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  • NASCAR’s Greg Pursley Goes Wire-To-Wire For Fourth Win of The Season

    At this stage during last year’s racing season, Parker, Arizona’s Greg Pursley was sitting sixth in points with only one top-five finish, and a total of 27 laps led in five starts. Pursley who drives the No. 26 Gene Price Motorsports sponsored Ford Fusion in NASCAR’s K&N Pro West touring series, would eventually close out the 2010 season fifth in points with two wins, four top-fives, and seven top-10 finishes while leading a total of 151 laps.

    [media-credit id=50 align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]The 43 year-old driver knew his team had the talent and determination to compete at this level, and proved it by going to victory lane twice in the last three races of the season. Pursley began the season finale by winning the Coors Light Pole award, while surpassing the record time he set at the one-mile Phoenix track in 2009.

    Pursley would pull away on a final restart with seven laps remaining to capture his first victory at the track he called his “absolute favorite,” which capped off a season plagued by bad luck that would carry over into the following year.

    The Newhall, California native got an early jump to start the 2011 season when he picked up where he left off the previous season, by going to victory lane in the season opener at Phoenix, for back-to-back wins at the Arizona one-mile track. In his first five starts, Pursley went to victory lane four times, with his only flaw coming at Roseville back in April where led a race high 133 laps before finishing third.

    What a difference a year has made when you not only look at the fact Pursley has already doubled the races he won, but also the amount of laps he has led with nine races still remaining on the schedule. Pursley said that, “Time has allowed our team to gel. Communication and preparation is the key and we have both going for us right now,” when talking about some of the changes that were looked at during the off-season.

    With an average finish of 1.4 and a 201 point lead over second place driver Moses Smith, Pursley’s blistering pace clearly makes him the driver the beat this season, and even more so after Saturday’s dominating performance in the O’Reilly 200 at the bullring in Las Vegas, Nevada. Once the teams unloaded for Saturday night’s feature race, Pursley wasted no time setting the pace when he broke the track record with a pole winning speed of 90.144 mph.

    Pursley who went out in the 16th qualifying spot, bettered that of his 16 year-old teammate Dylan Kwasniewski by 0.467 mph, who went out eighth and finished the race in second. After the pre-race festivities took place, the only thing left for the 27 drivers was to see who would prevail after 200 laps of fighting the Nevada heat once the green flag was waved to start the race.

    Pursley took the lead on the first lap of the race, as survival became the order of the night for the other 26 drivers when the first of 10 yellow flags for a Stan Silva solo spin less than 25 laps into the race. A total of 69 laps would be run under yellow before the end of the race, but none of that bothered Pursley as he dominated the race and became the only driver since 2009 to win a race from start to finish.

    The last wire-to-wire win in the series was by Eric Holmes at Roseburg, Oregon. As the laps clicked away and the Nevada heat began to slowly dissipate behind a nice warm breeze, Pursley continued to heat up the track once his biggest threat, Eric Holmes who is the three-time and defending series champion left the race because of mechanical problems.

    “Holmes was gonna be pretty good but I still kept the pace I wanted to keep and if he was gonna push me harder he would have had to go around me on the outside because I was not gonna give up the bottom and it probably would have been a good race.” Pursley said after the race.

    With 34 laps left to go, Taylor Cuzick spins coming out of turn two to bring out the final caution of the night. On the final restart of the night, Pursley pulled away from his 16-year-old teammate and never looked back leaving Kwasniewski, Jason Fensler, and Michael Self to battle for the second position.

    Pursley went on to win the race by 0.872 seconds over Kwasniewski who finished second, but more importantly extended his points lead along with picking-up his fourth win and setting the standard for the rest of the season.  “Finally when the last caution came out with about 30 to go I had to go. It showed at the end the guys at the shop gave me a great car and I can’t complain,” said Pursley.

    Pursley added this about his race winning strategy, “We had a great car strategy was to save the tires until lap 150. The good part about it is you when you start out front. You can pick your way around and I ran the pace I wanted to run and the guys behind me were pressing kind of hard and I didn’t let it bother. This was a dream for me.

  • NASCAR’s Jason Fensler Gambling On Getting His His Third Win In-A-Row In Las Vegas

    NASCAR’s Jason Fensler Gambling On Getting His His Third Win In-A-Row In Las Vegas

    It’s been close to two months since TeamCassRacing’s Jason Fensler, has sat behind the wheel of his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race car when the team competed in the Toyota/Napa AutoCare 150 in Roseville, California. Fensler, who started the race 15th, led the final eight laps in his TCR / Pick-n-Pull / Simple Green sponsored Chevrolet, and went to victory lane in only his second start for team owners Jim and Terri Cass.

    [media-credit name=”TCR” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The win was Fensler’s second points win in-a-row in only five starts; with his first one coming at Altamont Motorsports Park in 2008 when he drove for SpeedWong Racing. “We didn’t qualify that well. We started 15th. We had to start toward the back of the pack,” said Fensler after his win at Roseville. Fensler also added that, “We just kept ourselves in position the whole entire race and that was the key. We didn’t have real good car, but we put ourselves in position and I just knew on the last restart to get the best run I could of off of two and it worked out for us.”

    “At the close of the Roseville event when we were able to take the lead, my spotter Justin did a great job. It really enabled me to focus on hitting my marks and drive a good consistent line.” Fensler who is racing as a rookie in the series is running a limited schedule because of sponsorship restrictions, and will make his next start on Saturday in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 200 at the Bullring in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will mark the Elk Grove, California natives second start in a point’s race with the team, his first start came at the season opening Toyota All-Star Showdown which is a non-points event.

    Fensler qualified seventh for the showdown, and ran as high as eighth before Derek Thorn slid into race leader Paulie Harraka coming through Turn 4 on lap 206. Fensler, Dale Quarterley, David Mayhew, Darrell Wallace and Chad Boat were all involved as each driver had nowhere to go and ended in the grass in Turn 4, which ended Fensler’s night where he would finish 28th. With Fensler’s last win coming two months ago, he was asked what he’s done within that time to prepare himself for this weekend’s race, and how hard is it to get back in the car and be competitive after a two month layoff?

