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  • Hot 20 – Saturday night it is Bristol, baby!

    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.

  • The Final Word – Talladega, the track most drivers seem to hate but most fans love

    The Final Word – Talladega, the track most drivers seem to hate but most fans love

    So, let us talk about Talladega. We had Ricky Stenhouse Jr. start on the pole. Then we had a race full of excitement with a host of “oh, my God, did you see that?” moments. That pretty much covers the highlights from the opening 168 laps. It was as thrilling as I had hoped, but this one came down to the final 30 circuits on that big track.

    No one dominated this one. No one went to the front and stayed there all race long. They came and they went. On lap 162, Ryan Blaney took a bow. A kiss from Stenhouse did the trick to end his day. Eight laps later, Chase Elliott went. Straight into the fence. A.J. Allmendinger just touched the back of the car, and Chase was gone. So was A.J., who was left sitting with his world turned upside down until the wreckers arrived. We said adios to Erik Jones. Kevin Harvick went bye, bye. The race was ruined for Joey Logano, who became the meat in the middle of a heavy metal sandwich. Ta-ta to both Martin Truex Jr and Trevor Bayne. By the way, Danica Patrick seemed to be doing well on this day. At least, until that moment. A very hard hit on the inside wall was not the way she wanted to end her day. At least, she left the track happy.

    Before all the fun began, Kyle Busch had taken over as the leader. With just three to go, two cars bounced against one another, taking out the third car belonging to Ryan Newman. That left an overtime period to decide it all, and it was time well spent.

    Busch had the lead, at least he did until Jimmie Johnson launched Stenhouse for the pass on the final lap. To add to the excitement, Jamie McMurray threaded the needle between Busch and Johnson with no room to spare. In fact, there was no room. I think he was driving one of those cartoon cars that could stretch out to fit the space. Johnson faded, but Rowdy charged back into the mix, but it was not enough as Stenhouse, McMurray, and Busch hit the line in that order.

    I told you Danica left the track happy. She got to award the winner with a kiss. Team owner Jack Roush ended a 101 race drought and probably thought about following Patrick’s lead. It was the first career Cup win for his driver, who has all but punched his ticket into the Chase. Stenhouse only led the one lap, but it gave him a 49 point day. Kyle Busch had 42, while Brad Keselowski won the opening stage and finished seventh to record 40 of his own.

    Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne both were in the Top Five, with Paul Menard and David Ragan in the Top Ten. The failure of his crew to keep his right rear tight much of the race left Dale Earnhardt Jr. very ordinary in 22nd. It could have been worse. Each of the aforementioned drivers who had a different opinion of the day than I had all finished behind him. Unfortunately, this result leaves Junior 67 points, or a victory, out of a playoff spot.

    No doubt the excitement level is reaching a fever pitch as we all anticipate Kansas coming up this Saturday night. Well, that might be the case for Johnson, who has three wins at that track. Harvick, Logano, and Matt Kenseth each have a pair. Last spring, Kyle Busch won his first there. As for all the exciting highlights, we did have Denny Hamlin try to dart through a hole between Keselowski and Kyle Larson late in the game. Instead, he lost air, lost control, but found Logano to take them both out of it. In the words of Mike Joy, “That was a 7-10 split in the GoBowling 400.”

    Okay, that was the lone highlight. I hope you enjoyed it. We can always hope that this year’s race proves at least as good as last year’s line.

  • The View from my Recliner

    The View from my Recliner

    It’s Pocono week and I can tell you from experience, the infield at Pocono rivals Talladega for the things you can see and learn.

    One Pocono race, you saw porn on a big screen and a Chevy Vega and Ford Pinto chained axle to axle with a fire pit in the middle in the ultimate game of tug of war. I have witnessed a deer cross the track and a streaker on the track. Boy, there are some memories at Pocono.

    Since they dropped the racing from 500 miles to 400 miles at Pocono, it has drastically improved. I can’t explain why, but eliminating those extra 100 miles changed the way the drivers attack the track.

    It has been a little while since I wrote my column due to technical issues, but everything is ironed out and we’re all ready to set the world on fire with some predictions for the second half of the regular season.

    Prediction 1: This is from my heart probably not my head, but Tony Stewart will win a race and make the Chase. The best chance for Smoke to earn his win is at Daytona or the two road courses.

