Tag: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

NASCAR Good Guys: Laps for charity in Las Vegas

Have you ever found yourself sitting in the grandstand, at a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, wondering what it would be like to drive around one of those massive speedways? Even just the opportunity to drive your personal street car around one of these tracks would be a genuine thrill and a great story for the Monday morning water cooler when you returned to work.

The opportunity to drive your personal vehicle on a 1.5 mile paved oval will be available at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and at the same time, will allow you the opportunity to support a very worthy charity.

Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC) will present its annual Laps for Charity event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, January 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

NASCAR fans and auto enthusiasts will have the unique opportunity to drive their personal vehicle around the 1.5-mile super speedway at speeds up to 75 miles per hour (behind a pace car).

“Drivers will feel the rush as they drive their vehicle three times around our track for a $30 donation to SCC.” The $30 entry fee is per vehicle; not per person.

You can register for Laps for Charity online or by calling 702-632-8242.

Speedway Children’s Charities mission “remains true to the ideals it was founded upon in 1982: To care for children in educational, financial, social and medical need in order to help them lead productive lives.”

“SCC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and provides funding for hundreds of non-profit organizations throughout the nation that meet the direct needs of children. Their vision is that every child has the same opportunities no matter what obstacle they are facing.”

The charity was founded by “Bruton Smith, Chairman of Speedway Motorsports and Sonic Automotive, as a memoriam and legacy to his son, Bruton Cameron Smith, who passed away at a very young age. Given his experience, Smith became passionate about wanting to help children in need and Speedway Children’s Charities was created focusing on communities surrounding SMI speedways.”

“Our sole concern at SCC is to help a child in need,” says Smith.

In 1982, SCC went national and now funds thousands of organizations throughout the country “that help children directly with everything from educational support to the basic need of a coat or a simple meal.”

They describe themselves as “more than just a fundraiser.”

“Our local chapters are partners in change, working with a broad range of people and organizations to identify and resolve pressing issues dealing with children in their communities.”

Each community’s needs are assessed locally. “Challenges ranging from learning disabilities, broken homes, and childhood cancer are on the agenda for the local chapters of SCC and the numerous non-profit organizations they support. Although priorities for Speedway Children’s Charities are set locally, we have one common goal – to ensure every child in need be given the tools to build a better, brighter and healthy future.”

The reference to the SCC’s priorities being set locally was generated by a brilliant idea from Speedway Motorsport’s founder and Chairman Bruton Smith who set up local chapters at each of the speedways owned by SMI.

Those local chapters are located at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kentucky Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, the Texas Motor Speedway and the aforementioned Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Over the years, each SCC location has been extremely successful in presenting very creative fundraisers while interacting with charitable organizations, in the communities where the speedway’s are located, to address the needs of children.

In its three decades plus years in existence, Speedway Children’s Charities has more than earned the title “NASCAR Good Guys.”

January 18, 2014
The Top 20 Sprint Cup Drivers entering 2014

This was pretty tough to put together. Honestly, anybody in the top 10 outside of first could be ranked in any order, and so many teams are so good it’s tough to put them in order.

One thing I’ve noticed is that the good drivers keep getting better. In 2005, Tony Stewart won the championship with five top-fives and seven top-10s, with no wins during the Chase. Eight years later, Jimmie Johnson wins the championship with two wins, seven top-fives, and nine top-10s, with all 10 races in the Chase being top-15 finishes. While the quality of racing may not be as good as it was in 2005, nobody can argue the competition has become more fierce.

Remember though, that this list is my opinion. You are allowed to disagree and give me yours in the comment section below.

I ranked this using Chase Results, overall season stats, off-season changes and my opinion on the driver. This is not my predictions for final 2014 points, only who is the best going into the season. I do not count Nationwide Series results unless the driver raced for points in that series last season; this is why Kyle Busch isn’t first and Larson and Dillon are where they are.

Honorable Mention: AJ Allmendinger

What a comeback year for the 32 year old driver from California. After losing the ride of a lifetime in 2012 after failing a drug test, he gets rehired by Penske Racing to run a few IndyCar and Nationwide Series races and over performs. He won both of his Nationwide races last season and might have won the Indy 500 if it were not for a broken seat belt. Then he gets hired by JTG-Daugherty and gives them the best runs in that car since Marcos Ambrose ran it, with a shot to win Watkins Glen in particular. All of this without mentioning his top-15 runs helping to put the tiny James Finch team in the top-10 in Sprint Cup owner points in the early portion of the 2013 season.

20: Jamie McMurray

The 2010 Daytona 500 champion enters 2014 as the veteran driver of Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR). Outside of Loudon and his Talladega win, he really didn’t do much in the Chase. He can make the 2014 Chase, but his two main problems are constituency and he needs to turn top-20s into top-10s, and top-10s into top-fives.

19. Carl Edwards

My, how the mighty have fallen. After tying with Tony Stewart for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in points in 2011 (losing on tiebreaker), he missed the Chase in 2012 and had the single worst point finish of any Chaser in history. (Nobody has finished worse than 12th before, Edwards finished 13th).

