Jeremy Dunn's Blog
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The unemployment line in NASCAR is surprisingly higher than usual, and it could be attributed to the open wheel invasion. David Stremme is an example of a casualty due to the International craze. Stremme will split time with rookie Chase Austin in Rusty Wallace's Nationwide Series organization. However, there are several other drivers that are surprisingly without a full time ride in any of the three top series of NASCAR.
Stephen Leicht is the most surprising of all. He captured his first win in the Nationwide Series at Kentucky in June and was solid throughout the year. Yates Racing seems to be focusing on their Sprint Cup effort, therefore, Leicht and the 90 team are the odd men out.
What is surprising is that no other team has snatched up the 20 year old driver. Well, the trend of hiring the young 20 something has kind of faded while hiring an open wheel veteran has become the fashionable trend. The last rumor I heard regarding Leicht was that he may run some Nationwide races for Richard Childress Racing.
Former Roush Fenway Racing driver Todd Kluever is free to explore his options for 2008; however, I have yet to hear his name mentioned. Kluever was originally the reserved replacement for Mark Martin in the 6 car, but somehow David Ragan passed him on the depth chart. Still scratching my head over that one! Kluever may run some Nationwide races for Roush.
Danny O'Quinn is another Roush Fenway Racing development driver that was kicked to the curb. O'Quinn was the 2006 Busch Series Rookie of the Year; and was dumped right after receiving the award. O'Quinn did run some races for MacHill Motorsports.
Craftsman Truck Series veteran Brendan Gaughan is currently unemployed as is former Nationwide Series driver Ashton Lewis.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The top 35 qualifying rule has worn out its welcome. There are simply too many quality teams vying for a select few spots on the starting grid. Teams are beginning to search for ways to get around this apparent flaw in NASCAR Sprint Cup's qualifying procedure.
Two years ago, Michael Waltrip and his Bill Davis Racing team bought the owner's points from the 77 Penske Racing team that had disbanded in order to ensure a starting position for Waltrip. Now, Penske's 77 team is involved in another points scheme. Sam Hornish Jr will take over the resurrected 77 team for Penske Racing, and he has encountered some growing pains while transitioning from Indy Cars to stock cars. He only qualified for two NASCAR races in 2007 in 8 attempts.
With that being said, Roger Penske is a brilliant businessman, and he worked his magic again, finding a way around the qualifying system. Kurt Busch, driver of the Miller Lite Dodge, is the 2004 champion and has the champions provisional to fall back on. In all likelihood, Busch will never use it, but he has the security blanket just in case.
So there you have it, Sam Hornish Jr's saving grace. No more will he have to stress about failing to qualify for a NASCAR Sprint Cup event, at least for the first five races. Now, it is up to him to remain there, or he will be back at ground zero, and we saw how that worked out.
The points swapping is clearly legal as NASCAR's Robin Pemberton has signed his approval. But is it fair? That is debatable.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
In the Race of Champions Nations Cup charity event, Michael Schumacher and Sebastien Vettel earned the international victory for Germany. Schumacher returned to the track after he retired from Formula One following the 2006 season. The seven-time champion along with the rookie Vettel defeated Jensen Button and Andy Priaulx of England in the Race of Champions semifinal, and would go on to capture the crown by defeating Heikki Kovalainen and Marcus Gronholm in the finals.
Representing the United States was NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and eight-time X-games champion Travis Pastrana.
Johnson was set to face Michael Schumacher one-on-one at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday. Heading into the season-ending event, Johnson appeared rather optimistic as he said, “Everyone recognizes Schumacher as a champion, and after winning my second straight championship in NASCAR I hope I'm perceived in that way. Beating him and helping Team USA win The ROC Nations Cup would be a perfect ending to the best year of my career."
But Johnson was defeated by Schumacher in the first heat of the German vs United States quarterfinal of the Race of Champions Nations Cup. Later in the day, Johnson was outpaced in the first round by Champ Car sensation Sebastien Bourdais.
Michael Waltrip Racing is getting a facelift as far as the crew chief situation goes.
Former DEI, Ginn Racing, and MB2 Motorsports employee Ryan Pemberton will join Michael Waltrip Racing in 2008 and serve as the crew chief for David Reutimann. Pemberton most recently worked with Mark Martin, Aric Almirola, and Regan Smith at DEI.
Paul Andrews will become the crew chief on the 55 car driven by Michael Waltrip himself.
Bill Pappas will direct the third entry. No driver has yet to be named for that ride as of now.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
At a time in NASCAR history when the racing appears bland, and parity is wishful thinking, fans could be treated to legends they may have only heard or read about.
In May, a new series administered by Gene Weaver is expected to begin a 10-race tour which will end in New Smyrna, Florida. The season is set to begin on May 18 at Concord Speedway.
The list of possible drivers include several storied names such as 103 time winner David Pearson, 1986 Daytona 500 champion Geoffrey Bodine, 18 time winner Harry Gant, and five time winner Dave Marcis.
Other notable names on the driver list is Jack Ingram, Larry Pearson, Dick Trickle, Phil Parsons, Joe Ruttman, Carl Long, and Robert Pressley.
The cars have all been built as identical models.
What could the Old School Champions Tour bring to motorsports? If fans take interest, they will learn an a lot about old school racing, the drivers involved, and what it is like to race for the fun of it as opposed to money and prestige. To see David Pearson and Harry Gant back on the track will be a privilege. Many new-school fans do not realized the impact those two drivers, as well as many others in the series had on NASCAR decades ago.
Fans, give the series a chance, don't let it be here today and gone tomorrow. You will be treated to possibly the best racing you may ever see.
Oh yeah, and if the Old School Champions Tour is a success, we may get treated to more retired veterans such as Cale Yarborough, Bobby and Donnie Allison, and maybe even the King Richard Petty.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
In NASCAR, only a few things are certain, and one of them is that Dale Earnhardt Jr is unarguably the Most Popular Driver in NASCAR, and that will not change until he hangs up his helmet. For the fifth consecutive season, Earnhardt Jr was awarded as NASCAR's Most Popular Driver at the Myers Brothers Luncheon.
"I'm extremely honored to win this award again, because it puts me with a very select group of drivers who I have a lot of respect for," said Earnhardt Jr.
One of the drivers that he is referring to is Bill Elliott. Elliott won an unprecendented 16 Most Popular Driver Awards from 1984 to 2002. That era included Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. I think they should put Elliott back on the ballot just to see who would win between himself and Earnhardt Jr.
The rest of the top ten in the Most Popular Driver voting was Jeff Gordon, Michael Waltrip, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Elliott Sadler, and Dale Jarrett. Sadler? Didn't expect that one. I figured Bobby Labonte or Jeff Burton would be more popular than Sadler. I guess the Trackside gig has expanded his fan base.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Penske Racing South's President Don Miller has decided to retire from his position that he has held since 1990. Miller has played an integral role in getting Penske's NASCAR program where it is today.
"It's been a pleasure and an honor to help lead Penske Racing," Miller said. "Under Roger's direction, the organization has seen tremendous growth and I'm proud of all that we accomplished."
Roger Penske also expressed his appreciation for Miller and for what he has been able to accomplish. "On behalf of our 39,000 employees, I want to thank Don Miller for all he's done for Penske Racing over the years. He's been a partner and great friend and he will definitely be missed. "
Miller played a key role in the signing of Rusty Wallace in 1990 and Ryan Newman in 2000.
Speaking of Newman, he will be working with his third crew chief in as many years once Daytona Speedweeks rolls around. Mike Nelson has been promoted to Vice President of Operations after serving one full season as Newman's crew chief. With Nelson atop the pit box, the 12 team was one of the most improved teams in 2007 as far as performance is concerned.
Replacing Nelson will be Roy McCauley. McCauley recently served as Kurt Busch's crew chief in 2006 and the first few races of 2007. McCauley stepped away from his position so he could spend more time with his ill wife. He led the Sam Hornish Jr effort late in the season. Most notably, McCauley and Newman tore up the Busch Series circuit in 2005 as they racked up 6 six wins in only 9 starts.
The Dodge Charger will return in 2008 as the Car of Tomorrow for Daimler Chrysler. In 2007, the Dodge Avenger was featured in the Car of Tomorrow races.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
When Robert Yates acquired the team formerly owned by Harry Ranier, the #28 was the number he inherited. Davey Allison, Ernie Irvan, Dale Jarrett, and Ricky Rudd all drove the 28 Ford to victory lane. Following Rudd's departure from Robert Yates Racing in 2002, the 28 became the 38. But now that Yates has allowed Hendrick Motorsports and Dale Earnhardt Jr to attain the number 88, which was the second RYR team added in 1996, Doug Yates will bring back the 28 in 2008.
Travis Kvapil will drive the 28 Ford, and Doug Yates will assume majority ownership of the organization which will now be called Yates Racing. Former Roush Fenway Racing GM Max Jones will be co-owner of the organization. As of today, no sponsor has been named for the 28 Ford.
Even before Davey Allison made the 28 a sentimental favorite, legends such as Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Buddy Baker, and Benny Parsons sported that number at some point in time.
"Hopefully, we can do the things we used to do with it," Doug Yates said as he hopes to lead a Yates resurgent in 2008.
David Gilliland will remain the driver of the #38 Ford. Busch (Nationwide) Series driver Stephen Leicht was the casualty of the reorganization at the Yates shop. Despite his win at Kentucky, the 20 year old driver is currently searching for a ride.
It is amazing how Stephen Leicht does not have a ride in any of the three series; however, these open wheelers continue to land quality rides. Leicht would have fit in well at Gillett Evernham Motorsports.
Chip Ganassi Racing announced that Fastenal will be the primary sponsor for Dario Franchitti in the Nationwide Series in 2008.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Just a month ago, NASCAR driver Carl Edwards revealed his dark side. Apparently, he isn't the only 'good' guy that has a hot temper. Kasey Kahne has been considered one of the nice guys ever since he was a NASCAR rookie in 2004. However, Kahne has not been on his best behavior his season.
On Friday, Kasey Kahne and his brother Kale were trying to enter the motorcoach lot when a track security guard stopped the two men. Kahne did not attain the proper credentials for his brother to enter the lot, and allegedly shoved the security guard to the ground. (Must have been a small security guard)
The unidentified security guard was eventually released from the infield care center. Nevertheless, Kahne is under investigation by the Homestead Police Department.
"We are looking into the matter; the detective is handling it," said Police Captain Tom Foglia. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp has no comment at the present time. Kahne said that the incident was a misunderstanding. Ya think!
This is not the first time that Kasey Kahne has strayed from his normally quiet and timid demeanor. Earlier in the year, he verbally assaulted David Stremme following an on-track incident at Richmond. His juvenile insults included calling Stremme 'fat'. Is Kahne getting too big for his britches?
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
On Sunday afternoon, Dale Earnhardt Jr will fire up the engine to the red Budweiser number 8 Chevrolet for the final time. Three years ago, this would have been unheard of. After winning six races in 2004, as well as the Daytona 500, it appeared as if Earnhardt Jr was destined to be a championship caliber driver. That all changed in 2005 when his team and fleet of cars were transferred to the 15 team.
Earnhardt Jr and new crew chief Pete Rondeau never clicked. In 2006, Earnhardt Jr had Tony Eury Jr back on his side, but they only won a single race. During the off-season, Teresa Earnhardt boldly called out Earnhardt Jr, hence, the beginning of the end for the Dale Earnhardt Jr and DEI relationship.
In May, Earnhardt Jr publicly announced his intentions to leave DEI, and over a month later, he announced that he was going to join Hendrick Motorsports, the team that has overwhelmingly dominated NASCAR in 2007. This was a sting to a lot of fans; however, it will unlikely affect his popularity or souvenier sales in a negative manner.
When the Homestead race reaches its conclusion, it will be final. So many fans spent so much time and money rooting for Earnhardt and buying Budweiser gear. Seeing Earnhardt Jr in anything other than the red number 8 will be bittersweet. We all wanted Earnhardt Jr to succeed with his father's company, but at the same time, he will be more content.
