Happy Tuesday. Today In Nascar History Nov. 17, 1964: Fireball Roberts wins a 139-lap race on the 3-mile road course of August (Ga.) International Raceway for his 33rd and final Cup victory. The time of the race is nearly five hours, and Roberts takes the checkered flag one lap and 28 seconds ahead of Bob MacDonald. Quote of the Year There's an unwritten rule in NASCAR: Thou shalt not take on Dale Earnhardt Jr. --Terry Blount/espn Vote for your driver! www.chexmostpopular Comments from the Peanut Gallery From Chip Dear NASCAR Momma: It appears now that there are only two left in the chase for the championship. It is really hard to watch this because of mixed feelings. On one hand I would like to see Jimmy Johnson win his fourth consecutive title and on the other hand, as many others have stated, there is no one is NASCAR who deserves a title any more than Mark Martin. Many may not agree with the first part of that statement but it would be much harder to argue against the second part. Mark Martin has the respect many if not all of NASCAR. Is he the nice guy who is destined to be the brides maid and never the bride? I hope not but also do not harbor any ill will to Jimmy Johnson. Therein lays the dilemma. I saw a poll in today's newsletter that stated so many would probably not watch the Homestead race because of the points as they are now. I think that is a shame but I can understand that many who are no fan of any of the Hendrick drivers feel at this time. I do not know what happened at Roush this year or many of the other teams who have at one time or another run so much better than they did this year. Many say that it is the car and with the announcement that there will be no changes in the car it could be a very boring year for everyone other than Hendrick next year. Just a fan observation on my part. If that's parity, then please give some to Dale Jr. Chip Bits and Pieces Sterling Marlin....retiring?: Sterling Marlin plans to enter Sunday's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway [Marlin is not on the entry list, but the #70 Chevy driver is listed as TBA-to be announced, so maybe.....] then, after over 30 years of life in the fast lane, will "probably" hang up his helmet. "Will I miss it? Yeah, in some ways," said Marlin, 52, who raced his way out of the Carter's Creek tobacco fields and into international fame with back-to-back Daytona 500 victories in '94 and '95. "But in some ways I'll kinda be glad when it's over. The sport has changed. It's not much fun anymore."(Racin' Today) Full story below. Goodyear to test bigger tire: Goodyear will again test the taller, wider tire again with Roush Racing at Phoenix International Raceway on Dec. 8 and 9.(FoxSports) New Ford engine to run at Homestead: Ford will run its new FR9 engine next week at Homestead, said Doug Hervey, who oversees Ford's North American racing operations. The plan is for #6-David Ragan to run the car at Homestead, Hervey said. It will be the second race for the engine. The restrictor-plate version was run at Talladega with Ragan and #17-Matt Kenseth. This will be the first time the unrestricted version has run in competition. RCR cars to support "call 811": Richard Childress is a strong advocate for safety and protecting the community and environment. All four Richard Childress Racing (RCR) teams are supporting the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) and its "Call 811" initiative this week in Homestead to help educate fans about the importance of calling 811 before doing any digging or excavation activity. A quick and easy call to 811 helps to protect people from unintentionally hitting underground pipelines, infrastructure and utility lines, which can put the community and environment at risk. As part of the race teams' support, the #29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy will feature a logo on the deck lid that will read, "811 Know what's below. Call before you dig." In addition to support from RCR and Shell, CGA is also working with driver Joey Logano to help communicate the "Call 811" message at an appearance during race weekend.(RCR) Robby thanks Jim Beam, Crafton to help out: The Phoenix Sprint Cup race was the final appearance of Jim Beam on the hood of Robby Gordon's #7 Toyota and the end of a five-year partnership between the two companies. "Jim Beam has been a great partner to the Robby Gordon Motorsports organization since its formation back in 2005," said Gordon. "I really hoped that we would be able to bring home a stronger finish than 22nd for their last race to show our appreciation for everything they have done." Prior to racing in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Robby Gordon will travel to the Baja Peninsula to race the #77 Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Trophy Truck in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, November 19-22. The Baja 1000 marks the fifth and final competition in the 2009 Tecate SCORE International Off-Road Championship, which Gordon is currently leading for both the Trophy Truck division and the Overall SCORE Desert Series. While Gordon works to clinch the SCORE Championship, the Robby Gordon Motorsports team will work to prepare and perfect their Toyota Camry with the help of Matt Crafton. Crafton is set to practice and qualify the #7 MAPEI / Menards Toyota, turning the wheel back over to Gordon for the 400-mile race on Sunday afternoon.