Tag: Darrell Waltrip

Today’s Stars and Yesterday’s Legends Join together at the NASCAR Preview 2012

[media-credit name=”Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]NASCAR Preview 2012 was all about the fans and the fans came by the thousands. Many camped out overnight in front of the Charlotte Convention Center, even standing in the pouring rain, in anticipation of the event. This may sound crazy to some but I can only imagine the stories told and the new friends made while they waited patiently for the doors to open.

Sam Alverson of Jacksonville, Fla. had the distinction of being the first fan through the door after standing in line for 26 hours.

They came from all over the country carrying pictures and diecast cars to get autographs and a picture taken with their favorite NASCAR drivers. Over 60 drivers from all three national divisions were there to accommodate them.

A few of the drivers even hung out after their autograph sessions and spent a few minutes talking with their fans.

A friend told me about one small girl that she saw carrying a tire through the long lines for autographs. She would carry it for a few feet, set it down for a quick rest and repeat the process again and again. Her father asked his young daughter if she wanted him to carry it for a while but she loudly told him, “No, I can do it.”

You can’t help but smile at the dedication and loyalty of NASCAR fans.

The day was filled with non-stop action including driver interviews on stage, sponsor exhibits and car displays. There were plenty of places to rest and get a bite to eat plus you could buy the newest items honoring Friday night’s class of inductees. It may have been rainy and dreary outside but inside the fans were having the times of their lives.

The preview also honored the legends of the sport.

The day began with a free breakfast with Junior Johnson featuring his famous breakfast items. You could also get a picture and an autograph with the 2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee.

Throughout the day you could take a NASCAR Hall of Fame tour that included a meet and greet with legends Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, Richard Petty, Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip.

Finally the day ended with an “Evening of Living History.” These storytelling sessions took place at different areas in the Hall of Fame and were led by Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Glen Wood and Dale Inman who were joined by friends and family on stage.

Several of these were held at the same time so I chose to attend the one led by Junior Johnson. It was held in front of his moonshine still and guests were encouraged to sample some of Johnson’s ‘Midnight Moon Moonshine.’ Although I didn’t indulge, the ‘Apple Pie’ flavor seemed to be the crowd favorite.

Johnson was joined by NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley and writer Tom Higgins.

This turned out to be the highlight of my day so I’ve included one of several stories that left me with a smile on my face as I headed home Saturday evening.

Higgins opened things up with what he called his favorite “Junior moonshine story.”

It was back in the 1950s when Junior and Gwyn Staley, a good friend, headed up to Virginia to take two loads of moonshine to some thirsty sailors. They had to keep moving their stash to keep ahead of the revenuers so they had to drive across the Brushy Mountains to a hiding place near Taylorsville, N.C.

When they got there, they loaded up their hauler cars and were on the way back to Wilkes County to gas up the cars.

“They were coming across the mountain and saw where a car had slid off the road. Steam was coming out of it and two dazed men were walking around the car. So Junior who is a very kind man, generous and a Good Samaritan, stopped, although he had liquor in the car. He went up to this car that had turned over and lo and behold there was the high sheriff of Wilkes County and his chief deputy.” said Higgins.

By this time, everyone in the room was hanging on every word.

“They had liquor on their breath and lipstick on their collars and they’d been somewhere they shouldn’t have been. The sheriff looked up and said thank God it’s you Junior. You’ve got to get us back to the courthouse or they’ll throw me out of office.” Higgins continued. “Junior said, Hell sheriff I can’t take you to the courthouse I got a load of liquor in my car. The sheriff said, Junior if you’ll get me out of this I promise I’ll never chase you again and I’ll never let any of my deputies chase you.”

Johnson agreed to take the sheriff back. So they rearranged the cases of liquor in the car to make seats and they took the high sheriff and the deputy back to Wilkesboro.

Higgins ended the story by saying, “Junior still sees the sheriff from time to time on the streets of North Wilkesboro and he tries to evade Junior but Junior won’t let him.”

“He’ll grin at him, wink and say, Sheriff, you been across the mountain lately?”

Kelley asked if the sheriff had been true to his word. Johnson just laughed and said, “After that, he didn’t even want to talk to me.”

January 22, 2012
Countdown to Daytona: 85

With just 85 more days to Daytona, the focus can be on none other than Jeff Gordon’s 85^th historic win this season. With his 85^th victory, Gordon moved from being tied with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip to sole position in third on the all-time career win list.

[media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”224″][/media-credit]Gordon also joined even more elite company, now behind Richard Petty, with 200 career victories, and David Pearson, with 105 career wins. The Hendrick Motorsports driver earned his 85^th win at the track where he made his Cup debut in 1992.

The historic 85^th win also came with some drama as weather wreaked havoc with the AdvocCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway that weekend this season. Gordon scored the historic 85^th after a two-day rain delay and by surviving a race delayed by several showers, as well as several late-race wrecks.

In fact, Gordon’s historic win came in an historic race, as the AdvoCare 500 was only the second Cup race since 1978 to run on a Tuesday. The race was originally scheduled for Sunday evening, but Tropical Storm Lee forced the two-day rain delay.

While Gordon led 146 of the 325 laps during the Tuesday race and was out front for the final 38 laps, the finish was more than challenging. And it was none other than his teammate, nemesis and five-time champ Jimmie Johnson battling him for the race win at the end.

Gordon was so intent on holding off Johnson to win the race, that he totally lost track of his historic 85^th.

“I totally forgot about that,” Gordon said in Victory Lane on receiving a special plaque from NASCAR saluting his 85^th win. “Eighty-five, wow. That is unbelievable.”