"I never thought we'd be here in 2007 with things like four consecutive most popular driver awards and having a Daytona 500 trophy with my name on it. Those are things I only dreamed about when I was living in a trailer and changing oil at my dad's dealership." Earnhardt Jr.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Robbie Reiser and Matt Kenseth have been teamed up since the 1997 season when Reiser hired Kenseth to drive his Busch Series car. Eventually, the duo began to turn heads, especially Mark Martin's. Martin persuaded Jack Roush to hire both Kenseth and Reiser to drive the team's fifth car.
Since Kenseth and Reiser joined Roush's Cup stables, the duo has produced 15 wins, and the 2003 championship. Yes, Kenseth and Reiser have becomed arguably one of the top three driver and crew chief combinations in the sport.
However, the dynamic duo will be separated in 2008. Roush will replace Max Jones with Robbie Reiser as the team's general manager, as Jones will take that same position at Yates Racing.
Chip Bolin will take over as crew chief for Matt Kenseth in 2008.
"I've done this for years for Matt," said Reiser. "Not that I'm sick and tired of it or don't enjoy it or any of that, but somewhere along the line you've got to move to the next challenge. And the next challenge probably would be to oversee an operation in the garage. "
NASCAR announced penalties against Blickensderfer and the 17 Busch team following a rules violation at Phoenix. He was fined $10,000 and the team was docked 25 championship points.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The Twin Dodges (#9, and #19) will sport different looks in 2008. Ever since Ray Evernham began fielding two Cup teams in 2001, the 9 and 19 Dodges have been sponsored by the Dodge brand itself, and feature the red and white paint schemes. That will all change next season.
Budweiser will depart from the DEI organization and will become the primary sponsor for Kasey Kahne in 2008. At least the car will remain predominantly red. On Friday, Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced that Best Buy will endorse the 19 car driven by Elliott Sadler. So Sadler's attire will include the blue and yellow colors.
Best Buy has been a sponsor for Haas CNC Racing's Cup effort since 2005. However, legal troubles involving team owner Gene Haas factored into the decision to jump ship.
Ironically, Best Buy is currently the sponsor for Jeremy Mayfield, who is the former driver of the team that Best Buy will sponsor in 2008.
"As any good sponsor should, we wanted to check the market and we looked around and found this opportunity. Having Elliott with our brand and Ray [Evernham] with the performance on the track and the Gillett guys from the [business-to-business] side was just a strong package that we just focused that way," said Brad Morrill, senior motorsports manager for Best Buy.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Petty Enterprises, one of the few perpetually administered NASCAR organizations since the golden era, has left Level Cross, North Carolina. The organization has resided in Level Cross since 1949. The Petty's will set up shop in the former building in Mooresville, North Carolina that Robert Yates Racing previously used. The Yates operation is moving closer to Roush Fenway Racing, the organization they are closely affiliated with.
The relocation for the Petty's is bittersweet as their shop has been compared to other storied venues such as the Boston Garden and Yankee Stadium. At the same time, they recognize the importance of operating the team closer to Charlotte.
"Level Cross will always be the home of the wins and championships that the Petty family built. It is where Petty Enterprises was founded and where the team has won and built a legacy in NASCAR. Petty Enterprises and Level Cross are the same as Lambeau Field and the Green Bay Packers, Yankee Stadium and the New York Yankees and Boston Garden and the Boston Celtics," said Richard Petty, team owner.
Petty Enterprises fields the 43 Dodge driven by 2000 champion Bobby Labonte and the 45 Dodge driven by Kyle Petty and Chad McCumbee.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Sam Hornish Jr has become the latest open wheel driver to migrate over to the NASCAR neck of the woods. The Ohio native has accomplished just about everything there is to accomplish in Indy Car racing as he owns three IRL championships as well as an Indianapolis 500 trophy.
However, Hornish Jr has really struggled in stock cars. His performance has been lackluster in the NASCAR Busch Series, and he has yet to qualify for a Nextel Cup race in seven attempts. The latest speculation is that team over Roger Penske will shift Sprint Cup owner's points from the 2 team driven by Kurt Busch to the new 77 team that will be driven by Sam Hornish Jr. This would ensure a starting spot for both teams as Kurt Busch has his past champions provisional to fall back on if need be.
Hornish Jr, with full support from Penske Racing and Mobil 1, welcomes the new challenge ahead of him.
"I feel like this is something that is a new and unique challenge for me," Hornish said. "It may or may not be the right way to look at it, but I feel like I accomplished just about everything in Indy cars. I got to do more than I ever thought I would."
He also addressed his lack of qualifying successfully for a Cup race thus far. "I am a much better racer than I am a qualifier, and if I can just get in, I feel confident I can figure it out," said the 28 year old.
Hornish will join Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman at Penske Racing. Busch and Newman have won a plethora of races this decade so the pressure will be on Hornish Jr to perform. Penske fielded three teams in 2004 and 2005 with Brendan Gaughan and Travis Kvapil.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Gene Haas was sentenced to two years in federal prison for conspiracy to cheat the govenment out of millions in tax money. The 54 year old pleaded guilty to the charges back in August.
Haas CNC has recently hired former Gillett Evernham drivers Scott Riggs and Jeremy Mayfield.
Current sponsor Best Buy is likely to leave the organization and assume sponsorship at Gillett Evernham Motorsports for driver Elliott Sadler.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
It was not that long ago when Dale Earnhardt Jr, Tony Eury Sr, Tony Eury Jr, Steve Hmiel, and Ty Norris were all integral components of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Starting in 2008, none of the before mentioned names will be DEI employees. Norris has moved on to Michael Waltrip Racing. Tony Eury Sr left the company a few months ago for a position at JR Motorsports, the company owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr himself. Dale Earnhardt Jr and Tony Eury Jr will become the faces of Hendrick Motorsports' 88 team. Hmiel has recently been hired by Chip Ganassi Racing as the competition director.
The core of the company built by the late Dale Earnhardt and Teresa Earnhardt has underwent a facelift. Max Seigel, President of Global Operations, and John Story, Vice President, are relatively new to the company. Mark Martin, Regan Smith, and Aric Almirola joined DEI when the company acquired Ginn Racing.
Dave Charpentier has been acting as the crew chief of the 15 team driven by Paul Menard. Effective following Thanksgiving, Charpentier will become the Technical Director. He will be more involved in the engineering aspect of the company. Doug Randolph, currently employed by Petty Enterprises, will become the crew chief of the 15 Chevrolet.
Longtime DEI employees Richie Gilmore and Rex Garrett will remain with the team. Gilmore is currently on medical leave due to a brain aneurysm.
Max Seigel assured fans that DEI is here to stay.
"Everything we hear, everything we read is all about how DEI is done. We're shutting down. It's just ridiculous. Quite frankly, we're sick of hearing it. DEI is here to stay. We're not going anywhere."
DEI has encountered much criticism as a result of the Teresa Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr fallout.
The four court cases filed against Bobby Ginn have been dismissed.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Following the acquisition of the New Hampshire-based venue, Pocono Raceway could be the next independent-owned track that may spark Bruton Smith's interest.
Pocono Raceway is owned and operated by the Mattioli family. The Mattioli's have hosted the Sprint Cup Series ever since 1974. Pocono was granted a second date on the Cup schedule in 1982.
Speedway Motorsports, Inc. recently purchased New Hampshire, and may target the Pennsylvania track next.
According to the Winston-Salem Journal, the 2.5 mile tri-angular shaped facility could be appraised at more then $400 million dollars. That could be the magic number.
What exactly would Bruton Smith's intentions be? Would he remove a date from the schedule? Would he simply shorten the race to a 400 or even 300 miler? As of now, all of this is pure speculation, but the fact remains, when Burton Smith is around, anything is for sale.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Bruton Smith, Chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., has acquired New Hampshire International Speedway from its orginal owner Bob Bahre on Friday. It was purchased for $340 million, and will be renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Bahre began constructing the 1.058-mile oval in 1990, and held its first NASCAR Cup race in 1993, won by Rusty Wallace.
In 1996, Bob Bahre and Bruton Smith partnered in the buyout of North Wilkesboro Speedway allowing a date for Texas Motor Speedway and a second date for New Hampshire, and completely wiping the old North Wilkesboro track from the NASCAR schedule.
With the acquisition of the Loudon based facility, Smith would likely give one of the two dates to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Smith has already expressed his desire to see Las Vegas host two Sprint Cup events. And that is just what we all need, another 1.5-mile race on the NASCAR agenda taking the place of an unconventional track. And if Las Vegas is added to the Chase for the Championship, then six of the ten races would be on cookie cutter venues. Sorry, but that would not be an upgrade to the much-maligned Chase for the Championship format.
It is no secret that New Hampshire is not the most exciting track on the circuit, but it is unique. Some feel that the track has potential if it's banking was increased. Homestead and Las Vegas are two tracks that have seen better racing since their rebanking.
Recently, Bruton Smith has toyed with the notion of building a new track in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
After a week of speculation, we finally know the truth as to why there was fuel in the gas tanks of Denny Hamlin, Dave Blaney, and several other drivers.
The portable dispenser apparently experienced a malfunction, causing water to contaminate the fuel. It was not the Sunoco fueling station itself.
NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp spoke on the matter.
"A failure did occur in a piece of portable dispensing equipment that is sometimes used to supplement the permanent pumps on busy race days. This failure allowed a small amount of water to be dispensed. Portable equipment has been used for many years without problem."
Tharp also confirmed that the portable equipment functioned properly for the Craftsman Truck Series event.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Roger Penske is still determined to field a NASCAR Sprint Cup car for three-time Indy Racing League champion Sam Hornish Jr. So far, Hornish Jr has yet to qualify for a single Cup race in six attempts. His performance in the NASCAR Busch Series has been nothing to boast about. Nevertheless, Penske may transfer the owner's points from the 2 team to the new team that Hornish Jr is expected to drive in 2008.
The move will allow Sam Hornish Jr to be guaranteed a starting spot as long as he maintains a top 35 position in the Sprint Cup owner's standings. Kurt Busch has his championship provisionals to fall back on if necessary. Busch is one of the better qualifiers in the sport, so he will likely never have to use one of the championship provisionals.
"There are all sorts of discussions, and I see guys buying teams and different things," said Penske. "We're right now trying to focus on getting him in a race. We'll look at our options once we get closer to the end of the season."
From a business standpoint, this brilliant. However, many in the garage believe that a driver must earn his way into the field as opposed to having it handed to him on a silver platter.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
As if the 2007 NASCAR season has not been interesting enough, now we are hearing about the possibility of water being found in some team's fuel- Joe Gibbs Racing's 11 team driven by Denny Hamlin and Bill Davis Racing's team driven by Dave Blaney. Also, Roush Fenway Racing's 16 team driven by Greg Biffle apparently had the same issue.
John Darby admitted to water solution being found in several cars. "There are multiple teams that are showing positive for some level of water contamination level in their fuel," he said. He also pointed to a possible failed pipe or pump. Sabotage is an unlikely cause for this bizarre problem.
Hamlin was leading as the Pep Boys 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway was about to take the green flag on lap 321. His car never accelerated, and a small pileup ensued as Martin Truex Jr, the driver that dominated the race, rammed into the back of Hamlin's Chevrolet. Kyle Busch also received damage in the melee.
"I felt we were pretty good on fuel and even felt like we were real close even if it went green-white-checkered," Hamlin said. "All day, we had been getting water in our fuel, we weren’t getting the full potential of the fuel. I feel bad for the guys behind us who got caught up in that wreck.”
Tommy Baldwin, crew chief for Dave Blaney said, “We didn’t know what was going on (with the engine) and we drained (the fuel cell) and it was half water, half fuel. I’m guessing maybe it was because we were one of the first ones, us and (Hamlin), to get fuel this morning."
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
After a substandard season in all aspects, Rusty Wallace Incorporated is making some changes. Rusty Wallace's son Steve Wallace will remain in the 66 car; however, the team will field Chevrolets as opposed to Dodge.
Furthermore, the organization will add a second team with rookie Chase Austin behind the wheel. Austin will share the ride with David Stremme. The number will be 64, which was the same number Wallace's team used in 2005 and 2006.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Steve Hmeil did not remain on the unemployment list for too long. He has signed with Chip Ganassi Racing as a competition manager. His duties will include managing race engineering as well as preparation and testing.
