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Tag: Richard Petty

  • The Final Word – Greats do not always stay great though a few, like Jeff Gordon, leave as they arrived

    The Final Word – Greats do not always stay great though a few, like Jeff Gordon, leave as they arrived

    Legends. Icons. Some athletes simply are the best, at least until Father Time is done with them. Few seem able to be able to step away while there might still be some gas in the tank. I get that. I mean, why quit before the curtain needs to fall?

    Jeff Gordon appears to be one who is prepared to take his final bow while he is not just a legend in his sport, but also a contender. At the age of 43, Gordon has four championships to his credit, 92 victories and an amazing 320 Top Fives in 761 starts. Forty-Two percent of the time, Gordon has mattered in races run since finishing fifth in the 1993 Daytona 500. In 22 seasons to date, he has finished the year no worse than 14th and that was in 1993.

    There are other legends in other sports who have provided incredible statistics. Wayne Gretzky once scored 92 goals in a National Hockey League season and 930 in his career when you include the 46 from his lone World Hockey Association campaign. The Great One had only nine in his final season as a 38 year old. Even the man Gretzky considers the best of the best, Gordie Howe, who scored 15 in his final season, and he was 52 years old.

    The Great One was preceeded by simply The Greatest. As Cassius Clay, the boxer the world came to know as Muhammad Ali, was an Olympic gold medalist in 1960. In his prime, he was a heavyweight who fought with the speed of a middleweight. He won the title in 1964 in a shocking win over Sonny Liston. After a three year ban and four more years that included losses to Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, he shocked the world again by regaining the crown from George Foreman. After another epic battle with Frazier, he lost then regained the title in 1978 against Leon Spinks. He retired, but came back for two ill-fated bouts, being stopped by Larry Holmes in 1980 and losing in 10 rounds to Trevor Berbick a year later, at the age of 39, a phantom of his former self.

    Babe Ruth is, was, and will forever be the face of baseball. A seven time World Series winner. A dozen home run titles, including 60 in 1927. When he hit more than 50 homers in both 1921 and 1922, his closest rival had hit 35 fewer. He hit 714 in his career, still ranked third best all-time. Ruth won a batting title, hit .342 in his career, and in 1916 even had the best ERA amongst all American League pitchers. That year he went 14 innings to win a World Series game on the mound. In his final season, at the age of 40, the Bambino lasted just 28 games. He hit six home runs (swatting 3 of them six days before he retired) and batting a mere .181.

    Two hundred wins, 27 of them coming in the 1967 season alone. Seven NASCAR titles. An astounding 25 seasons ranked amongst the Top Ten. There is a reason Richard Petty is the King. By the time he was done, the tank was dry. Over his last five seasons, he was winless and failed to crack the Top Twenty each of those seasons. By the time his final season came around, at the age of 55, a trio of 15th place finishes were his best on the year. Petty’s final win was already eight seasons behind him.

    Most retire when the tank is empty, but not all. Ken Dryden was 31 when the Montreal Canadiens’ goaltender called it quits, winning top goaltending honors in five of his seven seasons. Dryden ended his career as a Stanley Cup champion, his sixth, to become a lawyer, author, and public servant.

    Rocky Marciano was undefeated in 49 fights, 43 won by knockout, including the final seven that saw him leave the ring as World Heavyweight Champion. Marciano was thrice named by Ring magazine as fighter of the year, with his 1952 fight with Jersey Joe Walcott judged the best knockout ever. The Rock was just 32 when he hung them up.

    Sandy Koufax played through pain, winning three Cy Young Awards, including one for his final season. In 11 seasons with the Dodgers, he won 165 games for a 65 percent winning percentage, striking out 9.3 batters for every nine innings played. One season he won both the Cy Young and was the National League’s Most Valuable Player. The arthritis that caused his early departure failed to stop him winning 27 games in his final turn. Koufax retired at the age of 30, not because he could no longer pitch but rather to avoid the threat of a permanent disability.

    Which brings us back to Jeff Gordon. He will be 44 when he retires at the end of the 2015 season. His back hurts, and time will tell how much he has left in the tank, but odds are he will still be among the best on the track each week. Four wins in 2014 bodes well. Over the past four years, in his last 108 races, he has won 10, to go with 76 Top Tens. Gordon has been a Top Ten driver at the end of every season of his career, with the exceptions of 1993 (14th) and 2005 (11th), rating sixth best the past two.

    It will be sad to see one of the greats leave his seat early. The good news is that he leaves on his terms, still at the top of his game. The great news is that a wife, daughter, and son get to see him a whole lot more and his fans have memorabilia that will never go out of style. Oh, yes, we also get to have one more season watching one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers in action as the drive for five remains alive.

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring David Pearson

    NASCAR Champions Featuring David Pearson

    Cup Champion: 1966, 1968, 1969
    Born: December 22, 1934
    Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina
    Career: 1960 – 1986

    Premier Series Stats:
    Starts: 574
    Wins:   105
    Poles:  113

    David Pearson was not only fast in a race car, he was also quick on his feet. NASCAR’s “Silver Fox,” could outrun and outthink most of his competitors on any given day.

    Pearson made the most out of each opportunity. He never ran every single race in any season during a career that spanned 27 years, making his three Cup championship titles even more impressive.

    He won his first championship in 1966, competing in 42 of 49 races. Pearson’s second championship was earned in 1968 after running 48 of 49 events. His third and final title came in 1969 when he ran 51 of 54 races.

    Over the course of his career, Pearson raced his way to 105 victories and 113 poles in only 574 starts which ranks second all-time in both categories. His winning percentage of 18.293 is the third highest all-time. Only Herb Thomas (21.053) and Tim Flock (20.856) were more productive on the track. Any time he showed up to race, Pearson was a threat to win.

