Tag: Jeff Gordon

Surprising and Not Surprising: Phoenix Subway Fresh Fit 500

In the Valley of the Sun, surprisingly dotted by a few sprinkles at race start, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 9^th Annual Subway Fresh Fit 500 from Phoenix International Raceway.

Surprising: There was a surprising amount of frustration from many of the drivers finishing in the top five in the second race of the young NASCAR season.

Second place finisher Jimmie Johnson was frustrated because of what he perceived as a not so kosher restart on the green-white-checker finish.

“The leader’s not supposed to slow down before you take off,” the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet said. “If you get away with it, it works great.”

“But if it had been me, my Twitter inbox would have been full.”

The third place race finisher, Denny Hamlin, was also frustrated but for a different reason, lack of passing. This frustration was, however, a bit surprising since he came from the back of the field due to an engine change and also achieved a bonsai pass on the apron to secure his top-five finish.

“It was so hard to pass,” the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota said. “Aero tight is a huge, huge deal.”

“I hate to be Denny Downer, but I just didn’t pass that many cars today.”

The final surprisingly frustrated driver was none other than Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who finished in the fifth position at a track where he has been known to struggle. Junior was frustrated because of a pit stop where he was boxed in and lost positions, in his mind costing him the race win.

“Well I hate to be frustrated at Phoenix, but I think we are,” the driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet said. “We feel like we could have finished better than fifth, maybe won the race.”

“Just didn’t get the breaks on pit road.”

Not Surprising: Just as Denny Hamlin had done before, it was not surprising to see another driver follow suit, calling his own race win after an excruciating Speedweeks in Daytona.

Ending a 70 winless drought, Carl Edwards back flipped his way right into Victory Lane, achieving his 20^th Cup career win. Edwards was especially proud to do the honors with his sponsor Subway on the car and sponsoring the race.

“I feel good,” the driver of the No. 99 Subway Ford said. “It’s tough to go that long without winning.”

“I’ll be eating Subway all week.”

Surprising: After struggling mightily last year, the driver of the No. 31 Cheerios Chevrolet had a surprisingly good day. Jeff Burton finally put it all together for an entire race to score a top-10 finish, even with some crew chief adversity.

“Over the last 60 or so laps, we consistently had the fastest car in the field,” Burton said. “It was great to top it off with a top-10 finish, especially after all the adversity the team faced early in the day when Luke (Lambert, crew chief) flew home to be with his wife who is pregnant.”

“I appreciate the entire Cheerios team pulling together.”

Not Surprising: In spite of all the pre-race hype and race promotion, there was no retaliation whatsoever between arch rivals from last year’s Phoenix race, Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer. In fact, both not only shared a few pre-race chuckles but also raced each other cleanly to top-10 finishes, with Bowyer finishing 6^th and Gordon 9^th.

The duo, who were not even speaking at the end of last season, had similar pronouncements about their 2013 Phoenix race finish.

“All in all it was a decent day for our 5-Hour Energy Toyota,” Bowyer said.

“It was a solid top-10,” Gordon said. “All-in-all that was pretty solid.”

Surprising: Perhaps more heartbreaking than surprising is the incredibly poor start that Martin Truex Jr. has gotten off to in the 2013 season.

Truex Jr. finished 24^th in the Daytona 500 and barely got started in the Phoenix race, stalling on pit road with a gear and axle problem, relegating him to a 36^th place finish.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Truex Jr. tweeted after the race. “Never seen that happen in all my days. Had a fast @napafilters car too.”

Not Surprising: On his return to the NASCAR scene, A.J. Allmendinger had a great day in the Valley of the Sun. The ‘Dinger finished 11^th behind the wheel of the No. 51 Guy Roofing Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing.

“Everyone on the team kept fighting hard and worked their asses off,” Allmendinger shared via Twitter on his way out of the track.

Surprising: There was a surprising car, one with a big red Target on the hood, that just so happened to be at the front of the pack for much of the race. Juan Pablo Montoya drove his No. 42 Target Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet to a 12^th place finish and was most proud.

“It was a good points day,” JPM declared.

Not Surprising: Although she had an historic outing at Daytona as the first woman to sit on the pole and lead a green flag lap, it was not surprising that Phoenix was a major dose of reality for Rookie of the Year candidate Danica Patrick. The driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet blew a tire, hit the wall hard and then was hit on the driver’s side by David Ragan’s car.

“I blew a right front with no real warning,” Patrick said. “It was a little unexpected.”

“Thank God for SAFER barriers.”

Surprising: The Busch mother and brothers had a surprisingly trying weekend. Mama Busch was involved in a golf car accident and brothers Busch both started from the back of the field, Kyle for an engine change and Kurt for a wreck in qualifying.

Both brothers were involved in on-track spins, in fact spinning in tandem at one point during the race.

Although Kyle Busch finished a disappointing 23^rd and brother Kurt finished even worse in the 27^th position, Mrs. Busch was reportedly a little banged up but back at the track and “in good spirits.”

Not Surprising: Reigning champ Brad Keselowski had a blast at Phoenix, especially during the green-white-checkered finish. The driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion energetically shoved the winner into the first turn, hoping to get a run for the win, but had to settle for a fourth place finish.

“Those guys fought hard and we fought hard and there was a lot of desire,” Keselowski said. “It’s early in the season, but I feel like there’s a lot of passion and that’s a good thing.”

“That’s how it’s supposed to be, right?” Keselowski continued. “That was cool.”

March 6, 2013
Surprising and Not Surprising: Daytona 500

In the double nickel running of the Great American Race, with the first female ever to start from the pole, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 2013 Daytona 500.

Surprising: While drivers, crew chiefs, and teams scrambled through Speedweeks into the Daytona 500, surprisingly, the busiest people in Daytona were once again the track workers.