(RGM) Overnight Phoenix TV ratings down: ABC's broadcast of Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500(k) Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway earned a 2.9 overnight rating with a 6 share. That is down from last season Nov. 9th race at Phoenix, a 3.4 ratings with a 6 share. The final rating in 2008 for Phoenix was a 3.6/7 before the race was moved over to ESPN2 for the final 34 minutes when it ran long due to two red flags. Keselowski may have rough road ahead THATSRACIN.COM OPINION By Jenna Fryer - Associated Press AVONDALE, Ariz. - Brad Keselowski's crew chief was headed to the pre-race driver meeting when Juan Pablo Montoya cut him off at the door. "The next two weeks, you better bring your worst cars," Montoya told Roy McCauley. "Why's that?" McCauley asked. "Because they are going to get wrecked," Montoya warned. "Somebody is going to wreck him, if Denny Hamlin doesn't do it first." The banter was friendly, and Montoya smiled as he delivered the message. But he certainly wasn't joking. NASCAR's newest hotshot driver is quickly racking up a long list of enemies who are looking to make his transition to the big leagues a rough one. First up is Hamlin, who is openly feuding with Keselowski over a series of at least five Nationwide Series incidents dating to last season. What's not in dispute is that the two have rubbed fenders, pushed each other around on the track and maybe changed lanes once or twice without using their signals. Each time, though, Hamlin made his point with finesse and Keselowski moved on unscathed. Not so for Hamlin, who has five wrecked cars to show for the times Keselowski has pushed back. Hamlin, now at his boiling point, is done being subtle. A late-race exchange at Phoenix International Raceway started with a bump from Hamlin, but ended with two shoves by Keselowski that sent him into the wall. Hamlin later promised to exact his revenge in Saturday's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "There's a lot of guys that owe him," he said. "There's a lot of guys that have a lot of chips that they're going to cash in. I'm just going to be the first to the pay window." Revealing his intent may not have been the smartest move by Hamlin. He now has a worried team wondering if they are spending good money on a big-name driver who has already earmarked the car for the scrap heap. Aware of the growing list of disgruntled drivers, top NASCAR officials called Keselowski in for a little chat about aggressive driving before Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race. Even chairman Brian France popped his head in for this talk, and when the 25-year-old Keselowski emerged, it wasn't clear if he'd heard the entire message. Sure, they talked about the need to choose your enemies carefully as Keselowski prepares for his full-time Cup ride next season with Penske Racing. But Keselowski will have to show if the recommendations sunk in about his hard-charging style. "I've dug and clawed for everything I've got, and the only way to do that is by being aggressive," he said. "That's not to say I need to be aggressive every race. There's races where you need to play it cool and be smart." There really is no reason for Keselowski to change his style. It's exciting and created controversy. He's won six Nationwide races and landed a Cup ride with Roger Penske. He's been defended by current Nationwide Series team owners Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Both insist that as long as he's in control of his car and not intentionally causing accidents, anything goes. Others aren't so sure. His only Cup victory came in a last-lap crash at Talladega in April, when he hooked the rear of Carl Edwards' car to start an accident that sent Edwards sailing into the safety fence. That brought attention and new opportunities for Keselowski, but also may have created a monster. Keselowski apparently alienated most of the principal players at Hendrick Motorsports two months after that Talladega win, when he tried to explain the best strategy to win at Daytona International Speedway. Last check showed the current Hendrick drivers have a combined 187 Cup victories, and probably don't need much advice from a one-time winner. Still, the groundswell of drivers turning against him stayed fairly quiet until his feud with Hamlin hit high gear in September. They played bumper-cars at Dover, and Hamlin ended up in the wall. They raced hard at California, and Hamlin ended up in the wall. Then came Phoenix, where NASCAR officials clearly believed Keselowski's second hit on Hamlin was intended to wreck him. After the first two incidents, Earnhardt defended his driver and wondered if Keselowski maybe wasn't inside Hamlin's head. But he also said Keselowski had no plans to back down to Hamlin, or anyone else. "I think people underestimate Brad and how strong he is because I certainly did," Earnhardt said in October. "I'll be honest, I underestimated how mentally tough he is." Hamlin might view it as stubbornness or arrogance, and is convinced Keselowski has some hard lessons ahead. "I'm racing for a Chase and he's racing to make sure he stays in the seat," Hamlin said. "I'm just going to do my job, and if the opportunity arises, I'm going to handle the situation, the way I should. The way anybody else would." Hamlin versus Keselowski: Let 'em race David Newton/espn. AVONDALE, Ariz. -- I digress to the debacle at Talladega Superspeedway and a comment made by Denny Hamlin after NASCAR president Mike Helton told drivers to curb their enthusiasm with bump-drafting. "Let us