Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: nationwide series

  • Michael Annett to drive for a newly formed Richard Petty Motorsports team

    Michael Annett to drive for a newly formed Richard Petty Motorsports team

    It was recently announced that Richard Petty Motorsports has formed a new Nationwide Series team that will be run out of RPM’s Concord, N.C. race shop and contend for the Nationwide Series championship in 2012. The No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford will be driven by Michael Annett, a rising star in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

    [media-credit name=”LAT Photographic ” align=”alignright” width=”250″][/media-credit]However, Annett may be more well-known for his drunk driving arrest than for his driving ability. He was arrested early in 2011 after rear ending a vehicle at a stop light. His blood-alcohol content proved to be 0.32 % which is four times North Carolina’s legal limit of 0.08 %. He ended up being charged with drunk driving, texting while driving, failure to reduce speed and resisting arrest. Annett has since then been under unsupervised probation, completed 48 hours of community service and has issued a sincere formal apology. He was also placed on probation with the now dis-assembled team of Rusty Wallace Inc. and did not end up missing any races for the team.

    Annett replaced Brendan Gaughan in RWI’s No. 62 car last season. He ended up 9th in Nationwide Series points which is a personal best for the driver who has driven full time in the series for the last 3 seasons. He has also driven for Germain Racing, finishing 10th in points in 2009 and 13th in 2010 (with RWI).

    The Des Moines Iowa native had this to say of the new opportunity:

    “They say that when one door closes, another door opens, and that is most definitely true.  We were left scrambling a bit because of the situation with RWI and were unsure what the future held, but I couldn’t be happier with the way things have turned out. To have the chance to race for Richard Petty and to be under the RPM umbrella is amazing. It has all come together really quickly, but together with Pilot Flying J and Ford, this is the best opportunity I have ever had to race a Nationwide Series car. There is a lot to be done before we get to Daytona in a few weeks and I can’t wait to dive in and get started.”

    Pilot Flying J, headquartered in Knoxville Tennessee, is a chain of truck stops and one of the nation’s largest wholesale fuel providers. The company is also a long-time partner of Annett’s. He reached Victory Lane with the Pilot Travel Centers machine in his 4th career ARCA Series start in 2007.

    Richard Petty says that it sure has been an exciting couple of months for the team. “We are looking forward to getting back into the Nationwide Series full time and seeing what Michael Annett can do in an RPM Ford Mustang. Michael has improved every season he has raced in the Nationwide Series and has the dedication and drive to be a success.”

  • NASCAR Nationwide Series May Be The One to Watch in 2012

    NASCAR Nationwide Series May Be The One to Watch in 2012

    Sandwiched between the top-tier NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the rough and tumble Camping World Truck Series is the middle child, the Nationwide Series. But for the upcoming 2012 season, this may indeed be the preferred series to watch for the NASCAR fandom.

    [media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”218″][/media-credit]One of the biggest new stories in the Nationwide Series is of course that of Danica Patrick running her first full-time gig in NASCAR since her abdication from the world of open wheel racing. For her first Nationwide run, the marketing diva will be continuing her association with JR Motorsports with Tony Eury, Jr. as her crew chief.

    “I’m going into this season with a little bit more of a ‘I’m going to do it’ attitude,” Patrick said. “I’ve got a lot to learn and I know that.”

    “I’m going to make lots of mistakes I’m sure,” Patrick continued. “But I’m mentally wrapping my head around not just learning but being successful and running well and getting to Victory Lane and thinking about that so my thoughts translate to the real world and really happen.”

    Patrick also fully intends to run for the Nationwide championship and even her crew chief believes that is possible. Eury’s goal is to get his driver into the top ten in points after the first ten races of the season, positioning her to make a run at the title.

    “She’s gone to a lot of these tracks,” Eury Jr. said. “Before she wasn’t running for points.”

    “This year, she’s here for the reason to win the championship,” Eury Jr. continued. “So, she’s not going to be that person that kind of lays over.”

    In addition to seeing the new aggression of Patrick on the Nationwide as she attacks her first ever full-time stint, two other super aggressive drivers, in fact brothers, are planning to share a Nationwide gig in 2012.

    Big brother Kurt Busch will be sharing a 2012 Nationwide seat with little brother and team owner Kyle for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

    Monster Energy, leaving prior driver Ricky Carmichael high and dry, will sponsor the Busch brothers in their No. 54 Monster Energy Camry. Kyle will drive the season opener at Daytona and the following four races and then split the ride with his brother Kurt.

    While not competing with Patrick for the Nationwide championship, since both Busch brothers are also racing in the Cup Series, the duo fully intends to complete for the 2012 Nationwide Owner’s Championship.

    “We’ve had a lot of talks about how this whole deal is going to work out, what we’re both looking to get out of this and what a great opportunity this is to race in the Nationwide Series,” Kyle Busch said. “Kurt’s never done a full Nationwide deal; he’s always had the itch but never really cared about it.”

    While Danica Patrick and the Busch brothers have something to prove in the Nationwide Series, a driver whose Nationwide debut has been delayed also has to prove he can get back behind the wheel of a race car.

    Travis Pastrana, who was scheduled to come to the Nationwide world last year but could not due to a serious injury sustained during the X Games competition, plans to run seven Nationwide races, starting with Richmond.

    “I feel really good,” Pastrana said during the NASCAR Preview 2012. “The therapy the last two weeks has made huge improvements.”

    “We’ll start out with seven Nationwide races and that’s kind of a let’s see how we do, let’s see what we need more work on,” Pastrana continued. “If we’re running OK or if I can get sponsorship to keep running wherever we’re running, we’re going to keep trying to get seat time.”

    “I basically have to prove I can get in a car.”

    As opposed to Pastrana with something to prove, one driver who has already proven that he can drive a race car will be back to defend his Nationwide title. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. will indeed return to the Series, driving full-time again for Roush Fenway Racing.

    “They’re working on sponsorship for it right now, so everything is good,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “It sounds like we’re going to be able to go and defend our title again.”

    Stenhouse Jr. won the Nationwide title by just 45 points over Kevin Harvick Inc. driver Elliott Sadler. And for this upcoming year, Stenhouse Jr. is certainly hoping that the championship competition will not be quite as close.

