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Tag: Richard Petty

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Bojangles’ Southern 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Bojangles’ Southern 500

    On what has become a Mother’s day weekend tradition at the historic Darlington Raceway, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 64th annual Bojangles’ Southern 500.

    Surprising:  While bad news often comes in threes, Matt Kenseth had the opposite experience, with only good news in threes for this Joe Gibbs Racing team member. Kenseth scored his third Sprint Cup win of the season and advanced one spot to third in the point standings.

    Not only was it a stellar evening for JGR with Kenseth in Victory Lane, but teammate Denny Hamlin gutted out a surprisingly good full-race performance after returning from his back injury. Hamlin finished in the runner up position, scoring his seventh top-10 at Darlington and his second top-10 finish for the season.

    “I think our whole team, we’ve just got a great team from top to bottom,” J.D. Gibbs, President of Joe Gibbs Racing, said. “Gosh, I couldn’t feel much better about our year so far.”

    Not Surprising:  For the other member of the Joe Gibbs Race team, however, three times was nowhere near a charm. JGR driver Kyle Busch, who was the dominant driver all evening long, in fact leading 265 laps, tussled with competitor Kasey Kahne for the third time this season to finish a disappointing sixth in the race.

    “He’s pretty tore up that they’re racing hard and Kasey Kahne tore up another car,” Dave Rogers, crew chief of the No. 18 Doublemint Toyota, said. “This is the third time we’ve been involved in an incident with Kasey and all of us over here have a ton of respect for that program.”

    “Well, he needs to quit,” Kasey Kahne, recipient of the three incidents with Busch, said simply. “Three times this year. I mean he’s got to just race me.”

    Surprising:  While enjoying a much celebrated 700th career start, Jeff Gordon, at the tender age of 41 years, also managed to set yet another record. Gordon posted his 300th top-five finish, becoming only the fourth driver to accomplish this feat, along with NASCAR legends David Pearson, Bobby Allison and Richard Petty.

    “Well, we all wanted this 700th start to be a memorable one,” the driver of the No. 24 Cromax Pro Chevrolet said. “I’m very proud of this.”

    Not Surprising:  As so often happens, David Ragan experienced the highs and lows of the sport, from his previous week’s win at Talladega to overheating and struggling to finish 39th at Darlington at this weekend’s race.

    “Yeah, that’s how it goes sometimes,” the driver of the No. 34 Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts Ford said. “That’s a character-building weekend for sure.”

    “You’ve just got to work hard and stay focused and keep the right attitude.”

    Surprising:  In spite of decent race finishes for two of the Roush Fenway drivers, with Carl Edwards taking the checkered flag in seventh and Greg Biffle in 13th, both expressed the feeling that they are lacking something so far this season.

    “We struggled a lot and ended coming back to seventh so I’m proud of our effort,” Edwards, behind the wheel of the No. 99 Geek Squad Ford, said. “But we’re just missing something.”

    “It’s a little disappointing,” Biffle, driver of the No. 16 Meguiar’s Ford, said. “We still don’t have the grip that we need.”

    “We’re missing it ever since the season started with this car.”

    Not Surprising:   All good things must come to an end and so it was not surprising that Aric Almirola’s streak of top-tens came crashing down at Darlington. The driver of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford finished 20th at the track ‘Too Tough to Tame.’

    “That’s not the result we wanted at all,” Almirola said. “We fought hard, but just weren’t quite good enough.”

    “That was a tough night.”

    Surprising:  The struggles of Tony Stewart surprisingly continued at Darlington and the trip to Victory Lane that he so badly wanted at a track where he had never won eluded the former champion yet again.

    Stewart was poised to get a good finish, in fact starting eighth on a restart with under 60 laps to go. But the Lady reached out and grabbed the driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, putting that old Darlington stripe right down the side of his race car.

    Stewart finished a disappointing 15th when the checkered flag finally flew.

    “Darlington is such a tough track to get a handle on,” Stewart said. “You don’t see a lot of guys who have a lot of success there.”

    Not Surprising:  In spite of scoring a pole run, with a track record to boot, and a record number of laps led for his team, Kurt Busch still did not get the finish he wanted at Darlington.

    The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Serta Chevrolet ran strong all night but slipped at the end after getting hit by the No. 13 of Casey Mears. Busch finished 14th in the Bojangles’ Southern 500.

    “We could not keep up with the changing conditions of the track,” Busch said. “We made a number of chassis and air pressure adjustments but couldn’t get the car hooked up.”

    “We let it slip away and that’s disappointing,” Busch continued. “But we won the pole, led laps, ran up front for a good portion of the race and came away with a respectable finish.”

    Surprising:  Penske Racing had a surprisingly bad day, especially for reigning champ Brad Keselowski, who had never finished outside the top 15 in his four starts at Darlington. The driver of the Blue Deuce was caught up in an accident and finished 32nd.

    While teammate Joey Logano has had an admittedly up and down relationship with the track, with two top-10 finishes and two finishes outside the top-25, he struggled as well. The driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford finished in the same position as his car number, 22nd.

    Not Surprising:  Although the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Emerald Green Chevrolet admitted that the track is tough, his love affair with Darlington continued, especially after scoring another top-five finish. Johnson now leads the point standings by more than a full race worth.

    “It was just a great 500 miles here at Darlington,” Jimmie Johnson said. “I love this place.”

    “I wish we could race here three or four times a year.”

    Surprising:  It was a bit surprising that there were just enough cars at Darlington for a full 43 car field. For the first time in quite a long time, no one was sent home unhappy after qualifying for this Southern 500.

    Not Surprising:  Juan Pablo Montoya’s focus on execution continued at the ‘Lady in Black’. He and his No. 42 Target Chevrolet team had a great run, finishing eighth.

    “Well, we didn’t unload as good as we wanted, but we got it really good,” Montoya said. “I keep telling the guys we have got to execute.”

    “If every person here does their best, we are going to be looking like heroes here.”