race," the driver of the No. 11 said. "They gave us the car to race. Now let the drivers handle it." I refer to that comment because the same thing needs to be said in the Brad Keselowski-Hamlin feud. Let 'em race. Let them handle it. That's not going to happen. NASCAR officials, including chairman Brian France, met with Keselowski before Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway to talk about his aggressive driving that is ticking off fellow drivers. They believe it is in the best interest of the driver and the sport to guide the rookie driver, to teach him ways to compete without making others so mad that they want to retaliate, as Hamlin promised after Saturday's Nationwide Series race. But that's the main problem with the sport today: It's too sanitized. In case you missed it, Keselowski caused Hamlin to spin out, igniting a war of words from Hamlin about his getting even. It was a continuation of the feud that began in May 2008 and escalated a few months ago at Dover when Keselowski wrecked Hamlin late. With apologies to Ron Hornaday Jr. for wrapping up a fourth Truck series title Friday night, it was the most excitement of the weekend. And there's nothing wrong with that. As I sarcastically Twittered on Saturday, where do you think NASCAR would be today had Cale Yarborough and the Allison brothers, Bobby and Donnie, gotten out of their cars at Daytona in 1979 and tweeted each other instead of exchanging fisticuffs? NASCAR officials have used that clip to promote the sport for as long as I can remember. They do it because they know fans like the drama, the feuding and fighting almost as much as they do the racing. Some like it more. We as sports writers certainly appreciate it. What is happening between Keselowski and Hamlin is good for the sport. If they get into each other on the track, penalize them, slap them on the wrist and say they are bad boys. But let them be bad boys. We had a bad boy in Kyle Busch until he became sanitized. Drivers once complained about him the way they complain about Keselowski now. You don't hear that anymore. You may not hear much more from Keselowski and Hamlin after Sunday's meeting, although there was a certain confidence -- or maybe arrogance -- in Keselowski's voice that makes me believe he won't back off too much. I hope not. Let 'em race. Let them handle it. Sterling Marlin Says It Is 'Probably" All Over Larry Woody | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com The last of the Good Ol' Boys is preparing to ride off into the sunset. Sterling Marlin plans to enter Sunday's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway then, after over 30 years of life in the fast lane, will "probably" hang up his helmet. "Will I miss it? Yeah, in some ways," said Marlin, 52, who raced his way out of the Carter's Creek tobacco fields and into international fame with back-to-back Daytona 500 victories in '94 and '95. "But in some ways I'll kinda be glad when it's over. The sport has changed. It's not much fun anymore." One of the biggest changes is the steady decline of Southern drivers. They once dominated stock car racing; now they're a vanishing species. Sterling attended his first race when he was two weeks old. His mom, Eula Faye, held him in her arms while his dad, Coo Coo banged his way around Nashville's Fairgrounds Speedway. The roar of racing engines was his lullaby. By his early teens Sterling was behind the wheel, following in the tire tracks of his dad and Uncle Jack. He won everything there was to win in Nashville. At 18 he made his debut in the big-league Winston Cup Series. He hasn't slowed down since. Until now. Sterling has spent the last few years struggling with second-tier rides – the kind he was forced to accept throughout the first 17 years of his career. When he finally got a good car he broke it in by winning the Daytona 500. Now he's back where he started, trying to make a slow car to go fast and keep up with the superstars that his daddy called "hot dogs." When Sterling was starting out I wrote a story titled "The Prince and the Pauper." I compared self-reliant Sterling to fellow racing teen Kyle Petty whose famous father had given him the world. Sterling's mom didn't like the story. "We're not paupers!" Eula Faye declared. "We may not be the Petty's, but we're not paupers." I explained that I meant "racing paupers" but I don't think Eula Faye bought it. (Her "pauper" son would go on to win over $40 million in NASCAR gold.) Those were heady days, fun days, watching colorful Coo Coo in his prime and following the rapid rise of his talented son. Seems just yesterday Sterling was a tow-headed kid tagging around the track after his dad and dreaming big dreams. Today he's a grandfather preparing to ride off into down the trail. Sterling spends most of his time tending the Maury County farm he yearned to escape as a youngster. The one-time terror of Daytona now drives a tractor. But he's been to the top, basked in the bright lights, and if it's over, it's over. No complaints, no regrets. Sterling has lived his dream. Fans are mad at the wrong guy by Darrell Waltrip/foxsports. You know after Peyton Manning threw that interception late in the game Sunday night, I turned the TV off because I said it was over and the Patriots won. Well I woke up Monday only to learn that the Colts came back and won 35-34. Just like Peyton shook off the interception and helped lead his team to victory, Jimmie Johnson shook off the wreck at Texas two weeks ago and came back to