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Tag: Tony Stewart

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson won his second Daytona 500, leading the final ten laps and holding off a late charge from Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

    “It was a historic day at Daytona,” Johnson said, “especially for women. Danica Patrick pocketed $357,464 in prize money, while Erin Andrews lost 50 Cents.

    “It’s great to win my second Daytona 500, and first for Chad Knaus. As you may recall, Chad was suspended for my first 500 in 2006, but he was with me there in spirit, and in my rear window.”

    2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt’s last-lap charge gave him his second consecutive Daytona 500 runner-up finish, and third in four years, as Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson took the win.

    “I was a day late and a dollar short,” Earnhardt said, “as opposed to a certain rapper, who was a half-dollar short.

    “Finishing second at Daytona, followed by a disappointing result in the Chase, has been the story of my career. It’s a case of ‘so close, yet so far away.’”

    3. Brad Keselowski: NASCAR’s defending champion overcame early damage after being collected in an early crash and battle back to finish fourth in the Daytona 500. Keselowski led 13 laps on the day, and trails Jimmie Johnson by six points.

    “As you may have heard,” Keselowski said, “I was called to speak to NASCAR brass about some comments I made critical of NASCAR. I was politely told to keep my foot on the pedal and out of my mouth.”

    4. Greg Biffle: Biffle qualified fifth and finished sixth at Daytona, the top finisher among the Roush Fenway Racing trio, as Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. finished 12th and Carl Edwards finished 33rd.

    “Stenhouse is dating the hottest driver in NASCAR,” Biffle said, “while Edwards is the coldest driver in NASCAR.”

    5. Regan Smith: Smith, in the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet, finished a strong seventh in the Daytona 500, leading one lap.

    “50 Cent says ‘He doesn’t see black people,’” Smith said. “If memory serves me, there once was a wrapper named ‘6 Cents’ who also didn’t see black people, but did see dead people.

    “As the driver of the car once piloted by Kurt Busch, I’m proud to say that Phoenix Racing no longer sees crazy people.”

    6. Mark Martin: Martin finished third in the Daytona 500, moving up with a late charge while pushing Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to a second-place finish.

    “I’m now 0-29 at Daytona,” Martin said, “so finishing third is nothing special. It’s like ‘kissing a sister,’ and I want to do that about as much as Erin Andrews wants to kiss a ‘brother.’

    “My man 50 Cent said he didn’t see any black people at Daytona. I say, Look, Fitty, it’s Sunday at Daytona. There’s only one ‘race.’”

    7. Danica Patrick: Patrick started on the pole at Daytona and became the first female driver to lead a lap in the iconic NASCAR event. She eventually finished eighth, by far her best Sprint Cup finish.

    “The No. 10 GoDaddy.Com Chevrolet not only had horsepower,” Patrick said, “it had girl power.

    “Kudos to Erin Andrews for rejecting the advances of 50 Cent. What kind of man complains about the lack of black people, then goes in for a kiss on the girl in the white ‘wrapper?’

    “I guess I silenced most of my critics with my performance, but not all of them. There are some creeps still monitoring the GoDaddy.com website who wish I’d show more of myself.”

    8. Ryan Newman: With Tony Stewart knocked out early, Newman led the charge for Stewart-Haas Racing, leading three laps and finishing fifth at Daytona.

    “I hate it for Tony,” Newman said. “His run of bad luck continued in the 500. Tony can’t catch a break, unlike the Daytona catchfence, which catches brakes, tires, and engines. You’ve got to hand it to NASCAR fans for coming to the race on Sunday despite what happened on Saturday. Those fans have a commendable ‘debris de corps.’”

    9. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 11th in the Daytona 500, one of only two Toyotas in the top 11.

    “Judging by what happened early in the race,” Bowyer said, “Jimmie Johnson was not the Hendrick driver I expected to win the race. After the race, I felt like I was back at Phoenix when I kept asking, ‘Where’s Jeff Gordon?’

    “I’m just pleased my Toyota engine didn’t blow up like those of the Joe Gibbs Racing cars. Those JGR engines are like milk—that expiration date will sneak up on you.”

    10. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.: Stenhouse, in the No. 17 Roush Fenway Ford, finished 12th at Daytona after starting 28th, joining teammate Greg Biffle in the top 12.

    “It looks like Danica Patrick and I have taken our driving to another level,” Stenhouse said. “It remains to be seen whether our relationship will follow. I sure hope so. Until then, though, Danica and I will collectively be known as ‘Hot And Bothered.’

    “I hold a unique position among NASCAR drivers. I’m the only driver who can say he’s dating a ‘fellow’ driver and still retain his manhood.”

  • A Tribute to the NASCAR Fans

    A Tribute to the NASCAR Fans

    NASCAR fans come from every walk of life, trucker to CEO, and yet converge on Sundays to watch the sport they love as one.

    They share travel stories about how far they came, who their favorite drivers are, and who they are picking to win that particular race. NASCAR race fan discussion sometimes even gets a bit heated, but that is all usually put aside over an adult beverage and some good race track eats.

    NASCAR fans are passionate like none other. They demonstrate that passion with the gear that they wear, from T-shirts to jackets to pajama bottoms sporting their favorite team number or race car, to the bags of merchandise they purchase from the many haulers at the race track.

    Many have even poked some fun at NASCAR fans, citing the occasional missing tooth or the perhaps a little more predominant beer belly. And there is a definite fascination of the variety of racing tattoos or the interesting hair dos sported by fans at every event.