Chevrolet has renewed with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. This comes as no surprise considering that DEI is affiliated with Richard Childress Racing, who has long-standing ties with the manufacturer.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
It was common knowledge that Scott Riggs would be replaced with Patrick Carpentier for the 2008 Sprint Cup season, but the driver change is coming earlier than previously expected. Starting at Phoenix, Patrick Carpentier will take over driving duties of the #10 Dodge fielded by Gillett Evernham Motorsports.
We're going to work real hard to give Patrick what he needs," said CEO Ray Evernham. "We are going to try to get him in a car more and more this year. We're trying to get him in some races. We're trying to surround him with veteran people. We have talked to people likeKenny Schrader We have a lot of great plans."
Carpentier is another component of the open wheel to NASCAR craze. This new-fangled way of finding a NASCAR driver has become the norm ever since Chip Ganassi Racing has found moderate success with former CART champion, and Formula One winner Juan Pablo Montoya. Dario Franchitti will replace David Stremme at Chip Ganassi Racing, and Jacques Villenueve will take over the ride at Bill Davis Racing which was recently vacated by Jeremy Mayfield.
Scott Riggs will join Mayfield at Haas CNC in 2008, possibly replacing Johnny Sauter.
Evernham has had trouble finding veteran leadership ever since Bill Elliot retired in 2003. Mayfield never seemed comfortable in that leadership role, and Kasey Kahne is so darn inconsistent. Elliott Sadler has the charisma, but he appears lost on the racetrack. Evernham feels that Carpentier can spark his team.
"The neat thing about it is that we have a guy that really, really appreciates the opportunity. He is a home run with the media. ... Patrick has brought a little bit of spark to the organization. And we're happy."
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
More silly season....
Earlier this week, Red Bull Racing released Doug Richert, crew chief of the 83 Red Bull Toyota driven by Brian Vickers. Vickers has failed to qualify for 13 of the 32 NASCAR Nextel Cup races held this season. Depsite four top tens, the team is underperforming, and a change was necessary. Randy Cox will assume the crew chief duties for Brian Vickers and the Red Bull Racing team.
Doug Richert was the crew chief for Dale Earnhardt long before he was 'the Intimidator'. He guided the Earnhardt to the 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Championship in which was only the driver's second full season. Richert also spent some time with Robert Yates Racing in the 1990's before joining Roush Fenway Racing in 2003 when he became the crew chief for Greg Biffle. As a duo, Biffle and Richert won 10 races from 2004 to 2006, however, Richert was released followong the 2006 season.
No word yet on where Richert will end up. Penske Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., and Joe Gibbs Racing all seem to be logical destinations for the former championship crew chief.
Also, Johnny Sauter will be replaced with Scott Riggs at Haas CNC Racing in 2008, therefore, the 29 year old driver is looking for another gig. Robby Gordon has expressed interest in Sauter, but can only hire him if sponsorship in included. Could Yellow Transportation or Radioactive Energy Drink follow Sauter to Robby Gordon Motorsports?
Stay tuned for more NASCAR silly season info.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Tempers always seem to flare at Martinsville, and we saw some more of that Sunday. Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon mixed it up a little in the closing laps, and engaged in a little exhange following the race. But they seemed to end the conversation in an amicable manner. The same cannot be said for Roush Fenway Racing teammates Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth.
As Matt Kenseth was being interviewed by SPEED analyst Bob Dilner, an unexpected visitor abruptly interrupted the interview. Carl Edwards appeared to be joking when he grabbed Kenseth and pulled him away from the interview, however, things didn't turn out so friendly. Edwards drew back as if he was going to punch Kenseth as the heated exchange ended. Edwards walked away, and Kenseth seemed shocked by his teammate's reaction.
Kenseth and Edwards had an issue at Kansas a few weeks ago in the Busch Series race, but that seemed to be water under the bridge. As of now, I am still unsure as to what transpired between the two at Martinsville.
Jack Roush will eventually get to the bottom of this tift, especially since it involves his two biggest stars.
Edwards has been labeled as the Eddie Haskell of NASCAR, and seems to have two polar opposite personalites. The happy-go-lucky Edwards is the guy we are accustomed to seeing, but he has also displayed a hot-tempered side. Last year he threatened Tony Stewart physical pain, and then a couple of weeks later he grabbed Dale Earnhardt Jr in victory lane following an incident in the Busch Series race.
Here is the link to the video of Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Effective immediately, Jeremy Mayfield will replace Jeff Green at Haas CNC in the #66 Best Buy/Haas Automation Chevrolet. Jeff Green had been driving the car since the beginning of the 2006 season, but has only recorded five top ten finishes in the time-span.
Mayfield has spent a majority of his first season with Bill Davis Racing on the couch as a spectator as he has only qualified for 13 of the 32 races. Ever since his acrimonious split with Ray Evernham and Evernham Motorsports, now Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Mayfield's career has hit a downward spiral. This opportunity with Haas CNC may not lead him to a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, but he will have the luxury of utilizing Hendrick Motorsports engine packages.
All three of Jeff Green's top ten finishes have occurred on tracks in which the Car of Tomorrow has been used, so considering that the Car of Tomorrow will be fully implemented in 2008, Mayfield could reel of a few good finishes. Scott Riggs will likely take over the #70 ride that Johnny Sauter currently drives.
"He (Jeremy Mayfield) has been in the Chase two of the last four years and that was a big factor in our decision. We very excited," said Joe Custer, the general manager for Haas CNC.
Now that Mayfield is off the market, David Stremme has become the top free agent.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The latest trend for NASCAR owners has been to hire an open wheel star based on his open wheel credentials alone.
Chip Ganassi hired Juan Pablo Montoya in 2006, and more recently Dario Franchitti. Bill Davis has hired Jacques Villenueve and Gillett Evernham Motorsports has hired Patrick Carpentier. And it is not just the international drivers. Last year, Red Bull Racing hired A.J. Allmendinger. Penske Racing has recently fielded cars for Sam Hornish, however he has yet to qualify for a Cup event.
Is this the way to go? Montoya has been impressive at times, but he has endured growing pains. And it is hard to imagine those drivers adapting as well as Montoya has.
Clint Bowyer put it all into perspective when speaking about this latest trend.
“A lot of guys who make a lot of money in other sports are coming over here... I think it’s good for our sport. I just don’t want to see young drivers like myself lose chances of getting here because of a big name getting a freebie. It’s a lot of hard work and dedication on a lot of people’s parts. … I hate to see too many of those spots taken by people with a big name who have already been successful in other sports and just think ‘Hey, let’s try this out, and if it works, it works, and if it doesn’t, then it doesn’t,’” said Bowyer.
Jimmie Johnson feels that these former open wheel stars have a ways to go before they can call themselves NASCAR stars.
"It’s going to take years for these guys to be competitive. I think restrictor-plate racing and road-course racing will come easily for them, and I think you can look at Juan’s stats and we all feel that Juan’s done a great job coming in. "
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
As anticipated, Michael Waltrip revealed his new business partner, Robert Kauffman, on Friday. Kauffman is a managing partner of Fortress Investment Group. Furthermore, 1999 champion Dale Jarrett will run the preseason shootout at Daytona in February, the first five Sprint Cup races, as well as the Sprint All-Star Challenge. He will start the season in the #44 UPS Toyota.
Following Jarrett's departure from the 44 ride, David Reutimann will become the spokesperson for UPS. Reutimann will start the season in the #00 Aaron's Toyota.
Waltrip expressed his intentions to field three full-time teams, however, no full-time sponsor or driver has been named yet for the 00 car. A couple of names that keep popping are Jeremy Mayfield and David Stremme. Mayfield will be leaving Bill Davis Racing following the 2007 season. Stremme's name has been link to several rides such as Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Haas CNC, and now Michael Waltrip Racing. The Gillett Evernham ride is no longer vacant, so Stremme will likely drive for Haas or Waltrip.
You have to give Michael Waltrip credit, he did issue a formal apology to Reutimann and Dale Jarrett for the team's lack of performance.
"I want to apologize to him and David for not having the team that they needed at the start of the season."
Greg Biffle, along with Ryan Newman, will be hot commodities in 2008 as their current contracts will expire. Newman and Biffle have both spent their entire NASCAR careers with the same organization and I do expect that to change. Biffle and Roush Fenway Racing will spend the off-season working on a contract extension. Earlier in the week, Roush Fenway officials announced that 3M will serve as the primary sponsor for the 16 car in 2008.
Newman's performance has been strong enough to warrant a contract extension with Penske Racing.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Following the latest fashionable trend of hiring open wheel drivers, Gillett Evernham Motorsports is expected to announce the hiring of Patrick Carpentier to drive the #10 Valvoline Dodge Avengers in 2008. Carpentier, the former IndyCar Series and Champ Car driver, joins Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, and Dario Franchitti as international open wheel to stock car converters.
"I guess the news leaked a little early. Patrick will be available for a statement." Carpentier's PR reprenstative said Wednesday all but confirming the report.
Carpentier won the pole and finished second in the Busch Series event at Montreal. A week later at Watkins Glen, Carpentier faced much stiffer competition in theNextel Cup Series race as he scored a 22nd place finish. How has he faired on ovals?
David Stremme was also on the list of possibilities of replacing Scott Riggs.
The logic behind the latest hiring of open wheel veterans is somewhat baffling considering that none have adequate experience in stock cars. These guys are being hired by virtue of their open wheel credentials as well as the limitless sponsorship possibilities. Meanwhile, more experienced stock car drivers are left scrambling for a ride in the form of auto racing that they grew up watching. Why not hire Boris Said? How about up and coming talent such as Stephen Leicht or Brad Coleman?
David Stremme, as well as Jeremy Mayfield, are candidates to join Scott Riggs at Haas CNC Racing.
NASCAR upheld the 25 point penalty assessed to Carl Edwards and the 99 Roush Fenway Racing team.
Reed Sorenson and his owner Chip Ganassi have been penalized 25 points driver and owner points for a rules infraction at Talladega following their 10th place finish.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The top NASCAR Sprint Cup ride available is arguably the Valvoline Dodge owned by Gillette Evernham Motorsports. After it was made clear that Scott Riggs would not return and would move on to Haas CNC Racing, Patrick Carpentier's name materialized as a possible replacement. Recently, David Stremme seems to have an added bounce to his step as he mentioned over the weekend that he has something lined up for 2008. The only ride available that is at least equal to his ride at Chip Ganassi Racing is the 10 ride.
Stremme will be replaced by IRL Champion Dario Franchitti in 2008, and could land a ride with Gillette Evernham Motorsports. But the Gillettes may be partial to Carpentier.
Alex Gillette spoke regarding the possibility of hiring the fellow Canadian.
"He (Carpentier) is one guy we like, absolutely. He tested pretty well at Kentucky and drove the car pretty well on the track, so we'll see."
Clearly, Stremme is the logical choice considering he has been through the learning process, however, he never really showed much promise at Chip Ganassi Racing. Add to that, Stremme and Kasey Kahne have had their issues. At Richmond, Kahne called Stremme overweight and out of shape (ironic considering Stremme was the spokesman for TrimSpa a couple of years ago), and admitted that he never liked Stremme. Carpentier is another former open-wheel star looking to amass riches in the Sprint Cup Series.
Reed Sorenson and his Chip Ganassi Racing team could be facing penalties this week after it was reported that there may have been a problem with the front-end height of the Target Dodge. Sorenson finished 10th at Talladega.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The 1999 NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett is expected to lessen his workload in 2008 after struggling through what is considered his worst season since joining NASCAR's top series. Jarrett signed with the upstart Michael Waltrip Racing team after 12 years driving for Robert Yates Racing. The sponsorship from UPS followed him. Sure, Jarrett had been struggling for years at Robert Yates Racing, but clearly, the grass is not greener in Waltrip's neck of the woods.
Including the UAW Ford 500 at Talladega, Jarrett has qualified for 20 out of 30 races thus far. Jarrett's best option would be to go ahead and step away from full-time competition. If there is anything negative that can be said about the careers of legends Darrell Waltrip and even Richard Petty, it is that they may have stayed in the sport too long after exiting their prime.
