Happy Hump Day! March 17, 1957: Ralph Moody, of Holman-Moody fame, wins his fifth and final Cup race. Moody leads the final 100 laps of a 200-lap race on the half-mile dirt track of Wilson (N.C.) Speedway, winning by two laps in front of Buck Baker. Fireball Roberts, who leads the first 100 laps, finishes ninth. Picture yourself cruising in Tony's 2010 Camaro Coupe 2SS. It's a "Summit White", list price at over $35,000! Tony asked Will Castro of Unique Autosports to work his magic and add a few customizations! Buy a ticket for $50 – you'll be entered to win the Grand Prize including the Camaro, A VIP Trip to Stewart-Haas Racing and a personal meet & greet with Tony!!! 70 Early Bird prizes starting March 15th. Get 'em while you can!!!! Just go to www.smokescamaro. Bits and Pieces Hermie Sadler to Compete in Kroger 250 Truck Series Race at Martinsville By NASCAR Media Release "Getting back on the track last year was a lot of fun, and it also helped me be a better analyst on SPEED", stated Sadler. "We knocked on the door of a couple top tens last year, and I am looking forward to improving our finishes this year." Sadler's #48, owned by Andy Hillenburg, will carry the colors of the Hermie and Elliott Sadler Foundation courtesy of family friends Joe and Meagan Denette. The Sadler Foundation raises funds and awareness for autism. "Joe and Meagan have been huge supporters of our foundation, and this race will help us kick off Autism Awareness month which is April", added Sadler. Gordon and wife having a boy: from NASCAR's weekly teleconference with #24-Jeff Gordon JOSH HAMILTON: Before we get into this test, could you talk to us about the off weekend and how you spent the last week. Gibbs to be named to Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame: Joe Gibbs will be the latest motorsports icon inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. Gibbs, who owns three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (2000, '02, '05) as owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, will be honored Friday, April 16, during the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Gala held in the Speedway Club's Grand Ballroom at Texas Motor Speedway during the Samsung Mobile 500 race weekend. Along with Gibbs' induction, Texas Motor Speedway and Speedway Children's Charities-Texas Chapter will help recognize other outstanding individuals in motorsports renown Sprint Cup Series team owner and engine builder Robert Yates, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, JTG-Daugherty, Marcos Ambrose, veteran motorsports reporter John Sturbin as well as recognize the top moment from the 2009 season at "The Great American Speedway!" Gibbs will become the 12th member of the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame, joining previous inductees A.J. Foyt (2003), Johnny Rutherford (2003), Terry Labonte (2004), Lee Shepherd (2004), Kenny Bernstein (2005), Jim Hall (2005), Eddie Hill (2006), Mark Martin (2007), Jim McElreath (2007), Bobby Labonte (2008) and Bruton Smith (2008). With his induction, Gibbs becomes the first Sprint Cup Series team owner to earn a spot in the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. Gibbs has established one of the premier organizations in motorsports since opening the doors to Joe Gibbs Racing in 1992. He has won four championships in NASCAR competition (three Sprint Cup Series, one Nationwide Series), with his most recent coming last year as Busch was crowned Nationwide Series champion. Gibbs' most dominate driver at Texas Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch, will be honored as this year's Texas Motor Speedway Racer of the Year. Yates, veteran team owner of Robert Yates Racing and accomplished NASCAR engine builder, will be recognized as this year's Bruton Smith Legend Award recipient. Ambrose and Gordon will both receive the Texas Motor Speedway Sportsmanship Award. The newest award, the Excellence in Motorsports Journalism Award, will be awarded to Sturbin. He has covered motorsports for more than 35 years, most notably with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and currently for RacinToday.com. His work has been recognized by those in the industry as he received the prestigious Bloys Britt Award, as judged by The Associated Press, for a feature on Indy-car icon A.J. Foyt and his rehabilitation from devastating foot and leg injuries. Racing Electronics becomes the Official Radio Communications Supplier for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Fresh off announcing their new role as the Official Radio Communications Provider for the Indy Racing League earlier this week, Racing Electronics [long time Jayski.com sponsor] has also announced that they have entered into a multi-year agreement with Indianapolis Motor Speedway to become the Official Radio Communications Supplier of IMS, the Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400, Indianapolis GP and all other racing events held the historic Indiana racing facility. The partnership between Racing Electronics and Indianapolis Motor Speedway brings together the leader in professional racing products worldwide and the most recognizable racing facility in the world. RE's Team Services personnel will be in attendance