    But at the Nationwide race in Daytona, the first one of the season, where everyone in the stands was so excited to start the 2013 year off with a bang, NASCAR fans instead became helpers and first responders.

    As the pieces and parts of young race Kyle Larson’s car flew into the stands, after the last lap crash, fans were helping fellow fans, taking off those race-themed T-shirts to help staunch the bleeding of those who were injured.

    And they used those loud NASCAR fan voices, ones that had just been cheering for their beloved racers, to instead summon help from the nearby emergency responders.

    “It was surreal,” Ron Diehl, Jr., a fan who was at the track just a few sections away from where Larson’s car hit the fence, said. “The debris was raining down.”

    “You saw the smoke and then we saw the impact and then parts started flying up in the air,” Diehl continued. “I kind of froze and ducked my head.”

    “I was kind of in shock.”

    Another fan, Larry Spencer, said, “As soon as he hit the catch fence, it looked like the car exploded. There were pieces of debris flying everywhere.”

    In spite of trying to protect his brother, Spencer said that he did suffer a cut to his cheek, requiring stitches.

    “As soon as I saw the pieces of debris go flying, I grabbed him and put my arms around him to shield him.”

    Those NASCAR fans not at the track at Daytona took to social media, Twitter and Facebook, to post their concerns, sharing their prayers as they tried to gather information about how many were hurt and how critically.

    In that one moment, they forgot about their rivalries and instead came together as a community to worry about any fan, adult or child, injured in the last lap melee.

    Even the drivers joined in sharing their concerns about the fans, acknowledging that those are the people that make their racing possible.

    Tony Stewart, who actually won the Nationwide Drive4COPD 300, was somber in Victory Lane, deciding to waive off the festivities in light of his care and concern for what was happening in the stands.

    “We always know that this is a dangerous sport,” Stewart said. “We assume that risk but it’s hard when fans get caught up in it.”

    “My concern is for the fans right now.”

    NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski, who was also participating in the Nationwide race and was involved in the crash, echoed Stewart’s concerns.

    “There was obviously a big wreck with a lot of debris,” Keselowski said. “I really hope everyone in the grandstands is OK.”

    “That is the most important thing right now.”

    Both the track president Joie Chitwood and NASCAR’s president Mike Helton made formal statements about their joint concerns for the fans in the media center after visiting the hospital where many of the injured were taken.

    But, as with any tragedy at any race, from the death of Dale Earnhardt at Daytona in 2001 to the death of a fan from a lightning strike at Pocono Raceway last year, NASCAR fans know that the show must go on and the racing must continue.

    And that is again is how the heartiness and resiliency of the NASCAR fans is demonstrated. The stands will fill this weekend and every weekend going forward, the National Anthem will be sung, the engines will be fired and the fans will cheer mightily for it all.

    Perhaps Dave Moody, radio host and announcer for MRN, summed it up best by starting a trend in using the Twitter hash tag #NASCARSTRONG in communicating via social media about the fans and the last lap crash. After all, that is exactly what race fans are – strong, feisty, determined and resilient.

    Indeed, NASCAR fans are a family. And every race fan is in fact #NASCARSTRONG.

  • 2013 NASCAR Season Predictions

    2013 NASCAR Season Predictions

    Photo Credit: David Yeazell
    Photo Credit: David Yeazell

    As we head into the 2013 NASCAR season, here are some predictions of what could take place this year…….

     

    *At the Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on April 7th, Jeff Gordon challenges mortal enemy Clint Bowyer not to a duel, but a duet, and the two take the stage for a rendition of Garth Brooks’ 1991 dud “We Bury The Hatchet.”

    The following week at Texas, Bowyer and Gordon tangle, and Bowyer, true to his sponsor obligations, first opens up a 2-ounce 5-Hour Energy bottle, then opens a comparable-sized can of whoop ass. True to post-1979 NASCAR fist fights form, no punches are thrown, as Gordon is taken down by four Bowyer crewmen, two of which ask for Gordon’s autograph.

    *Juan Montoya’s run of bad luck at Daytona continues, as he trips over his wife’s hair dryer in the couple’s RV parked in the Daytona infield, sparking an electrical fire that wipes out power and delays the start of the Daytona 500.

    After a two-hour delay, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. emerges with the win after blowing by Kevin Harvick on the final turn. In a post-race media session, Earnhardt calls his win the “start of something big,” a characterization that turns out to be correct, as Junior then embarks on the longest winless streak of his career.

    *After Zac Brown and his band rock the Daytona infield prior to the February 24th race, NASCAR chief executive officer Brian France, reinforcing his reputation as a clueless leader, tells Brown that “I loved you in The Hangover.” Brown, in turn, tells France, that his “language is offensive.”

    Later that year, Brown suggests to France that Zach Galifianakis serve as Grand Marshall at Indianapolis. France takes Browns’ advice, and while at Indy, compliments Galifianakis on his concert at Daytona.

    France taps Alabama native Evander Holyfield to serve as Grand Marshall at Talladega in October, where tells the former champ that he loved him in The Hangover, as well.

    *Brad Keselowski wins at Bristol in March after leading 298 of 500 laps at the Bullring, passing Jimmie Johnson late for the win. Afterwards in Victory Lane, Keselowski knocks back a six-pack of Miller Lite, and sends Johnson a six-pack of his own with the message “This is the only ‘six’ you’ll see this year.”