Just as in previous years, from the infamous pot hole in 2010 to the jet dryer flame out last year, the track crew was again called upon to work their miracles.

This time, however, their skills were put to the test the day before the big race after a horrific crash at the finish of the Nationwide race, shearing young driver Kyle Larson’s car in thirds and sending his engine, tire and other car parts into the crowd.

The track workers not only had to tend to the injured fans but also had to make major repairs to the catch fence itself, working tirelessly into the early morning to ensure that the Great American Race would go on without a hitch the next day.

“You try to prepare for as much as you can,” Kerry Tharp, NASCAR spokesperson, said. “You also take away and learn from every incident.”

Not Surprising: With the ‘one team, one shop’ philosophy prevalent throughout the Hendrick Motorsports organization, it was not surprising to see the 48/88 team finish 1/2 at the Daytona 500.

“I was waiting for the run,” two-time Daytona 500 winner and five-time champ Jimmie Johnson said. “The 88 got a big shove and was coming up the inside.”

“I moved down to defend that and we were able to get a one-two for Hendrick Motorsports,” Johnson continued. “For the 48/88 shop so very happy. There are a lot of people put a lot of effort into these cars and I want to thank them all.”

Surprising: While she may have been forging a new path as the first woman on the pole and the first to lead a green flag lap at Daytona, rookie Danica Patrick surprisingly seemed to have more in common with veteran four-time champion Jeff Gordon.

Both the rookie and the veteran had no friends in the final laps of the race, both getting freight-trained to finish 8^th and 20^th respectively.

“I kept asking what was working,” Patrick said. “You needed a hole and you needed people to help you out.”

“I had a little bit of help here today here and there,” Patrick continued. “I had a feeling I was going to get freight-trained.”

“It’s a really tough race,” Jeff Gordon said. “We lost track position and it didn’t seem like we were ever going to get it back.”

“Then we finally did and those last two restarts just didn’t go very well.”

Not Surprising: With a driver rating of 96.5, second best at Daytona, and a good Speedweeks, finishing fourth in the Sprint Unlimited and fifth-fastest in time trials, the driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet had high expectations for the big race.

So it was no surprise that Tony Stewart was absolutely smoked after being taken out early in the race, finishing 41^st.

“The hell with the season, I wanted to win the Daytona 500,” Stewart said. “I was happy with our car, just waiting for it to all get sorted out again.”

“I don’t know what started it, but we just got caught up in another wreck.”

Surprising: At a track known for white knuckle racing and passes galore on every lap, it was surprising just how difficult the drivers found it to pass, especially on the bottom of the track. In fact, a portion of the race was surprisingly run in the single file formation.

Veteran driver Mark Martin summed it up best.

“One of the things that made it hard to pass was nobody would get organized on the bottom,” Martin said. “The top groove was the preferred groove.”

“The problem was that the car on the inside of the frontline wasn’t the fastest car,” Martin continued. “If you would have had the fastest car in the field on the inside, you would have had a whale of a race there at the end.”

Not Surprising: For two years in a row, team owner Chip Ganassi has been lamenting the performance of his race team. Unfortunately, the bad run continued at the 2013 Daytona 500 with drivers Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya, finishing 32^nd and 39^th respectively.

Both were in a significant wreck early in the running of the Great American Race.

“You could see it coming,” Montoya said. “They were all checked up and I thought, ‘Somebody isn’t going to check and screw up.”

“And then they did.”

Surprising: Things also went surprisingly awry for two out of the three Joe Gibbs racers. The defending Daytona 500 winner and newest member of the JGR team Matt Kenseth looking incredibly strong, leading many laps during the race until mechanical problems did him in.

And then almost immediately afterwards, teammate Kyle Busch also had mechanical failure, leaving teammate Denny Hamlin to be the lone top 15 finisher.

“It’s really unfortunate,” Busch said. “We were running 1-2-3 and it felt like we were dropping like flies.”

“Something inside the motor broke that’s not supposed to break,” Busch continued. “It’s a little devastating.”

Not Surprising: Since the Daytona 500 can make dreams come true (just ask Trevor Bayne), it was not surprising that there was a Cinderella story and his name was Michael McDowell.

With an underfunded team but a sponsor filled with faith, the driver of the No. 98 K-LOVE Ford finished ninth in the Great American Race.

“We had a fast car,” McDowell said. “This was a great run and a great effort. For us, an under-funded team to come here to Daytona and get a top-10 finish is pretty cool.”

Surprising:

While it may have been no surprise that blooming onions would be on tap for Monday at Outback due to Ryan Newman’s top five finish, it was surprising that kids got to eat at Golden Corral thanks to J.J. Yeley’s top-ten finish in the Daytona 500.

“After a long, hard-fought day at day at Daytona, we were able to log a top-ten finish for our first outing with our new team and Golden Corral on board,” Yeley said. “The best part of it all is making lots of kids happy when they eat for free as part of J.J.’s Monday.”

Not Surprising: Brad Keselowski, champion and NASCAR Ironman, proved he was both yet again, muscling his damaged No. 2 Miller Lite Ford around the track to finish fourth.

“You want to make excuses for not being successful you could do that or you can go out there and put it all on the line and try to win,” Keselowski said. “You just drive it.”

February 27, 2013

Crunching The Numbers: Phoenix

After a wild week in Daytona, the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series drivers head out west to The Valley of The Sun to take on Phoenix International Raceway for the 2nd race of the season. The track’s reconfiguration back in 2011 turned a good track into a great track and has made it more conducive to close racing and if you will remember, the last time these two series took on PIR, both races turned into a literal slug fest and this weekend’s events should be more of the same.

Nationwide Series

The Nationwide Series will get first crack at the oval in the Arizona desert in the Dollar General 200, scheduled to go green at 2:30 PM Local Time on Saturday.

