bill Elliott (1985), Darrell Waltrip (1984), and David Pearson (1973) are just the most recent examples. Come to think of it, I wonder how we would look at Newman today had his 8 wins trumped the single victory of Kenseth in determining the crown that season? How would our perceptions have changed in regards to the likes of Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Terry Labonte, and Benny Parsons?

While we will watch each week to see if a win can salvage somebody’s season, to witness which 16 will be eligible for the title, and who gets eliminated from contention over the final ten events, we should try and remember the drivers who gave us cause to watch each and every week. Here are the hot 20 who have done just that this season.

(Win bonus increased from 3 points to 25)

Driver – Points (Wins)
1 Jeff Gordon – 483 (1)
2 Jimmie Johnson – 480 (2)
3 Matt Kenseth – 463
4 Carl Edwards – 460 (1)
5 Joey Logano – 458 – (2)
6 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 451 (1)
7 Kyle Busch – 433 (1)
8 Brad Keselowski – 426 (1)
9 Kevin Harvick – 417 (2)
10 Denny Hamlin – 401 (1)
11 Kyle Larson – 377
12 Ryan Newman – 374
13 Brian Vickers – 366
14 Paul Menard – 362
15 Austin Dillon – 358
16 Greg Biffle – 357
17 Clint Bowyer – 350
18 Kasey Kahne – 349
19 Aric Almirola – 344
20 A.J. Allmendinger – 337

June 5, 2014
The Final Word – A NASCAR Supernova stars in Kansas

There are three major stars in NASCAR’s constellation of drivers. They are simply called Jimmie, Junior, and Jeff, and few could argue that this trio has shone the brightest. Jimmie Johnson has six championships, including five in a row. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the legacy of the legend, with 15 wins in his first five full seasons and four straight at Talladega. His track success might have cooled, but Junior Nation’s fervor has not. Jeff Gordon, the four time champion, won his third at Kansas, but his first since 2002, to all but lock his place in the Chase.

Gordon led in points, even without a win, but Saturday night he put a lock on a race he dominated. Well, for all but one other entry, he was the undisputed leader of the pack. Kevin Harvick had designs to add to his win total, only to fall just short. While both drivers have been stellar thus far in the season, only the wreck at Talladega mars Gordon’s record in 2014. Harvick has been a factor in every race, winning two, but he has been up front only until misfortune bit him hard at Las Vegas, Bristol, California, and Texas.

Winning is important, but it sure comes in handy to also be relevant week in and week out. Danica Patrick was just that the entire race, finishing seventh, while Tony Stewart was for a time before coming home 20th. One has a great track record, one does not, but both have driven SHR autos that have been providing sub-par results much of the year. Other than Harvick, one wonders how much are their woes car based. Just ask the fourth member of that stable, as Kurt Busch finished outside the Top Twenty for the ninth time in eleven attempts. If not for his win at Martinsville, which this season makes him relevant, being 28th in points would have otherwise left him an also ran a couple of points beyond the total of even Ms. Patrick.

However, a win is the golden ticket this season to challenge for the championship. Joey Logano and Harvick have a couple, with Gordon, Junior, and the Brothers Busch among the seven with one to their credit. Seven more are within the Top 16 in points, but a single win and a spot in the Top 30 vaults one up the ladder. Who will be next?

Before the World 600, the boys and girl have the All-Star race on their schedule this Saturday night at Charlotte. Nineteen are in, having won since the 2013 Daytona 500, by winning this race in the past, or by having been a Cup series champion. Three more will be added, with two coming from the top finishers from among the 23 car field that will run in the Showdown on Friday night. The other will come via a fan vote. If that goes the way I think it will, I would expect the All-Star race to include every driver mentioned above. Yes, even her.

Who will win on Saturday night? That is easy. Every driver who has ever won the All-Star race since Darrell Waltrip claimed the Winston back in 1985 has or will be either a Cup champion, the winner of the Daytona 500, the World 600 or the night race at Bristol. No exceptions.

A star won last Saturday night, and another should claim the prize in Charlotte this Saturday evening.