    Upon leaving the track, the defending champ is stopped by a police officer for erratic driving. Keselowski passes a battery of field sobriety tests, and immediately takes to Twitter, where he tweets 140 dashes, proving that he can Tweet and walk a straight line.

    *After two years without a Sprint Cup championship, Jimmie Johnson rededicates himself to capturing the 2013 title. Not one to miss an endorsement opportunity, Lowe’s, in conjunction with Kobalt Tools, introduces a new multi-task implement which hammers, screws, and strikes fear into opponents. The “Attitude Adjustment” retails for $19.95.

    Crew chief Chad Knaus is the first to buy the tool, and finds it just as useful in doctoring chassis and rear wings, as well as grooming the head of a middle-aged balding man.

    *Kyle Busch wins three of the season’s first ten races, including a win at Talladega on May 5th, and establishes himself as an early favorite for the 2013 Sprint Cup. The following week at Darlington, the bottom falls out, as the engine in Busch’s No. 18 Toyota blows.

    Busch finishes 20th or worse in his next ten races, and his frustration culminates when he takes a swing at crew chief Dave Rogers at Pocono in August. Busch is suspended by the team, and M&M’s yanks sponsorship. Brad Keselowski taunts Busch on Twitter, tweeting “That’s like taking candy from a baby.”

    Busch starts the Chase For The Cup in tenth and finishes in sixth, 46 out of first.

    *After blowing a fuse following a poor finish at Darlington, Kurt Busch hires a sports psychologist to help improve his attitude and demeanor. After several weeks in therapy, Busch notices a difference in his state of mind, while Furniture Row sees a spike in sales after introducing the “Kurt Busch Psychiatrist’s Couch” product line.

    Busch wins the Toyota/Save Mart 300 at Sonoma on June 23 and credits his psychiatrist, noting that “It’s the first time someone’s encouraged me to tell them how I really feel.”

    *Matt Kenseth wins at California on March 24, capturing his first win as a member of Joe Gibbs Racing. Kenseth thanks Deny Hamlin and Kyle Busch for being great teammates, and gives props to Carl Edwards as well, calling him the best former teammate he could ask for.

    Kenseth nabs three wins on the season, and finishes fourth in the Chase.

    *In the Fox booth at Dover on a sweltering June 2nd Sunday, Larry McReynolds is overcome by heat exhaustion and vomits, forcing Darrell Waltrip into quick action to sidestep the mess. Later in the broadcast, Waltrip notes that it was the first time he’s done the “Ickey Shuffle” since winning at Daytona in 1989.

    *Jeremy Mayfield’s rotten luck takes a turn for the better when, after a positive screen test, he lands a recurring role on AMC’s “Breaking Bad” as a meth-running courier. Mayfield’s character, “Jeremy Mayfield,” is written out of the show after he is arrested, ironically, for “speeding” on the way to the set in June.

    *In July, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un announces plans to field a NASCAR team in 2014. The team, bizarrely title “Yin And Pyong Yang Racing,” never makes it past the planning stages, as Un loses interest and instead turns his attention to developing jet fuel with Michael Waltrip.

    *In an interview on national television prior to the Texas 500 on April 13th, Danica Patrick identifies Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. as her “stiffest competition” for NASCAR’s Rookie Of The Year.

    Later in the year, NASCAR’s glamour couple deal with a pregnancy scare, and NASCAR rumor-mongers erroneously report that Patrick’s pregnancy test can be viewed on the website “NoDaddy.com.”

    Patrick edges Stenhouse for the ROY award, posting six top-10 finishes to Stenhouse’s four.

    *Carl Edwards snaps an 81-race winless streak with a victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Edwards customary post-win back flip goes awry when he under-rotates and lands on his head, knocking himself unconscious.

    NASCAR’s new concussion testing procedures are put to the test, and Edwards fails, as, for the second straight year, quips, “I forgot what it’s like to win.”

    Edwards recovers after sitting out a race, and wins again at Homestead in the season finale, but eschews a celebratory back flip for a simpler fist pump, which, unfortunately and accidentally, connects win the chin of Miss Sprint Cup, knocking her out cold.

    Edwards finishes seventh in the Chase For The Cup.

    *In an attempt to get into Brad Keselowski’s head, Jimmie Johnson tries on the reigning champ and current points leader’s helmet at a Keselowski promotional appearance at a Ford dealership in Lansing, Michigan in August. The ploy works, as an irate Keselowski later tries unsuccessfully to wreck Johnson at Michigan on August 18th, taking himself out of the race in the process.

    Keselowski loses the points lead two weeks later at Atlanta, and Johnson heads to the Chase as the leader. Johnson clinches the Cup at Phoenix, wining his sixth championship.

  • 2013 Sprint Cup Team Preview: Stewart-Haas Racing

    2013 Sprint Cup Team Preview: Stewart-Haas Racing

    Photo: Andy Lyons, Getty Images
    Photo: Andy Lyons, Getty Images

    Our 2013 Sprint Cup team previews continue today as we profile Stewart-Haas Racing, which will field three full time teams in 2013 for drivers Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, and Danica Patrick.

     

    Tony Stewart

    After winning the championship in 2011, Tony Stewart came out of the gate on fire in 2012, winning two of the first five races of the season at Las Vegas and Auto Club Speedway, but only found Victory Lane once more at Daytona in July. The 2012 season would be considered a disappointment for Stewart as the first year teaming with crew chief Steve Addington was a roller-coaster of a year.

