Tag: Scott Speed

  • Grading the Sprint Cup Rides – 2013 Third Term Report

    Grading the Sprint Cup Rides – 2013 Third Term Report

    This grading system is pretty basic. Top 10’s, with extra consideration given for wins and Top 5’s, can help you earn an A+. Keep it in the Top 20 each race and that is worth a B. Just by finishing 30th each time out and that would still get you a C-. Less than that is a failure; a failure to compete, a failure to get noticed.

    Grade: A

    The top students have been to joy to have in class, even though Jimmie  did cost himself an  A+ by playing hookey in the weeks leading to the Chase.  We are hopeful Kyle continues his stellar work through the final part of the year, though he has had trouble in the past. Matt has really hit the books as of late, and could wind up class valedictorian if he continues his progress.  Carl once again is near the head of the class, but time will tell if can charge to the front to finally be number one.

    CAR

    DRIVER

    WINS

    TOP 5

    TOP 10

    TOP 20

    TOP 30

    48

    Jimmie JOHNSON

    4

    11

    17

    21

    25

    18

    Kyle BUSCH

    4

    13

    17

    20

    22

    20

    Matt KENSETH

    7

    8

    15

    21

    24

    99

    Carl EDWARDS

    2

    8

    14

    24

    26

     

    Grade: A-

    Kevin has been in the top half of the class pretty much the entire year and only twice has the dog eaten his homework. Clint is usually a very popular boy, but for some reason I detect that many of his classmates do not want him to wind up at the head of the class this year.

    CAR

    DRIVER

    WINS

    TOP 5

    TOP 10

    TOP 20

    TOP 30

    29

    Kevin HARVICK

    2

    7

    14

    25

    25

    15

    Clint BOWYER

    0

    8

    14

    24

    26

    Grade: B+

    Kurt, who usually does not play well with others, has some cheering for him. It will be interesting how he works with his new friends when class resumes next year. Kasey had some trouble last week, as did little  Joey a week earlier.  Dale is once again a very popular boy while Ryan has had some issues to work through, but seems to have replaced former friends with some new ones for next year. Martin has had some problems as well due to the company he keeps, and I am not sure how that will work out. Greg remains a solid student, with Mark helping Tony since he hurt his leg. Meanwhile, Jeff needed some help near the end of the term, though I am not sure it will be enough for him to realize his dreams by the end of the school year.

    CAR

    DRIVER

    WINS

    TOP 5

    TOP 10

    TOP 20

    TOP 30

    78

    Kurt BUSCH

    0

    9

    14

    20

    23

    5

    Kasey KAHNE

    2

    8

    11

    18

    20

    22

    Joey LOGANO

    1

    8

    14

    19

    23

    88

    Dale EARNHARDT, Jr

    0

    5

    15

    21

    24

    39

    Ryan NEWMAN

    1

    6

    13

    21

    22

    56

    Martin TRUEX, Jr

    1

    6

    12

    21

    23

    16

    Greg BIFFLE

    1

    4

    11

    23

    24

    14

    Tony STEWART

    1

    5

    10

    19

    27

    24

    Jeff GORDON

    0

    5

    13

    21

    22

    Grade: B

    It has been a disappointing year for some students. Brad has stumbled a bit since being last year’s valedictorian. Juan Pablo plans to transfer out of our school next year, returning to where he had previously enjoyed very good grades. His friend Jamie will remain with us, and has hopes of improving his status next year. Mark has been busy, first helping Brian earlier this year and now Tony.  I am expecting good things when Brian returns full-time next year.  Along with Paul, they might not make the honor roll this year, but these boys have done enough work to show they belong here.

     CAR

    DRIVER

    WINS

    TOP 5

    TOP 10

    TOP 20

    TOP 30

    2

    Brad KESELOWSKI

    0

    7

    12

    18

    23

    42

    Juan Pablo MONTOYA

    0

    4

    7

    17

    23

    1

    Jamie MCMURRAY

    0

    3

    7

    20

    25

    55

    Brian VICKERS

    1

    6

    11

    17

    23

    27

    Paul MENARD

    0

    2

    7

    19

    26

    Grade: B-

    Aric has shown signs that we might expect better things ahead for him.  Jeff, as always, was expecting more. As he leaves us a year early, we will miss this well spoken young man.

    CAR

    DRIVER

    WINS

    TOP 5

    TOP 10

    TOP 20

    TOP 30

    43

    Aric ALMIROLA

    0

    1

    5

    22

    24

    31

    Jeff BURTON

    0

    2

    6

    17

    23

    Grade: C+

    Marcos and Ricky have been okay, though not great. They both manage to get their work done, but I still  would like to see better things from them before the year is out.

    CAR

    DRIVER

    WINS

    TOP 5

    TOP 10

    TOP 20

    TOP 30

    9

    Marcos AMBROSE

    0

    0

    5

    19

    23

    17

    Ricky STENHOUSE, Jr

    0

    0

    2

    20

    25

    Grade: C

    I do not know what to say about Denny. I know he was hurt earlier in the year, but he has not been his old self since he returned. It appears he would just as soon end the year, go on vacation, and start afresh next year.

    CAR

    DRIVER

    WINS

    TOP 5

    TOP 10

    TOP 20

    TOP 30

    11

    Denny HAMLIN

    0

    3

    6

    12

    19

    Grade: C-

    Casey is not quite ready to compete with the big boys just yet, but I have been pleased with his progress. I am interested to see how he might do next year.  I will miss Bobby, though he has had another disappointing year.  Some seem happy with Danica’s progress, but I feel we should expect more by this time. She is blessed with so much more than a lot of the other students. David did succeed on the subject of Alabama geography, with some help from his close friend, the other  David, but neither are quite there yet. As for A.J., who sometimes goes by Regan or Austin or, just last week, by Michael, might make some real progress once he figures out who he really is.