18. Greg Biffle

Biffle is the quietest guy in the Cup Series. I almost completely forgot about him when making this ranking. If he wants to move from 10th in points to top five, he needs to do better than 16th or worse in three Chase races.

17. Kyle Larson

This guy has a lot of talent, as has been said before. He’s a huge question mark this season. Is it too early? Can CGR compete with other teams? “The Knife” could have a typical rookie season, be incredibly successful or be like Danica Patrick and finish 27th in points.

16. Kasey Kahne

Next year’s champion? Every single year I see people say this will be Kahne’s season, almost more so than a certain driver in a bright yellow Toyota. In reality, almost every season he struggles to make the Chase. Then if he does make the Chase, he usually doesn’t do much or is too inconsistent to do much. Last season in particular, I think his big hurdle is that when it gets down to it, he can’t close and get the win. Just look at his awesome duels with Kenseth all throughout 2013 and who ended up going to Victory Lane in every one of them.

15. Ryan Newman

It was a roller coaster season for the “Ogre from South Bend.” First he loses his ride, then that very week he wins at his home track in Indianapolis. Then he gets screwed out of the Chase due to Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) shenanigans, but was put in it anyway. Now he’s with a new Richard Childress Racing (RCR) where the only returning driver is Paul Menard. It’s going to be interesting to see what Newman will do in the No. 31 compared to Jeff Burton, who did a lot of nothing over the past two years.

14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Here’s my crazy prediction for this season – Stenhouse will contend for the Chase and win a couple of races. He’s got a year under his belt now and he has his old Nationwide championship winning crew chief now. He scored all three of his top-10s in the last 11 races of the season. I think he’s also going to continue being way ahead of Danica Patrick. When she said that she wanted to be the one among the two who got the first victory, I really doubt I was the only one who out and out belly laughed.

13. Denny Hamlin

Everything since 2010 Homestead has been downhill for Hamlin. Yes he won five races in 2012, but only one of those was in the Chase. Winning races is good and all, but at this point in Hamlin’s career, you need to be competing for championships year in and year out. Even if he wasn’t knocked out of action at Auto Club Speedway, I really doubt he would have competed for one in 2013. The only reason he’s this high on the list is because of four top-10s in the final six races along with a win at Homestead.

12. Joey Logano

Logano finally buckled down and made the Chase last season, even though he was too inconsistent to do much. He didn’t make many friends last season at all, but he finally grew as a driver and is starting to live up to his potential while breaking the 22 car curse. A great thing going for him is his teammate. Say what you will about Brad Keselowski, but it isn’t like Logano had a former champion to help him out back with Gibbs.

11. Clint Bowyer

This team might have very well won the championship or at least could have been a contender before Richmond. It took a lot of momentum from MWR as a whole and Bowyer’s team might have suffered the most with them being in the center of the controversy. He may change things in 2014 but he enters it at an all time low.

10. Austin Dillon

Dillon is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year (ROTY) and the Nationwide Series championship. Yes, he didn’t win a race last season in Nationwide, but that’s primarily because of Sprint Cup drivers winning 26 races last year (28 if you count AJ Allmendinger, which I don’t.) He’s going to have enormous pressure coming into this season, as would any driver stepping into that No. 3 Chevy.

9. Kurt Busch

He took a tiny team into the Chase and gave all of the bigger teams a run for their money. Now he’s finally back in a car with the best equipment in the business and with a championship winning team in Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). Don’t call it a comeback, because he never really left.

8. Brad Keselowski

The 2012 Champ started off 2013 wrong and it just kept getting worse and worse. Part of the problem has to have been Roush-Yates engines not being ready to support two more full time teams, as the Fords in general struggled this year.

7. Tony Stewart

Okay, he might be a strange choice to be in the top 10, but let me explain. I think he’s one of the best pure drivers in NASCAR, and I think he’s going to enter this season ready to make up for lost time.

6. Jeff Gordon

Just missing out on a top five spot in 2013, Gordon’s Chase personified his career the past few years. He’ll do consistently well, even winning a race, before something happens, in this case, a wreck at Texas on lap 75. If you don’t count that, he’s in the top 15 in every single race from Bristol onward.

5. Matt Kenseth

Yes, I know I’m going to get a lot of hate mail for this. It seems really strange having the runner-up in points who won seven races last year, only fifth, but I think the runner-up hangover is just too strong to get over. Bowyer couldn’t, Edwards couldn’t, and it’s still affecting Hamlin four years later. I don’t see how he’s going to be that different.

4. Kyle Busch

The 18 team are the Dallas Cowboys of NASCAR. They either fail to make the playoffs against all odds, or they do and choke away the championship either way. And like Dallas, it’s really sad to see it happen, because outside of the play-offs they are supremely talented and always a threat every week. You also either love them or hate them. There is very little middle ground.

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

I think Earnhardt’s big problem this year is the new crew chief search. That will always distract a driver when it happens to them, in some way. It’s a shame too, because he and Letarte finally started clicking together this season, the final eight races in particular.