  • A Jeff Gordon story – Sometimes the little things mean the most

    A Jeff Gordon story – Sometimes the little things mean the most

    A few times a year, I’m privileged to be able to go to a NASCAR race as part of the media. It’s a unique experience that allows me to be a small part of something that has an enormous impact on so many.  What may surprise you is that it is often the little things that make it a special experience.

    One of the most enjoyable aspects is the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. During several conversations with one of the women who helped prepare our food at the media center, she talked about being a lifelong NASCAR fan and proudly told me, “I’m a huge Dale Jr. fan but my Dad likes Kasey Kahne. Can you believe that?” The look on her face was priceless.

    The young man who stood watch at the door to the media center told me how he begged a friend to switch assignments with him so that he could work the race at Darlington.

    My favorite moment was shared with a photographer at Darlington Raceway who has been working the NASCAR circuit for over 30 years. I was surprised to hear he drove all the way from Canada to cover the Darlington race. He was accompanied by his daughter.

    He began talking about how it was in the “old days’’ when drivers like David Pearson and Richard Petty would spend hours signing autographs for their fans. “I don’t know why,” he said “but they had such an appreciation for the fans, especially the kids. You don’t see that much anymore.”

    But then he related a story about his daughter. She has been his constant companion since she was old enough to travel with him. “She grew up in NASCAR,” he told me.

    When his daughter was a small girl, she had a Jeff Gordon Pepsi trading card and desperately wanted it autographed. When the opportunity arose, they approached Gordon who was surrounded by fans. It was beginning to rain but they were determined to wait. When Gordon saw the girl, he politely told the rest of the crowd; “children first.”

    “Gordon took the card from her, placed it face down on his pants leg, covered it with his hand so it wouldn’t get wet, and told us to follow him to his hauler. He signed the card and spent several minutes talking with my daughter and me.”

    The photographer’s eyes were glistening as he looked at me and said, “Signing autographs, that’s business. But this, (he pantomimed covering up the card on his leg), this was from the heart.”

    You never know who you will meet at a NASCAR race. It could be a famous driver, a celebrity, or just the guy next door. But, one thing is certain; you’ll come home with some stories to tell.

  • NASCAR BTS: Fabian Hall Fulfills Dream of Cooking for Aric Almirola and Petty Race Team

    NASCAR BTS: Fabian Hall Fulfills Dream of Cooking for Aric Almirola and Petty Race Team

    This edition of NASCAR ‘Behind the Scenes’ focuses on Fabian Hall, Army Staff Sergeant, cancer survivor, and aspiring chef, who had his dream come true thanks to Petty Motorsports, Aric Almriola and Eckrich.

    This past weekend, Hall was surprised with the opportunity to be the chef at Texas Motor Speedway for Aric Almirola’s No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford. Almirola’s sponsor Eckrich, part of the John Morrell Food Group, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, made the dream come true thanks to their corporate partnership with Operation Homefront.

    Eckrich gave Hall the opportunity to not only accompany the Petty race team to Texas for the NASCAR weekend, but also set him up with a new grilling set so that he could prepare meals for the team. And this was all revealed to Hall in a surprise trip to a local grocery store.

    “We went to Kroger’s and saw all this stuff set up by Eckrich and all of a sudden, here comes the race car around the corner,” Hall said of how he first learned about his opportunity to cook trackside. “I was surprised.”

    “After that, they told me what was in store for the whole race weekend and then we shopped for what I would be cooking for the team all weekend,” Hall continued. “It was a thrill ride for me.”

    “It was really cool to be able to surprise Fabian,” Aric Almirola, driver of the famed No. 43 said. “I drove the show car around the corner and of course revved the engine when I got up to him.”

    “He has done a lot for our country and it was really great to give back to him,” Almirola continued. “He was very surprised and really got a kick out of the car being there.”

    While Hall enjoys NASCAR, he is primarily a fan of the automobile.

    “I’m a car fan period,” Hall said. “If it’s got wheels on it, I’ll watch it.”

    While Hall has heard of many of the NASCAR stars, he admitted to not following a particular driver or team. This past race weekend, his first ever at the track in person, may just have changed all of that for this warrior chef.

    “I’ve heard of a lot of the drivers but don’t follow any one driver,” Hall said. “I like the sound of the engines and how they are driving. so I just watch the sport because of my love of the cars and the enthusiasm I get from watching the cars.”

    “I’ve never really followed just one driver but I’m definitely keeping my eyes on Aric from here on out.”

    “This was my first time at the track,” Hall said. “I was pretty amazing, especially when you get to hear that caliber of car and the engines revved up.”

    While Hall was having a great time ogling all those fast cars, he also had a job to do. And this aspiring chef cooked up a storm for Almirola, the ‘King’ Richard Petty and the No. 43 team.

    “The first meal I did was a beer brine for the sausages,” Hall said. “I did a vegetable medley with peppers, onions, and squash on the grill with that and some nice white rice to go with it.”

    “I also did a beer brine barbecue sauce to finish it off,” Hall continued. “The second day, I did a mac and cheese casserole with several different cheeses, sausage, peppers and garlic.”

    “I grilled all that off together and did some bacon as well,” Hall said. “I covered it all with cheese and when the team opened it up and saw it, it was like they were in Disneyland.”

    “It was pretty awesome.”

    Hall admitted that what has meant most to him was the encouragement and positive comments that he got from the team about his cooking.

    “He is a great cook!” Almirola said. “He made dinner for the team on Friday and Saturday and it was delicious.”

    “I’ve gotten a lot of text messages letting me know how much the team enjoyed my food,” Hall said. “I could see the look on their faces of the crew members that they enjoyed it.”

    “They said that two top chefs came in and cooked for them before but they said my food beat their food,” Hall continued. “That was a great thing to hear and take in.”

    “To know that after so many years of being in the Army and learning so many different things and then to go to school and to be able to cook on the same caliber as someone I’ve seen on TV cooking, that was a good feeling.”