    CAR

    DRIVER

    WINS

    TOP 5

    TOP 10

    TOP 20

    TOP 30

    13

    Casey MEARS

    0

    0

    1

    9

    23

    47

    Bobby LABONTE

    0

    0

    1

    8

    21

    10

    Danica PATRICK

    0

    0

    1

    6

    23

    34

    David RAGAN

    1

    1

    1

    4

    21

    38

    David GILLILAND

    0

    1

    1

    5

    20

    51

    A.J. ALLMENDINGER

    0

    0

    2

    7

    18

    Grade: F

    To be honest, I am not sure why these boys are even in my class. Both Dave and Travis, I am sure, would do so much better at Nationwide High. What can you say about J.J. (other than he enjoyed Daytona seven months ago), David S. (who just isn’t the same boy the past two weeks), David R. or Timmy? No, really. What can you say about them? Well, I’ve seen worse. I feel bad for Trevor, as I think if he would attend class more often he might be able to pull in a better grade than this. However, to be fair, of the nine assignments he has done, none have been much to write home about. As for Landon, things just don’t seem to work out.  He and Tony R. have done most of the assignments for Austin, which is too bad as the young fellow has done so much better on the two he has written on his own. There are other students who drop in from time to time, but I have reserved my remarks for those who have tried to attend class at least nine times this year.  God bless Scott, Michael, Joe, and Mike, but if the school board ever considers reducing class size, they make a good argument. To be honest, they usually do not stick around long enough to become a nuisance.  The sad thing is, all four have ability but you never get to see it.

     CAR

    DRIVER

    WINS

    TOP 5

    TOP 10

    TOP 20

    TOP 30

    7

    Dave BLANEY

    0

    0

    0

    2

    18

    93

    Travis KVAPIL

    0

    0

    0

    4

    15

    36

    J.J. YELEY

    0

    0

    1

    2

    14

    30

    David STREMME

    0

    0

    0

    4

    13

    83

    David REUTIMANN

    0

    0

    0

    1

    14

    32

    Timmy HILL

    0

    0

    0

    2

    12

    21

    Trevor BAYNE

    0

    0

    0

    4

    8

    40

    Landon CASSILL

    0

    0

    0

    4

    8

    33

    Austin DILLON

    0

    0

    0

    2

    12

    95

    Scott SPEED

    0

    0

    1

    1

    3

    98

    Michael MCDOWELL

    0

    0

    1

    1

    2

    87

    Joe NEMECHEK

    0

    0

    0

    0

    3

    19

    Mike BLISS

    0

    0

    0

    0

    1

     

  • NASCAR BTS: Josh Wise Ironman Triathlete

    NASCAR BTS: Josh Wise Ironman Triathlete

    This edition of NASCAR ‘Behind the Scenes’ focuses on driver Josh Wise, who instead of enjoying a rare weekend off, will be participating in a triathlon.

    The 30-year old driver of the No. 35 MDS Transport Ford for Front Row Motorsports will swim, bike and run 70.3 miles in his first Half Ironman in Racine, Wisconsin this weekend.

    For Wise, this triathlete competition all started as somewhat of a joke with fellow driver Scott Speed, who initially turned him on to cycling, one of Speed’s favorite training regimens. And Wise has been driven to compete ever since.

    “A friend of mine Scott Speed got me into cycling three years ago as a way to train for the race car and preparing for long stock car races,” Wise said. “It really started as a joke between Scott and I when we were riding that we were going to jump off our bikes and jump in the river we were riding over to swim.”

    “And it kind of turned into a joke that we were going to do a triathlon,” Wise continued. “Then, we did one and I really enjoyed it.”

    “Every weekend off I’ve had in the last three years I’ve squeezed in a triathlon,” Wise said. “So, I’m just continuing the trend here this weekend and increasing the distance I’m doing.”

    “It’s a longer race,” Wise continued. “My ultimate goal is to do a full Ironman on December 1st in Mexico.”

    “And then I might just take a little break after that one.”

    Wise admitted that training for his first Half Ironman triathlon has been as grueling as the NASCAR race schedule. In fact, he has had to give up other hobbies, such as golf and remote control racing, in order to put in the over 20 hours per week training regimen that he currently is utilizing in preparation for the upcoming competition.

    “You get a little lost in it because if someone told me that I’d train as much as I do now, I wouldn’t believe them,” Wise said. “Whenever I do things, I can’t just do them to have fun.”

    “I go all out with the best bikes and the best trainers,” Wise continued. “So, it does become all-consuming for me.”

    While Wise has devoted an incredible amount of time to training for these intense competitions, he struggled to put into words what being a triathlete means to him and what possesses him to be so driven to participate.

    “Definitely the thrill of the actual triathlon races is unexplainable as far as the rush that you get with them,” Wise said. “I also enjoy the intricacies of it and the preparations for it.”

    “It’s not just about being fit,” Wise continued. “Last week, I got to go the wind tunnel with my bike.”

    “And you also have to pay attention to nutrition.”

    In fact, just as in his race car, fueling is one of the most important intricacies of the Ironman triathlon competition.

    “That’s one of the really tricky parts is dialing in your fueling,” Wise said. “Obviously, you’re exerting yourself really hard throughout the race.”

    “I’ve worked hard to try to refine my nutrition,” Wise continued. “What I’ve come up with is I have all my calories I will take, 350 per hour, in a small water bottle in a gel form.”