    “I think we will do little things at the beginning of the year different,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “So, hopefully the points chase isn’t so close all year. That drives you nuts.”

    Speaking of Elliott Sadler, or ‘Ricky Bobby’ as he is affectionately known, he will indeed be back to challenge the other Ricky, Stenhouse that is, for the Nationwide Series championship. Since Sadler’s former team is no longer, ‘Ricky Bobby’ will be driving the No. 2 OneMain Financial for Richard Childress Racing.

    “It is such a great opportunity to compete for such an accomplished organization like Richard Childress Racing,” Sadler said. “To have an organization like OneMain Financial support me on and off the track again this year really makes me eager to get back to the track to compete for the Nationwide Series championship.”

    “We came up short last year, but I know we have all the parts in place to win this year with this RCR team.”

    Speaking of Richard Childress Racing, that team will be putting a member of the family, grandson Austin Dillon, on the Nationwide Series track this year. Dillon, last year’s 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion, will be driving the very storied No. 3 Chevy as his Nationwide ride, competing for another honor, the Nationwide Rookie of the Year.

    “I’m looking forward to the challenge of moving with Danny Stockman (crew chief) and the guys to the NASCAR Nationwide Series with the No. 3,” Dillon said. “Our goal next year is to win races and compete for Rookie of the Year honors.”

    Finally, there are two veterans worth mentioning as very good reasons to watch the 2012 Nationwide Series.

    First is Morgan Shepherd, who at the sweet age of 70 years, will be driving in his 45th season in the Nationwide Series. Shepherd, competing with plenty of faith, hopes to better his best ever 21st place in the Nationwide point standings in 2011.

    The other veteran who is always worth watching in the Nationwide Series is Kenny Wallace, affectionately known as the ‘Herminator’. Wallace will be back with RAB Racing, behind the wheel of the No. 09 American Ethanol Toyota Camry.

    “Corn farmers are excited to continue our relationship with RAB Racing and Kenny Wallace in 2012,” Garry Niemeyer, National Corn Growers Association President, said. “Kenny is a fan favorite and one of the most visible drivers in the sport.”

    So, from the veterans, like Morgan Shepherd and Kenny Wallace, to the newbies, like Danica Patrick and Travis Pastrana, the Nationwide Series does indeed seem to be the one to watch in 2012.

    Fans can catch all the action of the Nationwide Series, beginning with the DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 25th, 2012.

  • Edwards Wins Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage

    Edwards Wins Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage

    courtesy of www.onpitroad.com

    Carl Edwards has won the 30th Annual Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage here at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was a rocky road to the backflip tonight, but in the end it was a restart from hell from Kyle Busch that allowed Edwards the win.
    Bypassing the first 180 laps of tonight’s 200 lap event, it all boiled down to 3 drivers when the checkered flag flew over the hood of the No. 60 Fastenal Ford.
    Paul Menard won the Coors Light Pole Award earlier today in NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying, but led only the first 26laps of tonight’s event when points leader, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. threw his hat in the mix as possible contenders for the win.
    A late race caution was not the issue for then-leader Brad Keselowski, it was slowing down off of Turn number four here at Charlotte Motor Speedway that took Keselowski out of contention for the win tonight. The spin under caution put Kyle Busch to the lead with around 20 laps left, but the incident would not mark the end of the fireworks in the last 30 miles of tonight’s race.
    Fast-forwarding again to the final restart, with just 4 laps left, Kyle Busch chose the outside line as his preferred line of restart. The restart dragged all the way within 30 feet of the pink Start/Finish Line before the throttles were hammered. Busch squandered heading into turn number one, and the fight was on for the win with Stenhouse Jr., Edwards, and Rowdy Busch all in the hunt for the point.
    It was Edwards that flexed his muscles by the time the field may their way back to my vantage point off the end of Pit Road here at Charlotte, and it was a 6 car-length lead that Edwards would take with 3 miles left to run. Kyle Busch made his best efforts to reel in the battered No. 60 Fastenal Ford Ford Mustang (the car was seriously trashed, Jack Roush said he would actually kiss the car later tonight for staying together) but would only manage to sneak a peek under Edwards in the final turn.
    Kyle Busch blamed the Toyota horsepower for the squandered attempt to take the win, but it was the Fastenal parts of Carl Edward’s No. 60 Ford Fusion that held up after he put a “Charlotte Stripe” on his torn racecar.
    Edward’s victory is his 37th in 241 NASCAR Nationwide Series Starts, and his 8th this season. Trevor Bayne finished third as the highest finishing Nationwide Series points contender.
    In the points, Elliott Sadler trimmed Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s lead to just 15 as the Nationwide Series takes a two week break from on-track action.
  • A Future Begins At The Track of Dreams

    A Future Begins At The Track of Dreams

    The brickyard has long been known as the place of dreams. It didn’t change today. Today it saw a young man who has struggled and fought the naysayers to chase his dream. He never lost his faith and his family never lost their faith in him. A familiar face moved that dream forward last fall when Richard Childress added team number 4. That addition to the legendary RCR stable would set up today’s dream come true for Paul Menard. Because today Paul Menard made his dreams come true with a win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    [media-credit name=”Brian Douglas” align=”alignright” width=”232″][/media-credit]Although Menard was a long shot to win. He did so with strategy and fuel mileage and consistency. He conserved when he had to conserve. He raced hard when he had to race hard. He over came the obstacles. He fought the temptation to be intimidated by the 24 of Jeff Gordon coming fast in his mirror. He stayed steady and he ran his line

    He won one of the crown jewels of NASCAR, by being Paul Menard. He was quiet on the radio. He was composed in victory lane. His emotions were his to share and he choose to share them with the people who got him there not the people who were undoubtedly surprised that he arrived. “This one is for my Dad.” He said calmly. When asked about the 24 in his mirror, he said, “Beating Jeff Gordon at Indy is a big deal”.

    It was a dream day for others as well. Teams that didn’t run well and haven’t run well, 6 in the top 10 had a below average day and yet the fuel strategy game fell their way. Teams like Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth all benefited from late race fuel strategy calls.