    Hall has honed his culinary skills from the time he was a young boy, cooking at the feet of his grandmother.  He then continued to cook in the Army, prior to being diagnosed with cancer and having to undergo serious treatment.

    “I’m from east Texas and that’s a little country area, where either you’re hauling logs or working on cars,” Hall said. “I worked on cars but also watched my grandmother in the kitchen.”

    “When I was 14 years old, I decided I was hungry and fixed a roast and stuck with it ever since,” Hall continued. “When I joined the military, they gave me the choice of either being a mechanic or a cook and of course I chose the lesser of the greasy jobs.”

    “I think I did my grandmother justice because not only have I taken her recipes and done elegant dishes but I’ve used the techniques that I learned from her in school and in the Army,” Hall said. “My service in the military and the time I spent learning things, from Germany to here at San Antonio receiving my treatment for cancer, I’ve done my profession well in tribute to her.”

    Hall shared that what surprised him most about being at the track and cooking for the race team was just how family-oriented the team was. And of course, he was tremendously  impressed by the head of that Petty race team family, the ‘King’ himself.

    “Richard Petty is one of the most humble guys,” Hall said. “You can tell he is a country boy and we got along well.”

    “I loved hanging out with him and him coming by and sneaking his finger into my food,” Hall continued. “That final dessert he tasted, you could tell he liked my food.”

    “He could not put that plate down of the apple ala mode,” Hall said. “A lot of people were surprised that I did that dessert being that I only had a grill to cook on.”

    “But I still made apple ala mode and they were surprised that I pulled it off.”

    For Hall, cooking for Richard Petty and company was most assuredly one of the biggest blessings that he has experienced in his life. Yet he has kept it all in perspective, especially after his experiences in the Army and with battling cancer.

    “To me, it was an add-on to God blessing me to still be here,” Hall said. “When I went through my chemotherapy, there were low points and I thought I was not going to make it.”

    “My mother and my family came in and helped push me along and kept me motivated,” Hall continued. “They would pray with me and for me and that kept me grounded to my roots in church.”

    “When you have something like that to ground you, you can’t go wrong,” Hall said. “Family, church and prayer helped me a lot.”

    “So, I was not expecting to be there for this race experience,” Hall continued. “And now that I have, it’s just another blessing.”

    “God blessed me to be able to do it and I’m looking forward to many more opportunities to bless other people’s stomachs and mouths,” Hall said. “I feel like what I do is a blessing and I’m going to keep on sharing that blessing with everyone else.”

    Petty driver Aric Almirola echoed Hall’s sentiments about his time at the track.

    “He is a great example of perseverance,” Almirola said. “He went overseas and fought for our country and then came back and fought for his life.”

    “To see someone go through all of that and still have a positive outlook on life is really inspiring,” Almirola continued. “I’m just glad to work with a company like Eckrich that supports charities like Operation Homefront and really gives back to the community.”

    “We wouldn’t be able to race every weekend if it weren’t for people like Fabian who give up everything to fight for our freedom,” Almirola said. “So anytime you can give back, even in a small way, is huge.”

     

  • Is Jimmie Johnson The Greatest NASCAR Driver Of All-Time?

    Is Jimmie Johnson The Greatest NASCAR Driver Of All-Time?

    This article was inspired by Kenny Wallace and his tweet from Monday morning; “No doubt at 38 yrs old that @JimmieJohnson is the 2nd Greatest driver in the History of #NASCAR, ALL stats back it up. #3 is 1st.” That is a very bold statement by Kenny and it unsurprisingly caught the attention of many NASCAR fans that began to argue the topic amongst themselves. Attempting to compare Jimmie to the likes of Petty and Earnhardt is a very difficult task considering that they all raced in such different eras of the sport. This is not the first time that this controversial topic has been brought up but Jimmie’s domination at Martinsville which marked his 8th victory at the short track and the 62nd of his career brought it to the forefront of our minds again.

    So, is 5-time better than Richard Petty and even the late, great Dale Earnhardt? Let’s crunch some numbers first and see how the three compare. It took Richard 15 years to win five championships while Earnhardt did it in 13…a feat that took Johnson just 9 years to accomplish in arguably the most competitive era in NASCAR history. Jimmie Johnson has competed in 405 NSCS events coming out victorious in 62 of them giving him a 15.3% winning percentage. In their first 405 races, Petty won 82 events while Dale Sr. won 53. If you are going to base it off of that, then I’d say Richard Petty is #1 but it isn’t so black and white. There are A LOT of factors you have to look at before making an accurate determination on the issue and it would be ignorant to simply base it your stance off of that.

    First of all, not to take anything away from The King but back then, Petty Enterprises was heads and shoulders above the rest of the field car wise which is a major factor to why he won so much. The only other teams that could really compete with them on a regular basis were the Wood Brothers and Junior Johnson. Petty was winning races laps ahead of his closest competitor and just dominated the sport for well over a decade. He had easily the best team, one of the best crew chiefs (Dale Inman) and of course, some natural talent when it comes to driving a race car. Once 3x NSCS champion Lee thought Richard was ready; he threw his son into the fastest car in the field which contributed to all the success and the big numbers he put up. It’s a similar story for Johnson who was thrown into Hendrick equipment from the start and teamed up with Chad Knaus who he remains with to this day.

    Dale Earnhardt on the other hand is a completely different situation and what I’m about to say explains why I rank Dale #1. The cars he drove at the start of his career were mid-packers at best that rarely, if ever found victory lane. Rod Osterlund ran over 200 races as an owner but only one driver ever gave him victories and his name is Dale Earnhardt. In fact, they stunned the NASCAR world when they defeated the titans of the sport to win the 1980 championship. Buddy Baker, Neil Bonnett, Dan Gurney and even David Pearson couldn’t win a single race for Osterlund while Earnhardt won 7. That was definitely not the last time Sr. would get in a mid-pack car and take it to the front.