“We really used the car up at the end,” Gordon continued. “I was slipping and sliding. It was a lot of fun racing with Jimmie (Johnson).”

While securing his 85th, Gordon was also at that time primarily focused on making the Chase for the Championship and a run at his own fifth title. With his 85^th victory and third win of the 2011 season, he also scored sole possession for the fifth spot in the point standings.

“I’m just blown away by the kind of day we had; the kind of year we’re having,” Gordon said. “I just feel rejuvenated in such a big way.”

Gordon’s crew chief Alan Gustafson shared his driver’s sentiments, but also admitted that he had been worried going into the 1.5 mile Atlanta race track.

“This was one of the race tracks that we felt like, to be an elite team and contend for the championship, we’ll have to do well on these styles of tracks,” Gustafson said. “There were times when I felt like we were going to win the race and times that we were 10^th and it look like it was going to rain out.”

“That’s all Jeff Gordon right there,” Gustafson said of his driver and his historic 85^th win.

There was other drama on the race track that might have impacted Gordon’s historic 85^th win, however, the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger managed to stay out of the fray. Involved in ‘Boys have at it, Atlanta style’ were Juan Pablo Montoya and Clint Bowyer, the former sending the latter into the wall, damaging his Chase hopes.

After that encounter, Bowyer had a few choice names for JPM, as well as saying it was impossible to race around him.

“We’re out here racing for a spot in the Chase,” Bowyer said. “He’s racing for nothing.”

In addition to dodging the wrecks at race end, Gordon also had to survive a very close finish to score his 85^th career victory. He won by just about half a second, 0.598 seconds to be exact, over his teammate Jimmie Johnson, who at the end of this race took over the top spot in the Chase standings.

Johnson was running so fast at the end trying to catch Gordon that he literally was sideways coming to the checkered flag.

“I’m so glad I grew up racing on dirt,” Johnson said. “I could have spun out four or five times at the end. To race that hard, that sideways at 180 mph, lap after lap, is a good time.”

“That was fun,” Gordon said of his Atlanta win and his 85^th career victory. “We’ve been able to send a message of how strong this team is and just how good our race cars are.”

December 3, 2011
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.

November 30, 2011
NASCAR Beginnings: The Legend of Rockingham Speedway

I have to admit that sometimes I get a little jealous. I didn’t grow up as a fan of NASCAR. My childhood heroes were rock stars, not racecar drivers. And even though I attended races with my father as a young girl, it was more about spending time with my Dad than about the racing. Though the seed was planted at an early age, it didn’t flourish until many years later.

So as I write about the beginnings of NASCAR, I find myself wishing I could have been there to experience those historic moments in person. As any NASCAR fan will tell you, you haven’t experienced racing until you’ve seen it live and uncensored, up close and personal.

It has been said that you can’t go back but every once in a while, an opportunity comes along to do just that. On September 7th, it was announced that NASCAR will reunite with Rockingham Speedway as the Camping World Truck Series returns to the historic track in April 2012.

As varied as the drivers are, each race track also has its own unique personality, none more so than Rockingham Speedway.

I could site facts and figures about the track but what I really wanted to know is what the fans think. So I began asking people to share their thoughts and memories of “The Rock.”

I heard things like, “There’s not a bad seat in the house,” or “It’s a driver’s track,” and “There’s no other track like it on the circuit.”

Perhaps the biggest endorsement came from a friend who said, “It’s the first track I went to and I will never forget it. It’s what got me hooked on NASCAR.”

But the most memorable story was bittersweet. It reminded me that the history of NASCAR is filled not only with triumphs but loss, as well. His story goes back to February of 2001.

“Of course those were sad days following Dale’s death, especially the next day when the reality of what had happened began to truly sink in. There was no intention of attending the next weekend’s race at “The Rock,” no tickets had been ordered ahead of time, no plans were made.

“Tuesday afternoon I received a call from a friend to inform me that he had ordered tickets and knowing what a fan I was of Dale’s he asked if I wanted to go. It took no thought at all to blurt out a resounding, “Hell Yes!”

“We met at his house early on Saturday morning, tossed our bags into his motor home, and lit out for the 12-hour drive to the sandhills of North Carolina. We arrived at Rockingham late Saturday afternoon and after a quick scouting mission we set up camp in the pine woods just across the highway behind the frontstretch grandstands.

“Fully expecting many tears and a somber mood we were somewhat surprised to find that the fans in that campground were enjoying themselves, albeit on a much lesser scale than would most likely have been the case had the events of the previous week not occurred, but making the best of it none the less.

“There were No. 3 banners and homemade signs at almost every camp bidding fond farewells to Dale.

“By that time the evening’s campfires were being lit, their smell joining with the aroma of the pines in the misty air making for a somewhat surreal scene. There was music in the distance and I’ll never forget hearing the song ‘Free Bird’ wafting through the woods adding to that surreal feeling.

“I went into a storage compartment and broke out a fifth of the good stuff. I needed a drink. This wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought it might be. Several long draws on the bottle, as well as a few beers, took the edge off, and so with bottle in tow, we were off to do some exploring.

“We stopped at many camps along the way where stories of Dale’s exploits were told and retold again. It was another thing that struck me, the friendliness, the brotherhood, the camaraderie. We were all racing fans and we were here to celebrate Dale.

“I will admit that there were times when I felt more like an observer rather than a participant, but another toast, another pull on that bottle brought me back to the reality of what was going on.

“Sunday dawned cold and bleak with a heavy mist in the air. A couple of fellows drove along the dirt path in front of our camp in a golf cart hawking newspapers from the week before telling of Dale’s passing. Damn.