    Richard Petty once said of his rival, “If anybody asks, who is the best driver you ever drove against? I don’t hesitate. It was David Pearson.”

    Pearson drove for fellow Spartanburg, South Carolina native Cotton Owens from 1962 to 1967 and won his first championship in 1966 with Owens. Their partnership produced 27 wins and fostered a lifelong friendship.

    “He meant more to the sport than a lot of people thought,” said Pearson. “He won a ton of races in modifieds. He built the cars himself. He built the motors himself. He drove them. He won at Daytona on the beach. And he was just a good, honest fella.”

    His second and third titles came as a driver for Holman-Moody in 1968 and 1969. The two championship years included 27 wins (16 in 1968 and 11 in 1969), 26 poles and 78 top-fives in 99 starts.

    In 1968 while driving for Holman-Moody, Pearson began his rule of “The Track Too Tough To Tame,” capturing his first win, followed by another victory in 1970.  His domination continued throughout the 1970s with Wood Brothers Racing as he collected six more checkered flags at Darlington Raceway between 1972 and 1977. Two more first place finishes in 1979 and 1980 gave him a grand total of 10 wins and 12 poles, securing his place as the all-time wins leader at one of the most difficult tracks on the NASCAR circuit.

    Pearson’s 10 Darlington victories included wins with three different manufactures between 1968 and 1980.

    Ford – 1968, 1970 – Holman-Moody
    Mercury – 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976 (twice), 1977 – Wood Brothers
    Chevrolet – 1979 – Rod Osterlund
    Chevrolet – 1980 – Hoss Ellington

    Parson joined Wood Brothers Racing in 1972 for one of the most potent combinations of driver and team in NASCAR history. Although he didn’t compete in enough races to contend for a championship while with the team, he was always a formidable opponent wherever he raced.

    Pearson’s dominance on the track was never more evident than in 1973 when he won 11 of the 18 races he entered. “It was just enjoyable to go to a race track, he said, “knowing you had a chance of winning that race before you ever got there.”

    His career with the Wood Brothers also included a dramatic win of the Daytona 500 in 1976 in a car built by renowned car builder Banjo Matthews. Richard Petty was leading as the race wound down when Pearson made his move to the inside for the pass. At the same time Petty dove to the bottom of the track and the two collided as they were racing off of turn four. Pearson managed to keep his car running and inched across the finish line for his lone Daytona 500 win.

    Pearson also had an affinity for Charlotte Motor Speedway. In 46 starts, he earned a record 14 poles, including 11 consecutive poles from 1973 to 1978. Three of those poles translated into wins for Pearson.

    In 2011 he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame by Leonard Wood. Pearson called Wood, “the smartest man in the world,” in his acceptance speech. “If they needed something for that car and they couldn’t find it or couldn’t buy it, he made it.”

    He went on to thank Richard Petty. “He’s probably the one who made me win as many as I did. I’d run hard because he’d make me run hard. Sometimes he’d even make a mistake and I’d pass him. Of course I didn’t ever make no mistakes,” he said laughing.”I always accused him of having big engines when he passed me.”

    Pearson concluded by saying, “I knew if I ever went to a race track and he was there, if I could beat him, I’d win the race.”

    Pearson’s natural talent plus the ability to outwit his competitors made him one of NASCAR’s most successful and influential drivers both on and off the track.

    Accomplishments:

    1960 Rookie of the Year
    1966, 1968, 1969 Sprint Cup Champion
    1979 and 1980 Most Popular Driver Award
    1990 International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee
    1991 National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame Inductee
    1993 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee
    1998 Named One of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
    1998 Charlotte Motor Speedway Court of Legends
    2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee

  • The Final Word – After Chasing, Eliminating, and Winning, Kevin Harvick is the 2014 Cup Champion

    The Final Word – After Chasing, Eliminating, and Winning, Kevin Harvick is the 2014 Cup Champion

    Watching the Cup finale was like watching most Nationwide races. Few of the participants actually matter. You have your winner, you have those who actually are competing for the prize, and then you have the odd spectacular, special moment. Sunday’s race marked the end of ESPN’s run, which meant no more Allen, no more Dale, no more Andy, no more Rusty, no more Brad, and no more Nicole. A special moment, indeed.

    It could have been a special season for Jeff Gordon. He was best overall this year, just as he was the dominate wheel man for more than half the laps at Homestead. But it is no longer 2001, and at the end of the day he was 10th on the track and sixth in the official standings. In the old days only Joey Logano would have had a chance to catch Gordon in the final race. As pure a way of determining a champion it might have been, those days are gone forever.

    Logano’s day wound up being the pits. With 74 to go, he was riding fifth when they took time under caution to do a few repairs that dropped him to tenth. With 47 to go, he had worked his way back to fourth when he returned to the pits under caution, but a hung lug nut left him 11th on departure. No problem, if not for the pits. Another caution, another stop, another miscue as a dropped jack dropped Logano from sixth to 20th with 20 to go. Game, set, and match, as he finished 16th.

    Things seemed to be about to go Denny Hamlin’s way. They had the pit strategy, if only they could go green. They did not. The cautions allowed those with fresher tires to move past, and his title hopes went up in smoke over the final laps. Hamlin wound up seventh.

    That left two at the front. Ryan Newman had been the weak sister amongst the contenders for much of the race, but pit strategy gained them track position. The car was the best it was all night but only one problem remained.

    His name was Kevin Harvick. On the final restart, Harvick once again separated himself from the field, leaving Newman staring at a back bumper. The best finisher amongst the four would win the title, and you cannot do much better than winning the race to erase all doubt.

