Tag: Tony Stewart

Regan Smith Thinks His Team is Best Kept Secret in NASCAR

Regan Smith has been described by Mark McCardle, managing director of competition for Furniture Row Racing, as one of the best-kept secrets in the garage area. But Smith puts the credit solely on his team, crowning them the true best kept secrets in NASCAR.

[media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”266″][/media-credit]Smith and his No. 78 Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing team have indeed had an eventful start to their 2011 racing season. Right out of the box, the young driver led several laps of the Daytona 500 before being caught up in a late race crash, yet still managing to finish seventh.

“It felt great to lead,” Smith said. “I think more importantly than that, it felt great to lead with five to go.”

“And how good that felt went downhill pretty quick from there,” Smith continued. “We had a strong car and we were in a position where we wanted to be.”

Smith had been working with Kurt Busch at the time and the two were committed to each other since their cars were so good together. Busch unfortunately got separated from Smith, then got an unexpected push from Tony Stewart, and the wreck was on.

In spite of the melee on the track, Smith still counted his Daytona experience as a “really good day.” He was also most pleased that he and his team were able to rebound from the accident to salvage a good finish.

“To be honest, I was surprised that the car was able to finish,” Smith said. “Usually when you wreck at Daytona, there are two options, one being that you are t-boned and the other that you are airborne. I never thought option three would be that we drove off and finished the race.”

“Just that quick I had to switch my brain off from trying to win the 500 to realizing that this is a 36 race season and we need points right now,” Smith said. “As soon as I finished spinning on the back stretch, that was my mindset.”

Smith admitted that he was definitely angry after the race and “pretty bummed out.” As he was riding to the airport with his fiance after the race, it hit him just how close he had come to winning the Great American Race.

“That’s when it sunk in,” Smith said. “I realized how close we were to this deal. But we recovered well as a team.”

Smith credits his Daytona recovery full to his team, who he says has worked hard to calm him down and keep his head in the game.

“Last year, I would have imploded,” Smith said. “That goes a long way to say how good of a team I’ve got around me.”

After putting Daytona in his rear view mirror, Smith turned his attention to discussing his Phoenix race. He qualified fifth for the second race of the season, but again got caught up in a big wreck that relegated him to finishing 34th, dropping him to the 19th position in the point standings.

“I think we had a bigger wreck at Phoenix than we did at Daytona,” Smith said ruefully. “Last week was just circumstances. We had a fast race car and I was fast all weekend. It was just bad luck.”

While Smith acknowledged that there were many different strategies playing out in the race, with varying tire and pit sequences in play, he also admitted surprise at just how racy many of his fellow competitors were.

“The whole race was like that and I wondered why they were so aggressive so early on,” Smith said. “I don’t know if that all caused the wreck. I think it was just ignorance.”

This weekend, Smith is ready to tackle Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He practiced well and qualified 12th for the Kobalt Tools 400.

“Off the truck, the car was good,” Smith said. “We have some ideas for what we want to change in race trim. But overall, we had another solid day with our Furniture Row Chevrolet.”

“I feel strong about this weekend,” Smith said. “We’re looking at this weekend just like we did Daytona and Phoenix. We’re here to get top tens now.”

“That’s our goal and there will come a point when we get top fives,” Smith continued. “That will be cool.”

Smith admits that he and his team are focused but also have a bit of a chip on their shoulders, especially since they are the only team based out of Denver, Colorado, not Charlotte, North Carolina.

“We’ve all got a little chip on our shoulder being from Denver,” Smith said. “We want to prove that we can not only run good from Denver but we can run as good as these big super teams.”

“I don’t think anybody in this trailer or on this team is surprised about how we are starting this year off,” Smith continued. “We’re kind of off the radar. But I know this is what I expected and this is what all these guys expected.”

“I look at it as I’m with a team that’s the best kept secret in the garage,” Smith said. “I know the people that I get to work with and I wouldn’t trade it for any other team in this garage.”