win at Phoenix. He didn't just win, he put an absolute spanking on the field. The No. 48 team unloaded fast at Phoenix. They qualified third and then the race was all Jimmie all the time. There are folks out there complaining that Johnson is stinking up the show. Some call him bland and boring or try to blame him for all that is wrong with NASCAR right now. It also seemed last week after Texas that everyone was thinking the pressure had finally gotten to the No. 48 team and that they were cracking underneath all of it. Guess what? They aren't. Team 48 came back at Phoenix and sent a very clear message that Texas was simply a very small bump in the road to championship number four. But you shouldn't be mad at Jimmie Johnson because he is better than everyone else. Don't be mad at Chad Knaus because he is smarter than everyone else or at the team because they are better than everyone else. So who should you be mad at? The answer is pretty simple. You should be mad at your driver and team. Do you know why? They still haven't figured out a way to beat that No. 48 car. When you have a dominant team, well it is the benchmark. It's what everybody shoots at. Until you can get there, well simply expect the No. 48 team to kick your butt. Simply put, no one, and I mean no one, has been able to accomplish what that No. 48 team has been able to do. You may not like it. Again, maybe you think Johnson is bland and boring but perfection sometimes is boring. It's boring because you can't find anything wrong with it. That No. 48 team has been on a roll for a long time now. It's not like they are lucky. If you are lucky, you might win a championship. These guys have won three in a row and are going to set a NASCAR record by winning four in a row Sunday at Homestead-Miami. These guys aren't just lucky or good. These guys are great. They work extremely hard and are extremely focused. Do you know how easy it would have been after the Lap 3 wreck at Texas to simply load it on the hauler and head back to North Carolina? Folks that car was totaled, but they didn't care. They all came together and thrashed on that car and one hour later they rolled back out onto the track. It wouldn't have mattered if they didn't pick up any spots or gain any points because it was the effort that counted. You win championships by never saying never. Texas showed the heart and character of that team. It also sent a very loud statement that if you want the championship, well, by golly, you are going to have to go through the No. 48 to get it because they aren't going to roll over simply because of adversity. All weekend long it seemed as if every sports program you turned on was showing the wreck at Texas about once an hour. The folks on TV were making so much noise about the fact Jimmie lost 111 points. What everyone seems to forget is that Jimmie had a 184-point lead. Yes he lost 111 points, but he still rolled into Phoenix with a 73-point lead. I mentioned this last week, but folks, 73 points is still the second largest lead in Chase history going into the last two races. Did folks really expect lightning to strike twice? Did they really expect Jimmie to stumble at Phoenix? Not this time. It just wasn't meant to be. That driver is too focused. That crew chief is too smart. That team is at the top of its game right now and won't let anything like that happen. Like I said, if you want to be mad, be mad at someone other than Jimmie Johnson. If you want to be jealous, well I can understand that. If you want to be envious, well I can understand that too. Don't be mad at Jimmie. Give him the credit that he is due. He and Chad are like Batman and Robin. Chad knows how to run the team and Jimmie obviously knows how to run that car. Any given Sunday they can simply whoop your butt. I am going to keep saying this, but nothing is going to change until something changes. Either the schedule has to change, or the point system has to change or the No. 48 will have to implode but if they stay joined at the hip as they are right now, well it's clear that everyone else is racing for second place. Oh by the way I loved what Carl Edwards did Saturday after winning the Nationwide Series race. Although he has recovered from his broken foot, he can't be hopping off the side of the car like he used to. But he still did a variation of a backflip after his win. What people may not have realized was he laid down on his back and he flipped over. Yes, a real back flip. Let's face it, what he has been doing is a somersault. Now this is the same guy that almost went into the grandstands at Talladega yet he gets out of his car and runs across the finish line like Ricky Bobby. What he did Saturday showed me he gave it a lot of thought. I had a big belly laugh when I saw what he did on Saturday ... ... but then I had a big belly ache when I saw what he did on Sunday. Oh by the way II I want to make something perfectly clear. What I wrote about Danica last week was purely meant to point out the obstacles she is facing should she decide to give NASCAR a try. Let me also make it perfectly clear that if she should come to NASCAR, I Darrell Waltrip will wish her well. I would also like to make it perfectly clear that I, Darrell Waltrip, do not think it is a good idea. I just don't believe she can handle our kind of racing. There is too much to learn in a short period of time. She is too big of a star to gamble on something like coming to NASCAR and tarnishing her reputation. I am thinking right about now