The Spotter Stand

We've Moved!!

2009-06-07T12:35:00.004-05:00

Come check out the new home of The Spotter Stand Blog...
thespotterstand.com/blog

For more NASCAR news and notes visit us at www.thespotterstand.com

NASCAR's Acceptance Of The 'Citizen Journalist' A Bold, But Necessary Move

2009-06-05T00:18:00.004-05:00

While the print and traditional media were continuing to lose touch with race fans, blogs and fan-oriented websites began to pop-up and step in. NASCAR, seeing an opportunity to bring fans closer, announced Tuesday it was forming the "NASCAR Citizen Journalist Media Corps." The decision gives independent websites and blogs a chance to run with the big boys and report from inside the catch fence rather than on the other side of it.

This doesn't mean NASCAR is going to open the gates and let everyone with a URL into the show. Citizen Journalist will be selected based on their professionalism, reporting and overall contribution to the sport and to the fans. If selected, all that was once deemed unavailable and unattainable will be at their disposal come race weekend.

This decision gives sites/blogs such as this a chance to put our hard work and passion out there for others to enjoy on a bigger stage. Unlike the established media, the Citizen Journalist has to work just as hard or harder to get noticed and let their voice be heard. It's this kind of effort and passion that NASCAR couldn't afford to overlook any longer.

As you can imagine the decision did not go over too well with the veterans of the media center. Jim Utter, a columnist and writer for That'sRacin.com and The Charlotte Observer believes the move is more about filling up media centers rather than extending an olive branch to a group once shunned for its legitimacy or lack there of. Jim Utter's been at this a lot longer than most of us and obviously calls it like he sees it; but there is more to this than just filling up the media center on race weekend.

Whether the traditionalist want to accept it or not, the bottom line here is that the media landscape in the sport has changed and brought with it a new and refreshing approach to reporting the news. It's simple; race fans rely more on fan sites and blogs than they do on the media who actually attend the races. NASCAR, being the business savvy group that they are, realized this trend and acted accordingly.

NASCAR relies on its fans and their loyalty more than any other major sport. With the sport in a bit of a stall and lacking new growth, who better to turn to than the fans to help get the sport back where it once was? The drivers and teams may make the cars go 'round, but it's the fans that drive the sport.

For more NASCAR news and notes visit us at www.thespotterstand.com

Pit Box Power Rankings Heading Into Pocono

2009-06-04T13:01:00.008-05:00

1.Chad Knaus, #48 Lowe's Chevrolet
It was evident early on that the 48 was going to be the car to beat. Chad Knaus kept up with the race track and kept JJ up front all day. Even after the final pit stop of the day put the 48 towards the back of the top ten, Knaus never panicked. Johnson's car was so good that he was able to work the high line and wheel the Lowe's Chevy around Greg Biffle and eventually Tony Stewart to capture the team's 2nd win of the year.

2.Darian Grubb, #14 Old Spice/Office Max Chevrolet
Made the right calls to get Tony Stewart up front when it counted most. Darian Grubb and Tony Stewart kept working on the car and made it good enough to give Jimmie Johnson a run for his money at the end of the race. Darian Grubb has taken this team and made it a threat everywhere they unload.

3.Greg Erwin, #16 3M Ford
Using two-tire strategy on the last stop, Greg Erwin put his driver in a position to win with 25 to go. If not for a hard-charging Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart this team could have very easily ended up in victory lane.

4(tie).Bob Osborne, #99 AFLAC/Claritan Ford
The last two weeks have shown that Bob Osborne is slowly but surely getting this group back to the level everyone expects them to be at. Osborne and company head to Pocono where both he and Carl Edwards have had a lot of success.

Tony Gibson, #39 U.S. Army Chevrolet
Tony Gibson is finding ways to get Ryan Newman up front and keep him there. Building off the success of teammate and car owner Tony Stewart, this team unloads fast and is a mainstay in the top ten. Gibson has to be excited heading to Pocono where, in 2008, he and Mark Martin almost ended up in victory lane.

5.Todd Berrier, #07 Jack Daniels' Chevrolet
It goes without saying that Todd Berrier is one of the best crew chiefs in the garage. His wins and success with Kevin Harvick back that up. Since moving over to the 07, the chemistry between Berrier and Casey Mears is building and the results show it. Last week's top ten at Dover could be a sign of good things to come.

Honorable Mention:
Lance McGrew, #88 Amp Energy/National Guard Chevrolet
Last week's trip to Dover had to be the most stressful weekend Lance McGrew has ever had in his career as a crew chief. After failing to qualify for the race with Brad Keselowski, McGrew moved over to the 88 to get a head start on his new gig as Dale Jr's crew chief. Working with a car that was already loaded and ready to head to Dover McGrew, along side Brian Whitesell and Rex Stump, worked through all the drama and hype and brought the 88 home in 12th.

For more NASCAR news and notes visit us at www.thespotterstand.com

Old School Pocono

2009-06-03T02:10:00.003-05:00

After the two get together heading off into Turn 1, Tim Richmond helps Dale Earnhardt Sr. to the ambulance then slams the door in disgust. They don't make 'em like they used to.

Power Rankings As Of: Dover

2009-06-02T12:30:00.000-05:00

The latest edition of The Spotter Stand Power Rankings are up so head on over to the website and check it out.

PB

Dover Observations

2009-06-01T12:07:00.005-05:00

Is Jimmie Johnson The Greatest Of All-Time?- I know it's a hard question to ask let alone answer; but is Jimmie Johnson going to be the greatest driver the modern era has ever known? He's already done what many people thought could not be done and that is win three championships in a row. In all honesty he may win four in a row if this year is any indication. Bottom line...Johnson and the 48 team are a serious threat wherever they go. Just when you think they are out of contention or won't pull it off they make a banzai run to the front and end up in victory lane. Yesterday was a prime example of just how good this team is. After a pit road miscue dropped them towards the back of the Top Ten on the final restart, JJ put on a show as he hunted down and overtook Greg Biffle then Tony Stewart with three laps to go. If this team stays together and keeps doing what they are doing the championships and wins will rack up and there will be no doubt that Jimmie Johnson will be the greatest driver the modern era has ever known.

The New Tony Stewart-The laid back, more mature Tony Stewart has made a change for the better and is clicking on all cylinders in his first season as a driver/owner. For the first time in his career he is leading the points before the month of July and is not as brash or as confrontational as we've seen him in the past. I realize the episode at Charlotte with "Billy Bad Butt" was shades of the old Smoke, but it was mild in comparison to incidents of the past. Even when he gets beat or loses a race in the final laps (as he did at Dover) he doesn't fly off the handle or start complaining. We all know Tony Stewart is the real deal. He wins in everything he gets in and the only thing his career lacks is a Daytona 500 and Indy 500 win. Maybe now that he's the boss he can focus on making those dreams a reality.

Dale Jr And McGrew Off To A Good Start-The saga that is Dale Jr and his 88 team finally took a turn for the better yesterday as the team overcame an ill-handling car and soldiered home to a top 15 finish. Even though they struggled at the drop of the green flag Lance McGrew, Brian Whitesell and company didn't panic and got the car better as the race unfolded. At one point the team even found themselves in the top 5 and a factor for the win. Even after the handling went away and the car started to go backwards the team didn't panic and worked their way back towards the top 10 before finally coming home in 12th. On the surface it may not seem that much has changed, but watching HotPass on DirectTv you could hear a change in terminology and see a change in attitude. Dale Jr fans need to realize McGrew isn't going to rebuild Rome in one day; but yesterday's performance laid the foundation towards making Dale Jr a contender again.

No Pit Road Issues-Dover's new pit road was a success. There were no incidents coming onto pit road and no one got together coming off. The wider pit stalls and wider pit area made for a safe and incident free day on pit road. Nice work Dover!!

Dover Winner Gets The Coolest Trophy-Is there a better trophy in all of motorsports? Miles The Monster holding the die cast of the race winner's car is the most creative trophy the Cup guys get a chance to win. The Grandfather Clock (Martinsville) and the Harley J. Earl (Daytona 500) are spectacular, but the Miles The Monster trophy is in a class by itself.

Race Morning At Dover

2009-05-31T11:50:00.002-05:00

Tires, Tires, Tires!!-Watch out for tires to be an issue today. Goodyear had problems in both the Nationwide and Camping World Truck races with tire wear and blown tires. Even though they were running two separate tires, the same tire used in the Nationwide race will be on the Cup cars today.

Dover Finally Upgrades Pit Road-Dover unveiled its new pit road this weekend and it's made a world of difference. In past races teams would have to share a pit stall with another team in order to get service. When pit stops rolled around the highest running team (of the two sharing a pit stall) would pit first then the other would come in once that team was done. It was confusing and unnecessary. Those days are a thing of the past. Not only does Dover have 43 pit stalls, they widened pit road by 4 feet and the pit stalls by 2 feet.

Richard Petty Motorsports Turning The Corner-Richard Petty Motorsports is getting better and better and it all starts with the motor department. After their struggles earlier in the season with engine failures, RPM decided enough was enough and made the jump to Dodge's R6 motor. Since then the performance and level of competition has increased. The biggest beneficiary of the move has to be Kasey Kahne. The 9 bunch was one of the fastest cars last week during the Coke 600 and if not for the rain this would have been one of the teams to beat. Look for Kahne and the rest of the RPM group to have a good day today.

Busch's Bad Luck Continues-Kyle Busch couldn't get out of Charlotte quick enough; the problem is his bad luck came with him. While leading the Nationwide race yesterday Busch was taken out of contention by fellow Gibbs teammate Joey Logano. The incident allowed Brad Keselowski to scoot by and steal the win. It didn't end there. Leading late in the Camping World Truck race Busch cut down a tire and hit the wall ruining yet another chance to win. Don't feel too bad for Kyle; he is the guy to beat today.

Truex Close To Announcing His Plans-Martin Truex Jr came out this week and said he is "real close" to announcing where he will be driving next season. Early rumors had him going over to run a third Stewart-Haas team for Tony Stewart and company; but now all signs seem to point to Michael Waltrip Racing. One factor that could weigh heavily on his decision is the fact that MWR signed his younger brother, Ryan, to a developmental deal a few months back.

Dover Is Fox's Last Race Of The '09 Season-Today's Autism Speaks 400 marks the end of the season for Fox and crew. DW will take the summer off while the rest of the crew will assist Speed and their broadcast for the remainder of the season. No more Boogity,Boogity, Boogity and no more Digger!! Can't wait to see TNT and their upgraded version of Race Buddy. Gonna be a great summer!

Caution On The Blog!!

2009-05-30T23:08:00.004-05:00

Apparently some of you are having trouble accessing the sidebar items on the blog. From what I can gather you can access the blog but everything else is blank. If you click on "Search Blog" at the top of the blog it pulls everything up as if nothing was wrong. Hopefully, all of this will be fixed by eBlogger soon!

Thanks!
PB

Kyle Busch Continues To Hold A Grudge

2009-05-30T01:15:00.001-05:00

Kyle Busch met with the media Friday at Dover and wasted little time weighing in on the recent split between Dale Earnhardt Jr and Tony Eury Jr. Busch told the assembled media point blank "it's never Junior; it's always the crew chief." The quote, along with others, stirred the pot in the "Busch Vs Junior" rivalry and once again showed that Kyle Busch has yet to give up the grudge he has towards the sport's most popular driver.

The question has to be asked; what is Kyle Busch's deal with Dale Earnhardt Jr?