    Stewart will team up with Addington once again in 2013 and his #14 Chevrolet will be sponsored by Mobil 1 and Bass Pro Shops, who moves over to SHR from Jamie McMurray and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Look for Stewart to find Victory Lane and qualify for the Chase once again in 2013.

     

    Ryan Newman

    In 2012, Ryan Newman was able to take his #39 Chevrolet to Victory Lane just once, winning at Martinsville in the spring. Besides that highlight, Newman was able to finish in the top 10 in less than half of the remaining races. Tony Gibson was the crew chief for Newman for the majority of the season before giving way to Matt Borland, who will be crew chief for Newman in 2013 as well. If you will remember, Borland was crew chief for Newman during his days at Penske Racing and the two won many races together. The hope is that they can restore the previous magic they had and get back in winning form. Newman will have a change on the sponsorship side of things for 2013, with the US Army stepping down and Quicken Loans picking up more races to go along with Outback Steakhouse and Haas Automation.

     

    Danica Patrick

    After a part time Sprint Cup campaign in 2012, Danica Patrick will race full time in 2013 in the #10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet. After crew chiefing for Patrick in the last 5 races of the 2012 season, Tony Gibson will once again be crew chief for Patrick in 2013. Patrick will be in the running for Rookie of the Year honors in 2013, but this year will be a learning year as she gets accustomed to the intricacies of the new Gen6 Sprint Cup car.

  • Stewart Aims for Third Golden Driller in Chili Bowl Return

    Stewart Aims for Third Golden Driller in Chili Bowl Return

    BackinBlackTony Stewart Racing

    Three-Time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart Enters No. 14 Chevy Performance Machine in Prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals

    INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 24, 2012) – Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) announced today that three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart has joined the star-studded field of entrants for the 27th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire at the Tulsa (Okla.) Expo Center, which kicks off Tuesday, Jan. 8 and concludes Saturday, Jan. 12.

    Stewart finished 10th in last year’s finale after not participating in the event for three consecutive seasons (2009-2011). This year, he returns to action in the TSR No. 14 Chevrolet Performance/Spike/Chevrolet in the most prestigious Midget race of the year.

    The annual Chili Bowl, which takes place inside the typically fan-packed confines of the QuikTrip Center’s Tulsa Expo Raceway, will see Stewart and more than 200 drivers attempt to qualify for one of the coveted spots in Saturday’s 50-lap A-Main finale. Each driver will participate in a qualifying program and accumulate points.  Tough races equal tough workout programs.

    Stewart is one of only five drivers to win the Chili Bowl more than once, one of 17 different drivers to win it since the inaugural event in 1987. He has a pair of Golden Drillers in his collection after scoring Chili Bowl victories in 2002 and 2007. Stewart earned Chevrolet its initial Chili Bowl triumph in 2007 and hopes to deliver a second in January.

    The three-time NASCAR titleist prepped for the upcoming Chili Bowl Saturday by leading all 40 laps of the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series-sanctioned third annual Battle at the Center on the one-sixth mile Mini Magic Mile at the Southern Illinois Center in DuQuoin, Ill. He drove the special-edition black, carbon-fiber entry that has been dubbed the “Back in Black” machine that he’ll compete with in Tulsa.

    Tony Stewart, Owner and Driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet Performance/Curb Records/Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1/Spike for TSR

    Are you more focused on bringing home the Golden Driller for a third time this year after finishing 10th in the 2012 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals 50-lap A-main finale following a three-year hiatus from the event?

    “Going back to the Chili Bowl for the first time several years in January of 2012 reminded me of just how tough of an event it really is. You typically have more than 200 competitors from all over the world battling it out on a quarter-mile dirt track – indoors. The excitement and atmosphere that is contained in the Expo Center is really something you can’t explain and it was great to be part of it again. I’m really looking forward to taking another shot at winning the Golden Driller for our partners, Chevrolet Performance and Curb Records, and I’d like nothing more than to win a third title for them and TSR.”

    You’re returning to the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals following a very convincing POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series victory in DuQuoin, Ill., in early December and you’re competing in the Rumble in Fort Wayne (Ind.) at the end of the month. How much preparation do these events give you for the Chili Bowl?

    “We had a lot of fun racing in DuQuoin last week, but it was more than just having some fun. We used that event as an opportunity to shake the car down for the Chili Bowl in January. Last year, I didn’t have a chance to get some laps in the car before I ran my qualifying night in Tulsa. We were starting from scratch and spent some time getting the car where we wanted it. Having run the DuQuoin event before we get to the Chili Bowl this year is going to help us a lot. We’ve got a good baseline of where we’d like to start out for the week and I am completely confident the guys will give me a great car to drive.

    “Running the Munchkin in the Rumble in Fort Wayne is also a lot of fun for us. We won both nights last year and it’s never easy to win on such a tight, little track. The Rumble and the Chili Bowl are like night and day, as one is pavement and one is a dirt race.  But that’s what makes open-wheel racing so much fun. Competing on both surfaces, especially indoors, gives you the best of both worlds. I’m looking forward to both the Rumble in Fort Wayne and the Chili Bowl

  • Tony Stewart Closes Championship Year and Opens Door to New Season

    Tony Stewart Closes Championship Year and Opens Door to New Season

    With the 2012 champion Brad Keselowski officially crowned, it was time for Tony Stewart to close the door on being the past champion, give new the new champ a little advice, and move on to the exciting events of the 2013 season.