    But the track of dreams also brings disappointments for some. It is inevitable after all. For everything that is gained something is lost. In this case it was a race that many who ran well all day ended up not a part of due to fuel mileage. Crew Chief Alan Gustafson commented on those who got good finishes because of the strategy, “You hate that running bad gives those guys an advantage.” Gustafson’s driver finished 2nd after making up 11 seconds in 12 laps.

    Tony Stewart led late only to have to stop for fuel. Jimmie Johnson who ran strong all day in the top 10 finished a disappointing 19th. Dale Earnhardt Jr who took the lead on pit strategy after over heating with debris on the grill and led the race for 6 laps midway but finished 16th. The list goes on.

    The one resounding comment that was heard from every driver was, “Congratulations to Paul and Slugger Labbe. They worked hard for it. It’s good to see it come their way.”

    The race itself was rather nondescript. It was intense for the final 19 laps or so. But it was not really exciting. The broadcast was well a bit over dramatized. The new anchor in the pit studio, Nicole Briscoe was over dramatic in her starring role debut. And the entire broadcast had the feel of theatrical production rather than a race.

    The whole weekend was somewhat that way. The Camping World Trucks normally exciting and fun to watch ran a snoozer on perhaps their final showing at LOR/ORP. But it had its bright spot. We got to see a champion behave like a champion.

    Truck Series winner Timothy Peter’s, however showed an extreme lack of judgment when he proceeded with his celebratory burn out while there were still two trucks on the front stretch. To his left, dead in the water and out of gas a few yards from the start finish line was Ricky Carmichael unable to go any further. To his left was Austin Dillon, trying to finish the race after contact with Todd Bodine. To continue with the burn out while putting others at risk was simply not acceptable. Granted he won the race and was entitled to his celebration but wait until the track is clear.

    The incident between Todd Bodine and Austin Dillon on the final lap was troubling. Todd Bodine ran Austin Dillon into the wall. He made no bones about it and took complete responsibility. He said, “I didn’t see him. If I were him, I would be mad at me too.” Austin Dillon showed his roots when he said, “I don’t know what happened there. I have to talk to Todd first.” How refreshing! A Champion who acted like a champion and a potential champion that acted like a champion, is it any wonder the Camping World Truck Series is so much fun to watch. But fun or not it doesn’t change the fact that Todd’s spotter obviously didn’t tell him that Austin was there. Fortunately, Todd Bodine has exceptional truck control and was able to prevent the situation from becoming more serious. This incident was only the beginning of the “unusual” happenings at LOR/ORP that could have had serious results in terms of driver safety.

    The Nationwide Series also ran at LOR/ORP. This race had perhaps the scariest incident of the year. Justin Allgaier lost a fuel line and the fire under the car grew with each passing lap. Crew Chief Jimmy Elledge called him in when he saw the fire on the monitor.

    The fire itself was scary enough. But what Allgaier’s wife reported happened next on Twitter was terrifying. “I’m so angry w/ the firefighters… Got to car & told crew “not my job” so crew guy took fire extinguisher and it didn’t even work!” she reported. “I’m thankful Justin was okay and for the 32 guys for pulling him out of car!” She concluded.

    So not only did the fire officials refuse to help Justin out of the car, they didn’t have fire fighting equipment that was functional to try to put out the fire. Surely, this incident did not get lost in all the confusion about lining up for the restart?

    The young man’s life was at risk. The oil in the engine was reportedly over 300 degree’s. The front of the car was a rolling ball of fire. Yes he had on a fire retardant suit. But there was no way for anyone to know at that point that the engine would not blow up or that the fire was not much wider spread than it appeared and it appeared severe.

    This situation was severe enough that NASCAR needs to step up to the plate and make their driver’s safety first initiative a mandatory requirement for all tracks. No driver should ever be at the mercy of help coming or not coming because of the location of the vehicle that is on fire. No driver should have to depend on his team or team mates to help out of a burning vehicle. It is simply unacceptable.

    Regardless of what happened on the track with the restart, Justin Allgaier should have been the primary concern of everyone on pit road. His safety and his exit from that car should have been the foremost thought and focus for everyone, officials and safety workers. Every one of those people within the reach of a fire extinguisher or him should have been there immediately to assist him out of the vehicle and to put out the fire.

    Officials wear fire suits too. Yes I understand that they are impartial. But saving or assisting a driver from harms way is part of their job. It’s why they monitor lug nuts and pit stall positioning. I will lay you odds that if Justin had been out of the box there would have been an official there to issue the penalty. Yet when he needed them to be proactive and help him, they were conspicuous by their absence.

    The hype and the spectacle that is Indy has come to an end. The bricks have been kissed. The trophy has been awarded. And the haulers have begun their trek homeward. The new week has begun. Crew Chiefs have replaced their notes with Pocono and the work begins in earnest to find the way to victory lane again, this time at the tricky triangle. For some this will be a night of celebration and champagne. For some it will be a night of if only’s. But one constant remains, on nagging thought on the minds of every driver and team. How do we squeeze a gallon from a drop and when will we race for the checkers again. Only time will tell and then only if NASCAR will allow the secret to be told.

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

    Congratulations to Timothy Peters and his Red Horse Racing Team on their victory at LOR/ORP.

    Congratulations to Brad Keselowski and his Penske Racing Team on their NNS victory.

    And major congratulations to Paul Menard and his RCR team on their win of the Brickyard 400. It is always inspiring and uplifting to see someone make their dreams come true. Enjoy it Paul. You earned it. “Remember today, for it is the beginning of always. Today marks the start of a brave new future filled with all your dreams can hold.”

    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.

  • Brad Keselowski Captures Unexpected Win at Lucas Oil Raceway

    Brad Keselowski Captures Unexpected Win at Lucas Oil Raceway

    [media-credit name=”Adam Lovelace” align=”alignright” width=”245″][/media-credit]After starting on the pole and leading 189 laps of the Kroger 200 Nationwide Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway Saturday night, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. could almost taste the win. But with Brad Keselowski in the picture nothing is certain.

    After a green-white-checkered restart, Keselowski wasted no time in overtaking leader Stenhouse Jr. and blasted across the finish line for his second win this season in the Nationwide Series.