We all know Kyle has animosity towards Dale Jr for being the reason he was forced out at Hendrick Motorsports and ended up at Joe Gibbs. His actions and candid quotes make him seem more like a jealous ex-boyfriend or a disgruntled postal worker rather than NASCAR's most talented driver. Kyle Busch must be Dale Jr's biggest fan because every chance he gets he lets the world know how feels about Junior and how absolutely consumed he is with driver 88's every move.

The feud between the two didn't start last year at Richmond; it actually goes back to the 2007 season. After being caught up in an earlier wreck during the Samsung 500 at Texas, Kyle Busch figured the car was totaled and decided to skip out early on the last part of the race. After Kyle was nowhere to be found, Junior was asked by members of the 5 car to hop in and finish the race for Alan Gustafson and company. The ironic thing about it is that Busch was the reason Junior was available in the first place. Busch got into the back of Junior and spun him out while he was trying to avoid Tony Stewart's spin in front of him.

The simple gesture sent the stock car world, the media, and Internet into a frenzy. A few months later Dale Jr announced he was leaving DEI at the end of the season. With Dale Jr now a free agent, Rick Hendrick opened the bank and made room for him at HMS. The move signaled the end for Kyle Busch at Hendrick and built the groundwork for Busch's grudge towards Junior.

Since then Busch has never missed out on an opportunity to bash or criticize Dale Jr. Even after his win earlier in the year at Bristol, Busch found time to call out Junior and his loyal followers. Busch made the comment that he would rather win races than sell the most souvenirs or have the most fans. The quote, intended to rattle Junior and his team, went unchallenged and stirred the fans and media up more than anything.

Even though Kyle Busch has won 9 more races (than Junior) since switching to Joe Gibbs Racing, Busch would love nothing more than to go head-to-head with Dale Jr and beat him. The only problem with that is Dale Jr and company has not been able to get to that level and be as competitive and as fast as the 18 bunch. To fill the void of an absent on-track rivalry Busch uses the media to beat down Dale Jr. He may think he is like Dale Earnhardt Sr on the track, but in reality he is more like Darrell Waltrip off of it when it comes to his mouth.

Look, we all know Kyle Busch has a world of talent. He drives with intensity and has one thing on his mind at all times and that is to win every race he enters. On the flip side, it's a shame to watch someone with so much talent and ability be so consumed with a driver who could care less what he thinks or what he does.

Kyle Busch needs to be careful what he wishes for. If this thing with Dale Jr turns around and he starts winning races and championships before Busch does it could hinder his career and perhaps his legacy. If his approach and tactics backfire, Kyle Busch might be known as the driver who woke the sleeping giant rather than the driver who won races and championships in all three of NASCAR's top divisions.

The "Big One" At Dover

2009-05-29T09:03:00.001-05:00

Elliot Sadler gets spun and the field has nowhere to go

A Look Back At The First Third Of The Season

2009-05-28T00:38:00.008-05:00

Biggest Surprises
Tony Stewart-Let's be honest we knew Stewart-Haas Racing was going to be good, just not this soon. Tony Stewart made all the right moves and surrounded himself with the best people he could find. The addition of Darian Grubb as crew chief, along with the Hendrick Motorsports alliance, was nothing short of brilliant. This team continues to get stronger and is a legitimate contender for the championship.

Ryan Newman-Even as dismal as the year started, this team found ways to get better and has become as consistent and as solid as their teammate. Even though they've used pit strategy to get them in a position to win a few times, this team found ways to stay up front. If not for getting caught up in wrecks at Talladega and the All-Star Race this team could have easily found themselves in victory lane.

Mark Martin-The rejuvenated and ageless Mark Martin has silenced all critics by coming out and racing like a young gun rather than a 50 year old man. His win at Phoenix made him the oldest driver to ever win a race during the modern era. A couple weeks later Martin found himself in victory lane once again at the Southern 500 at Darlington. If not for bad luck earlier in the season this team could be right up there in the hunt for the point lead.

David Reutimann-On paper it appears the 00 bunch backed their way into a win at the Coke 600; it couldn't be further from the truth. Even though the team was on a bit of a slide coming into Charlotte, Reutimann and company had become one of the most improved and consistent teams of the first part of the year. For a guy who started 2008 in one MWR car and finished in another, it speaks volumes about this team's ability to adapt and run up front.

Biggest Disappointments
Dale Earnhardt, Jr-It goes without saying that this team has officially hit rock bottom. From pit road mistakes to horrendous set-ups, this team is lucky to be in the top 20 in points. Even though it appeared the two "Juniors" were stuck with each other, Rick Hendrick has recently come out and said that changes are coming. Those changes better come quick before it's too late to turn the season around.

Kevin Harvick-Things had gotten so bad with this bunch that Richard Childress had no choice but to split up the successful duo of Todd Berrier and Kevin Harvick. Now, almost a month later, the crew swap has yet to bring the spark Richard Childress and company had hoped for. It's not just the 29 team; the other RCR cars are struggling as well.

Carl Edwards-Looking to build off the success of last year's run at the championship, this team has yet to show the championship form it had during the '08 season. The panic button hasn't been pushed yet because no one really knows what's holding this team back. With Dover and Pocono on the horizon, it could be the jump start to the championship run everyone expected this team to have.

Rain Shortened Races-There wasn't much you could have done to save the Coke 600; but the decision to call the Daytona 500 just after halfway was ridiculous. The biggest race of the year should not be shortened due to weather. They don't call the Super Bowl after the 3rd quarter so don't call NASCAR's "Super Bowl" just after half-way. Its not fair to ask the fans to shell out big bucks for tickets and then give them just a little over half of a race. Quit listening to the TV producers and give the fans what they want...a full race!!

Best Race
Aaron's 499 At Talladega-Even though the "big one" happened during the first 10 laps, and another big wreck in the last 15, the Aaron's 499 still managed 57 lead changes among 25 drivers. Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards delivered one of the best final laps in the history of the sport. With NASCAR in a bit of a stall, Talladega came along and delivered intense and spectacular racing and helped bring the sport back into the national spotlight.

Worst Race
Food City 500 At Bristol-Goodyear's choice of tire, the most recent repaving job and the track's decision to go to progressive banking has all but killed the racing at Bristol. At first it was thought that multiple racing grooves would be good for the track; in reality its made it harder to pass. Kyle Busch dominated the race by leading 378 of the 500 laps en route to his second victory of '09. The Food City 500 was one of the worst races the track has seen in years.

Best Paint Scheme
Jimmie Johnson's Memorial Day Salute Paint Scheme at the Coca-Cola 600

Worst Paint Scheme
Robby Gordon's findmespot.com Paint Scheme at Bristol

Best Part of Television Broadcast
HotPass on DirectTv-For the lucky ones who happen to be DirectTv Customers you know exactly where I'm going with this. Starting with the 2009 season DirectTv gave customers its NASCAR HotPass package for free. HotPass takes the television broadcast to another level by giving viewers in-car cameras and access to team communications. Even though its hard to hear the spotter chatter over the TV broadcast, its still a great way to watch a race. Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt, Jr, Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon have all been featured on HotPass. Its the closest thing to being at the track and having the Sprint FanView in your lap.

Worst Part of Television Broadcast
Digger-Enough said....

What Would The Fans Suggest At Tuesday's Meeting?

2009-05-26T00:39:00.002-05:00

By now we've all heard NASCAR has called a 'town hall" style meeting for owners and drivers Tuesday at the Research and Development Center in Concord, NC. The purpose of the meeting is to give drivers and owners the chance to openly debate what is good and what is not so good about the current state of the sport. The media, team members, crewman and industry executives are not allowed at the meeting.

Just last week The NASCAR Stimulus Package was unveiled here on The Spotter Stand to give NASCAR a few ideas that might help boost and re-energize NASCAR's top series. We all know the drivers and crews make the "cars go 'round" but it's the fans that drive the sport. Speaking on behalf of the fans, and building off of last week's blog, here a few more ideas and areas that NASCAR might want to consider during Tuesday's meeting.

Hire "Humpy" Wheeler-Is there a better promoter or anyone better at generating race day hype? The answer is no. Even though he wasn't at Charlotte you could still feel his presence and see his influence. With the sport desperately needing a kick start, who better to bring in and shake things up than Wheeler. His innovative ways and fan-friendly approach might be just what the sport needs to change the race day and race weekend experience. NASCAR might want to grab him before the IRL does.

Improve The Race Day Broadcast-The more you watch a broadcast the more disgusted you get. The "cheese"factor is at an all time high as broadcasters are left trying to fill holes left by boring racing. Broadcasters need to be more critical, more in-depth, and more realistic at how they call a race. Fans don't want to hear sappy story lines they want realistic and critical analysis of what is going on. Don't give us Digger, give us inside access.

Go "Side By Side" During Commercials-The IRL figured it out a long time ago; give the fans every lap of the race even during commercials. The only way you get that during a NASCAR broadcast is if you happen to get HotPass on DirectTv (and everyone doesn't have DirectTv). All too often fans lose interest during the race. If they lose touch with what's going on they often times walk away and hope to catch the tail end of the race. By going "Side by Side" you give fans the chance to catch all of the action even during commercials. With ratings slumping week in and week out it might be a good idea to find a way to keep people watching. "Side by Side" gives you that chance.

Improve The Quality Of Racing-Last week we touched on the idea of double-file restarts and implementation of a halftime break; but it's the technical side of things where the most can be done to improve the quality of racing. Bottom line...changes need to be made to this car to allow for better passing and ultimately better racing. Maybe it's the wing; maybe it's the nose; whatever it is it needs to be changed. This car was supposed to level the playing field so that on any given day 20-25 drivers would have a shot at being competitive ultimately putting them in position to win. However, the cream has risen to the top and the powerhouse teams have quickly adapted. Engineering has taken over and traits from the old car are becoming more and more prevalent. Clean air is the most coveted part of race day and once a guy gets out in it, he is gone. Let's fix the car so that we can fix the racing.

Give Firestone And Hoosier A Shot-Teams and drivers won't come out and directly say it, but the tire Goodyear continues to bring to the track is wreaking havoc on the set-ups. Maybe it's time to let another tire company come in and give teams a second or third choice. It couldn't hurt. Maybe a little competition is what Goodyear needs to get their act together.

Limit Cup Driver Starts In Other Series-As fans we all love watching the"big boys" race on Friday or Saturday night. It makes for great racing and increased ticket sales. As sad as it sounds, the time has come to limit the starts a Sprint Cup driver can make in the Nationwide and/or Camping World Truck Series. For the sake of ticket sales you've hindered those who are out there racing to pay the bills and put food on the table. I'm not saying totally stop Cup drivers from racing, but let's limit how often they run. Let's also not award them points if they aren't running for a championship. Plus it would be nice to see what the future of racing looks like when everyone is on a relatively level playing field.

Look, we all know the sport is struggling; the attendance and ratings support that. The panic button hasn't been pushed yet, but apparently someone has their finger on it. It's become crystal clear to the higher-ups that changes must be made or else the sport runs the risk of losing their fans and their foothold in mainstream America. By the looks of this meeting, it's a scenario the sport can't afford to encounter.

Let's Go Racing!!

2009-05-24T12:07:00.005-05:00

Thanks to all those who died serving for our country and fighting for our freedom. It's your ultimate sacrifice that allows us to enjoy a day such as this.

On behalf of The Spotter Stand...Thank You!!