Darrell Waltrip – All-Star 1985 – Daytona 500 1989 – World 600 1978-79, 1985, 1988-89 – Bristol 1979, 1981-83, 1986, 1989, 1992 – Champion 1981-82, 1985

Bill Elliott – All-Star 1986 – Daytona 500 1985, 1987 – Champion 1988

Dale Earnhardt – All-Star 1987, 1990, 1993 – Daytona 500 1998 – World 600 1986, 1992-93 – Champion 1980, 1986-87, 1990-91, 1993-94

Terry Labonte – All-Star 1988, 1999 – Bristol 1984, 1995 – Champion 1984, 1996

Rusty Wallace – All-Star 1989 – World 600 1990 – Bristol 1994, 1996, 2000 – Champion 1989

Davey Allison – All-Star 1991-92 – Daytona 500 1992 – World 600 1991

Geoffrey Bodine – All-Star 1994 – Daytona 500 1986

Jeff Gordon – All-Star 1995, 1997, 2001 – Daytona 500 1997, 1999, 2005 – World 600 1994, 1997-98 – Bristol 2002 – Champion 1995, 1997-98, 2001

Michael Waltrip – All-Star 1996 – Daytona 500 2001, 2003

Mark Martin – All-Star 1998, 2005 – World 600 2002 – Bristol 1993, 1998

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – All-Star 2000 – Daytona 500 2004, 2014 – Bristol 2004

Ryan Newman – All-Star 2002- Daytona 500 2008

Jimmie Johnson – All-Star 2003, 2006, 2012-13 – Daytona 500 2006, 2013 – World 600 2003-05 – Champion 2006-10, 2013

Matt Kenseth – All-Star 2004 – Daytona 500 2009, 2012 – World 600 2000 – Bristol 2005-06, 2013 – Champion 2003

Kevin Harvick – All-Star 2007 – Daytona 500 2007 – World 600 2011, 2013

Kasey Kahne – All-Star 2008 – World 600 2006, 2008, 2012

Tony Stewart All-Star 2009 – Bristol 2001 – Champion 2002, 2005, 2011

Kurt Busch – All-Star 2010 – World 600 2010 – Bristol 2003 – Champion 2004

Carl Edwards – All-Star 2011 – Bristol 2007-08

Casey Mears – World 600 2007

David Reutimann – World 600 2009

Kyle Busch – Bristol 2009-10

Jamie McMurray – Daytona 500 2010

Trevor Bayne – Daytona 500 2011

Brad Keselowski – Bristol 2011 – Champion 2012

Denny Hamlin – Bristol 2012

May 13, 2014
NASCAR – The Men Behind the Curtain

The governing body of NASCAR is reminiscent of the ‘Great Oz’ with its true agenda hidden behind a curtain of mystery. Sleight of hand and misdirection create the illusion that NASCAR is a sport driven by the desires of its passionate fans.

They almost pull it off until something happens like the debacle at Richmond at the end of the regular season last year when the race results were blatantly manipulated to ensure certain drivers made it into the Chase. After a few days to review the incidents, NASCAR reacted by issuing fines and penalties. The boldest move was the addition of an unprecedented 13th driver (Jeff Gordon) to the Sprint Cup Chase.

When the fans suggested that NASCAR was equally as guilty of manipulation as those being penalized, Chairman Brian France was quick to establish who is in charge.” I am Oz the great and powerful,” he proclaimed. Well, maybe not in those exact words, but France emphasized that the governing body has the authority to make whatever changes are deemed necessary to “protect the integrity, which is our number one goal of NASCAR.”

The aftermath of this ruling brought out comparisons of NASCAR to the world of wrestling and did little to preserve the integrity of a sport that often struggles to define its identity. Is it sports, entertainment or perhaps a convoluted mixture of the two?

Race results have been manipulated in one form or another since stock car racing began. These instances have run the gamut from the standard practice of allowing ones teammates to pass so that they can gain extra points to drivers being told to let someone else win.

Darrell Waltrip found himself in one such predicament in 1990, his final year with Hendrick Motorsports. It was the first year since 1974 that Waltrip was winless.