for the most prestigious racing events in the world held annually at "The Brickyard," including the Indianapolis 500 IZOD IndyCar Series event and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Brickyard 400. RE's fan sales and rental units will also be available at the track for fans to rent or purchase communications products such as scanners, headsets and other two-way communications materials. Racing Electronics manufactures and supplies a complete line of race communication products and accessories and has been serving the professional drivers and pit crews, as well as the race fan, for more than 20 years. In addition to its worldwide headquarters and full showroom in Concord, North Carolina, In addition to being the Official Radio Communications Provider for the Indy Racing League, Racing Electronics has mobile offices at all NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series events, along with all NHRA races and short-track events throughout the United States, (Racing Electronics) Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, or wonder how often your driver was focused on, here is the breakdown for last Sunday's race. Fox was the broadcast team for this event. Stremme in the #26 at Bristol? UPDATE: NASCAR's entry list for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway lists David Stremme in the #26 for Latitude 43 Motorsports. Boris Said had driven the first four races, but has never made a start at Bristol. UPDATE: Vermont-based Latitude 43 Motorsports will see its first-ever driver change as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series hits Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. David Stremme, a veteran of 108 NSCS starts, will take over for Boris Said at the controls of the #26 Ford for Latitude 43 at the Food City 500. The Food City 500 is the fifth race of the season, and Jenkins sits 37th in owner points, just 24 points out of 35th place; after Bristol, all cars outside the top-35 will have to qualify on speed during time trials without the benefit of a provisional. South Bend, Ind., native Stremme, an accomplished short track racer, has been tabbed to drive the car at the treacherous Bristol half-mile. The change, says Jenkins, was Said's idea. "Boris came to me last week and said he thought we needed a different driver for Bristol," Jenkins told Vermont Motorsports Magazine. "Boris is as big a part of this team as anyone, and I can't thank him enough for his willingness to help the whole program. We need to put all of our chips on the table at Bristol, and we need to come out of there strong and inside the top-35. Boris thought putting Stremme in the car was the right move, and I stand behind his decision." Stremme has been idle in NASCAR's three national series since being released from Penske Racing's #12 NSCS Dodge last November. Said has a best finish of 25th in the season-opening Daytona 500. In 39 career Sprint Cup starts, Said has only raced once at a track shorter than 1.5 miles in length, at Loudon, N.H., in 2007. (Vermont Motorsports Magazine) NASCAR Turns 200 Mile Per Hour Plus Laps at Talladega By Greg Engle CupScene.com Editor, NASCAR Examiner The larger plates gave the teams more horsepower and thus more speed. How much? Reports from the first laps run on the 2.77 mile track, NASCAR's largest, had speeds on the straights-unofficia The Chevy of Jimmie Johnson recorded the fastest lap of the morning session, just over 196 mph in single car runs. In the afternoon after teams got some time to tweak the machines, three drivers recorded speeds, in a drafting pack, of over 200 miles per hour. Denny Hamlin in a Toyota led the way with a speed of 202.170. He was followed by his teammate Joey Logano at 201.863 with Brian Vickers close behind with a speed of 200.163. Ten drivers behind the top three all had speeds of 199 mph. In contrast, last April's pole speed at Talladega was 188.171. Two weeks ago, the pole speed at Atlanta, the fastest track on the circuit, was 192.761. Several drivers reported speeds of 215 mph in the afternoon. Going over 200 mph in a stock car at Talladega isn't anything new. Buddy Baker was the first in March of 1974 when he turned a lap of 200.447. Bill Elliott then set the fastest lap in 1987 with a speed of 212.089. Then in 2004 Rusty Wallace toured the track at 216.309. It's highly unlikely that NASCAR will allow the Sprint Cup cars to keep the speeds they were running in testing Tuesday. It's believed that the tire Goodyear has developed for the April event at Talladega wouldn't be able to sustain those high speeds long enough for an actual race. NASCAR's John Darby said the final package for the Talladega race won't be decided for several weeks. While it's highly unlikely speeds will be over 200 miles per hour, it's pretty certain that the new spoiler will be in place for the April 25 Aaron's 499 at Talladega. NASCAR Tweaks Specs at Spoiler Test By Reid Spencer Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service TALLADEGA, Ala.