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Tag: Kyle Petty

Hot 20 – Saturday night it is Bristol, baby!

There are races you mark down, make plans for, but there are few venues that seem to provide the kind of action that transforms those events into stand alone spectacles. Daytona is one. Talladega is another. You might want to add Darlington, for tradition sake, and Sonoma to the mix. Charlotte hosts the longest and next year they break out the road course for its second date. Then there are the two in Bristol, Tennessee.

While we continue to yearn for announcers who captivate us with their voices, delivery, dialogue, banter, information, or entertainment value, it does not matter this Saturday night. This time, the track will take care of all that itself. No one is going to run away from the pack. Lapped cars will matter if only for being in the way. Fenders are going to be dented, drivers are going to get hot, and fans are going to find their time well spent. That is not always the case in NASCAR. It is damn near becoming the exception to the rule, but Saturday night they are in Bristol.

I am not sure if we will have another offering from a shrill voiced fellow with a distinctive accent, but if your head announcer does not sound something like Ken Squier, Chris Economaki, or at the very least Mike Joy, do not hire them. If your booth announcers do not have the bantering chemistry of Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach, you have failed. If the race sucks, at least your announcers can not. The name of the game is to keep us watching. Thankfully, this is Bristol, so that does not matter as much this week.

It will be interesting to see how many of its 162,000 seats will be filled in Thunder Valley’s stadium like layout. If they fail to turn out to watch the action on the 0.533 mile track, if they are not crowded on the couch to take it all in at home, do not expect things to get any better when they get to Chicago, Dover, or Kansas. In future, a general rule of thumb would be if a race track is not designed to be the next Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, Sonoma, or even a Martinsville, do not build it.

If I did not follow the sport, if I did not know what each race means to each driver, if I had no idea what the Chase was or what the points meant, if I did not know the difference between an Earnhardt and an Erlich Bachman, I probably would watch only a dozen events each season for their stand alone entertainment value.

The race Saturday night at Bristol would be one of them.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (933 Pts)
If you want to win, you got to beat him…team mate or not…

2. KYLE LARSON – 3 WINS (804 Pts)
…just like Larson did last Sunday.

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (592 Pts)
Won at Bristol in the spring. Why not on a summer night?

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (720 Pts)
If Johnson does not win, another two-time Bristol winner would not mind wearing the suds.

5. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 2 WINS (505 Pts)
Better half could be without a ride at SHR next year. I didn’t even know he and Kurt were dating.

6. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN (797 Pts)
They may be from Las Vegas, but Bristol is Busch country.

7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (787 Pts)
Harvick is a champion, yet less popular than Junior or Danica. Maybe more so after last week.

8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (710 Pts)
It is a girl!

9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (592 Pts)
Maybe Blaney can be the next Junior. You know, someone Harvick can harp on.

10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (554 Pts)
Going into his 600th career race, the brothers have each claimed five at Thunder Valley.

11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (536 Pts)
The invisible man was fourth last week while averaging 15.9 over the season.

12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (438 Pts)
After wrecking with Suarez on Sunday, I bet he wished he was still with the good hands people.

13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (436 Pts)
Top Ten last week was his first since he won at Charlotte in late May.

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 685 POINTS
Probably a near lock for the Chase, but that first career win sure would be nice.

15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 675 POINTS
Could be 40 points higher if not for wrecking at Martinsville and Pocono.

16. MATT KENSETH – 654 POINTS
Odds of 4x Bristol winner making the Chase are better than driving a competitive car next year.

17. CLINT BOWYER – 623 POINTS
Pit penalties and a flat tire ruined his plans last week, and did him no favors hunting down Matt.

18. JOEY LOGANO – 556 POINTS (1 Win)
Might feel the worst, but if he came first it would turn his frown upside down.

19. ERIK JONES – 524 POINTS
Has a string of three Top Tens. Now he needs a Top One.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 515 POINTS
Actually 17th in points, but race winners Stenhouse, Kahne, and Dillon now sit ahead of him.

August 16, 2017
The Final Word – As we await the next great announcer, 16 will soon become 12 after Dover

Mistakes. They happen. You just have to learn to overcome them, hopefully not to be repeated. On Sunday I made a mistake, and I know that it will never happen again.

I listened to some of Vin Scully’s final broadcast for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then I turned the channel to listen to those describing the action for the race at New Hampshire. Big mistake. I went from an 88-year old icon describing the action, informing me with tidbits of information about the 18 players penciled in to the lineups, hitting me with trivia of all descriptions to keep me engaged even during the down times, and kept me glued to his every word and at the same time keeping up with the progress of the game. Scully was a true artist. You would think with 43 drivers, 43 crew chiefs, and 258 crew men, NASCAR announcers would have a vast canvas on which to paint their pictures.

Be it baseball, football, or describing the action on the track, Scully is the template all should attempt to emulate. The action is often slow in developing, what is newsworthy might take a while to unfold, but you are never bored. You want to stay tuned so you did not miss anything, be it something on the field of play or just as likely some entertaining commentary that amused or educated.

In NASCAR, Ken Squier did exactly that. A more contemporary team, in my opinion, was Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach. They made me laugh, learn, and stay tuned to the broadcast. I did not want to miss a thing. Some wonder why I keep returning to this theme. Have you noticed anything changing for the better yet? You have your answer. I am tired of seeing fans leave, grandstands coming down, and attendance figures hidden away. Aren’t you?

I think there are announcers out there who do a fine job but not near enough. If a radio or television station or network does not have one, they need to find such a wordsmith. Broadcast schools should produce such skilled practitioners of the art who through time and experience will become the verbal Rembrandts of their time, those who will keep us listening, watching, and caring. To fail to do so is a mistake.

Kevin Harvick made no mistakes in Chicago, but he suffered misfortune to finish 20th. At Loudon, he suffered neither, got past the 20 of Matt Kenseth to punch his ticket to the Round of Twelve in the Chase. It was his 100th race for Stewart-Haas and his 11th victory for them.

Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., and Jimmie Johnson all had good finishes. They were good enough to join Harvick among the Top Eight on the day. Kyle Larson was just out of the Top Ten, but that was good enough to move him back into contention for the next round. Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, and Chase Elliott had to settle for Top Fifteen finishes, but even they managed to increase their wiggle room in points.