Moving To NASCAR Could Be A Big Mistake For Danica

2009-05-23T23:07:00.006-05:00

Once again the Danica Patrick to NASCAR rumors have started to heat up. What makes this year different from those in the past is this time those rumors seem to have taken on a more serious tone. From all indications Danica, who is a free agent after this year, has done all she can do in IRL and is seriously considering making the jump from open wheels to fenders and bumpers. On paper the move seems to be a safe one, but realistically it's a move that could ultimately damage her career in the long run.

A move of this magnitude has nothing to do with her gender or even her talent level. It does, however, have everything to do with performance, meeting expectations and her ability to adapt to the nuances of the Sprint Cup Series. Ask Dale Earnhardt, Jr what happens when you are expected to win and you end up struggling and fail to meet expectations.

Finding sponsorship will not be a problem for her. Sponsors and corporations will fight for the chance to get on board and get on the hood (let's not forget she already has ties to godaddy.com and Motorola). Finding the right team; that will be her biggest obstacle.

With the powerhouse teams of Hendrick, Roush-Fenway, Childress and Gibbs locking down their lineup as we speak, aligning herself with a solid team right out the gate will be quite a challenge. Signing with a team that might not give her the ability to grow and compete right out the box could be career suicide.

If Danica is really serious about coming to Cup then she needs to take a good, long look at those who have come before her; Paul Tracy and Jacques Villenueve were "can't misses" but missed anyway; Sam Hornish, Jr is just now getting the hang of things; and Dario Franchitti was fortunate enough to crawl back to IRL after his cup of coffee in Sprint Cup was nothing short of disastrous.

Perhaps the best advice came from three-time reigning champ Jimmie Johnson. Johnson welcomed Danica's move to NASCAR, but not until she is ready. Johnson went on to say that Danica needs to stay in the IRL for a few more years and run ARCA, Camping World Truck and Nationwide races to gain experience. It's there, in those series, where she will know if she has what it takes to be a Sprint Cup Driver.

Until she decides the questions and rumors will continue to haunt her. If she wants to do this the right way then she can't jump at the first opportunity that comes her way. The hype will eventually fade and her performance will take center stage. It's why there is no middle ground in regards to her decision. She will either fail or be a success. If her IRL career is any indication, then she better hope the move to NASCAR is more of a career boost than a career killer.

The Rumor Mills Are Cranking Up

2009-05-22T08:14:00.016-05:00

It's still a bit early, but the rumor mills are starting to heat up regarding the 2010 season. With high-profile rides at a minimum drivers are starting to make their decisions earlier and earlier. When it comes down to it, the decision of two drivers will dictate the landscape of the upcoming silly season.

The hottest rumor has Martin Truex, Jr leaving Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and signing on to drive a third Stewart-Haas car with Bass Pro Shops as the primary sponsor. With Chevy and Bass Pro Shops not wanting to part ways with Truex (and Bass Pro Shop's World Of Outlaw relationship with Tony Stewart) it just seems like a natural fit.

The talk during the All-Star weekend was that Dale Earnhardt, Jr was going to move his Nationwide team up to Sprint Cup and tap Brad Keselowski as his driver. This would satisfy Keselowski's request to stay in the Hendrick family and keep him from testing the free agent waters; but there are a few wrinkles that need to be ironed out before this could happen.

With the "Team Cap" going into effect in '10 Rick Hendrick would have to sell his stake in JR Motorsports in order to comply with the rule. This would simply be a formality and a small obstacle standing in their way.

However, If Dale, Jr fails to pull the trigger on this deal Rick Hendrick will have no choice but to "loan" Keselowski out to Stewart-Hass Racing until a seat opens up in one of the four primary Hendrick rides. This could ultimately leave Truex out of the mix at Stewart-Hass Racing and send him back out into the free agent pool.

Apparently Joe Gibbs is flirting with the idea of adding a 4th team to his powerhouse stable. Truex would be a good fit here because he brings sponsorship, but word is Kurt Busch and Juan Pablo Montoya are the hot names to fill the seat. Last year Montoya came close to signing with Gibbs to replace Stewart, but JGR decided "the future is now" and put Joey Logano in the 20. If JGR decides to add a 4th team Montoya would be a logical choice considering how close he came to replacing Stewart.

Personally, I don't see Kurt Busch leaving his ride at Penske Racing. Even though Dodge is going under, Penske will most likely make the move to Toyota and could even add a 4th team with Justin Allgaier as the driver. This would strengthen his organization and allow him to compete with the other powerhouse teams.

Finally, the one organization with the most to lose in the "Team Cap" rule is Roush-Fenway. The odd man out seems to be Jamie McMurray. However, Roush-Fenway's alliance with Yates Racing may be the next stop for the driver of the 26 car. Roush has no ownership stake in Yates Racing only an engine and chassis alliance. Roush could keep McMurray under contract and simply loan him to Yates thus complying with the "Team Cap" rule.

Just like in silly seasons of the past, when one domino falls the others quickly follow suit. The biggest domino this silly season is easily Brad Keselowski. The talented young driver is a hot commodity and is being sought after by a lot of big name teams. Hendrick has some big decisions to make and the clock is ticking. If he waits too long it will be too late. It's this very reason silly season will come early this year.

The NASCAR Stimulus Package

2009-05-21T01:15:00.005-05:00

Watching the first four months of the season unfold it's obvious NASCAR is feeling the ill effects of an economy gone bad. It's not their fault that people can't spend money on tickets and souvenirs like they could some 3 or 4 years ago. With sponsorship dollars down and the financial problems of GM and Dodge hanging over their head, NASCAR has done an admirable job of simply hanging on.

Yes, people still come to races and people still buy souvenirs, but the excitement and popularity that NASCAR once had has slowly dwindled away. Now, more than ever, would be a great time for NASCAR to consider making drastic changes to its current set-up.

Here are just a few ideas to boost and help re-energize a sport once thought by many to have the capability of competing year in and year out with the traditional "stick and ball" sports. Here at The Spotter Stand we proudly introduce The NASCAR Stimulus Package.

Regional Racing-Economically this makes a lot of sense. Instead of starting the year in Daytona and then turning around and traveling out to Las Vegas and California lets work on keeping the races in a regional setting as the year progresses. For example, after Daytona the series could then head to Homestead. After Homestead the series could make an east coast swing through Charlotte, Bristol, Richmond and Martinsville. After the east coast swing head down to Atlanta and then on to Talladega and once the southeastern swing is complete head over to the mid-west and then out west. This would save teams money and could help free up finances to do more testing, put better equipment under a driver, and even pay crews competitive salaries to keep talent around or bring better talent in.

Shorter Races-With TV ratings down and attendance dropping, NASCAR needs to look at shortening races to keep fans interested in each race. Spending 4 hours watching a race unfold is not very appealing. As fans we all hope for that exciting ten-lap dash for the cash or an intense green, white, checker finish that has everyone buzzing the next day. Sadly, the first 2-3 hours of a race have become so uneventful that people turn the race off and ultimately miss the finish. Shortening a race to 300 miles or 300 laps instead of 500 would be just long enough to keep the intensity up on the track and the fans in the seats from green to checkers.

Halftime-Each major sport has a built in rest period that allows teams a chance to adjust for the final part of the game. This is something NASCAR might want to take a good, long look at. How many times have you watched a race and your favorite driver spends 100-150 laps struggling through minor changes hoping the car will come to life? With a halftime break of 10 to 15 minutes teams can look at notes, chat with teammates and then make the necessary changes to the set-up to make the car competitive for when it counts. Just look at how exciting the last segment of the All-Star race was when 15 cars were fighting it out for the win instead of 2 or 3.

Double File Restarts/Caution Laps Don't Count-The IROC, Bud Shootout and All-Star Race promoters have it figured out. Instead of lining up lead-lap cars on the outside with lap cars on the inside (basically in the way) NASCAR needs to let guys line up double-file according to position. With the Lucky Dog in play lap cars now would have a chance to race each other without the risk of taking out the leaders.

Another way NASCAR could tweak the yellow flag period would be not counting caution laps. Using laps during a caution period goes back decades, but now days its taking way too long to clean up wrecks and blown motors and it's not fair to the fans who pay to see a full race at the track. Those fans, more so than those at home, travel to the track and drop hard earned money at the track and they deserve to see a full race start to finish. They don't deserve to see cars ride around for 5-8 laps while the safety crews clean up and load up wrecked race cars.

Bring Back IROC-As difficult as it sounds, bringing the best race car drivers in North America together for essentially a continental all-star race could really boost Saturday ticket sales for both NASCAR and IRL racetrack promoters. Who wouldn't want to see Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Scott Dixon, Dan Wheldon, Ryan Briscoe, Jeff Gordon, Scott Pruett and the like in equally prepared cars at different types of tracks racing to see who's the best of the best.

When I was a kid there was nothing better than an IROC race at Talladega. Dale Earnhardt, Sr going up against Davey Allison, Al Unser, Jr, Emerson Fittipaldi and Steve Kinser was worth the price of admission. There's just something about the best of the best flexing their muscles and showing what they got without any points on the line. Those were the good ol' days....

Clip of The Day

2009-05-20T18:16:00.002-05:00

Gordon, Newman and Busch Get It On And Get The Fans On Their Feet

Jeremy Mayfield: A Lightning Rod For Controversy

2009-05-18T23:29:00.011-05:00

The soap opera that is Jeremy Mayfield has apparently taken another turn for the worse. This time the doctor who administered the test has come forth and disputed Mayfield's claim that he was never told what drug he tested positive for.

Dr. David Black, chairman for Aegis Sciences Corporation, stated that he told Mayfield exactly what he tested positive for at least once. Black went on to say that Mayfield's claim that he failed due to a mixture of over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs is inaccurate and impossible.

The reason for Mayfield's suspension may be a surprise to him and his fans, but the fact that he's once again at the center of a major NASCAR controversy isn't surprising in the least bit.

While racing for Roger Penske, Mayfield was let go late into the '01 season because he and Penske had a spat over claims that Penske was showing favoritism towards Rusty Wallace.

That paled in comparison to what happened during his time with Ray Evernham.

Even though Mayfield found victory lane and made the Chase on two separate occasions, the relationship began to sour after poor performances led to claims by Mayfield that Evernham was spending less time at the shop and the track and more time with developmental driver Erin Crocker. Mayfield was eventually fired and quickly filed a lawsuit over breach of contract. The two settled out of court and went their separate ways.

Is it really that surprising that Mayfield is once again at the center of controversy and drama? If you look at what happened with Penske and Evernham they all share one common theme; it's someone else's fault.

Plain and simple Jeremy Mayfield is in denial. The chip on his shoulder has become too much to bear and Mayfield's found comfort playing the role of victim. The more he talks about his suspension the guiltier he looks. It's why NASCAR is keeping quiet and he's not. It's also why Jeremy Mayfield is once again on the outside looking in.

One Final Look Back At The All-Star Race

2009-05-18T10:24:00.006-05:00

Burnout Challenge Has Mixed Reviews-NASCAR's version of the home run derby is creative but needs a little bit more pizzazz. Unless you are sitting on the frontstretch you really can't see what's going on. If you happen to be seated in turn 2 or on the backstretch you're lucky if you can hear the car or see the smoke. The beauty of the MLB home run derby is that it captures the attention of the nation and the media. It sells out the host stadium year in and year out and people stop what they are doing to watch it. NASCAR needs to create an event that incorporates and showcases the talents of both the drivers and the crews. Having 5 or 6 guys do burn outs is a great idea if you want to fill down time, but that's about it.

Random Draw For Qualifying Almost A Disaster-NASCAR's idea to set the Showdown field by random draw was borderline ludicrous. Fortunately, Kirk Shelmerdine and Carl Long had to go to the back due to a wreck in practice and an engine change. As crazy as the first lap is, having two slower cars out front would have been crazy!