March 5, 2011
The Final Word on the Daytona 500

So, what did we learn at the Daytona 500?

[media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”270″][/media-credit]Well, we learned that if the rest of the races this season are comparable to the first, 2011 will be one hell of a year in NASCAR. To start with, you have a 20 year (and one day) old driver winning his first race in his second Cup start in an event it took Dale Earnhardt 20 years to finally claim. Trevor Bayne demonstrated throughout all the practices and his duel qualifier that he has that certain something. Jeff Gordon recognized it, and now most race fans should as well. The only question remaining is, what is the kid going to do now for an encore?

We learned that Dale Earnhardt, even ten years after his death, is still held in reverence. In sports, only hockey’s Maurice Richard comes to mind as being even close. Only Elvis can still spark such emotions. Few people in this world can still bring tears to the eyes of strangers after a decade as the memory of the Intimidator did over the past week.

We learned that his son can still run strong at the big track and remains as popular as ever. Too bad he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time as Junior went from a Top Ten to sit 24th. David Ragan messed up the re-start of a green-white-checkers, which started a chain reaction of misfortune behind him that concluded Junior’s day. Earnhardt’s three team mates all got caught up in the 15-car Big One of Lap 29, with Jimmie Johnson and Gordon limping around to finish in 27th and 28th place. At least Mark Martin recovered to wrap up 10th.

We learned that Hendrick engines can, and did, fail. Kevin Harvick was gone from the scene within 20 laps, while Jeff Burton didn’t even make half way. J.J. Yeley got in ten before he was done, deemed the day’s Biggest Loser and collecting his single point for coming out.

We learned that eight cylinders beats seven, which is why last year’s Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray had to settle for 18th. We learned that Furniture Row’s Regan Smith is another fellow to watch for this season as he did himself proud to wind up seventh. Of course, we learned that two cars in tandem not only move fast at Daytona, but if the manoeuver isn’t done just right one can help ruin the day of the guy you were trying to help.

We learned that FOX came in with some new toys. They had cameras that showed heated tires and images that showed how much the drivers were turning the wheel. Nothing as stupid as ESPN’s bogus draft track, but unfortunately someone there insists on keeping Digger alive. Digger is dead, so let’s move on.

We learned on Friday night that Michael Waltrip still has some racing left in him, as he won the truck event 10 years to the day after he won the Daytona 500. Tony Stewart was 13th Sunday, but won his sixth season opening Nationwide race in his last seven attempts at Daytona on Saturday.

Next Sunday, a most welcome schedule change moves up our first visit to Phoenix by more than a month. Last April, Ryan Newman was the man, with Gordon and Johnson finishing right behind him. After their Daytona experience, I’m thinking those two could use a little history repeating itself in Arizona. By the way, as Bayne isn’t in the running for a Cup title this year, Carl Edwards leads the standings by a single point over David Gilliland and Bobby Labonte. Huh? Oh, it could be a very interesting season.

Enjoy your week.

February 20, 2011

Tony Stewart Edges Clint Bowyer for One, Two KHI Nationwide Punch at Daytona

[media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”246″][/media-credit]In the third closest finish in Nationwide racing history at Daytona, Tony Stewart edged out Kevin Harvick Inc. teammate Clint Bowyer by .007 seconds to win the DRIVE4COPD 300.

This is Stewart’s 10th NASCAR Nationwide victory in 91 races and his sixth victory at Daytona International Speedway.

“Wow is the first thing,” Stewart said simply when asked about his win. “We got to the front pretty early and once we got to Clint (Bowyer), we knew we would be a pretty potent combination.”

“We knew it was going to be between the KHI cars and the Gibbs cars,” Stewart continued. “We were sacrificing the speed to get air in the grille. You didn’t really know which strategy was best”

“We had the caution and the flat tire,” Stewart said. “I didn’t realize we had as many cars a lap down, but that is what saved us.”

Clint Bowyer, behind the wheel of the No. 33 Rheem Heating Cooling Chevrolet, came up just short of accomplishing the victory. Bowyer, who posted his 10th top-10 finish at Daytona, started the race from the pole.