    “So, I time that out for every 15 minutes so I’ll take a swig regularly to keep hydrated and fueled,” Wise said. “My fuel mix has electrolytes and protein that are very carefully calculated.”

    “It’s like figuring out all the moving parts of a race car.”

    There are certainly other crossovers between the world of Ironman competition and NASCAR racing, from the physical fitness to the mental focus. And Wise admitted that he definitely has seen a difference when he is behind the wheel thanks to his rigorous training initiatives.

    “There is no doubt that the demands of racing on our body are tremendous and the amount of focus needed takes a lot of you,” Wise said. “The fact that I’ve got to a point with my fitness that fatigue is removed is definitely a benefit.”

    “I can just focus on driving and not worry about how tired or dehydrated I am instead.”

    “It’s interesting because there is a huge mental element to the training and to racing,” Wise said. “There are times during the week when you’ve done a three-hour swim and then you have a four-hour bike ride on the schedule.”

    “It’s a mental struggle of pushing through and that’s another thing that intrigues me,” Wise continued. “It’s the challenge of overcoming the fatigue and pushing through that is a major accomplishment.”

    Another similarity between Ironman triathlon competitions and racing is that the athlete is not only competing with others but also with him or herself.

    “There are over 2,000 people registered for the triathlon so you will have competition,” Wise said. “You will swim side-by-side so you’re always racing other people.”

    “But you really are just racing yourself,” Wise continued. “In a car, you’re racing the track and trying to dial your car in, but you are also racing other people.”

    “I see the same elements in the triathlon, where you are racing yourself but you are also racing others,” Wise said. “Like in the swim, you can draft and you want to get behind the right people.”

    “So, just like in racing, you are competing with others as well as yourself.”

    Although Wise has set realistic goals for himself, however, just as with any NASCAR racer, the desire is always there to win.

    “I’d want to win it but I’m just not there yet,” Wise said. “There are pro level athletes in this sport and it’s ridiculous how fast they are.”

    “So, for me, I know where I’m at and I set hard goals and that’s what I focus on,” Wise continued. “It will be a matter of execution within my wheelhouse.”

    “Right in five hours is my goal and if I can be there, I’ll be really happy.”

    Wise has already scored wins in his triathlon endeavors, both with his family and for a charitable cause as well.

    “The other thing that is cool is that I’m an encouragement to others,” Wise said. “I’ve seen my family become healthier and more fit.”

    “My wife is training for a half-marathon right now and my father and brother got road bikes,” Wise continued. “So, everybody is trying to be a little more fit, so it’s kind of cool.”

    “I’m also racing for a cause,” Wise said. “It’s a partnership with K-Love Radio and World Hope called ‘Revival of Detroit.’

    “Detroit is a city in need right now and most people don’t realize how bad it is there,” Wise continued. “We are helping to bring awareness to that and that’s what I’ll be racing for there.”

    Wise has many emotions about his upcoming 1.2 mile swim in Lake Michigan, his 56 mile bike ride and his 13.1 mile run. But overall, he is just excited to be able to take part in something for which he has trained for years.

    “It’s really cool because you work really hard building for it,” Wise said. “It would be like if you were saving money to buy a house and the time came for you to buy it.”

    “It’s a long process so when you finally get to the race, you are just super-excited.”

    UPDATE:  Josh Wise finished P393 out of over 2,000 triathletes. “It went great,” Wise said. “I had a blast!”

  • Amanda Speed Juggles Racing Husband and New Motherhood

    Amanda Speed Juggles Racing Husband and New Motherhood

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Ashley Wise” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Amanda Speed is not only juggling the role of wife to NASCAR racer Scott Speed, but also being a new mom to their daughter Juliet.

    And while she misses being as consistently present at the race track and as involved in Scott’s career, she is enjoying all the challenges of having a little one in the house and, in fact, looking forward to planning for another.

    “It has changed everything, let me tell you,” Amanda Speed said. “You think you remember, but you don’t. You can’t even take a shower unless you have her occupied somehow.  But it’s fun.”

    “She is not sleeping at night so we’re not getting any sleep,” Speed continued. “She likes to eat a lot so she eats every two hours at night.”

    While Speed loves being a new mom, she has indeed missed going to the race track with her husband. Yet, traveling with a baby has brought its own set of challenges.

    “Not being able to go to the track as much has also been an adjustment,” Speed said. “I went to Texas earlier this year with her and, man that was a handful.”

    “Since we don’t have the motor home anymore, when she took a nap we had to go sit in the car,” Speed continued. “She loves the noise and thinks it’s cool, but it’s just more of a hassle now.”

    “Between the plane ride and the time change, it’s just a lot different now that she’s here,” Speed said. “You don’t realize how difficult it is taking her to the track until I did it.”

    As if the Speed family did not have enough stress in their lives, they also recently moved to another home, closer to family.

    “That was the most stressful thing I’ve ever done,” Speed said. “We’ve been looking to move closer to family and found the deal we wanted.”

    “So, we ended up moving,” Speed continued. “Jules cannot crawl yet and I’m glad she can’t, especially as we moved.”

    “I don’t recommend moving with a baby to anyone.”

    Although Juliet is Amanda and Scott’s first child together, Amanda is also mom to son Rex. And she admits that she couldn’t handle new motherhood without the help of Juliet’s big brother.

    “Rex loves being a big brother,” Speed said. “If I need help, he is like taken her under his wing. He is so good with her I can’t even explain.”

    While Rex may be the doting big brother, husband Scott has definitely embraced the new daddy role as well.