    “I feel good,” Stewart said in the media room after making his ninth place remarks at the banquet in Vegas. “I’m not used to being done by now.”

    “I get to go back and enjoy everybody’s speeches and not be nervous about giving my own.”

    Of the new champion to whom he has now passed the baton, Stewart has just one word. He finds Keselowski simply “refreshing.”

    “It’s nice to see somebody that speaks from the heart,” Stewart said. “That’s the way all of us should.”

    When asked if he and past five-time champion Jimmie Johnson had been indoctrinating the new champion Keselowski into his new role, Stewart noted that “Brad has had a busy enough week.”

    “It is a long week for a champion,” Stewart said knowingly. “You wouldn’t trade it for anything obviously but by Thursday night you’re starting to get worn out.”

    “And you can see it in Brad’s eyes that he’s getting tired.”

    “The one thing that Jimmie and I sat down and told him was to enjoy every minute of it,” Stewart continued. “It seems like when you look at the schedule in the morning you think, “Oh my God, they’re wearing me out,” but every moment you have to enjoy and have fun with it because there are 40 plus drivers that want to be where you are this week.”

    Stewart also had a few words of advice for the media when it came to their treatment of the new champion Keselowski.

    “To be perfectly honest, I hope you (the media) continue to treat Brad the way that you are now,” Stewart said. “That gives him the opportunity to be himself and that’s what the fans want to hear.”

    “I’m so scared that at some point somebody is going to turn on him,” Stewart continued. “And then it goes downhill from there.”

    “So, I hope you guys in the media keep doing what you’re doing,” Stewart said. “I’m proud that you are giving him the chance to be open and I think it’s great for our sport.”

    “The sponsors and the fans really enjoy that,” Stewart continued. “I think there’s always a lot more positive stuff than negative each week but sometimes that gets overshadowed.”

    “I hope Brad is able to keep doing what he’s doing.”

    Although the NASCAR season has officially come to an end with the banquet, Stewart said he has just a little bit more racing to do before closing out 2012.

    “I’ve actually still got three races before the end of this year is over,” Stewart said. “I’m going to be almost at 95 races.”

    “I’m excited about that,” Stewart continued. “That’s still what I love to do.”

    While in Vegas to celebrate the new champion, Stewart took a little time out to raise money for charity, at both Keselowski’s and Jimmie Johnson’s PR rep’s expense. During the After the Lap celebration at Planet Hollywood, both Stewart and Johnson pledged donations in order to see champ Keselowski and Kristine Curley share a dance together on stage.

    “Between Jimmie Johnson and myself, I raised my donation to $10,000 and Jimmie donated $5,000 to Victory Junction Gang Camp,” Stewart said. “So, we both ended up raising $15,000.”

    “Yes, it’s been a fun week and we always have a lot of fun with our PR reps obviously,” Smoke continued. “It was a fun moment.”

    Stewart also took the opportunity to reflect on many of the past season’s accomplishments, from those of his competitors to his own team and drivers.

    “I thought there were some great performances,” Stewart said of the 2012 season. “I think Marcos (Ambrose) and Brad (Keselowski) at Watkins Glen was a great example and Jeff Gordon’s run at Richmond to get into the Chase was a great performance.”

    “There were a lot of those individual examples this year that were noteworthy and made for a good year.”

    “I think winning Las Vegas was great for Stewart-Haas Racing,” Smoke said. “To win at a track we hadn’t won at before was special for me personally.”

    “To get Ryan another win and see Danica progress and gain confidence towards the end of the season was great too.”

    Stewart admitted that as much as he has enjoyed his reign as 2011 champion and the past year, he is most certainly looking forward to the new season ahead. One of the biggest challenges will be adjusting to the new car, which was just unveiled earlier in the week by Chevrolet.

    “It can be big,” Stewart said of the new 2013 Chevrolet  SS. “Anytime you start with anything completely new, it’s an unknown variable.”

    “So, it’s something that’s going to take a lot to figure out.”

    “Nobody knows who is going to find the right combination with this new car,” Stewart continued. “So, until we get a couple races, we won’t know.”

    “Even with that, a lot will change during the season.”

    “You have to establish a base first,” Stewart said. “The hardest thing is getting cars built right now.”

    “We’re sitting there with a race shop full of bare chassis that don’t have sheet metal on them yet,” Smoke continued. “And here we are at the beginning of December, so we have a lot of work to do in a short amount of time.”

    While he may be stressing about the 2013 season and building new race cars, Stewart has been most excited about other promises that the next year will hold. One area of excitement is that several sponsors have extended their commitments to his team and the other is that the Truck Series will be racing on dirt at his beloved Eldora track.

    Stewart-Haas Racing recently announced that four sponsors will return in the New Year for Ryan Newman and his SHR No. 39 team.

    “Obviously, we’re very proud to have WIX Filters, Outback Steakhouse, Aspen Dental and Code 3 Associates back with our race team,” Stewart said. “We work really hard to deliver on the racetrack, but we work just as hard to understand each one of our sponsor’s businesses so we can help them accomplish the goals they have, be it in racing or with their customers.”

    “It’s great seeing these partnerships grow and we look forward to another year of success with each of them.” And finally, Stewart will most look forward to serving as host as the NASCAR Truck Series, which will make its dirt debut at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. The half mile track, owned by Stewart, will be the host to the first of two Wednesday night races, with the Eldora race being held the Wednesday before the Indy weekend.