“A lot of work goes into these race cars for this place,” Bowyer said. “Hats off to these guys for sitting on the pole and I had a car capable of being up front and winning the race.”

“The race was a little bit slow,” Bowyer said. “But then I found my dancing partner and we were able to make some ground and have some fun with the No. 18 and the No. 20.”

Bowyer said that he was glad to see Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at the front in his Chevrolet and the two were able to work their way toward the front. Earnhardt, Jr. finished in the fourth position.

“What do you do?” Bowyer said, reliving the end of the race. “I tried to block and then all hell broke loose. Awesome ending and that’s the thing that’s so much fun about this place. No matter what the race is, the ending is always great.”

Bowyer also worked with JR Motorsports driver Danica Patrick during the race, at one point pushing her to the front. Patrick finished the race in her No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet in the 14th position.

“Why not put her in the show?” Bowyer said of his push. “She did a good job today.”

One of the best finishes was for young driver Landon Cassill, piloting the No. 1 Phoenix Construction Chevy. Cassill managed to finish in the third position right behind both of the KHI teammates.

“It was just a crazy day,” Cassill said. “We didn’t draft at all in practice today, so it was a learn on the fly deal.”

“Towards the end there Tony got lined up behind me on the restart and pushed me through,” Cassill continued. “I just followed directions and when we had to swap with two to go, I was just glad to push him.”

“James Finch gave me this race as a gift pretty much for running his Cup car last year,” Cassill said. “I wouldn’t be here without James Finch. He got me back in the sport.”

NASCAR confirmed that Cassill is now the official points leader, by just two points over Reed Sorenson,in the Nationwide Series. Ironically, the driver shared that he does not even have a ride lined up for the next race of the season.

“I don’t have a ride next week, so I’m just going to bask in this for the next seven days,” Cassill said of his points lead. “But if I don’t get a ride, Reed (Sorenson) will be back in the lead.”

The potential points leader, Reed Sorenson, driver of the No. 32 Dollar General Chevy, scored a top five finish. Sorenson thought this was “pretty good”, especially since he was racing against so many Cup drivers.

“The 4 and the 1 came down and we had to check up,” Sorenson said of the last lap of his race. “That pretty much ended our run. We were coming and we were going to have a shot to at least finish second or third or fourth there.”

“This is my first time racing and it’s pretty much what I expected,” Sorenson said of the new racing style. “I guess we’re going to have to get used to it.”

Jason Leffler, Kyle Busch, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Michael Waltrip, and Trevor Bayne rounded out the top ten for the DRIVE4COPD 300.