Did Anyone Else Find The Fan Vote Winner A Bit Fishy?-I don't doubt that Joey Logano has a lot of fans in his corner, but for him to win the fan vote was a bit odd. Martin Truex, Jr seemed to be a shoe-in to get selected if and when he failed to automatically move on. Personally I think Home Depot "found" a way to get him in the big show and get him racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway. There was no way Home Depot was going to lose that kind of attention and exposure.

First 90 Laps Quite Boring-Jimmie Johnson sat on the pole and absolutely stunk up the place in the first 50 lap segment. Once he got in clean air he was gone. The first pit stop of the night mixed up the running order as some took no tires and some took two. It was all about clean air and the first 80 laps showed that.

10 Lap Shootout Saves Night-By far the best non-plate racing of the year. The double-file restarts and decision to count only green flag laps set the stage for a wild finish. With all that money and prestige on the line, the racing went from boring and pointless to intense and spectacular. Maybe NASCAR should end every race like that....

Richard Childress Racing MIA Saturday Night-Casey Mears was supposedly in the All-Star Showdown. He finished 13th and was never a factor. In the All-Star Race the 33, 29 and 31 never got it going. Jeff Burton had motor troubles and finished 2oth while Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick struggled all night and limped home to a 12th and 15th place finish. The last few weeks have been a complete struggle for these guys. The only bright spot has been the 31's ability to take a bad night and turn it into a good one. Other than that these guys are way behind the other GM teams.

Charlotte And Surrounding Cities Put On A Great Show-With a two-week block of racing at their disposal Charlotte, and surrounding cities, give race fans tons of things to do. Whether its shop tours, autograph signings, meet-and-greets or souvenir shopping, fans in town for the races have endless opportunities to enjoy the center of the NASCAR universe. It truly becomes a two-week open house for the racing community.

The All-Star Race Needs To Have More At Stake

2009-05-14T23:16:00.019-05:00

As exciting and thrilling as the All-Star Race is, it could stand to put a lot more on the line than just money. Maybe it's time NASCAR took a page from Major League Baseball and made the All-Star race more about the post-season rather than the money?

Let's be honest one of the most difficult things to do is to sit down and watch a Major League Baseball game from start to finish; but you have to admit when it comes to the mid-summer classic Major League Baseball has it figured out.

With lessons learned from the infamous "tie" during the 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee, Major League Baseball was able to turn the once meaningless All-Star Game into one of professional sport's most exciting and important events.

By giving the winning team/league home field advantage during the World Series Major League Baseball ensured that the All-Star Game would no longer be a disappointment to its fans and pointless to its participants.

What if NASCAR put that much on the line during its All-Star break? Think how awesome it would be if NASCAR were to grant the All-Star Race winning team an automatic spot in the Chase.

For example, if Clint Bowyer wins Saturday night's All-Star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway he would automatically qualify for the Chase regardless of his point's position after 26 races. If Bowyer were to qualify for the Chase despite the All-Star Race win, Richard Childress could then use the (insert catchy name here) free pass for the next highest RCR team outside the top 12.

Talk about taking the concept of "Team" to another level. Think about how crazy the last few laps would be if 5-10 drivers and teams battle it out for an automatic berth in the Chase rather than a big payout. Don't get me wrong the money is great, but put a spot in the Chase on the line and you have the most intense 50-70 laps in racing.

It's bold and it's radical, but it has the potential to be exciting and intense. And with ratings and attendance slumping, a radical change in the format might be just what the doctor ordered as the sport heads into its most critical stretch of the season leading up to the Chase.

1987 NASCAR All-Star Race

2009-05-12T23:34:00.001-05:00

Rick Hendrick And Dale, Jr Need To Cut Their Losses And Move On

2009-05-11T10:53:00.023-05:00

Let's face it; the 88 bunch are not getting any better. The woes and mistakes continue to pile up race after race. He isn't a threat to win unless it's a plate track. It's obvious he's not going to make the Chase. He and his team are the worst of the Hendrick lot (that includes the 25). And he is no longer the face of the sport.

A move of this magnitude would definitely upset the fans, but they have already been disappointed enough. Sure it would upset the sponsors, but Hendrick Motorsports has plenty of drivers he can disperse the sponsorship to. Sure it would disrupt and distract the other teams at Hendrick, but these guys thrive on adversity so it's not really that big of a deal.

If you look at the flip side, the move does have its share of positives...

This would allow Brad Keselowski to stay with the organization rather than become a free agent. You could keep Tony Eury, Jr on as the crew chief and bring Lance McGrew over as the car chief/engineer. This takes all the blame off of Eury, eases the pressure he has on him and allows him to go out and do his job without Dale, Jr bearing down on him. More importantly it keeps him from being the scapegoat in this debacle.

With Dale, Jr out of a ride he can now focus on the things that everyone in the media says is keeping him from being a championship driver. He can sleep late, have a good time with his buddies on his go-kart track, play on the computer and focus on his restaurant/bar Whiskey River.

When Dale, Jr is ready to hop back in a race car he can switch his inventory at JR Motorsports over to COT bodies and chassis and race as a driver/owner. It's worked for Tony Stewart so surely it can work for him (that is if Dale, Jr can find the talent everyone says he's lost or never had in the first place).

He would have to end his affiliation with Rick Hendrick though. Maybe now everyone can get their wish and he can partner with Richard Childress and finally run the number 3. This would give RCR another team/partner thus allowing them the ability to keep up with the mega teams of Hendrick and Roush.

If all this sounds silly and ridiculous then you are correct; it is silly and ridiculous!! It's borderline crazy; but is it any more ridiculous than watching this driver and this team continue to fall deeper and deeper into despair with nothing being done to prevent it?

Sarcasm aside, it's time to get serious.

It's ironic that Hendrick Motorsports used to be known as All-Star Racing because right now that's what he's assembled. Take the 24, 48, 5, 88,25 and partner them with Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman and you have the sport's version of the Dream Team.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...there aren't enough steering wheels to go around. The problem with this Dream Team format is that one team always ends up being the weaker link. Take all those egos and all that talent and put them at one feeding trough and undoubtedly someone will go hungry. Thus is the case with car 88.

As "tongue and cheek" as all this was made out to be, maybe Hendrick parting ways with Junior (or the other way around) isn't as ridiculous as it sounds. What they have now isn't working. Major changes don't appear to be on the horizon so why not make a bold move and focus solely on what IS working at Hendrick instead of what is NOT working. It might be the only solution for this good thing gone terribly bad.

Race Day at Darlington

2009-05-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip Added To Legends Walk-Darlington Raceway honored two of the sport's legends earlier in the week when they unveiled two monuments honoring Yarborough and Waltrip. It was announced on Wednesday that the two men were being added to the Legends Walk located behind the front stretch tower in recognition of the track's 60th Southern 500. The 2,300 pound monuments were unveiled to honor two of the sport's most successful champions. Each of the driver's monument resembles a racing tire and an old style pit board.

Danica Talks Heat Up-Once again the "Danica to NASCAR" talks have heated up. It doesn't help that Patrick is in the last year of her contract with Andretti-Green Racing. Oddly enough, Patrick didn't really come out and shoot it down when asked during the week one of Indy 500 practice. She told the assembled media that it will be fun to see how it all shapes up. Honestly, I just don't know how she would fit in NASCAR. It has nothing to do with her gender it has to do with her temper and her size. Her confrontational style might not go over so well with the Kyle Busch's or Tony Stewart's of the sport. Not to mention these COT cars are quite a handful. It would be a huge adjustment and could be a career killer. Dario Franchitti (Indy 500 and IRL Champ) struggled in Cup and shamefully had to crawl back to the IRL. If she does make the jump it would be more of a publicity stunt rather than a big time free agent signing.

Johnson and Sorenson Going To The Back-The 43 will be heading to the back due to an engine change. It appears engine woes continue to plague RPM as another pre-qualifying effort is all for not as one of their teams has to change a motor prior to qualifying.

Joining Sorenson in the back will be three-time defending champ Jimmie Johnson. Johnson wrecked his primary car during his qualifying attempt and will start 42nd. It will be interesting to see how Chad Knaus and company handle this set back. These guys thrive on good starting spots and premier pit stall selections. Starting way back there could make for an interesting night.

Gordon Chasing History Again-With a win Saturday night, Jeff Gordon would tie Cale Yarborough for 5th all-time on the win list. A win would put him only one back of Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison who are tied for 3rd.

Stewart Down To Three Tracks- This weekend marks another rare visit to a track Tony Stewart has never won at. In 16 starts at Darlington Stewart has yet to find victory lane. Joining Darlington on the list is Las Vegas and California. Rockingham is actually the fourth track on the list but obviously the Sprint Cup Series doesn't race there anymore so it doesn't apply.

Labonte Gets A Birthday Gift From The Fans-On Friday Bobby Labonte got a unique birthday gift from his primary sponsor. Based on an idea submitted by Hilary Mathis of Illinois and with the support and suggestions of Labonte's fans, Ask.Com presented Labonte with a commemorative helmet Friday at the track. The helmet included a Happy Birthday message and the names of all those who suggested ideas to the search engine.

Darlington: NASCAR's Crown Jewel

2009-05-08T11:50:00.005-05:00

Before there was the hype of Daytona or the cult following that is Bristol there was Darlington.

Built to rival the Indianapolis 500, Darlington's unique design and shape made it more than just a race track...it made it history.

Darlington is street cars plowing around on the black asphalt with the sand and dust particles flying up. Darlington is convertibles with the taped up roll cages flying around at nearly 150 mph. Darlington is crew members getting tires off the cars parked in the infield just to finish the race

Darlington is Richard Petty flipping down the front stretch with his arms flying out the driver side window. Darlington is the birth place of "Million Dollar" Bill Elliott. Darlington is history; Darlington is The Lady In Black; but more importantly it's "Too Tough To Tame"

For 60 years drivers have chased the track rather than chased the other drivers. Its shape and size force drivers to respect their surroundings more so than their competitors. Make a mistake here and she will bite you.

It's what makes "The Lady in Black" so special and so challenging. More importantly it's why winning here rivals winning anywhere else. It's the Fenway Park and in some ways the Augusta National of NASCAR.

Win here and you've accomplished something. Win here and you are apart of history.

Thursday's News and Notes

2009-05-07T23:21:00.003-05:00

Kevin Grubb-First of all I would like to send out my thoughts and prayers to the family of Kevin Grubb. It's a sad ending to a sad story.

From all indications Grubb died as a result of a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head. No drugs, drug paraphernalia, or signs of drug use were present in the Richmond area motel. It simply appears Kevin had come to the end of the road.

Grubb was a fast-rising and promising talent in the Nationwide series. A failed drug test in 2004, and a refusal to take another after an early wreck at Richmond on '06, resulted in NASCAR's stiffest penalty...A lifetime ban.

At the time of the second test Grubb told officials that he was suffering from a concussion and was not in the right state of mind to make rational decisions. Sadly the damage had already been done and NASCAR had no choice but to stand firm on its policies.

Mark Martin To Run Full-Time In 2010-Speculation became fact on Wednesday when Mark Martin confirmed that he will be back in the 5 car full-time next season.

The bad news for Brad Keselowski is that Martin's decision leaves him on the outside looking in.