Driver	Races	Win	Top 5	Top 10	Pole	Laps Led	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
Matt Kenseth	11	1	4	9	1	202	10.2	7.7
Kyle Busch	14	4	7	10	4	793	5.8	8.6
Brian Vickers	4	0	2	2	0	1	17.8	10.8
Justin Allgaier	9	0	0	4	0	0	14.6	11.0
Reed Sorenson	9	0	4	6	0	1	12.1	12.2
Brad Keselowski	12	0	6	7	0	107	11.8	12.3
Austin Dillon	3	0	1	2	0	0	15.7	14.7
Alex Bowman	1	0	0	0	0	0	22.0	15.0
Elliott Sadler	8	1	2	2	0	26	14.8	16.2
Brian Scott	7	0	0	2	0	0	15.1	16.3

Who To Watch: Running once again for Joe Gibbs Racing, Matt Kenseth leads all drivers with an average finish of 7.7 over 11 races that Kenseth has run. Another Gibbs entry, Kyle Busch, will be tough to beat here as well since he has an average finish of 8.6 and 4 wins in 14 races. That’s a winning percentage of 29%! Other drivers strong in the desert include Brian Vickers, Justin Allgaier, and Reed Sorenson. All 3 of those drivers have an average finish of 12.2 or better. Throw in Spring Phoenix defending champion Elliott Sadler and this race should be another good one.

Sprint Cup Series

The Sprint Cup Series gets their turn on track Sunday in the Subway Fresh Fit 500, scheduled to start at 1:00 PM local time

Driver	Races	Win	Top 5	Top 10	Pole	Laps Led	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
Jimmie Johnson	19	4	12	15	1	931	13.0	6.7
Mark Martin	32	2	12	21	2	836	12.0	9.1
Denny Hamlin	15	1	7	8	1	399	12.8	10.3
Jeff Gordon	28	2	10	19	3	389	11.1	11.5
Tony Stewart	22	1	8	11	0	555	13.3	12.1
Carl Edwards	17	1	6	10	3	228	11.8	12.5
Jeff Burton	27	2	7	13	0	222	23.8	12.8
Kevin Harvick	20	3	6	10	0	420	19.0	12.8
Kurt Busch	16	1	4	11	0	750	13.0	13.2
Kyle Busch	18	1	3	10	2	509	13.6	13.3

Who To Watch: To no one’s surprise, Daytona 500 champion JImmie Johnson leads the Sprint Cup Series in the best statistics with an average finish of 6.7 and 4 wins in 19 races. Johnson’s win percentage at Phoenix is an astounding 21% and if the statistics hold true, we could see a back to back winner if Johnson takes the win Sunday. However, to do so Johnson will have to hold off an impressive field of challengers, including Mark Martin, with an average finish of 9.1 and 2 wins; Denny Hamlin, who won here last spring and has an average finish of 10.3; and Jeff Gordon, with 2 wins and an average finish of 11.5. Not to mention winner of last fall’s race, Kevin Harvick and others. The 2nd Gen6 race and first on a track 1 mile or less should be a can’t miss, especially if tensions started here last fall come to a head at the place where they all began.

February 27, 2013

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson won his second Daytona 500, leading the final ten laps and holding off a late charge from Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

“It was a historic day at Daytona,” Johnson said, “especially for women. Danica Patrick pocketed $357,464 in prize money, while Erin Andrews lost 50 Cents.

“It’s great to win my second Daytona 500, and first for Chad Knaus. As you may recall, Chad was suspended for my first 500 in 2006, but he was with me there in spirit, and in my rear window.”

2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt’s last-lap charge gave him his second consecutive Daytona 500 runner-up finish, and third in four years, as Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson took the win.

“I was a day late and a dollar short,” Earnhardt said, “as opposed to a certain rapper, who was a half-dollar short.

“Finishing second at Daytona, followed by a disappointing result in the Chase, has been the story of my career. It’s a case of ‘so close, yet so far away.’”

3. Brad Keselowski: NASCAR’s defending champion overcame early damage after being collected in an early crash and battle back to finish fourth in the Daytona 500. Keselowski led 13 laps on the day, and trails Jimmie Johnson by six points.

“As you may have heard,” Keselowski said, “I was called to speak to NASCAR brass about some comments I made critical of NASCAR. I was politely told to keep my foot on the pedal and out of my mouth.”

4. Greg Biffle: Biffle qualified fifth and finished sixth at Daytona, the top finisher among the Roush Fenway Racing trio, as Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. finished 12^th and Carl Edwards finished 33^rd.

“Stenhouse is dating the hottest driver in NASCAR,” Biffle said, “while Edwards is the coldest driver in NASCAR.”

5. Regan Smith: Smith, in the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet, finished a strong seventh in the Daytona 500, leading one lap.

“50 Cent says ‘He doesn’t see black people,’” Smith said. “If memory serves me, there once was a wrapper named ‘6 Cents’ who also didn’t see black people, but did see dead people.

“As the driver of the car once piloted by Kurt Busch, I’m proud to say that Phoenix Racing no longer sees crazy people.”

6. Mark Martin: Martin finished third in the Daytona 500, moving up with a late charge while pushing Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to a second-place finish.

“I’m now 0-29 at Daytona,” Martin said, “so finishing third is nothing special. It’s like ‘kissing a sister,’ and I want to do that about as much as Erin Andrews wants to kiss a ‘brother.’

“My man 50 Cent said he didn’t see any black people at Daytona. I say, Look, Fitty, it’s Sunday at Daytona. There’s only one ‘race.’”

7. Danica Patrick: Patrick started on the pole at Daytona and became the first female driver to lead a lap in the iconic NASCAR event. She eventually finished eighth, by far her best Sprint Cup finish.