    Prediction 2: Keith Rodden will not finish the season as Kasey Kahne’s crew chief. Kasey Kahne has not run consistently well for the past three years. Rookie Chase Elliott is regularly running around the top-10 and Kahne is ranging from 15th to 20th. Hendrick Motorsports has a Cup-winning crew chief in the organization in Darian Grubb who could get right on the box and change the culture of the team.

    Prediction 3: NASCAR will make the right call with the rules package for Michigan and Kentucky and will change the rules and use that package for the rest of the season. The racing was fantastic for the All-Star race and NASCAR will try to re-create that racing.

    Prediction 4: Ty Dillon will be announced as the new driver of the No. 31 car. Kevin Harvick said before leaving RCR that those kids will get everything. It is a shame because Ryan Newman is a talented racer but you can see that he isn’t getting the best RCR equipment.

    Prediction 5: Joe Gibbs Racing will announce that Aarons will sponsor Matt Kenseth in 2017. Kenseth’s dry humor will be great for the Aarons commercials and hopefully, get Michael Waltrip off of my television.

    Kudos to Mike Joy who made sure during the Fox broadcast to seamlessly work in the names of the fallen on the windshields and the stories behind them throughout the race. It wasn’t forced and the way he told their stories was heartfelt.

    Enjoy the racing at Pocono and I’ll be back next week with the View from my Recliner.

  • The Final Word – Kyle turns it up, turns it left, and turns it right at Sonoma like a FOX on the run

    The Final Word – Kyle turns it up, turns it left, and turns it right at Sonoma like a FOX on the run

    Win and you are in, or so the saying goes. Well, not if it is only your fifth race, 16 events into the season. However, running together a string of 10 straight Top Fifteens or better is easier than taking one of these contests, and Kyle Busch checked that off his “to do” list at Sonoma Sunday.

    A late caution allowed him to swing in for fresh tires that he used to maximum effect as he got by Jimmie Johnson then held off Clint Bowyer and his brother for the victory. It marked his 30th Cup decision, but he now needs to get himself in the Top 30 in the season standings. He currently sits 136 points distant behind Cole Whitt for that final eligible spot where wins matter. Whitt, who has an average finish of just beyond 27th, was 22nd on Sunday, so Busch gained 25 points on the day.

    Brother Kurt was second, and one does wonder just how hard he was trying to break his sibling’s heart. I am sure I know what Kurt would say, but he did not seem terribly broken up by the outcome. Bowyer jumped 25 points ahead of Carl Edwards, in points, but without a win that does not matter. Where it does matter, Clint is just a point behind the equally winless Aric Almirola, and five in arrears of Ryan Newman for the final two Chase places.

    Albert Hammond was prophetic when he sang “It doesn’t rain in California,” so we saw none. What we did see was Casey Mears coming to a halt after a rear tire and attached axle housing broke free and outpaced him down the track. We saw Martin Truex Jr. force David Ragan wide into the dirt, but a small nudge later and it was Truex heading into the tires along the fence. Later, Edwards tried to avoid going off the track, nudged Ragan, and both of them found the fence. Carl was literally left sitting in 40th place.

    Jeff Gordon came in to have a spring rubber removed. That takes time, and it is quicker for a crewman to toss it over the car and over the wall. Too bad NASCAR has a thing about that, so instead of re-starting 26th, he was 28th, but 36th on the track at the end of the longest line. Sixteenth was his fate. Matt Kenseth had a flat that turned into a departing carcass, but no caution, as he hit the pits and his day did the same, landing him in 21st. A.J. Allmendinger was strong early, but a fuel pressure problem crippled his day to leave him 37th.

    Some seem to do well no matter what. Kevin Harvick was fourth, which is not a surprise, except for the disastrous pit stop that saw the jack come down before his left rear was even placed on the car. The end of hope for some, a beginning of a challenge for others, it would seem.

    Ten races are left before the Chase positions are decided, with six of the 16 current position holders still winless, facing various degrees of vulnerability. With Kyle’s win, 32 drivers are still in the hunt, including Justin Allgaier, himself just a point behind Whitt in the rankings. A win at Daytona next Sunday would sure be sweet.