The plan was for Martin to run full-time in '09 and then share the 5 car with Keselowski in 2010. Martin's announcement now shuffles Keselowski out of the 5 car and into a potential free agent role. This makes things very interesting for Rick Hendrick and company because after this year an owner can run no more than 4 teams. With the 24, 48, 5 and 88 locked up that leaves Keselowski without a ride.

One theory has Keselowski going over to a third, newly formed, Stewart-Haas owned team. With Hendrick already providing engines and chassis to SHR, it would keep Brad in the HMS family so to speak.

Perhaps the strongest rumor has JR Motorsports making the jump to Sprint Cup with Keselowski as the driver. Dale, Jr has stated in the past that the idea of moving up to the Sprint Cup Series seems logical and smart financially. With the Nationwide series going to Pony Cars in 2011, Junior said it would cost just as much to convert his inventory over to Cup cars as it would to convert to the new Nationwide Pony Cars.

One thing is for certain, no matter how this unfolds Brad Keselowski will be a hot commodity come the middle part of this year when the silly season starts.

Gordon can make history at Darlington-If the 24 bunch can win Saturday night at the Southern 500 in Darlington it would be a historic night for the 4-time Champ. The win would be Gordon's 83rd career win and would tie him for 5th all time on the list with South Carolina native Cale Yarborough.

If Gordon makes it to victory lane it would put him 2 wins away from surpassing Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for 3rd All-Time in wins. Many in the racing circles believe that if Gordon can get hot he can work his way all the way up to 2nd on the all-time win list behind Richard Petty.

Who Is Going To Step Up And Help Dale, Jr?

2009-05-06T00:30:00.004-05:00

The walls surrounding Dale Earnhardt, Jr have come crashing down. Driver #88 now stands alone with the weight of a struggling team on his shoulders and the rubble and ruins of walls that were once held up by wins, top fives, poles and popularity at his feet.

In a sport where kicking in doors, not taking "no" for an answer and making the most out of every opportunity pave the path to success, it's not hard to find someone willing to share the names of those who helped them along the way. The same can be said for a handful of drivers and team members who share one common thread...Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Martin Truex, Jr, Shane Hmiel, Shane Huffman, Brad Keselowski and T.J. Majors (Dale Jr's Spotter) are where they are today due in large part to Dale Earnhardt,Jr. Each needed someone to give them a big break; each got it from Dale, Jr.

Dale, Jr needs that same break. He needs someone to think outside the box, get rid of the negatives and build on the positives. If you think that person may be Tony Eury, Jr then you are sadly mistaken. If the two haven't clicked by now then don't hold your breath thinking its going to change.

The problem with Eury, Jr isn't so much his work ethic, it's that the sport has passed him by. The new car, the ever-changing Goodyear tire, and his inability to figure out front-end geometry have pushed this team and its driver deeper into a hole.

The only way Junior can climb out of this hole is for someone to step up and give him the same amount of help and the same big break he has given out to others for years. Let's be honest, this is past the point of being the fault of the two "Juniors." This squarely falls on the shoulders of the man bearing the company name...Rick Hendrick.

Richard Childress didn't hesitate to make drastic changes. He split up the successful duo of Todd Berrier and Kevin Harvick two months into the season. The two were struggling and he made a change. No trial period. No extra time to work it out. No excuses. He pulled the trigger before it was too late.

Junior left DEI because he wanted to win races and contend for a championship; but most importantly he left DEI because he didn't want to drive for an absentee car owner anymore. He wanted to drive for an owner who was hands on and completely dedicated to the team and to the driver.

If Rick Hendrick is satisfied with how this team is performing and thinks that "time" rather than "change" can bring the 88 out of this slump then he is not the owner Dale, Jr thought he was.

2003 Darlington: Craven vs Busch

2009-05-05T09:45:00.000-05:00

The funny thing about this race was the local Fox affiliate lost its signal and my Dad and I listened to the last 50 laps on MRN. The affiliate came back on the air and re-played the last 50 laps about 30 minutes after the race ended. Needless to say we were quite ticked that we missed the live version.

James Finch: Finally Getting What He Deserves

2009-05-04T10:03:00.012-05:00

With all the Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski and Talladega hype of the last two weeks still making the rounds, it's hard to believe James Finch hasn't gotten the same exposure or recognition.

However, if you ask James Finch he would tell you that is just fine with him; he isn't used to being in the spotlight anyway.

Looking more like a fan or a member of a race team, James Finch doesn't quite fit the mold of a NASCAR Team Owner.

Instead of dress slacks and sponsor adorned team shirts Finch opts for a more laid back look; cowboy boots, untucked shirts and work jeans. Polished and flashy is not in his make-up. Instead Finch chooses to be a blue collar guy with a blue collar work ethic. It's why his Florida based Phoenix Construction company is so successful and it's why he's been in the sport for nearly 20 years.

The win at Talladega was special to Finch for so many reasons. In his post-race press conference the Panama City, Florida native told the media he considers the Alabama super speedway his home track. "Talladega is like my hometown track," Finch said. "To win here is great, because we’ve been trying to get a win here for a lot of years.”

The look on Dale Earnhardt, Jr's face during his post-race interview with Fox said it all. "James Finch....I mean James Finch!! That's awesome, man!!"

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons the Talladega win is so special is the track's proximity to Hueytown, Alabama the hometown of his long time friend Neil Bonnett. In the media center following the race Finch got emotional when talking about his former driver and long time friend.

Bonnett and Finch paired up in 1994 to run a limited schedule that included the Daytona 500; but all that came to a halt when Bonnett died due to injuries sustained in a crash during one of the practice sessions.

The two weren't just owner and driver they were good friends. The win at Talladega was a fitting tribute to a friendship cut short by tragedy.

Finch has, without a doubt, paid his dues. Since coming into the sport in 1989 he's seen the highs and felt the lows. And even though he's won multiple times in the Nationwide series, and now in the Sprint Cup series, he’s not content to quit now.

“I’ve been through the pains of it", Finch said. "If I never win another, this had been great. But I sure would like to win another. You can guarantee that I’ll be there smiling the next time you open the gates.”

It's that approach to life and to the sport that makes the James Finch story such an inspirational one.

Race Morning at Richmond

2009-05-02T10:07:00.001-05:00

Gordon's Back Back In The News-Earlier in the week Jeff Gordon had a detailed MRI done on his back to help diagnose the ongoing and significant back pain he is still experiencing. Gordon met with the Media Friday and stated that a more detailed MRI had been done and the results was able to shed more light on why it's bothering him; but it ended there. Gordon said the MRI gave him and the doctors a better diagnosis but that a treatment had not yet been determined.

Keselowski A Hot Commodity-The win last Sunday at Talladega catapulted Brad Keselowski's status within the ranks of NASCAR. Now, instead of running part-time in 2010, Keselowski wants to land a full-time ride. The only problem is there isn't any room for him at Hendrick Motorsports right now. The original plan had Keselowski splitting time with Mark Martin in the 5 car next year, but Martin's decision to run full-time in '10 has put the clamps on that plan. Rick Hendrick will have a big decision to make. NASCAR only allows an owner to have a maximum of four full-time teams. Either JR Motorsports makes the jump as previously discussed or Keselowski can hop on board with a HMS affiliated team like Stewart-Haas Racing. Either way it's a good chance we will see Keselowski in a full-time ride.

Darlington Goes Retro-Fans visiting Darlington for the Southern 500 will get a blast from the past when they attend the Southern 500 next week. In conjunction with the track's 60th birthday, track officials decided it would be a fitting tribute to paint the walls in the famous red and white block pattern. The paint scheme is a throwback to the days of Petty, Pearson and Allison. But you better get your pictures in early because once the racing gets under way they won't stay clean very long.

Yarborough Set To Bring 'Em To The Green- A familiar face will be behind the wheel of the pace car to start the Southern 500. Track President Chris Browning announced last week that Five Time Southern 500 winner Cale Yarborough will serve as the honorary pace car driver to start next week's Southern 500. Joining Yarborough as honorees will be all-time Darlington victory leader David Pearson, Richard Petty, Ned Jarrett, Buddy Baker and Sterling Marlin to go along with all active Darlington winners.

One last lap with Pontiac

2009-05-01T11:09:00.003-05:00

With a solid history at its back and a cult-like following, Pontiac made its NASCAR debut in 1950 with Will Albright on the beach at Daytona. Pontiac's first win came seven years later on the Daytona road/beach course when Cotton Owens wheeled his Pontiac to victory. The win had played an integral part in the development of the brand's place in the history of NASCAR.

Pontiac bowed out of racing after the 2003 Cup season with 155 wins; but not before giving fans one last memory. During the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington Kurt Busch and Ricky Craven beat and banged on each other for the final ten laps. When it was all said and done Craven had beaten Busch to line by .002 seconds in the closest finish in Cup history.

Although few in numbers, the Pontiac fraternity includes some of the sport's biggest names. Not many people know Dale Earnhardt, Sr raced Pontiacs from 1982-1986 in what was then called the Busch Grand National Series. On the Cup side Richard and Kyle Petty, Rusty Wallace, Neil Bonnett, Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart were just a few of the drivers to carry the Arrow Head logo and the Pontiac name into victory lane.

With 31 wins and a championship in 1989, Rusty Wallace is Pontiac's winningest driver. Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart hold the distinction of winning Pontiac's last two championships with Stewart winning the last one in 2002.

But perhaps the brand's most famous win came in the 1984 Firecracker 400. With President Reagan on hand, Richard Petty beat Cale Yarborough by inches to win his 200th and final win of his illustrious career.

When the news came down earlier in the week that GM's production of the Pontiac would cease after 2010 it hit home with many in the auto-making industry and those in the world of racing. With all of its history and influence in the automobile industry, Pontiac had managed to make an even bigger stamp on the history of NASCAR.

Richmond: News and Notes

2009-05-01T09:33:00.004-05:00

Under The Lights-With all the hype and talk from Talladega winding down, can the Cup guys feed off of the energy and buzz generated from last week's spectacular finish? Even though Talladega's ratings were down from last year's numbers the race did pretty well going head to head with the NBA. The biggest question heading into Richmond is will the race be a dud or will it keep the fans talking and wanting more? Being the first short track race under the lights this season you couldn't ask for a better race to follow what happened at 'Dega.

Next Two Critical for Dale Jr-Saturday night's race at Richmond will be crucial for a lot of guys. None more so than Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Junior and his 88 bunch look to build on his 2nd place finish last week at Talladega. The next two weeks will be critical for these guys. Top 15's won't cut it. This team needs to run up front and get top 5's. Junior has won before at Richmond and he always runs well at Darlington. If this team can't get out of the hole during the next two races then they are done as far as the Chase is concerned.

Bowyer's Streak Continues-Even though Clint Bowyer was caught up in the Lap 7 wreck at Talladega, his team was able to repair the car and finish the race. The hard work by Shane Wilson and his crew allowed Bowyer to continue his impressive streak of running at the finish of 82 consecutive races. The streak rides into Richmond where Bowyer is the defending race winner.

Kyle Busch Hopes To Join An Elite Group-Jayski posted an interesting stat yesterday in regards to drivers winning on their birthday. In the history of the sport only one driver has won on his birthday and that was Cale Yarborough. Amazingly he did it twice; March 27, 1977 at North Wilksboro and March 27, 1983 at Atlanta. If Busch can win Saturday night on his 24th birthday he will join Yarborough as only the 2nd Sprint Cup driver in history to win on his birthday.