Things did not go so good for Austin Dillon, Jamie McMurray, Tony Stewart, or Chris Buescher, as that quartet heads to Dover needing to make up some ground before the cut-off. There were no expectations for Buescher, who at 30 points in the weeds needs to win Sunday to advance. Stewart, on the other hand, is hoping to head off to retirement with a stronger challenge, but after finishing 23rd last weekend he is 11 points out. With Dillon and McMurray only five out, he would need to leapfrog ahead of them both and still catch Larson to do it without taking the checkered flag.

Stewart won at Dover just over three years ago, so it might be a mistake to count him out just yet. However, since that victory, Johnson had taken three there, with Harvick, Kenseth, and the semi-retired Jeff Gordon with the others. In fact, 10 of Johnson’s 77 career decisions have come at Dover. Betting against him this Sunday might prove to be the bigger mistake.

September 26, 2016
One on One with NASCAR Analyst Kyle Petty

Despite not having set foot in a stock car since 2008, Kyle Petty still remains a huge part of the NASCAR scene as an NBC Sports analyst as well as a renowned humanitarian. The eight-time Sprint Cup race winner’s legacy can also be linked to his family’s Victory Junction Gang Camp for children with terminal illnesses, opened in 2004 in honor of Petty’s late son Adam, who was killed in a racing accident in 2000.

Petty’s Charity Ride Across America, which is entering its 22nd year, has been an instrumental part in the growth of the Victory Junction Gang Camp, and will kick off on April 30, 2016.

SM: With the Charity Ride Across America entering it’s 22nd year, what are some things that come to mind regarding the ride?

Kyle Petty: Well, it’s hard to believe it’s been going 22 years. That’s the first thing. When we started it, it was just a group of us going to ride from California to North Carolina. We did it, we never thought it could get any better, but here we are 22 years later and still doing the same thing.

This year, we’re leaving from Palm Springs, California on April 30 and from there, we’ll be heading over to Phoenix and visiting with Manheim Auction, Manheim being one of our event sponsors. The next day we’ll be leaving Phoenix to El Paso and going by the Harley-Davidson dealership there where we’ll be having a big dinner, and on May 2 we’ll be traveling to Lajitas, Texas. The next day we’ll be heading to San Antonio, where we’ll be staying an extra day so people can have an opportunity to go around, visit the Alamo, and do some sight-seeing around San Antonio. On May 5 we’re going to Beaumont, Texas, and we’ll wrap up the ride the next day in Biloxi, Mississippi.

We’re excited. This is a route we’ve never taken before, so we’re looking forward to taking this route.

SM: What is the expected turnout for this year’s Charity Ride?

KP: We have about 120, 130 bikes. We try to keep it in that range, because being an eight-to-nine day event, obviously, we’ll be stopping in Lajitas and taking about 200 hotel rooms (which is basically all the hotel rooms there). We’ll be serving breakfast, lunch, as a group. We’ll be traveling as a group. We’ll be fueling as a group. So we try to keep our number of bikes down to 120 to 130. We’ll have about 200 people, we’ll have some support vehicles along with us and a medical staff that travels with us as well.

SM: Who are some names we can expect to see on this year’s Charity Ride?

KP: Well, my father’s going again this year (NASCAR Hall of Famer and seven-time Sprint Cup champion Richard Petty), I think he’s gone about 20 of the 22 years. Harry Gant (18-time Sprint Cup race winner) has gone all 22 years. Herschel McGriff (2017 NASCAR HoF nominee) is going with us for the first time. Donnie Allison (10-time Sprint Cup race winner) is going with us again. NFL Hall of Famer Herschel Walker is going with us, as is Rick Allen (NBC NASCAR Analyst) and Eddie Gossage (Texas Motor Speedway president). Rutledge Wood (Top Gear America host) may come in, we’re waiting to hear from him, but we’ll also be having retired Lieutenant Colonel Allen West with us as well.

That’s about the group of celebrities we know, but I’m telling you, the other 115, 120 riders that are going with us are the real celebrities that are going with us.

SM: Aside from the Victory Junction Gang Camp, are there other charities that are involved in the Charity Ride?

KP: No, you know, when we first started we used to stop at children’s hospitals all over the United States. We went to 20-something-odd children’s hospitals all across the United States. That was what the ride’s mission was. When my son Adam was killed in a racing accident in 2000, we decided to build Victory Junction. Since that time, the majority of the money, probably 98 percent of it, goes to the camp in order to give these kids the opportunity to come to Victory Junction and experience a medically safe environment and enjoy the camp at the same time.

SM: There have been discussions of possibly bringing the Caution Clock to the Sprint Cup Series. What are your thoughts on the Caution Clock in general?

KP: I don’t enjoy it. I don’t like it. I was born in June of 1960 and attended my first race in July of 1960, and I’ve been going to race tracks ever since. I’m a purist in the purest sense of the word. I think racing needs to be done on the race track and does not need to be manipulated by timeouts, time clocks, and fake cautions, and things like that. You got to be able to go out and kick everybody’s butt. If I’m kicking everybody’s butt and they throw a caution, that penalizes me and helps the people whose butts I’m kicking.

I don’t like the Caution Clock in the Camping World Truck Series, I dang sure wouldn’t like it in the Sprint Cup Series.

CONCORD, NC – MAY 27, 2007: Kyle Petty, driver of the No. 45 Coke Zero Dodge, makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)

SM: Cup drivers running in the XFINITY events is nothing new and has been the basis for an age-old debate in NASCAR. However, it seems that with the constant domination by Cup drivers, this argument has reached a fever-pitch. Is the XFINITY Series facing an identity crisis?

KP: Yes and no. I think the XFINITY Series has its own identity with Daniel Suárez, Erik Jones, Bubba Wallace, and guys like that that are going to be future Cup stars that get their start in the XFINITY Series. I do believe it has its own identity because you’re watching future stars. Are they competing against today’s stars? Yes. Is that right or wrong? I’m not sure.

I don’t believe it’s wrong for Kyle Busch, or Brad Keselowski, or Joey Logano, or Jimmie Johnson every now and then, or Dale Junior to jump in and run a XFINITY race. It’s been that way since the beginning of time. I think what we see that’s different now than what we saw during those eras was that you had drivers that did that. Now you have owners that do that. You drop back to the XFINITY Series, the owners that are winning all the races are Jack Roush, Richard Childress, and Joe Gibbs.