2. Kevin Harvick

The only problem Harvick might have next season is that SHR is spreading itself a bit thin. Otherwise, he has all the momentum and now he’s in absolute top of the line equipment, not the RCR stuff that only he can win with.

1. Jimmie Johnson

Who were you expecting to be up here? If Jimmie wins nine races and the championship this season, he’ll match Earnhardt Sr. in wins and championships in roughly five less full-time seasons. And the scary thing is that I think nobody in the entire sport would be shocked if he has that kind of season. Case in point: his worst finish in the Chase was a 13th at Talladega, the place where luck takes priority over talent or equipment. Other than that, he had seven top-fives, a sixth at Kansas and a ninth at Homestead, where he was more concerned with finishing the race rather than getting the best result possible. Can anybody stop Johnson? Possibly but I wouldn’t bet on it.

January 17, 2014
NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: Austin Dillon

From the very moment Richard Childress Racing (RCR) announced that driver Austin Dillon was moving up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and would be in the No. 3 Chevrolet, the response was immediate among the NASCAR media and the fans of the sport.

When the official press conference was held last fall and the cover was removed from the No. 3, the pressure was on for young Austin Dillon. That was perfectly understandable and he expected it.

He also responded to the pressure in a very big way during the Friday, January 10th, NASCAR Preseason Thunder test at Daytona International Speedway. Dillon turned a practice lap of 195.109 mph. That effort placed him on top of a 41 car speed chart and that’s where he stayed throughout the practice session.

Everyone was watching. That No. 3 got a lot of Fox Sports 1 television time throughout the day and Dillon was highly sought after for interviews.

“I’m honored to be in the 3,” said Dillon, adding, “this is special and walking into this (NASCAR Sprint) Cup garage this weekend is pretty cool. There are so many heroes in this garage for me, and just being in this garage is going to be pressure.”

That black No. 3 RCR Chevrolet is, of course, forever linked to the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. who won nearly all of his seven NASCAR championships in that ride. It was also that same black No. 3 that elevated Richard Childress to team owner super status. That alone has created a lot of reverence towards that particular car and number.

All throughout the 2013 NASCAR season, there was a lot of speculation that said Childress was seriously considering the return of the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet.

Some of the immediate fan reaction praised the resurrection of the return of a car, number and paint job that created so much racing history. Some said NASCAR should have officially retired the number, following Earnhardt’s tragic death back in 2001. Still others said what’s the big deal? It’s only a number. These are all valid points.

You also have to consider the thought that there are two additional big winners, besides Dillon and Childress, connected to the return of the No. 3. That would be the team’s primary sponsors, Dow Chemicals and Cheerios.

That fact was evident based on the large number of live television shots of the No. 3 during the Daytona test session. Dillon and his No. 3 Chevrolet clearly will be generating a lot of attention all through 2014 and that’s going to translate into some huge publicity numbers for any company that has its logo on the car. In fact, it’s safe to say that the last time any driver and car generated this much attention was the arrival of Danica Patrick to NASCAR racing.

Despite all of this attention and any sense of pressure that may come with it, Austin Dillon seems to be cool, calm and collected. He certainly proved it during the Daytona test.

We will all be watching this driver and team throughout the season and don’t be too surprised if some very impressive accomplishments comes early and often from Dillon and the return of the No. 3.

January 11, 2014
NASCAR Class of 2013 Yearbook Memories

The 2013 season of NASCAR will be remembered as one of the most tumultuous in recent memory. The year would not be complete without a few snapshots to commemorate the highs and lows.

Favorite Couple: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte

The partnership between the most popular driver and his Hendrick Motorsports crew chief continues to improve with each passing year. In 2013 the pair had their best season together earning fifth place in the Chase point standings.

Dale Jr. had an impressive run during the final 10 races of the Chase with five top-5s that included three runner-up finishes and 8 top-10 finishes. His most disappointing result was due to a blown engine at Chicagoland Speedway.

“I don’t know what would have happened if we could have done Chicago over but we ran so good in the other nine races, we’ve just got to be real proud of ourselves,” Earnhardt said.

“We’ve got nothing to be disappointed about. We’ve gotten better each year, and that’s what we’re supposed to do.”

Worst Breakup: Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing

Few in NASCAR will ever forget how Harvick took over the vacant seat at RCR after Dale Earnhardt’s tragic death in 2001. They were shoes that could never be filled but Harvick handled the challenge with humility and respect.

When Kevin Harvick first announced that he was leaving Richard Childress Racing after the end of the 2013 season, many were surprised. However Harvick emphasized that he and the team were committed to finishing the year on a positive note by contending for the championship. From the outside, it appeared to be an amicable split.

But appearances can be deceiving.

During a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway, tempers flared between Harvick and Ty Dillon as they were competing for second place during the final laps of the race and got together. The two drivers spun out and continued to show their displeasure with each other on the track. Things disintegrated further when Dillon’s crew members got involved by going after Harvick on pit road.

It was Harvick’s comments after the race that sealed the end of this partnership.