Saturday Night's Race Named After A True Hero-A couple of years ago track officials came up with what could be the coolest race contest ever created. They decided to give fans the opportunity to have a Sprint Cup race named after them. This year's winner is not only a true race fan he is a true hero. Earlier this year at Daytona, Russ Friedman found out that the May 2nd race at Richmond would be named after him. Friedman, a two-time Purple Heart recipient, wants to use the race as a platform to honor those who served next to him and those who have given their lives so that we can enjoy the simple pleasures of life. In conjunction with Friedman's honor, Crown Royal and the Jamie McMurray Foundation have stepped in to help make the weekend a running tribute to those who served and are currently serving our nation's military.

Talladega: One Last Look In The Rear View Mirror

2009-04-29T21:30:00.002-05:00

The buzz from what happened at Talladega is still going strong. The fire has yet to die out and people are still talking. But some of the ideas being thrown around to ensure that this doesn't happen again are nothing short of ridiculous.

With that being said, did I hear Jimmie Johnson correctly? Did the reigning three-time champ say the only solution for the racing at Talladega is to bulldoze the place and turn it into another Indy or Pocono?

Aren't we over reacting just a little too much?

Look, Talladega is a wide fast race track where white knuckle racing is the norm; but to say the only logical solution is to bulldoze the place into a parking lot is a slap in the face of a community and 40 years of rich racing history not limited just to NASCAR.

Now let's not discount what happened on the last lap when Keselowski and Edwards got together sending Edwards into the catch fence. It was one of the most horrific things the sport has seen since Bobby Allison in 1987. What makes it even more unnerving is how close the 99 actually came to going into the stands. Fortunately it didn't and fortunately no one was seriously hurt; but let's not throw the track out with the bath water.

Rick Humphrey and his staff see a potential problem and they will fix it. The beauty of racing, and sports for that matter, is that when a situation like this occurs it presents an opportunity to make things better.

The tragedy during the IRL race at Charlotte where spectators were killed by an out of control car was a wake-up call to track officials. They concluded that the fence needed to be taller in order to protect the fans and ensure that never happens again. They fixed it and haven't had a problem since.

So, how does NASCAR fix this problem? What is the solution?

In his weekly press conference Dale Earnhardt, Jr agreed with those who want a smaller plate and want the speeds to come down. "NASCAR is really wanting to see cars run around 190 mile-per-hour range. We are doing 10 more miles an hour being able to tag up and bumper to bumper like we are," Earnhardt said. "That's where the threshold is for cars getting airborne, is about the 195 mile-an-hour range. We have to think what we can do to get back under that threshold a little bit and not create this situation in the future."

A smaller plate would choke the speeds back down to the 180-185 range so in the event that two cars do hook up bumper to bumper the speeds won't creep up into the magical 200 mph zone therefore putting the drivers and the fans in danger.

Perhaps the most logical solution to this mess would be to police the amount of blocking that goes on during the course of a race. All but a couple of the wrecks during the Aaron's 499 were caused by blocking. Matt Kenseth's barrel roll during the Nationwide race on Saturday was caused by him blocking the 18 and then the 6.

Let's not let Carl Edwards slide either. The catalyst for his wreck was his attempt to block the run the 09 had on him. If he doesn't block Keselowski then we aren't even talking about the race at this point during the week.

You want this to stop; then reduce the size of the plate and police the blocking. You get that under control and you have a strong possibility that what happened on Sunday won't happen again.

1986 Miller High Life 400 at Richmond: Earnhardt vs Waltrip

2009-04-29T21:16:00.004-05:00

Good ol' fashioned short track racing at its best!!

David Poole: Never At A Loss For Words

2009-04-29T20:27:00.005-05:00

Being from Alabama I knew there were two weeks out of the year that my favorite track would be on the chopping block. It wasn't personal it was simply his opinion. That's what made David Poole so genuine and so real. He spoke his mind and never wavered from how he truly felt. He wasn't just a journalist he was a fan. That's the beauty of being a fan. As fans we can speak our mind and argue our points and it helps strengthen and determine the fabric of our sport and our society.

David Poole used his writings, his site and his blog as his mountain top. In doing so it gained him respect in both the racing community and in the media; but most importantly it gained him credibility and respect from the fans.

I didn't know David Poole personally but the news of his untimely death hit close to home with me. Living in a family with a strong history of heart disease I know all too well the grip that deadly disease can have on an individual and on a family.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this time of sadness and grief. His style and his influence will be hard to replace. He will be missed.

Talladega: Who or What is to blame?

2009-04-27T11:22:00.006-05:00

Its the Monday after Talladega and once again people are talking. Fans leaving the track yesterday definitely got their moneys worth and those at home were glued to the TV as the final laps unfolded. On the flip side, those in the media are taking a more critical approach when describing yesterday's race.

Is it the rules package these guys are forced to race under? NASCAR has a knack of painting drivers and teams into a corner. Once out on the track and in the heat of battle frustration sets in and drivers run out of patience. The end result has drivers taking matters into their own hands ultimately putting themselves and others in danger.

Others take the stance that the track is to blame for the type of mayhem and destruction that comes after each race there. Jack Roush agrees. He commented that the track is outdated and was built for the cars of that era rather than the current stock cars raced today. He also went on to say that since its first race in 1969 Talladega has always been dangerous.

Jack is right, Talladega is dangerous; but is it more dangerous than Charlotte, Daytona, Loudon or Indy? If you look at the statistics then the answer is No. Of the top five most dangerous tracks in all of motorsports two host NASCAR sanctioned events: Indianapolis and Daytona. Talladega doesn't even come close to the number of racing deaths those two tracks have seen.

Carl Edwards said something interesting yesterday in his post-race interview when said NASCAR has put the drivers in a box but "it's something we'll do...until somebody gets killed, and then we'll change it."

He's right. By creating a boxy car with a restrictor plate that chokes speed and horsepower at a track designed to see speeds in excess of 200 mph you have a recipe for disaster. Throw in the yellow line and you basically have 43 caged animals trying to fight and claw their way out danger. The end result is what you saw Sunday on lap 7, lap 180 and lap 188.

Changing Talladega is not the answer; changing the rules package is the answer.

Dale Jr took a different approach when addressing the problem. He believes the media, the networks and NASCAR are just as much to blame as anyone else.

"You have to understand that, for years, we have had wrecks like this every time we come to Talladega, ever since the plate got here. And for years it was celebrated. The media celebrated it, the networks celebrated it – calling it ‘The Big One’ – just trying to attract attention and trying to bring people's attention to the race," Earnhardt said.

What is the answer? What is the solution? There really isn't an answer or a solution. Changes have been made, rules have been implemented but the result still ends up the same: Intense, fierce and close racing at the world's most competitive track.

"This is the way it's been for a long time," Earnhardt, Jr said. "Didn't just happen. Didn't just get worse. Didn't just start happening."It's been like this since the mid-90s."

Taking a negative and turning it into a positive has been the cornerstone of the NASCAR sanctioning body for years. Since Bobby Allison's horrific wreck in 1987 NASCAR has worked to keep both the fans and the drivers safe. Since the fatalities of 2000 and 2001 the focus on fan safety, the implementation of the SAFER walls and head & neck restraints has kept those on both side of the catch fence safe.

After Sunday's race NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter says he doesn't see anything that could have been done differently or any better. The fence did its job and the COT did its job by keeping Edwards safe. That's what matters most.

Look we all know sports, as a whole, is dangerous. It's why only a small percentage has the privilege of playing professional sports. As fans we know the dangers of sitting down the foul lines at a baseball game or on the first few rows at a race; but we do it any way because we love the thrill and we love the excitement.

Its a major sacrifice for a great reward.

Once Again Talladega Lives Up To Its Billing

2009-04-26T23:20:00.004-05:00

After the dust had settled, the doors had closed, and the post-race meeting by race officials had begun I'm sure smiles could been seen on the faces of those gathered in the NASCAR hauler.

What had just taken place was exactly what the doctor ordered. NASCAR and its fans were treated to the best race in four or five years and the drama that the sport so desperately needed was back.

Sunday's Aaron's 499 started off and ended with a bang. On lap 7 as many as 16 cars were involved in a wreck that started when Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon got together heading into turn 3. The contact triggered a chain reaction wreck that took out a handful of drivers in the top 12 in points.

It didn't stop there.

The racing stayed fast and furious and as the laps counted down the tension and pressure began to mount. Another late race caution set the stage for a four lap shootout and one of the most exciting finishes in the history of the Sprint Cup Series.

Using a technique that originated during last year's Aaron's 499, Dale Earnhardt, Jr locked his National Guard Chevy to the rear bumper of Ryan Newman on the restart and pushed the two out to a big lead as they headed down the backstretch. The only problem was that Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski had done the same and were running down the leaders at an impressive rate.

As Newman and Earnhardt, Jr took the white flag Edwards and Keselowski were there. Then they were gone. The front two had hooked up and were pulling away. As the 99 and 09 came out of 4 Newman and Junior were there but were not a factor. Keselowski then made a move below the 99 in the tri-oval, Edwards went to block, and the two got together. The contact sent Edwards car up in the air and in front of the 39 and 88. Newman and Edwards then got together with Newman punting Edwards airborne and into the catch fence.

When the smoke cleared Brad Keselowski had taken the checkered flag for his first Sprint Cup win in only his 5th start. In doing so he became the 8th driver to get his first win at Talladega.

The win also marked the first for long time NASCAR owner James Finch.

On a more somber note, seven fans were injured when Edwards car made contact with the tri-oval catch fence. Debris and parts of the fence went flying into the stands hitting those sitting in the lower rows of the grandstands. Fortunately no one was seriously injured as all but one was treated and released. One fan was transported to Birmingham via helicopter due to traffic and a pre-existing condition.

Dixon wins at Kansas

2009-04-26T22:44:00.003-05:00

In his 99th career start in the IRL Scott Dixon held off a hard charging Helio Castroneves in the final lap of the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 to win at Kansas Speedway. Dixon's win was his 17th overall and his 11th on oval tracks.

Castroneves, in only his second race of the season, made a run at Dixon on the final lap but came up 0.7 tenths of a second short in his bid to beat reigning IRL champ Scott Dixon Sunday in Kansas.

Sunday's finish was a much needed shot in the arm for both drivers who started the year towards the back in the championship standings. The strong showing at Kansas is just what both drivers need heading into the month surrounding the Indianapolis 500.

With the win, and most laps lead bonus, Dixon jumped from 17th to 4th in points.

Coming home in 3rd was Tony Kanaan followed by Ryan Briscoe, Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti. Kanaan now leads Briscoe by one point in the championship standings as the series heads to The Brickyard.

Race Morning at Talladega

2009-04-26T08:04:00.003-05:00

Going to the Back:Robby Gordon and Reed Sorenson failed post-qualifying inspection Saturday and will have to go to the back at the start of the race. Sorenson was already going to the back after an engine change Friday after practice.

Also going to the back and joining the 7 and 43 will be the 44, 9, 19 and 12. Apparently the Dodge teams found something in their motors Friday that bothered them.

Nick Saban is in the House, Aight!: Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban will give the command to fire engines Sunday. Joining Saban as honorary guests Sunday will be UFC founder Dana White, UFC legend Chuck Lidell and Atlanta Falcons running back Jerious Norwood.

Truck Race Postponed til Monday: Severe Weather forced the Truck Series to postpone the conclusion of the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 in Kansas after just 52 laps. Strong winds and a possible tornado in the area forced officials to stop the race for the safety of the fans and the drivers.

The Race will resume Monday at 10:00 AM est with Mike Skinner as the leader followed by Brian Ickler, Matt Crafton, Ron Hornaday and Brian Scott.