    “It’s a very special win being from Michigan,” Keselowski said. “I’ve been coming to this race track for years. I’ve been to victory lane as a team guy and a mechanic but never a driver. It’s so special to win here and win here in a Dodge.”

    The majority of the race was tame with Roush Fenway Racing teammates, Stehnouse Jr. Carl Edwards and Trevor Bayne leading the pack.  Elliot Sadler who started the race in last position and rookie Austin Dillon were also looking strong as the race began winding down.

    The action became more heated towards the end of the race. Things began to go badly for Carl Edwards after a caution on lap 175 for a wreck involving Steve Wallace, Michael Annett and Tim Andrews. Edwards was penalized for exiting too fast off of pit road. He slowly worked his way back towards the front but the penalty cost him a shot at the win.

    Dillon did not pit and restarted the race in first position, followed by Stenhouse Jr., Bayne, Sadler and McDowell. But Dillon didn’t keep the lead long and was quickly passed by Stehnouse Jr. and Bayne advanced to second place.

    But with only twelve laps to go, Bayne suffered a blown engine, bringing out another caution.

    More chaos ensued when Justin Allgaier, who had made his way into the second position, had a brake fire which forced him off the track.

    Because the drivers had already lined up for the restart, the NASCAR rule which states that drivers must stay in their lanes, went into effect.

    This moved Brad Keselowski, who had been behind Allagaier in fourth, up to the second position.

    Keselowski, who had been mid-pack for much of the race, was now in a position to make something happen.

    On the restart, Keselowski quickly made his move, forcing Stenhouse Jr. high and taking the lead.

    The race was under green for only two laps when Elliot Sadler spun out, collecting his teammate Austin Dillon, and ending their hopes for a top five finish.

    Finally, on lap 202, the race was underway again but Keselowski held onto the lead to capture the victory.

    After the race, Stenhouse Jr. was obviously disappointed saying, “It’s frustrating. I’ve been working on my restarts all year, but it got us tonight. Our car was pretty fast, but you couldn’t say it was dominant since we didn’t win the race.”

    However, Keselowski gave Stenhouse Jr. credit for having the car to beat.

    “I had a great short-run car that could give Ricky a run for his money.  If the race was two or three laps longer, I’m sure Ricky would have drove around us.”

    James Buescher finished in second place with Stenhouse Jr., Aric Almirola and Carl Edwards rounding out the top five.

    Stenhouse Jr. leads the points standings in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, followed by Reed Sorenson, Elliot Sadler, Justin Allgaier and Aric Almirola.

  • The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Kentucky Speedway – July 2011

    The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Kentucky Speedway – July 2011

    The Trip

    I had the pleasure of making the trip to Kentucky Speedway last weekend, and yes I did make it into the race. I’ve been wanting to see some of the fans’, fellow sports writers’, and track officials’ responses to the chaos that ensued this past weekend at Kentucky before I jumped to any conclusions about my experience in the Bluegrass State.

    [media-credit name=”Matt LaFlair” align=”alignright” width=”235″][/media-credit]I made the trip with my dad and a few fellow NASCAR fans all the way from Buffalo, NY to be in attendance for this historic event. We left Buffalo Wednesday afternoon, making a pit stop in Cleveland for the New York Yankees/Cleveland Indians game in hopes of seeing Derek Jeter inch closer to the 3,000 hit mark. After the game, we drove further on in our journey, catching some drinks with some quite hospitable folks in the home of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Mansfield, Ohio, and caught a quick nap before continuing on towards Sparta.

    On Thursday, we met up with some friends in the Cincinnati area who graciously allowed us to stay in their Winnebago with them at the track. Upon arrival, we discovered that the ‘Edge of The Speedway’ campground, was nowhere near the edge of the speedway. Dragging our feet too long in booking a site, we found that the speedway camping was ‘sold out’ months in advance – Mistake #1 on our part, and mistake #1 on the speedway’s part. The Edge of The Speedway campground would put us about a 3.5 mile walk away from the front gates of Kentucky Speedway, a bit of a hike when lugging 30 to 40 pounds of camera and computer equipment.

    I did not make it into Kentucky in time to cover the NCWTS race on Thursday, but that experience in the stands helps me to write this column from both the journalist and the fans’ point of view.

    The Track

    My jaw dropped as I walked through the gates and stood below the Indiana Tower right at the start/finish line. The track was truly a sight to see the first time I laid eyes on the 1.5 mile circuit. The grandstands were almost overwhelming as to how well they were set up for fans to watch the on-track action. Built with a ‘buffer-zone’ between the outside wall and the start of the grandstands, row number one is built approximately 8-10 feet above the top of the outside walls. This gives fans almost a bird’s-eye view of the action below.

    I can’t complain much about the fan experience inside the gates of Kentucky Speedway (except that I did hear that concessions were about out of food 2 hours BEFORE the green flag Saturday night). This is the first track that I have been to where fans are not allowed to carry their own beverages into the stands, a big disappointment to many.

    It was outside the fan gates on speedway property that needed some help…After trudging 2.5 miles to get remotely close to the track, we spotted a shuttle stop on Speedway Boulevard, Thursday before the truck race that looked fairly promising in getting us to the front gates.

    We waited about an hour while bus after bus came by, packed to the brim with race fans. Now this shuttle stop was FURTHEST from the track, and yet it came past us at full capacity. After about an hour of this, we decided to cut our losses and hoof it the last mile (uphill by the way) to the front gates.

    So my first word of advice for Kentucky Speedway, figure out a shuttle route that benefits the fans. The shuttles should not be picking people up a quarter mile from the front gates and riding them the entire route. Shuttles should travel to their furthest stop and travel towards the track, picking up fans at designated stops, not the other way around.

    The Media Hospitality

    Last weekend, Kentucky Speedway did everything they could with the resources they had to accommodate the influx of press to cover the NASCAR weekend.

    Upon arrival on the infield of the track, I found that the Media Center was not the largest one I had ever been in, but not the smallest either. I had heard through the grapevine that the track had issued somewhere around 200 working media credentials for only 40-some seats in the Media Center. Luckily, SpeedwayMedia.com was granted a seat in the deadline room so I had a place to set up shop for the weekend. I did have a bit of an issue finding food to eat around lunch-time in the Media Center as they had run out around 12:30PM – but, I used my experiences as a college wrestler to help me through my grumbling empty stomach.