Unofficial Race Results

DRIVE4COPD 300, Daytona Int’l Speedway

February 19, 2011 – Race 1 of 34

Pos.	St.	No.	Driver	Make	Pts.	Bon.	Laps	Status
1	–	4	Tony Stewart	Chevrolet	0	0	120	Running
2	–	33	Clint Bowyer	Chevrolet	0	0	120	Running
3	–	1	Landon Cassill	Chevrolet	41	0	120	Running
4	–	5	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet	0	0	120	Running
5	–	32	Reed Sorenson	Chevrolet	39	0	120	Running
6	–	30	Jason Leffler	Chevrolet	38	0	120	Running
7	–	18	Kyle Busch	Toyota	0	0	120	Running
8	–	6	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	Ford	36	0	120	Running
9	–	99	Michael Waltrip	Toyota	0	0	120	Running
10	–	16	Trevor Bayne	Ford	35	1	120	Running
11	–	38	Kasey Kahne	Chevrolet	0	0	120	Running
12	–	20	Joey Logano	Toyota	0	0	120	Running
13	–	19	Mike Bliss	Chevrolet	31	0	120	Running
14	–	7	Danica Patrick	Chevrolet	31	1	120	Running
15	–	87	Joe Nemechek	Toyota	29	0	120	Running
16	–	51	Jeremy Clements	Chevrolet	28	0	120	Running
17	–	52	Bobby Santos	Chevrolet	27	0	120	Running
18	–	15	Todd Bodine	Toyota	0	0	120	Running
19	–	88	Aric Almirola	Chevrolet	25	0	120	Running
20	–	66	Steve Wallace	Toyota	24	0	118	Running
21	–	5	David Starr	Chevrolet	0	0	118	Running
22	–	70	Shelby Howard	Chevrolet	22	0	118	Running
23	–	81	Donnie Neuenberger	Dodge	21	0	118	Running
24	–	141	Patrick Sheltra	Ford	20	0	118	Running
25	–	28	Derrike Cope	Chevrolet	19	0	118	Running
26	–	89	Morgan Shepherd	Chevrolet	18	0	117	Running
27	–	31	Justin Allgaier	Chevrolet	17	0	116	Running
28	–	9	Kenny Wallace	Toyota	16	0	115	Running
29	–	60	Carl Edwards	Ford	0	0	107	Running
30	–	22	Brad Keselowski	Dodge	0	0	105	Running
31	–	39	Josh Wise	Ford	13	0	103	Running
32	–	23	Robert Richardson Jr.	Dodge	12	0	103	In Pit
33	–	14	Eric McClure	Chevrolet	11	0	95	Running
34	–	11	Brian Scott	Toyota	10	0	70	In Pit
35	–	40	Scott Wimmer	Chevrolet	9	0	57	Out
36	–	12	Sam Hornish Jr.	Dodge	8	0	53	In Pit
37	–	1	Mike Wallace	Chevrolet	8	1	51	Running
38	–	2	Elliott Sadler	Chevrolet	6	0	45	Running
39	–	62	Michael Annett	Toyota	5	0	26	In Pit
40	–	44	Jeff Green	Chevrolet	4	0	18	In Pit
41	–	24	Kevin Lepage	Ford	3	0	12	In Pit
42	–	27	J.R. Fitzpatrick	Ford	2	0	10	In Pit
43	–	25	Kelly Bires	Ford	1	0	5	In Pit

February 19, 2011

What?! Tony Stewart Has a Girlfriend…Say It Ain’t So!

[media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]It’s just days away from the 53rd running of the Daytona 500. Finally, after three long months NASCAR fans have something with a little substance to talk about; but forget all the hype of who is sitting on the pole, all of those crazy conspiracy theories and speeds reaching upward of 206 MPH during last weekend’s Budweiser Shootout and focus on something that really matters…Tony Stewart’s love life.

Last week female fans across the land collectively lost their minds when former crew chief, Larry MacReynolds commented on the Stewart’s relationship status during the driver’s Shootout qualifying lap, naming Sprint Car driver Jessica Zemken as his girlfriend.

Like a dog whistle blowing in the wind, Stewart’s lady fans instantly stopped what they were doing, cocked their heads to the side to ensure proper processing of what they were hearing and then promptly freaked the hell out!

I know this because suddenly my Facebook, Twitter and cell phone blew up with messages and texts in an outrage over the news. It was like animal instinct Armageddon. You would have thought that the nation was under attack again based solely on the intensity of how fast my social networks were working; instead it was just poor Jessica who was taking the brunt of the terrorist attacks.

Naturally, in an attempt to write something factual and well researched, I Googled my subjects. In my quest to search of the real truth behind the vicious rumor, I stumbled upon a website dedicated to the brutal dissection of Stewart’s private life. Sweet Jesus, it was like striking gold! How did I go so long as a NASCAR fan without realizing that sites like this actually exist? Does every driver have one?

It was like hot buttered bliss drizzled atop a train wreck. It was cat calling at it’s finest from a bunch of house fraus that would never in a million years be able to snag themselves their own Tony Stewart, but by-god they can dream can’t they and once they realize that the glass slipper will never fit their own foot, they do what they do best, talk some smack until it makes them feel better about their own lives.