“The No. 10 GoDaddy.Com Chevrolet not only had horsepower,” Patrick said, “it had girl power.

“Kudos to Erin Andrews for rejecting the advances of 50 Cent. What kind of man complains about the lack of black people, then goes in for a kiss on the girl in the white ‘wrapper?’

“I guess I silenced most of my critics with my performance, but not all of them. There are some creeps still monitoring the GoDaddy.com website who wish I’d show more of myself.”

8. Ryan Newman: With Tony Stewart knocked out early, Newman led the charge for Stewart-Haas Racing, leading three laps and finishing fifth at Daytona.

“I hate it for Tony,” Newman said. “His run of bad luck continued in the 500. Tony can’t catch a break, unlike the Daytona catchfence, which catches brakes, tires, and engines. You’ve got to hand it to NASCAR fans for coming to the race on Sunday despite what happened on Saturday. Those fans have a commendable ‘debris de corps.’”

9. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 11^th in the Daytona 500, one of only two Toyotas in the top 11.

“Judging by what happened early in the race,” Bowyer said, “Jimmie Johnson was not the Hendrick driver I expected to win the race. After the race, I felt like I was back at Phoenix when I kept asking, ‘Where’s Jeff Gordon?’

“I’m just pleased my Toyota engine didn’t blow up like those of the Joe Gibbs Racing cars. Those JGR engines are like milk—that expiration date will sneak up on you.”

10. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.: Stenhouse, in the No. 17 Roush Fenway Ford, finished 12^th at Daytona after starting 28th, joining teammate Greg Biffle in the top 12.

“It looks like Danica Patrick and I have taken our driving to another level,” Stenhouse said. “It remains to be seen whether our relationship will follow. I sure hope so. Until then, though, Danica and I will collectively be known as ‘Hot And Bothered.’

“I hold a unique position among NASCAR drivers. I’m the only driver who can say he’s dating a ‘fellow’ driver and still retain his manhood.”

February 26, 2013
Matty’s Picks 2013 – Vol. 1 Daytona International Speedway – Daytona 500 – February 24, 2013

It’s another NASCAR season, and I’m proud to be kicking off the third season of my weekly column devoted to picking a couple drivers with the potential to make some noise on Sunday afternoon. Before I begin my outlook on the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Season and tomorrow’s 55th running of the Daytona 500, I’d like to share my thoughts and prayers for all those fans injured today at Daytona International Speedway on the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ DRIVE4COPD 300. It is extremely unfortunate when fans who show up to be entertained, actually become a part of the action.

After a stellar rookie season in 2011, my sophomore season as a NASCAR handicapper saw its ups and downs, which is why I am excited for a clean slate to start off this 2013 season. We’ve got a new reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion for the first time since 2004, a few newcomers to the Sprint Cup Series, a new driver/driver relationship known as “Stenica”, a few team changes, one less manufacturer, and an entirely new race car to start off this 2013 season. With so many unknowns to start this 2013 season, selecting winners this season is looking to be my toughest task yet as a sports journalist.

Nothing to recap this week as I move out of my three-month NASCAR hibernation (which couldn’t come soon enough this year as my Buffalo Bills finished at the bottom of the AFC East standings with a dismal 6-10 record, and my fainted Buffalo Sabres currently fight to lift themselves from the bottom of the NHL’s Eastern Conference Standings) so, we’ll move into my thoughts on the 55th running of the Daytona 500.

Daytona Picks

I absolutely loathe restrictor plate racing as it tends to be more mayhem than actual racing talent, but I will not take away from the excitement surrounding the start of the 2013 campaign and reserve my comments for the time being.

Though it is said that the four restrictor plate races on the schedule are “a roll of the dice” in picking winners, but I tend to pare down the potential list of winners using historical trends. For instance, it has been twelve years since the last driver took home both the Daytona 500 and the Sprint Unlimited (formerly the Budweiser Shootout) in the same year. This feat has been claimed five times by four different drivers, but the last time a driver won at Daytona in consecutive weeks, dates back to 2000 when Dale Jarrett took home the Daytona 500 and Sprint Unlimited in the same year for the second time in his storied career. For this reason alone, I eliminate Kevin Harvick as my Winner Pick for tomorrow’s Daytona 500.

It has also been a dozen years since the winner of the Daytona 500 has come from the front row, and if you’ve ever solicited advice at the Roulette wheel, anyone with experience will tell you to never bet against the recent trends . Dale Jarrett not only won the Sprint Unlimited and Daytona 500 in the year 2000, but he did it by starting from the pole position of The Great American Race. It was the second year in a row that the winner of the Daytona 500 came from the first starting spot, and for this reason I’ll eliminate Danica Patrick and Jeff Gordon from contention tomorrow.

Last year’s Daytona 500 marked the first time in seven years a repeat winner took home the Harley J. Earl Trophy, the second-longest streak of first-time winners (the longest streak of new winners being seven races, from the inaugural race in 1959 to The King’s second Daytona 500 victory in 1966). Sticking with historical trends, I am making a prediction that the winner of tomorrow’s race will have taken home a Daytona 500 at least once already. This means that the winner will come from either Matt Kenseth, Trevor Bayne, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., or Michael Waltrip. The two other drivers with Daytona 500 wins (Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick) have been eliminated from my list of potential race winners under previous historical trends.

Winner Pick

So, we’ve got the list down to seven potential winners based on my historical trend formula, and out of these seven drivers, I’m most comfortable saying Dale Jr. will walk away as the second driver in two years to win their second Daytona 500 win. Dale Jr.’s first Daytona 500 win came back in 2004, giving DEI their final Daytona 500 victory before merging with Chip Ganassi Racing, forming Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. He has visited Gatorade Victory Lane more recently than 2004 as he started off his career with Hendrick Motorsports with wins in both the Sprint Unlimited and his Budweiser Duel race prior to the 2008 Daytona 500. He was also the runner up in both his Duel race and Daytona 500 last season.