    My only other issue while covering the races at Kentucky Speedway came during the Pre-Race Ceremonies of the inaugural Quaker State 400. It seemed like all of the fans that were supposed to be in the stands, somehow got down onto the track and pit-lane during pre-race, and their mission was to make a photographer’s life a living hell. I don’t know if I could put an exact number to the people allowed down on the track during pre-race, but if I had to guesstimate, it would have to be somewhere around 20,000 – or at least it seemed like it.

    There were children running all over as the drivers made their way to the intro stage, pushing though mass crowds of people to obtain an autograph or a picture. The crowd plowed their way out onto the track and the Ford Mustangs designated to carry the drivers around the track for their pre-race introduction, had merely the width of their cars to navigate through the massive crowd of race fans. If you check out my photos for the weekend, you will even see one fan going for an autograph while Kevin Harvick is already seated in his Mustang.

    I did hear a fellow photographer mumble to me during the mayhem that was the pre-race ceremonies “They have lost all control out here”. I could do nothing but shake my head in disbelief and carry on my duties.

    Other tracks that I have covered have been locked up tighter than Fort Knox when it became time for the pre-race ceremonies, and your first-born was required to gain admittance to the area around the pre-race stage. This was by far not the case on Saturday Night. Word of advice #2 to Kentucky Speedway – get control over the pre-race ceremonies, there’s no reason to have that many people out there.

    The Race

    Well, there’s not much to say about the cup race…it was boring. Kyle Busch dominated the entire night, and with only a one or two lap window after a caution for passing, there was little chance the #18 would surrender the lead. At one point, I believe I heard that Kyle had the lead by almost eight seconds over the second place car.

    As for the trucks and Nationwide series races, they were a little more exciting. Watching Kyle Busch come from dead last in BOTH races, was truly a sight. He diced up both fields like they were tied to a fence-post. Even though he did not win the Nationwide race, it was still a sight to see him come from the back, at a track that did not foster much passing throughout the course of the weekend.

    That’s that for the race…nothing exciting to say the least.

    The Traffic

    By now everyone has heard the stories about the traffic at the track. My story with the traffic is: it was all gone by Sunday morning.

    By camping at the track, I avoided the mayhem on I-71 and it was smooth sailing all the way back to Buffalo on Sunday. I do have a heart and feel bad for all the folks that did not make it into the speedway on Saturday Night. In these times, it’s tough to have hundreds of dollars shelled out in tickets to a race that you can’t even make in time.

    It needs to be addressed, there were hardly enough signs directing folks where to park, parking attendants were less than helpful at best, and there was no order to the traffic in and around the track. Bruton Smith knows how to put on events, I think he just fell short on the details, traffic being one of them.

    The Aftermath

    I find it hard to call this past weekend a success after reading the countless stories of folks trapped on the interstate, walking in the sweltering heat, and hearing stories of never going back.

    I do commend SMI for their efforts in trying to make what was done, a little more acceptable to the fans. Offering tickets at any other SMI race this season is the least they can do for the fans that were trapped with nowhere to go Saturday Night.

    I am skeptical in the sense that all those in attendance Saturday Night at Kentucky Speedway will return to the track next season (if Kentucky is on the Sprint Cup schedule next season). I would like to think that changes will be made to how to handle the crowds, getting them in and out, and how to handle them inside the fences of Kentucky Speedway. I had fun, and was extremely pleased that I was in attendance for the inaugural Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway…

    Stay tuned tomorrow for Matty’s Picks where I brag about picking the Inaugural Quaker State 400 race winner!

  • Notes From The NASCAR Nation: Is Danica Patrick The Secret Sauce?

    Notes From The NASCAR Nation: Is Danica Patrick The Secret Sauce?

    Is Danica Patrick the “secret sauce” in a highly successful marketing concept. It recently became apparent that the answer is a resounding yes.

    Over the years it has been very well known that “Go Daddy.Com” has been the primary sponsor for Danica Patrick’s racing career both in the Indy Racing League and her proposed transition to NASCAR. Let’s face it, the fact that this very attractive race driver has been the face, and in all honesty the body, of the Internet domain company’s advertising campaign has become a marketing marriage made in heaven.

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”258″][/media-credit]However there was some brief speculation regarding the future of this marketing relationship, following a report initiated by “The Wall Street Journal”, that said “Go Daddy.Com” had been sold. The story confirmed the fact that the company’s founder and CEO, Bob Parsons, had indeed sold his company to a trio of investors that included KKT and Company, Silver Lake Partners and Technology Crossover Ventures. The sale price of the ultra successful company was a whopping $2.25 billion.

    It turns out that Danica Patrick fans have no reason for concern here. First off no has a stronger belief in her future in motorsports than Bob Parsons. While he will no longer be the “Go Daddy” owner, he has to agreed to stay on as the company’s CEO. He’s also made it crystal clear that the sale of the company he founded will not have any impact on “Go Daddy’s” relationship with his favorite race driver.

    In a comment made to “ESPN” following the announcement that “Go Daddy” had been sold, Elizabeth Driscoll, the company Vice President of Public Relations, said: ” I can tell you that Bob’s been very vocal about how well Danica Patrick has fit into “Go Daddy’s” marketing efforts. The new investors have specifically said they don’t want to mess with “Go Daddy’s” secret sauce.”

    If you’re like me then you probably found yourself wondering why Patrick was being referred to as “secret sauce?” Driscoll’s statement became just a little bit more clear when it was revealed that she meant Patrick was the magic ingredient in the company’s customer service and marketing and they were “very much looking forward to the future on the Internet and the race track.”

    At least we’re now sure that Danica Patrick is going to have full sponsorship for her future racing endeavors. We’re just not exactly sure at the moment where these endeavors will take place.

    But seriously, secret sauce? Isn’t that something they put on hamburgers at fast food restaurants?

  • Joey Logano Wins The Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona After Spinning Out

    Joey Logano Wins The Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona After Spinning Out

    After spinning on lap 26, Joey Logano came back to through the field with a mass of different partners and hooked up with teammate Kyle Busch at the end to win the race.