    After a 2 year stint with Bud Moore, the 7x champion joined Richard Childress Racing. In the 10 years before he showed up, RCR won just 2 races courtesy of Ricky Rudd and had a best championship result of 9th. RCR’s numbers went through the roof when Earnhardt arrived winning 6 championships and 67 races! Let’s not overlook the fact that even though he was 49 years old when he was killed in the 2001 Daytona 500, he was by no means done winning. In 2000, Dale won two races finishing runner-up in the championship to Bobby Labonte. Since the legend lost his life in that tragic crash, the team has amassed zero NSCS titles and just 31 victories combining ALL of their drivers and remember, they are now a three car (once four car) team. Also, unlike Petty and Johnson who won all their championships with a single crew chief, Dale won his with several different ones proving it didn’t really matter who this man had calling the shots; he would still win.

    With that being said, I can without a doubt in my mind say that Dale Earnhardt is the greatest NASCAR driver of all-time. Once a driver comes up through the ranks and starts winning NSCS titles left and right in a Front-Row Motorsports or Phoenix Racing car….then we’ll talk. As for who is #2 and #3, I think I agree with Kenny Wallace. Winning 62 races and 5 titles in the span of 12 years with how competitive this sport has become is simply remarkable. What we are witnessing right now is history in the making and it may never be repeated. Those numbers will continue to grow as his career progresses and I can easily see Jimmie as a 100x winner and 7x champion down the road. On a different note, it’s a shame that there is a contingent of fans out there who not only disrespect this true legend of our sport but go as far as to say that his team cheated and that’s why he won 5-straight. I can only imagine how many times Petty, Junior Johnson and even the Wood Brothers illegally modified their cars but got away with it. It’s not cheating, it’s innovating while trying not to step on NASCAR’s toes at the same time.

    There is no doubt that all three of these men are legends in their own right and have incredible talent but obviously, there is no definitive way of saying who the best really is. It is all opinions based on some facts and individual observations which will of course vary from person to person. Fans and media members alike will debate until the end of time who should be called #1 but in my mind, only one man has proven that he deserves that title and his name is Ralph Dale Earnhardt…..the greatest NASCAR driver that ever lived.

  • Nicole Biffle Shares Passion for Work of Greg Biffle Foundation

    Nicole Biffle Shares Passion for Work of Greg Biffle Foundation

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”183″][/media-credit]Nicole Biffle is one busy young woman, as wife to Chase contender Greg and mom to 15 month old Emma. And while obviously completely committed to both of those roles, she is also passionate about her work with the Greg Biffle Foundation.

    Nicole started the Greg Biffle Foundation with her husband in 2005 with the mission of creating awareness and serving as advocates to improve the well-being of animals by engaging the power and passion of the motor sports industry.

    One of her ‘pet’ projects is the NASCAR Pets Calendar and she has just wrapped up work on the 2013 calendar, featuring many drivers including Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Joey Logano. It also features NASCAR media members Shannon Spake, Rutledge Wood, Jeff Hammond, John Roberts and Chris Myers.

    “So we just finished our 2013 calendar and it’s really cool,” Biffle said. “This year we have Danica Patrick, the King and Kyle Petty, and media and drivers of course.”

    “It’s fun because this year we have our daughter Emma in the calendar,” Biffle continued. “So, it’s completely different.”

    “It’s funny because when it comes out after taking the picture so long ago, she looks so different since then.”

    The NASCAR Pets Calendar has been the fundraising hallmark for the Greg Biffle Foundation. The response to the inaugural edition of the calendar made it the best selling item on NASCAR.com and in 2009, Greg’s sponsor 3M got on board to take it to the next level.

    The 2013 edition of the calendar is already on sale in various outlets, including 30 Petco stores, Mooresville, NC vet clinics, animal welfare organizations nationally and again on NASCAR.com.

    According to Nicole Biffle, the Foundation took another bold step to raise money recently by auctioning off a 2012 Ford Raptor truck designed by her husband. The truck sold for $80,000, with all of the proceeds benefitting the Foundation.

    “With that Barrett Jackson auction we just did, we also raised money as well,” Nicole Biffle said. “The truck was really cool.”

    “I was watching it on TV and I was so nervous,” Biffle continued. “I’m very thankful to the lady who bought it. That was very nice of her and that will help a lot of animals.”

    “The great thing is that the dog they had there in that rescue, there were a lot of inquires about adopting him,” Biffle said. “So, having him there brought some attention to not only him but his shelter too.”

    “People were really interested which was really cool.”

    Nicole Biffle is also passionate about another upcoming event to benefit the Foundation, their annual mountain retreat fundraiser.

    “We have our Foundation event, our mountain retreat event, after the Charlotte race,” Biffle said. “We do that at our mountain property.”

    “It’s an exclusive event and we invite about nine drivers and we make of teams,” Biffle said. “We invite them and they go on the dirt track and shoot skeet.”

    “We have an archery course set up and we do trail rides,” Biffle continued. “It’s really a lot of fun.”

    “We raise money through sponsorships and the participants pay to attend,” Biffle said. “It is a competition so the drivers are always competitive, especially on the dirt track, but we also give awards for the best shooter and things like that.”

    “We also added the night before a poker tournament and a casino night just for fun,” Biffle continued. “Of course, people are generous enough to donate their winnings back to us which is so nice.”

    While Nicole Biffle is passionate about all of the Foundation fundraisers, she is most passionate about the real reason for the Foundation, making all of the grants. And this year, she has had a record amount of applications to consider, from 93 grants made last year to 380 applications this year.

    “We go through them and it is so difficult because there is so many,” Biffle said. “We look at what we’ve got and we tend to give to those that have little so they can keep their doors open.”

    “I had to hire an assistant to help me with the grant requests because my brain wasn’t working with what my heart was saying and I would have given to everybody,” Biffle continued. “It’s just hard but that’s obviously what the Foundation is for.”

    Nicole Biffle is also passionate about another endeavor, serving on the Board of the Friends of the Animals organization, where she serves as President and Greg as Vice President.

    “Greg and I are involved with the Friends of the Animals,” Biffle said. “That’s to build an adoption center in Mooresville.”