    Last weekend marked the end of the NASCAR season on FOX, with Larry McReynolds leaving the announce booth in favor of Jeff Gordon when they return next February. That ends a 15-year partnership with Mike and Darrell. Personally, I think the wrong guy is leaving to join Michael Waltrip and Chris Myers down in the studio, but I do not make these Boogity-Boogity-Boogity decisions. Next week, NBC arrives back on the scene with Rick Allen, Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton doing the honors.

    At Daytona, we wait to see if we have a repeat winner or a new kid in the mix. We will see how the battle settles between Newman, Almirola and Bowyer for the final spots on points. We will watch how Kyle does in relation to Whitt and Allgaier. We will listen and watch, and no doubt evaluate, the new television crew. Finally, it is Daytona in the summer. What else do you need to tune in?

  • The Final Word – Monaco, and Indy, and Charlotte, Oh My!

    The Final Word – Monaco, and Indy, and Charlotte, Oh My!

    It was the biggest day in motorsports, starting with the streets of Monaco, where they have been racing since 1929. Then, to Indianapolis, where they have been logging 500 miles this time of year since 1911. Finally, the long way home, the World 600 at Charlotte for the boys and girl with fenders.

    Overseas, Nico Rosberg claimed the prize for the third straight year. It helps when it is handed to you. During a late caution, the dominant car of Lewis Hamilton was called in for fresh tires. He had thought Rosberg and those immediately behind him had done the same. They had not. Nice call, team. Thanks a bunch. Surprise, surprise, surprise, as Gomer Pyle used to say.

    Gomer’s creator, actor Jim Nabors, performed “Back Home Again in Indiana” for the final time last year, but Juan Pablo Montoya was back in Indianapolis. An early mishap cost the former NASCAR performer what passes for a rear fender on his open wheeled car, forcing him back to 30th. That set the stage for his charge through the pack. With just three laps to go, he made his pass for the lead and claimed the crown he first won back in 2000.

    They have been racing 600 miles at Charlotte on Memorial Day weekend since 1960, the longest NASCAR event of the season. Martin Truex Jr. would have been the story, had he won after leading 131 laps. He did not. Kurt Busch led the way for 118, but no suds for him, either. In fact, five other drivers led more than Carl Edwards, but it was the man from Missouri doing the back flip in the end as he led the final 21 to take his first of the season, 24th of his Cup career. It might still be a bit premature, but what the heck. Welcome to the Chase, Mr. Edwards.

    Welcome to the Hall of Fame, Bruton Smith. The 88-year old owner of the Charlotte track, along with seven others on the circuit, will be inducted as part of the class of 2016. Joining him will be two-time champ Terry Labonte, the legendary Curtis Turner, six-time Modified king Jerry Cook, and 1970 Cup champion Bobby Isaac.

    Landon Cassill was still running at the end of the race in Charlotte. For another hour, 41 minutes, and 49 seconds, he continued to run the 14 miles between the track and the Hall of Fame. This time, the only rubber on the road was on his sneakers. This sounds like something my sons might do. I, on the other hand, am much too smart…and fat…and old…for that.

    If you want to win the Indianapolis 500, spend some time in NASCAR. Montoya won his second after 278 races in Cup and the XFINITY series over parts of the previous nine seasons. His Indy lead engineer, Brian Campe, was on the box as a crew chief for 22 Nationwide races in 2009, including seven for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Not a bad apprenticeship.

    Jeff Gordon was at Indianapolis, drove the pace car before returning to North Carolina. After getting out of the car, he will head to the broadcast booth to join Mike Joy and Darrell Waltrip at FOX next season. I think they might be replacing the wrong guy, but maybe that is just me.

    So, what is next? The Monster Mile in Dover is slated for this Sunday, where everybody who has won there the past nine events also has claimed a Cup title along the way. In fact, over the past six years, the only non-champion to take the checkered flag there was Kyle Busch. Not a bad pick, come to think of it.

  • The Final Word – Harvick Once Again the Best in Phoenix but Fontana is Johnson Country

    The Final Word – Harvick Once Again the Best in Phoenix but Fontana is Johnson Country

    Phoenix got somewhat exciting near the end. Kevin Harvick was the star of this show, with the likes of Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray in supporting roles. Two straight this season, four straight at Phoenix, a lock on a Chase spot (you would think) and 30 career victories as he defends his Cup championship. It is good being Kevin Harvick.