Ragan Breaks Through For First Win

2009-04-25T17:26:00.003-05:00

With help from Joey Logano, David Ragan shot through a hole that opened up when Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt, Jr got together in the tri-oval battling for the lead on the final lap. Ragan then held off Newman at the line for his first career win in any of the top three NASCAR series.

In what was typical Talladega-style racing, the Aaron's 312 saw 34 lead changes among 15 drivers. The 34 lead changes fell two short of the series record held at the Alabama super speedway. Although racing was fast and intense, drivers managed to get through the day without triggering the notorious "big one."

Perhaps the best story of the day was that of Tony Raines. Raines made his way to the front late and was able to stay there coming home in 4th place.

The Top-Five finish was a real shot in the arm for a team that is severely underfunded.

The series heads to Richmond next week with Kyle Busch holding a 62 pt edge over 2nd place Carl Edwards.

1984 Winston 500: NASCAR's Greatest Race?

2009-04-23T23:21:00.008-05:00

Races come and races go but only a handful stand out when it comes to the discussion of which race is the greatest of all time. Most NASCAR historians agree on two or three races when it comes to the title of "NASCAR's Greatest Race."

The 1992 Hooters 500 was important for many reasons. Six drivers had a legitimate shot at winning the championship when the race started, Alan Kulwicki won the championship as an owner/driver in his "Underbird," and the story lines surrounding Richard Petty's last race and Jeff Gordon's first race make for a strong argument.

The 2007 Daytona 500 is a solid choice, but is only in the discussion because of what happened on the last lap off of turn 4. Kevin Harvick beating out Mark Martin by inches at the line while a big wreck is happening behind them made for a great finish more so than a great race.

The wild card in the discussion would have to be the 2003 Darlington Race. Watching Kurt Busch beat and bang with Ricky Craven was, without a doubt, intense and spectacular; but like the '07 Daytona 500 you are only talking about a five to ten lap stretch of racing.

If you want to talk competition, lead changes, minimal caution periods and a powerhouse line-up it's hard to argue against the 1984 Winston 500 as being the greatest race ever.

Of the 40 drivers that started the race 10 drivers were, or would become, Cup Champions; 10 were Daytona 500 winners; 16 were later named to NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers list in 1998; and 24 drivers would later account for over 900 wins in the sport.

That is simply unbelievable!

The only thing that rivaled the line-up was the racing itself. The May race had 4 cautions for 17 laps and saw 75 official lead changes among 13 drivers. That breaks down to a new leader coming every 2 1/2 laps (a NASCAR record). Race officials also estimated that well over a 100 passes for the lead took place around the track during the 188 lap event.

To this day the 75 lead changes still stand as the most during a NASCAR Sprint Cup Race. The only races to come close to that feat were later that year at the 1984 Talladega 500 with 68 lead changes and the most recent race at Talladega, the 2008 Amp Energy 500, which saw 64 lead changes.

Statistically and historically it's hard to go against giving the title of "NASCAR's Greatest Race" to the 1984 Winston 500.

Rookie Report: Talladega

2009-04-23T22:45:00.002-05:00

Joey Logano comes into Talladega with a 12 pt lead over fellow rookie Scott Speed in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. Logano will be making his first Sprint Cup start at the 2.66 mile super speedway while Scott Speed, Brad Keselowski and Max Papis will be in the go-or-go home group come qualifying.

Logano, Speed and Keselowski have competed at Talladega before in either the ARCA, Nationwide or Truck Series with Max Papis being the lone exception. Max Papis, a road-racer mostly, will be visiting Talladega for the first time.

Qualifying is set for 10:15 AM CST Saturday with the green flag dropping at 1:00 PM CST on Sunday.

RCR Announces Crew Swap

2009-04-23T12:15:00.002-05:00

Crew swaps are nothing new to the sport, but the recent announcement from Richard Childress Racing came as quite a shock. The fact that Todd Barrier and Kevin Harvick will no longer be working together is pretty big news.

With Barrier calling the shots Harvick scored victories in three of the sport's biggest events, the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and the All-Star Race. The swap tells me that things must be at rock-bottom for RCR to seperate such a successful duo.

For Casey Mears the move is the 5th in four years to a different team/crew.

The teams will swap over every member of the crew, with the exception of the spotters, starting the week after the Talladega race.

Is the clock ticking on Eury, Jr?

2009-04-22T12:47:00.002-05:00

Doug Demmons posted an interesting story on his Al.com Blog of Tomorrow page earlier today in regards to Tony Eury, Jr's future as crew chief for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Citing Captain Thunder's Racing Blog, Demmons wrote that during the week of Easter talks began between Rick Hendrick, Tony Eury, Jr and Alan Gustafson over swapping crew chief duties between the 5 and 88. According to sources, Captain Thunder was told that Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt, Jr were on board with the move as well. Talks ended with the agreement that if things did not improve between the two teams within 3 weeks that a swap was imminent by the All-Star break.

Captain Thunder went on to say that Saturday night's dominating performance by the 5 team could remove Gustafson from the mix and put car chiefs Ron Malec of the 48 or Jason Burdett of the 24 at the top of the list to replace Eury, Jr over at the 88.

With the All-Star Race as a back drop, it will be interesting to see how this unfolds at Hendrick Motorsports.

Vintage Earnhardt: 1999 IROC race at Talladega

2009-04-21T23:17:00.001-05:00

Was there anyone better?

Earnhardt, Jr: Fallen Hero or Sacrificial Lamb

2009-04-20T22:42:00.004-05:00

Did Dale Earnhardt, Jr forget how to drive and how to win? Some say he never had it while some say his best days are behind him. Junior nation is split on who really is to blame. Is it Tony Eury, Jr? Is it Dale Jr? Or does the blame fall squarely on Rick Hendrick?

Who really is at fault for the demise of the 88 bunch?

In 2004 Dale Jr was on top of his game. He scored six victories and was in contention for the championship until his profanity slip-up during the Talladega victory lane interview cost him a 25-point penalty from NASCAR. That, coupled with two devastating DNF's, brought the dream of a championship in '04 back down to earth. At the end of the '04 season Tony Eury, Sr was promoted and his son, then car chief, Tony Eury, Jr took over the crew chief duties on the Budweiser Chevy for DEI.

Now let's stop right there; Could this be the straw that broke the camel's back? Let's weigh the facts and see for ourselves.

Under Tony Eury, Sr Dale Earnhardt, Jr scored 15 Cup wins, 1 Bud Shootout win, 1 All-Star Race win, 21 Nationwide wins, 6 poles and 2 Nationwide Championships. Under Tony Eury, Jr Dale Earnhardt, Jr has only 2 Cup wins, 1 Bud Shootout win, 1 Nationwide win and 2 poles. The other win for Dale, Jr came with Steve Hmiel at Chicago after Pete Rondeau had been relieved of his duties earlier in the year.

From a statistical standpoint it seems apparent that Dale, Jr's struggles come from atop the pit box. Since the switch after the '04 season Dale Jr's struggles seem to come back to one person. Even with the best equipment in the garage the 88 is getting worse and worse. Couple that with a revolving door of personnel and you can see why this team is struggling and the negativity continues to pile up.

The wonderful world of DirectTv HotPass gives fans a glimpse into the race day fish bowl that is a Sprint Cup Race Team. Fans get the chance to watch the broadcast of the race and hear radio chatter amongst the team. If you really want to know what's wrong with the 88 tune into HotPass for a race.

One of the knocks on Dale, Jr is that he isn't detailed enough in his feedback to his crew. One hour of DirectTv HotPass and you will quickly see that this is not the case. The feedback between Dale, Jr and Tony, Jr is no different than that of the 11,48, or 99. At times Dale, Jr can get a bit chippy with his guys but it is no different that any other chatter on pit-road. The problem appears to be that the changes to the car are not helping make the car better as the race unfolds. The one thing Dale, Jr gripes about the most in every race is forward bite. The car just won't bite off the corner. With the exception of the plate tracks, the constant complaint from Dale, Jr is that the nose is constantly sliding. Spring rubbers, track-bar, air pressure and wedge adjustments seem to be making things worse rather than better.

Could this all be the fault of Tony, Jr? I don't think so. Something is coherently wrong and most of the blame needs to fall back on the owner, Rick Hendrick. How did this team go from best of the Hendrick cars for the first half of last year to it's current spot in the HMS stables? Some say (and I tend to agree) that once Darian Grubb started flirting with the idea of going over to the newly formed Stewart-Haas team driven by Tony Stewart things started going south. Since that move Rick Hendrick has changed the car chief/engineer on the team 3 times and most recently changed out tire changers on the team. However, the results are the same and team continues to go backwards rather than forward.

Since the opening race of the year the 24 team has gotten better and so has the 5 bunch. The 48 is still strong and the new alliance with Stewart-Haas racing seems to benefiting the 14 and the 39. If those guys are getting better then why does the the Amp/National Guard team continue to struggle? Are they getting second-hand equipment? Are the engineers at HMS experimenting with the 88 team for the benefit of the 24, 48 and the 5? Something is wrong and personally I don't think Rick Hendrick is safe from blame or fault. He told the media last year that if Dale, Jr fails he fails; well at the moment he is failing despite what is going on with the other HMS teams.

If you take a look at the race cars and team uniforms of Hendrick Motor Sports you see a common thread. National Guard, Adidas, Amp, Wrangler, Delphi and Go Daddy all adorn the cars, uniforms and pit boxes. What do those have in common? They all have ties to Dale, Jr and his ability to land big time sponsors.

Is that why Rick Hendrick jumped at the chance to bring in the hottest free agent in the history of the sport in 2007? Maybe so; but to only bring in a guy for monetary assistance seems far fetched and unrealistic. What it does show is that Dale,Jr is not getting a solid return on his investment in HMS. For all he brings to the team and to the sport he deserves a lot better than what he is getting. The guy didn't just win races and championships by luck, he won them because he has the talent and the capability to run up front and be a factor week in and week out.

The main point here is that Dale, Jr and the 88 team are in inferior equipment. Bottom Line. Tony Eury, Jr is a good crew chief but not a great one. Now days you need to be great to be up front. Couple that with sub-par equipment and you have a recipe for disaster. Drastic Changes have to be made in order for Dale, Jr to be successful again. The blame centers on everyone involved with that team.

I see the fire in Dale, Jr; but I also see a guy who is taking one step forward and 5 steps back each race. If good things don't happen soon then the sport's most popular driver will always have a big question mark beside his name instead of the word Champion.

No Penalties for Mears and Earnhardt, Jr

2009-04-20T22:15:00.002-05:00

Let the conspiracy theories and "Jr can do no wrong" talk begin.

NASCAR came out Monday and said no further penalties would be handed down to the 07 and 88 teams after Saturday night's post-race skirmish on the cool down lap. Blogs and forums are lit up with posts and discussions about Dale Jr and his untouchable status with the powers that be in the sport.

If the guy was so "untouchable" and is getting help from NASCAR then why is his team struggling so bad? Why didn't he get a timely caution during the last 50 laps of the race? Debris popped up on the track twice during the last 60 laps and race officials failed to throw the yellow. Seems to me that if he is the so-called "golden boy of NASCAR" then a timely caution with under 60 laps to go could have given him the win and at worst given him a top 5 Saturday night. Instead the 88 took the lead after the final green flag stops of the night and proceeded to drop like a rock. He went from the lead to a lap down under green during the final run of the night.

One final reminder, the 18 and 99 got into it on the cool down lap at Bristol last fall and nothing happened to them. Have we forgotten that NASCAR unofficially encouraged drivers to show emotions last year in the attempt to create buzz and/or a rivalry?