“After coffee, we decided to head across the highway to the track, although the outlook for a race that day wasn’t very promising at all. I put on my black Dale Earnhardt T-shirt, black jeans and black No. 3 cap and we joined the quiet procession. Very few spoke and some wept as we all just slowly walked to the gates.

“I signed the Goodwrench hauler parked near the entrance, as almost everyone did, wishing Dale God’s speed. Some placed a hand on the side of the hauler as if it was a religious shrine, and I suppose on this day, in a way, it was.

“As one would expect, there was to be a pre-race ceremony in honor of the fallen Earnhardt.

“It was somewhat fitting that the skies were dark and heavy with rain that day as some preacher said some words of comfort that I don’t think anyone really heard. There were a lot of blank stares on expressionless faces.

“After a bit, Darrell and Stevie Waltrip took to the mic and in a trembling voice Darrell read a passage from the Bible. He then asked everyone in the stands to join hands and express fellowship to the people on either side of them, which we all did as he again read a Bible passage.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, myself included.

“As D.W. said his final goodbyes to Dale and left the stage, the skies ironically opened up with a brief but heavy rain as if the heavens themselves had to offer their own tears.

“As the ceremony ended there was an unearthly quiet except for the sounds of jet dryers. After a couple of hours of track drying the cars were pushed to pit road, including a plain white No. 29 Goodwrench Chevy with a small black No.3 next to the 29.

“The command was given to start the engines and it was as if the shroud had been lifted from Rockingham as those cars rolled onto the speedway. A few laps under the yellow and green flag and then the race was on at full song.

“It was on lap one or two that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was involved in an accident entering turn three that was almost identical to the one the week before that claimed his father.

“There was an audible gasp from the crowd as the images of the Sunday before flashed into our minds. As we know, Junior wasn’t injured, but the similarities to Dale’s fatal wreck were unmistakable.

“Then, again ironically, the skies opened up a second time, only this time heavily and persistently. The race was postponed, almost mercifully, until Monday.

“It was only later that I learned Rusty Wallace, after the race was called, looked up at the skies and said, (paraphrasing) ‘That’s Dale up there saying, if I can’t race, ain’t nobody gonna race’.

“As the fans filed out I sat in that rain and waited. I had one last gesture to attend to.

“I pulled my Sharpie out and wrote ‘God’s speed Dale’ inside the red brim of my No. 3 cap and tossed it over the fence onto the frontstretch asphalt. I had said my goodbye to The Intimidator in the best way I knew how.

“In a final bit of irony, it turned out Monday was sunny and the race was run. Steve Park in the No. 1 Pennzoil Chevy owned by the late Dale Earnhardt paid their own tribute by winning the race.

“All in all, it was an experience I’ll never forget … and one I hope I’ll never have to experience again.”

Special thanks to a dear friend, Mick, from Infield Parking, for sharing his experience.

September 21, 2011
Bristol Motor Speedway Promises to Deliver – Sprint Cup Preview

Bristol Motor Speedway had humble beginnings.

[media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”241″][/media-credit]In 1960 Larry Carrier and Carl Moore visited Charlotte Motor Speedway and came away with a dream. They wanted to build a race track in Tennessee.

But the goal was not to imitate. They had a vision of a half-mile track with turns banked at 22 degrees and amphitheater style seating that would offer a more personal experience for race fans.

With the help of R.G. Pope, the dream of Bristol International Speedway became a reality and the first race was run on July 30, 1961. The seating capacity was 18,000.

A practice session was held for ‘The Volunteer 500’ on July 27, 1961 and Tiny Lund was the first driver on the new track. Fred Lorenzen won the pole for the first race with a speed of 79.225 mph. The 1960 Rookie of the Year, David Pearson, was there, becoming the first driver to drive the No. 3 at Bristol.

Jack Smith became the first winner at Bristol even though he wasn’t in the car when the race ended. He made it to lap 290 but had to turn the car over to relief driver Johnny Allen, due to severe blistering on his feet.

Throughout the years, there have been many changes. The name has changed, ownership has changed and the track has undergone a few makeovers.

In 1969 the banked turns were increased up to 36 degrees, the track size was enlarged to .533 miles and in 1992, they switched to a concrete surface. Today the seating capacity is approximately 160,000. The current Sprint Cup qualifying record is 128.709 mph and was set by Ryan Newman on March 21, 2003.

There has however been one constant. Bristol Motor Speedway is short track racing at its best. The drivers love it and the fans can’t get enough.

Dale Earnhardt got his first Cup win at Bristol in 1979. Other first time winners include Rusty Wallace, Ernie Irvan, Elliot Sadler and Kurt Busch.

The 2011 Sprint Cup season has already seen five first time winners. Will we add another name to the list at Bristol Motor Speedway?

Anticipation is building for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol this Saturday as drivers try to snare a spot in the Chase.

Kyle Busch has already clinched at least a Wild Card slot in the Chase with his win at Michigan. He is also a favorite to win this weekend. He swept all three series last August and has 11 wins at Bristol, including five in the Cup Series. Those five wins tie him with Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch, for most among active drivers.

Darrell Waltrip currently holds the record for most driver wins with 12 (7 consecutively).

We could also be looking at a little rivalry between the Busch brothers. Kyle’s win at Michigan was his 23^rd Sprint Cup victory which mirrors brother Kurt’s 23 total wins.

Brad Keselowski is another one to watch at Bristol Saturday night.