Ladies, are you really that surprised? This can’t possibly be the first time that you have heard her name romantically linked to Stewart. In 2009, she was photographed multiple times on pit road and in Victory Circle at Watkins Glen, a spot traditionally held for the driver’s wives or girlfriends.

That same year I ran into her while covering a race on the east coast. I was heading into an infield bathroom that is primarily used by media, track employees, drivers and their crews, along with their families and friends while Ms. Zemken was heading out. When I say ran into her, I mean I literally ran into her. I was the victim of an accidental “motor boating,” not sure what that term means? Google it, I promise it will not disappoint! While I can say that I do admire a good pair of chest cushions when I see one, my face had no business being in between them! Talk about your awkward situations, but let’s just say for the record that Tony is a very lucky man!

Look, who am I to judge anyone? I’m okay with a little harmless trash talking now and again, because somewhere, someone is talking smack about me, we are all fair game when it comes to scrutinizing and I admit that I enjoyed reading some of the posts on this bitchy blog, it was a good laugh, but before you go judging a pretty blond by her cover, open the book and flip through a couple pages and you’ll find that this one has a good storyline as well.

Zemken may look like a living Barbie, but she grew up with racing in her blood. Her father Ray was a DIRT modified racer who spawned Jessica’s passion for driving. She began racing on the go-kart track at the age of eight and with over 100 victories in that genre, set her sights on modified sprint cars just prior to her high school graduation.

Realizing at an early age that nothing comes easy and if you want it done right, then do it yourself. At the age of 17 she assembled her own race team and won the 2004 Utica-Rome Speedway Track Championship (located in Central N.Y.).

The following year she was competitively kicking ass and taking names. In 2010 she completed her first year as a driver with Tony Stewart Racing as a “true outlaw,” competing in 410 and 360 sprint car races, including stints in the World of Outlaws and All Star Circuit of Champions. The girl has a couple other assets under her fire suit, not just the obvious ones.

Alright, alright…I know that you don’t always want the meat because you’re too distracted by the potatoes and sadly this is one of those cases where others will overlook true attributes for the analyzing of the cosmetic appeal.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if your driver is happy, can’t you just be happy for him? Maybe you should take a step back and give your own lives a little attention and stop playing the “Bitter, party of one” card.

The truth of the matter is that no one would ever be good enough for “your man” unless it were you. Am I right? We cut down others in order to make ourselves feel better, it is a glorious little savior at times, but some have turned it into a destruction filled art form. It has become a habit or hobby if you will to talk hurtful gibberish, add to that the veil of anonymity that the Internet provides and it becomes a cesspool for like-minded behavior.

Who has that kind of time? Not this girl and if I did, I would certainly be spending it on more valuable and rewarding activities, like writing about you! If I had a sassy little emoticon, I’d insert it right here. Probably that cute little winking smiley face that says “just kidding y’all,” or am I?

We are NASCAR fans ladies and to read that if you will “no longer buy” No. 14 swag or are setting your sights on another, more romantically available driver just because you hate who your driver has chosen as a mate is downright embarrassing to the rest of us!

Just know that I’ll still be wearing my Smoke gear proudly and will delight in the satisfaction of knowing that his soft cottony touch be all over me and not you. Scandalous isn’t it? See you on the message boards! (Insert big toothy smiley grin emoticon here.)

February 17, 2011
A points system an Alabama mathematician can work out

It has been an interesting off-season in NASCAR, and I’m not just talking about the snow in Dallas. We learned things, like the best mathematicians hail from such places as Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, and the Carolinas. For more than 30 years, afficionados in those locales have been able to figure out the sport’s points system, but it was deemed too tough for the newbees to master.

[media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”189″][/media-credit]So, that brings us to the latest revamp of the way NASCAR determines its season champions. One point to the 43rd placed entry, 43 points for the winner, a 3 point victor bonus, a point for leading a lap, and one more for leading the most. I’m guessing that should be easy enough for those beleaguered Princeton and Harvard types to decipher.