    “I have changed a few things inside the car for comfort. Foreseeing hotter weather this weekend in Las Vegas I mainly worked on driver cooling and fluids for myself. When you have Roger Bracken preparing a car, a great crew working on it and owners like Jim and Terri Cass it makes it so much easier on myself as a driver. It really enables myself to speed that process up of getting settled back behind the wheel,” said Fensler.

    Crew chief Roger Bracken has been hard at work since the last race working on the ways to improve the team, and make them stronger by communicating with Fensler as well as the team owners. “I tell ya, it’s hard to win these races, and to be the only other driver to win this season in the K&N Pro Series West, once again shows what a great team TCR is,” Fensler said.

    Fensler finished with, “Roger and myself communicate very well. We have talked a lot about qualifying, since we didn’t qualify that well at Roseville, to try and improve on that. We both agree, we don’t want to spend too much time on it and let ourselves get behind on race setups.” Even though Jim and Terri are still seeking sponsorship to cover the rest of the season and are considered an underfunded team, they are still able to provide Fensler with a fast and competitive race car as well as a team that gels really well together.

    Fensler added that, “Everyone on the team gives 110% to do the best we can, and at the close of the day know we can walk away knowing we did the best we can. We win as a team, we lose as a team and with that being said I personally focus on giving the best feedback I can to Roger on the chassis, and drive a smart race. These races are long races and you have to race smart and put yourself in the right spot at the end to have a shot at a victory or getting the best finish you can.”

  • NASCAR’s Ratings Continue To Rise Despite An Unpredictable Economy

    NASCAR’s Ratings Continue To Rise Despite An Unpredictable Economy

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]We are three races into the 2011 season, and already NASCAR is seeing a trend which hasn’t been witnessed since the series went to National television in 2001. Attendance is once again on the rise, and the television ratings were up from last year for the season opening Daytona 500.  Fox Sports drew an 8.7 rating and a 20 share, which is up 13-percent from 2010. Fox also earned a 5.3 rating and an 11 share from Phoenix last Sunday, making it the highest rating of the weekend for any sports event.

    The first two races of the season have seen NASCAR’s ratings increase 13 percent over last year’s numbers. Sure we are only talking about the first two races, and for those who tuned into the race this past weekend in Las Vegas, it was clear to see the stands were once again full for the third straight weekend. NASCAR could very well be getting a second wind from its decline which began around 2007 and as recent as 2010, the fans seemed to lose interest and attendance quickly declined in a sport when names such as Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Matt Kenseth quickly became household names.

    Interest in the sport along with some rule changes were targeted as the reason for the decline in viewership, along with the addition of a dwindling economy which boosted the cost to attend a race for the average fan.  The latest word on the street from the nay sayers is that NASCAR is continuing down a road of destruction, and it won’t be long before the sport quickly disappears into its own self-made black hole.

    Of course, none of this news is coming from the big man himself; instead, most of it gets started around these highly sophisticated tailgate parties, where the fans congregate to see who can conjure up the best destructive scenarios. For those fans who really feel the need to challenge themselves, try visiting one of the hundreds of NASCAR social sites which can be found on the Internet.

    There you will find every rule or regulation that NASCAR has ever implemented, along with the current state of the sport broken down to the root while being argued with the basis being, “Because I said so, and I have been a fan for x amount of years.” Now given the fact throughout the years, NASCAR just like any other sport is and always will be debated amongst its fans, try naming one person, or a group of people who could do a better job at managing one of motorsports’ biggest organizations?

    The reason being is because once again, the integrity of those who are running the sport has come under intense enemy fire from the fans, with most of the ammo targeting a false sense that the sport is in dire need of another rebuilding process. One area which is being falsely attacked is the decline in viewership, along with the current rule changes that some feel are not helping to boost the ratings. Viewership along with the fan base within the sport believe it or not, is up from where it was before NASCAR went full-time to national television in 2001.

    NASCAR is still the third most popular professional sport in the United States, behind the National Football League and Major League Baseball. What other sport comes close to averaging 70 to 80 thousand fans per event, and that’s without the other three or four million who are watching at home? Last year’s night race at Bristol attracted 5,322,537 viewers, and this increase was from the Sprint Cup race alone.

    An average of 5,841,952 viewers tuned in on Saturday, which is still above the 4.5 million average who were watching back in the 90’s when attendance jumped from 3.3 million to 6.5 million between that 10-year time span (1990-99). It’s no big secret the sport has seen a steady decrease in the last few seasons, but not all is lost in the game of love and war when looking at the numbers from a broader perspective.

    When NASCAR went to national television in 2001, the attendance at each track grew, which forced a lot of the smaller tracks to add more seating to accommodate the rapid growth of the sport. As an example, Bristol alone added an additional 90,000 seats between 1996 and 2002 which brought their total up to 160,000 from the 71,000 they were at before the increase. Dover also added an additional 20,000 seats between the same time periods, along with Richmond, which joined in with 10,000 of their own.

    So as the sport continued to grow and become more popular, so did the fans who flocked to the various race tracks to get their fill of the fastest growing sport in the Nation. The sudden growth left even the biggest critics scratching their heads in amazement, as America fell in love with the color, the speed, and the fast-paced excitement that at one time could only be viewed from one of the cable networks who covered the series. NASCAR reached its peak amid the 2004-06 seasons, even though the fans began to complain about some of the rule changes, with the biggest one being the institution of the Chase format. Between the 2007 and 2009 seasons, it became obvious the numbers began to taper off, and all you had to do was look at the empty stands which at one time were hard to come by.