Michael Waltrip expressed his support for Jarrett. "I want him to do whatever he wants. He's a legend, he's a champion. I want him to be happy, so whatever it takes to do that."
Jarrett has been an analyst for ESPN for several Busch Series races this season, so it is possible that he could delve further into that career path.
Speaking of Michael Waltrip, the five-time winner, all on restrictor plate tracks, won the pole for the UAW Ford 500. It is the first Nextel Cup pole for Michael Waltrip Racing. In fact, four of the top five qualifiers are Toyota drivers.
Dave Blaney, Brian Vickers, Joe Nemechek, and David Reutiman round out the top five. Jacques Villenueve qualfied 6th in his Nextel Cup debut.
Kurt Busch and David Ragan failed post-qualifying inspection, hence they will line up 41st and 42nd on the starting grid.
Dario Franchitti finished 17th in the ARCA event on Friday, and Scott Speed finished 7th.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Denny Hamlin has encountered quite a bit of scrutiny over the past couple of weeks. Following his highly publicized quarrel with popular veteran Kyle Petty, Hamlin had another tough week at Kansas. He currently sits 12th in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings, 248 points behind Jimmie Johnson.
Hamlin was hoping to rebound at Talladega, however, once again, he has made the headlines, and not because he was the fastest car in practice. He was parked for 15 minutes in Happy Hour NASCAR considered his bump drafting tactics as 'rough driving'.
NASCAR's decision caught Hamlin by surprise.
"We asked them what was the difference between us and everybody else with the front and back bumpers being off and they said we were on TV while we were doing it, so I guess blame it on the television cameras. We were done anyway. They can park us for 15 minutes. They can park us for an hour. We're done," said Hamlin after he was summoned to pull off the track.
It is clear that NASCAR is trying to send a message to all drivers. But Hamlin was the unfortunate one who NASCAR chose as the example.
Bruton Smith is threatening to abandon Lowe's Motor Speedway due to his current conflict with the city of Concord, North Carolina. The conflict started when the city of Concord changed its zoning to prohibit his proposed drag strip, which would be located adjacent to the speedway.
The first thing I've got do is find some land and we walk it and look and then get an option to purchase and then we will start looking at the permitting and see if we run into any difficulties," Smith said. So is he serious? Would he abandon one of NASCAR's most storied speedways because he couldn't get his way?
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
There is so much to cover when it comes to NASCAR's silly season. The desire to hire open wheel veterans continues as Chip Ganassi, who tends to favor open wheel drivers, hired Dario Franchitti to replace David Stremme in the #40 Dodge. Franchitti absolutely has zero experience in stock car racing, however, he will join the NASCAR Sprint Cup fraternity.
Franchitti will make his stock car debut in the ARCA race at Talladega this weekend. Just a quick question...does Chip Ganassi ever hire seasoned veterans or does he just simply prefer gambling on untapped talent?
While Franchitti and Jacques Villenueve step into their new rides, Busch Series young gun Stephen Leicht is searching for a ride after his release from Robert Yates Racing. If I were a NASCAR Sprint Cup owner, I would put Leicht in a stock car over Franchitti, Villenueve, or Patrick Carpentier anyday. Additionally, Butch Hylton has been released from his duties as crew chief of the 88 car. Cully Barraclough will assume that role.
Nationwide will replace Anheiser-Busch as the title sponsor for the Busch Series. The 'Nationwide Series' just doesn't roll of the tongue quite like Busch Series.
And as expected, M&M's will become the primary sponsor for Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for 2008.
Haas CNC Racing has signed Scott Riggs to drive their Chevrolets for the 2008.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Two of NASCAR's most historic tracks, North Carolina Motor Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway, have long been scratched from the NASCAR agenda, however, news of a possible resurgence for the two vacant tracks have surfaced.
North Carolina Motor Speedway, better known as Rockingham or The Rock, was auctioned off, and guess who the highest bidder was. No, not some real estate developer looking to put a shopping mall on the land that Rockingham currently sits on. Former NASCAR field filler Andy Hillenburg was the highest bidder. Hillenburg, who will spend at least 4.4 million dollars on the track, hopes to re-open the facility for stock car racing. Unfortunately, NASCAR Sprint Cup is not likely to return to Rockingham. North Carolina Motor Speedway was erased from the NASCAR schedule in 2004.
Andy Hillenburg supposedly has two minority partners.
North Wilkesboro Speedway, which has sat dormant since 1996, may also be re-opened in the near future. Local businessman, Worth Mitchell, is reportedly in negotiations with Bob Bahre, owner of Speedway Motorsports. If things materialize the way Mitchell has envisioned, he hopes to open North Wilkesboro Speedway by 2010. Like Rockingham, the NASCAR Sprint Cup series will not return to North Wilkesboro Speedway, nevertheless, the track could be used for smaller divisions of stock car racing as well as testing.
Other notes- Mike Wallace will drive the #88 Snickers Ford for brother Kenny Wallace at Talladega. Kenny Wallace had been filling in for Ricky Rudd who was injured last month at California. No word on his return.
Jacques Villenueve and Sam Hornish Jr are on the entry list for this weekend's race at Talladega.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Greg Biffle was declared the winner of the LifeLock 400 at Kansas; however, he did not cross the finish line first. That would be hometown boy Clint Bowyer. Biffle's car apparently ran out of gas as the field approached the checkered flad. The 16 Aflac Ford pulled down to the apron, and Bowyer, as well as Jimmie Johnson bypassed the race winner. Drivers and crewmembers appeared confused following the wild race that encompassed two lengthy rain delays.
Both Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson questioned NASCAR and Biffle's win, as it is understood that a driver must maintain a reasonable speed during a caution, even if the field is frozen. If that is the case, then Bowyer should be declared the winner. NASCAR will once again be on the hot seat this week as fans and members of the media will scrutinize the finish to the race.
The race did not include a typical green-white-checkered because of darkness. Kansas Speedway does not have lights.
Barring any further review, this would be Biffle's first victory of the 2007 season, and the 12th of his career. Jimmie Johnson finished third, Casey Mears finished fourth, and Jeff Gordon finished 5th.
The current unofficial Nextel Cup championship standings are- 1. Jimmie Johnson 5501, 2. Jeff Gordon 5495, 3. Clint Bowyer 5492, 4. Tony Stewart 5384, 5. Kevin Harvick 5375, 6. Kyle Busch 5370, 7. Carl Edwards 5364, 8. Martin Truex Jr 5343, 9. Jeff Burton 5320, 10. Kurt Busch 5319, 11. Matt Kenseth 5282, 12. Denny Hamlin 5258
So fans, who should be declared the winner- Greg Biffle or Clint Bowyer?
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
If Richard Childress does not add a fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup team to his organization in 2008, this could spell trouble for Jeremy Mayfield and David Stremme. Mayfield and Stremme are leaving their current teams following the 2007 season, and have no plans for 2008 at the present time. An opportunity with Richard Childress Racing would be perfect for these two fledgling NASCAR drivers.
It has been rumored for several months now that Richard Childress Racing would expand into a four-car operation in 2008. Throughout the year, some of the rumored drivers have been Dale Earnhardt Jr (signed with Hendrick), Kyle Busch (signed with Gibbs), Ryan Newman, Scott Wimmer, Jeremy Mayfield, J.J. Yeley (signed with Hall of Fame Racing), and most recently David Reutimann.
Childress recently returned from his 10-day hunting trip in Mongolia, and hinted that the expansion may have to wait at least another season.
"It (fourth team) isn't looking really good right now. There are opportunities out there, but none that we want to pursue. I'd rather hold off a year and make sure that we get the right combination. It has to fit into our whole program. We'll run some races next year with (Scott) Wimmer or something, but right now, we don't know really what we're going to do," said Childress.
Richard Childress Racing has all three of their Nextel Cup teams in the Chase for the Championship, and each driver has a win a piece. Kevin Harvick won the Daytona 500, Jeff Burton won at Texas, and Clint Bowyer recently became NASCAR's newest winner at New Hampshire. Childress was out of the country when Bowyer collected his first win.
The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule has been released.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
After the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season, Budweiser will no longer be the sponsor of Dale Earnhardt Jr, nor will the beer company be considered the Official Beer of NASCAR. Coors Light, which has been the primary sponsor for Chip Ganassi Racing (formerly owned solely by Felix Sabates) since 1995, will take over as NASCAR's beer of choice.
The multi-year agreement between NASCAR and Coors Brewing Company allows Coors to exclusive rights to NASCAR logos in marketing and packaging, as well as the exclusive right to brand the pole award, which is currently known as the Bud Pole Award. Furthermore, Coors could become the primary sponsor of the Busch Series.
"Coors Light is a brand closely connected with and strongly supported by NASCAR's core fan base," said NASCAR's Chief Marketing Office, Steve Phelps.
Coors Brewing Company achieved its greatest success in NASCAR as the sponsor of Bill Elliott while he drove the Harry Melling owned Ford Thunderbirds. Elliott won the Winston Million in 1985 with Coors as the sponsor, and he won the Winston Cup championship in 1988 with Coors as the sponsor.
Speaking of Bill Elliott...he is expected to share the Wood Brothers #21 ride with rookies Jon Wood and Marcos Ambrose in 2008. Elliott replaced Ken Schrader at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May, and has the 21 car back in the top 35 in Nextel Cup owners points. Schrader returned to the 21 car at Loudon two weeks ago.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
NASCAR handed out a 25 point penalty to Carl Edwards after his Office Depot Ford failed post-race inspection following his win on Sunday at Dover. Additionally, Jack Roush was penalized 25 Nextel Cup owner's points due to the infraction that was considered unpremeditated.
Edwards claimed that the car was low after his teammate Greg Biffle gave him a congratulatory bump. Following the penalty, Edwards falls from third in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings to sixth, 28 points behind leader Jeff Gordon. Jimmie Johnson moves to third, Kyle Busch moves to fourth, and Clint Bowyer is now in the top five.
Many fans will question NASCAR's decision, as they typically do when any type of penalty is issued. However, the penalty assessed to Edwards and the 99 team coincided with penalties handed out to Kyle Busch and Johnny Sauter earlier in the season at New Hampshire.
Roush Fenway Racing will appeal the penalty.
Will this be the best Chase for the Championship yet?
It sure has the potential. Obviously Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Tony Stewart are the trio to beat, but Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer have began to peak at the perfect time. Bowyer was running in the top ten when his car received damage after Denny Hamlin spun Kyle Petty. Additionally, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr are running well, and Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, and Matt Kenseth are three of the most consistent drivers in NASCAR, so they can creep back into the hunt. Though Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick seem to be long-shots, I wouldn't count them out championship race just yet.
Thus far, only 46 points separate leader Jeff Gordon and seventh place Martin Truex Jr.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
As if the Budweiser & Kasey Kahne, or the conclusion of the Dale Earnhardt Jr sponsor and number search were not enough information to process in one week, it is rumored that M&M's will sponsor Kyle Busch in 2008. Interstate Batteries has been the primary sponsor of the Joe Gibbs Racing #18 car since its debut in 1992.
M&M's, a Mars U.S. product, is currently sponsoring the 38 Ford driven by David Gilliland and owned by Robert Yates Racing. Snickers, a fellow Mars brand, is the sponsor for the team car driven by Ricky Rudd, who is currently injured. Robert Yates Racing has struggled for several years now, and is currently seeking sponsorship for the 2008 season. M&M's appears to be a perfect fit for Kyle Busch, whose antics have made some believe that maybe he consumes too much sugar.
So it appears as if Kyle Busch will switch out the Frosted Flakes for the bite-sized candy that melts in your mouth.
The news surrounding Dale Earnhardt Jr is seemingly perpetual. Earnhardt Jr's crew chief Tony Eury Jr will depart DEI following the UAW Ford 500 at Talladega. Last month, Eury Jr announced that he would join Dale Earnhardt Jr at Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. In order to get prepared for 2008, Eury Jr feels it is necessary to join Hendrick Motorsports a few months early instead of helping Earnhardt Jr get to victory lane.
"Just trying to get a head start on next year," said Eury Jr.