that she is having second thoughts about the very same thing. Hendrick Motorsports owns NASCAR… except for that Junior guy Greg Engle/nascarexamine Barring any Earth-shattering events, Jimmie Johnson will win his fourth championship next Sunday at Homestead, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin will finish the season in second while Jeff Gordon has a pretty good shot at third. Confessions of a NASCAR fan Carolyn Brewster/scenedaily I want the nail-biting drama I know Jimmie Johnson fans are giddy with the anticipation of four back-to-back championships. Yawn! Don't get me wrong. I think Chad Knaus, Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports crew chief, is absolutely brilliant and deserving of all the success he has earned, but again, yawn. Last week's setback for the team at Texas Motor Speedway, although painful for them, was absolutely thrilling for me. I want the championship to be determined by some sort of nail-biting drama in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway instead of a foregone conclusion. Competition, people, competition. As a fan, I'm realistic that JJ will more than likely do it again. But with the door slightly cracked, I'd love nothing more than for Mark Martin to walk through it. Give me a reason to want to watch the last few races, an out-and-out brawl for the title. NASCAR watching, but not policing, Hamlin-BK feud By Joe Menzer, NASCAR.COM AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Despite a continuing and open display of dislike for each other that now and again seems to include knocking into each other with their race cars, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski's budding rivalry is being embraced by NASCAR and not discouraged. Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR, said officials from the governing body had spoken with both drivers separately following the latest incident involving them during Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. Neither was penalized or punished in any way, and Pemberton said he considers their latest brush with each other concluded. "We talked to Denny and Brad separately. We talked to each of them [Saturday] and again [before Sunday's race]," Pemberton said. "It was nothing major. It was just to remind everybody of the bigger picture. "It really was not to tell them not to race hard at all. They need to keep racing as hard as they want to. That's what people come to see. So we didn't tell them not to race hard." Joe Balash, Nationwide Series director, added: "I think we've really finished all the events from [Saturday]. There were no penalties from anything that happened out on the race track and no calls from the [control] tower and we're moving on to our next race." Pemberton added that such rivalries as the one blossoming between Hamlin and Keselowski are good for the sport. "They are rivalries, and you'd like to let things take care of themselves and have the guys work it out, on and off the track," Pemberton said. "They owe that, because many of these guys are going to be racing each other for years to come -- decades, potentially. When you're in close quarters like that, not everyone agrees on what real estate they have to own -- and you'll see that from time to time. "I see out there in some of these younger guys the potential for these rivalries to be in the style of Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt, or in the David Pearson-Richard Petty style," Pemberton said. "We've got a lot of young, talented guys out there who are really standing on the gas and picking up their game -- and they've very, very competitive. I think that helps add to the competition at the race track every weekend. Pemberton added that NASCAR perceived nothing wrong with Hamlin's "colorful" comments after Saturday's race, when he basically threatened retaliation for what he thought had happened. "Everybody should enjoy [the comments]," Pemberton said. "And everybody should remember we're the sport where you can go stick a microphone in someone's face 15 minutes after something either really good happens, or something really bad happens. They're still pumped up, their adrenaline is still flowing -- and we get the natural thing when those things happen. That's not bad. Guys have personalities and it's OK to share that." Keselowski and Hamlin had plenty to say about each other after Saturday's race. Hamlin, in particular, was hot over the Lap 157 incident that started with Hamlin bumping Keselowski and ducking beneath him. Keselowski retaliated in the corner and turned Hamlin's No. 20 Toyota. Hamlin kept the car off the wall but had to pit and restarted at the back of the field on Lap 164, leading to a 12th-place finish after he had been running up front most of the afternoon. "On the last restart there, Denny got into the back of me and pushed me up the track," said Keselowski, who went on to finish fifth. "I was going to return the favor. When he did it to me, I saved it. When I did it to him, he didn't save it. We just got into a pushing match. I don't really don't hold any grudges. I don't know why he wanted to do that. But whatever, that's just how racing is, I guess. "To me, I was over it. I'm focused on running the No. 88 JR Motorsports car and trying to run up front, chase down Carl [Edwards in the Nationwide standings] and finish second in points. I haven't put a lot of thought into [the rivalry], but apparently he has." Hamlin implied that he looked forward to having a shot