—The look was decidedly different—sleeker and yet more traditional—as cars took to the track at Talladega Superspeedway on a chilly, overcast Tuesday morning. All told, 24 Sprint Cup teams tested the new spoiler-equipped version of NASCAR's Cup car on Tuesday, following the sanctioning body's recent decision to return from the non-traditional wing to the spoiler in time for the March 28 Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville. Though there was little or no dissenting opinion as to the appearance of the car, drivers say there's still much to learn about the performance of the spoiler, even after cars drafted together at the 2.66-mile restrictor-plate track during the afternoon session. A number of questions will remain unanswered until a scheduled full-field test March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "The balance is really what we're interested in—how much the balance is going to change versus just overall grip," four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon said during Tuesday's lunch break. "If it plants the back of the car too much, we're just out of tools to make the front of the car work in the turns. But we're kind of hoping that it actually helps the front of the car turn a little bit, too. "So I'm very anxious to get to Charlotte. This test is really what's going to happen in the draft. … When we get to Charlotte I think is when we're going to find out what a spoiler really does in comparison to a wing." From NASCAR's standpoint, Tuesday's action on the track also was designed to help establish a variety of performance specifications for the Aaron's 499, which will be run April 25 at Talladega. Cars opened the test session with restrictor plates whose holes measured 66/64ths inches, 7/64 inches wider than the holes in the plates used for last October's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega. By the end of the test session, NASCAR had narrowed the openings to 62/64 inches to reduce speeds the cars were running in the draft. Because closing rates appeared to increase dramatically over the winged cars, NASCAR also instructed teams to cut the top portion of the spoiler on either side, where the width was greatest. "A lot of the spoiler trimming we did this afternoon was to give the teams back the ability to stay with their competitors and have the confidence that as they race, they could not only stay with the draft but have enough closure speed and horsepower to successfully pass each other," NASCAR managing director of competition John Darby said. "I think we've got a very good starting point to go home with, maybe fine-tune on a little bit and come back here and have a great Talladega race in April." "I feel like really over the last year, we've really gotten this car dialed in good," he said. "I think we've learned a lot about how to make it work well and race well. So, you know, this is a change. I'm hoping and thinking that it's going to be a change for the better. But I'm very supportive of it, open to it." Darby said that the final restrictor-plate size and package that will be used at Talladega would be sent to the teams "probably within a week to 10 days." Test your NASCAR knowledge by taking NASCAR Illustrated' By SceneDaily.com Staff NASCAR Illustrated's first-ever trivia quiz is trickier than running four-wide at Bristol, tougher than Pocono's tunnel turn. Answer's in tomorrow's issue!
For more of NASCAR Illustrated' Edwards and Keselowski: Thunder Valley Showdown By NASCAR Media Release Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski are 1-2 in the NASCAR Nationwide series standings heading to Bristol, the first short track on the 2010 schedule. They're also both very good at the .533-mile coliseum, the site of their first race since their controversial NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 11 starts at Bristol, Edwards has one win (2007), four top fives, six top 10s and one pole (2005). He started and finished second during both 2009 events at BMS. Count on Keselowski also running up front on Saturday. In six starts at Bristol, he's collected three top fives and four top 10s. Last year, he started 15th and finished 12th in the spring event and captured the pole and improved to finish third in the fall race. Keselowski won at Bristol in the fall of 2008. "After having two straight weeks off in the Nationwide Series, we jump right back in with both feet this weekend," Keselowski said. "These cars put on a heck of a show at Bristol and the races there are some of my favorites of the year. I thought the changes that were made to the track a couple of years ago were awesome, but they've taken a little bit of that extra room away with the new outside wall. I'm anxious to see how that will affect the racing. One thing we know is that it will still be full of action and that's what makes this place great. My Bristol win in 2008 is easily one of the highlights of my career." Edwards, the 2007 series champion, has a 41-point advantage on Keselowski after the first three races of the season. Keselowski is seven points ahead of third-place Brian Vickers (who isn't running in this race) and 15 points in front of his Penske Racing teammate Justin Allgaier (No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge), who's in fourth. Kyle Busch rounds out the top five. Qualifying overhaul offers interest boost Lee Spencer/foxsports. It's time to give props to NASCAR for what they've done this season. For the core fan, the anticipation of