Only a month ago he was 23^rd in points and didn’t appear to have any chance of making the Chase. Three weeks ago, he broke his ankle and everyone counted him out. But then the unthinkable happened. Instead of giving up, he used the injury as motivation and has rebounded to 12^th in the points standings.

His win at Pocono plus a second place finish at Watkins Glen and a third place finish at Michigan have moved him up to only 52 points outside the top ten.

For all the Chase contenders, the number to remember this weekend is 97. Any driver leaving Bristol with a 97 point lead over 11^th place will guarantee themselves a spot in the Chase. All of the top eight drivers can mathematically reach this goal.

On the Wild Card front, Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin have laid claim to the top two spots. Keselowski has two wins and Hamlin has one victory. Hamlin scores the second spot because of points position.

Paul Menard in 18^th place and David Ragan in 20^th, each have one win and are still in the running for a wild card slot. Marcos Ambrose and Regan Smith each have victories, but currently sit outside the top 20.

Bristol is also the final race for drivers to become eligible for the Sprint Summer Showdown. The Bristol winner will join Paul Menard, Brad Keselowski, Marcos Ambrose and Kyle Busch, who have all secured a spot. If one of these eligible drivers wins at Atlanta, they will claim a million dollar payout. The driver’s charity and one fan will also receive a million dollars.

It’s getting crunch time in the ‘Race to the Chase’ and Bristol Motor Speedway promises to deliver a night of excitement. You never know what will happen but one thing is certain. You don’t want to miss it.

August 25, 2011
Jeff Gordon’s Success Spans Pocono Victory Lane to Ending Senior Hunger with AARP

Jeff Gordon is headed to the Irish hills of Michigan to race this weekend fresh off his victory at Pocono Raceway, his second win for the season and his 84^th win, tying Hall of Fame inductee Darrell Waltrip and Hall of Famer Bobby Allison.

[media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”220″][/media-credit]Gordon’s success is also carrying over off the track as his partnership with the AARP Foundation is making a real difference in ending senior hunger. The AARP Foundation has partnered with Gordon for 22 races as a primary sponsor this season to call attention to the issue of the elderly who often have to choose between buying groceries or filling their prescriptions.

“It came about organically,” Anisa Tootla, AARP Foundation’s Vice President for Hunger Programs, said of the Jeff Gordon/AARP Foundation partnership. “It started with a conversation at a race track. The AARP Foundation and Hendrick Motorsports found each other at the right time.”

“We know that NASCAR fans are some of the most charitable, community-minded sports fans in the country and they have a track record of commitment,” Tootla continued. “We also know that Jeff Gordon is one of the most philanthropic drivers in the circuit. It was the right fit at the right time.”

The AARP Foundation has taken on its first ever cause-related marketing initiative smack dab in the middle of America’s fastest growing sport. From their CEO Barry Rand to their Foundation staff in every state in the nation, all have been convinced that NASCAR, Jeff Gordon, and Hendrick Motorsports are the perfect partners to raise awareness of the issue of senior hunger.

“There is very little awareness of the issue of senior hunger,” Tootla said. “There are 51 million people who face the threat of hunger and over 6 million of them are over the age of 60 years.”

“Very few people are aware of this problem and it’s a growing problem with the aging of the population and the recession, which makes it worse,” Tootla continued. “This partnership is unique in that realm of bringing awareness to an issue that very few people know about.”

The AARP Foundation and Jeff Gordon have also gotten creative in the ways that they are working together in activating this unique sponsorship. Not only does Gordon pitch donating to the cause every time he is interviewed on the track, but his show car is traveling throughout the country, attracting crowds and raising funds as well as awareness.

“We’ve had a variety of events, food drives, and relationships with grocery stores,” Tootla said. “Part of our local activation has been a great combination of local businesses, food banks, our State organization and really driving the awareness, as well as raising funds and food for local organizations helping hungry seniors.”

“We also have made contributions to local food banks to feed hungry seniors,” Tootla continued. “The ISC tracks themselves have made food donations through the extra food at the end of the race weekend.”

Just as Jeff Gordon uses social media to keep in touch with his extensive fan base, the AARP Foundation and the Drive to End Hunger are also using the social media platform to connect Gordon’s fans to the cause.

“We have a Drive to End Hunger presence on Facebook and Twitter,” Tootla said. “They are active sites, particularly on Facebook.”

“We’ve seen an uptick of friends and tweets and retweets with every passing week where Jeff races,” Tootla continued. “It’s a destination site not only for NASCAR fans but the broader population.”

“We’ve definitely seen a lot of interest and noticed the passion of the race fans,” Tootla said. “The number of responses that we get when Jeff is in the car is amazing.”

“When Jeff talks about hunger, it’s really a call to action and people respond,” Tootla continued. “He is certainly a huge draw.”

“We had an event in Kansas where he did a check presentation to a food bank and drew over a 1,000 people,” Tootla said. “He’s a wonderful spokesperson for the cause. It’s been a great partnership.”

The driver of the No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet could not agree more.

“I really love the fact that since Daytona they’ve served over 2 million meals,” Gordon said. “In the first couple of months, you see the numbers start to go up and it seems like in the last couple of months, things have really taken off. I think it’s awesome.”

“You certainly hope that they are having success,” Gordon continued. “They are very new to the sport and what it takes to be a sponsor in this sport.”

“Sometimes you just hit the ground running and I feel like they’ve done a great job with that,” Gordon said. “Because of that, they’ve seen the results.”

“I feel like it’s a program that is only going to get stronger and better as they learn more about what it’s like being a part of this sport and what our fans are like.”