So you have XFINITY drivers racing against Cup owners and Cup drivers. The deck is stacked totally against them. It wasn’t that way when Dale Earnhardt Sr. did it, it wasn’t that way when Darrell Waltrip did it. Mark Martin was the first guy to actually have a Cup owner as a XFINITY Series owner. I would rather see (NASCAR) back up and say, “Hey, you guys can run all the races you want to, you just have to drive for a XFINITY team. As long as you drive for a XFINITY team, that’s fine.”

That would give the XFINITY drivers more of a level playing field. Right now, I don’t believe the field is level for those guys in the way that it had been in the past. They struggle, but I think you get better as a race car driver racing against better drivers. And if you’re racing against Kyle Busch, you’re racing against the best. You’re racing against Joey Logano, you’re racing against the best. Guys like Suárez and Jones learn from those guys.

SM: Which rookie from the 2016 Sprint Cup class looks the most promising: Chase Elliott or Ryan Blaney?

KP: Good question. I think they both have tremendous promise and tremendous potential. I think that goes back to what we were saying about the XFINITY Series a little bit because you got Chase Elliott driving for Rick Hendrick in the No, 24 car that Jeff Gordon won 96 races with. Obviously, it’s a winning race car.

You’ve got Ryan Blaney driving for the Penske organization basically; even though it’s tagged Wood Brothers Racing it’s still Penske cars and Penske equipment. I think when you look at that, those guys are maximizing their potential and maximizing their car’s potential. I think both those guys are pretty promising.

Another guy I’m going to throw in that mix is Chris Buescher. Nobody is really talking about him. He’s driving a car that’s underfunded, not up to the standards and capabilities of the No. 24 car or the No. 21 car, yet he is doing some good things in that car on a weekly basis. He’s finishing in the top-25, top-30, and that’s about all you can ask for from that team and that car.

Blaney and Elliott may get to Victory Lane sooner, but at the same time, once Buescher gets a ride he’s going to be a force also.

SM: Who are some surprises we could expect to see in this year’s Chase field?

KP: You have to give a tip of the hat to two guys: A.J. Allmendinger and Austin Dillon. I think Austin has made tremendous progress this year. That team has made some progress as well. He’s running in the top-five, top-10, and having solid finishes. Because of that, he seems to be the leader of the Childress organization right now. I look at him and see that he could probably make the Chase.

As for Allmendinger, that group of guys has done a tremendous job this year. They are not a major organization like Roush or Hendrick; they are below that, yet they are still able to run with those guys and put together good solid runs and good solid finishes. I think he could be a guy that makes the Chase as well.

SM: Lastly, here’s a reader question: What’s the funniest/weirdest thing a fan has yelled at you from behind the booth while you were on or off the air?

KP: We were in Watkins Glen last year doing the post-race show when this fan came up and he might have had a little bit too much to drink. He had a cane because he had broken his leg, and he kept waving his cane in the air and screaming at Joey Logano that he (Logano) got lucky. He kept screaming, “You’re lucky, Joey Logano! You’re just lucky! Lucky! Kevin Harvick should have won that race.” Harvick had run out of fuel on the last corner of the last lap.

He kept saying it and kept saying it. We had told him to be quiet when we went on air, but he kept saying it and finally I turned around in the middle of the program while we were on air and told him, “Lucky is I don’t come down there and beat you over the head with that cane. That’s what lucky is.”

So that’s probably the strangest or weirdest thing that has happened.

April 19, 2016
NASCAR BTS: Petty Charity Ride Turns 21

With the Charity Ride Across America celebrating its 21^st anniversary, this week’s edition of NASCAR Behind the Scenes focuses on Kyle Petty, who founded the unique motorcycle event that raises money for a charity near and dear to his heart, Victory Junction Gang camp.

According to Petty, the ride began very simply 21 years ago, with a few NASCAR friends and avid motorcyclists joining together to share a trip across country. And then it took on a life of its own once charity came into play.

“We had done a ride before with a couple friends, Eddie Gossage and Robin Pemberton, and we talked about it then and not long after that we rode from North Carolina to Phoenix,” Petty said. “We just started picking up people along the way. So, we thought, what a cool idea if we just rode across country and picked up people as we went like a bike-a-thon.”

“Well, that didn’t go over too good because I was driving a race car at the time and you only get two off-weekends a year. So, everybody got mad because you didn’t want to spend one of your off weeks riding motorcycles across country.”

“So then we came up with the idea to do it for charity, stop at children’s hospitals and give money away, and try to help local communities. That first year, we thought it would never get any better than that and we were never going to do it again.”

“We got close to the next year and some people said, hey why don’t you all do that again? So, we did it again and again and again and again and here we are 21 years later and it has evolved into what it is.”

As Petty reflected on the 21 years of the ride, there were so many highlights to remember. But it was really the people involved that has made it so very special to him and his family.

“The highlight in the beginning was the ride,” Petty said. “Riding is just a highlight unto itself.”

“But besides riding, the highlight was stopping at some of the children’s hospitals and seeing the kids. Coca Cola has always been a big sponsor of the ride and they’ve got motorcycles that have side cars that look like Coca Cola bottles. The kids would come out and they would love that. I think that was a big part of it in the beginning.”

“As we all got older and we rode more, I think the big part of the ride is the people that ride and meeting people along the way.”

“We met so many race fans and so many cool families, kids and people along the way. They come out along the way or at a gas stop and just talk about motorcycles, racing and camp. I think the highlights have been the people. That is what has made it special.”

Of course, in 21 years of riding across the country, there have been a few challenges and funny stories with the trek as well.

“The first year, the very first fuel stop, there were only 35 of us. When we pulled into this gas station, there was a lady running it and she cut off the power and locked the doors. She thought we were a motorcycle gang,” Petty said. “She would not sell us any gas. So, we had to work our way back through traffic.”

“Also, that first year, we had a couple that went with us that left San Francisco and were going to ride to Huntington Beach and then turn around and go home,” Petty continued. “When we got to Huntington Beach, they were having so much fun that they decided to ride to Vegas and then go home.”

“When we got to Vegas, they asked where we were going next and they said they would go with us to Phoenix and then go back to California. And the next thing I know, they’re in North Carolina with us.”

“Every night they would go to Walmart or Kmart and buy more clothes. They just kept riding with us. Their name is Dave and Renee Bartell and they’ve been with us for every ride.”