“The 3 just dumped me,” he said. “Exactly the reason why I’m leaving RCR because you’ve got those kids coming up that got no respect for what they do in this sport and they’ve had everything fed to them with a spoon.”

Although Harvick later apologized, it was obvious that the relationship had actually ended long before the season came to a close.

Most Popular Race: Eldora Speedway – The Mudsummer Classic Camping World Truck Series race

The race at Eldora Speedway was one of the most highly anticipated events of the 2013 NASCAR season and it lived up to expectations. It wasn’t the biggest or the fastest but it showcased the best short track competition that NASCAR has to offer.

Austin Dillon won the inaugural event becoming the first driver to win a Camping World Truck Series race on dirt.

The event marked NASCAR’s first national series dirt race since 1970. It was filled with side-by-side racing action, exciting passes and enough beating and banging to keep the sold out crowd on their feet. This back to basics, stripped down version of racing is the heart and soul of a sport that many feel has lost its way.

Biggest Controversy: The September 7^th race at Richmond International Raceway

The final race of NASCAR’s 2013 regular season will be remembered as a turning point in the sport’s history. A suspicious spin by Clint Bowyer led to an investigation and NASCAR determined that Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) manipulated the race results at Richmond. Penalties were issued, points were deducted and as a result MWR teammate Martin Truex Jr. lost his spot in the Chase to Ryan Newman.

But that was only the beginning. Further allegations of cheating by two other teams led to more investigation by NASCAR and an unprecedented decision to add a 13^th driver, Jeff Gordon, to the Chase for the Championship.

Brian France explained, “We believe that there were too many things that altered the event that gave an unfair disadvantage to Jeff and his team, who would have qualified. It’s just the right thing to do. I have the authority to do that, and we are going to do that.”

Many fans applauded NASCAR for doing the “right thing” but just as many were appalled at what they saw as NASCAR “fixing” the Chase to include one of its most influential drivers. The fact that Gordon drives for Hendrick Motorsports, arguably the most powerful team in NASCAR, only added fuel to the fire.

Has the integrity of NASCAR been irreparably damaged by this incident? Only time will tell.

Most Likely to Continue to Succeed: Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson’s sixth championship title has catapulted him into an elite group of NASCAR champions. Only Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have more with seven each. Johnson already has the record for most consecutive championships with five titles between the years 2006-2010. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that he will not only equal but surpass the record set by Petty and Earnhardt.

There is no doubt that Johnson has earned his place as one of the best drivers in the history of NASCAR and he’s not done yet. The more intriguing question is this. Does success equal greatness?

Best Move: Matt Kenseth

Matt Kenseth’s move from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing has provided what Kenseth called an “unbelievable” year.

“Obviously it’s been a great year, best year I’ve ever had,” said Kenseth. “I think when you look at our season overall, when I talk about it being the best season of my career, we didn’t come up with the championship, the championship is the ultimate goal, you always want that, but from a competitive standpoint it’s been by far the best season of my career.

“We lead the most laps, qualified the best, most wins, all that stuff. From a competitive standpoint, it was our best year.”

Kenseth scored a career best seven Sprint Cup wins in one season, a career best of 1,783 laps led and captured three poles along the way.

Most Significant Victory: Darrell Wallace Jr.

When Darrell Wallace Jr. won the Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in October, he became the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race since Wendell Scott’s win on December 1, 1963.

After the race, Wallace spoke passionately about the impact of this win.

“It means everything,” Wallace said. “This is an emotional one for me, especially to do it in Wendell Scott’s backyard. I love coming here to Martinsville. It’s always good to me, and it finally paid off.”

He also hopes that it will help propel his career forward.

“Winning, there’s nothing better than winning,” he said. “And I think that’ll help kind of pave its own way there, and hopefully get my name out there even more. Winning this big race can always do that, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do all year is to get my name out there, to keep pushing, to strive for kids younger than me to get in the sport and be here sitting here talking to you guys one day.”

Best Comeback: Shane Hmiel

Shane Hmiel’s story is one of triumph over adversity. As he made his way through the ranks of the Busch Series (now Nationwide Series), his career was put on hold when he failed a drug test in 2003 and was suspended indefinitely. He was reinstated in 2004 but over the next couple of years failed two more drug tests and in 2006 was banned from NASCAR for life.

Hmiel fought his way back to sobriety and began competing in the touring divisions of the United States Auto Club (USAC) Series. Then, in 2010 he faced the biggest challenge of his life.

While attempting to qualify for a USAC Silver Crown race, his car hit the outside wall and rolled several times. The roll cage was damaged and Hmiel suffered head and spinal injuries that left him paralyzed. He wasn’t expected to live but once more, Hmiel defied the odds.

In January 2013 his recovery took another leap forward when he was given the chance to get behind the wheel of a racecar one more time at Rockingham Speedway.

Accessible Racing co-founder and president, Brian Hanaford, Hmiel’s mother, Lisa, and Andy Hillenburg, president of Rockingham Speedway, were instrumental in giving Shane this unique opportunity. Randy LaJoie whose company ‘Joie of Seating’ makes custom seats for race cars, provided the specialized seats.