The AARP Foundation’s Drive to End Hunger and Jeff Gordon will be next rolling into the Irish hills of Michigan for this weekend’s racing activities. The AARP Foundation will be right there with him, presenting the Food Bank of South Central Michigan with $10,000 to help feed hungry seniors in the area.

“We have a long way to go to end senior hunger,” Tootla said. “Everyone can help in one way or another and every contribution at www.drivetoendhunger.org helps.”

“It’s been a joy working with Jeff and Hendrick Motorsports,” Tootla continued. “They are charitably minded, committed to the cause and committed to ending hunger. We couldn’t think of better partners.”

June 16, 2011
Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono 5-Hour Energy 500

Under threatening skies in Long Pond, PA and after the ARCA race was called for fog the previous day, the Cup Series took the green flag for one of the longer races of the season.

Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA.

[media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”221″][/media-credit]Surprising: One of the most surprised at Pocono Raceway was the driver in Victory Lane celebrating his 84^th career win, tying the record for third on the all-time NASCAR Spring Cup Series win list, along with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip.

Race winner Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, also tied NASCAR Champ Bill Elliott for the most series wins at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

“It’s so amazing because I was so excited about the win and the hard work that Alan (Gustafson) and his guys have been putting into our speedway program or whatever we call these kinds of race tracks, because we struggled on them and I was just so excited to get that win and see what we’ve been working on,” Gordon said.

“So, today to see it all come together, I was so caught up in that,” Gordon continued. “Plus my family was here to celebrate it.”

“I didn’t even think about 84 until they reminded me when I went to do the Speed Channel show Victory Lane,” Gordon said. “And I was like, oh yeah, that’s unbelievable.”

“I really can’t even express in words what it means because I never thought it would happen for me or for anybody.”

Not Surprising: As expected, he new ability to shift, fuel issues, and problems in the pits all played significant roles in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway. Probably most affected was Carl Edwards, the Series point’s leader, who experienced a valve problem that almost caused him to have an engine failure, however, other drivers struggled as well.

While Edwards was able to turn a lap towards the end of the race, the driver of the No. 99 Kellogg/Cheez-It Ford, finished 37^th, narrowly maintaining his points lead over Jimmie Johnson by six points.

Another driver Tony Stewart complained bitterly throughout the race about the new-found ability to shift. The driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet finished 21^st.

“I just want to thank NASCAR for having us shift about 100 times today,” Stewart said bitterly after losing third gear. “We could have had a good day.”

Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel of the No. 29 Okuma Chevrolet, had fuel issues early in the race, which relegated him to an earlier pit stop strategy than the rest of the field. Harvick was able to redeem himself, however, and finished top-five.

“It was a total team effort to get our Okuma Chevy up there,” Harvick said. “It was a good solid day for us.”

The driver most bit by problems in the pits was Brian Vickers, driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota. Vickers received a speeding penalty and then to make matters worse, sped again as he was serving his penalty. Vickers finished 22^nd.

Surprising: Although Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, technically finished third, he along with his crew chief Dave Rogers, were surprised during the post-race inspection when their car officially failed.

“It’s a huge surprise,” Rogers said. “I didn’t present anything to tech that hasn’t been through tech before, several times.”

“The car was 1/16^th low at the end,” Rogers continued. “NASCAR gives you a range to be in and they give us a yellow range and we exceeded the yellow. We were 1/16^th in the red so we were wrong.”

“We have to go back to the shop and figure out why.”

Not Surprising: Kyle’s big brother Kurt, who scored the pole position in his back up No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge Charger, finished in the runner up position to race winner Gordon.

“It was a great run,” Busch said. “The old boy Jeff Gordon had it in him today. We ran him strong, we ran him hard.”

“We were excited with the finish.”

Surprising: It was most surprising to see young gun Landon Cassill, behind the wheel of his No. 41 Security Benefit/Thank A Teacher Chevrolet, lead a few laps towards the end of the race.

“We were just trying a little pit strategy to see if we could catch a caution or something,” Cassill said. “It’s cool leading laps in the world’s greatest motorsport so I’m proud of that.”

Not Surprising: At least two of Jeff Gordon’s other teammates were pretty happy with their run at Pocono Raceway. Old ‘Five Time’ Jimmie Johnson, piloting the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, finished fourth and NASCAR’S most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, finished sixth.

“It was a great day,” Johnson said. “Our engine package held up today with the abuse we gave it.”

“I’m real happy with where I finished,” Dale Jr. said. “The car was pretty good. I was good with the shifting.”

Surprising: Yes indeed, most surprising was the fact that Denny Hamlin, who has mastered the ‘Tricky Triangle’ so often, did not win the race. In fact, the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry finished an uncharacteristic 19^th.

“We were just coasting there at the beginning and just nothing went really right,” Hamlin said. “We struggled a little bit on pit road, we got a little bit tighter, I felt like the front bump rubbers just gave up, and then when we left pit road, we had a flat tire.”

“When we did that, it sheared the tire and wrapped it around the housing and broke the brake lines so I had no brakes,” Hamlin continued. “It was just a slew of problems there at the end.”

Not Surprising: To no one’s surprise, newly named crew chief Chad Johnston encouraged his driver, Martin Truex, Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, to a top-10 finish.

“That was a hard fought 10^th,” Truex, Jr. said. “Chad did a good job of keeping me calm. We were just missing a little and I hope we can find it soon because we’ll have some fun if we do.”

June 13, 2011

Jeff Gordon Improves Chase Chances With Second Win of the Season

[media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”240″][/media-credit]Jeff Gordon, sporting the familiar No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet colors, scored his second win of the 2011 season, moving ever closer to Chase contention. This is Gordon’s fifth top-10 finish in 2011 and his fifth victory in 37 races at Pocono Raceway.