Tony Gibson will assume the crew chief duties after Eury Jr's premature departure. Gibson was the crew chief for Earnhardt Jr following Eury Jr's suspension after violating NASCAR's rules at Darlington in May.
check out full autoracing blog
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Friday September 21, 2007
11:00 AM- Nextel Cup Series Practice
3:00 PM- Nextel Cup Series Bud Pole Qualifying
Saturday September 22, 2007
11:00 AM- Nextel Cup Series Practice
1:50 PM- Nextel Cup Series Final Practice, or Happy Hour
3:30 PM- NASCAR Busch Series race, RoadLoans.com 200, ESPN 2
Sunday September 23, 2007
1:00 PM- Dodge Dealers 400, at Dover International Speedway, ABC
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Though I would have liked to seen the number 6.7 on the side of Dale Earnhardt Jr's Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, he will sport the number 88. Earnhardt Jr's initial preference was to bring the number 8 with him to Hendrick Motorsports, but that idea was blocked by Teresa Earnhardt and DEI.
The number 88 was recently a number that was feared on the racetrack when Dale Jarrett, driving for Robert Yates Racing, was in his prime. Jarrett won 28 races, including the 1996 and 2000 Daytona 500's, from 1996 to 2006. Moreover, Dale Jarrett flat-out dominated the 1999 Winston Cup season en route to his first and only championship.
But even before Dale Jarrett, the number 88 was a frequent guest in victory lane. NASCAR icons such as Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Benny Parsons, Buddy Baker, Ricky Rudd, and Rusty Wallace have driven the number 88 for various NASCAR owners.
Dale Earnhardt Jr's grandfather Ralph Earnhardt sported the number 88 for a race at Martinsville in 1957.
As previously speculated, Earnhardt Jr will be sponsored by Pepsi Co. products Mountain Dew and Amp Energy Drink. Additionally, the National Guard will appear on the hood of the 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for select races.
Rick Hendrick noted that the buzz surrounding Dale Earnhardt Jr's car number has been incredible. "I never thought a car number would create this much excitement," he said.
Just a day before the monumental announcement, Dale Earnhardt Jr revealed his new line of candy bars, Dale Jr's Big Mo, in Chicago.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Despite failing to qualify for his first NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Loudon, New Hampshire this past weekend, Sam Hornish Jr and Roger Penske feel optimistic that the 3-time Indy Racing League champion can successfully convert to stock car racing. Hornish has competed in 8 career Busch Series races, and has yet to crack the top ten.
Nonetheless, Roger Penske's gut tells him to add a third Nextel Cup team with Sam Hornish Jr as the driver.
Penske also mentions that he can point out why Hornish qualified so poorly.
"The discussion with him was don't overdrive it in qualifying and he probably didn't realize he's going to have to overdrive to get in. That's part of the learning curve," he said.
Sam Hornish Jr will attempt the remaining races in 2007, which require the Car of Tomorrow, the car that will be utilized full-time in 2008. Roy McCauley will oversee the effort. McCauley spent nearly a year and a half as Kurt Busch's crew chief. He was the crew chief for Ryan Newman in 2005, when Newman won six Busch Series races in nine starts.
Hornish has yet to totally commit to running a full NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule in 2008.
Check out the Suite 101 full blog
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Anheiser-Busch will remain a sponsor in NASCAR, however, they will market a new driver with a dissimilar demographic. Budweiser has been the primary sponsor for Dale Earnhardt Jr since 1999, and have benefited greatly from endorsing NASCAR's favorite son. You see far more Budweiser cans at a race than Miller Lite and Coors Light combined. But will that continue now that Kasey Kahne will sport a Budweiser paint scheme in 2008?
Kahne is exceedingly popular, however, he is not Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kahne's popularity seems to come from the female demographic. Obviously, this is just speculation, but judging by my trips to the racetrack, about 70% - 80% of Kahne fans are women, and not too many women carry a Bud in their hand all afternoon. Nevertheless, Kahne is very marketable, and should represent the beverage well.
Dodge will a sponsor for Kasey Kahne's #9 Dodge owned by Gillette Evernham Motorsports.
"We welcome the new partnership and look forward to working with Gillett Evernham Motorsports toward the goal we share with all teams in the Dodge family, the Nextel Cup," said Mike Accavitti, head of Dodge Motorsports Marketing & Communications.
It is now official. Kasey Kahne will be sponsored by Budweiser in 2008.
An announcement is set for Wednesay, September 19th at 1:30 PM in regards to Dale Earnhardt Jr's number and sponsor for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. It is expected that several Pepsi Co products will share sponsorship, however, the number is still a mystery. The number 88 seems to be the most leading choice, but we'll find out for sure on Wednesday. That could likely mean that Robert Yates will bring back the 28.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The twelve contenders in the Chase for the Championship made a special appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman Wednesday as they read off the top twelve, which is normally the top ten, reasons whey they love NASCAR.
If you were unable to stay up to midnight and watch the show, you missed a few clever one-liners. However, Letterman seemed to have cared less that NASCAR's top drivers were in his studio. Letterman typically has a sarcastic sense of humor, so maybe that was it. But back in February, when Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick made an appearance on the show, he could not even pronounce Clint Bowyer's last name correctly when they were discussing Bowyer's upside finish in the Daytona 500.
Anyway, in case you missed it, here are what the drivers had to say.
Clint Bowyer: "We've got special mirrors that show objects the size that they actually are."
Kevin Harvick: "Sometimes, back in the garages, there's horseplay with the air hose."
Jeff Burton: "Between the G-forces and the fumes, I'm loopy most of the season."
Kyle Busch: "Switch the R and C in racing and you get caring."
Matt Kenseth: "Can hold 8 gigs of music on my new ihelmet."
Martin Truex Jr: "In a pinch, checkered flags make a lovely tablecloth."
Denny Hamlin: "Two more wins and I get to marry Ashley Judd."
Kurt Busch: "You can talk to your car and pretend you are David Hasselhoff."
Carl Edwards: "How many people can say that their office goes 200 miles per hour."
Tony Stewart: "Driving fast and starting fights."
Jeff Gordon: "It's not one of those sports where you have to inject stuff in your ass to be good."
Jimmie Johnson: "Unlike most guys, I like it when my wife says 'you're too fast'."
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Kenny Wallace will continue to sub for the injured Ricky Rudd in the # 88 Snickers Ford for Robert Yates Racing. Rudd is still recovering from a separated shoulder which was the result of a crash that occurred at California two weeks ago.
Boris Said will attempt to qualify a fourth car for Gillette Evernham Motorsports this weekend. He will drive the #98 Valvoline Dodge, and must qualify his way into the show. Said runs a limited schedule for Gillette Evernham Motorsports in the Busch Series, specifically the road course races. Not sure if this means that Said is a candidate for a full-time ride for Gillette Evernham Motorsports next year.
Bill Elliott has driven the #21 car owned by the Wood Brothers since the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte back in May, with exception to the race at Watkins Glen, however, Ken Schrader will return to the 21 car this weekend at New Hampshire. Elliott has helped the team re-enter the top 35 in Nextel Cup owner's points.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
After twenty-six races, Dale Earnhardt Jr has five DNF's due to engine failures. And that is not including the power steering failure at Chicagoland that plummeted Earnhardt Jr from a potential top five finish, to a 19th place finish.
These mechanical woes have led to some fans questioning DEI, even insinuating that Earnhardt Jr is being sabotage with defective engines. Is such corruption a possibility? One would like to believe that no organization lacks that much integrity, and that these circumstance are merely coincidental.
I do no believe that Teresa Earnhardt is out to screw over Dale Earnhardt Jr. DEI has more to gain with Dale Earnhardt Jr chasing the championship than having him battle Ryan Newman for the 13th place consolation prize.
Regardless of what you think of Teresa, she would not drag the late Dale Earnhardt's company through the mud by intentionally sabatoging his son's championship hopes.
"We tried hard to get him in the Chase. We wanted him to win a championship. We always said that would have been the most appropriate way for him to leave DEI," said John Story, the general manager at DEI.
Speaking of DEI, they have been served. Former Ginn Racing drivers Sterling Marlin and Joe Nemechek, along with two crew chiefs, filed a lawsuit against Ginn Racing, which was absorbed by Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in August. Separate breach of contract suits were filed for Bobby Ginn and DEI. The four former employees claim to have money owed to them.
According to the suit, both Marlin and Nemechek were expected to earn $1.2 million this season, and were promised 45 percent of their race winnings and 33 percent of souvenir sales. Nemechek earned more than $4 million in race winnings last season, while Marlin eanred $3.2 million.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The 2007 rendition of silly season has been one of many twists. It's not every year when NASCAR's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and NASCAR's most loathed driver, Kyle Busch, leaves one powerhouse organization for another. It's not every year when one of NASCAR's most successful teams, Joe Gibbs Racing, moves from Chevrolet to Toyota.
Robert Yates Racing had intentions to merge with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing back in August, however, plans have now been altered. Doug Yates will assume total control of the racing operation, which will be referred to as Yates Racing starting December 1st. The partnership with NHL Racing will be no more. Moreover, Craftsman Truck Series veteran Travis Kvapil will get a second chance in NASCAR's highest level of competition as he will replace Ricky Rudd in the 88. This ends all speculation that Kenny Wallace will assume that ride.
"I'm closing this chapter of my life, and I cannot wait to see what is in store for me next. Carolyn [Yates, his wife] and I look forward to watching Doug build Yates Racing into a championship caliber team," said Robert Yates.
David Stremme joins Jeremy Mayfield, Scott Riggs, and Tony Raines in the free agent market for 2008. Earlier in the week, Coors Light announced that they would no longer sponsor the 40 car for Chip Ganassi Racing after the 2007 NASCAR season. It appears as if Stremme will be replaced with Dario Franchitti, another open-wheel racer with very limited stock car experience.
Now, for some refreshing news...AT&T logos will be allowed to appear on the hood of the 31 Richard Childess Racing Chevrolet driven by Jeff Burton after reaching a settlement with NASCAR and Sprint Nextel. AT&T will have to be replaced with another sponsor after the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
Silly season is still in full swing!
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Richard Childress, owner of the #31 Chevrolet driven by Jeff Burton, expressed his concerns over the AT&T versus NASCAR legal battle.
“It’s tough right now, with the costs of the sport, the car of tomorrow, the new engine...The money AT&T is spending in NASCAR - not even counting what it’s spending with our team - is three or four times as much as what they’re spending for us. That’s got to be healthy for the entire sport, including Sprint-Nextel.”
Jeff Burton's car has lacked sponsorship logos in the last two races due to the court rulings.
If AT&T is indeed banned from Jeff Burton's Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing may seek help from Holiday Inn, Burton's sponsor in the Busch Series. Or perhaps they could use DIRECTV logos. DIRECTV was affiliated with BellSouth which is now AT&T.
Hall Of Fame Racing, owned by Bill Saunders, Troy Aikman, and Roger Staubach, have sold majority ownership of the racing operation to Jeff Moorad, part-owner and chief operating officer of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hall Of Fame Racing is the fourth full-time NASCAR Nextel Cup organization to seek financial backing from an outside source.
Hall Of Fame Racing is closely affiliating with Joe Gibbs Racing, so it is very plausible to believe that they would make the move to Toyota along with Joe Gibbs Racing. J.J. Yeley has emerged as a candidate for this ride.
Sponsorship for the 2008 season has not been made official yet for Dale Earnhardt Jr, however, word around the garage is that Mountain Dew and AMP energy drink will share a majority of the sponsorship of the currently unnumbered Chevrolet. Mountain Dew and AMP are PepsiCo products. Additionally, National Guard, which is currently the primary sponsor for Casey Mears, could appear on the hood of Earnhardt Jr's Chevrolet for selected races in 2008.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Casey Mears will transfer from the 25 car to the 5 car starting in 2008. Mears has spent his first season with Hendrick Motorsports in the 25 National Guard Chevrolet, but with the departure of Kyle Busch and arrival of Dale Earnhardt Jr, Mears' plans have been altered. Mears will drive the Kellogg's Chevrolet with Alan Gustafson as the crew chief.