But according to Waltrip’s recollection in his book, ‘DW: A Lifetime Going Around in Circles,’ he won at North Wilkesboro Speedway on April 22, 1990 in the First Union 400. Yet, Brett Bodine is credited as the official winner due to a scoring error.

According to the explanation given in the book, “NASCAR, and even Larry McReynolds, the crew chief at the time for Brett Bodine, later admitted to Waltrip, that Bodine did not actually win the race. Jeff Hammond, Waltrip’s crew chief, appealed to NASCAR officials to correct what was clearly an error in NASCAR’s scoring of the event.”

Waltrip took his protest to Bill France Jr. and was told by France to “leave that boy alone, D.W., that’s his first win and you are going to win a lot more races.”

NASCAR history is filled with similar examples. These were all accepted practices, until they weren’t. Who determines what is fair, where the line is drawn and who keeps moving the line? It’s often difficult to determine who is pulling the strings but in today’s world of social media, the fans have added their collective voice to shape the perceptions of right and wrong. NASCAR says that they are listening.

This season brought more machinations by NASCAR to deliver the type of racing they believe fans want with rule changes to the Sprint Cup Chase format that place more emphasis on winning. However, many fans have been adamant in their dislike of a system that places more value on one win than a season of competitiveness.

The changes were also intended to promote more competitive racing and discourage points racing. Over half of the race finishes this season have been impacted by late race cautions. Coincidence or design?

Is this a true reflection of what fans desire or NASCAR’s misguided interpretation of “I know I’m not the wizard you expected but I might be the wizard you need.”

This was never more evident than this past weekend at Richmond International Raceway when Marcos Amrbose and Casey Mears had an altercation after the race. A shove by Mears and a right cross by Ambrose overshadowed Logano’s second win of the season.

There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that this fight will make it onto the highlight reel as it showcases what many fans love about short track racing. These tracks are known for intense racing and competitors with short fuses. It also fits right in with the on again, off again motto of “Have at it Boys,” that NASCAR likes to dust off when the racing becomes a little too predictable

Once again, however, NASCAR intervened with fines and probations issued to the drivers involved. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that their rule book has been updated to make the line between what is appropriate and what isn’t, more readily apparent. But there are still enough gray areas that the fans can never anticipate which ruling NASCAR will pull from their hat.

Quotes from the film, ‘The Wizard of Oz’

May 3, 2014
Daytona – What makes it so special?

Who would have thought all those years ago that a race which is run partially on sand would become the biggest race in NASCAR?

What would become the Daytona 500 started out on a track that wasn’t your typical track. It started off as a long square that was partially in the sand and partially on a highway that was near the beach. Can you imagine a race going from sand to asphalt then back to sand? Imagine trying to set up a car for sand then sliding onto a highway!

In 1959 the first Daytona 500 was run, but its roots could be traced back as far as 1903. That was the year some daredevils decided that the level, hard-packed sands of Ormand Beach, Fla. would be a perfect place to see how fast a race car could run. From there, beach racing in the Daytona area became a hit. It actually was the second 500 mile race, following the Southern 500. Did anyone realize that the best was yet to come and soon the race would be the iconic race it has become today?

Yes, there was one man who saw what things could be. It was 1934 when a mechanic named “Big Bill” France migrated to Daytona from Washington D.C. The only thing France enjoyed more than working on cars was racing them. It was “Big Bill” that announced in 1955 that he was building a track that was going to be called Daytona International Speedway He would also go on to organize the drivers and NASCAR was born. By 1961 the race was referred to as simply the “Daytona 500” but it would be far from simple. We just didn’t know it yet, or perhaps we did, but who would have guessed that it would grow to the magnitude that it has today?

The year was 1979 and for the first time a 500 mile race would be broadcast in its entirety. Eager fans tuned in to see this race and it did not disappoint. Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough were in a tight race for the win. Neither driver was going to give and Yarborough ended up spinning into Allison, both cars ended up in the grass and a disagreement ensued. Bobby Allison, who at that point was a lap down, would stop his car, get out and then the fight was on. It was shown on live television and that race cemented Daytona as the place to be. Richard Petty would go on to win that race with Darrell Waltrip coming in second.