Gordon also reached another significant milestone with his win in the 5-Hour Energy 500. The victory ties Gordon with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for third on the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win list.

“It certainly helps us,” Gordon said of his Chase chances. “Our focus has to be the same all the time, try to win races, to lock ourselves in.”

“I’m just more excited about the momentum coming toward us,” Gordon continued. “The things that we believe in are starting to come true.”

“You question that at times,” Gordon said. “Days like today show how serious we are. At this point in the season, to get our program turned around, the timing couldn’t be better and hopefully we can keep that going.”

“This is a tough place to win.”

Gordon’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, could not agree more with his driver.

“There are a lot of things at a track like this that are so difficult,” Gustafson said. “We were a little nervous. To win in this sport, you have to have everything on the edge.”

The Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, gave Gordon a run for his money, scoring second and third respectively. Kurt Busch posted his 11^th top-10 finish in 21 races and Kyle Busch posted his fourth top-10 finish in 13 races at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

“It was a great, hard fought battle for us on the No. 22 car today,” pole sitter and second place finisher Kurt Busch. “It was a nice, steady run and we were able to have smooth pit stops and we had a great handling car.”

“It was a great genuine day for our team to run in the top five all day,” Busch continued. “It’s pleasing to see that result.”

“I was giving it all I had and I just couldn’t quite close the gap.”

Busch admitted that there were many things to balance in the race, especially as he engaged in the heated battle with race winner Gordon.

“It was an interesting day with shifting,” Busch said. “We shifted quite a bit today and had to keep track of the temperatures and the revs on the engine and fuel mileage as well. There was a lot to balance inside the car today.”

Baby brother Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, was also pleased with his third place finish.

“For us, we had a long way to come from since we started deep in the field,” Busch said. “We worked our way towards the front steadily and methodically for most of the race.”

“We had good pit stops all day and the guys did a good job giving me the right adjustments,” Busch continued. “The restarts played in our favor and we passed a few cars there. That last restart is where we got most of our track position.”

“Kurt was so much faster than I was that last run of the race that it wasn’t going to do me much to hold him up,” Busch said “So, I tried to let him go and see if he couldn’t catch the 24 and make a race out of it.”

“We just tried to bring home a solid third.”

Unfortunately, Kyle Busch’s car failed post-race inspection due to a height issue, too high on the left. “Being a parent, it means more to experience that with them,” Gordon said of having daughter Ella in Victory Lane. His car is being transported back to NASCAR’s R&D center for a more-in-depth look.

In contrast to Gordon and the Busch boys, the point’s leader coming into the race, Carl Edwards had a miserable day. The driver of the No. 99 Kellogg/Cheez-It Ford finished 37^th after he broke a valve in the engine.

Even with that bad finish, Edwards did, however, maintain the points lead with the narrowest of margins. He is now just six points ahead of Jimmie Johnson, who finished the race in the fourth spot.

In a somewhat bizarre turn of events, Edwards joined the broadcast booth to provide commentary while his team worked furiously on his car in the garage. He was able to turn one last lap to avoid the DNF.

“I was very careful not to overdrive,” Edwards said. “One of the valves got in an argument with something in the engine and lost.”

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Okuma Chevrolet, had an eventful day but still managed to finish fifth in the 5-Hour Energy 500. Harvick survived problems early when his crew did not get all the fuel in and he then got off the sequence of pit stops.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, Juan Pablo Montoya, piloting the No. 42 Target Chevrolet, Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Affliction Clothing Live Fast Ford, Ryan Newman, behind the wheel of the of the Haas Automation Chevrolet, and Martin Truex, Jr., in his No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, rounded out the top ten.

Unofficial Race Results
5-Hour Energy 500, Pocono Raceway
http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/race.php?race=14
=========================================
Pos.		No.	Driver	Make	Points
=========================================
1	3	24	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet	47
2	1	22	Kurt Busch	Dodge	43
3	34	18	Kyle Busch	Toyota	42
4	14	48	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet	41
5	32	29	Kevin Harvick	Chevrolet	39
6	21	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet	38
7	16	42	Juan Montoya	Chevrolet	38
8	27	17	Matt Kenseth	Ford	36
9	8	39	Ryan Newman	Chevrolet	35
10	31	56	Martin Truex Jr.	Toyota	34
11	19	20	Joey Logano	Toyota	33
12	17	4	Kasey Kahne	Toyota	32
13	9	0	David Reutimann	Toyota	31
14	2	27	Paul Menard	Chevrolet	30
15	5	78	Regan Smith	Chevrolet	29
16	12	33	Clint Bowyer	Chevrolet	28
17	11	6	David Ragan	Ford	27
18	10	5	Mark Martin	Chevrolet	26
19	4	11	Denny Hamlin	Toyota	27
20	33	31	Jeff Burton	Chevrolet	24
21	15	14	Tony Stewart	Chevrolet	24
22	23	83	Brian Vickers	Toyota	22
23	20	2	Brad Keselowski	Dodge	21
24	25	51	Landon Cassill	Chevrolet	0
25	28	43	A.J. Allmendinger	Ford	19
26	40	36	Dave Blaney	Chevrolet	18
27	37	16	Greg Biffle	Ford	17
28	18	47	Bobby Labonte	Toyota	16
29	30	34	David Gilliland	Ford	15
30	35	13	Casey Mears	Toyota	14
31	41	32	Mike Bliss	Ford	0
32	24	71	Andy Lally *	Ford	12
33	13	1	Jamie McMurray	Chevrolet	11
34	7	9	Marcos Ambrose	Ford	10
35	26	38	Sam Hornish Jr.	Ford	0
36	38	37	Tony Raines	Ford	8
37	6	99	Carl Edwards	Ford	7
38	42	7	Scott Wimmer	Dodge	0
39	43	150	T.J. Bell *	Toyota	0
40	29	87	Joe Nemechek	Toyota	0
41	36	66	Michael McDowell	Toyota	4
42	22	46	J.J. Yeley	Chevrolet	2
43	39	181	Scott Riggs	Chevrolet	0

June 12, 2011

NASCAR Beginnings Featuring ‘Suitcase’ Jake Elder

J. C. Elder only had a third grade education. He never learned to read and write but he was a natural born genius when it came to working on cars.