This year, Jr. has looked extremely comfortable in the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet, and the No. 88 car has looked comfortable in the pack draft. This is the style of racing the Earnhardt family is known for and the Hendrick camp has put a truly magnificent product on the track again for Dale Jr. He’s been in the mix of the faster cars all week, including winning the final practice session on Friday for the 55th Annual Great American Race. I’ll be watching the No. 88 to immediately work his way to the front from his starting spot in the middle of the pack, and for Jr. Nation to start their 2013 season off with a win.

Dark Horse Pick

It is tough to call a past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion a Dark Horse, but there is a guy making his 65th start at Daytona International Speedway this week who has shown he can keep his nose clean and finish the race strong. Bobby Labonte will be another driver starting mid-pack on Sunday, and will look to keep the nose of his Kroger Toyota clean in order to finish strong in his No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota Camry.

Now, is been 324 races since his last victory, so I’m stretching here for a Dark Horse pick, but Labonte’s recent history at The World Center of Racing has be believing he might play a factor in Sunday’s race. Drivers like to draft with guys with experience, and experience Labonte has. Watch for the No. 47 to mix up the front of the field come lap 199 on Sunday.

That’s all for this week, so until we head west for the second stanza of the season, you stay classy NASCAR NATION!

February 24, 2013
Scott Lagasse Honored by Boy Scout Partnership

Photo Credit: TeamSLR Photo

Scott Lagasse has honed his skills from ARCA racing to the NASCAR Nationwide Series. But he is most proud of his new relationship with the Boy Scouts of America as sponsor and partner.

“The relationship with them is pretty unique,” Lagasse said. “It started when I did a pine wood derby race and thought that was pretty cool.”

“We started talking and it ended up at national,” Lagasse continued. “What a great organization.”

“The Scouts do so many great things for kids, instilling morals and values,” Lagasse said. “It was a strange and unplanned relationship, but really a great one.”

Lagasse, a Boy Scout himself, has been most enthused about the impact of the partnership that he has experienced first-hand through a variety of Scouting events.

“We’ve already seen the excitement with the kids,” Lagasse said. “We went to an event at Fort Knox, Kentucky and there were 8,000 kids there that absolutely went crazy and loved the race car.”

“It’s fun for me because we drove a Scout to school this morning,” Lagasse continued. “We’ve done that a couple times now.”

“We went through Orlando with a police escort, spinning the rear tires and pulling up to the front of the school with all the kids out front,” Lagasse said. “It was great.”

“I don’t know if I had more fun, he had more fun or his parents had more fun.”

Lagasse is not the first driver to have a sponsor partnership with a charitable organization, proudly following in the steps of one of his racing idols, Jeff Gordon, whose sponsor is the AARP Foundation’s Drive to End Hunger.

So, it may not be coincidence that Gordon’s step-father John Bickford has also been a friend, mentor and advisor to Lagasse throughout the years.

“Without a doubt you always look up to a driver like Jeff Gordon,” Lagasse said. “Obviously for Mr. Bickford to spend the time with me that he has, I guess I would consider myself a charity case.”

“I don’t know that it was his idea about the charitable partnership, but he definitely has molded the way that I think and approach the sport,” Lagasse continued. “There’s no doubt that he is the leading person pushing me to do a business plan that makes sense.”

“In that regard, Mr. Bickford has been a huge ally and asset,” Lagasse said. “You definitely have to respect what he has done for the sport.”

Lagasse, mirroring the values of the Boy Scouts, also credits his family, particularly his father Scott Lagasse Sr., a racer in his own right, with supporting him in his racing journey.

“I couldn’t ask for my parents to do anything more for me,” Lagasse said. “They both realize the commitment and how much it takes to be successful.”

“They were always there to support me and that to me means a lot.”

In addition to the support of his family, Lagasse is also grateful for the camaraderie, commitment and support of his team. This too mirrors the values of Scouting in creating teamwork and a shared community.

“I’m really excited about the group of guys that we have, especially my crew chief Brad Parrott,” Lagasse said. “Brad came and crew chiefed an ARCA race for me.”

“He was a huge help and we led a lot of laps until we ran out of gas,” Lagasse continued. “It was not his doing but I still give him a hard time about it.”

“That’s obviously a good way to have started the relationship,” Lagasse said. “Since then we have worked together quite a few times.”

“That’s what motivates me, knowing that we’re all going to battle together,” Lagasse continued. “The most fun will be on race day when we strap in with that group of guys around me and the support of the Scouts.”

Lagasse is also looking forward to race day right at his home track, having grown up in St. Augustine, Florida and racing as a youngster in the shadows of Daytona International Speedway. And the 31 year old driver, now with his own team, cannot wait to take the track for the DRIVE4COPD 300 Nationwide race behind the wheel of his No. 8 HybridLight/Boy Scouts of America Chevrolet.

“This is for sure home and I’ve always had dreams of racing here,” Lagasse said. “Our goals are probably in stages.”

“Number one is to get out of here in one piece,” Lagasse said. “That one, we will accomplish.”

“Beyond that, we need to have a good partner to have a shot at the win,” Lagasse continued. “That’s how I’m going to approach it.”

“We’ll do what we need to do early to be there late,” Lagasse said. “We’re a small team and we know we’re up against the big boys.”

“But we have good people so I don’t see why we can’t run up front.”

Most of all for Lagasse, the Daytona race is all about being honored to represent the Boy Scouts and get the youth leadership of today interested in racing for the rest of their lives.

“I would say for me it’s a huge responsibility to partner with the Boy Scouts,” Lagasse said. “That’s how I look at it.”