    “That is really, really going well,” Biffle continued. “We are making progress and the community backing is astounding.”

    “I’m pretty excited,” Biffle continued. “I think it’s going to be a big thing for us.”

    As with every mom, however, Nicole Biffle’s passion must now be shared and spread around, from her Foundation work to her roles as wife and mother. And like every busy mom, she works hard at trying to balance it all.

    “It’s different now that I’ve got Emma because I can’t focus as much time as I did in the past,” Biffle said. “I love being with her.”

    “We just try to balance it out and I’m grateful for good help at the Foundation and good board members at the Friends of the Animals.”

    Oh and by the way and on one final note, Nicole Biffle is also passionate about her husband Greg, who is currently competing for NASCAR’s highest honor the Sprint Cup. And she is very passionate in supporting him, along with Emma, in that endeavor.

    “I would love for Greg to win the championship this year,” Nicole Biffle said.”Being the first to win in all three series would be amazing.”

    “It would be awesome to have our little family to celebrate that.”

    For more information about the Greg Biffle Foundation or to purchase a 2013 calendar, visit gregbifflefoundation.com.

  • The Once and Always King

    The Once and Always King

    [media-credit id=66 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]I remember when the King was, well, the King. Back in those days the King won everywhere and bagged seven championships. They weren’t consecutive because there wasn’t a lot of multi-car teams and none named Hendrick Motorsports. He was simply the best no matter where the circuit went. He won at half-miles, dirt tracks and super speedways. It was just the way it was. He drove Plymouth’s, Dodges, and even several GM brands, but he was always winning until he decided to hang it up.  Since then it has been tough for Petty Enterprises.  The group that created all those wins is gone and today it’s Richard Petty Motorsports with a financing group behind him, but the King clearly in charge. Nothing has changed but the domination.

    I remember how much the competition hated him. Ford hated him and his organization so much that they made him part of their team in 1969. He did well (10 wins), but he came back to Plymouth in 1970. Much like Jeff Gordon in the 1990’s and Jimmie Johnson today, he was loathed by most everyone except the loyal fans. And yet, he became the most beloved of all drivers. The once and future King.

    On Sunday, just like a year ago, Richard Petty returned to victory lane. This time it was as a car owner and Marcos Ambrose was the driver. The road racing specialist fell behind and came back and battled Brad Keselowski for an unsuspected win.  But the lineage was clear, Richard Petty is a winner. He doesn’t have the money of a Hendrick or a Penske or even a Roush, but he knows what it takes to win and instills in in his drivers. It worked. No one can deny that Ambrose was up on the wheel during that last lap. Seeing the King in Victory Lane was magical to many of us.

    Petty spoke of his manufacturer relationship. Apparently RPM had been in negotiations with Dodge and Ford prior to Dodge’s announcement that they would be leaving the sport. Petty and Ambrose wanted to stay with Ford and his partner was more concerned with the money Dodge was offering. The decision was made with Dodge’s pullout. It appears that Petty will join the Roush-Fenway group, Penske, and Front Row Motorsports for another year with Ford. Never doubt the King. He knows the way to win. It may have taken him years to be on top of the the competition, but his comfort zone is undeniable.

    Yes it was only a road race and it was the road course king winning.  But good things seem to be happening and maybe it was a stroke of luck that RPM will be with Ford for 2013.

    Stability is so very important.

  • Jimmie Johnson Masters the Monster Mile; Monster Wreck Dominates Opening Laps

    Jimmie Johnson Masters the Monster Mile; Monster Wreck Dominates Opening Laps

    [media-credit id=26 align=”alignright” width=”230″][/media-credit]Jimmie Johnson, complete with his Madagascar No. 48 car and wig, mastered the Monster Mile for the seventh time, tying Bobby Allison and the King, Richard Petty, for the most career wins at Dover International Speedway.

    This was Johnson’s 57th victory in 376 Cup races and his second victory in 2012.

    “I’m just proud of this hair,” Johnson said, still rocking his Madagascar wig. “It brought some speed to the team.”

    “It was just a fun day,” Johnson continued. “We had a fast car and amazing pit stops.”

    “When you lead the most laps, sometimes it can backfire on a dominant car,” Johnson said. “It was a brand new race car so I’m just proud of the effort.”

    “The car was really good,” Chad Knaus, Johnson’s crew chief, said. “Jimmie’s the man here.”

    “He understands this race track and enjoys coming here,” Knaus continued. “We enjoy it as well.”

    Kevin Harvick, in the No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, was not able to live up to his ‘Closer’ moniker, but did finish in the runner up spot, maintaining his seventh position in the point standings. This was Harvick’s 18th top-10 finish at the Monster Mile.

    “The 48 just had us covered today,” Harvick said. “But all in all our Jimmy John’s guys did a good job.”

    “I made a mistake on pit road, but we had a car capable of making up positions and drive back through the pack,” Harvick continued. “We were able to keep up with the race track and that was the key to get in position to at least give ourselves a chance.”

    “We had a solid race.”

    The driver of the No. 17 Best Buy Ford, Matt Kenseth, came in third in the FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks. He remains second in the point standings, just one point behind his Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle.

    “We honestly struggled,” Kenseth said of his race. “But I’m happy to come home third in a car that didn’t drive the way we wanted it.”

    “I feel good about our points position obviously,” Kenseth continued. “But certainly, we know we have some work to do.”

    “I don’t think anyone could run with the 48 so we have some work to do.”

    Dale Earnhardt, Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 88 AMP Energy/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet, and Clint Bowyer, driving the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota, rounded out the top five.

    “We needed a little more grip in the front end,” Junior said. “We had a good car though.”

    “We had a good run and a good points day,” Junior continued, moving up one spot to third in points, just ten back from the leader. “I want to congratulate Jimmie my teammate.”

    “It was a solid weekend,” Bowyer said. “I had a tough day on pit road, but we could battle back on restarts.”