“This will be their 21^st ride. They’ve been with us every year.”

“One of the strangest things, we were somewhere in New Mexico and we had ridden about 70 miles and we hadn’t passed a house or seen anything in miles,” Petty said. “Terry Labonte was with us on this ride. We came to an intersection and there was a family standing in the back of a pickup truck with all their Terry Labonte T-shirts on and Terry Labonte hats on.”

“They had driven three and a half hours just to one intersection because they knew we would be coming through there in hopes they would get a glimpse of Terry Labonte. So, we stopped and all of us had pictures taken with them. We spent about twenty minutes alongside the road and then left and went on.”

“There has been some strange stuff that has happened but it has been fun.”

The 21^st anniversary also includes some special tributes, one to Richard Petty, ‘The King’ who will be riding for a portion of the event, as well as to Don Tilley, who has mapped out the ride every year until this year when he was killed in a motorcycle accident this past summer.

“The King bought me my first motorcycle when I was five and we’ve been riding ever since,” Petty said. “He’s always ridden and has always had bikes. When he has time, he goes and I think this year he is only going for three or four days because he has to be at the race track. But he goes as often as his schedule permits.”

“For twenty years, we’ve had a gentleman named Don Tilley, who owns Tilley Harley Davidson in Statesville, North Carolina and he’s always drawn our route out,” Petty continued. “He told us what were the pretty roads and he knew more roads than Rand McNally, I’ll tell you that. He would draw out maps and he drew one out for this year.”

“But last summer, he was in a motorcycle accident and passed away. For 21 years, Don Tilley has drawn the route so this will be the last year and our last ride that he will route.”

“Someone else will have to do that and we’re looking for somebody. But I think he’s pretty irreplaceable.”

While there have been so many highlights, funny stories, and tributes in the 21 years of the Kyle Petty Charity Ride, there is nothing more important to its founder than the purpose of the ride, raising money for Victory Junction camp.

“For camp, the ride is critical,” Petty said. “We’ve raised $16 million the last twenty some years.”

“The ride is one of the founders of camp. It’s so important to be able to send kids to camp free. That’s the whole point of Victory Junction that these kids with chronic and life-threatening illnesses can come to camp and it doesn’t cost their parents anything to send them.”

“We’re constantly raising money at camp and to have a fundraiser like the Kyle Petty Charity Ride is really big for camp. The water park, where the swimming pool is, was donated by the ride. So, camp and the ride, even though they are two separate entities, it’s important for camp to continue the ride.”

Petty hopes that all race fans will participate in this year’s 21^st anniversary ride, which kicks off May 2^nd, in whatever ways they can. But most importantly, he hopes that fans will actually come out and cheer the riders on in person as well as making any kind of contribution.

“Fans can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/KPCharityRide) and Twitter (@KPCharityRide), which everyone has now,” Petty said. “But if we come close to your area, we want people to come out to the gas stops or the hotels at night and say hey, get autographs from Harry Gant, Herschel Walker, myself, my father when he is with us, and just hang around and talk camp and racing.”

“And please make a donation to the ride because that money goes right to camp.”

So, just what does this ride mean to Kyle Petty personally?

“I think that’s hard to put into words,” Petty said. “In the beginning it started as a fluke and it has turned into something far beyond my wildest dreams and imagination.”

“It’s kind of like camp. You build a bunch of buildings at camp and you think, what a cool looking place. But it’s really nothing until the kids come.”

“And then it has a spirit and it picks up a heartbeat of its own. It becomes alive.”

“And I think the ride is the same thing,” Petty continued. “You take one bike and then there’s two and four and eight. And the next thing you know, you have 140 or 150 riders and everybody believes in the same thing, giving back and caring.”

“And the ride takes on a life of its own. I think it is just the spirit of the ride and the people of the ride.”

“The caring and the giving of the ride is what it means to me. That’s what it represents.”

March 11, 2015
The Final Word – Four were hot at Atlanta while most others were in a deep freeze

Any more global warming and a guy could freeze to death. Last week, we had temperatures higher than Sunday at Atlanta. It is actually snowing where I am, a ten hour drive north of the Montana border, so seeing somewhere warm at this time of year is a good thing. Atlanta did not provide that good thing, unless you happened to be a fan of one of four drivers.

Joey Logano took the pole, led early, and finished fourth. Kevin Harvick then led a bunch, the most of anyone, and wound up second. Dale Earnhardt Jr. led for a moment, a brief moment, but was near the point the entire day, finishing third. Then there was Jimmie Johnson, who closed the door on the Closer, after he got caught up in traffic, to claim his 71st Cup victory.

Johnson started beyond 30th, as did 13 others who failed to even make it through tech inspection, never mind even attempting to qualify. Jeff Gordon failed four times. We are left to wonder if all these teams became that dumb that quick, or have the lasers used for measuring become that precise that quick, or is there another explanation? Only 15 of 49 cars made it through on their first attempt, with Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth among those who failed to get in a qualifying run.

Okay, Travis Kvapil did not either, but he had better reason. Among the many reasons the cars get taken to the track in a majestically painted hauler apparently is to warn thieves that this is something too hot for them to handle. Put the car in a plain white trailer towed behind a pick-up truck, park it outside a hotel, and a thief could wind up with the surprise of his life. They found the car left parked in a rural area after the thieves unloaded it, but the tools, and spare engine are as gone as the trailer they were in at the moment. You can see the No. 44 car at Las Vegas this weekend.

Winning or being in the Top 16 is the goal in order to make the Chase. Logano and Johnson are pretty much locked in. A.J. Allmendinger (seventh on Sunday), Carl Edwards (12th), and Danica Patrick (16th) are now in, while Denny Hamlin (38th), Michael Annett (29th), and Austin Dillon (39th) have slipped to the outside. Others heading to Las Vegas seeking to move up are such veterans as Kenseth (18th in the standings), Ryan Newman (21st), Brad Keselowski (23rd), Jamie McMurray (32nd), Gordon (35th) and Stewart (36th).

Brian Vickers returns to the No. 55 Toyota this weekend after mending from a heart issue. His stand-in at Atlanta was 22-year old Brett Moffitt, who finished eighth in just his eighth Cup event. Interestingly enough, that one result has him just 14 points out, 24th in the rankings, and just two behind Keselowski. I hope somebody has the kid’s phone number.