Hmiel drove 10 laps around the track and as he headed into the pits, the huge grin on his face spoke volumes.

“I don’t want to get out, let’s go again,” he exclaimed!”

Shane Hmiel’s tenacity is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

“It felt so great to be back,” he said. “The conceited side of me loves this. It proves to people, do not quit. You can always do more. Believe in that. It’ll get you so far.”

These are only a few of the most memorable NASCAR moments in 2013. Records were broken, champions were crowned and controversy abounded. The new season begins in less than three months. Will you be watching?

December 3, 2013

Hot 20 over the Chase 10 – Jimmie Johnson was not perfect, but more than good enough in 2013

A mulligan is a do over, a chance to remove from consideration what one has done in the hopes of replacing it with something done better. This year in the Chase, a mulligan was no more than the name of a steam shovel operator from a book in primary school.

So, what would constitute a mulligan in Jimmie Johnson’s world? The closest he came during the Chase would have been his 13th place finish at Talladega. It was the only track he failed to record a Top Ten, one of just three he was not in the Top Five in those ten events. Matt Kenseth was 20th at Talladega and 23rd at Phoenix. Kevin Harvick was 20th at Loudon. Dale Earnhardt Jr had a 35th place result in Chicago, and 15th at Charlotte. All in all, pretty darn good, just not good enough when compared to the six time champion.

Johnson won the title by 19 points over Kenseth in the official standings and he was best over the ten Chase races by 22. Even if we went old school with a 36 race tally, Six Pack would have beat out Harvick by 41 points over the season and Kenseth by 56 to claim the crown. In short, Johnson did not allow any mulligan’s to be used, as a finish outside the Top 13 pretty much ended one’s hopes. His average finish in the Chase was a very hot 5.1.

The good news is that his standard, this hot streak, can, and has been done better. From August 12 through October 1st in 1967, Richard Petty’s average finish was 1…with a record of ten straight victories. Yes, it can be done but something tells me that this might not offer much solace to those hoping to keep J.J. from tying the King and the Intimidator in season championships in 2014.

Here is a look at our hottest 20 drivers over the ten Chase races.

	Driver	W	T5	T10	Ave	Pts
1	Jimmie Johnson	2	7	9	5.1	407
2	Matt Kenseth	2	6	7	7.4	385
3	Kevin Harvick	2	3	8	7.3	379
4	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	0	5	8	8.5	363
5	Kyle Busch	0	5	7	9.5	352
6	Jeff Gordon	1	3	5	11.3	337
7	Clint Bowyer	0	2	6	10.9	336
8	Brad Keselowski	1	2	5	12.9	321
9	Joey Logano	0	3	5	12.6	320
10	Greg Biffle	0	1	3	12.6	318
11	Kurt Busch	0	3	3	13.3	309
12	Martin Truex, Jr.	0	1	4	13.4	307
13	Jamie McMurray	1	2	3	16	286
14	Ryan Newman	0	0	6	16	286
15	Kasey Kahne	0	3	3	16.2	283
16	Jeff Burton	0	0	1	16.5	278
17	Carl Edwards	0	1	3	16.9	276
18	Denny Hamlin	1	1	4	17.8	268
19	Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.	0	1	2	17.6	265
20	Paul Menard	0	1	2	18.9	251

December 3, 2013

The Big Disconnect: Why racing will never be a fully accepted mainstream “sport” in America

As an American racing fan, be it NASCAR, IndyCar, F1, or just about anything else, you know racing really isn’t covered well at all by mainstream sports media.

Here in Southern Maryland, I may see a mention or two during Speedweeks or Indy month, but outside of that no mention on local TV. On ESPN I have to wade through NFL, MLB, NBA, and NCAA before maybe a mention of NASCAR or something with Danica Patrick. Fox Sports is basically the same. Now granted both sports groups have hour or half an hour long NASCAR shows (NASCAR Now and Race Hub) each day in season, but nobody watches them compared to SportsCenter or even Fox Sports Live (I think, but either way I doubt the FSL audience is 100% NASCAR fans).

The problem with this being, of course, that both sport groups air every single NASCAR race from its three National series with the lone exception of TNT’s six race summer series. I know what you may be thinking right now: “Well, that’s pretty dumb. Why not really promote something you’re going to air?”

Guess what? They aren’t being dumb, they’re being smart, because NASCAR simply isn’t accepted as a sport by the majority of the viewing public.

Even if you hate football and have never played it, I’m pretty certain that you can at least accept that there is athleticism and that it is a sport. Same with basketball, hockey, and baseball. Unless you’re a Yankees fan, I’m pretty sure you see it as throwing big money at cheaters but I digress. People generally go to college and throw all of their hopes into making it into the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, or XFL (In Vince McMahon’s mind).

Last time I checked, the NCAA doesn’t sanction a racing series. Sure, drivers have gone to college before but that’s primarily to have a back up plan if it doesn’t work out – only 43 drivers start in Cup races, so the chance to make it big is pretty darn low. Mechanics are a different story but they don’t receive a tenth of the credit the driver usually does.