    Many of the fans began expressing their displeasure with the way the sport was being run, with much of the speculation focused on the Chase format along with the introduction of Car of Tomorrow in 2008. No longer was NASCAR outpacing all other professional sports, and it was because the majority of the younger fans between the ages of 18-34, began looking elsewhere to get their adrenaline fix. In the meantime, the core of older fans continued to stick next to a sport that most grew up with, and NASCAR began to once again take action in hopes of keeping them from wandering off.

    “Our core fan is older, said NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston back in 2010. Poston also added, “That’s a fact. Our strategy and focus the last couple of years has been to target our core fan base. If we’re making strides with that fan base, it shows that our strategy is working.” NASCAR took it a step further by getting a fans perspective as far as what changes needed to be made to keep the sport exciting, and to bring the fans back when they created a 12,000 member online fan council. The fan council was responsible for a series of rule changes which included the double-file restarts, multiple attempts at overtime finishes, and a return to the traditional spoiler.

    NASCAR also added the Citizen Journalists Media Corps in 2009, which consists of 28 additional websites which are dedicated to providing information about NASCAR to a growing readership. Ever since the invention of the Internet, more fans have become dependent on the various websites that provide up to the minute news and information about the sport. The newspaper is quickly becoming obsolete around the world of sports, and NASCAR felt that a lot of the independent websites are becoming more professional with their content.

    NASCAR has been taking the necessary steps to keep the fans involved in the sport, even though the economy has taken its toll on the sport as a whole. Just like any other craze or trend, NASCAR reached its peak, and now it’s beginning to level off after going through a normal drop-off period. When you look at the viewership numbers from 10 to 15 years ago, NASCAR is still above their average, even though the teams and the tracks look as if they too are scaling-down. Don’t think for a second that most of the fans who no longer attend a race are not sitting at home watching on television.

    The organization now has nine regional touring series, and three national series including the Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series, and its premier series, the Sprint Cup races. The season is still young and too early to predict if the attendance numbers will continue to rise, especially with gas prices soaring through the roof and an unpredictable economy. But one thing to remember is, NASCAR is not going to slowly disappear into the abyss known as another mismanaged business venture as many think it might. Instead, the sport will be here longer than either you or I, and when you sit back and think about the competition it faces every single day as a family-owned organization.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards took two tires on the final pit stop with 33 laps remaining and held off Tony Stewart, who took four, to win at Las Vegas. Edwards led 69 laps and won for the first time this year, and third in the last five races. The win vaulted him nine places to third in the Sprint Cup point standings, only seven out of first.

    “What does the comically oversized wrench, awarded the victor in Las Vegas, signify?” Edwards asked. “Duh, ‘winning!’ What’s my favorite luxury hotel in Las Vegas? Duh, ‘Wynn!’ Man, since late last year, all we’ve done is put wins in the record books. I wouldn’t go so far as to say ‘I win so radically in my underwear before my first cup of coffee, it’s scary,’ because only Charlie Sheen can do that. Me? I don’t drink coffee, and I don’t wear underwear, but I win anyway. Take that, Sheen!”

    2. Tony Stewart: Stewart led a race-high 163 laps, clearly boasting the day’s best car, but saw the win slip away on the final pit stop. Stewart opted for four tires for the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet with 33 laps remaining, while Carl Edwards took two, which gave him the lead, and eventual win.

    “No one can say we didn’t give it our best shot,” Stewart said. “We left it all out on the track, including the win. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. In the three races so far this year, I could have won each. But I have to be patient. The wins will come, probably when the weather heats up and I go on my usual mid-season tear. Edwards can have the back flips now; I’ll do ‘summersaults’ later.

    “As you know, I’ll be switching cars with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton at Watkins Glen this summer. He’s the best at what he does and I’m the best at what I do. And together it’s like, it’s on. It’s epic.”      

     3. Kurt Busch: Busch finished ninth at Las Vegas, surviving a spin-inducing run-in with Juan Montoya, earning his second top-10 finish of the year and leading one valuable lap in the Kobalt Tools 400. Busch is tied for first with Tony Stewart in the Sprint Cup point standings.

    “The last time Stewart and I were in the same place,” Busch said, “I got punched. I shudder to think what he would have done with fire-breathing fists. Luckily, only Charlie Sheen has those. I learned a hard lesson that day. There’s only one thing worse than picking a fight with a warlock, and that’s picking a fight with Tony Stewart.

    “Now, the subject of Stewart’s assault seems like a decent reason to give a shout out to the upcoming release of the movie Sucker Punch. And all this talk of Charlie Sheen begs for the making of the sequel to Platoon, called Buffoon.”

    4. Juan Pablo Montoya: Montoya finished third in the Kobalt Tools 400, racing in the top 10 for most of the day. Montoya led eight laps on Sunday, and jumped five places in the point standings to fourth, seven points out of first.

    “The No. 42 Clorox Chevrolet was fast on Sunday,” Montoya said. “I like to call her ‘Bleached Lightning.’ It’s ironic that NASCAR would allow a bleach product such a prominent advertising role. Why? Because the last thing this sport needs in more ‘whitening.’

    “I may not be the most popular driver here in America, but I’m a total frickin’ rock star in Colombia, which might as well be Mars as far as the typical NASCAR fan is concerned.”

    5. Ryan Newman: Newman posted his second-straight top-5 finish of the year with a fifth at Las Vegas, joining Stewart-Haas teammate Tony Stewart, who finished second in the top 5. Newman is fifth in the Sprint Cup point standings, ten points out of first.

    “Obviously, Tony should have won the race,” Newman said. “Had he not been penalized for leaving his pit stall with the air hose still attached, we’d be celebrating a Stewart victory. And speaking of ‘air ho’s,’ Charlie Sheen’s been on television an awful lot lately talking about his live-in ‘goddesses.’ Hey Charlie, that’s not Adonis DNA and tiger blood coursing through your veins. It’s penicillin.”