Elder was a man of few words but he knew exactly what he wanted in a race car. If someone disagreed or questioned his decisions, more often than not, he would just pick up and leave. He soon became known throughout the racing community simply as “Suitcase.”

Despite his cantankerous disposition, Elder was one of the most popular men in the garage. Some said he could just watch a car take a lap around the track and know what was wrong with it. People will put up with a lot for that kind of brilliance.

“I have a problem getting people to understand how I want things done,” he once said. “Usually, I can get it done myself quicker than I can explain to them how I want it done.”

Jake Elder began his NASCAR career as a fabricator for Richard Petty Enterprises around 1960.

Jake came to work for us in Level Cross in the ‘60s, down from the Hickory area, and he was a fabricator,” Richard Petty said. “Jake was old school. There was no engineering; it was all off the cuff. He’d put something on the car and say, ‘OK, now it’s right. Here, you go drive it. And don’t come back in complaining to me, because I got the car fixed. You go learn how to drive it.’”

He later went on to partner with the Holman-Moody Ford factory team. While there, Elder worked with Mario Andretti and led him to a 1967 victory of the Daytona 500.

Elder also crew chiefed for David Pearson. Together they won 27 races and two championships in 1968 and 1969.

He later helped Dale Earnhardt get his first Cup victory in 1979 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Earnhardt went on to win Rookie of the Year that season. Suitcase started out the 1980 season with Earnhardt but quit before the season was over. Even so, part of the credit for Earnhardt’s first Cup championship rightly belongs to Elder.

His brief partnership with Earnhardt also produced one of the most colorful quotes in NASCAR history. After Earnhardt’s first win, Elder told the rookie, “Stick with me kid and we’ll have diamonds as big as horse turds.”

Ironically it was Elder who left Earnhardt.

Dale Earnhardt never forgot Elder. When jobs were scarce, Earnhardt hired Elder to crew chief for his Busch team.

Elder helped mold the careers of some of NASCAR’s most legendary drivers including Darrell Waltrip, Fred Lorenzen, Terry Labonte, Fireball Roberts and Benny Parsons.

During the 1970s and 1980s, he probably worked with almost every driver on the track, moving on whenever his mood or circumstances called for a change.

Elder worked with Darrell Waltrip many times over the years and was with Waltrip for his first and last Cup victories.

“He was my crew chief about 10 different times,” Waltrip said. “I fired him a lot, and he’d go on and work with Dale, or somebody else, and then he’d be back with me.

“He helped me, he helped Dale Earnhardt, he helped Terry Labonte — every young driver that came along, Jake made winners out of them because he gave you a car and taught you what a car is supposed to feel like.”

Jack Roush entered the Cup series as an owner in 1988 and describes Elder as having an almost supernatural ability to diagnose problems.

“If you had a demon, if your team was beset by bad luck, he would bring his little bag of templates and stuff to check out a car with,” says Roush. “And he would go in and the guys would get out of his way, and he would make his adjustments, and when he was done, if there was a demon in there, he’d have it chased off.

In the 1990s, more and more teams began using engineers and specialists. Jake Elder and his kind were becoming obsolete.

But at one time, Jake Elder was the man to call whenever someone had a problem that needed fixing.

Jeff Hammond described Elder as unique.

“Jake was into precision before we knew what precision was. Think about the people he worked with: Fireball Roberts, Dale Earnhardt, and David Pearson. He had a huge influence. A lot of the time, if people needed their car fixed, they called Jake Elder. He wasn’t a people person and he was as rough as a corn cob, but if you got to know him, there wasn’t a better guy to know in that garage area. There is not another Jake Elder. That is one thing we do not have anymore.”

Winston Kelley, the executive director of the NASCAR Hall of fame, called Elder “one of the true pioneers and classic personalities of our sport.”

“One of my most vivid memories of Jake is asking him what happened to one of his meticulously prepared cars and Jake putting it so succinctly and simply in saying, ‘It blowed up.’”

In 2006 “Suitcase Jake” Elder suffered a stroke and his health slowly began to deteriorate. He battled dementia and ended up in an assisted living facility in Statesville, North Carolina. On February 24, 2010, Jake Elder passed away.

Some called him a miracle worker. Others said he had a magic touch. One thing is certain. Suitcase Jake Elder was one of a kind and his influence on NASCAR should never be forgotten.

Achievements:

1968 Cup Championship with David Pearson

1969 Cup Championship with David Pearson

1980 Cup Championship with Dale Earnhardt

Quotes courtesy of The Associated Press, Mike Hembree, Speed TV, Sports Illustrated, Scene Daily and NASCAR.

December 27, 2010
Angie’s Excellent Adventure at Darlington Raceway

I recently had the opportunity to cover the NASCAR races at Darlington Raceway as a member of the media. Below is a summary of my experience, slightly skewed for entertainment purposes.