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”228″][/media-credit]”Man, its great to be on the other side of the fence,” Logano said in victory lane. “This is Daytona; I am totally pumped. Gotta thank Kyle for pushing. I could him calling 8 back, 6 back – I knew we had to go. Both spotters did good today.”

    The win marks the first win for Logano at Daytona after pushing numerous drivers to wins.

    “To win here at Daytona is the coolest win of my life,” Logano added. “For me personally, I really needed a win and that is going to help us.”

    With a couple laps to go, Logano and Busch found a way around Elliott Sadler and Tony Stewart. They pulled out to a lead and then lost it near the end as Jason Leftler and Reed Sorenson caught them, but couldn’t get by. Leftler was credited with second, with Sorenson getting third and Busch in fourth.

    The third-place finish for Sorenson allows him to extend his points to eight points over Sadler while winning the Nationwide Dash for Cash $1000 bonus.

    “At the end, I didn’t know where we were going,” Sorenson said. “Gotta thank Jason for coming and getting me as we were stuck back there. We talked about that before the race. I didn’t know where we were going but we had a run. It had to be close at the end for Jason.”

    Justin Allgaier finished fifth while a crashed happened as everybody was racing for sixth on back that began with contact between Mike Wallace and Danica Patrick in the middle of a three/four-wide battle.

    Michael Annett was credited with sixth while Kenny Wallace slid through the grass to finish seventh. Sadler got eighth, followed by Aric Almirola and Patrick.

    Making her 19th NASCAR start, Patrick led 13 laps and was up front all night before being collected in the wreck at the end.

    “Got disconnected about half a lap to go and dropped back to get reconnected with Aric,” she said after scoring the third top 10 of her NASCAR career. “It looked like Mike was struggling there. I kept the car straight and my foot in it, probably not the right thing to do in a wreck.

    “I learned a lot out there. I was glad I got to push a bit as I was thinking, ‘Am I only good as a leader?’.” But the guys did a good job on the Go Daddy Chevrolet.

    Numerous drivers were involved in the wreck, including Steven Wallace who came to rest on pit road and was credited with 11th.

    “It was just a tough day,” he said. “Me and Michael had a shot to win that race and the water temperature kept going up. The motor blew up and all hell broke loose on the front stretch. That’s just craziness at Daytona.”

    A couple of different minor wrecks happened throughout the night involving a couple different drivers. One of the worst wrecks involved Eric McClure, who was transferred to Halifax Medical Centre for precautionary further evaluation.

     

    Unofficial Race Results
    Subway Jalapeno 250, Daytona International Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/n2s/race.php?race=17
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 18 20 Joey Logano Toyota 0
    2 15 38 Jason Leffler Chevrolet 42
    3 9 32 Reed Sorenson Chevrolet 42
    4 14 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 0
    5 10 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 39
    6 22 62 Michael Annett Toyota 38
    7 42 9 Kenny Wallace Toyota 37
    8 3 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 38
    9 13 88 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 36
    10 7 7 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 35
    11 19 66 Steve Wallace Toyota 33
    12 17 11 Brian Scott Toyota 32
    13 2 9 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 0
    14 8 60 Carl Edwards Ford 0
    15 21 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet 29
    16 6 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 0
    17 11 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge 0
    18 1 4 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 0
    19 27 141 Jeffrey Earnhardt Chevrolet 0
    20 32 19 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 24
    21 16 21 Tim George Jr. Chevrolet 24
    22 5 16 Trevor Bayne Ford 22
    23 25 15 Timmy Hill * Ford 21
    24 35 39 Josh Wise Ford 20
    25 24 87 Kevin Conway Toyota 19
    26 23 97 Joe Nemechek Toyota 18
    27 12 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 18
    28 30 81 Blake Koch * Dodge 16
    29 39 28 Derrike Cope Chevrolet 15
    30 43 107 Danny Efland Chevrolet 14
    31 26 23 Robert Richardson Jr. Dodge 13
    32 36 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 12
    33 40 52 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 11
    34 4 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 0
    35 41 70 Dennis Setzer Dodge 9
    36 33 113 Jennifer Jo Cobb * Ford 8
    37 37 14 Eric McClure Chevrolet 7
    38 34 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 6
    39 20 30 Ricky Carmichael Chevrolet 0
    40 38 40 Charles Lewandoski * Chevrolet 4
    41 29 174 Mike Harmon Chevrolet 3
    42 31 168 Carl Long Chevrolet 2
    43 28 44 Jeff Green Chevrolet 1
  • Trevor Bayne – ‘I Missed you Guys’

    Trevor Bayne – ‘I Missed you Guys’

    Trevor Bayne met with the media Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway to discuss his return to racing. His first words to the press were, “I missed you guys.”

     

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”233″][/media-credit]Bayne has been sidelined since the end of April when he experienced symptoms of fatigue and double vision. He was hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. where he underwent a battery of tests but no definitive diagnosis has been made.

     

    When asked about the nature of his illness, Bayne explained, “Their biggest hope is that it was an isolated event that is temporary and is gone now. The diagnosis, I don’t have it yet. I don’t know. It could be just a series of events where you get a bug bite and your immune system is down and we had been running for a couple months hard every day after Daytona and it wears down your immune system. That is what I am hoping for.”

    He went on to say, “Whether that is it or not, only time will tell with that.  I still don’t have an official diagnosis but they treated everything they thought it could be and since then everything has gone away. To me, they hit something.”

    Steve Newmark, President of Roush Fenway Racing said that even though there has been no official diagnosis, that Bayne has been declared fit to race by the doctors at the Mayo Clinic.

    He is currently scheduled to be back in his No. 16 Roush Fenway Nationwide car next week at Chicagoland Speedway. His next Sprint Cup appearance will be in two weeks at Michigan.

    Bayne says he has been symptom free for over a week and is obviously anxious to resume his normal schedule.

    “I have been fine for over a week now. Last weekend I took it off as a caution and this week they made me take it off as a caution. This weekend I would have been fine to run I think but we want to just make sure.”