    “I’m proud of the effort and MWR had good cars all weekend long.”

    The race was marred by a monstrous crash early in the race, in fact on Lap 9, involving thirteen cars. This was the most cars in a wreck to date in the 2012 season.

    Drivers from Regan Smith to Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Landon Cassill, to name a few, were involved in the melee, which brought out the red flag for 19 min 54 seconds.

    “I actually didn’t even feel him (Tony Stewart) touch me,” Landon Cassill, driver of the No. 83 Burger King/Dr. Pepper Toyota, said. Cassill’s car bore the brunt of the multiple-car pileup.

    “I was just passed by the No. 1 (Jamie McMurray) and I was trying to dime in the corner a little bit more,” Cassill continued. “He (Stewart) was just barely there.”

    “Tony is one of the most patient drivers and especially in this part of the race,” Cassill said. “It’s just too bad that it tore up that many race cars.”

    Regan Smith, behind the wheel of the No. 78 Furniture Row/CSX Play It Safe Chevrolet, took responsibility for the wreck.

    “I know I got in the back of the 14 and spun him,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of wrecked race cars here and none of us like that, especially on Lap 9.”

    For Tony Stewart’s part, the driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet, said that it was a matter of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

    “As far back as we were, I didn’t have the luxury of being patient,” Smoke said. “It’s just a crappy weekend all around.”

    The mile was monstrous for the Busch brothers, with Kurt Busch, in the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Services Chevrolet, having two pit road penalties and ultimately blowing his engine, and Kyle Busch having engine woes as well, which put him out of the race.

    Kurt Busch, who had had an altercation with Sporting News reporter Bob Pockrass after the Nationwide race again displayed his anger and frustration, asking his team at one point, “Anybody want to drive?”

    Kyle Busch, driving the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota, said that dropping a valve ended their day early in at the Monster Mile.

    “It’s real unfortunate,” Busch said. “We had a good car, we were running up front there. We were biding our time trying to see if we couldn’t keep up with the race track.”

    “I hate it that we give a post-race interview this way rather than finishing.”

    ‘Concrete Carl’ also had difficulties at the Monster Mile. Edwards, in his No. 99 Subway Ford, blew a tire and hit the wall hard on Lap 165.

    “Our front right tire went flat,” Edwards said. “It is so frustrating to have that good of a car.”

    “We will come back and get them in the fall.”

    The race at the Monster Mile also sported several engine failures, including Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, David Reutimann and Jeff Burton. This was more engine failures at Dover than in the last three races combined.

    “First of all we had a good car today,” Burton said of his No. 31 BB&T Chevrolet, which was running in the ninth position prior to the engine failure. “That’s the good thing.”

    “We broke an engine here, but the monkey is on us right now and it will get off one day,” Burton continued. “I’ve never quit anything in my life and I’m not going to quit this.”

    The Cup Series next moves from the Monster Mile to the recently repaved ‘Tricky Triangle’ at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, June 10th.

    Unofficial Race Results
    FedEx 400, Dover International Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/race.php?race=13
    =========================================
    Pos. St. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 2 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 48
    2 6 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 42
    3 5 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 42
    4 17 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 41
    5 4 15 Clint Bowyer Toyota 39
    6 12 43 Aric Almirola Ford 38
    7 18 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 37
    8 11 20 Joey Logano Toyota 36
    9 13 5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 35
    10 21 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 34
    11 7 16 Greg Biffle Ford 33
    12 16 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 32
    13 14 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 32
    14 1 55 Mark Martin Toyota 31
    15 3 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 29
    16 23 22 AJ Allmendinger Dodge 28
    17 20 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 27
    18 10 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 27
    19 24 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 25
    20 22 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 24
    21 28 34 David Ragan Ford 24
    22 15 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 22
    23 42 93 Travis Kvapil Toyota 21
    24 9 51 Kurt Busch Chevrolet 20
    25 29 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 19
    26 19 99 Carl Edwards Ford 18
    27 26 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 17
    28 31 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 16
    29 8 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 15
    30 38 32 Reed Sorenson Ford 0
    31 39 10 David Reutimann Chevrolet 13
    32 41 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 12
    33 32 30 David Stremme Toyota 11
    34 34 249 J.J. Yeley Toyota 10
    35 37 33 Stephen Leicht * Chevrolet 9
    36 36 119 Mike Bliss Toyota 0
    37 43 23 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 7
    38 27 83 Landon Cassill Toyota 6
    39 35 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 0
    40 30 38 David Gilliland Ford 4
    41 40 13 Casey Mears Ford 3
    42 33 98 Michael McDowell Ford 2
    43 25 179 Scott Speed Ford 1
  • Michael Annett Is Flying High Yet Under the Radar

    Michael Annett Is Flying High Yet Under the Radar

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Phil Cavali” align=”alignright” width=”172″][/media-credit]At Texas Motor Speedway, Michael Annett scored his second top-10 and fifth top-15 finish in just six races with his new team, Richard Petty Motorsports. And with that good run, he officially moved up two spots to fifth in the Nationwide Series point standings.

    Yet, as high as the young driver of the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang is flying early in the season, he still is very much under the radar in a series dominated by the likes of veteran Elliott Sadler, reigning champ Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., up and comer Austin Dillon, and Danica Patrick.

    “To me, that’s how I’ve lived my whole life,” Annett said. “Even when I played hockey growing up, I never did anything outlandish.”

    “I was just the guy that got the job done,” Annett continued. “That’s pretty much my M.O. and how it’s been for me in my racing career.”

    Although flying under the radar so far this season, the new Richard Petty Motorsports driver has had some impressive initial success, especially with his recent run at Texas. Annett finished ninth, rebounding from running into a lapped car and taking advantage of the lights going out at the speedway.

    “We probably could have won the race if I hadn’t run into a lapped car,” Annett said. “But I loved it when the lights went out because we were overheating and getting ready to pit.”

    “So, I liked that the lights brought out the caution,” Annett continued. “The whole night was about overcoming adversity, so to come out ninth and to see the guys faces with a top ten finish, it was cool.”