    6. Kyle Busch: Busch, a Las Vegas native, saw his day at his home track end abruptly when the engine of the No. 18 blew on lap 107, just 20 laps after a blown tire had sent him into the wall. Busch, in the Snickers Penaut Butter Squared Toyota, finished 38th.

    “There was absolutely no indication the engine would go,” Busch said. “It was a lot like Charlie Sheen: it just ‘quit’ with no reasonable explanation. Then it caught on fire. That sucks. What do you call an engine that’s afire and has gone kaput? ‘Hot Shot.’ Hopefully, I won’t have to experience that again. Incidentally, that’s what moviegoers said after the first installment of Hot Shots.

    “As you may know, my New Year’s Eve wedding to Samantha Sarcinella was televised on the Style Channel last Saturday. It’s a monogamy story. It’s like an organic union of the hearts. Apparently, people watched it despite all that.”

    7. Paul Menard: Menard climbed to sixth in the Sprint Cup point standings after a solid 12th-place finish at Las Vegas. He’s leading the way for Richard Childress Racing so far, as teammates Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, and Jeff Burton sit 18th, 20th, and 31st in the standings.

    “I’m the new guy at RCR,” Menard said, “and although I wasn’t blessed with top-billing, Adonis DNA, or tiger blood, I nevertheless have talent that significantly contributes to the team. You could say I’m ‘carrying’ RCR right now. I’m the consummate teammate. I carry jock straps, and I carry the torch.” 

     8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon’s No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet blew a tire and slammed the wall, sending him to the garage and leaving him with a disappointing 36th-place finish. The result halted the momentum Gordon established with last week’s breakthrough win at Phoenix, and sent him tumbling down the point standings.

    “What are Robby Gordon and Kevin Conway guilty of in Las Vegas?” Gordon said. “Duh! Sinning! Gordon should proceed with caution, though. In light of Conway’s Extenze sponsorship, charges aren’t the only thing Gordon could have pressed against him.

    “As for my tire, it exploded like the body of someone who tried the drug ‘Charlie Sheen,’ which, not surprisingly, only comes in ‘pill’ form.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 7th at Las Vegas, posting his first top-10 result of the year, to lead the way for on an otherwise disappointing day for Joe Gibbs Racing. JGR teammates Joey Logano and Kyle Busch finished 23rd and 36th, respectively, with Busch suffering a blown engine just 107 laps into the race.

    “It was a good result after two unsatisfactory finishes to start the season,” Hamlin said. “The No. 11 Fed Ex team is still finding its groove, and I’m still battling through some lingering pain from last year’s knee surgery. Painkillers have helped. I’m on a drug called ‘Charlie Sheen’ that alleviates the pain in my knee. Unfortunately, it has one glaring side effect: it causes severe pain in the ass.

    “Despite my teammates’ troubles at Vegas, the JGR squad is totally capable of competing for the Sprint Cup title. Obviously, Kyle and I are perennial favorites, while Logano is probably just 2-3 years away from sharing that distinction. So, you could say that JGR has ’Two And A Half Men’ capable of winning the Sprint Cup championship.”

    10. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson battled handling issues and struggled in the Kobalt Tools 400, finishing 16th. Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team never unlocked the right adjustments, and last year’s Las Vegas winner posted a disappointing finish after last week’s third at Phoenix.

    “What’s a bigger story than all of Charlie Sheen’s boasts of ‘winning?’” Johnson said. “Me not winning. That truly is gnarly. But I’m not fretting. Like Sheen, I’m making things interesting. And, like Sheen, I’ve got one gear. I’m not sure what his only gear is, but mine is ‘first,’ because that’s where I always finish.”

  • Viva Las Vegas!

    Viva Las Vegas!

    Viva Las Vegas! Sunday was a strong showing by the Sprint Cup boys. It wasn’t spectacular. It wasn’t boring. It was steady and strong racing. There were surprises. There were finishes that were expected. But the biggest surprise was probably the strong and dominating performance by two time series champion, Tony Stewart.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Going into the day, the odds on favorite was Matt Kenseth whose record setting qualifying lap was followed up by blistering fast practice speeds. Virtually all of the odds makers chose drivers of blue ovals to dominate and win the race.

    When the green flag dropped nothing could have been further from the truth. A Chevy bowtie lead the way for 163 laps with Tony Stewart showing the prowess he is known for in the cockpit of about anything with wheels. But a pit stop mistake, when an air hose curled, causing him to remove equipment from the pit box and then a late race 4 tire change would relegate the champ to a 2nd place finish.

    Carl Edwards was lurking. All day long he was lurking. He showed strength and speed at times but never quite showed his hand. He stayed just close enough to stay in touch with the leader. He could see him. He could watch him. He was at times faster than him. But he was bidding his time. When the final stop came, it was a two tire change and one can of fuel that would put Carl out in the lead by almost 2 seconds over the then 3rd place Stewart.

    Stewart would close but ultimately finish 1.24 seconds behind Edwards and his Scotts Ford Fusion. “The key to winning today was my team,” Edwards said. “These guys are unbelievable. It means a lot coming off Phoenix. I went home last week and didn’t know how things were going to go. You don’t get a good race car like that often. We had another one today.”

    A very disappointed Tony Stewart said, “We just gave it away,” he said. “We shot ourselves in the foot two weeks in a row.”

    Other surprises included a fiery explosion of an engine by Kyle Busch taking him out of contention on lap 108. A blown right front tire that ended last weeks winner Jeff Gordon’s day at lap 193. Neither driver was injured.

    Notable performances belonged to Marcos Ambrose who finished 4th in his Richard Petty Motorsports Stanley Tools Ford; a strong finish and the first top 5 for the Australian born driver on an oval race track.

    In 10th was possibly the feel good story of the day, Brian Vickers. After having to lay off most of last year with blood clots and heart surgery, Vickers finished a strong 10th.