“It’s a huge honor that also comes with a huge responsibility,” Lagasse continued. “Our relationship is very young but we’re both committed to the long term.”

“I’m excited about helping young kids develop on and off the track,” Lagasse said. “For us, it’s a shared responsibility and an honor to be that rallying point for them.”

“To me, that’s the best part about the Scouts because time and time again, they do the right thing.”

February 21, 2013
2013 NASCAR Season Predictions

Photo Credit: David Yeazell

As we head into the 2013 NASCAR season, here are some predictions of what could take place this year…….

*At the Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on April 7^th, Jeff Gordon challenges mortal enemy Clint Bowyer not to a duel, but a duet, and the two take the stage for a rendition of Garth Brooks’ 1991 dud “We Bury The Hatchet.”

The following week at Texas, Bowyer and Gordon tangle, and Bowyer, true to his sponsor obligations, first opens up a 2-ounce 5-Hour Energy bottle, then opens a comparable-sized can of whoop ass. True to post-1979 NASCAR fist fights form, no punches are thrown, as Gordon is taken down by four Bowyer crewmen, two of which ask for Gordon’s autograph.

*Juan Montoya’s run of bad luck at Daytona continues, as he trips over his wife’s hair dryer in the couple’s RV parked in the Daytona infield, sparking an electrical fire that wipes out power and delays the start of the Daytona 500.

After a two-hour delay, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. emerges with the win after blowing by Kevin Harvick on the final turn. In a post-race media session, Earnhardt calls his win the “start of something big,” a characterization that turns out to be correct, as Junior then embarks on the longest winless streak of his career.

*After Zac Brown and his band rock the Daytona infield prior to the February 24^th race, NASCAR chief executive officer Brian France, reinforcing his reputation as a clueless leader, tells Brown that “I loved you in The Hangover.” Brown, in turn, tells France, that his “language is offensive.”

Later that year, Brown suggests to France that Zach Galifianakis serve as Grand Marshall at Indianapolis. France takes Browns’ advice, and while at Indy, compliments Galifianakis on his concert at Daytona.

France taps Alabama native Evander Holyfield to serve as Grand Marshall at Talladega in October, where tells the former champ that he loved him in The Hangover, as well.

*Brad Keselowski wins at Bristol in March after leading 298 of 500 laps at the Bullring, passing Jimmie Johnson late for the win. Afterwards in Victory Lane, Keselowski knocks back a six-pack of Miller Lite, and sends Johnson a six-pack of his own with the message “This is the only ‘six’ you’ll see this year.”

Upon leaving the track, the defending champ is stopped by a police officer for erratic driving. Keselowski passes a battery of field sobriety tests, and immediately takes to Twitter, where he tweets 140 dashes, proving that he can Tweet and walk a straight line.

*After two years without a Sprint Cup championship, Jimmie Johnson rededicates himself to capturing the 2013 title. Not one to miss an endorsement opportunity, Lowe’s, in conjunction with Kobalt Tools, introduces a new multi-task implement which hammers, screws, and strikes fear into opponents. The “Attitude Adjustment” retails for $19.95.

Crew chief Chad Knaus is the first to buy the tool, and finds it just as useful in doctoring chassis and rear wings, as well as grooming the head of a middle-aged balding man.

*Kyle Busch wins three of the season’s first ten races, including a win at Talladega on May 5^th, and establishes himself as an early favorite for the 2013 Sprint Cup. The following week at Darlington, the bottom falls out, as the engine in Busch’s No. 18 Toyota blows.

Busch finishes 20^th or worse in his next ten races, and his frustration culminates when he takes a swing at crew chief Dave Rogers at Pocono in August. Busch is suspended by the team, and M&M’s yanks sponsorship. Brad Keselowski taunts Busch on Twitter, tweeting “That’s like taking candy from a baby.”

Busch starts the Chase For The Cup in tenth and finishes in sixth, 46 out of first.

*After blowing a fuse following a poor finish at Darlington, Kurt Busch hires a sports psychologist to help improve his attitude and demeanor. After several weeks in therapy, Busch notices a difference in his state of mind, while Furniture Row sees a spike in sales after introducing the “Kurt Busch Psychiatrist’s Couch” product line.

Busch wins the Toyota/Save Mart 300 at Sonoma on June 23 and credits his psychiatrist, noting that “It’s the first time someone’s encouraged me to tell them how I really feel.”

*Matt Kenseth wins at California on March 24, capturing his first win as a member of Joe Gibbs Racing. Kenseth thanks Deny Hamlin and Kyle Busch for being great teammates, and gives props to Carl Edwards as well, calling him the best former teammate he could ask for.

Kenseth nabs three wins on the season, and finishes fourth in the Chase.

*In the Fox booth at Dover on a sweltering June 2^nd Sunday, Larry McReynolds is overcome by heat exhaustion and vomits, forcing Darrell Waltrip into quick action to sidestep the mess. Later in the broadcast, Waltrip notes that it was the first time he’s done the “Ickey Shuffle” since winning at Daytona in 1989.

*Jeremy Mayfield’s rotten luck takes a turn for the better when, after a positive screen test, he lands a recurring role on AMC’s “Breaking Bad” as a meth-running courier. Mayfield’s character, “Jeremy Mayfield,” is written out of the show after he is arrested, ironically, for “speeding” on the way to the set in June.

*In July, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un announces plans to field a NASCAR team in 2014. The team, bizarrely title “Yin And Pyong Yang Racing,” never makes it past the planning stages, as Un loses interest and instead turns his attention to developing jet fuel with Michael Waltrip.

*In an interview on national television prior to the Texas 500 on April 13^th, Danica Patrick identifies Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. as her “stiffest competition” for NASCAR’s Rookie Of The Year.