    Once we had a points system that rewarded consistency at the expense of wins over the course of a season. Then we got a 10 race playoff where only the top 10, or 12, or 13 were eligible for the crown after the initial 26 events. Now, we have a system where a win gets you into the Top 16 vying for the title in those final 10 races, where every three events they eliminate four contenders until you wind up with the best among the final four on the final day winning the title while racing 39 non-contenders.

    The records show that Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt won seven titles each using the original system, Jimmie Johnson won six through the Chase, and Kevin Harvick is the 2014 Cup champion through the elimination series. Each champion just as valid as the man who preceded him.

  • Hot 20 – If Sweetness and Loveliness is What you are After, Texas Might not be the Place to Find It

    Hot 20 – If Sweetness and Loveliness is What you are After, Texas Might not be the Place to Find It

    So, Danica Patrick is not all sweetness and loveliness. Okay, she is the latter, but the fact she is a little ticked or not going along with the company line, has some folks talking. She is upset with Joey Logano, she had a bit of a run in with Martin Truex Jr. at Martinsville and she thinks qualifying at Talladega stinks after her boyfriend got left in the cold. She even is not a fan of NASCAR’s diversity program.

    To start with, if we were talking about Kurt Busch here, nobody would care less. Okay, his having a boyfriend might come as a surprise, but that is about it. As for the diversity program, it either works or it does not. To be honest, graduates such as Darrell “Bubba” Wallace and Kyle Larson might have gotten there based on their talent, looks, character and some marketing in the same fashion Patrick emerged. Did the program remove any barriers that would have prevented them from otherwise rising to the top? I know many would say so, whether that be true or not. My reaction to her questioning its validity would be the same whether Danica said it, or Richard Petty, or Dale Earnhardt Jr. Then again, I am one of those guys who sees nothing wrong in questioning even sacred cows. It causes conversation and that is never a bad thing.

    As Danica and the boys head to Texas, the only thing critical I have in regards to her is that she is the 28th best driver in Cup. She is the dividing line between those who matter and those who continue to strive for respectability each week. What she says or does should carry about as much weight as, say, Aric Almirola or Casey Mears. However, that is not the reality of things.

    What is real is that Jeff Gordon remains the best driver so far this season, though Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski are right there, according to these standings. However, after the issues last week Keselowski’s Chase dreams are about to go the way of the dodo, or the Earnhardt and the Johnson, unless fortune smiles down in Texas. It won’t. Matt Kenseth goes in as the race favorite and Matt loves everybody.

    Except Keselowski, but everybody loves Matt. Except Kevin Harvick. Something tells me these boys are not exactly all sweetness and loveliness either.

    *Drivers awarded a 25 (rather than a 3) point winner’s bonus
    BOLD = Currently in the Chase

    Hot 20

    1 – Jeff Gordon – 4 Wins – 1247 POINTS
    2 – Joey Logano – 5 – 1227
    3 – Brad Keselowski – 5 – 1188
    4 – Dale Earnhardt Jr – 4 – 1158
    5 – Kevin Harvick – 3 – 1088
    6 – Jimmie Johnson – 3 – 1045
    7 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 1032
    8 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 1031
    9 – Carl Edwards – 2 – 1029
    10 – Kyle Larson – 0 – 981
    11 – Kyle Busch – 1 – 969
    12 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 931
    13 – Kasey Kahne – 1 – 927
    14 – Clint Bowyer – 0 – 923
    15 – Austin Dillon – 0 – 910
    16 – Jamie McMurray – 0 – 906
    17 – Denny Hamlin – 1 – 896
    18 – Paul Menard – 0 – 856
    19 – Brian Vickers – 0 – 847
    20 – A.J. Allmendinger – 1 – 828

  • Hot 20 – Change Can be a Good Thing, as Long as we are Sure it Is

    Hot 20 – Change Can be a Good Thing, as Long as we are Sure it Is

    Change where change is necessary is a good thing. NASCAR wanted us to keep watching, so out went the system that determined a champion based on season long performance. Winning is big, but it was not big enough, so in came the automatic Chase bye to race winners who at least put in the time to challenge Danica Patrick in the standings. One bad race and one’s Chase ambitions came to an end, but now a win keeps one in.

    Change to create unpredictability has proven to be good. A driver got hot and drove off with the Chase, but that was addressed by dividing the Chase into four segments and a fresh slate of points for the survivors. Going into the final at Homestead, four will have an equal chance of taking the prize. It could come right down to a race to the line to determine things. Excitement, drama, unpredictability.

    Next season, more change and another attempt to create unpredictability. A car drives off into the sunset and the list of potential contenders for that event dwindle down, barring some unfortunate event. Reduce horsepower, make the cars more difficult to drive, and allow for more passing is one way to address the predictability factor. If I can watch a race and have two or four or more challenging for the win, all the better. If every track can produce the uncertainty of a Talladega without the carnage, who could possibility argue against such change?

    Quality racing deserves quality announcing. The broadcasters are there to enhance the action, to make us yearn to be there ourselves, but far too often they fail to even keep us in front of the tube. With 43 cars ramping it up to over 180 miles per hour, there is no such thing as a boring race, just boring, unskilled, uninspiring announcers. Hopefully this is another change that has been addressed for next season.

    Yes, change can be good. It can come in the form of new blood challenging and winning a championship, such as Brad Keselowski. A driver coming of age, like Joey Logano. A driver giving notice of what might be expected in the future, as Kyle Larson is doing. Change that sees what is old become new again, like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at or near the front.

    Still, it is good to recognize what we already have that is good, like Jimmie Johnson striving to match the title accomplishments of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. Our Hot 20, with our own twist of awarding 25 bonus points to race winners, showcases those stars who have shone most brightly this season.