If I wanted to go throw a football, I have a buddy who lives down the road who has an old football we can play with. I don’t have a buddy with two Sprint Cup cars along with a quarter mile we can play with. Herein lies one of the big problem with mainstream opinion on motorsports – they do not understand that there is a core difference between driving and racing, they simply believe it is one and the same. I drive every day to work in my Toyota, this is the only connection many have with motorsports, even though the only similarity between the two is controlling an automobile down a road for a distance.

Driving is to travel a distance to get to a location and something the general public does everyday. Racing is something most sane people will never get the opportunity to do outside of carney go kart tracks where half the karts don’t work and the green one is always the fastest (in my experience). Just because I drive everyday in a Toyota, which has AC in the summer, doesn’t mean I can hop into the #18 Camry, no AC in a fire suit in a 100 degree cockpit, and become the next Kyle Busch. It took Busch 20 years of racing to get where he is today. I haven’t had a minute of it.

When I watch football, when Aaron Rodgers is on an absolute roll I can see the fire in his eyes, just how perfect he is at throwing the football. On the flipside, when Jay Cutler is having a bad day, I can see the anger, the heartbreak in his face and in his body language, every bad throw. This is why Tim Tebow was such a big deal to the mainstream – he has emotion, charisma, and fire most athletes could only dream to have, just no talent. You do not see this in motorsport, especially NASCAR.

Unless you really watch at driver motions in the windshield, you can’t see through the car and watch Busch wheel a loose car from the back to the front. Thus, there I think might be the biggest disconnect of all, the perceived lack of emotion on display. Outside of the insane wreck or two, when do you hear about NASCAR in mainstream media? Post race, when the emotion and the fights, the heartbreak, and the joy are all on full display.

Finally, the short attention span of Americans today make it hard to watch things for extended periods of time on TV if you don’t know about those involved. If I were to watch Landon Cassill swap the lead back and forth with Aric Almirola, I’d be pretty happy and would be interested. To the average channel surfer, they don’t know or care about that and would leave in a few minutes if it is the same old same old. Compare that to football, within a few minutes different players are guaranteed to be on the field doing different things.

No matter how well the sport of racing is doing ratings or fan base wise compared to its contemporaries, there will always be a Donovan McNabb out there who obviously doesn’t understand it and demeans it. If baseball is relatively easy to follow and football hard to understand at first, racing might be the single most complicated of them all. And it might have the most raw emotion out of its fans- even during a bad race fans are never going to keep to themselves about it.

December 1, 2013
SHR continues to get stronger

On the last edition of The Inside Pass (www.theinsidepass.net), heard on Tuesday November 26th, my co-host Randy Miller and I spoke at length with veteran spotter Tim Fedewa. The conversation ranged from the new Gen 6 car and the struggles of the Ford camp to find speed through out the season to what Tim is looking forward to doing during the off season (hunting for those wondering).

The telling point in the interview was when Randy Miller asked Tim what his plans were for next season. Tim broke the news that he would be moving to the number 4 car and would be spotting for Kevin Harvick moving forward into the 2014 season. Tim is still currently under contract with Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) until the end of the year, which for those that do not know the NASCAR year typically ends on December 31st of each year. Tim expected to be spotting for RPM during the early December testing at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Tim believes that he will be spotting for Aric Almilrola during that testing session, but nothing is firmed up yet. During the off air conversation, Tim also confirmed that this would be a year to year contract.

When asked Tim stated that he is excited about thae move, and that he is very appreciative of everything that working at the legendary Richard Petty Motorsports has done for him personally and professionally. He enjoyed working with Marcus Ambrose and felt strongly that they as a team were really close to getting the Australian driver his first oval track win. As the interview progressed, I asked Tim exactly what does a spotter do to help build the level of trust up that is needed between a spotter and a driver moving into the January testing at Daytona, which is where Kevin and Tim will be working together for the first time. Tim’s response was enlightening, they are going to be sitting down to lunches together along with recently named crew chief Rodney Childers, who is leaving Micheal Waltrip Racing (MWR), along with the car chief to try and get on the same page moving forward.

As the title of this article implies gaining a veteran spotter such as Tim bodes well for the fans of Kevin Harvick and does not bode well for the rest of the field. Tim has been spotting in the national series dating back to when the Sprint Cup was known as the Nextel Cup. Tim is a former racer turned spotter. He understands how to help a driver navigate the traffic and track in order to help his team and driver get the very best out of the car. When teamed with a driver who is known for taking care of his equipment and being “there” at the end of a race, this could potentially be the new powerhouse driver/spotter combination. When asked what he had already been doing to prepare for the potential move to Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), Tim replied that he had been scanning the 29 cars channels in order to pick up on the lingo and the meter that Billy O’Dea and Kevin used throughout the latter stages of the year so that he would be better prepared for his new role with Kevin.