    Once again, the National Guard Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr. turned in a very strong and promising performance. After starting the race in the 30th position, Earnhardt Jr. rallied to an 8th place finish and showed signs of breaking out of the slump that has claimed him since June of 2008. Earnhardt Jr., who hadn’t posted back to back top 10 finishes since July of 2010, stated his run was the first time in a long time in which he felt he could “beat the guys I was around.” It boosted his confidence – an often discussed subject for Earnhardt Jr. – and he admitted thinking that his relationship with Letarte was somewhat of a last chance.

    “Failure at this point is completely unacceptable,” he said. “I’ve got to put it all out on the line to make this work, because if it don’t work with him, I’ve got nowhere else to go. I’ve got no other options, really – other than to race myself into oblivion with my own team and Tony Jr and them guys.”

    “I want this to work. I want to race Cup. I want to be in the COT the rest of my career, and I want to be successful.”

    The glitz and glamor of Vegas gives way to a week off for the Sprint Cup teams. And maybe it’s a good thing for some to get their tempers under control before they enter the grand coliseum of racing at Bristol. I am of course referring to the altercation between Robby Gordon and Kevin Conway. The altercation it is believed came about as a result of tensions caused by financial lawsuits on both coasts involving Gordon, Conway and Conway’s sponsor Extenze. Witness’ say the tension came to ahead Friday afternoon in the garage when Robby and Kevin came to blows physically. Although the stories vary in what actually occurred, the one thing for certain is that Conway filed a criminal complaint following the altercation and went to NASCAR. NASCAR immediately took action putting Robby Gordon on probation. It has still to be announced how long that probation will be for.

    This week was not the most exciting racing we have seen. It was however steady old school racing. There were adjustments and strategies playing out all over the track. The fastest and best car didn’t win the race. But the car that did win the race wasn’t a fluke win. He was there all day. He earned it. He raced for it. And for those that worship in the tabernacle of the blue oval, it was too long coming.

    ~~~~~ *** ~~~~~

    Congratulations to Carl Edwards and the Scotts Fusion team of Roush Fenway Racing. Congratulations also to Mark Martin and his Turner Racing team on their NNS victory on Saturday. Also Congratulations to Danica Patrick, and her Go Daddy Chevrolet JR. Motorsports team for making history as the highest placing woman ever in a NASCAR race.

    That said, to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.

  • Carl Edwards Wins The Kobalt Tools 400 For Third Win in Five Races

    Carl Edwards Wins The Kobalt Tools 400 For Third Win in Five Races

    On the final round of pit stops under green, Carl Edwards took two tires and that was the call of the race as he went on to win Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    “The key to winning today is my team,” Edwards said. “This Ford team is unbelievable. Everybody at Roush Fenway is great. It’s unreal. When you’re a kid, you think it’d be great to fly a bunch of woman and drive a racecar and I did. I flew my mother, my wife and my little girl out here and here we are.”

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”288″][/media-credit]Tony Stewart looked to have the win in the bag before a pit road penalty for leaving with equipment on lap 150 set him back. Stewart then took two tires on the next round of stops to get him back out front. However, that forced him to take four tires on the last round of stops while Edwards only took two. As a result, Stewart finished second.

    “Yeah, we just gave one away today,” Stewart said. “I just don’t what to say – we just gave one away. The Mobil Chevy was the best thing on the West Coast today. Second sucks.”

    Juan Pablo Montoya finished third, after having bad luck at Las Vegas the last couple of years.

    “It was a good day,” Montoya said. “We were a little bit off the pace. I thought we were closer. To get a top five at Vegas after what has happened the last few years here is amazing. This is amazing. We changed some guys on the pit crew and they did an amazing job.”

    Marcos Ambrose got his first top five for Richard Petty Motorsports as he finished fourth after running up front consistantly all day.

    ‎”Well, I think I can keep my jobs for a couple more weeks,” Ambrose siad. “Was real tight all day – first top five for RPM. Just got to thank Richard Petty for believing in me and giving me a shot. Todd Parrot is awesome on the pit box. Pit crew was good with pit stops.”

    Ryan Newman rounded out the top five. He was followed by Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch and Brian Vickers.

    Hometown hero Kurt Busch was hoping to get a win, though found himself spinning around on lap 102 and fighting back the rest of the race.

    “Yeah, we gave it all we had and the crew chief made a real good call to get us upfront there,” Busch said. “I wanted to get up there a little more than I should to lead for the hometown crowd, but you can’t do it. You got to race these races smart. We got in there and had Montoya on the outside and just spun around.”

    The finish has Kurt Busch tied for the points lead with Tony Stewart.

    His brother Kyle Busch had a rougher day as he had a flat tire on lap 95 and then blew up on lap 108.

    “Its really unfortunate,” Busch said. “We had a really good racecar. Unfortunately, you get within a five car length cushion and can’t close anymore. The car was running awesome before that and we had that tire go down and go us behind. Lucky for us we got the lucky dog and we were going to work our way through traffic and kablewy, it just broke.”

    The marks the third engine problem for Joe Gibbs Racing in two weeks as Joey Logano blew  up last week while Denny Hamlin changed engines before the race.

    Busch wasn’t the only one with a motor issue as Regan Smith blew his motor on lap 86.

    Motors weren’t the only issue during the race as a lot of drivers suffered flat right front tires. Last week’s winner Jeff Gordon was one of those as he blew a right front with 74 laps to go.

    “There was no sign whatsoever,” Gordon said. “We needed to free the car up and nothing we seemed to be doing was helping it. The day started off pretty good, way better than I thought we were going to be considering practice. Those last few runs we started to lose the handle and fall back and when I went in there, no warning. I was just glad that I had a safer barrier to hit.”

    David Gilliland blew his right front on lap 150.

    “Its tough,” Gilliland said. “We were running good today. We had a good car. We learned a lot of stuff with the mile and a half stuff. We’re still going to take a positive out of this and head to Bristol as we ran good there.”