    I like the win and you are in format, but I am not totally sold on having 31 non-contenders on the track at Kansas this weekend at the same time as the dozen who are vying for a championship. If only we could figure out a way to have a real playoff, maybe one that is reserved for only the top 20 to be a part of, that might be one more change to consider. I will leave it to you to ponder the merits of that.

    BOLD = Currently in the Chase

    HOT 20

    1 – Jeff Gordon – 4 Wins – 1110 Points
    2 – Brad Keselowski – 5 – 1068
    3 – Joey Logano – 4 – 1044
    4 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 3 – 1044
    5 – Jimmie Johnson – 3 – 980
    6 – Kevin Harvick – 2 – 949
    7 – Carl Edwards – 2 – 906
    8 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 894
    9 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 873
    10 – Kyle Larson – 0 – 859
    11 – Kasey Kahne – 1 – 833
    12 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 825
    13 – Kyle Busch – 1 – 817
    14 – Clint Bowyer – 0 – 817
    15 – Jamie McMurray – 0 – 805
    16 – Paul Menard – 0 – 781
    17 – Austin Dillon – 0 – 779
    18 – Denny Hamlin – 1 – 759
    19 – Kurt Busch – 1 – 743
    20 – Brian Vickers – 0 – 730

  • Our Drivers – So Close and Yet so Far Away

    Our Drivers – So Close and Yet so Far Away

    I grew up in a different era of NASCAR and I’ve recently realized how much things have changed while I wasn’t paying attention. It feels as though I have awoken from a deep sleep, like in a fairy tale, and nothing is the same.

    I look at my wall of autographs and I can almost feel the history behind the signatures.  When I close my eyes I can remember walking up to drivers like Alan Kulwicki, Ken Schrader, Dick Trickle, Jeff Gordon and Michael Waltrip; getting autographs and talking to them. They treated each fan, from the first to the last, as special and you felt appreciated. I was able to chat with drivers at local tracks, I learned so much and made friends with many.

    This was a time when drivers didn’t have any more money than the fans, they were just like us. That was the appeal; they didn’t see themselves as heroes, they were racers. We paid for a ticket and they thanked us by signing autographs until there were no more fans in line. Fans were the car owners, fans were the sponsors, fans were important.

    The NASCAR drivers sought out the fans, anxious to get their name out there. Along with winning races, that is what brought in the sponsors. Today the situation is reversed and the drivers are pretty much owned by the sponsors and their teams. NASCAR has become so commercialized, that the blue collar sport of yesterday has been lost.

    The point I am trying to make is this; the drivers were accessible. It isn’t like today where you run the risk of being trampled by 500 fans trying to get Jimmie Johnson’s autograph when he only has an hour before being rushed away by his sponsor to another event.

    I experienced this firsthand last year when I had a pass for a Nationwide race and thought I would see how hard it would be to get autographs. It was a frustrating experience to say the least. I was wearing a boot that went from my foot to my knee, due to an injury. I bravely stood in the area as drivers walked by and I assumed I would be given a little room because of my foot, I was wrong. Basically I was tackled more than Tony Romo on any given Sunday and I finally gave up. I got some autographs but it took me a week to recover from the ordeal.

    That is when I began to wonder how disabled fans get autographs? How do fans that can’t afford to go to a race get them? How do older fans that can’t stand in lines for hours to attend an autograph session get them? There has to be an easier way for those fans that want to meet their favorite driver but are restricted.

    Then it hit me. Perhaps I can submit an envelope with a picture and a self addressed envelope with postage already paid. Maybe that is now the best way to get an autograph. I did this years ago for a little boy who was unable to write to his hero; Dale Earnhardt Sr. Earnhardt not only sent him an autograph but other items as well.

    I was stunned to discover that it’s not that simple anymore. You can no longer just send in a picture or a hero card and request an autograph. Most major teams schedule driver autograph sessions or you can purchase autographed items from their stores.

    Pay for an autograph? Really? Something as simple as getting an autograph shouldn’t be so hard, should it?

    Autographs are as important to the sport as the fan that will stand in line for hours to obtain them. I understand that, yes, the drivers are pulled around from place to place and do the best they can, but the fans are losing out and it’s the fans who put these drivers in the cars. The fans are the heart of NASCAR and having to pay for an autograph is ludicrous. As it stands now, there is a disconnect between the drivers and their fans.

    I don’t think fans feel very important to NASCAR or the drivers today. Let’s get a show of hands. How many fans feel special these days? No show of hands needed, the empty seats say it all. Look at the stands now and then look at the stands back in the days of Tim Richmond, Harry Gant and Richard Petty. Where did the fans go?

    It saddens me to see those empty seats and I worry about the state of the sport in general. Fans need to feel engaged again, need to know that the sport they love will listen to them and believe that each and every one of them is important. NASCAR needs to remember that without the fans, there is no NASCAR.

     

  • Two Drivers Looking for Victory at Watkins Glen to Make Chase

    Two Drivers Looking for Victory at Watkins Glen to Make Chase

    Marcos Ambrose and A.J. Allmendinger both know that the road course at Watkins Glen offers them one of their best chances at securing a spot in the 16 member Chase for the Sprint Cup. When asked questions about making the field both have differing thought processes. One will speak about their team in the field, the other says he doesn’t necessarily think about it because he’s not in it yet.

    On the same day that it was announced that Kimberly- Clarke was going to stay on board with Allmendinger and the No. 47 JTG-Daugherty for three more years,  Allmendinger let us know that the his car owners are still looking for sponsorships. “Tad (Geschickter),” Allmendinger said, “is out there continually trying to work on finding sponsorship and really help build the race team. It doesn’t hurt. The more money you find the more it’s going to help with resources at the race team. He is working hard on that. I know this whole week he has been out there trying to help sell and find more money for the race team. I think we just have to continually grow. Being a one car race team you are always going to be behind. I think it’s just as we add more resources and Tad continually goes out there and tries to find more money for us and Brad (Daugherty) does the same thing. That is going to help, but I think just trying to keep updating our cars.”