    Not so good being Tony Stewart. Take some orange paper, write a number 14 on it, then crumple it all up and toss it on the floor. That is pretty much how Stewart’s car looked when it finally stopped along the wall. Thirty-ninth on the day, 35th in the standings. It is not good being Tony Stewart, at least after four Cup races.

    It was good being Dale Earnhardt Jr. Top Fives at Daytona, Atlanta and Las Vegas was good. A blown tire and a sharp slap to the wall to finish 43rd was not.

    It was good, finally, to be Kurt Busch. In the words of Mike Joy, he went from suspension to redemption, as he finished fourth in his return.

    Danica Patrick had another day outside the Top 25. Sure, her team-mates with the law firm of Stewart-Harvick-and Busch may all have won championships, but none of them have a cook book coming out. Game, set and match, losers.

    One day, one race, 43 teams. I guess that is a bit too much even for Will Ferrell.

    The best on the day amongst the lesser lights was Justin Allgaier. The 29th ranked driver from last season was 18th at Phoenix. Among the brighter bulbs who went dim were Junior, Brian Vickers, Sam Hornish Jr. and Smoke, all of whom wound up amongst the bottom five.

    The great thing about FOX Sports taking over coverage is all the extra time it has given me. No truck racing, no practices, no qualifying to sit through. Now, if I only don’t blow it all on watching curling on TSN.

    What does Junior’s puppy at Martin Truex Jr’s motorcoach have in common with Junior’s car last Sunday out on the track? That is where both suddenly went to crap.

    Someone stole the No. 44. Now a lawyer wants it. Apparently, there is a claim that team owner John Cohen owes some money, so when the counsel for the other party heard Cohen claim the car was worth $250,000 he thought he would claim a piece. Insert your favorite lawyer joke here, I guess.

    The western swing wraps up this Sunday in Fontana, California, where the mending Kyle Busch will see an end to his two race dominance of that track. Maybe that will work in favor of five time race winner Jimmie Johnson, or allow Kyle Larson to build on his runner-up performance in his one and only start there. Will it be exciting? It depends on who you like and where they are racing. Then again, who watches live events anymore? Hit record and watch the action at your own pace, maybe catch an inning or two of a ball game in the meantime, or shovel some snow, if you live in the northeast, then return to the track. Hey, it is a multi-task world.

  • The Final Word – The Countdown to the New Season is Down to Single Digits

    The Final Word – The Countdown to the New Season is Down to Single Digits

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Mike Stefanik Humbled Awaiting Hall of Fame News

    Mike Stefanik Humbled Awaiting Hall of Fame News

    Later this month, NASCAR will officially announce the next five drivers who will enter the Hall of Fame and Mike Stefanik, nine-time NASCAR champion in both the Whelen Modified Tour and the K&N Pro Series East tour, is just humbled to even be in the mix of consideration.

    “It’s very humbling actually,” Stefanik said. “I didn’t really think about it much when I found out they were coming out with the list. I thought I would see what would happen.”

    “My daughter called me and she informed me and it was pretty exciting news,” Stefanik continued. “It was kind of shocking. Even though you knew you had a chance, it was still very shocking to hear it and to get it confirmed.”

    “Shocking and humbling the more I thought about it because there are so many people that deserve to be in that Hall of Fame and I never really looked at myself as one of them,” Stefanik said. “That’s just how I am.”

    While Stefanik has accomplished much in his storied career, he credits his back to back championships in both the Busch North Series (now the K&N Pro East Series) and the Modified Tour Series in 1997 and 1998 for his consideration as a future Hall of Famer.

    “Mike Joy called me and officially gave me the news,” Stefanik said. “And Mike said that my championships had a lot to do with it. Those were two strong programs and I was in that nice spot.”

    “I knew then and told my wife that this will be remembered,” Stefanik continued. “It’s just all the stars were aligned.”

    “It was very stressful but it all worked out and I’m sure that had a lot to do with the Hall of Fame nomination.”

    Stefanik feels particularly privileged as he views his nomination as a teachable moment for fans who are not as familiar with the more grass roots, regional levels of the sport.

    “You always hear ‘When are you going to go NASCAR’ and well, I am already there,” Stefanik said. “I’ve had a NASCAR license for 37 years.”

    “NASCAR is all about levels of racing,” Stefanik continued. “Obviously the Cup level is the top rung on the ladder and then Nationwide and then Camping World Trucks and then the Touring Series.”