    “It’s just really a dream come true for us not only as a promoter but to imagine that 42 years later we’re going to be taking a national NASCAR series back to a dirt track at Eldora Speedway is a huge honor for us,” Stewart said.

    So, what will Stewart miss most as he closes the 2012 season and opens the door to the 2013 season? Well, one thing is certain and that is that he will not miss the close encounters of the media kind, with the exception of the off microphone conversations at least.

    “Oh God no,” Stewart replied when asked if he would miss the media, many with whom he has had a somewhat mercurial relationship.

    “But as much as I like to battle with you all season, there are a lot of times when we don’t have microphones and we all talk about different things other than racing,” Stewart said.

    “So I will miss that.”

  • Team Chevrolet Unveils New SS Race Car for 2013 NASCAR Season

    Team Chevrolet Unveils New SS Race Car for 2013 NASCAR Season

    From Chevrolet’s first win 57 years ago at Columbia Speedway in South Carolina in a Chevy driven by Fonty Flock to Chevy’s current claiming of ten consecutive manufacturer’s championships, the brand has run deep in NASCAR racing.

    Today in the Encore Theatre at the Wynn in Las Vegas, team Chevrolet unveiled its newest addition to the race line, the 2013 Chevrolet SS race car. It will be powered by a V8 engine and will be rear wheel drive.

    “It’s been an ongoing process to help our fans make the link between what they see on the track and what they see in the showroom,” Mark Reuss, President of GM North America, said. “We are focused on putting the ‘stock’ back in stock car racing.”

    Reuss described the process of developing the 2013 SS, from the initial scale model, which endured wind tunnel testing, to then working with the passenger design team to integrate the features of the passenger car with the race car.

    A full-scale model of the SS race car was then developed and intensive wind tunnel testing continued, as well as testing on various race tracks, all while hiding the car under the checker board camouflage.

    Both the front end and the rear in the new Chevrolet race cars are representative of the production car.  The cars will be available in 2014 in the showroom next fall.

    After the buildup, Reuss then unveiled the new SS Chevrolet, with the assistance of one of their most recognizable drivers, four time champion Jeff Gordon.

    “This thing looks amazing,” Gordon said after seeing the car unveiled. “I’m so excited to race this car.”

    “I had a chance to test it at Charlotte a couple weeks ago and it drove great.”

    Team Chevrolet also acknowledged the partnership with NASCAR in the development of their new racing machine.

    “This is exciting,” Mike Helton, President of NASCAR, said. “All year long as we were working on the 2012 season, we were completing the roll out of our 2013 race cars.”

    “We are delivering what the fans have asked for,” Helton continued. “This completes the roll out of the new cars and we are very excited to get them to Daytona.”

    Team Chevrolet then introduced the cars of not only Jeff Gordon, but also Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Jamie McMurray.  Team owners Rick Hendrick, Gene Haas, and Chip Ganassi were also on hand to show off their new race cars.

    “I’m really excited,” Jamie McMurray said of his new No. 1 Chevrolet SS. “Chevy did a great job on this.”

    “I think it’s really important for our sport to have some brand identity between the different manufacturers,” McMurray continued. “Obviously the look of the car is completely different than what we had last year.”

    “The one thing we haven’t had is something to distinguish the makes and now the shapes of the cars are different,” McMurray said. “So, I think that’s really cool.”

    “I know they’re really proud of what they have built and I’m really proud to get to drive it.”

    “I haven’t driven it yet as far as the performance side of it but from a manufacturer’s side with the relevance from the show room floor to the race track, I think the new body style is definitely the most exciting part for me,” Kevin Harvick, soon to be driver of the No. 29 SS Chevrolet, said. “The way it drives is secondary to how the car even races.”

    “I think it’s all about the car being relevant to what is being sold on the show room floor,” Harvick continued. “I don’t know that you can ever really put the ‘stock’ back in the stock car compared to what you drive on the street, but the styles are really similar and that’s what is important.”

    “I haven’t driven it but one time…but I know there’s going to be a lot of differences,” Tony Stewart, 2011 Champion and driver of the new No. 14 SS Chevrolet, said. “It helps to simplify to where it’s not so much a science project.”

    “It’s got a lot more potential to make the field that much tighter.”

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    Not only is team Chevrolet celebrating the unveiling of its new Cup car but the manufacturer is also enjoying the fruits of its labor in both the Truck and Nationwide Series. Chevrolet won the 2012 Truck Manufacturer’s Championship and clinched its 15th Manufacturer’s Championship in the Nationwide Series this year.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    [media-credit name=”Simon Scoggins” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took charge of the point standings with a win at Phoenix, while Jimmie Johnson crashed hard into the wall late. With one race remaining, Keselowski leads Johnson by 22 points.

    “It’s all over but the tweeting,” Keselowski said. “The race at Phoenix had so many acts of stupidity, from drivers and NASCAR officials alike, I’m not sure what had more ‘characters’—the race itself, or one of my tweets.”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson’s bid for a sixth Sprint Cup championship took a blow at Phoenix, where a late tire problem sent the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet into the wall late. Johnson finished 32nd, while Brad Keselowski came home 6th and took over a nearly insurmountable lead in the point standings.

    “We just cut a tire at the most inopportune time,” Johnson said. “Up until that point, it was a ‘Goodyear.’

    “We aren’t conceding anything. However, it’s a bad sign when you see a fat lady singing about throwing in the towel.”

    3. Clint Bowyer: Jeff Gordon took out Bowyer with three laps to go at Phoenix, in response to contact initiated by Bowyer earlier in the race. Bowyer later tried to confront Gordon in the garage, sparking a brawl between crew members of both team.