    Allmendinger was pretty honest with the gathered media saying that he doesn’t think that his team is necessarily up to the task of being a championship team. “When it comes to the Chase side of it,” he said, “It would be great to be in the Chase because it meant we won. That is the only way we are going to get in. When it comes to making the Chase to win a championship with our race team right now I am not sure that we are quite in that realm of saying if we make the Chase we can go win the championship. Anything can happen, but I think to come here and if we were to win to get into the Chase would just be great for all of our sponsors and this race team and to help keep building the race team and promoting it. That is the way I look at it. I don’t look to make the Chase to make the championship, but when it comes to this weekend I feel like after our test here a couple of weeks ago we had a really good test. I feel like if we do the right things we can be in contention to win the race. I don’t want to make it all or nothing. If we don’t win and we have a great top-five, top-three run, but we don’t win I don’t want that to be a disappointing weekend. But like I said, I think if we do the right things, kind of like at Sonoma we had a good shot to win that race, we will have good speed in the race car I believe. We will see what happens.”

    For Ambrose, it’s a bit different situation. He has won here at both the Nationwide and Cup level. He said, “I get talked about more and people want to know what I am doing (here). That is a good thing. I don’t have  a problem with that. When someone asked him that and started with, “If you made the Chase…” Ambrose was quick to respond, “I hate to be rude but I am not in the chase yet. I just haven’t thought about it. It is pretty straight forward. RPM would love to have both cars in the Chase and that is what we will try to do this weekend.”

    Ambrose admitted that the last couple years have been a struggle for him. His 2015 plans are announced and there’s rumors of him exiting NASCAR and heading back home to Australia. “It has been a struggle,” he said. Our first two years before this new body we had really good speed every week and it was a lot of fun. The last couple years have been a challenge. It’s been a grind, no doubt. We are looking for that next step for our team. It is a big step for us to make the Chase with Aric (Almirola). I am driving for the King and driving for Ford and it is great to be part of the series. Just because it is hard doesn’t mean it isn’t great.”

    Look for Watkins Glen’s race on both days to be some of the most entertaining to date. There are more than a handful of drivers who can win the race when they have nothing to lose (previous winners) and must win to make the chase. The weather is predicted to be beautiful all weekend, something that is relatively rare in upstate New York. Expect both Allmendinger and Ambrose to be a factor.

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring Richard Petty

    NASCAR Champions Featuring Richard Petty

    Cup Champion: 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979
    Born: July 2, 1937
    Hometown: Randleman, North Carolina
    Career: 1958 – 1992

    Premier Series Stats:
    Starts: 1185
    Wins: 200
    Poles: 123

    With his tall, slender frame, signature feathered cowboy hat and sunglasses; he is easily one of the most recognizable figures in the racing world. His accomplishments on the track will likely never be equaled and a worthy successor may never be found. There has only been one king in NASCAR and that king is Richard Petty.

    His success in the Sprint Cup Series is unparalleled and includes the most wins (200) and the most poles (123). He is tied with Dale Earnhardt for the most championships (seven) and holds the record for most Daytona 500 wins with seven. In 1967 he set two records with the most wins in a season (27) and the most consecutive wins (10). His 1,185 starts set the bar for the most starts in the series.

    Petty retired from driving in 1992 and assumed the role of car owner with Petty Enterprises. The organization won a total of 268 races before they merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports in 2009 to form Richard Petty Motorsports. In 2010, Petty was inducted into the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    With Petty at the helm, Richard Petty Motorsports currently fields two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Marcos Ambrose and Aric Almirola and a Nationwide Series team with Dakoda Armstrong.

    Petty’s legacy and influence, however, extend beyond mere statistics. It cannot be truly measured by numbers in a record book but rather is reflected in the lives he has touched.

    In 2003, John Force (16-time NHRA Funny Car champion), was asked what kind of legacy he wanted to leave in drag racing.

    “Hell, that’s an easy one to answer,” he said. “I want to be the guy that signed more autographs for the fans than anyone else. When I was first getting into this sport I watched Richard Petty. I watched the way he treated his fans. He would stand and sign autographs as long as people wanted them. I never saw him refuse to give a fan an autograph. I saw the love that his fans had for him and the way he seemed to really like them. I want to be like Petty except I that I want to sign even more autographs than he has. I want to take care of my fans the way he has.”

    For some fans, it was Petty’s prowess on the track that inspired their allegiance. Jimmy Taylor shared this memory from August 1979 at Michigan International Speedway.

    It was “20 laps to go,” he told me. “Petty is following Baker lap after lap. They take the white flag coming down the back stretch. Baker goes low to block the slingshot. Petty goes high instead, coming off turn four, side by side, screaming to the checkered, Petty wins by four feet! This 13-year-old boy cried like a baby with joy, the second greatest moment of my life besides my child’s birth.”

    For Mike Neff, Senior Writer at Frontstretch.com, it was a chance encounter that left a lasting impression.

    “In 2003 the fall Nationwide race at Charlotte was scheduled to run on Friday night but it was rained out,” he explained. “Saturday morning I packed up the kids and the wife and headed to the track. When we got there we stopped at the restroom for mom and the kids to take a break before we went to our seats. As I waited on them I saw Richard Petty leaning against the wall waiting for Lynda to come out of the restroom as well. I took the opportunity to shake his hand, having never met him before.

    “The family comes out of the restroom and we head down to our cheap seats, three rows up from the track at the flag stand and settle in to watch the race. As the pace laps are going on, who comes to sit directly behind us, in the cheap seats, but Richard Petty. Couldn’t believe he was sitting in such crappy seats.