at revenge in next Saturday's race, the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "I can sit here and bash him for the next 20 seconds or so and give you all a bunch of sound bites, but I'm just happy that I signed up for next week's Nationwide race," Hamlin said. "And you know in turn, there are a lot of guys that owe him. There are a lot of guys that have a lot of chips that they're going to cash in; I'm just going to be the first to the pay window.'' Behind closed doors: Tony Stewart's kinder, gentler side by Kimberley Powell/speedwaymedi Tony Stewart isn't your typical self-absorbed athlete. While his competitors are kicking back at home, Tony is busy shining light on children with terminal illnesses and animals in need of rescuing. To truly appreciate Tony Stewart you must understand that he is strong-minded, intense and highly competitive—but not by money. Born with a heart of gold, Tony Stewart continues to prove why he is one of the most charitable drivers in NASCAR and one of the greatest givers among professional athletes. In fact, Tony was listed among the top-30 celebrity donors by the Giving Back Fund of 2006. Acts of Generosity Established in August of 2003, the Tony Stewart Foundation was created to raise funds for groups caring for chronically ill children as well as drivers injured in motorsports activities. In addition, the foundation assists charitable organizations in the protection of various animal species. Charities actively supported by the Foundation include the Ronald McDonald House, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Indiana Special Olympics, Grey rescue (Greyhound Rescue Organization) The Indiana native also builds playgrounds for his sponsor Home Depot, has auctioned off his own items for charity — driver suits, helmets, championship rings, — and has even dispatched his private plane to fly sick race fans across the country. When a little girl, a fan, stricken with cancer was ignored by most drivers, Tony spent half the day with her. Acts of kindness like this abound. 'Smoke' has been a major contributor to the Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp since its inception. In fact, Stewart is the largest individual fundraiser for the camp and is even one of the founding members. On three separate occasions, The Tony Stewart Foundation has written checks for $1 million to the camp. Tony's top fundraiser is the Prelude to the Dream where he brings a number of Sprint Cup drivers to Eldora Speedway for an exhibition race. Proceeds from the event go to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. As it turns out, it's not the number of checks that Tony writes or the children he helps that grabs headlines. His occasionally tempestuous nature, his determination and his sharp tongue is what the two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion has become known for. Tony Stewart may speak his mind about racing-related topics but, at the same time, doesn't talk about the good deeds that he did all week before the race. Although it may seem as though Tony's at his best when he's courting controversy, there is a side of Tony Stewart that fans often don't get to see. Guys like Tony don't come along every day. The Yellow Stripe Danny Peters · Frontstretch. Is Jeff Gordon's Drive For Five Permanently Stalled? The whimsical 1986 movie "Short Circuit," starring those giants of the big screen, Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg, is a story about the mad cap adventures of an artificially intelligent robot named "Number Five." The premise of the tale sees the U.S. Military designed and owned robot brought to "life" by a freak power surge. It's a heartwarming, if somewhat flippant tale, and those fans of the movie will certainly remember the robot at one point screaming to Ally Sheedy's character that "Number Five is Alive!" Relating this back to NASCAR and yeah, I bet you were wondering if I was actually going to get there, in the case of one Jeffrey Michael Gordon from Vallejo, CA, number five is not very much alive. Instead, if you'll forgive the crass reference, Gordon's "Drive for Five" has very much "short-circuited" all over again. Barring an alien abduction of the entire No. 48 team, the minute Jimmie J starts his engine at Homestead-Miami, Gordon's quest for a fifth Championship will be officially over for 2009 — the eighth straight year the sport's biggest trophy has been giftwrapped for someone else instead. Now, at 38 years old, time is quickly running out for a man who's well into the second half of his driving career. Suddenly, the question becomes whether can Gordon crest the hump and finally put a Sprint Cup trophy on his already burgeoning mantelpiece to go along with those four he won during the Winston era. The answer, folks, appears to be "probably not." Before we get to the reasons why, let's take a quick glance at Gordon's incredible and impeccable credentials. For starters, he's a four-time Cup Champion. Only the two first ballot Hall of Famers, King Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. have won more titles with seven apiece. He sits sixth on the all-time wins list with 82 — one behind Cale Yarborough and two behind Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison — so by the time he hangs up his driving gloves, he should be in third place behind only David Pearson (105 wins) and Richard Petty (200 wins). He's won, just for the record, a staggering 14.1% of the races he's entered (580) and of active