    “It was funny because when I was pregnant, Scott was always real squeamish,” Amanda Speed said. “He loved me being pregnant but he thought he would be the one passing out during the birth. But he pulled her out and changed her first diaper.”

    “This morning she looked at him and said ‘Da da’ and he just melted,” Speed said. “When she can really start talking and say ‘I want, I want’, we’re going to be really broke.  He won’t be able to say ‘no.’

    “He’s a big kid too,” Speed continued. “I always say I have three kids.”

    While keeping extremely busy juggling the new home and the new baby, Amanda Speed has also tried to stay as involved as possible in husband Scott’s racing career. And she admits that has had many ups and downs, from the not so easy parting of the ways with Red Bull Racing to now running part-time with Leavine Family Racing in the No. 95 race car.

    “I try to be involved as much as we can,” Speed said. “We have more people helping us now but I still do his schedule and communicate with the team.”

    “In the beginning, it was hard,” Speed continued. “Running part-time and with a new team, there’s a lot of unknowns and a lot of ‘what ifs’.”

    “But they have figured each other out and are running really well now together,” Speed said. “Things are much better now.”

    “The team believes in him and he believes in the team,” Speed continued. “It was definitely a struggle at first but now things are starting to click. Everyone is excited and pumped up every weekend.”

    The couple has also learned many lessons together as they have endured the ups and downs of NASCAR racing. They have a sense of closure now that the Red Bull lawsuit has been settled and is in their rear view mirror.

    “Obviously we can’t go into detail about that, but the fact that the lawsuit was closed gave Scott closure,” Speed said. “That’s what he needed because he was pretty pissed off at the way it ended.”

    “But in the end, they came to terms with each other and that brought a ton of closure and a weight off his shoulders,” Speed continued. “The whole process wore on both of us, so much. It was the most difficult thing we’ve gone through together for sure.”

    “We’ve learned you can never fully put your trust in anyone, so you have to just back each other,” Speed continued. “Scott and I are our own best friends.”

    “Certain friends we have had out there, we also didn’t expect the things to have happened that have happened,” Speed said. “So, I guess to say to just trust and believe in each other and not put your trust in anyone else is the biggest lesson learned.”

    While Amanda Speed has been taking it one day at a time with juggling her role as racing wife and new mom, she also is very much looking forward to the future, personally and from a racing perspective.

    “In my crystal ball, we are getting pregnant again quickly,” Speed said. “If it were up to Scott, he would probably be pregnant right now and have a whole litter.”

    “And I’m pretty sure things are going better with the team and I hope we can find more sponsorship to run more races,” Speed continued. “This team really, really wants to run the whole season.”

    “So, hopefully the crystal ball brings sponsorship and a full season of racing.”

    “We’re in a good place right now,” Speed said. “Everyone believes in each other right now.”

    “It’s good that Scott’s getting his fire back in his belly,” Speed continued. “He felt like he lost a lot of that and he’s up for proving himself again.”

    “So, hopefully we’ll be back racing competitively and have lots of children around us.”

    As Amanda Speed continues her juggling act, she has just a few words for the Amanda and Scott Speed fans.

    “I’d like to say thank you for supporting us, especially through everything we’ve been through,” Speed said. “There are some die-hard fans and they still believe in us.”

    “Thanks for sticking with us and for understanding us.”

  • Speed Takes on Miles to Fight Two Causes and That Speaks Volumes

    Speed Takes on Miles to Fight Two Causes and That Speaks Volumes

    Go Green Racing is making its third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start of the season this weekend. (Tim Andrews made the debut) with Scott Speed who will be piloting the No. 79 Ford Fusion Sunday afternoon at Dover International Raceway.

    This weekend while at Dover, the team announced that Koma Unwind and “Team Kyle” will be the primary sponsors with a special paint scheme on board.

    The special paint scheme is to honor seven-year-old Kyle, of St. Clair of Scarborough, ME. He [Kyle] was born seven weeks early, suffers from a lung disease; and he has severe immobility.

    “My association with the ‘Team Kyle’ program means a lot to me. It puts things in total perspective and I am looking forward to putting a smile on Kyle’s face by having a good run here in Dover this weekend.” -Scott Speed

    Kyle has had over forty-five surgeries and, has spent much of his life in hospitals. His family has recently been able to bring Kyle home using hospice care.

    Prior to the Darlington race, Go Green Racing team owner, Archie St Hilaire met Kyle and said, “I had the chance to meet Kyle and his family a couple of weeks back and he is truly an amazing boy. The strength and love he has is contagious. I hope we can get our car into the race and put on a good show for Kyle.”

    Go Green Racing and “Team Kyle” are also encouraging fans to show their support for Kyle by following “Team Kyle” on his Facebook page: http://ow.ly/bjK05

    Fox will air the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks on Sunday, June 3rd at 12:30 p.m. ET.

  • Scott Speed Races for a Cause with “Team Kyle” at Darlington Raceway

    Scott Speed Races for a Cause with “Team Kyle” at Darlington Raceway

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”254″][/media-credit]Bebida Beverage Company (BeBevCo) announced Friday that the company has made a deal with Go Green Racing to be their primary sponsor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.  The fastest-growing relaxation drink in the world, Koma Unwind, will join NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Scott Speed this weekend for the BoJangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

    “How cool is it when you can build your brand of relaxation drink by backing a driver with a history of building the number one energy drink in both Formula 1 and NASCAR Sprint Cup? Scott will do a great job for us,” said BeBevCo CEO, Brian Weber.