    “Throughout the race people come by and talk, take pictures, get autographs, tell stories and just get their own little piece of the King. We did get to talk a little about racing during cautions and spent the whole race just being fans. It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had at a race track.

    “When the day ended I wished him well, he thanked me for spending the race with him and we went on our way. I can’t imagine Dale Jr. or Jimmie Johnson sitting four rows up at a Nationwide race and spending 75 percent of the time interacting with fans. There is a reason he’s called The King.”

    Randy Claflin’s favorite story is about a special birthday present courtesy of Petty.

    “In October of 1988, some of my family went to Florida on vacation,” he began. “On our way back home to Michigan, we stopped at the Petty museum for my birthday. While watching a movie in the museum, I heard a race car start up. Soon you could hear it moving around the building I was in. I went running through the museum with my camera (an old 110 film camera) out the front door. Here is Richard driving one of his Pontiacs around the parking lot. When he saw me and my camera, he stopped so I could take a picture. I went over to him and introduced myself to him and he shook my hand. He wished me a Happy Birthday, started the car back up and drove off. I lost the picture long ago but the memory of a great birthday present will live forever.”

    Terry Strange recounted a touching memory from Bristol about how a small gesture from Petty had a huge impact on a young boy.

    “Many years ago, the infield at Bristol was grass, and racers, their families and some fans could drive their own vehicles inside to park. My wife and I were sitting in our car eating a sandwich before we pushed the cars out to line up pre-race. A lady driving a pickup with a disabled child in the back (in a wheelchair) drove into the infield. She couldn’t find a place to park, as all the spaces in our section were full. A yellow tape separated us from the press parking, which was half-full. I held the rope up and let the lady come through.

    “She thanked me, and said that her son loved Richard Petty, and that his dream was to one day meet him. I had talked to him earlier,” Terry said, “and knew where his truck was parked. I walked over to his truck, where he was eating his own sandwich. I told him about the young man, he promptly put the sandwich down and told me to take him to the boy. As we walked across the infield to the truck, the boy lit up with a huge smile, Richard got up into the back of the truck and sat and talked with the youngster for quite a while. The boy’s mother cried. I waved and walked back to my car, then to work. I knew that afternoon why they call him The King.”

    Many drivers look at signing autographs as an obligation. Today’s fans often have to jump through hoops just to be part of autograph sessions that are first come, first served and limited to a strict period of time. Petty is a different breed of driver and as Bob Waas discovered, “He is the real deal.”

    Bob was an official from 1967-1977 at the now defunct, Islip Speedway in New York and his story dates back to July 5, 1967 when he drove the pace car for a NASCAR event.

    “Back then when the Sprint Cup cars (Grand National) visited Islip they didn’t have their own pace car driver,” he revealed, “so they entrusted the local officials with the duty of driving the pace car.

    “At the conclusion of the race I had the pleasure of driving the winner around the track so he could wave to the fans. It was a convertible in case you were wondering. On this night Richard Petty won so I picked him up at the start/finish line and took him around the track a few times. They told me over the radio to bring him to the press box afterwards so he could sign some autographs.

    “I was standing next to Richard when he signed his first autograph and it seemed to take a very long time. I looked over his shoulder and noticed that his autograph had lots of swirls and circles and other lines that I think would be hard to duplicate. I said to Richard, ‘You’re not going to sign all of them like that are you?’ He gave me that dumbfounded look and said, ’Of course I am Bob, it’s my autograph!’ I replied, ‘But, look at all the people!’  By now the line had grown so long it went down the entire length of the stairs and wrapped around the corner. Richard said to me, ‘It’s okay, I’ll stay here all night to sign autographs for the fans.’”

    Bob’s story doesn’t end there. A year later he was walking through the pits and passed by Petty and his brother Maurice who were sitting on the tailgate of their truck.

    “I kept walking as I gave a wave in his direction while shouting out, ‘Hi Richard.’ When he replied, ‘Hi Bob,’ it floored me. All those miles traveled between stops at our little track and somehow, he remembered my name.”

    These are only a few of the stories that came pouring in when I asked Petty fans to share some of their favorite moments. There were far too many to share them all but there was one sentiment expressed throughout. Richard Petty may be called The King because of his achievements on the track but it is his actions off the track that make him NASCAR royalty in the hearts of the fans.

    Accomplishments:

    All Time Wins Leader: 200
    All Time Poles Leader: 123
    1959: Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year Award
    1962, 1964, 1968, 1974-1978: Sprint Cup Most Popular Driver Award
    1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979: Sprint Cup Champion
    1964. 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981: Daytona 500 Winner
    1967: Most Sprint Cup Wins in One Season – 27 Wins
    1967: Most Sprint Cup Consecutive Wins – 10 Wins
    1973: North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
    1989: Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee
    1992: Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
    1997: International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee
    1997: North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame Inductee
    1998: Named One of NASCAR’s Greatest Drivers
    1998: National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame Inductee
    2010: NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee

    John Force Quote from dragracingonline.com June 16, 2003

    Special thanks to Randy Claflin, Mike Neff, Terry Strange, Jimmy Taylor and Bob Waas for their contributions.

     

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Daytona Coke Zero 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Daytona Coke Zero 400

    From a rain delay of a day to a rain-shortened race, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

    Surprising: In spite of the fits and starts of the race due to the rain, the Coke 600 was still the stuff of legends, from the anniversary victory for The King and Richard Petty Motorsports to the last call of Barney Hall of Motor Racing Network.

    RPM’s famed No. 43 made it to Victory Lane, thanks to some rainy luck for driver Aric Almirola and crew chief Trent Owens, on the 30th anniversary of The King’s 200th historic win at Daytona. Almirola was the 43rd driver to pilot the No. 43, scoring his first win of his career at his home track.