qualifying is something that's been missing since NASCAR locked in the top 35 drivers and went to single-day qualifying. Imagine Junior missing the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega. What if traditionally poor qualifiers such as Matt Kenseth or Jeff Burton were bumped from the field? Jeff Gordon won't be sad to see the Cup car's wing disappear By Doug Demmons - The Birmingham News Count Jeff Gordon among those who won't be sorry to see the wing replaced with a spoiler. "The wing that we put on there was just a glorified spoiler," Gordon said Tuesday at Talladega Superspeedway. "It sat down on the deck lid. It wasn't very appealing." Gordon is among 24 teams at Talladega for a one-day test session to see how the spoiler reacts in the draft. "We weren't really using it efficiently," Gordon said of the wing. "So when I heard about going back to spoilers, I was totally fine with it. This car looks good with a spoiler on it. From what I'm hearing, we're going to get more downforce in the car." Drivers have already started to notice a difference with the spoiler. "The cars have a little bit more turbulent air when you're behind other cars," Gordon said. "Makes the car rattle and shake a little bit more, which I heard was similar to what the Nationwide cars have. So no big surprise there. A little bit of visual, not necessarily behind you, but when you're behind a car, because the corners of the spoiler are real tall." The ends of the spoiler are taller than the center, restricting somewhat the view out the back of the cars. Drivers have complained about poor rear visibility with the wing. Martin Truex Jr. said the spoiler and the bigger restrictor plate that will go with it, "will definitely changes things from the way we raced here last time." "The pack is going to be really big and tight," Truex said. Truex also doesn't see any change to the track surface since last year. "It's beautiful," he said. "It's smooth, smooth, smooth, lots of grip. "I think you could probably race on this pavement for 30 years and not have to worry about handling," he said. Unique new sponsors popping up in NASCAR Rea White/foxsports. Once upon a time, products tied to the manufacturer or maintenance of cars adorned the sides of those competing in NASCAR. The sport gained support from not only the manufacturers, but corporations tied to the races from parts and pieces to the ones selling beer at the tracks. But in the latest sign that this isn't your daddy's NASCAR, a wide berth of corporations have taken over the sport in the last decade. From medical products to Web companies to cell phones, the sport's undergone a major shift in just what type of companies are backing its competitors, ranging from small, growing entities to Fortune 500 companies. In discussing plans for the 2010 season, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France pointed out that things are turning upward in the sport, especially with the addition of new groups coming in to back the teams. "Mark is a winner, obviously. He's having a tremendous season and had a tremendous season last year," Rechertman said. "He's exciting to watch. He has a big fan following, very well liked. ... So the attributes that he brings to the table are a little bit different than Dale's, I'm not sure that he's going to be as technical as Dale, but at the same time he brings this level professionalism to us that we are very excited about, so we're pleased with our sponsorship of him." Keselowski following path forged by legends Jeff Owens/scenedaily. Throughout the annals of NASCAR history, the sport's biggest stars have all had their share of run-ins with other drivers. Richard Petty, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace all used their bumpers to win races. They won races and championships by racing hard, being aggressive and not worrying much about who they angered or who they shoved aside to get to the front or win a race. Denny Hamlin vowed to wreck him in retaliation for a series of run-ins in the Nationwide Series last year and he did, spinning Keselowski in the season finale at Homestead. The same as Keselowski. Keselowski thinks other drivers retaliate By David Newton/ESPN. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Brad Keselowski says his aggressive driving style has become an excuse for retaliation and there is a deeper reason why Carl Edwards intentionally wrecked him late in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The driver of the No. 12 Penske Racing car said on Thursday the reason appears to go beyond contact made with Edwards early in the race or other exchanges they have had in the past year. He said the two have not talked since the race and he is anxious to meet with Edwards next weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway to get to the bottom of his frustration with him. "I don't think a guy that is simply mad at you for the contact we had earlier in the race at Atlanta would do what he did," Keselowski said. "There's probably more to the puzzle that I don't know. It's going to be interesting to see what he says. "For a guy to risk the things as far as harming [somebody] or credibility to himself, or even his own place in the sport, I don't think that was necessary the