    The Sprint Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway in two weeks.
    FINISHING ORDER
    1. Carl Edwards
    2. Tony Stewart
    3. Juan Pablo Montoya
    4. Marcos Ambrose
    5. Ryan Newman
    6. Martin Truex Jr.
    7. Denny Hamlin
    8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    9. Kurt Busch
    10. Brian Vickers
    11. Matt Kenseth
    12. Paul Menard
    13. David Reuitmann
    14. Kasey Kahne
    15. Clint Bowyer
    16. Jimmie Johnson
    17. Kevin Harvick
    18. Mark Martin
    19. A.J. Allmendinger
    20. Trevor Bayne
    21. Jeff Burton
    22. David Ragan
    23. Joey Logano
    24. Bobby Labonte
    25. Casey Mears
    26. Brad Keselowski
    27. Jamie McMurray
    28. Greg Biffle
    29. Mike Skinner
    30. Bill Elliott
    31. Robby Gordon
    32. Andy Lally
    33. Travis Kravil
    34. Dave Blaney
    35. Tony Raines
    36. Jeff Gordon
    37. David Gilliland
    38. Kyle Busch
    39. Regan Smith
    40. J.J. Yeley
    41. Michael McDowell
    42. Joe Nemechek
    43. Landon Cassill

  • Regan Smith Thinks His Team is Best Kept Secret in NASCAR

    Regan Smith Thinks His Team is Best Kept Secret in NASCAR

    Regan Smith has been described by Mark McCardle, managing director of competition for Furniture Row Racing, as one of the best-kept secrets in the garage area. But Smith puts the credit solely on his team, crowning them the true best kept secrets in NASCAR.

    [media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”266″][/media-credit]Smith and his No. 78 Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing team have indeed had an eventful start to their 2011 racing season. Right out of the box, the young driver led several laps of the Daytona 500 before being caught up in a late race crash, yet still managing to finish seventh.

    “It felt great to lead,” Smith said. “I think more importantly than that, it felt great to lead with five to go.”

    “And how good that felt went downhill pretty quick from there,” Smith continued. “We had a strong car and we were in a position where we wanted to be.”

    Smith had been working with Kurt Busch at the time and the two were committed to each other since their cars were so good together. Busch unfortunately got separated from Smith, then got an unexpected push from Tony Stewart, and the wreck was on.

    In spite of the melee on the track, Smith still counted his Daytona experience as a “really good day.”  He was also most pleased that he and his team were able to rebound from the accident to salvage a good finish.

    “To be honest, I was surprised that the car was able to finish,” Smith said. “Usually when you wreck at Daytona, there are two options, one being that you are t-boned and the other that you are airborne. I never thought option three would be that we drove off and finished the race.”

    “Just that quick I had to switch my brain off from trying to win the 500 to realizing that this is a 36 race season and we need points right now,” Smith said. “As soon as I finished spinning on the back stretch, that was my mindset.”

    Smith admitted that he was definitely angry after the race and “pretty bummed out.” As he was riding to the airport with his fiance after the race, it hit him just how close he had come to winning the Great American Race.

    “That’s when it sunk in,” Smith said. “I realized how close we were to this deal. But we recovered well as a team.”

    Smith credits his Daytona recovery full to his team, who he says has worked hard to calm him down and keep his head in the game.

    “Last year, I would have imploded,” Smith said. “That goes a long way to say how good of a team I’ve got around me.”

    After putting Daytona in his rear view mirror, Smith turned his attention to discussing his Phoenix race. He qualified fifth for the second race of the season, but again got caught up in a big wreck that relegated him to finishing 34th, dropping him to the 19th position in the point standings.

    “I think we had a bigger wreck at Phoenix than we did at Daytona,” Smith said ruefully. “Last week was just circumstances. We had a fast race car and I was fast all weekend. It was just bad luck.”

    While Smith acknowledged that there were many different strategies playing out in the race, with varying tire and pit sequences in play, he also admitted surprise at just how racy many of his fellow competitors were.

    “The whole race was like that and I wondered why they were so aggressive so early on,” Smith said. “I don’t know if that all caused the wreck. I think it was just ignorance.”

    This weekend, Smith is ready to tackle Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He practiced well and qualified 12th for the Kobalt Tools 400.

    “Off the truck, the car was good,” Smith said. “We have some ideas for what we want to change in race trim. But overall, we had another solid day with our Furniture Row Chevrolet.”

    “I feel strong about this weekend,” Smith said. “We’re looking at this weekend just like we did Daytona and Phoenix. We’re here to get top tens now.”

    “That’s our goal and there will come a point when we get top fives,” Smith continued. “That will be cool.”

    Smith admits that he and his team are focused but also have a bit of a chip on their shoulders, especially since they are the only team based out of Denver, Colorado, not Charlotte, North Carolina.

    “We’ve all got a little chip on our shoulder being from Denver,” Smith said. “We want to prove that we can not only run good from Denver but we can run as good as these big super teams.”

    “I don’t think anybody in this trailer or on this team is surprised about how we are starting this year off,” Smith continued. “We’re kind of off the radar. But I know this is what I expected and this is what all these guys expected.”

    “I look at it as I’m with a team that’s the best kept secret in the garage,” Smith said. “I know the people that I get to work with and I wouldn’t trade it for any other team in this garage.”

  • Paul Menard’s Hauler Driver Jeff Icenhour Struts His Stuff on Vegas Strip

    Paul Menard’s Hauler Driver Jeff Icenhour Struts His Stuff on Vegas Strip

    One of the traditions of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race weekend is the hauler parade right down the Las Vegas strip. Participating this year was Jeff Icenhour, hauler driver for Paul Menard’s No. 27 Menard’s Chevrolet, with whom I had the pleasure of riding with for the parade.

    Icenhour, a 43 year old from North Carolina, has been driving haulers for over ten years. He got his start after a connection made via his son turned into the opportunity of a lifetime.