Dale Earnhardt Jr will move to Casey Mears' current ride. No official announcement has been made regarding the number or sponsorship for Earnhardt Jr's future ride. It has been widely speculated that PepsiCo products Mountain Dew and Amp Energy Drink will likely share sponsorship with National Guard.
"My goal is to meet the high standard the drivers before me helped established with the No. 5 Chevrolet, both on and off the track," said Mears.
Tony Eury Jr will join Dale Earnhardt Jr at Hendrick Motorsports and will serve as crew chief. Eury Jr and Earnhardt Jr have spent most of their careers working together.
"With the resources we'll have at Hendrick Motorsports, it's an opportunity to consistently run up front and be in title contention every year. The goals are winning races and winning championships," said Eury Jr.
J.J. Yeley has made his decision regarding his future employment. He will join Hall Of Fame Racing for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Hall Of Fame Racing has been closely afflilated with Joe Gibbs Racing, so Yeley should feel right at home when he joins his new team.
"I've never had to make a decision this difficult in my life, but I'm confident that Hall of Fame Racing will be competitive week in and week out and build the future team around me as their driver," said Yeley
There is no word on Tony Raines' plans for 2008.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Sharp Aquos 500 at California Speedway
1. 2-Kurt Busch, Dodge
2. 48-Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
3. 9-Kasey Kahne, Dodge
4. 12-Ryan Newman, Dodge
5. 5-Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
6. 19-Elliott Sadler, Dodge
7. 8-Dale Earnhardt Jr, Chevrolet
8. 1-Martin Truex Jr, Chevrolet
9. 11-Denny Hamlin, Chevrolet
10. 16-Greg Biffle, Ford
Other notables
12. 29-Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet
16. 24-Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet
19. 99-Carl Edwards, Ford
22. 20-Tony Stewart, Chevrolet
24. 07-Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet
36. 17-Matt Kenseth, Ford
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Ever since the debut of Joe Gibbs Racing in 1992, they have been an integral part of GM's NASCAR program. They started with Chevrolet, but switched to the Pontiac Grand Prix in 1997. After the 2003 season, Pontiac left NASCAR and the Joe Gibbs Racing fleet was again represented by Chevrolet.
After sixteen seasons with General Motors, Joe Gibbs Racing is expected to announce their intentions to field Toyota Camry's in 2008. A news conference that will include Joe Gibbs Racing officials as well as drivers Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin is scheduled for next week.
If this is the case, Toyota will finally get the star power that they have lacked all throughout their inaugural season in NASCAR. Tony Stewart is the 2002 and 2005 champion, and Denny Hamlin is the 2006 NASCAR Rookie of the Year. Additionally, the flamboyant Kyle Busch will join Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008.
The 2007 NASCAR silly season has tested the loyalty of traditional NASCAR fans. First, Dale Earnhardt Jr leaves DEI for Hendrick Motorsports, the same organization that Earnhardt fans have despised for years, and now Tony Stewart may become Toyota's top driver. Many fans have resented Toyota's presence in NASCAR.
Regan Smith is working with DEI official to become the driver of the 01 Chevrolet. Smith was originally signed as a developmental driver for Ginn Racing, but the team was absorbed by DEI last month.
Smith will agree to a one-year deal. No sponsorship details have been released.
"Since the merger, Regan's first choice has always been to stay with DEI," said agent Jeff Dickerson of Motorsports Management Inc.
Aric Almirola and Mark Martin are expected to share the #8 ride.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Though ESPN's Marty Smith says it is unlikely, there is still a possibility that Dale Earnhardt Jr will drive the #38 in 2008 for Hendrick Motorsports. After failing to land the #8 for 2008, many numbers such as #81 and #08 have become possibilities for Earnhardt Jr, but the #38 would be perfect. What number could be better? You have the 3 and the 8 on one car driven by an Earnhardt. If this comes to fruition, fans may soon forget about the pain of losing the #8.
Robert Yates has carried the #38 since 2003 when Elliott Sadler replaced Ricky Rudd in what was the #28 Ford. Salder won two races in 2004, however he began to struggle in 2005, leading to his departure in the summer of 2006. David Gilliland replaced Sadler and has yet to bring the #38 back to victory lane.
If the #38 is transferred from Yates to Hendrick Motorsports, it is likely that the #28 would be resurrected.
Haas CNC owner Gene Haas has pled guilty to one count of tax fraud and will spend two years in prison. Haas CNC fields the NASCAR Nextel Cup cars of Johnny Sauter and Jeff Green. Joe Custer, Haas CNC general manager, has been listed as the owner of the 70 and 66 cars.
Greg Biffle is expected to remain at Roush Fenway Racing for the 2008 season, which is the final season of his contract. Officials at Roush Fenway Racing have stated that adequate sponsorship has been found for Biffle and the 16 team for 2008. Busch Series driver Todd Kluever is free to explore other options.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
It has been a disappointing season for Kasey Kahne, especially after winning a NASCAR Nextel Cup series high six races in 2006. However things appear to be on the upswing as Kahne won the pole for the Sharpie 500 at Bristol with a speed of 119.805 (16.016 seconds).
Rounding out the top ten is Juan Pablo Montoya, Jamie McMurray, David Ragan, Dave Blaney, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman, Ricky Rudd, Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff Burton.
Other notables- Dale Earnhardt Jr starts 17th, Jeff Gordon starts 18th, Kurt Busch starts 19th, Tony Stewart starts 23rd.
Jacques Villeneuve could be the next former Formula One star to join the NASCAR series. The Canadien is scheduled to test a truck for Bill Davis Racing at Chicagoland Speedway on Tuesday.
"Bill Davis Racing was aware of my interest in NASCAR and approached my management team with a view to allowing me to test within its truck program," said Villeneuve.
And it just so happens that Bill Davis Racing has an open seat for 2008 as Jeremy Mayfield will not return to the #36 Toyota after the season.
Dale Earnhardt Jr is now standing up for Teresa Earnhardt, well, sort of. Many harsh words have been directed towards his stepmother throughout the week, and Earnhardt Jr has had enough.
“It's about time we gave Teresa a break...she hasn’t done anything detrimental to me,” he said.
Also, Earnhardt Jr expressed concerns regarding his step sister Taylor. "She has a daughter (Taylor) who goes to school and has friends and has to put up with that stuff...People have been really, really rude and over the line."
And Kyle Busch threw in his two cents regarding the number ordeal. “It's really not that big of a deal. Slap an 81 on the thing and be happy and go," said Busch.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
I thought these were interesting quotes from Michael Waltrip and Kelley Earnhardt Elledge on XM Satellite Radio.
Michael Waltrip stated that he desired to bring the #15 with him to Bill Davis Racing, and eventually Michael Waltrip Racing. The #15 had been associated with Waltrip and NAPA Auto Parts since 2001, however, Teresa Earnhardt nixed that idea.
”When I left there I tried to take the 15 just for NAPA and I knew the 15 didn't have any sentimental value to Teresa (Earnhardt), but she certainly made it clear she was going to keep that number, so I didn't have any doubt that she was gonna keep Dale Jr.'s number too," said the two-time Daytona 500 champion.
Perhaps Teresa Earnhardt was less than thrilled when NAPA decided to follow Michael Waltrip out of the DEI front doors.
Speaking of Earnhardt, here are some quotes from Kelley Earnhardt Elledge.
In regards to driving a racecar again- “Well, my mom says never. ...My mind says that I might want to do it again, but my mom says never.”
In regards to working with her brother Dale Earnhardt Jr.- "I say to people all the time his focus is being a Cup driver ... That’s what he does, so I don’t like to bother him with things about our company and things about the Busch team and the things going on because he’s got to focus Thursday through Sunday on his race car and his career because that’s what makes the rest of this go around right now and it what helps build what we’re doing at JR Motorsports.”
Sorry fans, Elledge Earnhardt had no harsh words for Teresa Earnhardt. But I'm sure she had harsh thoughts.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
According to FoxSports.com, DEI is ready to name the driver, or drivers, of the famous #8 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The highly admired veteran Mark Martin will pilot the number 8 car on a part-time basis, splitting seat time with hotshoe rookie Aric Almirola. Almirola is expected to take over the ride full-time in 2009.
This news has materialized just days after Teresa Earnhardt denied Dale Earnhardt Jr the number 8 after the 2007 NASCAR season.
"If there's anyone who can represent Dale Earnhardt Inc. in the No. 8, it's Mark Martin," said Max Siegel, president of DEI's global operations. "But no official decision has been made yet as to what we are going to do."
While many fans will resent any driver that ever climbs into the 8 car, Mark Martin is a likeable driver, and should ease some of the antipahty. Almirola is the former Joe Gibbs Racing developmental driver, who signed with Ginn Racing just days before the DEI/Ginn Racing merger.
As far as the 01 ride in 2008, J.J. Yeley and Regan Smith are the likely candidates. After the 2008 season, there are several attractive names on the market such as Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, and 2000 champion Bobby Labonte.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
After 911 starts following his NASCAR Winston Cup debut at Rockingham in 1975, Ricky Rudd will finally retire from stock car racing. Rudd returned to Nextel Cup competition in 2007 after taking a breather in 2006. Rudd, often referred to as the 'Rooster', has recorded 23 victories, including the 1997 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"I wasn't sure if I wanted to retire at the end of '05 or not," Rudd said. "That's why I never made a statement. I took a year off and I ended up coming back. I think it's clear to me that I want to do it now. I've enjoyed the sport but it's time for me to do something different."
After Rudd rides off into the sunset, an opening at Yates/Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing will become available, and word around the garage is that J.J. Yeley is the leading candidate to succeed Rudd in the familiar 88 Ford. Yeley will leave Joe Gibbs Racing following the 2007 season to make room for Kyle Busch.
Yeley has been linked with Dale Earnhardt, Inc, Richard Childress Racing, Wodd Brothers Racing, Bill Davis Racing, and Evernham Motorsports.
Other drivers that could emerge as Rudd's replacement include veteran Jeremy Mayfield, as well as Regan Smith, who's status is currently uncertain. Smith drove for Team Rensi's Ford team in the Busch Series in 2006.
Additionally, open wheel drivers Scott Speed and Dario Franchitti have been rumored as future stock car drivers.
Rain, rain, please just go away! Rain has dampened several race weekends throughout the 2007 season. Not only has races at Richmond, Darlington, Dover, and now Michigan have been postponed due to mother nature, the event held at Pocono in June was rain-shortened. Also, qualifying sessions at Texas, Daytona, and Watkins Glen have been washed out. Never have I witnessed so much rain in a NASCAR season.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The number that has personified NASCAR's most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr will no longer appear on the side of his car after the 2007 season comes to an end. Hendrick Motorsports officials confirmed that they were unable to reach a suitable agreement with DEI that would allow them to carry the #8.
"We've been working hard to secure the No. 8 for Dale Jr.'s car number next season," said Marshall Carlson, general manager of Hendrick Motorsports.
"Our hope was to carry the No. 8 with Dale Jr. to his new team, but the last proposal Hendrick Motorsports received from DEI just wasn't viable," said Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, his sister and business manager.
For the myriads of Earnhardt Jr fanatics, this has been a season of change. First, Earnhardt Jr announced that he was leaving DEI, the company his late father built, and just over a month later, he announced that he would be joining Hendrick Motorsports, the same team his arch-rival Jeff Gordon drivers for. Not long ago, it was made clear that Budweiser, Junior's sponsor since 1999, would not be joining him at Hendrick Motorsports. And now, the last hope of any familiarity is gone.
So what number will Dale Earnhardt Jr sport in 2008? Just as the number 8 has been sentimental to Earnhardt Jr, the #5 is the same for Rick Hendrick. The #5 car was the original Hendrick Motorsports car when the team formed in 1984 with Geoff Bodine as the driver.
The number 81 has been linked with Earnhardt and the number 08 would be a logical choice as well.
As for who drives the #8 in 2008, they will have the unenviable task of filling the shoes of Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The Kyle Busch sweepstakes has officially ended today as it was publicly announced that the young driver will join Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008. Interstate Batteries is expected to remain as the primary sponsor, but at the same time, they are willing to allow other sponsors to advertise on the hood of the 18 car.