Tim’s pedigree in racing is not a short lived one, he was born into a racing family. His father Butch raced in several series eventually reaching the ARCA/ReMax series before retiring and began helping Tim with his racing career. Tim made limited starts in the Camping World Truck and some 300 Nationwide Series starts, with four wins in that series, along with one start in the Winston Cup Series, and also ran in a relief role for John Andretti with Petty Motorsports at the Coke 600 in 2000 when John was injured. Tim understands the nuances that help make a car go fast, this role with the new number 4 team is not something that Tim simply fell into over night. He has been doing this for awhile now, and he has the respect of his peers atop the spotter’s stand. While NASCAR may have mandated rules changes that there would no longer be “deals” made from the spotters stand, I hope no one is naive enough to think that the spotters don’t work together to try and help their driver out when trying to make their way through the field.

When you take a look at the cache of talented members continuously being added to the stables over at Stewart-Haas Racing, I think that we could see a few new/old faces challenging Jimmie Johnson (six time) for the championship next season.

November 28, 2013
Trevor Bayne and Charlie Kimball Race With Passion In Spite of Illness

While Trevor Bayne, NASCAR Cup and Nationwide Series driver as well as Daytona 500 winner, and Charlie Kimball, IZOD IndyCar Series driver, may compete in very different worlds, they are indeed united in their passion to race in spite of battling major illness.

Bayne, the 22 year old Roush Fenway Racing driver, was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Charlie Kimball, who drives for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing, was diagnosed in 2007 with diabetes.

Both share the distinction of being one of the few race car drivers to reach the top levels in their respective series to compete with significant health challenges. Yet both had very similar reactions after their diagnosis, wondering just how this would affect their racing careers.

For Bayne, it took several years of testing after experiencing double vision, nausea and fatigue, before his diagnosis of MS was confirmed. Bayne’s sister also has the disease, however, it was still a most unexpected revelation for the young driver.

“Back in 2011 I started going to Mayo Clinic after I’d been out with double vision,” Bayne said. “It’s kind of relieving to finally have a diagnosis.”

“When you’re 20 you want to think you’re superman and you’re really not and there’s going to be hard times you have to overcome,” Bayne continued. “I hope this won’t slow me down, especially because our job is to go really fast.”

Kimball was diagnosed with diabetes almost six years ago after going to the doctor with a skin rash.

“When I mentioned I had been drinking a lot of water and I jumped on the scales and had lost 25 pounds in just five days, the doctor told me he thought I had diabetes,” Kimball said. “I really didn’t know what it was and my first thought then was wondering if I would ever drive again.”

“I remember the doctor looked me square in the eye and said he didn’t see any reason why not,” Kimball continued. “There are incredible people with diabetes doing amazing things all over the world.”

“I was told I may have to make some adjustments but that it shouldn’t slow me down at all,” Kimball said. “And as a racing driver, not slowing down was something I could really get behind.”

To date, Bayne has not had to make any adjustments for his illness in the race car, including not having to take any medication. He has been advised, however, that he will have to manage fatigue, stress and heat in order to effectively cope with the potentially disabling disease.

Kimball, on the other hand, has to manage a myriad of steps with his diabetes that begins even before he climbs into the cockpit of his race car.

“My diabetes management happens before I get in the car, especially at the race track,” Kimball said. “It comes down to managing hydration, my nutrition and my blood sugar levels as well.”

“For me it’s taking insulin and using my NovoLog Flex Pen so that my blood sugars are where they need to be when I climb into the race car,” Kimball continued. “So, ideally, when I’m in the race car all I have to think about is driving and hopefully winning.”

In spite of having to carefully monitor his blood sugar levels and adjust accordingly, Kimball’s diabetes has never interfered with his performance in the car. In fact, the racer has had a breakout season, with a win in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio and a podium sweep for team Ganassi at Pocono this past year.

Kimball and his teammates were also the overall Rolex 24 at Daytona winners for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in January 2013.

“I’ve never had any issues where my diabetes has affected what I do in the cockpit,” Kimball said. “My IndyCar experience is a little bit different because I wear a glucose monitor so I can keep track of where my blood sugar is during the race.”

“I actually have two drink bottles in the cockpit, one for hydration and one full of orange juice,” Kimball continued. “That way, if my blood sugar is getting low for some reason, I can drink that juice and I don’t have to stop.”

Both drivers have expressed how important it is to not only compete but to also share their stories with others, including their teams, fellow racers and fans. In fact, that passion about helping others realize that they too can succeed in spite of their health challenges has been what has motivated the two drivers most.

“I know there a lot of people out there dealing with these things,” Bayne said. “It’s something I want to be able to share with people.”

“I know people can relate to struggles.”

“I think the biggest message is that you can overcome challenges and still live your dream,” Kimball said. “When I get to meet a newly-diagnosed patient, the biggest thing I try to impart to them is that they can still live their dream, whatever they want to do in life.”

“They may have to make some adjustments but the challenges they face should not slow them down.”

Bayne and Kimball share one other important characteristic. Both want not only continue to pursue their racing passions but also succeed at the highest levels in both NASCAR and the IZOD IndyCar Series.