There is no excuse to have a bad announcer who was a former driver. Keselowski did a good job during his Xfinity broadcast stint. Harvick was great during his. I still love Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach. There is a lot of talent out there. While announcing is a very important component to keeping fans watching and listening, I have noticed some other components.

There is the visual excitement, like a tight battle for the lead, a formation of drivers only inches apart, or charging at break neck speed down city streets, as they do at Monte Carlo. Atlanta was not like that, at least it wasn’t until Hamlin or Greg Biffle went sideways. Then it became exciting, in a video game kind of way.

There is the leader of the race. You like that driver, it is entertaining. If you do not, it is not as enjoyable. I found my own enjoyment factor went up when Kevin and Jimmie replaced Joey on point. I am sure the new Mrs. Logano saw this differently, as she should.

There was a time when we were made to feel like we were part of a fraternity, with promos and commercials geared to fans just like you. When was the last time we were asked “how bad have you got it?” Do you look at a big brown truck any differently? NAPA was not just car parts, it was about teammates and being at the wrong track. Is anyone still sorry about what happened to Tony’s little car? In the words of Hank Williams, why doesn’t NASCAR and its sponsors love us like they used to do?

I loved being in Las Vegas 14 months ago. It got so cool there I damn near had to put a jacket over my T-shirt, shorts, and sandals. What a wonderful way to experience winter. Yet, the Deep South was almost a deep freeze Sunday at Atlanta, and when I was at Daytona one February a few years ago. If that is how things are now in the south, there is no way I am visiting Boston until the Red Sox are playing in front of a short-sleeve crowd at Fenway. I will risk a sun burn over frost bite any day.

March 2, 2015
NASCAR Champions Featuring Lee Petty

Cup Champion 1954, 1958, 1959
March 14, 1914 – April 5, 2000
Hometown: Randleman, N.C.
Career: 1949-1964

Petty is one of the most recognized names in the history of NASCAR. But Lee Petty didn’t begin competing in NASCAR for fame or fortune. It was a means to an end. On a good day it was a way to put food on the table and pay the bills. His career bore little resemblance to the pampered lifestyle of today’s stock car racing elite.

“We had to win,” he once said. “We was lucky to have enough food and enough gas to get to the racetrack. That’s the truth. We even carried our sandwiches. We even drove the racecar to the racetrack. We didn’t have no luxury at all.”

The desire to succeed and provide for his family made Petty a tough competitor on the track. His won 54 Grand National Series (now Sprint Cup Series) races, more than any other driver, until his son, Richard, passed him. He ranks ninth today on the all-time wins list. Petty went on to become the first driver to capture 3 championships (1954, 1958 and 1959) in the series.

His career was further distinguished by winning the first Daytona 500, although it took three days for NASCAR to officially announce Lee Petty as the winner. Petty and Johnny Beauchamp battled for the lead on the final lap and when they both crossed the finish line, it was too close to call. Photos and newsreel footage taken at the event were used to finally confirm Petty’s victory in one of the closest finishes in Daytona 500 history.

One could argue that Petty’s most significant contribution to NASCAR was the legacy he passed on as patriarch to one of NASCAR’s most influential dynasties. After his driving career was over, the company he formed, Petty Enterprises, continued for many years as an integral part of the sport. Petty was father to Richard “The King” Petty, grandfather to Kyle Petty, and great-grandfather to Adam Petty.

He passed away on April 5, 2000 at the age of 86. On May 23, 2011, Lee Petty was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Accomplishments/Awards:

1954 Cup Champion
1958 Cup Champion
1959 Cup Champion
1959 Winner of the first Daytona 500
1966 Inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
1990 Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
1996 Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
1998 Selected as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
2011 Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame

November 13, 2013
Danica Patrick stays positive amidst criticism

Danica Patrick is one of NASCAR’s most polarizing drivers. Since her move to NASCAR, she has been the center of attention. She has many fans, but also many critics. It also seems that some members of the media try to make her a story, for everything she does, no matter how insignificant. This past week someone even tried to make it a bog deal that she was seen getting out of a Ford street car, though she is a Chevy driver.

Her name was thrust back into the spotlight again this week, when former NASCAR driver turned TV analyst, Kyle Petty, made some comments about her.

During a Speed interview with Matt Clark, Petty said, “Danica has been the perfect example of somebody who can qualify better than she runs. She can go fast, but she can’t race. I think she’s come a long way, but she’s still not a race car driver and I don’t think she is ever going to be a race car driver.”

Clark followed up by asking why she wouldn’t be a driver in his opinion, Petty replied, “…too late to learn.” Petty made no bones about the fact that he, himself was not a great driver saying, “I was not a great driver, and I’ll be the first to admit it. I was a journeyman driver.”

At least Petty is consistent with his comments. In 2010, he had very similar comments towards the Go Daddy driver. When Patrick was announced as the driver of the No. 7 Go Daddy Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series, Petty said, “If she gets in that car and doesn’t win races, it’s not the car, it’s not the engines, it’s not the team. They only changed one thing. Initially, she’ll have an impact on the sport. If she’s successful, she’ll have a long term impact on the sport.” He went to compare her to other open wheel drivers who have made their way to NASCAR, saying, “Juan Montoya is probably, car control wise, one of the most amazing human beings you’ve ever seen in a car and he struggled for three years at this level, and she’s not Juan Pablo Montoya.”

On Friday, Patrick had a scheduled press conference at Kentucky Motor Speedway, of course the Petty comments were a major topic of discussion. Patrick did an excellent job handling those questions. When asked if she knew about Kyle Petty’s comments, she replied, “Read it, yes. I just think it’s funny how he said I could qualify, but I can’t race because those of you who actually watch what I do know I can’t qualify for crap. In the race things go much better.”

Patrick seems to be right on this account, her average starting position this season has been 32.0, but her average finishing position is 25.8. An indication that she races a little better than she qualifies.

When she was asked if it mattered to her what people said about her and if it motivates her if someone speaks negative of her, Patrick said, “Thanks (Kyle) for motivating me. I really don’t care, I don’t, it’s true that there are plenty of people who say really bad things about me, I hear about them or I read about them on Twitter. People want me to die. At the end of the day, you just get over that kind of stuff and all you can do is trust that you’re doing a good job and that’s all that matters and the people around you believe in you.”