So, please, spare me the conspiracy theories; NASCAR is not the WWE.

Franchitti wins at Long Beach

2009-04-19T21:52:00.004-05:00

After an unsuccessful stint in the Sprint Cup Series, Dario Franchitti rose from the ashes and captured his first win with Target-Chip Ganassi Racing Sunday afternoon in Long Beach, California. Sunday's win was Franchitti's first since leaving for NASCAR and the first road/street course win of his career

Riding the momentum of his 2007 Championship season, Franchitti left for the bright lights and big bucks of NASCAR in '08 hoping to find success where other open-wheelers had not. However, a lack of sponsorship, the team's failure to make races, multiple DNF's, and his inconsistency to adapt to the heavier stock cars forced Ganassi-Sabates Racing to shut the 40 car down.

Franchitti resurfaced during the 2009 24-Hours of Daytona in which he and TCGR teammates captured the overall win for car owner Chip Ganassi. Sporting a new hair style and the famous Target colors, Franchitti came out of the gate strong and is currently the point-leader by 15 points over Will Power.

With the win on Sunday Franchitti was able to deliver a birthday gift to his wife/actress Ashley Judd and also win a friendly bet with fellow competitor Tony Kanaan. Kanaan now has to grow his hair out until he wins again. If and when Kanaan finds Victory Lane Franchitti will then have to cut his hair off thus ending the bet.

Will Power finished 2nd followed by Tony Kanaan, Danica Patrick and Dan Wheldon. Next up for the IRL is Kansas Speedway for the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300.

NASCAR Bailout Plan

2009-04-14T11:08:00.009-05:00

Let's not kid ourselves anymore, NASCAR is struggling. Yes, people still come to races and people still buy souvenirs, but the excitement and popularity that NASCAR carried into the 2001 season has dwindled away. The fire has slowly burned out and the time has come for a drastic change.

I hate to steal the theme of the last presidential election and apply it to the Sprint Cup Series, but change is needed to overhaul and re-energize a sport once thought had the capability to compete year in and year out with the traditional "stick and ball" sports.

It's time we roll up our sleeves and help rebuild a sport that's struggling and in need of a competition bailout.

Regional Racing-Economically this makes a lot of sense. Instead of starting the year in Daytona and then turning around and traveling out to Las Vegas and California lets work on keeping the races in a regional setting as the year progresses. For example, after Daytona the series could then head to Homestead. After Homestead the series could make an east coast swing through Charlotte, Bristol, Richmond and Martinsville. After the east coast swing head down to Atlanta and then on to Talladega and once the southeastern swing is complete head over to the mid-west and then out west. This would save teams money and could help free up finances to do more testing, put better equipment under a driver, and even pay crews competitive salaries to keep talent around or bring better talent in.

Shorter races-With TV ratings down and attendance dropping, NASCAR needs to look at shortening races to keep fans interested in each race. Spending 4 hours watching a race unfold is not very appealing. As fans we all hope for that exciting ten-lap dash for the cash or an intense green, white, checker finish that has everyone buzzing the next day. Sadly, the first 2-3 hours of a race have become so uneventful that people turn the race off and ultimately miss the finish. Shortening a race to 300 miles or 300 laps instead of 500 would be just long enough to keep the intensity up on the track and the fans in the seats from green to checkers.

Halftime-Each major sport has a built in rest period that allows teams a chance to adjust for the final part of the game. This is something NASCAR might want to take a good, long look at. How many times have you watched a race and your favorite driver spends 100-150 laps struggling through minor changes hoping the car will come to life? With a halftime break of 10 to 15 minutes, teams can look at notes, chat with teammates and then make the necessary changes to the set-up to make the car competitive for when it counts. Having 15-20 cars fighting it out for the win sounds more appealing than 3-5.

Double flag restarts/Caution laps don't count-The IROC, Bud Shootout and All-Star Race promoters have it figured out. Instead of lining up lead-lap cars on the outside with lap cars on the inside, essentially in the way, NASCAR needs to let guys line up double-file according to position. With the Lucky Dog in play lap cars now would have a chance to race each other without the risk of taking out the leaders.

Another way NASCAR could tweak the yellow flag period would be not counting caution laps. Using laps during a caution period goes back decades, but now days it's taking way too long to clean up wrecks and blown motors and it's not fair to the fans who pay to see a full race at the track. Those fans, more so than those at home, travel to the track and drop hard earned money at the track and they deserve to see a full race start to finish. They don't deserve to see cars ride around for 5-8 laps while the safety crews clean up and load up wrecked race cars.

Bring back IROC-This option is obviously the most difficult part of the NASCAR Bailout Plan, but it would certainly be the most fun if pulled off. Bringing the best race car drivers in North America together for essentially a continental all-star race could really boost Saturday ticket sales for both NASCAR and IRL racetrack promoters. Who wouldn't want to see Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Scott Dixon, Dan Wheldon, Ryan Briscoe, Jeff Gordon, Scott Pruett and the like in equally prepared cars at different types of tracks racing to see who's the best of the best. When I was a kid there was nothing better than an IROC race at Talladega. Dale Earnhardt going up against Davey Allison and Emerson Fittipaldi and Steve Kinser was worth the price of admission. There's just something about the best of the best flexing their muscles and showing what they got without any points on the line. Those were the good ol days.

Can't Talk Can't Race

2009-04-11T22:44:00.003-05:00

Friday afternoon I decided to take a trip over to NASCAR.com for a glance at the entry list for Saturday's Nationwide race in Nashville. One entry really rubbed me the wrong way. The KHI #33 entry listed Kelly Bires as the driver. Now, why is this a big deal? Well the answer is simple; its become apparent that its not longer about how well you can drive it's about what sponsors think about you.

Before I go on any further let me first say that this has nothing to do with Kelly Bires or his ability to drive a race car. The young man is a talented driver and was simply asked to get behind the wheel. One would be a fool not to jump at the chance to seize such an opportunity. This, however, has more to do with the current state of the sport and how some one's ability to drive has been replaced with his/her ability to say the sponsor's name, conduct a pit-road interview, and hold a product in a cardboard cut-out.

Last year Cale Gale split time with Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman in KHI Chevys. Gale only made a handful of starts in both the Truck Series and Nationwide Series, but he made the most of those starts capturing a pole, one top-five and four top-tens. Gale was described by most in the KHI camp as the "future of Kevin Harvick, Inc." All indications had Gale splitting time with Harvick and company in '09 and then going full time in '10; but it was the comment Delana Harvick made to Matt Yocum prior to the '08 Bristol fall race that spoke volumes for Gale's future in the sport.

Delana Harvick stated that she and Kevin loved Cale and his potential, they loved what he brought to the organization and loved his work ethic and talent, but they were having trouble selling him to sponsors. In a 30-45 second stretch Cale Gale's future in the sport went from promising to questionable. No longer was it about what he could do on the track in front of the fans it was about what he could do in the board room in front of sponsors.

This isn't a new trend in the sport. This has been going on for years. The current economic structure of the country is forcing car owners to go after guys who appeal to sponsors or can bring their own sponsorship package to the table. Quality starts have been replaced by "start and parks" and purchasing of owner points from the previous year. Circumstances like these leave guys like Cale Gale, Stephen Leicht, Danny O'Quinn and Chad McCumbee relegated to part-time or low-budget rides barely making it in the sport.

The end result is a downward spiral that the sport can't seen to overcome. Races are not very exciting, attendance is down and not many people are watching the races on TV either. NASCAR has lost touch with its core values, its roots and with its fans. Its reasons like this that NASCAR is dying a slow death.

Parking Aric Almirola could park Earnhardt-Ganassi for good

2009-04-09T23:59:00.005-05:00

Word came this week that Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing would be shutting down the 8 car driven by Aric Almirola. The decision came on the basis of low funding due to a lack of sponsorship. With the history of DEI and the historical significance of the number 8 that alone makes this a bigger story than just the parking of a number made famous by Ralph Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt,Jr. This apparently is shaping up to be quite a bombshell in the sport.

Race City, USA is all abuzz with details surrounding the 8 car officially shutting down. Most of the rumors center around the fact that it could ultimately void Martin Truex's current contract. You see back in 2007 Max Siegel and DEI put together a new contract for Truex after word had gotten out that Dale Jr was leaving DEI. One of the clauses in the contract states that Truex should have no less than two full-time teammates during the course of the year. If such a situation were to occur it would void Truex's contract thus allowing him to vacate the Bass Pro Shops Chevy he currently drives.

This is significant in that if Truex decides to enforce the clause it could shut down EGR for good. One rumor that won't go away has Truex leaving for the 20 car to replace Joey Logano. With Logano struggling to get a handle on the COT car Joe Gibbs Racing has entertained the idea of adding a fourth team to help Logano slowly transition into full-time Cup Racing.

Another rumor out there has Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats leaving the 1 car to pick up the sponsorship slack for the 39 car driven by Ryan Newman. Tony Stewart and Bass Pro Shops already have a working relationship going back to his time at JGR and his days as a USAC and World of Outlaws car owner.

Whatever is or is not the truth we already know that the first domino has fallen. It will be interesting to see how this plays out by next week's race at Phoenix. If Truex decides to pull the trigger it could be the beginning of something big but more importantly the end of something great.

Hey! Looky there! Danica is mad at another Driver

2009-04-06T23:54:00.002-05:00

When is Danica Patrick going to look at Anna Kournikova and say, "Hey, you may be on to something there" and give up racing for modeling or acting. Don't get me wrong I like Danica and I respect what she has done with her career but it seems once or twice a year she gets wrecked and its always someone Else's fault.

Take for instance DP's quick exit from IRL season opener in St Petersburg. She was in 9th when she and Raphael Matos got tangled and went crashing into the tire barrier. Of course it was Matos' fault as “It’s not exactly the ideal spot to pass,” she said. Both were going for the same spot in one of the tightest corners on the track when they crashed out.

As both were walking away from their battered cars the two eventually stopped to wait for the safety crew and Patrick could be seen tapping Matos on the helmet. It was assumed she was telling him to use his head.

Now this isn't the first time DP has had a complaint with another drive. Last year at the Indy 500 she was stopped by pit road security after she attempted to confront a driver who had run her the wrong way. And who could forget her attempt to get in Dan Wheldon's face after an IRL race two years ago.

The girl has spunk but it really stops there. She should stick to her real talent and that is modeling. One day she is going to tick off the wrong driver and try the macho stunt one time too many and get embarrassed.

NASCAR Fans sent for a ride

2009-04-01T20:43:00.002-05:00

I'm sure by now you've heard the Car and Driver hoax about President Obama forcing GM and Chrysler to pull out of NASCAR by the start of the 2010 season. If not you've been under a pretty big rock.

As the story went NASCAR was told that GM and Chrysler was being forced to leave the sport due to their recent economical downfall. This supposedly left NASCAR scrambling and potential suitors to replace GM and Chrysler were none other than Hyundai and Audi. The story broke early this morning and by lunch time the Internet was abuzz about the story and race fans were not happy.

Obviously it wasn't true but the damage had already been done. The best part about the story is that the first line even mentioned that it was an April Fool's story. Guess you have to give Car and Driver credit. Considering it was April Fool's Day they were still able to pull one over on the unsuspecting and ultimately piss off and upset the NASCAR world for a good 3 or 4 hours Wednesday Morning.

In all reality its probably best that it wasn't true. I fear that such a situation could send the world of racing into an uncontrollable spin.

And so we race on!!