NASCAR has had several great finishes at Daytona, too many to even really write about, which also has made it such a special place. It’s the one race every driver wants to win. It’s the race that little boys watch with their fathers and think “this is what I want to do.”

NASCAR is all about family. The Alabama Gang of Bobbie, Donnie, and Davey Allison, along with Red Farmer is one example. You also have Ned Jarrett and son Dale, Dale Earnhardt and son Dale Earnhardt Jr. as well as Darrell Waltrip and his brother Michael. Most of those named have won the Daytona 500, though for some it was easier than others.

Darrell Waltrip finally won the Daytona 500 in 1989 on his 17th attempt in the car No. 17 and celebrated by doing the “icky shuffle.” Dale Earnhardt Sr. tried 19 times and so many times something would happen on the last lap. His is probably the most special win of all, as on his 20th time he finally conquered the Daytona curse and won the race. No one will forget seeing the black No. 3 coming down pit road with members of other teams and the media lined up to slap his hand and congratulate the “Intimidator” on his victory. When he got to victory lane, all he said was, “finally!”

There has been tragedy as well, 22 drivers have been killed at the track. Of course the most notable was Dale Earnhardt Sr. but others have been lost as well, including Neil Bonnett and Rodney Orr.

What makes Daytona special? I think Darrell Waltrip summed it up perfectly when he said, “For a race driver, when you drive through that tunnel and into the infield at Daytona, it’s like you’ve entered the gates of Heaven. If you roll onto the track at Daytona and don’t get goosebumps, buddy you ain’t a racer.”

So as we get closer to Daytona this year think to yourself, what was your special moment that gives you goosebumps? Close your eyes and picture yourself there, feel the sun hitting your face and the roar of the crowd. Imagine that you can see Fireball Roberts, Lee Petty, Tiny Lund, and Pete Hamilton taking the checkered flag. If you close your eyes and look into turn four you can see the black No. 3 coming at you and that smirk on his face as he takes the checkered flag. Little boys that will be drivers someday dream of that checkered flag, and we are lucky enough to experience it all.

January 22, 2014
Greg Biffle Celebrates NASCAR Banquet and NASCAR Pets Calendar

December 9, 2013
Matty’s Picks 2013 – Vol. 9 Sprint All-Star Race – Charlotte Motor Speedway – May 18, 2013

We’re 1/3 of the way through the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, and it’s onto Speedweeks at Charlotte. A million bucks is up for grabs this week (actually 2 million), and unlike the NHL, the NBA, and the MLB, we’re already on to the All-Star weekend.

There have been 28 previous All-Star races, all but one being held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 1986 event was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway and won by Bill Elliott. The first All-Star race was won by Darrell Waltrip back in 1985 amongst a field of 12. This year, 22 cars will take the green flag of the 2013 All-Star race, 19 of those divers have already locked up a spot in the field.

Here’s how the starting field for the drivers that will be making the start in the main event tonight:
– NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race winners in 2012 and 2013
– NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners in the last 10 years
– Drivers who are past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions in the previous 10 years
– The top-two finishers in the Sprint Showdown, the 40-lap race that precedes the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
– The top Sprint Fan Vote driver who finishes the Showdown and whose car is in “raceable” condition.

Like last year, the All-Star race will consist of five segments – four 20-lap segments and a 10-lap shootout. Unlike last year, the running the running order at the completion of the fourth segment (Lap 80) will be repositioned behind the Pace Car, based on the drivers’ average finish for the first four segments – putting a premium on strong finishes throughout the entire event.

The new lineup will be placed directly behind the caution car prior to the opening of pit road for a mandatory four-tire pit stop, yielding the spotlight from the drivers to the pit crews.
The order of the cars returning to the track will determine the starting order of the final 10-lap shootout. Running order ties will be broken by the finish of the fourth segment.
I am a fan of the new setup as NASCAR has done a nice job of eliminating the sandbagging factor we’ve seen in previous events, by emphasizing strong finishes in each of the first four 20-lap segments.