“I’ve never been more driven to compete,” Bayne said. “My goals are the same as they’ve been since I started racing.”

“I want to compete at the highest level and I want to win races and championships,” Bayne continued.
“I am in the best shape I’ve ever been in, and I feel good.”

“Our team had a great year, with a top-ten in points in a season that was so competitive,” Kimball said. “It was a great, great result not just for myself but the whole team.”

“The team has built a foundation and with Tony Kanaan coming on board and switching to Chevy power, I hope to be fighting for race wins and the championship, from the first race in St. Pete.”

While both racing series take a break until next year, allowing Bayne to enjoy a long-awaited honeymoon and Kimball some travel to California for family time and rest and relaxation, both drivers are absolutely committed to their dreams, even with their own physical challenges.

“I’ve been racing since I was 5 years old and this doesn’t change a thing,” Bayne said. “I want to do things I’ve always dreamed of, and we have high hopes we can continue to do that.”

“With November being Diabetes Awareness Month, it’s a great opportunity for me to share my story,” Kimball said. “Driving a race car is what I do for a living but the fact that I have diabetes means that I’m a living example that you can still live your dream.”

“Overcoming the challenge of diabetes is very close to my heart….and to my pancreas as well,” Kimball said with a chuckle. “Seriously though, it’s a great opportunity to get the awareness out there and encourage people to understand it and still live their own dreams.”

November 24, 2013
NASCAR Champions Featuring Lee Petty

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accomplishments/Awards:

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

November 13, 2013
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started on the pole and finished third in the AdvoCare 500, well ahead of Matt Kenseth, who struggled and finished 23rd. Johnson has a 28-point lead heading into Homestead, and needs only a finish of 23rd or better to clinch the Cup.

“Anything can happen at Homestead,” Johnson said. “But I’d prefer that nothing happen.

“I’m close to my sixth Cup title, which would place me only one behind Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. My goal is to be mentioned in the same sentence with ‘The King’ and ‘The Intimidator,’ and I don’t see anything stopping me, except a cool nickname.”

2. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 23rd on a disastrous day at Phoenix, handicapped by a car that proved unresponsive to adjustments. He started the day seven points behind Jimmie Johnson, and finished in a 28-point hole.

“I won my first Cup championship ten years ago,” Kenseth said. “Likewise, my second Cup championship is history, also.”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick won at Phoenix, recording his fourth win of the year in his next-to-last race with Richard Childress Racing. He is third in the points standings, 34 out of first.

“This may be my last victory burnout,” Harvick said. “And speaking of ‘burnout,’ I am so ready to leave RCR. When you combine nepotism with narcissism, you get RCR. There’s no ‘I’ in team, and trust me, there’s no ‘me’ in that team.”

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt continued his strong finish to the Chase with a fourth in the Advocare 500, his fourth-consecutive top 10 and seventh of the Chase. He is fifth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 63 out of first.

“It’s important to build momentum for next year,” Earnhardt said. “And we have. So, contrary to the fans of Junior Nation, who have a habit of saying ‘Wait ‘til next year,’ I can’t wait ‘til next year.”

5. Jeff Gordon: Gordon bounced back from a difficult Sunday at Texas with a solid 14th at Phoenix. He is sixth in the points standings, 80 behind Jimmie Johnson.

“Jimmie Johnson may be leading the points,” Gordon said, “but I’m looking over my shoulder, as well. Is Clint Bowyer behind me?”

6. Kyle Busch: Busch finished seventh in the AdvoCare 500, posting his 21st top-10 result of the year. He is currently fourth in the points standings, 57 out of first.

“On a more positive note,” Busch said, “I won my 12th Nationwide race of the season on Saturday. My civilian driving record says I’m not a ‘Sunday driver,’ and, apparently, so does my Sprint Cup driving record.”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led 27 laps and finished 12th in the AdvoCare 500.

“Sadly, this just wasn’t the year for the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford,” Keselowski said. “Thus, my championship reign is ending at one year. It seems it was ‘2’ time only one time.”

8. Greg Biffle: Biffle took 13th at Phoenix on a day when Jimmie Johnson all but clinched the Sprint Cup championship. Biffle is now seventh in the points standings, 83 out of first.

“I plan to confront Johnson again,” Biffle said, “and ask him, ‘What’s your problem?’ If he responds, ‘I got 99 problems, but a ‘Biff’ ain’t one,’ then he’s officially the greatest driver of all time.”

9. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 20th at Phoenix, another disappointing result in the Chase For The Cup. Bowyer has only two top-5 finishes in the Chase.

“The race was called the ‘AdvoCare 500,’” Bowyer said, “but not by everyone. To me, it was the ‘I Don’t Care 500.’”

10. Joey Logano: Logano scored another top-10 finish with a ninth at Phoenix. He is ninth in the points standings, 97 out of first.

“I almost took out Jimmie Johnson on the first lap,” Logano said. “But I didn’t, and that’s too bad, because I really wanted to have an impact on the Chase.”

November 12, 2013