    Go Green Racing is making their second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start of the season with Speed who will be driving the No. 79 Ford Fusion Saturday evening at Darlington Raceway.

    The car will be running a special paint scheme to honor 7 year old Kyle St. Clair of Scarborough, ME.

    Kyle was born seven weeks early and suffers from lung disease and severe immobility. He has had over 45 surgeries and has spent much of his life in hospitals.

    His family has recently been able to bring Kyle home using hospice care.

    Go Green Racing team owner, Archie St Hilaire recently met Kyle and said “I had the chance to meet Kyle and his family a couple weeks back and he is truly an amazing boy. The strength and love he has is contagious. I hope we can get our car into the race and put on a good show for Kyle.”

    They are also encouraging fans to show their support for Kyle by following his “Team Kyle” Facebook page.

    Fox will air the Bonjangles’ Southern 500 mile race Saturday evening starting at 6:30 pm ET.

  • Scott Speed Back at the Track and Still Laid Back, In Every Way but One

    Scott Speed, now driving the No. 46 Red Line Oil Ford for Whitney Motor Sports, is back at the track after being losing his Red Bull ride to Kasey Kahne last year.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”216″][/media-credit]Yet in spite of being back in the competition fray, the 28 year old former Formula 1 driver seems unfazed, still maintaining his laid back, mellow persona, at least in every way but one.

    Speed definitely is laid back as far as being at the track. Yet he has also missed much when he was away, more than he even realized.

    “It feels great to be back here,” Speed said. “It certainly gives us something to do on the weekends.”

    “I have a lot of friends out here,” Speed continued. “I forgot how many actually.”

    “There are a lot of people here and I know a lot of them,” Speed said. “And to be back in sort of a routine that’s normal for me is for sure nice.”

    Speed is back in the race saddle thanks to a thirteen race Cup deal with Whitney Motorsports, driving for owner Dusty Whitney.

    “I really like Dusty and his guys,” Speed said. “They work really hard with the little amount they have.”

    “There’s a lot of passion over here and I love how tight a group we are,” Speed continued “We’re the underdogs and I love it.”

    “We’re going to run a couple more full races and start and park the rest,” Speed said. “We’ll just keep trying to build it.”

    “We have so little people, and help and money,” Speed said. “We’re just trying to make it by in this tough economy.”

    For Speed, getting back behind the wheel of a stock car proved easier than he had anticipated. And as usual, Speed approached getting back at it with his typical laid back style.

    “I felt like I might be a little rusty, but we were still pretty quick right away,” Speed said. “It’s one of those things where I don’t think you forget.”

    Did Speed learn any lessons on his hiatus away from the track?

    “You learn a little bit every day,” Speed said. “Nothing really sticks out that I can recall. I don’t take anything for granted but then again I never have.”

    Speed has, however been keeping himself occupied throughout his time away by pursuing one of his primary passions, golf, as well as picking up a new hobby or two.

    “I’m still golfing and still getting better,” Speed said “And I’ve been cycling a lot.”

    “Me and Josh Wise have been riding our bikes around Charlotte,” Speed continued. “Just staying fit and staying busy.”

    Speed is also doing some mentoring of his own, taking fellow up and comer Josh Wise under his wing. Wise made his second Cup start at Loudon behind the wheel of the No. 37 Front Row Motorsports Ford.

    “He’s doing good,” Speed said of Wise. “We’re good buddies. We’re kind of teammates at the moment. I help him out as much as I can.”

    Although he maintains a good relationship with his former team, Red Bull, Speed is also laid back about his continuing legal battles with them. In spite of that unfolding drama, he remains relatively unfazed.

    “I have a good relationship with a lot of the guys there,” Speed said. “We’re still in the law suit. It’s going slowly but surely.”

    “And it’s all looking really good at the moment,” Speed continued. “I couldn’t be happier at this point.”

    Although Speed is set for this season, his future plans remain unsettled. Yet again, he tries not to stress about that.

    “I don’t know,” Speed said of his future. “Right now I hope we can grow this into something that’s better for next year where we can run more races and be more competitive. That would be the best thing.”

    While Speed is laid back about most everything else, there is one thing that revs him up significantly. He cannot wait for his wife Amanda to have their daughter Juliet, due at any minute.

    “The baby is coming Monday at the latest,” Speed said. “We’ll be induced. Amanda’s doctor is good and has been able to schedule it for us.”

    Will Speed be a laid back new father? And will he still be behind the wheel of a race car as their child grows up?

    “Hopefully, I’ll be just like my dad,” Speed said. “But I don’t plan on being the dad that when my daughter is at that age of ten to thirteen and starts to be really be active and do sports, I won’t still be racing.”

    “I can’t miss every single weekend of my child’s life doing what I want to do,” Speed continued. “My dad did that for me and I’ll do that for my daughter for sure.”

    Speed is also not laid back about pressuring his child to pursue a career in any form of racing, no matter how athletic or competitive she turns out to be.

    “No, absolutely not,” Speed said when asked about racing as a future for his daughter. “I would push her the other way.”

    “It would take me a lot to put her in a car,” Speed continued. “I know how it is. I’m not rich. I don’t have a dad that can sponsor me halfway up, which is what you need to have these days.”

    “I got really lucky to make it from what we had. I’ll push my daughter into something more reasonable like tennis or golf,” Speed said. “I’m sure she’s going to be really athletic and competitive knowing myself and Amanda.”

    “So, if she wants to do that, then sure,” Speed continued. “It’s whatever she wants. I’m certainly not going to push her.”

    While Scott may be laid back in his approach to all things racing, there is one thing that he is most passionate about, greeting his soon-to-be daddy’s little girl.