Later in the year, NASCAR’s glamour couple deal with a pregnancy scare, and NASCAR rumor-mongers erroneously report that Patrick’s pregnancy test can be viewed on the website “NoDaddy.com.”

Patrick edges Stenhouse for the ROY award, posting six top-10 finishes to Stenhouse’s four.

*Carl Edwards snaps an 81-race winless streak with a victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Edwards customary post-win back flip goes awry when he under-rotates and lands on his head, knocking himself unconscious.

NASCAR’s new concussion testing procedures are put to the test, and Edwards fails, as, for the second straight year, quips, “I forgot what it’s like to win.”

Edwards recovers after sitting out a race, and wins again at Homestead in the season finale, but eschews a celebratory back flip for a simpler fist pump, which, unfortunately and accidentally, connects win the chin of Miss Sprint Cup, knocking her out cold.

Edwards finishes seventh in the Chase For The Cup.

*In an attempt to get into Brad Keselowski’s head, Jimmie Johnson tries on the reigning champ and current points leader’s helmet at a Keselowski promotional appearance at a Ford dealership in Lansing, Michigan in August. The ploy works, as an irate Keselowski later tries unsuccessfully to wreck Johnson at Michigan on August 18^th, taking himself out of the race in the process.

Keselowski loses the points lead two weeks later at Atlanta, and Johnson heads to the Chase as the leader. Johnson clinches the Cup at Phoenix, wining his sixth championship.

February 19, 2013
Sprint Media Tour – Day Three – CMS and Hendrick Motorsports

Photo Credit: Brad Keppel

Day Three of the Sprint Media Tour continued with a trip back to Charlotte Motor Speedway and Hendrick Motorsports on Wednesday. The day will end with a trip to Penske Racing, the home of reigning Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski.

Officials, including Marcus Smith, Charlotte Motor Speedway CEO and Scott Cooper, CMS Director of Communications promoted the 2013 Sprint All-Star race, which is being advertised as an old west shootout. It was announced that two fans will take parts in the commercials to be aired later this year. Unfinished clips of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Clint Bowyer were shown without the two fans taking part. One fan has already been chose for a part and one more will be picked later.

The format for the race is yet to be determined, but it will be somewhat different than the 2012 event. “We’ve got to keep the fans interested,” Smith said.

Next on the agenda was the short trip to Hendrick Motorsports where media representatives were greeted by what is a stable group of drivers for 2013, including Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Team owner Rick Hendrick took the stage with his four drivers.

After the usual reciting of the past accomplishments of the team, each driver spoke on the outlook for the coming season. Each expressed disappointment that Hendrick Motorsports didn’t win the 2012 Sprint Cup Championship, but were confident that 2013 would be a successful year.

All teams except the no. 88 of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. are fully funded for 2013. Earnhardt’s car is unfunded in 11 races with Pepsico leaving major sponsorship at the end of the 2012 season. Hendrick was not worried about the situation.

“We have enough sponsorship to get us into summer,” Hendrick said. “I’m not worried about it. We’re close to some deals and it’s a long way to summer.”

Earnhardt expressed little concern and said he was really looking forward to the new car and the season. When the Daytona testing session was mentioned, he was honest and forthcoming.

Tonight the Tour continues with a dinner visit to Penske Racing in Mooresville, NC. A full report follows later on tonight.

“I messed up,” Earnhardt said. “I thought a long time about that and it was probably the most embarrassed I’ve ever been about anything on the racetrack. The bumpers don’t exactly match up like they used to.”

“I’m a big fan of this race car,” Gordon said. “I love it. I like the body style and I think the teams and crew chiefs do too. That’s one fine looking race car.”

Kasey Kahne says he is the underdog on the Hendrick Motorsports team. “I have to compare myself to two guys who have won multiple championships (Johnson and Gordon),” Kahne said. “My best shot is in my second year, which is now, but we’ll continue to try to run well and have that as a goal.”

Also present was developmental driver Chase Elliott, son of superstar Bill Elliott. The schedule for Elliott is fairly busy. Elliott will run five ARCA and nine Camping World Truck Series races in 2013 in the No. 94
Chevy. His truck schedule includes both races at Martinsville, both Iowa races, Rockingham, Dover, MoSport in Canada, Bristol, and Phoenix.

January 23, 2013
2013 Sprint Cup Team Preview: Hendrick Motorsports

Photo Credit: Brad Keppel

Today, our 2013 Sprint Cup team previews move on to Hendrick Motorsports, one of the powerhouses of the sport that is always a threat to win races and compete for championships. The 2013 lineup for Hendrick Motorsports will be the same as 2012, with Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Kasey Kahne returning.

Dale Earnhardt Jr

The 2012 season was yet another season in which Earnhardt and crew chief Steve Letarte performed well, especially through the midpoint of the year when Earnhardt won at Michigan and took over the points lead. If not for the concussions that Earnhardt suffered at the Kansas test and in the last lap wreck at Talladega, this team could have possibly won another race or two and finished in the top half of the points standings. Both Earnhardt and Letarte return to the No.88 team in 2013. Diet Mountain Dew announced last year that they would be scaling back their sponsorship of this team in 2013 and an announcement regarding who will replace them and join the National Guard as sponsors has not yet been made, but look for one to be made soon.

After a test of the new Gen6 car in December, Earnhardt said: “I think the car has really awesome potential, and I like it already leaps and bounds beyond the COT. This car really gives me a lot of sensations that are similar to the old car that we ran 10 years ago.” That should make Earnhardt fans happy, as Earnhardt’s best performances of his career were with the old car. Look for this team to contend for race wins and the championship in 2013 and if everything falls into place, this could be the year we see an Earnhardt as champion once again.