    “I couldn’t have dreamed of a better place to get my first win,” Almirola said. “I’ve sat in these grandstands and watched the Daytona 500. I’ve watched the Firecracker 400s. That’s what everybody always talked about, and as a young kid, coming over here and watching, just dreamed about what it would be like to have a chance to race at the highest level at this racetrack.”

    “I think it’s very cool that we won on this weekend,” Almirola continued. “It’s 30 years to the weekend that The King won his 200th race with the President here. That’s really special.”

    Another legend, Barney Hall, also called his final race at Daytona and will retire from race announcing at the age of 82 years.

    “He has spoken to millions of fans and made millions of individual fans of our sport,” NASCAR president Mike Helton said. “I wanted to thank him for all he has done for us personally, but also all he has done for NASCAR.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., an aficionado of the history of the sport, also shared his appreciation for the career of Hall.

    “Barney Hall is a legend,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. tweeted. “I grew up listening to him. Forever grateful.”

    Not Surprising: In spite of the weather drama and the strategy that was playing out to outfox the rain drops, it was not surprising that what caught the eye of mainstream media were the two ‘big ones’, involving a total of 42 crashed race cars.

    Second place finisher Brian Vickers had a bird’s eye view of both incidents, barely making it through each incident.

    “We went to the front, and then it got a little bit too dicey for my comfort that early, and guys were moving around a lot,” Brian Vickers, second place finisher, said. “So we went to the back, just had a bad feeling about kind of the energy in the pack and where it was headed, so we dropped back, and at about two laps later there was a big crash and we were fortunate to be out of that.”

    “We ended up actually getting into the pack at about the wrong moment and were fortunate enough to get through the last big wreck,” Vickers continued. “I saw it kind of starting out of the corner of my eye, a car from the outside to the inside just went way too quick, and I just jumped on the brakes and as soon as I saw it opening downshifted and went to the gas and was able to get through it. But very lucky to get through that wreck and keep the FSU car out of trouble.”

    Surprising: Kurt Busch had some surprising comments about his relationship with his crew chief Daniel Knost after finishing the race in the third spot.

    “Yeah, the relationship with Daniel, you know, there’s some times when a driver and a crew chief hit it off and they’re off to the races right away. Daniel and I have been slower to mature together in our relationship, and so we’re 18 races into our first date,” the driver of the No. 41Haas Automation Chevrolet, said. “Now we’re going into the second half of the season, and all of our first dates are done.”

    “We’ll go to New Hampshire next week, and that’ll be the last new track that we see together, and then from there on out, all the tracks that we’ve been to we have notes and we have test sessions planned, and that’s where we have to make the 41 team stronger.”

    Not Surprising: There was no driver more excited about a top-five finish than Austin Dillon, who has been battling Kyle Larson for Rookie of the Year honors. And this race saw Dillon hold serve over Larson, who was involved in the first wreck and finished 36th.

    “It’s huge for us getting a top 10, a top 5; it definitely can change the rookie race,” the driver of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/NRA Museum Chevrolet, said. “We’ve got some momentum now.”

    “We’ve got the last four races, I think, in the rookie race, and just stay consistent and hopefully we can come out with this thing,” Dillon continued. “Our cars have been really fast all year, and we’re getting better each week. I feel like we’re gaining a little bit, and I’m excited about that.”

    Surprising: Driver Paul Menard no doubt had the most appropriate car name for this Daytona race, driving the No. 27 SPLASH/Menards Chevrolet. Menard was marking time in the back but then got caught in the second big one to finish 16th.

    Menard did, however, gain at least one position in the point standings, regaining his spot in tenth.

    “We battled weather all weekend,” Menard said. “Our strategy was to ride around in the back and miss all the wrecks, but with rain coming we knew it was time to move towards the front.”

    “Of course, when we got to the front someone got turned around and we were caught up in a huge mess,” Menard continued. “Fortunately, my guys did a great job on pit road to repair damage and were able to keep us on the lead lap.”

    “I think we moved up in points, so all-in-all it wasn’t a terrible day.”

    Not Surprising: With Daytona, anything can happen during the ‘big ones’, including cars going airborne and upside down. Unfortunately, for both Jamie McMurray and Kyle Busch, each experience a little bit of both.

    “It’s kind of scary I think my car got airborne,” McMurray, behind the wheel of the No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet, said. “I have never had that happen before it’s a helpless feeling when you are getting hit as you are in the air.”

    “It was kind of scary, but glad it looks like everyone is okay.”

    “Just felt like a slow carnival ride,” Kyle Busch said of his upside down ending. “I guess that’s fitting for the Fourth of July weekend. I just got T-boned there at the end and it just kind of toppled me over.”

    “I got hit by the 26 (Cole Whitt) which just toppled me over and when I toppled over you know you just sit there upside down basically in your restraints,” Busch continued. “Your chest is held, your abdomen is held and everything is held and you just wait for them to come in there and get you and turn you over, because it’s way safer to get turned over in that seat because you already got turned over once then it is to try to undo the belts and bang your head off the ceiling and try to get out.”

    Surprising: One would have thought that the race was at a short-track rather than on the high banks of a restrictor plate track with the way tempers were flaring.

    “The No. 17 car (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.) got sideways on the lap that we’re all getting a competition caution,” Tony Stewart, behind the wheel of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Ducks Unlimited Chevrolet said. “I don’t know. I guess Ricky thought it paid something to get to lap 20. I don’t know. It didn’t make much sense to me, but I’m not that smart either; so I don’t know. I don’t know that I’m the right person to ask.”

    “I guess is was just Stenhouse being an idiot,” Smoke continued. “It didn’t make much sense when we’re coming to the caution, we’re like a quarter of a lap from getting to the caution and he does something stupid.”