decision based on trying to send a message," he said. Edwards, 156 laps down after wrecking in the first incident, turned Keselowski with two laps remaining and Keselowski in sixth place. Keselowski's car then went airborne, flipped and landed on the hood. Edwards, who was parked for the incident on Sunday and on Tuesday placed on probation for three races, was not available for comment. His only response has been on Facebook where he made it clear the wreck was intentional. "That kind of defeats the rationale of trying to send a message across to a driver as being too aggressive," Keselowski said. "In my mind, that sends a message across that there is some kind of negative emotion or negative feelings that far outweigh that scenario." Keselowski said there have been only two instances in which he was too aggressive. One was during the Nationwide Series race at Memphis last season when he turned a couple drivers, including Edwards, going for the win. The other was in the Nationwide race at Phoenix in which he spun Denny Hamlin and earned a trip to the NASCAR hauler. "That might not have been the right thing to do," he said. "I might have been a jerk." Hamlin responded by taking Keselowski out the following week in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Keselowski accepted that and moved on. He's not willing to accept that what happened with Edwards. "My driving style is conveniently used for the media," Keselowski said. "When I really look deep into it and try to be introspective about it, I just don't see that as being the reason." Keselowski said most of his criticism comes from holding his line. "If you consider that to be aggressive I guess you have a different idea of aggression than I do," he said. Keselowski still supports NASCAR's decision not to suspend Edwards even though he called for a suspension following the race. But he is concerned at how far drivers can go now to retaliate and plans to address that with the governing body at Bristol. "I read Mike [Helton] tried to answer that by saying we'll know it when we see it," Keselowski said of NASCAR's president. "At the same time, it'd be nice to know what that is and what that meant." Keselowski made it clear there are no plans to retaliate against Edwards. "The thought in my mind is to do absolutely nothing at all," he said. "To be honest, that's probably the best revenge there is, to not let it get to me one bit, to not change. In a way, that's a sign to him and everyone that that's not going to work on me." Many drivers publicly have said that Keselowski got what he deserved. "If you ask a driver's opinion on other people they're going to give you an answer that is self-beneficial, Jeff Burton, one of the few drivers Keselowski listens to, told reporters Wednesday at Richard Childress Racing that Keselowski "has got to learn that he doesn't need to prove to the world that he's a tough guy." "He's made the decision that he's not going to cut anybody any slack," Burton continued. "He's made the decision he's going to race aggressively all the time. Those are decisions and he's going to have to live with it." Keselowski said Burton is "absolutely right." "The thing is, the media doesn't cover when I give," he said. "They cover when I take. I wish I could sit down one day and just show somebody an in-car camera tape of how I drive a race. You will see I give just as much, maybe more, than any driver out there." Keselowski said the hole Edwards went through when he nipped him early at Atlanta was because he backed off. "The difference is what my interpretation of give is versus someone else's interpretation, "That's not giving in my mind. That's allowing yourself to be pushed around in the sport," he said. Keselowski said having the off week to listen to what others are saying and reflect on what happened has been good, but again he doesn't plan to change how he drives. "As you look at the sport right now, there are no new drivers coming in," he said. "Whatever I'm doing is working and has gotten me to where I'm at. I have survived this somewhat Holocaust of developmental drivers not getting opportunities because of that attitude, because of that aggressiveness. Carl Long says NASCAR penalty for engine violation 'killed my career' By Kenny Bruce/scenedaily. MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Carl Long is 42 and trying to put his racing career back together. Given the shortage of employment opportunities in NASCAR today, that's not an easy task. By his own admission, Long has had an unexceptional career as a driver in NASCAR, one that includes a combined 45 career starts in Cup, Nationwide and Truck series races. His best finish came more than a decade ago, when he placed 17th in a truck race at Texas Motor Speedway. But in spite of the lack of success, Long did have a career. He was gainfully employed. When he wasn't behind the wheel, he often found work with teams that needed an extra set of hands. That all changed 10 months ago when NASCAR suspended him. After the engine in Long's car broke during practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway, it was confiscated by NASCAR officials and later determined to be 0.17 cubic inches above the 358.00-cubic inch limit. As a result, Long's