Darlington Recap

I will keep this brief this week as the intro section is rather long, and I have little to brag about from last week. I chose Kasey Kahne as the winner last week, a pick that looked like a jackpot throughout the middle to late stages, but with 33 laps to go, my chances went south. Whether Kyle Busch got into Kahne, or if he only got close enough to take the air off the No.5 car, this little rivalry heating up between the two drivers is going to be something to watch over the next few weeks. The incident left Kahne settling with a 17th place finish.
As for my Dark Horse, Ryan Newman, it was the fourth time I picked him this season and he did ok for me for the first time this year. Newman ran a strong race, avoiding trouble throughout and finished 10th.

All-Star Picks

Winner Pick
On Thursday in my preview of tonight’s All-Star race with Greg Depalma on The Prime Sports Network, I picked a guy who is one of the favorites tonight, despite never winning a race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

This is a Kyle Busch style race, with nothing to lose and two million bucks at stake, you can bet that the floorboards of the No.18 car are going to be worn out at the end of the race on Saturday Night.

He has never won an all-star event in 7 tries despite starting on the pole three times and never won at Charlotte in 26 tries. In spite of never winning at Charlotte, Kyle has been very strong throughout the course of his career and since 2008, he has finished outside the top 8 just twice in 14 races. Kyle’s Driver Rating has never been less than 100, besides the two accidents in 2010 and 2011 since the spring of 2007.

He has lead laps in 20 of 26 starts at Charlotte, and in the fourth starting spot tonight, Kyle has put himself in position for an early lead. He was close in 2011 to the cool million when he started on the pole for his third time, but Carl Edwards was the guy to beat that night. I still like my pick today.

Dark Horse Pick

He might not be a Dark Horse now, but on Thursday he was a 30 to 1 longshot to win the All-Star race tonight. An important stat to mention with this Dark Horse pick is that Eight of the 28 (28.5%) NASCAR Sprint All-Star Races have been won from the front row: four from the pole and four from second-place.

The guy I picked on Thursday as a “quiet pick” to win the million bucks was Kyle’s brother, Kurt. Kurt Busch’s overall All-Star Race record is: 11 starts, one win, four top-fives, six top-10s, one pole and 30 laps led. His average start is 8.1 and average finish 10.8.

He followed his 2010 All-Star Race win with a victory the following week in the Coca-Cola 600 and is one of four active drivers to have won the Charlotte double. The others are Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2003) and Kasey Kahne (2008). Busch qualified for this year’s Sprint All-Star Race as both a former winner of the event and as a former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion (2004).

Kurt will be starting outside of Carl Edwards on the front row tonight, and is my quiet sleeper pick this week.

That’s all for this week, so until the longest race of the season next week, You Stay Classy NASCAR NATION!

May 18, 2013
Surprising and Not Surprising: Kansas STP 400

[media-credit name=”Credit: Tyler Barrick/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]From the command to start engine from Victory Junction Gang campers to Brad Keselowski manning the tank to rip up the Kansas track after the race ended, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 2^nd Annual STP 400.

Surprising: While Kansas may be known as the Land of Oz, it was more like the land of highs and lows for this race day, with an extremely high number of engine failures and pit errors to a record low number of cautions.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., driver of the No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard, was one of the first to struggle on pit road, missing it completely as he attempted to pit early in the race. Other drivers, such as Kasey Kahne and Kevin Harvick barely made it to the pits after running short on fuel. And even five-time champion Jimmie Johnson had his own set of pit woes with his team struggling with a loose lug nut.

There were also an extremely high number of engine problems, affecting drivers from Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin to four-time champion Jeff Gordon, all of whose engines either sputtered or just plain blew up completely.

And as for cautions, there were only three, the lowest ever for a Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway. Although there was the lowest number of cautions, on the flip side, the average speed was surprisingly the highest at Kansas, 144.126 mph, a new track record.