    “I am 20 years old and everyone keeps telling me I have a long time to run. I am trying to listen to them, even though I am 20 and stubborn and want to be in a race car every weekend. I would be riding around with an eye patch if they would let me. It is all good. I think we have waited long enough.”

    Although he admitted that the last few weeks have been hard, the situation has done nothing to dampen his enthusiasm and love for the sport.

    This season started out on a high for the 20 year old Bayne with a win at the Daytona 500 in only his second Cup start. He was supposed to run a full schedule with Roush Fenway Racing in the Nationwide Series and a limited schedule in the Sprint Cup series driving the famed No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford.

    Everything changed when he woke up one morning with double vision. You might think the young driver would be bitter at the interruption in his career. But you would be wrong.

    Bayne handles life with a maturity and grace far beyond his years.

    “I think this year is just helping me figure out what I am made of. I think if you can handle the biggest high you can have and the largest bottom you can have then the rest of the year should be easy from here.”

    Throughout it all his faith has helped him maintain a positive attitude.

    “I do have my faith and that is what defines me because if I was defined by this I would be in trouble right now.”

    The biggest surprise for him has been the tremendous support he has received from everyone.

    “Carl Edwards flew up and saw me in Minnesota and Tony Stewart was using his plane to fly my family back and forth and Jack (Roush) was sending me back and forth on his plane and these guys come out and hang out for the night. Michael McDowell is there for five days with me. Everybody in the garage texted me at least once to see how I was doing and that means a lot to me.”

    Wood Brothers Racing has also stood firmly behind their driver.

    Eddie Wood, co-owner of Wood Brothers Racing said, “Trevor is our guy and he is our driver and whatever he is going through we are going through,” Wood said. “If it had worked out that we could have sat this race out and waited on him we would have done it. It just got too far down the road.”

    “I am just glad he is back. You guys can see how he has that warm and fuzzy feel again. I am happy.”

    This weekend, Bayne will be at Charlotte Motor Speedway to help his pal, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as he attempts his first Cup start subbing for Bayne in the No. 21 Wood Brothers car.

    You might think it would be difficult for Bayne to see another racer in that car. Wrong, again.

    “He is an awesome kid and I am pumped for him, said Bayne. “ I texted him yesterday and told him to own this thing because he deserves it. I think he is going to do a great job. “

    Welcome back, Trevor Bayne. We’ve missed you too.

  • Darlington’s Grace plays second fiddle to controversy

    Darlington’s Grace plays second fiddle to controversy

    [media-credit name=”Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”266″][/media-credit]Darlington is without a doubt the Grand Dam of NASCAR. She stands bold and proud. She is a legend even among the legends. To conquer her once is an accomplishment. To conquer her twice puts you in a class reserved for the greats of the sport. Whether it’s once or multiple times, to win at Darlington, especially in the Southern 500 is a testament to your talent and the talent and perseverance of the team that stands behind you.

    I usually run down the weekend’s races what happened who won. The news of the weekend, changes etc. And then I try to offer a little perspective from the outside looking in. This weekend I feel like the real story is not so much what happened during the races themselves, but what happened at the track that is the story. There were actually only 4 track stories this week.

    One was the incident with Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola. Hamlin dove to the inside of Almirola and Bowyer making it three wide coming out turn 2 and caused a crash that involved 8 cars. And took out his most dominant NNS competition. It is a perfect illustration of how the Nationwide Series is being hurt by the Sprint Cup regulars. The dominance of Kyle Busch is making it more and more evident that the Nationwide Series will crown a win less champion. That is a slap in the face of the competitors within that series. It’s an insult. The less experienced, less funded Nationwide series struggle to stay with in sight of the Sprint Cup visitors.

    Worse when the Sprint Cup drivers come to play they have little respect or concern for the series regulars that they may harm, points wise in the process. Denny Hamlin is a seasoned and experienced Sprint Cup Series Regular with 5 cup series starts at the track Too Tough To Tame. He is familiar with the narrow surface and the do’s and don’ts of Darlington. Yet he choose to go 3 wide and cause an 8 car pile up on the final restart of the Nationwide Race. Then he is shocked that he would be accused of wrong doing. After all, he is a seasoned Sprint Cup driver who should be revered and respected for his experience and ability.

    The second track issue was actually from last week and it was Newman/Montoya. The rumor began circulating, via a member of the media, that Newman punched Montoya in the NASCAR hauler. Montoya’s response was “ask Newman.” Newman’s response, “That’s speculation.” NASCAR’s response, “It’s safe to say that this meeting did not go as well as we intended. We are probably not through with this situation yet.” DW said “having been in that room everyone in the room would have had to been in the fight for it to happen.” There is no confirmation there. NONE. Neither driver will comment. NASCAR is not willing to comment. Montoya showed no after effects. No bruising. No swelling. No puffiness. The same was true for Newman. Now Newman is not a small man. And I think it safe to say he doesn’t throw a punch like a girl. Montoya is also not a small man and I would say that he is not likely to stand and take a punch without delivering one of his own. Both would leave tell tale after signs.

    So basically there is no story there. The story was pure sensationalistic garbage that was built up and escalated to create a furor. Much like P.T. Barnum would build up the expectation to sell tickets to his greatest show on earth by releasing a half truth story about a lion attacking a trainer or an elephant that enraged broke it shackles and had to be calmed by a performer. Is there truth there sure a shred. They did have a meeting in a small room with NASCAR. Other than that there is no evidence or confirmation that anything else happened.

    The third was a feel good story very similar to Daytona. Regan Smith wins the Southern 500 by holding off a charging Carl Edwards. Like Wow. Really? Seriously? Yep Really Seriously. All the way from Colorado. The wrong has been righted. It took 3 years but it happened. He didn’t win on gas mileage. He didn’t win by wrecking someone. He didn’t win on a penalty. He won by using an old Pearson trick out of 4. He used the wall to clip the rear bumper and send him straight down the front straight way to give him a momentum advantage that utilized the long range horsepower of the ECR power plant under the hood. Knowing Carl would brake getting into the corner and it would slow the FR9 just enough to prevent him from being able to out accelerate and pull him to the checkers.