    [media-credit name=”Photo by Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”246″][/media-credit]”A guy that used to be with the 32 car, my son and his son played football together,” Icenhour said. “So, I just stayed on to him until he helped me out.”

    Icenhour comes by his trucking skills naturally.  Much of his family has been in the trucking business and Icenhour even got his father involved, who is currently driving for the No. 43 team.

    “I started doing it before my dad,” Icenhour said. “I got my dad into it.”

    While he and his father share the trucking passion, Icenhour acknowledges that the lifestyle has his challenges. This is especially true since he has a wife and two sons at home as well.

    “It’s hard,” Icenhour said. “I have a wonderful wife. I couldn’t do it without her. She’s supportive so that’s great.”

    “My kids think it’s cool,” Icenhour continued. “They miss me and I miss them, but they still think it’s cool.”

    Icenhour, who is nicknamed ‘Cowboy” due to his passion for horses and his constantly-worn cowboy boots, is also feeling very fortunate to now be with Richard Childress Racing, a deal which came about for the 2011 season for he and his driver Paul Menard.

    “I am very fortunate to be here with Richard Childress Racing,” Icenhour said.  “I like Richard Childress quite a bit.”

    Icenhour is also fond of his driver, Paul Menard.

    “Paul’s pretty cool,” Icenhour said. “He’s not the high maintenance driver. He does it because he likes it and he doesn’t get caught up in it.”

    “From the time he came into Nationwide, I always liked that kid and pulled for him,” Icenhour said of his driver. “There was something I liked about him from the first time I saw him. He’s in some good equipment now so he will do well.”

    Although devoted to his driver, Icenhour has seen his share of ups and downs in his hauler driving career. Prior to coming to RCR, Icenhour drove for Evernham Motorsports and then Richard Petty Motorsports.

    Given his most recent employment, Icenhour knows the vagaries of being part of a race team.

    “Nothing is guaranteed in this business,” Icenhour said. “There is no such thing as job security. If they get rid of my driver or crew chief, I might be gone too.”

    While there may not be job security, the life of a hauler driver is most certainly varied, in addition to being demanding. Icenhour describes his role as not only having to be a great driver, getting some of his team’s most valuable assets to the track, but also as a jack of all trades, particularly once he arrives at the track.

    “You’re the gopher,” Icenhour said. “And sometimes the babysitter. It’s also my responsibility to make sure the boys eat and get fed.  Overall, I just look after them.”

    Icenhour has been hard at work since last weekend’s race.  He did not even get to return home in between, instead driving the hauler directly from Phoenix to Las Vegas.

    The day before the hauler parade, Icenhour spent most of the day getting his rig in tip top shape for the fans along the parade route to enjoy.

    “We got here Tuesday and Wednesday, we came out and polished on our trucks,” Icenhour said. ” I polished all the wheels and all the aluminum. That took pretty much all day.”

    Icenhour and the rest of the hauler drivers were in fine form as they took to the Las Vegas strip. Waving at the crowds along the way, the driver of the No. 27 hauler was only too happy to oblige with honking his horn as requested, much to the delight of the cheering fans.

    “Sometimes it’s a little aggravating,” Icenhour said of the parade, feeling especially sorry for those in traffic, inconvenienced by the parade. “But we need fans and we need to do whatever we can do to put fans in the seats.  If this helps, I’ll do whatever I can.”

    After driving down the length of the entire Vegas strip, engaging all of the race fans, Icenhour made the turn onto the interstate, along with the other haulers, to head toward the race track.  After pulling in ever so carefully and parking just inches away from Clint Bowyer’s hauler, Icenhour jumped out of his rig to start unloading his tool box.

    “We take turns and help each other unloading,” Icenhour said. “It may not be your teammates but we all help out.”

    “A lot of these hauler drivers, we’re like family,” Icenhour said of his hauler compatriots. “If one breaks down, someone will stop and make sure everything is cool. We help one another a great deal.”

    After stifling a bit of a yawn, surviving the hauler parade and the intricate parking in the NASCAR garage, Icenhour was ready to start fulfilling his duties at the race track.  He summed up his hauler driver experience as being his ‘dream job.’

    “You have to like it to do this,” Icenhour said. “It’s hard but it’s a good life. I am very fortunate to be here, I really am. This is the best job I’ve ever had.”

  • Favorites at Vegas and Cheering in the Press Box

    Favorites at Vegas and Cheering in the Press Box

    Who is the favorite in Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway? There is a strong possibility that it could be Jimmie Johnson. Johnson, despite his woeful showing at Daytona two weeks ago, rebounded at Phoenix and seems ripe for a repeat victory at the track. Of course, a rejuvenated Jeff Gordon has momentum and you can never count out Matt Kenseth, so it’s up in the air. Or is it?

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]The 2011 season has given us so many surprises, we can’t count on anything. If you had told me on February 1st that the Wood Brothers would win the Daytona 500, that not one Hendrick or Childress car would finish in the top three, Bobby Labonte would be a factor late in the race, and David Gilliland would finish third behind Trevor Bayne and Carl Edwards, I would have called for the men in the white coats. On top of that, if you had told me that Jeff Gordon, who hadn’t won in 66 races, would beat Kyle Busch to win at Phoenix, well…you get the idea.

    So, who’s going to win? Johnson won last year, Kenseth (and teammate Greg Biffle) have always been good here, and it’s the Busch brothers’ home track. And then there’s Kevin Harvick. He came so close last year. It’s not easy to call a winner, which is a big difference from the past few years. With multiple car wrecks being the rule at the first two races this year, it could be someone different, which would fit in with what would seem to be the pattern for the 2011 season. Maybe David Ragan?