Not Surprising: On the rough surface of the Kansas Speedway, it was not surprising that tires made all the difference in the outcome of the race. Just ask Martin Truex, Jr. whose tires fell off after leading 173 laps, costing him the race win and handing it to Denny Hamlin with just 31 laps to go.

“We put that last set of tires on and it wasn’t anything like it had been all day long – just bad, bad loose,” the driver of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry said. “We had them. I don’t know what happened with that last set of tires but they were terrible.”

With Truex’s tire troubles, Denny Hamlin capitalized, scoring his 19^th victory in 231 Cup Series races. This was the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota driver’s second victory and fourth top-10 finish in the 2012 season. It was also the first time his manufacturer, Toyota, was in victory lane at Kansas.

“I knew that he was driving his heart out as well as I was driving mine,” Hamlin said. “What got me the lead was driving hard and that’s kind of where we were able to stretch it out.”

Surprising: After scoring the pole position, it was surprisingly heartbreaking that the troubles that have been omnipresent for A.J. Allmendinger continued. The driver of the No. 22 AAA Dodge for Penske Racing went from race leader to a 32^nd place finish because of engine troubles.

“Man, it’s just starting to feel like ‘Ground Hog’s Day’,” Allmendinger said. “We were off to such a great start and then the gremlins hit us.”

“Not sure how to explain it other than you’re on the pole one minute riding around leading laps and then the next thing you know your car isn’t right,” Dinger continued. “I just couldn’t believe it. Like I said, ‘Ground Hog Day.’

Not Surprising: With his confidence growing, it was not surprising to see fellow Penske racer Sam Hornish Jr. have a respectable run in his one off deal for the team. The driver of the No. 12 SKF Penske Dodge scored a 19^th place finish.

“We had a decent day,” Hornish Jr. said. “We led some laps and made a very respectable effort.”

“It was good to get back in a Cup car again.”

Surprising: Since everyone wants to win in front of their friends and family, it was surprising that no home town heroes were in victory lane at Kansas Speedway. Carl Edwards, who was able to drive to the track from his home, finished ninth and Clint Bowyer, fellow Kansas native, had engine troubles, finishing in the 36^th spot.

“It was just a major bummer,” Clint Bowyer, the driver of the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota, said. “I just wish it wouldn’t have happened here.”

“It wasn’t a great result but a really good effort,” Edwards said of his run in the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion. “I wanted to win here more than anything but we get to come back.”

“It’s humbling and I can’t wait to come back,” Edwards continued. “We’ll do it.”

Not Surprising: The quest for the 200^th win for Hendrick Motorsports is not surprisingly beginning to resemble the streak that Susan Lucci experienced with her Daytime Emmy awards. While Hendrick Motorsports had a fairly good day, with the exception of Jeff Gordon, the 200^th victory still remains elusive.

“It just didn’t happen,” the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger said. “As a group, we know it’s coming.”

“It’s just when you have a target, it always makes it more challenging,” Gordon continued. “We’re trying not to put too much pressure on us with that and just trying to go out and do our thing and do our job.”

Surprising: While Hendrick Motorsports struggled to reach their 200^th win marker at Kansas, it was surprising to note that there is another quest for a 200^th victory. The race winning No. 11 car in fact now has 199 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories, breaking a tie for most wins all-time with the No. 43.

Other drivers who have won in the No. 11 car include Cale Yarborough with 55 wins, Ned Jarrett with 49, Darrell Waltrip with 43, Denny Hamlin with 19, Junior Johnson with 11, Bill Elliott with 6, Geoff Bodine with 4, Terry Labonte with 4, Bobby Allison with 3, Buddy Baker with 2, A.J. Foyt with 1, Mario Andretti with 1 and Parnelli Jones with 1.

Not Surprising: Greg Biffle, to no one’s surprise, has continued his consistently good runs. The driver of the No. 16 3M Ford finished fifth and more important maintained his points lead.

“It’s not a disappointing day for a fifth-place finish,” Biffle said. “But it’s probably a disappointing day for how the car ran.”

“It feels good to be disappointed with a fifth-place finish,” Biff continued. “Fifth is OK but we wanted to compete better on the race track.”

April 22, 2012