She also took time to explain why she was driving a Ford street car last week. “For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you would have seen that it was taking a really long time to get into the track, and he (boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse) had a team meeting at the top of the hill. That was a long walk and he was going to be late if we parked down in the paddock area, so being the nice girlfriend that I am, I said I would just drive the car down and park it and you get on with your meetings. So it was as simple as that.”

Patrick obviously gets over-hyped by a large portion of the media. We should keep in mind that she has only started 26 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. She is a rookie. Rookies struggle, they wreck cars and have a lot to learn especially on tracks they have never been to before. This is, however, the premier stock car series in the world.

After a conversation on social media on Friday, I decided to compare her stats to another NASCAR driver. At first I wanted to pick a driver with a similar background, but someone said she should be compared to other NASCAR drivers for a fair comparison, not someone who came from open wheel. So I decided to make it tough. I picked a driver who a proven he could win in other NASCAR series, then made the huge step into the Sprint Cup Series. I chose Travis Kvapil. Travis won the Camping World Truck Series championship in 2003. In 143 starts, Travis compiled nine wins, 51 top-5’s and 85 top-10’s. A pretty impressive resume’.

Travis made the jump to Sprint Cup in 2005 after 96 of those truck series starts and of course the championship. An obvious proven driver in a NASCAR series. So let’s compare:

Travis Kvapil first full season in Sprint Cup:

Starts – 36, Poles – 0, Top 5 – 0, Top 10 – 2. Laps led – 36, RAF – 29, Final position in points – 33^rd

Danica Patrick Cup career (two partial seasons) so far:

Starts – 26, Poles – 1, Top 5 – 0, Top 10 – 1, Laps led-5, RAF-22, Position in points (16 races) – 27^th

The two drivers compared pretty close. One stat that needs to be noted is – Running at Finish (RAF). This is one of the most crucial stats for a rookie. Keeping the car in the race is a very important first step becoming a successful driver.

When assessing Patrick, we also must consider the fact that until recently, her team, Stewart-Haas Racing, has also struggled. Her teammate, Ryan Newman, has 420 starts in the series and this season only has an average starting position of 18.9 and an average finishing position of 18.2. Not considerably better, given how much more experience he has. Newman is a proven performer, he has a total of 16 wins, and 173 top-10’s.

The team will get better, without a doubt. Will Patrick get better? Only time will tell. One thing she has definitely learned, is how to play the media game and to not let negativity affect her.

June 28, 2013
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Jeffrey Earnhardt

The name Earnhardt will always be linked to NASCAR. No one knows that better than Dale Earnhardt’s grandson, Jeffrey Earnhardt. It’s a legacy that comes with advantages and expectations. It can also overpower anyone standing in its shadow.

I sat down with Earnhardt this past weekend to learn more about the driver with the famous last name. We talked about everything from racing to hunting to family to glitter tattoos.

He will run a full-time schedule this year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Go Green Racing. When I asked him about his goals for the season, he answered without hesitation.

“Personally, I‘d like to win Rookie of the Year,” he said. “That’s the number one priority for me this year and to finish in the top 10 in points.”

He doesn’t expect it to be easy but he’s confident that he is with the right team and is determined to make the most of the opportunity.

“I know the first half of the year is probably going to be tough,” Earnhardt said. “With a new crew chief and new team, there’s a connection that’s got to build there. But I think after the first couple of races, everything will start to click and we’ll get the chemistry going to where we’re having consistent runs every weekend and finishing in the top 15.”

He will be racing on most of the tracks on the schedule for the first time. Does he feel intimidated by that fact?

His answer was a resounding, no.

“I have fun facing new challenges. It’s the competitive side of me to want to go to a new track that I’ve never been to and by the time I leave be able to say to myself, ‘I own this place.’”

Earnhardt continued, “That’s how I feel at every track, even tracks I’ve been to before. You think this time; ‘I can do better than that.’ It’s always a competition within yourself to want to do better.”

Do you prefer old school or new school racing?

“Old school, for sure. I feel like today there’s a lot of people who don’t seem to want it as bad. I feel like I was in that situation. When I was at DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc.) I thought the streets were paved with gold and I had that taken away from me.”

He went on to add, “Since then, I learned a lot. I learned about fighting for something you want really bad and that’s how it’s been the last couple of years. I took the opportunity for granted and didn’t appreciate what was given to me. It was a rocky road and a huge learning experience.”

Do you prefer country music or rock and roll?

“Country, big time.”

His favorite group used to be Brooks and Dunn but since the duo disbanded, Jeffrey’s favorite singer is Justin Moore.

Photo Credit: Lisa Berard

Do you prefer hunting or fishing?

“Hunting. I grew up fishing a lot as a kid but I’ve really taken to hunting. I like to bow hunt now so bow hunting is one of my favorite things to do.”

Earnhardt recently mentioned that he had taken his 9-year-old sister Kayla hunting. When I asked him about this, his face lit up with a huge smile.

“She is spoiled rotten and she’s the world to me. I’d put my life on the line for her, hands down, for that little girl. She’s just adorable.”

“She came over and spent the night so we had a little sleep over. We did these glitter tattoos. It was all kinds of fun,” he said laughing.

I had to ask, ‘Did you get a glitter tattoo?’

“I let her put one on me,” he admitted. “That was it. It was a lot of fun. She begged me to go hunting so we went out hunting the next morning. We didn’t kill anything. But we had fun.”

Did you have a favorite driver, other than your grandfather?

“No, but when I was a little kid I really liked Kyle Petty for the simple fact that when I was over at their shop one day and peeking through the window, he was nice enough to come out and speak to me. That meant a lot to me as a kid for him to take the time to come out and talk to me. That was cool.”

However, it was obvious who his real hero was.

“My grandfather was one of a kind,” Earnhardt said. “There are things he’s done on the track that I’ve never seen anyone else do. It’s hard not to like someone like that who has that edge.”

Are you an aggressive driver?

“I don’t like to think I’m aggressive. I like to think I race fair. I’m going to race you the same way you race me but I do have my aggressive side where I will do whatever it takes. But you also have to be respectful of other drivers. I’ve learned through this whole journey I’ve had, the hard work and the money that goes into this sport. It’s not cheap. To be a smaller team and have a good run going and have it taken away by someone is very hurtful so I’m respectful of that.”

Do you look at this year as a pivotal point in your career?