My journey began with a trip to Darlington to pick up my media credentials to cover the upcoming Nationwide and Cup Series races. While I was there, I just had to stop by the Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum.

As I stepped out of my car and looked at the faces adorning the front of the museum, I knew that I was in for a treat. Everywhere I looked, I saw a different piece of stock car racing history. Some things were immediately familiar like the number 43, trademark blue, 1967 Plymouth of Richard Petty.

And then there were the surprises.

Over to one side was a 1956 Ford convertible. This particular car won 22 races in a single year racing in the convertible series. One of my favorite parts of the museum was a glass case with an array of confiscated items taken off the competitors cars. I just had to laugh at the ingenuity of these drivers who used every advantage they could find to win…at least until they got caught. It seems like some things never change.

I also got to see the Dodge Hemi engine that powered Buck Baker’s car when he won the 1964 Southern 500. This same engine was outlawed for the 1965 season. The museum also houses Darrell Waltrip’s 1991 Chevy Lumina, which rolled eight times in the 1991 Pepsi 400. It’s still considered one of the worst crashes in stock car history.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. It may not be the biggest or fanciest racing museum out there, but it is well worth the $5.00 price of admission. Besides, bigger is not always better. This wonderful slice of NASCAR is a perfect complement to the Darlington Raceway.

Now that I’d had a little preview of Darlington, I could hardly wait for the racing to begin.

On Friday morning, I was at the racetrack by 9 a.m. and Nationwide Series practice had already begun. I found my seat at the media center and settled in for what would prove to be a wild ride. Press conferences were set to begin about 10:15 am so I took a little walk outside to take a look at the action out on the track while I waited.

As I stood there watching, I realized that I had a big grin on my face. I just couldn’t help myself. The pungent smell of exhaust fumes was like the sweet aroma of roses and the roar of the engines was music to my ears. Or maybe the gas fumes were making me delirious. All I know is that I couldn’t stop smiling.

The driver interviews soon began and I had to keep reminding myself that I was there as part of the media. I had to conduct myself with professionalism at all times. Today I was not a fan; I was a journalist.

Although I’d seen these drivers interviewed countless times, it gave me an entirely new perspective to see them in person. Their charisma and personalities came through so much more clearly. Everything was going smoothly until Jimmie Johnson’s press conference. He was patiently explaining how the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization was working to perfect their programs.

Perhaps he should have put more thought into the phrasing of his explanation as he summed it all up by saying, “So we are all kind of massaging our packages.” At this point, I’m biting my tongue to keep from laughing and berating myself for being childish. But then, I look around the room and see the same pained expressions on everyone’s faces as we’re all trying not to laugh out loud.

I’m not ashamed to admit that it was my favorite quote of the weekend.

Another highlight of the day was watching the qualifying runs. The media center was situated right in front of pit road and I was able to stand within a few feet of the cars as they waited their turn to qualify.

Earlier in the week, I had arranged to interview Trevor Bayne after he finished qualifying. I decided I’d walk over to pit road to watch him and was almost side swiped by someone driving a golf cart. Imagine my surprise when Kyle Busch jumped off the cart and ran over to climb into his race car.

It was time for my interview so I headed to Bayne’s hauler. I’d talked to him a couple of times over the phone but this would be my first time in person. We walked into his hauler and there were about six other guys in there, including a couple who were lying on the floor. They all continued to talk and go about their business as if I wasn’t there. Not the best setting for an interview, but interesting, to say the least.

I’m guessing they weren’t too impressed by this journalist but Bayne was completely focused and gave me his full attention as I asked my questions. I headed back to the media center just in time for the next press conference and then it was time for Cup qualifying.

Did I forget to mention, there’s a race tonight?

I won’t go into every detail. Just think of yourself as an insignificant piece of debris in the eye of a hurricane. You’re standing still while there’s a whirlwind of activity around you. You just have to hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

After a great Nationwide Series race, I submitted my race review, finally headed home and climbed into bed about 2:00 am.

Saturday got off to a little slower start and I arrived at the media center around 1:00 pm. I took a few notes in preparation for the Cup race and caught up on what I’d missed. I was amazed to learn that while I’d been sleeping, painters had been working all night re-painting the walls of the track.

I’d like to take a moment and say thanks to the folks at the media center. They kept us constantly updated with transcripts of all the press conferences, race results, points standings and more. If you had a question, chances are you already had the answer at your fingertips.

By this time, I was almost giddy with excitement. Thanks to a colleague from SpeedwayMedia.com, I was going to take a ride in the pace car. With Brett Bodine at the wheel, we took off in a Camaro for a couple of laps around the track. We only got up to about 122 mph on the straightaway, but what a thrill.

This was probably the highlight of my weekend and I was ready for more. My shouts of, “Do it again, do it again,” however, fell on deaf ears. Of course, I didn’t really shout out loud but the phrase was certainly bouncing around in my brain.

Still full of adrenalin, I decided to take a walk and do some more exploring before it was time for another press conference. It was another day full of everything NASCAR and I loved every minute of it.

It was getting close to race time and I decided to head for the Press Box located in the Sprint Tower. Overlooking the track above turn three, we had a panoramic view of the entire facility. After watching another exciting win by Denny Hamlin, it was time to file my last story. I caught a ride back to the media center where my car was parked and headed home.

I was exhausted. “The Lady in Black” had welcomed me with open arms and it was an experience that I will never forget.

In closing, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my “sponsors,” SpeedwayMedia.com, NASCAR, the staff of Darlington Raceway, Showtime and the city of Darlington.

May 11, 2010