crew chief, Charles Swing, was fined a record $200,000 and suspended for 12 races while Long and his team owner, wife Danielle Long, were penalized 200 driver and owner points and also suspended for 12 races. Long appealed the penalty, and although his suspension was lowered from 12 to eight races, the fine and loss of points remained in place. The initial penalty was also later altered to affect only Sprint Cup competition, meaning he could eventually return to work in other series. It still had the same sobering effect, however. "It killed my career," Long says. "I really didn't have much of a [driving] career, but what it did was, it killed my working career, my [ability to] work for different teams. "A lot of people heard the very first deal – suspended from NASCAR. Period. That's everything, trucks, Late Model. "The owner and the crew chief are the ones that are held responsible for the [fine]; the owner is my wife; the crew chief a good friend of mine. We were trying to do all we could to race. It's kind of hard to go to the track and tell you wife that she can't go, though." Today, Long says he's willing to work in any series, but the economy has "cut a lot of jobs out." "That's why I'm looking outside [of racing]," he says. "I want to be involved in racing, but I have to generate a living." He's been back to the track – he failed to qualify at Atlanta in the Daisy Ramirez Motorsports No. 01 truck in a one-race deal – and also has worked as a marketing consultant with Car People Marketing and with Extreme Motorsports Inc., an insurance group hoping to offer policies for crewmen who go over pit wall on race day. "They've been working with snowboarders and motocross [competitors] The severity of the fine and penalties left a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of people, both inside the garage and in the grandstands. Fans have brought the issue up again in the last week, comparing it to the light three-race probation Carl Edwards received for intentionally wrecking Brad Keselowski at Atlanta, causing a frightening crash in which Keselowski's car lifted off the ground and slammed into the wall. While NASCAR officials have always indicated that engine, tire and fuel violations would be dealt with severely, Long's penalty was seen as heavy-handed, in part because the violation was found during practice for the Sprint All-Star race, a non-points event, and because the engine came from an outside source – Long purchased the piece from engine builder Ernie Elliott. If an oversized engine provides a driver with a bit more horsepower, is that any different from the downforce gained by a car that measures too low in the front, or too high in the rear after an event? In NASCAR's judgment, it is. Height infractions, which occur much more frequently than engine violations, often result in fines of no more than $50,000 and a loss of points. In other words, nothing on the scale of the penalties levied against Long. Long says he's since sold his only Cup car, but has kept his Nationwide Series and ARCA cars. Owning them isn't the same as racing them, however. "You just can't get enough money to get to the race track," he says. "Owning everything, it will cost me a minimum of $10,000 or $15,000 just to get it to the track. To pay the entry fee, buy the tires, pay for the hotel room, pay 2-3 people to help, I'll spend between $10,000-$15, "So you get to the track, and if you only pick up a check for $16,000 or $17,000? Plus, you're gambling $15,000 that you make the race to begin with. If you miss the race, then you're out. And I don't have the $15,000 to gamble. I'm still paying the bills from last year." Paying the bills and "looking for work," he says. And trying to put his career back together. One lug nut at a time.
Top Ten… Jeff Meyer · Fronstretch. Reasons Kurt Busch Struggled In His NHRA Debut 10. He kept insisting on getting a rolling start. 9. He was waiting for his spotter to yell, "Green, green, green!" 8. He was only giving his crew 14 seconds between runs to get the car ready. 7. He is used to the lights going from green to yellow to red… not the other way around. 6. He just can't bring himself to go over 45 – 50 mph when going down what reminds him of pit lane. 5. Found out at the last second that he wasn't going to get a large percentage of the souvenir sales. 4. Couldn't grasp the idea of doing the burnout first and then the race. 3. After each run, he would swing into the other lane and roar back to the starting line, thinking he was at Martinsville. 