    “I’m sure that’s how it will be.”

     

  • NASCAR in Perspective Thanks to Hurricane Irene

    NASCAR in Perspective Thanks to Hurricane Irene

    This past weekend, while the stars of NASCAR battled in the Coliseum at Bristol, many on the east coast battled the effects of Hurricane Irene.  And for many NASCAR fans, from the Jersey Shore to New England, this weekend’s race was the first one missed in many years because of being in the eye of the storm.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”229″][/media-credit]While NASCAR traditionally is the focal point of every weekend for hardcore fans, this past weekend for many was consumed instead by long lines at the gas station, even longer lines at the grocery store, and securing as much as possible so that it would not become a flying weapon in the howling wind.

    When the storm began in earnest, roaring up the east coast, the race coverage was overpowered instead by hurricane coverage, taking shelter, and hunkering down for safety. The power of Hurricane Irene pre-empted all, putting the real meaning of racing in its proper perspective.

    For so many, the driver introduction song of Cup driver Scott Speed, ‘Power’ by Kayne West, took on a whole new meaning thanks to Hurricane Irene. For those in the storm, the loss of power consumed many, not only during the height of the storm but also in its wake.

    While Second Lieutenant Trint R. Callison from the Tennessee Army National Guard led the Bristol race crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, the National Guard and other law enforcement personnel all along the path of the hurricane gave the command instead to evacuate and seek safety in local shelters.

    The beating and banging that traditionally happens at Bristol was replaced by the beating down of the rain and the banging of the tree limbs and trees themselves as they fell as a result of the hurricane strength wind.

    While the Irwin Tools Night Race at the ‘World’s Fastest Half Mile’ had relatively few cautions, the yellow flag was out all over the east coast for roadways that had eroded, dams that did not hold, and bridges that literally washed away from the force of the storm.

    NASCAR four-time champion Jeff Gordon may have thought he had challenges on pit road during his run at Bristol, but he faced nothing like the challenges that folks who had to ride buses on the congested roads leading out of Atlantic City to seek shelter in schools and arenas further inland in New Jersey.

    And in spite of the many decisions that every crew chief made atop their respective pit boxes, those paled in comparison to the life and death decisions that were made every second on the fly during the storm by the staff of the Office of Emergency Management as they coordinated the critical response to the constantly changing weather conditions.

    At the end of the Bristol race, Brad Keselowski was not the only one turning in another ‘Iron Man’ performance yet again. There were countless men and women throughout the hurricane affected area who turned in courageous efforts, saving lives and pulling people from the rising flood waters and the raging streams and rivers.

    Unlike NASCAR, which is now in the throes of setting the Chase field to run for the coveted Cup championship, the majority of those impacted by Hurricane Irene are in the throes of trying to clean up, shoveling out their basements filled with muck and mud as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives.

    And while the top ten drivers from last year determine if their schedules will allow them to be honored by the President at the White House, those who lived through the storm instead await a visit from the President, in hopes of learning more about the federal assistance from FEMA and help from other entities that may be available to them.

    Thankfully, no NASCAR tracks were severely impacted by Hurricane Irene. Richmond International Raceway did lose power, as well as having some trees down, with leaves and debris littering the track.

    “Our operations guys were so busy, trying to get generators up and running,” Aimee Turner, RIR director of public relations, said. “We fared well compared to what the State has fared.”

    Similar situations occurred at both New Hampshire Motor Speedway and the ‘Monster Mile’ at Dover, however, again the damage was minimal.

    “Unfortunately, many of our fans within the New England area were hit worse and our thoughts are with them,” Kristen Costa, NHMS director of communications said.

    One nearby race track took matters into its own hands, providing hope to many affected by Hurricane Irene. Pocono Raceway, in cooperation with the American Red Cross of the Poconos, raised over $8,000 through their Hurricane Irene Disaster Relief Ride.

    “Hurricane Irene was the latest natural disaster to have taxed the resources of the Red Cross and Pocono Raceway was proud to help in the disaster relief effort,” Brandon Igdalsky, Pocono Raceway President and CEO, said. “Pocono Raceway would like to thank everyone who participated in the ride for their time and generosity, even though some individuals suffered property damage and were still without electricity days after the storm.”

    That perhaps is the best perspective on the Bristol race weekend that was pre-empted for many by Hurricane Irene. For truly it is about NASCAR fans helping fellow fans and neighbors helping neighbors in need.

    And while setting the field for the Chase may seem all-consuming and important, all should remember that helping those recover from this storm warrant their continued attention, prayer and support.

  • Indianapolis 500: Rain Cancels Wednesday Practice Session

    For the third time this week, rain has canceled a practice sesson as the Wednesday practice was a no-go due to the steady rain fall.

    The rain has spoiled the plans of practicing for many drivers, including rookie Scott Speed.

    “As a rookie, having less track time is definitely not the best thing in the world,” Speed said. “It definitely makes things a little more difficult. We’ll do our best to take it in stride. I think we’ll be OK with it. We have a lot of resources here. There’s nothing extra you can really do to prepare for the race, but I feel good right now. I think we’re making good moves and going about everything intelligently. I can’t ask for anything more right now. At this point, it’s all about track time. I mean, we’re just waiting.”

    Fellow rookie Pippa Mann says that its just going to make things interesting.

    “We only wanted to get out there and do a couple of runs today, to see if we finally had a handle on this small niggle we’ve got going on, but unfortunately the weather is just not playing ball,” Mann said. “It’s going to make the next few days pretty insane, not just for us but for everyone. the track is going to be extremely busy, and it’s going to be fairly intense. But, to use an American phrase, it is what it is!”