The top ten make the Chase, have their points rejigged to 2000 to put them out of reach of the mere mortals, with three bonus points for each win up to that point. Among those sitting 11th to 20th, the most wins combined with the most points determines two more wildcard Chasers. If that proves too much for a potential fan to figure out, might I suggest soccer as a sport of choice. I mean, all one needs to is a field, a ball, and two pairs of rubber boots to play and the point count is usually so low anybody can calculate the winner.

In case you are wondering, according to my calculator, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick would have tied for the most points in the Chase using the new system, with Johnson getting the nod based on wins. You can’t get much closer than that. In a perfect world, wins should be worth more, but fans would quit watching if the final events merely led to a coronation. Too bad they can’t promote each race based on its own merits, but this is not a perfect world.

In a perfect world, Tony Stewart could take a working holiday to Australian and not get into a dust up. A flying helmet followed by some flying fists highlighted a trip that apparently also involved some actual racing, but no one is too interested in that aspect of the story. If that did not provide enough gossip, then surely the court ruling that makes the details of the Brian and Megan France divorce public should. Hey, it is not that I don’t love hearing things that are none of my damn business. I mean, I am human after all.

Crew Chief Frank Stoddard has a new racing team. That should give us another contender for that single point for each race, provided they qualify, before parking due to handling or vibration issues, or just not having enough money to buy tires or fuel to run an entire event. At least we won’t see anymore catch cans leaving the pits, as the new fuelling system eliminates that can and the guy holding it. No doubt another example of technology eliminating American jobs.

We hear Mark Martin will keep racing beyond 2011 and his tenure with Hendrick. Hopefully he really will get a chance to actually race, and not be just a part of the not-ready-for-prime timers. You just don’t tie a race horse, even an aging one, up to a beer wagon.

Sometimes the champagne set isn’t worth getting tied up with. Richard Petty Motorsports lives again, but no thanks to former partner George Gillett. After taking over Ray Evernham’s operation, merging it with Petty’s, Gillett is now long gone. It only took him three years to hit the bricks in NASCAR, only four years before losing his Liverpool soccer ownership, and just over nine before walking away from the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. Anyone else notice a trend here?

Yet, some things last. Like a big track at Daytona, engines roaring to life, and a multitude of drivers, owners, crews, sponsors, and fans getting together to open yet another NASCAR season. The track is the same, but new asphalt now covers it which should make things very interesting when action resumes in a few short days.

There are questions that we seek answers to. Is Jimmie Johnson going to raise the hardware again come November, or is it Jeff Gordon’s turn for five. Maybe Tony Stewart, or a Busch brother has a date with destiny, or a fairy tale finish for Mark Martin? Will we see a return of Dale Earnhardt Jr to prominence? Will we notice a difference in the cars with a more streamlined splitter and factory inspired noses? One thing is for certain, with the curtain dropped on football and baseball still a few months away, the time for the cars to return has returned. You don’t have to be an Alabama mathematician to figure out that this is a good thing.

February 8, 2011
NASCAR By the Numbers: Day 14 in the Countdown to the DAYTONA 500

We are counting down the days until the DAYTONA 500 using some fun facts.

Number 14

Number of Sprint Cup wins held by each Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman.

Poles won during the 1980 Cup Series by Cale Yarborough. In 1984, he became the first driver to qualify for the Daytona 500 with a top speed of more than 200 miles per hour.

Total number of races where Dale Earnhardt completed all 500 laps of the Daytona 500, which is the track record.

Car No. driven by Tony Stewart. Stewart has 39 Sprint Cup wins and two Cup Series championships in 2002 and 2005. In 2009, Stewart became the first driver/owner to win a Sprint Cup race since Ricky Rudd in 1998. He went on to win four Sprint Cup races and the Sprint Cup All- Star Challenge that season. Most recently, Stewart has been in the news for a confrontation he had with the co-owner of the Sydney Speedway over track safety concerns.