    Annett also contributes his early success at Richard Petty Motorsports with the team’s affiliation with Roush Fenway Racing, particularly in light of their driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. winning last year’s Nationwide championship.

    “I think the success started with what Roush Fenway built last year with the championship and the relationship we have with them,” Annett said. “That partnership is huge.”

    “At Texas, we unloaded and we were close but we were still missing a little bit,” Annett continued. “To be able to go and talk to the No. 6 team and use some things they found, it’s just a huge advantage to us.”

    In spite of early success at Richard Petty Motorsports, the reality for Annett was that he had to make a difficult  transition rather abruptly when his former team, Rusty Wallace Racing, shut down at the end of last year due to lack of sponsorship.

    “It was definitely tough, very unfortunate and a testament to the economic times,” Annett said of the demise of his former team. “They couldn’t find a sponsor for Steven (Wallace) with 5-Hour Energy leaving.”

    “Rusty said he didn’t want to do it out of his pocket,” Annett continued. “So, the month before Daytona, they announced they were shutting down and we had to go find a place to race.”

    Fortunately for Annett his long-time sponsor, Pilot Flying J, stuck with him and gave him the opportunity to seek out another team. He was especially pleased when Richard Petty Motorsports ended up being one of the teams interested in him.

    “I’m definitely blessed to have Pilot as a partner that I’ve had since I’ve started racing,” Annett said. “That enabled me to go to other teams and when I went to Richard Petty Motorsports, it just felt right.”

    “It felt like a family, listening to Richard (Petty),” Annett continued. “He and I saw eye to eye on everything and it felt right.”

    Annett said it hit him how fortunate he was to be with Richard Petty Motorsports when he and the team went out for their first race together at Daytona in the Drive4COPD 300.

    “It’s funny,” Annett said. “It didn’t hit home to me until Daytona when Richard (Petty) was standing on one side and Dale Inman on the other side, both giving me pointers before I got into the car.”

    “And all I could think was ‘this is crazy,’ Annett said. “I’ve ridden on the plane with Richard and talked to him and the best way to put it is that I’m blessed. It’s pretty cool.”

    The other ‘cool’ discovery for this low-key driver was his new crew chief at Richard Petty Motorsports, Philippe Lopez.

    “I had no idea about Philippe Lopez before this season started,” Annett said. “His name got brought up and I didn’t know a thing about him.”

    “When I asked around, there is always somebody who doesn’t like somebody, but not one person had anything bad to say about Philippe,” Annett continued. “That’s pretty cool.”

    “From Daytona to now, there hasn’t been one mechanical problem and his confidence on the radio is huge,” Annett said. “It’s been a really good relationship.”

    After his strong run at Texas with his new crew chief and team, Annett will have another off-weekend before heading to Richmond International Raceway next weekend for the NASCAR Nationwide Series 250.

    “Richmond is one of those tracks that I’ve struggled at,” Annett said. “But each time, we go back, I get better.”

    “I think I finished 11th or 12th last time so if I crack the top-10, I know that we’ll have had a good race,” Annett continued. “At Richmond, if you get the right car, you can come out of there with a top-5 or a win.”

    Yet even with his impressive start to the season and in spite of having total upheaval in his team, the young driver is not one often mentioned in the Nationwide Series discourse.

    “I don’t mind it, but I worry more about the guys on the team because I want them to get the credit they deserve,” Annett said. “I was hoping that at Daytona when Dale Jarrett started talking about me that would be the start of things.”

    “But I’ve fallen back into my old ways of just getting my job done, under the radar,” Annett continued. “But where we finish and the results will show themselves.”

    “And if they want to talk about us, they will,” Annett said. “My guys still know I’m driving my butt off for them and they’re doing the same back to me.”

  • Doc Mattioli Lived a Pocono Love Story

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”221″][/media-credit]One of NASCAR’s true legends, Pocono Raceway track founder ‘Doc’ Mattioli, has passed away at the age of 86. While known as one of the most successful track owners and one of the true characters in the sport, ‘Doc’ will be most remembered for the love story that he lived.

    Dr. Joseph Mattioli had many loves in his life, from stock car racing to serving his country and helping others in need. But the most important loves in his life were his wife of 63 years, Dr. Rose, as well as his children and grandchildren.

    ‘Doc’ and Dr. Rose began their love story after meeting at Temple University, where Dr. Rose was working for the Registrar’s office at the time.  Dr. Rose said that ‘Doc’ was “the freshest guy” she had ever met, always trying to get to the head of the line.

    “He kept telling me he had a car, like that was a big deal,” Dr. Rose said of her future husband-to-be. “Little did I know that he would be the one that I would marry.”

    Dr. Rose and ‘Doc’ actually ran away to Baltimore in 1948 to get married. They kept their marriage a secret until they came back home and had an actual wedding ceremony, which all “seems like just yesterday,” according to Dr. Rose.

    The couple was destined to find each other, both living in the Philadelphia area. They also shared another common bond, that of being only children.

    After their marriage, Dr. Rose set up her practice as a podiatrist while ‘Doc’ set up shop as a dentist. They then started a family, blessed with two daughters and a son.

    Seeming to have it all, both Dr. Rose and ‘Doc’ worked hard at their thriving practices. But at the age of 35, ‘Doc’ experienced major burnout and confided to his wife that he needed to make a lifestyle change.

    So, the couple set of to pursue the newest love in their lives, that of owning a race track.

    “We were always curious about racing,” Dr. Rose said of herself and her husband. “We went to the races at Nazareth right after Sunday mass.”

    “We were in our Sunday best, all dressed up,” Dr. Rose continued. “We had no idea that the dirt would be flying everywhere and all over us.”

    “The children were crying,” Dr. Rose continued. “And I had to keep stuffing Kleenex in their ears to block out all of the noise of the engines racing around the track.”

    In spite of that inauspicious introduction to racing, ‘Doc’ and Dr. Rose continued their investigation of track ownership, learning that there was one under construction in Long Pond, PA.