"He could have gone to almost any team he wanted to ... What I told our guys, that's a huge compliment to them," said team president J.D. Gibbs. He also admitted that current drivers Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin encouraged the hiring of Kyle Busch.
"We leaned a lot on Denny and Tony during this process. Both of them said 'Off the track and on the track, there is no one who has the talent this guy does and bringing him on board really gives us three guys who can win week in and week out.' "
Kyle Busch's decision finally puts to rest all of the speculation and rumors that have been swirling around the garage area over the past two months. "It was a great decision-making process that I was able to go through and a great learning experience as well ... I think we went about it in the right way where everybody was pleased with the way it went down. I felt like, for myself and the time in my career, I made the right decision," said Busch.
Kyle Busch is confident that the 18 team will return to its glory days of the late 1990's and early 2000's.
"We'll be able to jump in there and hopefully get the chemistry right right off the bat and be able to get up there and run competitive in the first few races or maybe even take a couple and throw them away and then hopefully be able to run competitive through the middle part of the season and try to get toward the Chase next year," he said.
Gibbs was mum on which manufacturer the team would use in 2008. Joe Gibbs Racing has had conversations with both Chevrolet and Toyota.
NASCAR won their appeal versus AT&T on Monday, which will likely result in the removal of the AT&T decals from Richard Childress Racing's Chevrolet driven by Jeff Burton. Back in April, AT&T was given a temporary injunction which allowed the Cingular logos to be replaced with the AT&T logos. Cingular, the sponsor of the 31 car since 2002, merged with AT&T in December of 2006, and the name is being phased-out.
When Nextel, now Sprint Nextel, became the primary sponsor of the series in 2004, rival telecommunication companies were no longer permitted to advertise their brand on a car in NASCAR's top series, however, Cingular and Alltel were listed in a grandfather clause since they were under contractual obligations with Richard Childress Racing and Penske Racing.
It is uncertain as to which logos will appear on the hood of the 31 Chevrolet this weekend at Michigan.
So Sprint Nextel appears as if they will be successful in running off all telecommunication companies from NASCAR. Roger Penske better have a backup plan for Ryan Newman's #12 team, because Alltel is next on their hitlist.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Thanks to FoxSports, another silly season rumor has materialized.
The web site stated that there is a rumor concerning the 1989 champion Rusty Wallace. Wallace stepped aside from his Penske Racing ride following the 2005 season, and is now a broadcaster for ESPN. Richard Childress Racing is the rumored destination for Rusty Wallace. Childress is expected to expand his operation to four cars in 2008.
Rusty Wallace fans, I wouldn't get my hopes up. It is unlikely that he will be allowed out of his current contract with ESPN.
Scott Wimmer and J.J. Yeley have also been mentioned as a candidate for that ride.
Just a few weeks ago, Bobby Labonte's name surfaced as the driver who would join Richard Childress Racing.
Yeley, along with Regan Smith, Greg Biffle, and David Reutimann have recently been linked with DEI. Yeley has become a hot prospect and will likely be the guy that is targeted. Biffle is under contract with Roush Fenway Racing through the 2008 season, so unless there is a mutual parting, his name might as well be scracthed off.
Surprisingly, Jeremy Mayfield's name has not been linked with either DEI, Richard Childress Racing, or any other team looking for a driver. Mayfield's stock has dropped quite a bit since he qualified for the Chase for the Championship in 2004 and 2005, but he has not forgotten how to drive.
How about a return to Penske Racing? Mayfield admitted that he regrets leaving Penske Racing in 2001.
"If I had a dream team, I'd go back to my No. 12 car days at Penske. I wish I had that opportunity now," he said.
Well, you never know, rumor has it that Penske may possibly field a third team in 2008, and Mayfield is much more qualifed than Sam Hornish Jr.
No fines are expected to be handed to either Kevin Harvick or Juan Pablo Montoya following their little altercation, if you want to call it that, on Sunday at Watkins Glen. And apparently the 'a' word is no longer considered a bad word. All I have to say is that if I heard my son say that word, he would no doubt face disciplinary actions.
Oh yeah, Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing will officially announce their union on Tuesday morning.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
After a tumultuous weekend in Montreal last week, Robby Gordon will get another chance at a road course victory. Gordon's defiant actions last weekend resulted in him being parked by NASCAR, as he was unable to compete in the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono.
This week, the NASCAR circuit heads to the road course of Watkins Glen, which is right up Gordon's alley. Ever since Gordon entered NASCAR, road courses have been his strong suit. In 2003, he swept the two road course races while driving for Richard Childress Racing.
Projected Top Ten
1. Robby Gordon
2. Tony Stewart
3. Juan Pablo Montoya
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Ryan Newman
6. Kevin Harvick
7. Kurt Busch
8. Ron Fellows
9. Denny Hamlin
10. Kyle Busch
keep an eye on Jimmie Johnson, P.J. Jones, Patrick Carpentier, and Ricky Rudd.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
By now, just about every race fan in America, Canada, and Australia saw the comical meltdown of Robby Gordon at Montreal on Saturday. It is simple, Robby Gordon completely lost it. His celebratory yet defiant burnouts were classic. However, NASCAR Busch Series rookie driver Marcos Ambrose took the biggest hit in Robby Gordon's latest outburst.
Robby Gordon has often been known to lose his cool. In 2004, Gordon purposely spun out Greg Biffle, which also took out Chase for the Championship contenders Tony Stewart and Jeremy Mayfield. Just a year later, at the same New Hampshire track, Gordon tossed his helmet in the direction of Michael Waltrip, and proceeded to refer to Waltrip as a piece of feces on national television. So you just knew that it was a matter of time before the ticking timebomb went off again.
Gordon had reason to be upset, he should have restarted in the lead, however, NASCAR has a very confusing rulebook. So everyone knew that Gordon was not going to take NASCAR's ruling lightly.
Gordon intentionally spun Ambrose, preventing the driver from winning his first ever NASCAR race. I must say that Ambrose took it much better than I would have. Basically, he took it like a man.
Here is the twist. Robby Gordon has offered Marcos Ambrose an olive branch. He has invited Ambrose to drive a second Robby Gordon Motorsports car for the race at Watkins Glen this weekend.
"Marcos did a helluva job," Gordon said. "He led a lot of laps on Saturday. It will be great to have him as my teammate...The first reason is that it's unfortunate that Marcos got put in a position in Montreal where I was thinking, 'OK, if I'm not going to win, he's not going to win.' "
Ambrose has apparently accepted the peace offering. "A bit of old outback Australian culture involved playing a game of Australian football, having a fight and then heading to the pub together for a beer - I guess this is a bit like that," he said.
So Robby Gordon does has the ability to show remorse.
Ambrose is expected to drive the #77 Ford.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
It has been exactly a year since Ray Evernham abruptly fired Jeremy Mayfield after Mayfield went public with his frustration with the team's performance. Mayfield was replaced with Bill Elliott at Watkins Glen, and eventually Elliott Sadler.
A few weeks later, Mayfield and Bill Davis announced that they would team up for the 2007 Nextel Cup season with 360 OTC as the primary sponsor. But the season has been a disaster, and after failing to qualify for 13 of the first 21 races, Davis and Mayfield mutually agreed to part ways following the 2007 season. The writing was on the wall when Davis replaced Mayfield with Butch Leitzinger for the race at Infineon in June.
"Jeremy has done all we asked of him and more as part of what has been an enormous challenge in 2007 for the entire BDR Cup program...Add to that the challenge of facing the healthiest overall car count in years for the Nextel Cup Series, the elements involved with the top-35 watermark, as well as the education of a company that was in its first NASCAR Nextel Cup motorsports sponsorship, and it has made for some trying times for all involved," said Bill Davis.
Mayfield seemed almost relieved in his statements.
"When I made the decision to move here to BDR with an untested car and a sponsor completely unfamiliar with NASCAR, I knew it would be somewhat of a gamble. I believed then, and I believe now, that Toyota has a bright future in the Cup series and is making progress every weekend...But I think I have delivered what I can to the effort and looking at the total picture - what's best for me, what's best for the team - I believe this is the right time for me to consider other opportunities," said the 5-time Nextel Cup race winner.
At 38 years of age, time is running out for Mayfield to resurrect his career. Fortunately, there are still plenty of solid rides left to be filled for 2008. Richard Childress Racing is still considering a fourth team for 2008, DEI still has yet to name a driver for the 8 team, though Aric Almirola has emerged as the frontrunner for that ride, and it is highly doubtful that Ricky Rudd will be back with Newman/Haas/Lanigan/Yates Racing next season.
Mayfield's status for 2008 has been made public while there are still quality rides available.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Though it is currently unofficial, Kyle Busch is expected to join Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008 replacing J.J. Yeley in the 18 Chevrolet, or possibly Toyota. Ever since it was announced that Dale Earnhardt Jr would replace Kyle Busch at Hendrick Motorsports, the focus has been shifted to the 22 year old driver from Las Vegas, Nevada, and who he will drive for in 2008.
Over the past few weeks, it was widely speculated that Kyle Busch was headed over to Dale Earnhardt Inc. There was also interest from Evernham Motorsports, now Gillette Evernham Motorsports, Chip Ganassi Racing, and Richard Childress Racing. But it appears as if Joe Gibbs has won the Kyle Busch sweepstakes.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out, having Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch on the same team, considering that those two drivers arguably receive the most negative media coverage of any other driver in the garage. It is not clear as to who will sponsor Busch, however, Interstate Batteries has been the sponsor of the 18 car ever since Joe Gibbs Racing made its debut in NASCAR back in 1992.
In addition to the Kyle Busch rumors, other rumors surrounding Joe Gibbs Racing have been present over the past few weeks. It is no secret that Toyota is in desperate need of star power, so why not target the second best team in NASCAR, statistically speaking. Unofficially, Joe Gibbs Racing could become Toyota's flagship operation.
So what happens to J.J. Yeley? Yeley was signed as a developmental driver at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2003, before Denny Hamlin came into the picture, however, it is Hamlin that has become the star that Yeley was expected to become. For some reason, Yeley has not found that chemistry at Joe Gibbs Racing that Hamlin has found with the 11 team. So in this 'what have you done for me lately' world of NASCAR, Yeley will likely be bounced from his ride in order to make room for Kyle Busch. I read where Yeley may end up at Wood Brothers Racing, but I have also heard that he could end up at Hall Of Fame Racing, or Newman/Haas/Lanigan/Yates/etc. Racing.
Yeley cut his teeth in the USAC ranks, but has been unable to find that success that other USAC graduates such as Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, and Kasey Kahne have found.
Ryan Newman to Richard Childress Racing, or DEI? Unlikely!
Sebastien Bourdais to Yates? Unlikely!
Red Bull Racing To Chevrolet? Unlikely!
Jeremy Mayfield to Richard Childress Racing? Nothing would surprise me.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Last week, a rumor began to swirl around the garage, and it had zilch to do with the Dale Earnhardt Jr sponsor search, Kyle Busch's future whereabouts, or Budweiser and Kasey Kahne. It was regarding Sebastien Bourdais, a three-time Champ Car World Series champion, and a possible move to NASCAR.
It was announced last weekend that Robert Yates Racing merged with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, the Champ Car team in which Sebastien Bourdais currently drives for. As soon as the amalgamation became public knowledge, rumblings that Bourdais would opt for the intricate jump to stock cars grew louder and louder.
Bourdais basically dismissed any notion that he would be driving anything other than an open wheel car in 2008. He told the media, "It (rumors of the transition to NASCAR) also is completely unrelated to what I will end up doing in the future. So I just think people are getting everything mixed up a little bit."
Bourdais, a Frenchman, would become the second major International auto racing star to make an impact in NASCAR. Juan Pablo Montoya, a Colombia native, has already had several impressive showings as a stock car novice.
Before the Champ Car season began, it had been rumored that Sebastien Bourdais would leave the Champ Car Series for Formula One. Formula One is regarded by many as the highest level of open wheel racing in the universe. Earlier this year, Bourdais tested for the Scuderia Torr Rosso team.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
If the Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Ginn Racing merger really has been completed as several online sources have confirmed, then Regan Smith must be confused. Just a week ago, Ginn Racing officials announced that Regan Smith would become the driver of the #14 Chevrolet after abruptly releasing veterans Sterling Marlin and Joe Nemechek. Despite rumors that Ginn Racing would soon be absorbed by DEI, Regan Smith appeared secure with his job. But now with the latest developments surrounding the Ginn Racing and DEI saga, Smith might not be as secure as he may have thought.