    She says that today she got further than days before as they were almost ready to go.

    “Actually, today wasn’t quite Groundhog day because we did get as far as pit lane, and I actually got as far as being strapped into my car before it started to rain again,” she said. “One minute to green – I’m sitting there, and suddenly the rain started coming down all around me, so we headed back to the garage area.”

    Veteran Townsend Bell is not worried, though.

    “I’m used to it now,” he said. “As long as I’ve driven a little bit this month, I feel fine at least in terms of knowing what I’ve got and knowing that we’re strong. So, the anxiety is much less, especially having done this for a few years. You learn rain is always going to be an issue.”

  • Amanda Speed Is Keeping It All In Perspective

    Amanda Speed Is Keeping It All In Perspective

    [media-credit name=”ScottSpeed.com” align=”alignright” width=”236″][/media-credit]In spite of the trauma of husband Scott losing his Cup ride with Red Bull Racing last season, Amanda Speed is keeping the couple’s spirits up, preparing to have their child, and coping with her mother-in-law’s cancer.

    And even with those major highs and lows in their lives, Amanda Speed is working hard to keep it all in perspective.

    “Well the day he got the fax from Red Bull was the same day we found out his mother had cancer,” Speed said. “So that put things into perspective real quick.”

    “Scott and I have always been the type that love to enjoy life no matter what we are doing,” Speed continued. “So spending time with our family and friends is what is helping this process.”

    Speed may have perspective but she is still understandably shaken by the seemingly abrupt firing of her husband in November 2010. The fact that the news was delivered to them via the fax machine was especially distressing.

    “I was sick to my stomach honestly,” Speed said. “Especially with the way it was handled, I mean, a fax… Come on seriously.”

    “You renew his contract halfway through the year, fit him for his 2011 firesuit in October and then a week after the last race of the year, you fire him through a fax,” Speed continued. “Just unbelievable.”

    In response to being released from Red Bull Racing, the couple decided they needed to take action. Scott Speed filed a $6.5 million lawsuit against the race team, alleging breach of contract.

    Amanda Speed admits that the filing of a lawsuit has not been easy for her husband or for her. She also noted that the experience has changed how they relate to people, particularly in the racing world.

    “It is difficult that’s for sure, and I will be glad when it is over,” Speed said of the lawsuit. “But Scott would have never filed the suit if he was not 100% sure of it.”

    “You can only take so much of being run over,” Speed continued. “In the long run I think it has made us both stronger, but also both very conscious of the people that we are around.”

    “We have always been people who trust everyone until they break that trust,” Speed said. “However, now it is the opposite. You will now have to gain our trust. It is just really hard.”

    Although the experience of the firing, the breaking of trust, and the lawsuit have been most difficult, the Speeds have some good news recently.

    Scott Speed reached an agreement with Kevin Harvick, Inc. to run two Nationwide Series races, one at Iowa Speedway on August 6th and the other on the road course in Montreal on August 20th.

    Amanda Speed is thankful for the new ride coming Scott’s way, especially since it will return the couple to the race track.

    “It is so hard not being at the track each weekend,” Speed said. ” Before I met Scott I was working at the track, and I grew up at the drag races, so to not be at a racetrack at all is wearing on us both.”

    “I hate watching the races on television,” Speed continued. “It is very hard.”

    “The thing I miss most about being at the track is just the racing,” Speed said. “I live for that competiveness, heck we both do.”

    The couple did take in the Daytona 500 this year and also plan to get to a few more races this season before Scott Speed gets behind the wheel of the KHI Nationwide car.

    “We both went to Daytona,” Speed said. “It was very different, very emotional being at a racetrack and not racing, but we talked with a lot of people, so it was good to be there.”

    The Speeds also recently announced their most special news, that they were expecting a baby together, due in September. The newest Speed will join big brother Rex, Amanda Speed’s child from a previous relationship.

    “The pregnancy was actually a BIG surprise,” Speed said. “I mean, we had been trying, but we thought it wasn’t possible, so it was definitely a surprise.”

    “We don’t know yet what we are having, but we will find out soon,” Speed continued. “Rex is very excited. He wants a girl and Scott wants a boy.”

    “I just want it to be healthy, so it is going to be very entertaining when he/she gets here.”

    Speed has also been very busy during this time with her marketing efforts, taking every opportunity to keep her husband’s name and his brand present in the racing marketplace.  She and Scott have also been active in the social media world, keeping up with fans via Facebook and Twitter.

    “I do as much as I can on contacting media reps and people from different areas of racing,” Speed said. “I try to do what I can to keep him out there.”

    “We have also got a guy redesigning his website, and other people that are out seeking sponsorship,” Speed continued. “We are all working very hard.”

    “The fan support has been overwhelmingly good,” Speed said. “Scott is so grateful for that.”

    “He has a great following on Twitter, and he is very glad to see his fans stick by him through this crazy period in his life,” Speed continued. “For all the haters, he will be glad to get back out on the track and say, “I told you so.”

    In spite of it all, Amanda Speed acknowledged that there have been many life lessons in this whole process, some positive and some more difficult.

    “I think there is always a life lesson in any step you go through in life,” Speed said. “The darkest moment through all of this was finding out Scott’s mom had cancer,” Speed said. “One minute she is as healthy as a horse, and the next minute, she is getting chemo and radiation.”

    “It was just very devastating to us all,” Speed said. “It’s like, how did this happen so quickly?”