    It was a bold gutsy move. It could have gone way wrong. He could have taken out both of them. It was the final lap Checkers or wreckers move that was executed perfectly. They will refer to it as a Cinderella victory and Smith says he is really cool with that. But in truth that was no lucky rookie move. Watch the video. He hit it directly in the center apex of the 4th corner. Watch a Pearson clip the exact same place that Pearson would clip the guard rail in the 2nd corner. Luck? There has to be some riding with them all. But a random stroke of luck highly highly unlikely.

    The final story of the weekend is typical of two Bull Moose in a china shop. They broke dishes and trampled linens. They put the cats in danger and they show no remorse. The story was Harvick/Busch. Let’s look at it.

    1) Harvick booted Busch. There is no way he didn’t know that if the opportunity arose that Busch was not going to feed it back. Busch has proven that. He is as aggressive as Harvick and equally if not superiorly talented.

    2) Busch hooked Harvick on the front stretch a little over half way to one. Kyle did NOT use good judgment. He hooked him on the front stretch in front of the entire oncoming field. That was dangerous to the on coming field and Harvick. If your beef is with Kevin, keep your beef with Kevin. Don’t cost other owners and drivers good finishes and money because the two of you want to see who has the bigger set of family jewels.

    3) Race ends. Busch knows that Harvick is not going to let this go. He has seen and knows Harvick. Harvick blocks his way in the pits. They go on the track. Harvick pulls up next to him. Kyle puts the car in reverse tearing the reverse gear out of the car. He now can only go forward. Harvick backs up. Kyle pulls forward Harvick cuts him off for pit road getting in front of him. You let it go but you take it back?

    4) On pit road Kevin kills the car. Takes off the steering wheel. Kyle bumps him from behind as though to say, “Come on man let’s go home.” Kevin puts steering wheel back on. Takes steering wheel back off. Bud crew is coming down pit road and they are in sight.

    5) Kevin comes out of the car. He has one crew man behind him and one at his car. There are pedestrians including officials on pit road. There are crews working on packing things up behind the pit wall. Kevin goes to the 18 and starts in the window.

    6) Remember here, Kyle has no reverse gear. He pushes the Budweiser Chevy to move it out of the way and the car fires. It turns the way the wheels are turned and picks up speed into the pit road wall. It barely misses the Bud crew man. It scares the be Jesus out of the crew packing pit boxes. It wipes out the front of the Budweiser Chevy.

    7) Kyle drives on to the garage. Exits the car goes in his hauler. Kevin pursues him. His entrance to the hauler is blocked of course. The crews then have a shouting match with officials in the middle.

    8) We have yet another Hauler meeting with NASCAR. Busch leaves through the side door and is not caught by media. Harvick leaves through the front door. KH: “Things happen.” Reporter: What does that mean? KH: “It’s just racing I guess.” Media: What was said? KH: “Not much.” Media: What can you tell us? KH: “Not much. It was a private meeting. That is why it was held in the hauler not in the media center.”

    9) At 115 AM NASCAR releases that the 18 team voluntarily tore down the transmission of the 18 “to the bearings” to show officials that the transmission really didn’t have a reverse gear. The gear reportedly appeared to be sheared in two.

    10) 2 AM Kevin Harvick tweets “Guess my next race will be in the truck series next weekend.”

    Somehow here, Kyle Busch became the aggressor and the bad guy. Kevin Harvick became the wronged innocent. The fan reaction on social media sites was ruthless and brutal. Kyle Busch was everything but a human being. Kevin Harvick was of questionable birth origin and definitely challenged intellectually. It was a horrible display of the fickle nature of the “real NASCAR fans”. If someone unfamiliar with the sport were to have read the slanderous comments made of each of the drivers, seen the wishes of harm and destruction to each of the drivers, and seen the gloating over perceived violence on pit road they would question whether these two individuals were actually terrorists. The display was disheartening and embarrassing. It was illustrative of why our sport continues to be viewed as a backwards redneck affair not worthy of commitment from networks, sponsors, or new fans.

    Truth they were both aggressors. Both knew better than to take on the opponent that they were taking on. Both knew the results would be ugly. And they were. Both of them were wrong. What happens on the track is racing. We have all seen Big E do it a million times. It’s not personal. It’s racing. It’s bringing back, “Sunday Money.” But what happened after the checker flag crossed the line. It put uninvolved by standers at risk. There is no defense for a human being from a 3600 lb race car. The human is not going to win the fight. Who lives with the consequences? They both do and so does everyone else who watched it unfold wanting to look away and not being able to.

    Have at it boys has limits. It has to. The limit has to be endangerment of human life. No matter who is involved. The message has to be loud and clear. There can’t be any doubt of where the line is. If you want to have a fist fight get out of the cars and “have at it boys”. But don’t use the cars as fists.

    The stories of the races seem secondary, almost as if they were supporting cast. The peripheral stories took center stage. And they sang like Luciano Pavarotti in Rigoletto.

    I feel like to reverse the roles is against the grain. And yet we were there to see a race. And we saw a very good one. It just wasn’t as vivid as the stories that surrounded it. Who would have ever thought that the lady in black would be upstaged by a few rough neck high strung hot headed kids who really want people to see them standing in the shadow of the greatest race track aggressor of all time. And yet they fall short of understanding the very purpose and reason behind the aggression in the first place, to be the best one must believe they are the best. They must conduct themselves as though they are the best. They must set the standards that all the rest are to be judged by. When that occurs, one’s actions and performance will live after them as the stuff that legends are made of. Perhaps the only one there who truly understood that was the Lady in Black her self. Over the years she has witnessed the best and the worst of her suitors. She has chosen only a few. Those few are the legends that make the Southern 500 the most coveted jewel in the Sprint Cup crown.

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

    Congratulations to Kyle Busch and his Z-Line Designs Toyota team on their Nationwide Series Victory.

    Congratulations to Regan Smith and his Furniture Row Chevrolet Team on their incredible victory in the Sprint Cup series. Incredible performance, incredible move and an incredible well deserved victory.

    Congratulations to Carl Edwards and his wife Dr. Kate Edwards on the birth of their second child Michael on May 3, 2011.

    Get Well Wishes go out to Brenda Jackson on her back injury. We hope you are feeling better soon.

    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.

     

    Interested in the business side of racing? Check here: online mba programs.