    “Did you see me racing to accost Gordon in the garage?” Bowyer said. “I put the ‘sprint’ in ‘Sprint Cup’ and the ‘rage’ in ‘garage.’

    “Luckily for Gordon, Michael Waltrip was holding me back. It’s certainly not the first time Michael’s been seen hugging a man.”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished second in the AdvoCare 500 at Phoenix, posting his 14th top 5 of the year. Hamlin is fifth in the point standings, 62 out of first.

    “It’s a case of ‘too little, too late,” Hamlin said. “But I can look forward to next year for comfort. I’ll spend the next four months much like my pregnant girlfriend—‘expecting.’”

    5. Kasey Kahne: Kahne started fourth and finished fourth at Phoenix, posting his 12th top-5 result of the year. He is third in the point standings, 50 behind Brad Keselowski.

    “NASCAR penalized Jeff Gordon with a vengeance,” Kahne said. “He was docked 25 points and fined $100,000. I believe before he commits such an act again, he’ll think long and hard. In other words, he’ll ‘pre-meditate’ before he does it.”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 14th at Phoenix, behind Roush Fenway teammates Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, who finished 7th and 11th, respectively. Kenseth is sixth in the point standings, 74 out of first.

    “People can criticize Jeff Gordon all they want,” Kenseth said, “but I think he showed exceptional driving skill. Like a true professional, he hit all his ‘marks.’”

    7. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished seventh at Phoenix, posting his 20th top-10 result of the year. He is seventh in the point standings, 78 out of first.

    “NASCAR promoted the ‘Boys, have at it,’” policy,” Biffle said, “and they got what they asked for—the ‘Boy Wonder’ versus the ‘Bow’ Wonder.’”

    8. Kevin Harvick: Harvick won for the first time this season, taking the AdvoCare 500 at Phoenix. The win came just days after Harvick announced he will drive for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014.

    “Along with Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman,” Harvick said, “my addition will give Stewart-Haas three of the most ornery drivers in NASCAR. Stewart likes playing ‘grab ass’ with me, and he definitely ‘grabbed’ an ‘ass’ when he signed me.”

    9. Jeff Gordon: After contact by Clint Bowyer damaged his car, Gordon retaliated by intentionally wrecking Bowyer, taking out Joey Logano in the process and nearly collected Brad Keselowski. The incident sparked a brawl in the pits, and on Monday, NASCAR docked Gordon 25 points and fined him $100,000.

    “I let my emotions get the best of me,” Gordon said. “That just happens to be the only sighting of the ‘best of me’ since my last Sprint Cup title in 2001.

    10. Kyle Busch: Busch came home third in the AdvoCare 500, his third straight top-3 finish and sixth of the Chase.

    “I’m certainly encouraged for next year by my Chase performance,” Busch said. “After not making the Chase, I was saying, ‘Wait ‘til next year.’ Now, I’m saying, ‘Can’t wait ‘til next year.’”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    [media-credit name=”Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”236″][/media-credit]Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson passed Brad Keselowski with two laps to go at Texas and pulled away to win at Texas, his second consecutive win in the Chase. Johnson extended his lead in the point standings, and now holds a seven point edge on Keselowski.

    “That may have been the second-best ‘restart’ of my career,” Johnson said. “The best, of course, would be the ‘restart’ to another multi-Cup championship run.

    “Of course, it was quite fitting that I fired the celebratory ‘six-shooter’ after the race, a sound which heralded my quest for my sixth Cup title. The bullets weren’t real, mind you. Judging by the number of pregnant wives and girlfriends in NASCAR this year, I must have been the only one ‘shooting blanks.’”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Holding the lead with two laps to go at Texas, Keselowski was passed on the restart by Jimmie Johnson and finished second. After leading the championship standings with four races to go, Keselowski is now seven points back of Johnson.

    “Seven points is not insurmountable,” Keselowski said, “but Johnson may be. Unfortunately, I find myself behind the ’48-ball.’”

    3. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished sixth in the AAA Texas 500, earning his 21st top-10 result of the year. He is third in the point standings, 26 behind Jimmie Johnson.

    “Until someone tells me otherwise,” Bowyer said, “I’ll keep racing like I have a chance to win the Cup. Keep in mind, I don’t like people telling me things.”

    4. Denny Hamlin: After his disastrous result at Martinsville two weeks ago, Hamlin finished a disappointing 20th at Texas. Deemed a threat to win the Cup just three weeks ago, Hamlin is now well out of the championship picture, 49 out of first in the point standings.

    “Our Sprint Cup championship hopes came ‘unplugged’ last week at Martinsville,” Hamlin said. “At Texas, we didn’t have electrical issues, but after finishing 20th, there was an ‘outage’—I’m further ‘out’ of the championship picture.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished third at Texas, backing up his runner-up finish at Martinsville on October 27th. It was his fifth top 5 of the Chase, and tenth of the year.

    “Just once,” Busch said, “I’d like to be dangerous in a ‘Chase’ that doesn’t involve a policeman.”

    6. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished well out of contention at Texas, finishing 25th, one lap off the lead. He is now fourth in the point standings, 29 out of first.

    “It’s come down to a battle between Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski,” Kahne said. “I’m sure Keselowski doesn’t mind hearing, ‘And then there were two.’ But I think he’d much rather hear, ‘And then there was ‘2.’”