“It’s definitely a turning point and a chance to prove what I can do in solid equipment. Going into this season I feel very confident that the team I’m with, Go Green Racing, that they’re going to put me in the best opportunities to go out there and perform. Being out there every weekend and keeping everything fresh on my mind and keeping that rhythm, that’s a big part of it.”

What was your most embarrassing moment on the track?

“I ran a UARA late model race at Bristol. It’s been quite a while back. We were out during practice and it was starting to sprinkle. They wanted the cars to stay on the track and help keep it dried off because it wasn’t raining that hard.”

“I was out there cutting the steering wheel back and forth, keeping the heat in the tires and all of a sudden the car turned and it didn’t turn back to the right like I wanted it to and then I slid head on into the barrels on pit road and knocked the entire front nose off the car. It was terrible. We were just out there trying to keep the track dry and I wrecked.”

“It was hard to climb out of the car and take the helmet off after that one.”

What has been the proudest moment of your career?

“It’s probably between two things.”

“One is the good run we had going at Daytona last year. The finish wasn’t there but to be able to take a small team like that and be up there running fourth with the best cars in the field, to be able to do that, it really meant a lot to me and it meant a lot to the guys back at the shop.”

Earnhardt’s hopes for a good finish were ruined after an off-center push from Ricky Stenhouse Jr. turned him sideways in front of the main pack of cars.

“Besides that, it was qualifying on the pole (his first) in the (Camping World) East race at Dover. It’s been several years ago but it was cool to go out there and out-qualify someone like Joey Logano who is now a Cup driver.

At that point in time, I was just as good as those guys. I feel like I still am.”

When all is said and done, Jeffrey Earnhardt is not that different from any other driver, despite his last name. He is confident, yet humble, aggressive but fair and passionate about racing. He is appreciative of his legacy but determined to find his own way. He embraces life with a smile on his face and fire in his heart. And his journey has just begun.

February 13, 2013
Nicole Biffle Shares Passion for Work of Greg Biffle Foundation

[media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”183″][/media-credit]Nicole Biffle is one busy young woman, as wife to Chase contender Greg and mom to 15 month old Emma. And while obviously completely committed to both of those roles, she is also passionate about her work with the Greg Biffle Foundation.

Nicole started the Greg Biffle Foundation with her husband in 2005 with the mission of creating awareness and serving as advocates to improve the well-being of animals by engaging the power and passion of the motor sports industry.

One of her ‘pet’ projects is the NASCAR Pets Calendar and she has just wrapped up work on the 2013 calendar, featuring many drivers including Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Joey Logano. It also features NASCAR media members Shannon Spake, Rutledge Wood, Jeff Hammond, John Roberts and Chris Myers.

“So we just finished our 2013 calendar and it’s really cool,” Biffle said. “This year we have Danica Patrick, the King and Kyle Petty, and media and drivers of course.”

“It’s fun because this year we have our daughter Emma in the calendar,” Biffle continued. “So, it’s completely different.”

“It’s funny because when it comes out after taking the picture so long ago, she looks so different since then.”

The NASCAR Pets Calendar has been the fundraising hallmark for the Greg Biffle Foundation. The response to the inaugural edition of the calendar made it the best selling item on NASCAR.com and in 2009, Greg’s sponsor 3M got on board to take it to the next level.

The 2013 edition of the calendar is already on sale in various outlets, including 30 Petco stores, Mooresville, NC vet clinics, animal welfare organizations nationally and again on NASCAR.com.

According to Nicole Biffle, the Foundation took another bold step to raise money recently by auctioning off a 2012 Ford Raptor truck designed by her husband. The truck sold for $80,000, with all of the proceeds benefitting the Foundation.

“With that Barrett Jackson auction we just did, we also raised money as well,” Nicole Biffle said. “The truck was really cool.”

“I was watching it on TV and I was so nervous,” Biffle continued. “I’m very thankful to the lady who bought it. That was very nice of her and that will help a lot of animals.”

“The great thing is that the dog they had there in that rescue, there were a lot of inquires about adopting him,” Biffle said. “So, having him there brought some attention to not only him but his shelter too.”

“People were really interested which was really cool.”

Nicole Biffle is also passionate about another upcoming event to benefit the Foundation, their annual mountain retreat fundraiser.

“We have our Foundation event, our mountain retreat event, after the Charlotte race,” Biffle said. “We do that at our mountain property.”

“It’s an exclusive event and we invite about nine drivers and we make of teams,” Biffle said. “We invite them and they go on the dirt track and shoot skeet.”

“We have an archery course set up and we do trail rides,” Biffle continued. “It’s really a lot of fun.”

“We raise money through sponsorships and the participants pay to attend,” Biffle said. “It is a competition so the drivers are always competitive, especially on the dirt track, but we also give awards for the best shooter and things like that.”

“We also added the night before a poker tournament and a casino night just for fun,” Biffle continued. “Of course, people are generous enough to donate their winnings back to us which is so nice.”

While Nicole Biffle is passionate about all of the Foundation fundraisers, she is most passionate about the real reason for the Foundation, making all of the grants. And this year, she has had a record amount of applications to consider, from 93 grants made last year to 380 applications this year.

“We go through them and it is so difficult because there is so many,” Biffle said. “We look at what we’ve got and we tend to give to those that have little so they can keep their doors open.”

“I had to hire an assistant to help me with the grant requests because my brain wasn’t working with what my heart was saying and I would have given to everybody,” Biffle continued. “It’s just hard but that’s obviously what the Foundation is for.”

Nicole Biffle is also passionate about another endeavor, serving on the Board of the Friends of the Animals organization, where she serves as President and Greg as Vice President.

“Greg and I are involved with the Friends of the Animals,” Biffle said. “That’s to build an adoption center in Mooresville.”

“That is really, really going well,” Biffle continued. “We are making progress and the community backing is astounding.”

“I’m pretty excited,” Biffle continued. “I think it’s going to be a big thing for us.”

As with every mom, however, Nicole Biffle’s passion must now be shared and spread around, from her Foundation work to her roles as wife and mother. And like every busy mom, she works hard at trying to balance it all.

“It’s different now that I’ve got Emma because I can’t focus as much time as I did in the past,” Biffle said. “I love being with her.”

“We just try to balance it out and I’m grateful for good help at the Foundation and good board members at the Friends of the Animals.”