drivers only (surprise, surprise) Jimmie J ranks above him at a 16.2% clip. Gordon also sits fourth on the all-time poles list — one behind Cale, again – and has an average finish of 12.3. He's led 20,738 laps, won three Daytona 500's (1997, 1999, 2005) four Brickyard 400's (1994, 1998, 2001, 2004), including the inaugural event, and three All-Star challenges (1995, 1997, 2001). Add to this list a record nine road course victories, a restrictor-plate best 12 victories, six wins at the revered Darlington, and you've got one heck of a career resume to flaunt. Oh, and did I mention he's married to the smoking hot Ingrid? OK, that's not strictly relevant… but I felt it was worth pointing out. In short, then, Jeff Gordon has done just about everything in NASCAR. If he never drove another lap in anger on the Sprint Cup circuit, he would go down as arguably one of the top 5 best drivers in the history of the sport. But the trouble is, you can't help but feel Gordon won't be truly satisfied until he gets his hands on a Sprint Cup title to go along with all the other accolades and achievements that have been the hallmark of his career. So let's start with his most obvious impediment: Jimmie Johnson. With the best will in the world, there still must be days when Gordon rues the recommendation he gave Mr. Hendrick to employ Johnson some eight years ago. If it wasn't for Johnson, he would already have had his fifth title back in 2007. After a regular season of metronomic brilliance, Gordon averaged a 5.1 finish in the Chase and had a lowest finish of 11th through ten races. But his teammate and the man he shares office space with was even better, winning four of the last five races, averaging a 5.0 finish, and running away with the title by some 77 points. In 2004, the inaugural year of the Chase, Gordon was even closer, missing out by an agonizing 16 markers over Kurt Busch when one poor finish at Atlanta really wrecked his chances. At some point, after so many near-misses, in a sport where confidence in your ability cannot be overestimated, you can start believing it's not meant to be. Just ask Mark Martin (bless him). It's not just Jimmie, however, as despite all the many and varied criticisms there are of NASCAR today, one thing is undeniable: The competition is better and harder than ever before in the sport's history. That plays a role, no question, for a man who's been there, done that for nearly 20 years in the sport. Another factor is his life circumstances, if you'll pardon the banal way of putting that. Let me be clear here, I'm not suggesting for a minute that the birth of his daughter Ella has made him a worse driver. I don't have children (yet) so I can't speak from experience here, but all my friends who do tell me the moment they had their first child their lives changed irrevocably. It's not a reason, but it's a factor. After all, who doesn't make their kids a number one priority? So again, I'm not saying Gordon's not as dedicated as he was when he had the most ridiculous piece of upper-lip facial hair in the history of mustaches, but his priorities have shifted some, and that can play into things — especially in a sport that is defined by the tenths and hundredths of a second. Keep in mind that of the 12 drivers that made the Chase this season, just three have kids. One thing that may also play into Gordon's quest is the hard crashes he's sustained. All drivers who have raced as long as he has have their wrecks to remember, but this man seems to have suffered more than most. There was the 2004 crash when he plowed nose first into Andy Hillenburg's spun out car at Darlington, after which he said "I haven't taken a hit like that, possibly ever, and certainly not a head-on shot." Then there was the hugely hard lick at Pocono in August 2006, and the equally fierce crash at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 2007 when he all but took out the flagstand. In 2008, there was the wreck at Las Vegas when he hit the inside wall with great ferocity, a move which prompted the powers-that- The Chase format probably hasn't helped this legend, either. While it's fair to say he runs better than most pretty much anywhere, if you look at his statistics in terms of average finish, only six Chase tracks make his top 20 list. Given the nature of the beast that is this format and given the strength of his teammate Johnson at said Chase venues it's not, simply put, good news. Last week, I wrote about Jimmie needing the validation of a fourth Championship. I don't feel it's quite the same for Jeff. If it happens, fantastic; but if it doesn't, then he'll retire as one of the greatest to ever strap on a pair of racing shoes. And despite what racing-reference. So the question remains, can Gordon finally win a fifth title, or will his "Drive For Five" be forever stalled at four? I wouldn't rule him out, per se. But if I was a betting man (which I'm not, really) my money would not be on Gordon collecting the trophy he's coveted for so long. He signed up at HMS on a "long-term, lifetime" contract, so there's no ticking clock as far as a ride goes, but you can't help but feel he won't be making the 36-race slog in his fifth decade like the ageless Mark Martin. Still, fifth championship or not, Gordon's legacy is rock solid secure. And for a kid who only ever wanted to race, that should be solace enough when he parks his famous No. 24 Chevy for the last time. That's All Folks Larry Woody | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com