    They flew over the track, fell in love, and the rest, as they say, was history.  The couple started off with USAC races and then moved into NASCAR, which was just expanding into the region from its southern roots.

    The first NASCAR race at the Mattioli’s track was won by Hall of Famer Richard Petty. The Mattiolis then met the father of NASCAR, Bill France Sr., who took them both under his wing and taught them the business.

    “More and more people started to come to the track,” Dr. Rose said. “Children and their families would come to see the races.”

    ‘Doc’ not only passionately loved his wife and his  successful Pocono Raceway, but he also adored his extended family. Mattioli leaves behind his daughters Louie and Michele, son Joseph Mattioli III, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, all of whom have been present with him in running the family business in one way or another.

    “His loss has left with each of us an unbearable sadness, which we’ll bear with us for the rest of our lives,” his family shared in a statement released on his death. “He died loved, respected, and admired.”

    In addition to his family, Doc’s other loves included serving his country, helping others and aiding the planet. Mattioli served his country during World War II as a Navy medic stationed in the Pacific.

    ‘Doc’ also loved helping others, participating in a variety of charities, from the Red Cross to local hospitals, schools and nonprofits. In 2009, Mattioli received the Philanthropic Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

    ‘Doc’ was also a visionary when it came to the environment, spearheading a solar energy project that has paid dividends not only for the race track but also for the local community.

    Mattioli’s family summed up the essence of the love story lived by ‘Doc’ Mattioli best.

    “He leaves not only his family, but also everyone he’s ever met with an insatiable desire to take life by the horns,” said Mattioli’s family. “He always lived life on his own terms.”

    “He did it his way.”

     

  • Today’s Stars and Yesterday’s Legends Join together at the NASCAR Preview 2012

    Today’s Stars and Yesterday’s Legends Join together at the NASCAR Preview 2012

    [media-credit name=”Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]NASCAR Preview 2012 was all about the fans and the fans came by the thousands.  Many camped out overnight in front of the Charlotte Convention Center, even standing in the pouring rain, in anticipation of the event.  This may sound crazy to some but I can only imagine the stories told and the new friends made while they waited patiently for the doors to open.

    Sam Alverson of Jacksonville, Fla. had the distinction of being the first fan through the door after standing in line for 26 hours.

    They came from all over the country carrying pictures and diecast cars to get autographs and a picture taken with their favorite NASCAR drivers.  Over 60 drivers from all three national divisions were there to accommodate them.

    A few of the drivers even hung out after their autograph sessions and spent a few minutes talking with their fans.

    A friend told me about one small girl that she saw carrying a tire through the long lines for autographs. She would carry it for a few feet, set it down for a quick rest and repeat the process again and again. Her father asked his young daughter if she wanted him to carry it for a while but she loudly told him, “No, I can do it.”

    You can’t help but smile at the dedication and loyalty of NASCAR fans.

    The day was filled with non-stop action including driver interviews on stage, sponsor exhibits and car displays. There were plenty of places to rest and get a bite to eat plus you could buy the newest items honoring Friday night’s class of inductees.  It may have been rainy and dreary outside but inside the fans were having the times of their lives.

    The preview also honored the legends of the sport.

    The day began with a free breakfast with Junior Johnson featuring his famous breakfast items. You could also get a picture and an autograph with the 2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee.

    Throughout the day you could take a NASCAR Hall of Fame tour that included a meet and greet with legends Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, Richard Petty, Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip.

    Finally the day ended with an “Evening of Living History.” These storytelling sessions took place at different areas in the Hall of Fame and were led by Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Glen Wood and Dale Inman who were joined by friends and family on stage.

    Several of these were held at the same time so I chose to attend the one led by Junior Johnson.  It was held in front of his moonshine still and guests were encouraged to sample some of Johnson’s ‘Midnight Moon Moonshine.’ Although I didn’t indulge, the ‘Apple Pie’ flavor seemed to be the crowd favorite.

    Johnson was joined by NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley and writer Tom Higgins.

    This turned out to be the highlight of my day so I’ve included one of several stories that left me with a smile on my face as I headed home Saturday evening.

    Higgins opened things up with what he called his favorite “Junior moonshine story.”

    It was back in the 1950s when Junior and Gwyn Staley, a good friend, headed up to Virginia to take two loads of moonshine to some thirsty sailors. They had to keep moving their stash to keep ahead of the revenuers so they had to drive across the Brushy Mountains to a hiding place near Taylorsville, N.C.

    When they got there, they loaded up their hauler cars and were on the way back to Wilkes County to gas up the cars.

    “They were coming across the mountain and saw where a car had slid off the road. Steam was coming out of it and two dazed men were walking around the car. So Junior who is a very kind man, generous and a Good Samaritan, stopped, although he had liquor in the car. He went up to this car that had turned over and lo and behold there was the high sheriff of Wilkes County and his chief deputy.” said Higgins.

    By this time, everyone in the room was hanging on every word.

    “They had liquor on their breath and lipstick on their collars and they’d been somewhere they shouldn’t have been.  The sheriff looked up and said thank God it’s you Junior. You’ve got to get us back to the courthouse or they’ll throw me out of office.” Higgins continued.  “Junior said, Hell sheriff I can’t take you to the courthouse I got a load of liquor in my car. The sheriff said, Junior if you’ll get me out of this I promise I’ll never chase you again and I’ll never let any of my deputies chase you.”

    Johnson agreed to take the sheriff back.  So they rearranged the cases of liquor in the car to make seats and they took the high sheriff and the deputy back to Wilkesboro.

    Higgins ended the story by saying, “Junior still sees the sheriff from time to time on the streets of North Wilkesboro and he tries to evade Junior but Junior won’t let him.”

    “He’ll grin at him, wink and say, Sheriff, you been across the mountain lately?”

    Kelley asked if the sheriff had been true to his word. Johnson just laughed and said, “After that, he didn’t even want to talk to me.”