2. Insisted on using Sunoco fuel. 1. After his initial burnout in front of the crowd, he threw it in reverse and backed around the complex! Did You Notice? Thomas Bowles · Frontstretch. Talladega Testing Confusion, Four NASCAR #1s, And Mayfield Pops Up? Did You Notice? … We learned everything and nothing from this Talladega test … at the same time? In many ways, NASCAR's choice to squeeze this experiment onto the schedule was good for two reasons: 1) The cars started out too fast with the initial plate package offered (a flat, 4.5-inch spoiler with two-inch extensions on either side, paired with a 66/64ths-inch restrictor plate). Those caused speeds well in excess of over 200 miles an hour. Officially, NASCAR said the highest lap speed was over 202 but unofficially, drivers were playing a game called "What's The Highest Number We Can Say Without Someone Calling You Out?" (I think Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won that one, claiming his highest speed was 213 down the straightaway. Our sources had the highest actual speed pegged at 208 … but who's counting?) The bottom line is the speeds were way too fast, and the teams ended the day with a better package: a 62/64ths-inch plate, a flat 4.5-inch spoiler, and speeds comfortably in the mid-190s for drafting, about five miles an hour below that 200 "magic number" speed sources have consistently told me through the years NASCAR won't go over. (For the record, NASCAR insists there is no such thing as a magic number). So now, R&D has a baseline to draw from going forward, with a full month to come up with the answers they wouldn't have had with no test. 2) Drivers were given an opportunity to feel out how the spoiler changes their closing rates at a track where a wreck wipes out half the field. That's critical, because it's a completely different style of drafting drivers appeared to relate to the way the Truck packs work at Daytona. Faster acceleration means a completely different rhythm to adjust to at a track where you slow down only to make sure you don't hit someone from behind. How fast were the closing rates? Crew chief Mike Ford was quoted as saying drivers will feel like "Superman" in the draft. That's one feeling you want to have a little experience with before coming back in April for real. But just because drivers expressed cautious optimism over the package – there seemed to be good vibes throughout the garage over this test – doesn't mean all our questions got answers. To the contrary, I still have a whole bunch that'll last until well beyond next week's bigger test at Charlotte. Why? Consider the venue, for starters: Talladega is a plate track, an animal like no other on the Cup circuit where "wide open" is the name of the game all the way around the 2.66-mile circuit. How can you discover how the spoiler handles when you're never putting your foot on the brake? Because of that, the package for 'Dega is also going to be different than all other tracks. Supposedly, the spoiler will be shorter at all other speedways – a proposed height of four inches right now, according to an article by SceneDaily's Bob Pockrass, which changes the way the cars will drag and handle on an intermediates. Yes, the data gathered will be good for this track … but how about the other 15+ on the circuit? A full day of testing also doesn't answer the most important question of whether these cars will stay on the ground. You can't exactly spin someone out and see how no wing affects the physics of the car now, can you? That's just going to have to wait for a practice mistake at Talladega at the end of next month, or sadly, the Big One within the race itself. So was this test a good thing? Yes, and I think it's going to lead to a great Talladega race. Our Doug Turnbull was reporting late yesterday that NASCAR is considering allowing the teams to change gear ratios, giving them additional adjustment options that will hopefully cause the big pack to break up into smaller groups. But as for whether the spoiler will make racing great everywhere else? That's up there with if you picked the best tournament bracket. Right now, nobody knows … Did You Notice? … With the NCAA Tournament, all you see these days are NASCAR puns relating to March Madness? I won't go that far, but the concept of four number one seeds did get me thinking. After four races, if I had to pick four drivers who stood out as championship contenders, who would they be? Here's my selections: Jimmie Johnson: Without a doubt, the clear-cut overall #1 seed. You don't win two of the first four races, lead 119 laps, then lose your title as the man to beat. Kevin Harvick may be the point leader, but the No. 48 is still the team everyone fears. Matt Kenseth: Tough to pick a #2, but Kenseth stands out for three reasons: 1) He fired his crew chief after a top 10 at Daytona, got a replacement that hasn't had a win in four plus years (Todd Parrott), and is still running better than we've seen since 2006 – when he was Johnson's biggest hurdle to clear for his first title. 2) Roush got behind in failing to do enough testing for the Car of Tomorrow. Let's just say they won't make the same mistake twice; not only have sources told me they've got their ducks in a row this time, more support from additional Ford programs (what are there, 11 Roush-supported teams?) leaves a mountain of information for the No. 17 to utilize. 