They can take down the tents, load the elephants and wipe the grease paint off the clowns' faces so they can return to their regular jobs as Washington politicians. This circus is over. As if there was really ever any doubt. Anyone who wondered how Jimmie Johnson could win a NASCAR-record fourth Cup championship should wonder no more. Not after Tornado Jimmie touched down in Phoenix last Sunday. Johnson bounced back from his previous week's wipeout at Texas by not just winning, but winning with total dominance. I believe it's called Making a Statement. Suddenly all of that excited post-Texas twittering about "a whole new Chase" is silent again. You can hear the crickets (Jiminy Crickets?) chirping. It's over. When Johnson fires up his Chevy Sunday at Homestead-Miami, third-place Jeff Gordon will be officially eliminated. That will leave second-place Mark Martin as Johnson's lone challenger, and Martin is buried 108 points back. What we've witnessed during the past nine weeks of Chase-racing has been truly amazing, and I'm not talking about Jimmie's impressive sprint. I'm talking about the disappearing act pulled by almost all of the other Chase racers. Ten weeks ago we were told that the 12 drivers who made the Chase were the cream of NASCAR, the best of the best, the dozen greatest stock car drivers the sport had to offer. If that's true – and it probably is, with a couple of exceptions – the sport's in trouble. The Dandy Dozen faded faster than cheap blue jeans. Half the field apparently didn't get the word that the Chase has started. And of the remaining half nobody except Martin and Gordon seemed to really get in the game. So now we're off to Homestead with one – count 'em, ONE – challenger. So much for parity. Parity drives No. 48. NASCAR has become HENDRICK-CAR. Hendrick Motorsports is headed for a 1-2-3 finish in the final standings with Johnson, Martin and Gordon. If Dale Earnhardt Jr. ever gets it in gear we may see 1-2-3-4 finish next year. Wonder how much longer fans will come out to watch Hendrick intramural racing? Again, that's not Johnson's fault. He can't pull over to the curb and wait for everybody else to catch up. (On second thought, he did that at Texas, and they STILL couldn't catch up.) And now he's poised to make history. Yes I realize, as the Boys in the Booth keep reminding us, that it's not over. I suppose they're technically correct. Jimmie has to find his way to Homestead this weekend, get his car started and dodge meteorites falling from space. Can he do it? Ah, the drama. Hamlin, Keselowski rivalry is at its boiling point By Chris Symeon, Motorsports Editor Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The rivalry between Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski reached its apex in last Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Phoenix, and chances are the heated feud will boil over into this weekend's season finale at Homestead. Hamlin and Keselowski's latest on-track altercation occurred on lap 158, when Keselowski spun Hamlin while the two were battling for a top-five position. After the race, Keselowski claimed that Hamlin got into the back of him and pushed him up the track the lap prior to their incident. Hamlin saw things differently and promised retaliation at Homestead. When ESPN pit reporter Dave Burns asked Hamlin if NASCAR should intervene, he replied, "Nah, nah, I'll take care of him, it's no biggie. I got him. He'll learn the hard way." Hamlin later called Keselowski a "complete moron" and said he lacks respect from fellow drivers. The following day, NASCAR officials, including chairman Brian France, had a sit-down with Keselowski prior to the Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix. NASCAR also met with Hamlin. "It went real well," Keselowski said in regards to the meeting. "That's probably the most impressed I've been with NASCAR. I honestly will say that. I'm not brainwashed in saying that either. I really respected the fact that Brian France walked in there. That meant a lot to me. It really is the first time I've ever had a conversation with him." Keselowski will run his first full-time schedule in Sprint Cup next year, driving the No.12 Dodge for Penske Racing. Since the 2008 spring Nationwide race at Charlotte, Hamlin and Keselowski have clashed numerous times, particularly in this year's fall event at Dover. Keselowski's aggressive driving style has not only ticked off Hamlin, but angered several other drivers as well. If Keselowski continues to be a nuisance on the track, he might become the next Cup driver labeled as "a dart without feathers." In 2006, Tony Stewart referred to David Ragan by the same phrase after Ragan triggered several accidents at Martinsville and generated rage from many of his competitors. Last month, Keselowski won the final Nationwide stand-alone event of the season at Memphis, but did so after causing several wrecks, including one where he spun Carl Edwards in the closing laps. Now it could be payback time for the 25-year-old Keselowski. Even though Kyle Busch will clinch the Nationwide championship by simply starting at Homestead, the next Hamlin vs. Keselowski bout will add at least some drama before the season concludes. NASCAR ON TV THIS WEEK
All times Eastern Well, that's all for today. Until the next time, I remain, Your Nascar Momma Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up there and eat that candy ass." -Dale Earnhardt - 1998 |
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