February 6, 2011
Hard Cards Available at NASCAR Hall of Fame

Every race fan dreams of having a NASCAR hard card, providing full access to the garage area, the drivers, and all of the behind the scenes action at every NASCAR race. While limited only to those involved full-time at the top levels of the sport, every fan can now get a hard card just by visiting the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

[media-credit id=11 align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]Indeed, I got my very own hard card personalized upon entry to the HOF, located in Charlotte, North Carolina. And I used it throughout the building, from the opening film about the history of the sport to participating in the myriad of interactive exhibits throughout the Hall.

After hard carding my way into the Belk High Octane Theatre for a truly big screen NASCAR movie adventure, I used my card to wind my way onto Glory Road. Here, poised on a race track with several degrees of banking, were actual race cars, from the Hudson Hornet to Jimmie Johnson’s most recent championship No. 48.

My hard card gave me access to go up onto the track and snap a picture of those race cars coming right at me, as well as access to try out the banking at Daytona, which I admit that I would have tumbled down without the hand rails to which I was holding on for dear life.

With my hard card in tow, I next entered the Hall of Honor, featuring the five inaugural inductees into the Hall of Fame, Junior Johnson, Richard Petty, Bill France, Sr., Bill France, Jr. and Dale Earnhardt. There was almost a hush that fell upon us as we entered that room and paid tribute to these jewels of the sport.

I also did indeed get misty-eyed on seeing that famed black No. 3 car, complete with many mementos from the Intimidator’s days gone by and glory lost just ten years ago.

After leaving the solemnity of the Hall of Honors, I took myself and my card and headed to the interactive exhibit area. This was where the fun began as my hard card was my access to the accumulation of points, fueling the competition with others in everything from hoisting a gas can to removing those pesky lug nuts during a pit stop.

One of the most interactive areas in the Hall was solely designed for children, focusing on educating the next generation of NASCAR fans. The best part of that section was seeing the memorabilia from the childhoods of the likes of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson. They were so cute as little boys, as well as just being a bit geeky too.

Another interactive exhibit in this section allows the hard card holder to actually call a race. Donning the head sets and the microphone, I suddenly discovered how difficult that actually was to do and have renewed respect and regard for the MRN, PRN, ESPN and all of those broadcast professionals who call the races for us each and every weekend.

My favorite interactive exhibit was the race simulators, whereby you can race other fans sitting in actual race cars, driving like you stole it. Yes, I do realize that this is all simulated but after five minutes, I was definitely working up a bit of a sweat trying to keep my car on the track and keep out of the way of all the others who were intent on either passing or wrecking me.

I am pleased to report that, after a rather difficult start where I did indeed pass the pace car, resulting in a trip to pit road to serve my penalty, I got the hang of it and actually stayed out of harm’s way. In fact, I finished first and then promptly ran over the official on my way to Victory Lane, a first or so they tell me at this exhibit.

Waving my hard card, I admit that I immediately hurried on over to get my picture taken with the Sprint Cup. And yes, I did hold up my index finger, striking the No. 1 pose, and yelling woo. Unfortunately, thanks to my hard card, as well as my debit card, I have the pictures to prove it.

My NASCAR Hall of Fame hard card took me inside a race team hauler, inside a race shop of days gone by, and right past the exhibit filled with various race trophies, from the Martinsville Granfather’s clock to Dover’s Miles the Monster.

I was again moved to tears by the room honoring those lost in racing, including most recently NASCAR PR executive Jim Hunter, and moved to laughter by the staff person waving the yellow flag vociferously in the race flag display.

My final hard card stop was to purchase my souvenir pictures from my visit, as well as some shopping in the Hall of Fame gift store. Unfortunately, the big screen television there was showing the NFL play off game but I am sure that will change in just a few short weeks when the cars get back on the track in Daytona.

So, got get your own hard card for a once in a lifetime NASCAR experience. I will be keeping my card in a safe place in my wallet for the next time I make the trek to Charlotte and cannot wait to see what is next at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

January 24, 2011