3) The trademark Kenseth consistency is back. Four races, four top 10 finishes – exactly the type of rhythm you need for the fall. Mark Martin: You hate to have two guys from the same team inside the top four, but Martin's slyly flown under the radar this season while everyone else is getting some press. Four races into last year, he was struggling to simply stay inside the top 35 in points after three straight engine failures/wrecks. This year, he's seventh, has stayed out of trouble and is quietly building up a notebook for the playoffs. You say you can't win a title at 51? I seem to remember someone named Harry Gant winning four straight races and finishing fourth in points at that age. Jeff Burton: Yeah, I know, not exactly everyone's top pick for the fourth "top seed." But doesn't the final selection always come with a little bit of controversy? Harvick and Clint Bowyer may have outdone him this season, but Burton's consistency stretches all the way back to last October – when Todd Berrier jumped on board as crew chief. And while Harvick (free agency) and Bowyer (experience) come with their own set of question marks, Burton, at 42, sees his window of opportunity closing just as RCR is surging upward again. With just a handful of years left for him to race, Burton knows more than anyone else you need to take advantage of your opportunities – and this is one he can't afford to pass up. Close Calls: Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Harvick, in that order. Notice also there's no Joe Gibbs Racing drivers (Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin) on the list. How can they be when they're 0-for-8 on top 10 finishes this season? Your racing "RPI" can only rely on past performance and future predictions for so long … Did You Notice? … The 3.5-inch fin that NASCAR implemented for the left side of the rear deck lid and window, used at this year's Daytona 500, will be standard on all cars once the spoiler's introduced? That's an excellent move, as it's universally accepted this side plate helps keeps these cars from getting in the air. More importantly, it's another portion of the car teams will be able to adjust on race day. Crew chiefs getting a shot at innovation once again? Now that's a long-term policy I can live with. Did You Notice? … People say there are "lies, damn lies, and statistics." But here's a couple that stand out over the first four races of the season: Scary Hendrick: For the first time in team history, all four Hendrick cars are 13th or better in points after four races. Slumping Gibbs: Two top 10 finishes amongst three cars is the worst performance for Gibbs through four races since the first year of their expansion in 2005. And if the season ended now, none of the three cars would be in the Chase; the highest-rated driver is Joey Logano in 14th, the lowest placing by them through four races since 2001. Childress The Champ? This is the first time an RCR team (Kevin Harvick) has led the points four races in since 1999. Believe it or not, it wasn't Dale Earnhardt back then but Mike Skinner … who promptly faded to 10th by the end of the season. So don't count your chickens just yet… Paul Menard Ninth In Points: Last year, he had six top 20 finishes in 36 races. This year, he has four in four. Speedin' Ahead: Scott Speed had six lead lap finishes in 35 starts last year. This year, he's already halfway towards that total in four races. Did You Notice? … A little Facebook posting by Shana Mayfield about the Carl – Brad situation last week? Pulled straight from her status messages… "Claritin D is a "drug of concern," but using a race car as a weapon to intentionally wreck someone is not a 'concern?' WTF????" I bring this up for two reasons. Number one, it's one of the more interesting points from this wreck no one's really explored. If NASCAR's going to suspend someone indefinitely for drug use that increases the inherent level of risk they'll injure someone else on the track, how could they not do the same for intentional retaliation, which, in essence, is doing the exact same thing? Yes, I know, I understand the point drugs are illegal and inherently warrant suspensions in all kinds of major sports. But it's at least a discussion point worth thinking about. And that brings me to reason number two I brought this up: let's not keep the Mayfield's far out of our thoughts. Ever so quietly this Spring, while NASCAR tries desperately to mount a comeback the Mayfield case continues to rumble its way towards a trial date in the fall. Not only is there no settlement, but the case is resembling more of a circus atmosphere every day. The latest news last week is ESPN's David Newton may be subpoenaed by Lisa Mayfield, who wants him to give a deposition in a related defamation lawsuit against her stepson. That came just a few weeks after Mayfield's defense sought to embarrass the France family during a thorough examination of Brian France on the stand, challenging his state of residency in a bid to move the case from federal to North Carolina Superior Court. It was a "small potatoes" attempt at a much-deeper private investigation, a warning shot sure to be ten times worse when the Frances take the stand for "real" later this fall. The fact they will is nothing short of amazing. With the Kentucky lawsuit seemingly out of the way, this remains the lone working case against NASCAR capable of doing major damage, making it a "no brainer" in many peoples' eyes to get it settled and prevent any type of additional negative press. But Mayfield, his career ruined, continues to refuse any type of financial compromise, "determined to teach" his former place of employment a harsh lesson. So keep this one on your radar screen, folks. The worst may not be over yet. 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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