Oh and by the way and on one final note, Nicole Biffle is also passionate about her husband Greg, who is currently competing for NASCAR’s highest honor the Sprint Cup. And she is very passionate in supporting him, along with Emma, in that endeavor.

“I would love for Greg to win the championship this year,” Nicole Biffle said.”Being the first to win in all three series would be amazing.”

“It would be awesome to have our little family to celebrate that.”

For more information about the Greg Biffle Foundation or to purchase a 2013 calendar, visit gregbifflefoundation.com.

October 1, 2012
Ten Ways NASCAR Can Improve Tandem Racing

Debates started last year about the likability of two by two racing that is now occurring at both Daytona and Talladega on the NASCAR superspeedway circuit. Some tolerate it and others despise it, particularly fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who has taken to calling it “foolish racing.”

[media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”259″][/media-credit]So, what can NASCAR do about this kind of racing? While the sanctioning body could follow Jack Roush’s advice to “fix the front and the back of the car so if they have contact, there is an inclined angle that would drive the rear wheels off the ground to stop it,” there are indeed some other possibilities.

Here are ten ways that NASCAR could improve the two by two racing that has become the norm at restrictor plate tracks.

10. Since some have dubbed the style “Noah’s Ark racing”, with the two by twoing like the animals trudging onto the ark before the flood, NASCAR should definitely have the drivers come out two by two for driver introductions.

Most drivers acknowledge that they have already paired up prior to the event. But just in case the fans are not aware of the duos, NASCAR could really spice up the driver intros by having them come out in their pairings, one in front and one behind, to build suspense as to who is partnering with whom. Then the drivers could separate for the big ‘tandem reveal.’

Better yet, instead of some of those cheesy driver intro stagings where drivers come out to wild music or crazy drumming, NASCAR could literally build an ark and have the tandem pairings appear together out of that.

NASCAR may just have to keep the drumming for that style driver introduction or at least consult with Humpy Wheeler, retired track promoter extraordinaire, for some suitable side effects.

9. Since one of the biggest complaints regarding tandem racing is the inability of driver of the push car to see, NASCAR should encourage a new activity for the fans in the Fan Zone, that of making cardboard periscopes.

The sponsors, such as Home Depot and General Mills, ought to be all over this one. Home Depot could supply the building materials and General Mills, who has already done a special Wheaties cereal box promo with driver Clint Bowyer, could provide the cardboard boxes (for those old enough to remember the cardboard cereal box periscopes, this one is a no brainer).

Fans could make the periscopes as a fun-filled race day activity and the best fan concoction could be presented to each pushing driver at driver introductions.

Just in case NASCAR needs some advice on how to build these cardboard up periscopes, here is a helpful link: http://www.instructables.com/id/Cardboard-Periscope/.

8. Again, since NASCAR is trying to engage new fans in the racing experience, another fan promotion could be encouraged at tandem race tracks, that of honorary pit crew stenciler.

One of the biggest issues that has now evolved with this form of racing is that the manufacturer’s brand name is being rubbed off the front and back bumpers of the race cars. To solve that concern, each manufacturer could have a fan contest to select fans that could very quickly, in 13 seconds or less, stencil the names back on the cars during the pit stops.

This would not only encourage brand identity, but would also get the fans involved in a whole different aspect of the sport. And there would be no better way than brand stenciling to get up close and personal with the race team.

7. Speaking of brand identity, while this may not make the racing any more exciting but to appeal to the adult fans in the crowd, NASCAR may just have to invite one of its primary sponsors, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, back to the track for a special cigarette promotion. After all, the ‘friends with benefits’ type racing may just necessitate a bit of a short smoke break after the intense on-the-track coupling experiences.

6. NASCAR may also need to make a change to address the fact that there is inherently an odd number of cars on the track, with 43 starters.

So, to increase interest, the last car qualified in should get to select a car from outside the field with whom to partner. Just think how interesting this past weekend’s race could have been if Joe Nemechek had selected say Kyle Petty or Rusty Wallace or even better yet Danica Patrick as his wing person.

5. In the interest of interest as well as safety, it would also behoove NASCAR to install the back up beeping devices in every race car. In this way, fans at the track and at home would hear the beep, beep, beeping and immediately know who is backing up in the field to find their tandem partners.

Not only can fans and announcers alike track the cars going forward, but all could keep track of those purposefully dragging their brakes to find the second half of their particular dynamic duo throughout the race and especially on those fateful restarts.

4. Another way to involve the fans that NASCAR should consider for this style of racing is to allow a lucky fan at home to do the spotting for their particular race tandem. This would eliminate the wacky practice of having the pushee driver in the front’s spotter take over the spotting duties for the tandem.

Heck, most of the drivers were confused anyway about who was in their ears from the perches high above on the spotters’ stand so one more weird voice should not be too disconcerting. And it would most certainly liven up the action for all stuck at home unable to attend the race for whatever reason.

3. Since the two car tandem style of racing has also been compared to the tango, NASCAR should insist that the dancing pairs perform at least one dip together below the yellow line at some point during the race. Additional points toward the Chase may also be awarded for style, control, and degree of difficulty of the dance by visiting NASCAR officials of the day Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Toniolli.

2. One of the most intriguing ways that NASCAR could make the tandem racing more interesting is to utilize the now defunct qualifying draw to select a very special surprise.

Just as in days of old, the driver, crew chief or team designee would need to visit the NASCAR spinning ball area outside of the famed NASCAR hauler to select their number.

But instead of determining the qualifying order, a random number will be designated for that the one special team that will get super glue instead of Vaseline or Pam on their car on the very last pit stop of the race.

Won’t that be an interesting twist for whoever decides to hook up with that particular car at the tail end of an upcoming Daytona or Talladega race?

1. The final way that NASCAR could make the tandem racing more interesting is to approach it all strictly as the square dance that it truly is. Each tandem racing pair should be instructed prior to the race to carefully monitor the NASCAR channel for their calling instructions.

Drivers will be instructed to “Circle Left, Come Down the Middle, and Do Sa Do.” But the best part will be when NASCAR, sometime during the race but hopefully in the second green, white, checkered attempt, will call “Partner Trade” and the cars will have to scramble to find a whole new partner for the race finale.

Oh, but that already happened this past race weekend, didn’t it?

God bless tandem racing and God bless NASCAR. See you next in Talladega!

July 4, 2011