    7.  Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished 14th in the AAA Texas 500, and is now sixth in the point standings, 54 out of first.

    “Brad Keselowski is giving Jimmie Johnson all he can handle,” Gordon said. “You could it’s a ‘handful, and then some.’ You could also say that about Jimmie’s soon-to-be growing Sprint Cup championship haul.”

    8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth led one lap and came home fourth at Texas, posting his 12th top-5 finish of the year. He is eighth in the point standings, 65 out of first.

    “I was out of the title hunt early,” Kenseth said, “but don’t tell me I’m not a man of my word. I told Jack Roush I’d ‘be there at the end’ and I will be, because I’ve got two more races with Roush Fenway.”

    9. Tony Stewart: Stewart finished fifth in the AAA Texas 500, equaling his best finish of the Chase. He is 71 out of the lead in the point standings.

    “We’re mathematically still alive,” Stewart said, “but there’s no chance we’ll win the Cup. And don’t make me say it again. Believe me when I say there will be ‘no repeating.’”

    10. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished 10th at Texas, joining Roush Fenway teammate Matt Kenseth, who finished fourth, in the top 10. Biffle is 83 out of first in the point standings.

    “I could be the next to ‘go,’” Biffle said. “No, I’m not leaving Roush Fenway; I’m the next driver soon to be mathematically eliminated from Sprint Cup contention.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”239″][/media-credit]Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started on the pole at Martinsville and captured a huge win, his sixth at the .526-mile track. Johnson passed Brad Keselowski with about 20 laps to go, and held off Kyle Busch down the stretch. He now leads the points standings with a two-point edge over Brad Keselowski.

    “I’ll echo the sentiments of Dale Earnhardt, Jr.,” Johnson said. “It’s good to be back in the ‘driver’s seat.’ Up to this point, Keselowski had a lock on the points lead. Well, that lock’s been ‘Jimmied.’”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski opted to stay out on a late caution at Martinsville while the leaders pitted. He was quickly passed by Johnson and others on fresher tires. Still, Keselowski finished sixth, his best career finish at Martinsville, but lost the lead to Jimmie Johnson in the points standings.

    “For refusing to play ‘follow the leader,’” Keselowski said, “I was relegated to playing ‘follow the leader.’ I’ve lost my points lead, but not my spirit. Which is good, with it being Halloween. I may need a costume change, since I’ve been posing as a Sprint Cup champion.”

    3. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished fifth in the Tums Fast Relief 500, leading 154 of 500 laps, second only to Jimmie Johnson’s 193. Bowyer moved up one spot in the point standings, and trails Jimmie Johnson by 26.

    “I’ll certainly need a boost,” Bowyer said. “Luckily, as the driver of the 5-Hour Energy car, I’ve got that. Also, 5-Hour Energy helps you avoid the ‘crash,’ of which I’m hoping one will strike at Texas.”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Disaster struck at Martinsville for Hamlin, as electrical issues ruined his chances in the Tums Fast Relief 500, and likely the Cup championship. He finished 33rd, 34 laps down, and is now 49 points out of the lead in the point standings.

    “I got ‘clocked’ at Kansas,” Hamlin said. “I was hoping for the same at Martinsville by winning and receiving the grandfather clock trophy. As it was, I did get a clock, albeit one that struck midnight, which is obviously not our ‘time.’”

    5. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished third at Martinsville, posting his 11th top-5 finish of the year. He is up to fourth in the point standings, and is still alive in the Chase For The Cup, albeit as a decided long shot.

    “I’m having a great Chase run,” Kahne said. “Not good enough to win this year’s Cup, but good enough to be the favorite for next year’s Cup. That’s not really a position I want to be in. I don’t want to be ‘next year’s Carl Edwards,’ or any year’s Carl Edwards, for that matter.”

    6. Jeff Gordon: Gordon led 92 laps and finished seventh at Martinsville, as three Hendrick cars finished in the top 7. Gordon is now sixth in the point standings, 54 out of first.

    “It’s good to run up front again,” Gordon said. “For several laps near the end, I was running second to Jimmie Johnson, which is also known as running ‘interference.’”

    7. Kyle Busch: Busch chased Jimmie Johnson to the finish line at Martinsville, but couldn’t get close enough for the pass and settled for second. It was Busch’s fourth top-5 finish of the Chase.

    “I’m usually good in the Chase,” Busch said, “unless I qualify for it.”

    8. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex struggled at Martinsville, finishing 23rd, one lap down. He is seventh in the point standings, 63 out of first.

    “We know what we have to do in the last three races,” Truex said. “How do we know? Because, in a winless season, it’s the exact opposite of what we’ve done in the first 33 races.”

    9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 14th in the Tums Fast Relief 500. He is eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 65 behind Jimmie Johnson.

    “I’ve got three more races with Roush Fenway,” Kenseth said. “Hopefully, I can win one or more of those three contest. Or, I could, like many other drivers this year, announce that my wife and I are expecting another child. Either way, I would go out with a bang.”

    10. Greg Biffle: Biffle was the only Roush Fenway driver in the top 10 at Martinsville, his tenth besting the 14th of Matt Kenseth and 18th of Carl Edwards. Biffle is ninth in the point standings, 69 out of first.

    “It’s been a tough year for Jack Roush,” Biffle said, “one that may require him to go back to the drawing board. For the man they call ‘The Cat In The Hat,’ I’m sure it won’t be difficult to find a ‘thinking cap.’”