    “I always thought the Modifieds, and maybe I’m biased, but I always thought they were the toughest Touring Series on the schedule,” Stefanik said. “It just seemed like the level of competition, the car counts and the amount of capable cars in each race was there.”

    “Obviously the K&N Series has become more expensive than the Modified Tour but I think the Modifieds are way more competitive because of the depth and possibility of various winners at different tracks where nobody would be surprised. Twelve drivers could easily get twelve different wins.”

    So, has Mike Stefanik been to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and did he ever in his wildest imagination consider that he could be honored in those hallowed halls?

    “Oh absolutely, I’ve been to the Hall of Fame a few times,” Stefanik said. “I’m kind of a history buff. So, I love to see the older cars, how the sport developed and the technology side of the sport.”

    “It’s always interesting to stick my head inside a 1960s Cup car and wonder how those guys didn’t get hurt with such poor quality of protection at the speeds they were running back then,” Stefanik continued. “So, yeah, I always like to look back and see where the sport came from, where it is and where it’s going.”

    While Stefanik enjoys the history at the Hall, he also likes to reminisce about some of the personalities with whom he has raced when he visits.

    “When I go to the Hall of Fame, I’m looking at the technology side of racing but also the personalities, especially a personality like a Richie Evans.”

    “I was fortunate enough to race with Richie Evans and get to know Richie Evans and be a friend. He let me drive one of his cars so he had to like me to let me do that,” Stefanik continued. “So, yeah, when Richie would walk in the room, it would be like a very special person was there even when you were racing with him week in and week out. I always had a lot of respect for that man.”

    “So, going to the Hall of Fame and seeing his car in the Hall was just like you have to stop and take a moment to remember a lot of good times.”

    As the time grows closer for the Hall of Fame vote, Stefanik is taking a philosophical approach to it all as he humbly awaits the decision-making.

    “From what I understand they vote on it May 21st for the five new members to be inducted,” Stefanik said. “You can’t win if you’re not in it. So, now we’re in it and we have a shot to win it. That’s how I look at it.”

    “It’s kind of like a race and I feel like we won it before we even entered,” Stefanik continued. “But we haven’t won the race yet but we are in the race. And eventually you’ve got to come to the top however long that takes.”

    “It doesn’t matter now that I’m in it,” Stefanik said. “There are so many people more deserving than I am.”

    While he awaits the Hall of Fame decision, Stefanik is also deciding how he will fashion his own future going forward.

    “I’m not really racing now,” Stefanik said. “I have an opportunity to run some but I haven’t finalized the program. We’re just in the talking stages.”

    “That’s the only reason I didn’t officially retire,” Stefanik continued. “I knew last season I wasn’t going to run a full schedule.”

    “I’m not burned out but it’s just time,” Stefanik said. “You just know. I don’t want to officially say that I’m never going to sit in a race car again because I love racing. I love the Modified Series. So, I might run a race or two if it’s fun, if it’s right and if everything is good about it.”

    “We also have the empty nest at home,” Stefanik continued. “My kids are grown and out of the house. We have a really nice home that we really haven’t been able to enjoy because we work six days a week and then we race.”

    “I’d like to spend some time at home,” Stefanik said. “We live on a lake and I’d like to use the lake and really enjoy home. I think that’s how I’m going to spend my time. I enjoy it and it’s relaxing. We have a pontoon boat that we putt around and we’re into the kick back, stress free time as opposed to work and racing. I’m going to find some non-stressful areas and hang out in them for a while.”

    “And then I’ll probably get bored and do more racing so, who the heck knows?”

    Stefanik summed up his thoughts on his Hall of Fame nomination in three words, flattering, humbling and magical.

    “The more I think about this, it’s very flattering,” Stefanik said. “It makes you think back to when you get started and all the people that I really hope can be a part of it when and if it happens. I’ve been thinking about that which is unusual for me.”

    “I’m very humbled by it and I’ll be humbled when it happens whenever that is,” Stefanik continued. “It will be more of an ‘Oh my God feeling” than some who might have a feeling of “finally”.

    “I won’t have that,” Stefanik said. “I’ll be nervous.”

    “I never got into racing to be in the Hall of Fame but it is quite a good place to end up and certainly it will be a magical time when that does happen.”