    One thing is certain. With new television ratings better than last year and attendance at the track improving, maybe we’ve seen the end of what many considered a decline in the sport we all love. Maybe it has something to do with the results of the first two races. The measuring stick may be at Bristol in two weeks.
    —
    I have covered NASCAR races as a member of the “citizen media corps” for the last 15 years. I’ve been in either the press box or media centers at eight different tracks, and I cannot remember a time when the media really applauded a performance. Oh, I can remember many times when emotions were shared, but never outright cheering. As excited as I was over Trevor Bayne’s winning the Daytona 500 in the Wood Brothers Ford, I found myself restrained at home on February 20th. It’s just second nature. I can still remember February 25, 2001, the week after Dale Earnhardt left us, and the dramatic Steve Park victory. As emotional as that was, there was no cheering in the press box. I also remember October 24, 2004, at Martinsville Speedway. It was the day that Ricky Hendrick and many others perished in a plane crash near the track. No announcement was made about the tragedy and only a radio transmission from a scanner heard that the winner (Jimmie Johnson) would not go to victory lane. Soon enough the news filtered in on what had happened. Unfortunately, for some reason, broadband internet was lost and there was no cellular service available. There was no cheering, but I’ve never seen a group of reporters so upset. The press box was in uproar. No cheering, but plenty of emotion. Is there a difference? I think not.

    Maybe those of us who do this as a hobby should learn a little decorum. I didn’t go to Daytona, but I’ll be at many tracks this year. I will, as usual, be professional and report the facts as I see them regardless of my point of view. I have my favorites, and it’s only human that I do, but cheering is not being professional. I hate that Tom Bowles lost his job, and I understand his emotions and the reasons for clapping. Maybe si.com was a little harsh in their decision, but whether you like a driver or do not, or really a situation, you are on the job. Maybe that’s something those of us who blog need to understand a little better. Lessons in life are sometimes hard.

  • IZOD IndyCar Series Season To Finish With Las Vegas Motor Speedway

    IZOD IndyCar Series Season To Finish With Las Vegas Motor Speedway

    IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard announced today that both the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights would crown both of their champions at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16th, 2011.

     The 1.5-mile, high banked oval seems to be the perfect spot to end season as its known for producing exciting side-by-side racing.

    “We had the opportunity to conduct a test with Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Penske at Vegas last November and our cars performed very well at this facility,” said Brian Barnhart, president of competition and operations for INDYCAR. “Its banking and width is similar to Chicagoland Speedway, which has produced some of the most exciting, side-by-side racing and closest finishes in the history of the series.”

    The last time the IndyCar Series competed at Las Vegas was from 1996 to 2000, and Champ Car ran there in 2004 and 2005. Since then, the track has been reconfigured, though. Past drivers who have made it to victory lane include Al Unser Jr., Sam Schmidt, Arie Luyendyk and Sebastian Bourdais.

    “Las Vegas is a world-class sports destination, and we are excited to welcome all of the open-wheel racing fans back to Las Vegas,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, president/CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.  “Hosting the season finale for the IZOD IndyCar Series is a great partnership for us and we know the fans will enjoy all that Las Vegas has to offer.”

    “Las Vegas Motor Speedway has produced thrilling open-wheel races in the past, and the return of the IZOD IndyCar Series for its season-ending event is sure to provide more thrills in October,” added Chris Powell, president of LVMS. “We know there’s a huge fan base of INDYCAR fans in the western United States. Hosting the season finale, and the media attention it generates, gives our speedway and our city another opportunity to showcase so much that Las Vegas has to offer.”

    In an attempt to bring forth drivers of different series, Benard also announced that a $5 million challenge to any professional race car driver not competiting in the IZOD IndyCar Series for the finale.

    “We showcase our drivers as being the very best, fastest and most versatile in the world,” he said, “and we are putting our money where our mouth is. If any race car driver in the world outside of the IZOD IndyCar Series can win the Vegas race, we will give you $5 million. We will accept five entries for this challenge, with entrants being determined by mid-summer.”

    This follows the bonus that Bernard set forth earlier this year. The bonus was set that Benard would pay a $20 million bonus to the driver who wins both the Indianpolis 500 and the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 on the same day, and perhaps smaller bonuses for any driver winning one race and finishing in the top five of the other.

    Jimmie Johnson, the five-time reigning NASCAR champion, has already declined.

    “I really, really want to do it,” Johnson said this week during NASCAR’s preseason media tour in Charlotte, N.C. “I’m just not sure if it’s going to work for me. (Chandra, his wife) and I talked about it and (said) if the opportunity came along before we had kids, it was something I needed to do.”

    Bernard also added that fans who purchase any ticket throughout the season are eligible to receive a complimentary ticket to the championship race.

    “I said at the INDYCAR State of the Sport in mid-January that we must give our fans a great experience with three primary elements — great entertainment, competition and value,” Bernard said. “There is not a city in the world that can provide entertainment like Las Vegas. Las Vegas Motor Speedway will provide some of the fastest and most exciting racing fans will see anywhere, and the ticket promotion is true value. This is a time when INDYCAR can tell our fans that we thank them for their support.”

    “In 2010, our first year as the title sponsor, the IZOD brand, together with the league worked aggressively to build awareness and excitement around the series, especially within the major markets, looking for ways to connect with new fans through a host of events and promotions that connected with pop culture.” said Mike Kelly, executive vice president of marketing for the Phillips-Van Heusen corporation, owners of the IZOD brand. “We can’t think of a better place than Las Vegas- one of the greatest entertainment cities in the world – to take these initiatives to new levels and celebrate the 2011 World Championship.”

    With the completion of its 17-race schedule, the IZOD IndyCar Series also confirmed its broadcast designations for the season as well as broadcast start times.  Five events will be broadcast on ABC – St. Petersburg, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, New Hampshire and Las Vegas. The balance of the schedule will be aired on VERSUS, the IZOD IndyCar Series’ exclusive cable network home. 

    Tickets to the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships go on sale today through Ticketmaster.com. Full details for the complimentary ticket promotion will be announced March 1st on indycar.com and 866-INDYCAR.