    “Obviously finding out that I am expecting is very exciting and rewarding,” Speed said. “But I would have to say that the most triumphant moment has not come yet, but it will soon and we both can’t wait for that moment.”

  • Scott Speed Files 6.5 Million Lawsuit Against Red Bull Racing

    Scott Speed Files 6.5 Million Lawsuit Against Red Bull Racing

    After being told he wouldn’t be driving for them at the end of November, Scott Speed is filing a $6.5 million lawsuit against Red Bull Racing for breaking terms in the contract.

    After finishing 30th in points, Speed said he was notified by fax on November 24th that he wouldn’t be returning to the team in 2011.

    “I’m obviously stupid disappointed that I didn’t even get a phone call, not a conversation, not anything from anyone from Austria,” Speed told Bob Pockrass Wednesday in a phone interview. “They all showed up at Miami. None of them spoke a word to me. I got a fax.”

    He also added that he did have a contract for 2011, yet wouldn’t discuss the terms.

    “I can’t describe how upset I am just over the morality of it,” Speed said. “I don’t understand how you can treat people like this. Whatever. I know that’s not how I treat people.”

    SceneDaily in their report said, “According to the lawsuit, Speed signed a three-year deal in September 2007 for a salary of $300,000 in 2008, $500,000 in 2009 and $1 million in 2010. He would receive 50 percent of prize money for each top-10 finish, 45 percent for finishes 11th-20th and 40 percent of prize money for finishes of 21st or worse.

    “In June 2008, the deal was amended to include 2011 at a salary of $1.5 million and options for 2012-2013 at raises of $500,000 annually. In January 2010, the deal was revised to cut Speed’s pay from $1 million to $500,000 for 2010, according to the complaint.”

    Speed adds in the lawsuit that Red Bull picked up Speed’s option through 2013 in May 2010, but then broke that promise via firing him on November 23rd. The $6.5 million represents the salary that Speed would have received from 2011-2013.

    The 2010 season was meant to be Speed’s breakout year and it started out that way, yet went down hill once teammate Brian Vickers got sick.

    “When Brian got sick, we were both in the 20s in points just because of luck – honestly, we ran better than that,” Speed said. “We were going to put this driver in [for Vickers], and their old team was trying this [setup], so [we decided], ‘Let’s try this.’ … As a team, we kind of [crapped] the bed, really. There’s no question throughout the year we performed terribly.

    “At the end of the day, I was a scapegoat for that, I guess.”

    In August, when it was announced that Kasey Kahne would be joining the team in 2010, a lot of people had counted Speed out of Red Bull Racing with Vickers set to return come the following year. Speed said there were options laid on the table for him, however.

    “They made it pretty clear with four or five races left that their plan was pretty simple – that if Brian doesn’t get better, then I’m their guy, but if Brian does get better, the options are open for maybe a third car, maybe Nationwide or something – that was the last I heard, was basically I’m waiting there to see if Brian is all right,” Speed said.

    In the process of everything, Speed said he understood the decision, but doesn’t like how it was done.

    “They had the opportunity to get Kasey Kahne, which is a no-brainer,” he said. “I would do the same thing. Then it’s ‘OK, do you want Scott Speed or Brian Vickers next year after that?’ Even though I think I’m probably performing at a similar level to Brian, I’d still take Brian over myself even because of his experience level.

    “It makes sense what they’re doing. I just think they did it all wrong. They didn’t treat me fairly over the whole deal.”

    He also adds, “They thought it was OK to kick me to the curb and not try to do absolutely anything for me. They didn’t want to pay me anything. They didn’t want to help me get into any other kind of ride. Nothing. They were, ‘OK, we’re done with you. Thank you for seven-and-a-half years.’

    “Honestly, I’m still a little bit shocked over the whole situation.”

    Also with Kahne coming over, it was announced that some employees were being laid off as Kenny Francis, crew chief for Kahne, was bringing over his own bunce of guys. Speed said that his guys shoudn’t be blamed for the bad performance as that should be on the guys at the top of the chain.

    “Changes that change the performance of the car are made at the top level,” Speed said. “When John Probst took over [general manager] Jay Frye’s sort of role running the team from a competition side, things changed and stuff got a lot better. … Then shortly after that, with everyone sort of fighting for their job, sort of a little bit working against each other, things got worse again.

    “But the cars, during the middle part of the year, were terrible. They were terrible not because of the guys physically working on the cars. That’s not fair to say at all. That’s never the case. There’s three or four guys at the top that are deciding what bodies are going on what cars, what cars are going to run and that’s where the speed is at.”

    He claims in the lawsuit that the real reason the team did not run well was due to the lack of funding in place.

    This past month has not gone as well for Speed as a whole as he found out the same day that he was released that his mom had cancer.

    “My mom was diagnosed with cancer on the same day [I was released], so it kind of puts life into a little bit more perspective than, ‘Oh my God, I just lost a racing ride,’” Speed said. “It’s terrible, but priorities change a little bit. In any case, it’s not just a case of finding a new ride or a new sponsor.

    “I’ve never had a manager my whole career, for example. Red Bull has always told me where to go and what to do. There’s never been a need for a manager, especially somebody trying to find money and a ride. The decision I make for myself and where I go after Red Bull is a huge one. What brand do I associate myself after a seven-and-a-half year relationship with Red Bull? I have a global brand name with my career in Formula One and with what Red Bull has done with my stock-car racing career.”

    Red Bull Racing was approached by SceneDaily for a comment, yet said they did not have anything to say.

    Speed is not the first driver to be suing someone this offseason as Robby Gordon is suing Extenze after he feels he was wronged by them in terms of putting Kevin Conway in his car.