    “It tore up a lot of people’s cars and a lot of people’s days,” Stewart said. “To get here on Wednesday night and sit here all day and run 19 and three-quarter laps and get wrecked by somebody who’s doing something stupid.”

    Not Surprising: Like so many of the other racers, Martin Truex Jr. was ready to put Daytona in his rear view mirror. In spite of a vibration and battery change, Truex finished 15th in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet.

    “It was a roller coaster day,” Truex said. “We never could get going. I didn’t like what I was seeing early in the race and I hung back. That turned out to be a good move as we missed being collected in the first wreck.”

    “Then we had a vibration in the car, and later we needed to make a battery change,” Truex continued. “As I was exiting pit road after the battery change, the second big wreck happened. We most likely would have been in that wreck had we not been on pit road changing the battery.”

    “We eventually got back on the lead lap and we were ready to move forward. But we never got that opportunity because of the race being declared official following more rain.”

    “It’s been one of those weekends you want to forget about and move on.”

  • The Final Word – Rains delayed and shortened the race, but there were still fireworks at Daytona

    The Final Word – Rains delayed and shortened the race, but there were still fireworks at Daytona

    Holy crap, what was that? If nothing else, the Firecracker 400 in Daytona sure was not predictable. A few yards short of a competition caution, many of the favorites were removed or seriously hampered when all hell broke loose. Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart got involved in a non-romantic triangle that involved some of the circuit’s best. Just past the half-way mark, they took care of a bunch of others with an even bigger demo derby. Greg Biffle caught up to Kasey Kahne, who in turn kissed Joey Logano, which commenced a wrecking orgy. In the end, half of the field was gone and those running up front were folks we usually expect to see running near the back.

    Aric Almirola was not favored to return the iconic 43 that Richard Petty won his 200th win the Independence Day weekend thirty years ago, but he did. The rains that delayed the action for a day, and delayed it again early on Sunday, returned to finally put a wash to the proceedings prior to the three-quarter mark. The man in front was the 30-year old Tampa, Florida native, recording his first Cup victory in 125 starts. That goes with his single Nationwide win from 2007 and his two truck series triumphs back in 2010. Better yet, that car is all but entered into the Chase, with eight races to run before they settle on the 16 championship contenders.

    Brian Vickers is not in a Chase place, yet finished second. Ditto for Casey Mears, in fourth. Danica Patrick and Marcos Ambrose had Top Ten days. Michael McDowell , who is not even in the Top 30 in points, was seventh on Sunday with Alex Bowman finishing 13th. Even part-timer Terry Labonte, the former two-time champ, was 11th. For some, it was worth the wait to run this thing.

    For others, not so much, as barely half the field managed a hundred laps. Our list of likely Chasers who wound up in scrap metal included Jimmie Johnson (42nd), Kevin Harvick (39th), Carl Edwards (37th), Kyle Busch (28th), and Ryan Newman (24th). It is too early yet to get all tight ended about the chances of Kahne, Biffle, and Kyle Larson after they all finished outside the Top 25, but they could have done without this Daytona experience. On the other hand, Stewart and Jamie McMurray might be puckering up a little as both dropped points they could ill afford to lose. It has become even more likely than ever that without a win they will be running the final ten just for fun.

    Almirola is the 11th driver to win this season, so as long as no more than five more drivers win their first of the season over the course of the next eight, he and the others will be in the Chase. Matt Kenseth is 90 points to the good in the Top 16, so he is secure as they sit right now. Newman also is strong, but things start to get tight after that. Still, anyone in the Top 20 can still dream of making it in on points, but the next dozen will need a win to even hope of making it.

    Next Sunday it is New Hampshire. Sadly, that marks the final race broadcast on TNT before the ESPN gong show returns to test our love of the televised version of the sport. Adam, Wally, and Kyle, thanks for showing us how the job should be done.

    Loudon could be the place where some winless drivers can show us how it should be done. Newman and Stewart each have three wins there. Clint Bowyer has a couple, and Biffle, Kenseth, Vickers, and Kahne also know where to find Victory Lane. Now, as long as other former New Hampshire winners, such as Johnson, Gordon, Harvick,  Logano, Denny Hamlin, or one of the Busch brothers do not get greedy…

    SWEET SIXTEEN
    1 – Jimmie Johnson – 3 WINS – 596 POINTS
    2 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 2 – 624
    3 – Brad Keselowski – 2 – 586
    4 – Joey Logano – 2 – 546
    5 – Carl Edwards – 2 – 543
    6 – Kevin Harvick – 2 – 514
    7 – Jeff Gordon – 1 – 651
    8 – Kyle Busch – 1 – 524
    9 – Denny Hamlin – 1 – 493
    10 – Aric Almirola – 1 – 452
    11 – Kurt Busch – 1 – 422
    12 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 580
    13 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 534
    14 – Paul Menard – 0 – 516
    15 – Clint Bowyer – 0 – 509
    16 – Austin Dillon – 0 – 494

    CONTENDERS & PRETENDERS
    17 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 490
    18 – Brian Vickers – 0 – 484
    19 – Kyle Larson – 0 – 482
    20 – Kasey Kahne – 0 – 482
    21 – Marcos Ambrose – 0 – 472
    22 – Tony Stewart – 0 – 465
    23 – Jamie McMurray – 0 – 447
    24 – Casey Mears – 0 – 438
    25 – A.J. Allmendinger – 0 – 414
    26 – Martin Truex, Jr. – 0 – 414
    27 – Danica Patrick – 0 – 358
    28 – Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. – 0 – 342
    29 – Justin Allgaier – 0 – 319
    30 – Michael Annett – 0 – 299
    31 – David Gilliland – 0 – 256
    32 – Cole Whitt – 0 – 254