Jeff Gordon

The old saying of “If I didn’t have bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.” fits perfectly with the year Jeff Gordon had in 2012. Gordon struggled throughout the year, picking up five DNF’s along with two wins, in the rain shortened event at Pocono and the season finale at Homestead, and barely making the Chase for the Sprint Cup and finishing tenth in the final standings. Gordon and crew chief Alan Gustafson team up once again in 2013 with sponsorship from AARP Drive to End Hunger and Dupont. Look for the No.24 team to rebound from the struggles of 2012 and be back in the Chase and a threat for the title in 2013.

Jimmie Johnson

As has been the case in recent years, Jimmie Johnson and the No.48 team were once again a championship contender in 2012, but came up short of claiming a sixth title. Despite five wins, struggles in the final two races of the year, a wreck at Phoenix and mechanical problems at Homestead, relegated Johnson to a third place points finish. Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus head into 2013 with the disappointment of the 2012 season still fresh on their minds and as always will be threats for both race wins weekly and for the title as well. After falling short in 2011 and 2012, it’s very possible that Johnson could claim his sixth title in 2013 and move one step closer to tying Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty with their seven Cup championships.

Kasey Kahne

The debut season for Kasey Kahne at Hendrick Motorsports got off to a rocky start without a finish higher than 14th in the first six races, but Kahne then reeled off top ten after top ten and won his first race of the season in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in May and followed up with another win at Loudon in July and a fourth place finish in the final 2012 standings. Look for Kahne and crew chief Kenny Francis to do more of the same in 2013, with wins and a Chase berth sure to come. If Kahne and Francis can avoid the bad luck early in the year, they could join the other three Hendrick drivers as championship contenders.

January 23, 2013
Jeff Gordon Receives AARP Foundation Accolades With Heisman Humanitarian Award

[media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”222″][/media-credit]Jeff Gordon, four-time NASCAR champion driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, not only picked up the Heisman Humanitarian Honor this evening but also the praise of one of his primary sponsors, the AARP Foundation.

“The Heisman Trophy Trust’s recognition of Jeff confirms something we’ve known for awhile, that he is as great a person off the track as he is behind the wheel of a race car,” Jo Ann Jenkins, President of the AARP Foundation, said. “Jeff’s commitment to philanthropy and helping others in need was a critical factor in the decision by AARP and the AARP Foundation that NASCAR could be a good platform for our work to help end the problem of older adult hunger.”

“Since launching Drive to End Hunger, Jeff has been a committed champion to helping people who struggle to put food on the table,” Jenkins continued. “Whether he’s winning races or packaging meals to help hungry older adults, we couldn’t have a better champion than Jeff Gordon.”

“While this award celebrates the contributions that Jeff has made over the years, we are particularly excited about what is still to come,” Jenkins said. “There are nearly nine million older Americas who face the risk of hunger.”

“The fight against older adult hunger is the contest of a lifetime and Jeff, like the AARP Foundation, hates to lose.”

Gordon became the seventh recipient of the prestigious Heisman Humanitarian Award, recognizing people in sports who demonstrate notable commitment to helping others.

“This year, the Heisman Memorial Trust is delighted to add one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history as the seventh name on the list,” Jim Corcoran, Heisman Trophy Trustee said. “The Trust decision to honor Jeff was very easy.”

“Like the Heisman Trophy itself, Jeff Gordon has created a legacy of excellence both on the field of competition and for the greater good of society.”

Corcoran said that Gordon was honored specifically for his work with helping children with serious illnesses, through the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation and through his launch of a comprehensive cancer care center in Rwanda.

“This Humanitarian award is something I’m very proud of,” Jeff Gordon said. “This is truly an honor.”

“But the award is given to all walks of life and sport,” Gordon continued. “To be a part of this list is something that I never expected and something that I’m very honored by.”

Gordon joins other Heisman Humanitarian winners, including two Olympians, three NFL players, and an All-Star center from the NHL. Joey Check, an Olympian and philanthropist, was the inaugural winner in 2006, recognized for donation of his gold medal bonus to the Right to Play Organization to help children in need.

Other winners include George Martin, NY Giants defensive end, who helped those impacted by the 9/11 tragedy; Pat LaFontaine, an NHL great who founded an organization building interactive children’s playrooms; Mia Hamm, world-famous soccer player for her work with the Foundation that bears her name dedicated to helping those with aplastic anemia; William Dunn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers star who founded Homes for the Holidays; and Marty Lyons, another NFL great, who became a surrogate father to a critically ill child.

“This is a big day for me,” Gordon said. “You always want your efforts to be recognized and today this is a very, very proud moment.”

“It doesn’t get any better than being recognized by excellence, which is what the Heisman is all about.”

Gordon acknowledged that NASCAR as a sport has enabled him to be so involved philanthropically. In fact, given his sponsor, the AARP Foundation’s Drive to End Hunger, he is even more involved in charitable works on and off the track.

“I feel so privileged to be a part of this sport,” Gordon said. “I think of NASCAR and what it’s given to me.”

“It’s given me so many opportunities but it’s also given me a great platform and way to give back,” Gordon continued. “I see such a giving community and environment.”

“Everybody really wants to help and that’s what drove me to start my own foundation,” Gordon said. “And it continues to drive me in ways that I never expected.”

“My own sponsor, the first ever cause-driven sponsorship, just continues the work,” Gordon said. “This award just solidifies all the efforts that makes my work what it is and takes us to places we never thought we would go to help so many children and to find those treatments and cures.”

“Life is a journey and racing has been a big part of my journey,” Gordon said. “I’ve been able to experience winning more than I ever thought.”

“I was thinking how hard we have worked to try to win and put so much effort into it,” Gordon continued. “Yet ten or fifteen years, what it is all going to mean?”

“Those trophies are nice but they tarnish,” Gordon said. “But when you save a child’s life and you have something as meaningful as this, those are things that stick with you for a lifetime.”

December 10, 2012