Supposedly, Bobby Ginn would be listed as the owner of the #15 driven by Paul Menard, and the #14 or #13 owner's points would be shifted to that team. Ginn would also be listed as the owner of the #01 driven by Mark Martin and Aric Almirola. Teresa Earnhardt would remain the listed owner of the #8 and #1, and the #13 and #14 teams would dissolve.
Now, just a week ago, Aric Almirola was named as co-driver of the #01, but the question lingers- Why would you sign another young driver (Almirola) when you already have one (Regan Smith), and you are expected to merge with another operation that already has three teams? It looks like Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin are not the only ones who lose in this situation. Is there room for Regan Smith? Maybe he will split seat time with Martin and Almirola in the 01. However, it seems unlikely that three drivers would share one ride.
DEI may hold on to Smith, as he could be the backup plan for the #8 car if the deal with Kyle Busch does not work out.
And
Sterling Marlin has received other offers; however, he will have to sit on the sidelines until his contract situation is settled with Ginn Racing. Sterling Marlin must feel as if he is that car on the outside lane at Talladega getting passed by the twenty-car draft on the inside, and no one is jumping out to help him.
"I haven't talked to Bobby [Ginn]. [They] haven't returned calls to my lawyers," Marlin said. "They're kind of just leaving me hanging. ... I'd like to get something worked out and at least finish the year out with somebody if I could."
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Sterling Marlin, a 10-time winner in NASCAR Nextel Cup, and Joe Nemechek, a four-time winner in NASCAR Nextel Cup, have become victims of the sport's youth movement. Marlin, 50, and Nemechek, 44, were released from Ginn Racing despite the fact that both drivers kept their respective teams in the top 35 in Nextel Cup owner's standings throughout the first-half of the season.
"I know I can get up in the morning and look in the mirror and know I drove my heart out and did all I could do. I don't think that's the case on the other side. They had a lot of problems that still need to be addressed, and maybe they will (address them)," said Marlin, who was obviously disappointed with the decision.
Regan Smith, 23, will take over driving duties of the #14 Chevrolet. Ginn Racing will evaluate the #13 team, as lack of sponsorship kept that team from finishing out the season full-time.
Aric Almirola, 23, will join Ginn Racing and split seat-time with veteran driver Mark Martin in the #01 U.S. Army Chevrolet.
"We are starting our future now," said Jay Frye, Ginn Racing's CEO and general manager. "These two 23-year-old drivers (Smith and Almirola) are the groundwork for future success."
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The latest silly season buzz, non-Earnhardt and non-Busch related, has Joe Gibbs Racing developmental driver Aric Almirola heading over to Ginn Racing in 2008. This has been speculation ever since Almirola was forced out of the driver's seat while running third at the Milwaukee Mile last month.
Everyone remembers the confusing situation that transpired in the Busch Series race at Milwaukee just a few weeks ago. NASCAR star Denny Hamlin was in Sonoma, California preparing for the Nextel Cup race, and was scheduled to run the Busch Series event as well. Aric Almirola qualifed the car on the pole, and started the race after Hamlin's arrival had been delayed. Almirola led the early segment of the race, and was running in third when he was summoned to the pit box in order to make room for Hamlin.
Despite losing a lap during the driver change, Hamlin rallied and won the race, however, Almirola was credited with the win. Almirola was quite displeased and rightfully so, but Rockwell Automation wanted Hamlin in the car at all costs.
Apparently, Almirola feels as if he deserves better, which could be why it is expected that he will share a ride with Mark Martin at Ginn Racing in 2008. This seems to be a good deal, as long as they do not replace Almirola with Mark Martin during the race.
What makes this silly season move even more intriguing is the fact that Dale Earnhardt, Inc. is expected to merge with Ginn Racing. If this is the case, two of Ginn's teams will have to be disbanded.
Currently, Ginn Racing fields cars for Mark Martin and Regan Smith, Sterling Marlin, and Joe Nemechek. Ginn Racing officials have already stated that Regan Smith will move to full-time in 2008, and the Mark Martin/Aric Almirola duo are expected share a ride. DEI already has three teams, though Dale Earnhardt Jr is leaving at the end of 2007. So, if this merger happens, the DEI lineup could look something like this- Martin Truex Jr in the #1, Paul Menard in the #15, Mark Martin/Aric Almirola in the #01, and Regan Smith in the #8.
Stay tuned...
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Thus far in 2007, the NASCAR community has lost Bobby Hamilton Sr, Benny Parsons, Bill France Jr, and now Dr. Bruce Kennedy. For those of you who may not be familiar with Dr. Kennedy, he is the husband of ISC President Lesa France Kennedy.
At approximately 8:40 am, the plane that Dr. Kennedy was on crashed into two houses while attempting an emergency landing in Sanford, Florida. At least five people were killed, and three more were severely injured.
The plane was licensed to Competitor Liaison Bureau, Inc., with the late Bill France as the registered agent. Jim France, Bill France's brother, and Lesa France Kennedy and Brian France, Bill France's children, are listed as vice presidents.
Our condolences go out to the France and Kennedy families.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
You gotta love Tony Stewart. He is debatably the most talented drivers in the garage. But man, the words that come out of his mouth often baffle me.
After the lap 14 accident with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart had this to say.
"The No. 11 just stopped for no reason, right in the middle of Turn 4. I'm sure he was getting tight because for three laps in a row we were catching him through the center and the exit of the corner...All of a sudden he just stops on the exit of [Turn] 4 in front of 42 cars and I guess expects all of us to drive around him. I don't know. It's tore up two really good racecars...he tried to crash us on Friday in practice and didn't get it done so he finished it off [Saturday]."
He even went as far as to hint that Hamlin is not a good teammate.
Basically, he wrecked Denny Hamlin, and then publicly chastised the second-year driver. While it is true, Hamlin's car appeared to slow down due to handling issues, Stewart could have taken notice, radioed to his spotter to 'let the 11 know that the 20 is faster and for him to kindly yield. Later in the race in the race, the 20 will return the favor'. Instead, Stewart rear-ended Hamlin, and sounded ridiculous all throughout his interview. He sounded like the junior high class-clown who never accepted blame for firing spitballs.
Hamlin did something most drivers would not have done. He took the high road and accepted blame, even though it was clearly not his fault. The sophomore driver has been criticized this season for throwing his crew under the bus at Darlington, however, he showed some class by not firing back at Stewart.
Hamlin and Stewart have the potential to be the 1-2 punch that Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have become. They would be wise to work together throughout the second-half of the season.
Just an observation here, but Denny Hamlin has performed a tad better than Tony Stewart...could that be why Stewart harbors resentment towards his younger teammate? We saw a similar scenario at Penske Racing a few years ago when the new guy came in and won and the past champion was not all that thrilled about it.
And speaking of Hendrick Motorsports teammates, I will delve into that issue later this week.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Just six months after the tragic passings of Bobby Hamilton, Sr. and Benny Parsons, NASCAR lost its most influential figure. Bill France, Jr, son of NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr, passed away on Monday.
France, Jr was 74 years old, and was NASCAR's President and Chairman from 1972 to 2000. From 2001 to 2003, he remained as the Chairman before handing over the day-to-day duties to his son Brian France.
NASCAR is what it is today because of Bill France, Jr.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
It has been a good week so far for Penske Racing, as Helio Castroneves will sit on the pole for the upcoming Indianapolis 500, and Ryan Newman will sit on the pole for the Coca Cola 600. Kurt Busch will start along-side his teammate on the front row. The week will be complete if Penske Racing can sweep the two Memorial Day classics.
Will Greg Biffle become the next driver of the #8 DEI-owned Chevrolet? That is the latest rumor floating around the garage. This would be a pretty good move for Teresa Earnhardt if she could land a driver of Biffle’s caliber. Currently, Greg Biffle is in contract negotiations with Roush Fenway Racing, however, the contract talks are reportedly ‘in limbo’.
Matt Borland, the former crew chief for Ryan Newman and Dale Jarrett, has taken on a new role as the competition director for the upstart Haas CNC Racing team. Currently, Hass CNC fields two drivers, Johnny Sauter and Jeff Green.
It is official, the Car of Tomorrow will be ran in every race starting in 2008.
Greg Biffle’s crew chief Pat Tryson has been parted ways with his Roush Fenway team. Also, AFLAC has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Ameriquest, which has asked out of their sponsorship obligations on the 16 Ford. Robby Gordon’s former crew chief Greg Erwin will replace Tryson atop the 16 team’s pit box.
AT&T won the battle in the courtroom against NASCAR, and will be able to plaster their logos on Richard Childress Racing’s #31 Chevrolet driven by Jeff Burton.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Earlier today, the Charlotte Observer reported that Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt, Inc. will combine their two engine programs, though no formal announcement has been made.
This collaboration will have a heavy impact on silly season, especially considering that Dale Earnhardt Jr announced a week ago that he would leave DEI, the company his late father Dale Earnhardt built, for greener pastures. Many in the garage felt that Earnhardt Jr would land a ride with Richard Childress Racing, however, this latest development may have eliminated RCR from the Dale Earnhardt Jr sweepstakes.
Could this mean that Ginn Racing now has the upperhand?
Additionally, DEI's merging with RCR could mean that a DEI and Robert Yates Racing merger fell through. Robert Yates Racing is backed by Ford, and Richard Childress Racing is backed by Chevrolet.
Silly season is in full force.
Another rumor flying around is regarding the Rocketman, Ryan Newman. Newman struggled immensely in 2006, and when a driver of his caliber struggles, rumors begin to swirl. The latest rumor has Newman headed to Joe Gibbs Racing. However, Newman and his Penske Racing team have reeled off three consecutive top tens, and they have been competitive for the past month and a half, so this is probably one of them rumors that will quickly fade away.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Dale Earnhardt Jr was penalized 100 NASCAR Nextel Cup championship points, and Teresa Earnhardt was penalized 100 NASCAR Nextel Cup owner's points after NASCAR officials discovered that the was improperly mounted and the brackets were confiscated.
Earnhardt Jr's crew chief Tony Eury Jr was suspended six races and fined a whopping $100,000. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. will appeal the penalty.
Was the penalty too harsh? Yes, but NASCAR sure did send a stern message to the rest of the garage.
The Wood Brothers are currently 39th in the NASCAR Nextel Cup owner's standings, 163 points out of the top 35, which is the reason for hiring 1988 Champion Bill Elliott to a race-to-race deal starting with the Coca Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway next weekend. With Dale Jarrett out of Champions provisionals, Elliott would likely be given that starting position if need be. Elliott, however, is one of the better qualifiers and should have no problem getting that 21 into the field.
Ken Schrader and Jon Wood will step aside from their driving duties until further notice.
Bill Elliott quotes:
"I was pretty honored to get a call from the Wood Brothers to drive the 21 car. I've seen them struggle the last few weeks, being outside the top 35, and it breaks my heart to see them miss races. I hope I can get in the car, get us qualified well every week and see what we can make up in the points battle along the way."
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Dale Earnhardt Jr officially announced his departure from Dale Earnhardt, Inc. following the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. As of the composing of this blog, nothing has been mentioned regarding the future of Martin Truex Jr.
Press Conference Quotes
"We worked really hard, but we were never close...I am a little sad, but I am trying to remind myself to be excited about what's ahead. I'm sad that I have to leave some employees that I got close to, leave some relationships. We're going to finish this year out, and I told my guys we're going to run hard. I don't want any excuses for us not giving our best effort. I plan on giving everything I've got like I always do, and hopefully that's what I'll get in return."
"At 32 years of age, the same age my father was when he made his final and most important career decision, it's time for me to compete on a consistent basis and contend for championships now. I believe I'd have my father's blessing."
Earnhardt Jr on his future team.
It's not the guy who gives me the biggest paycheck. It's the person I feel like will allow me to accomplish what I want to in my career, on the race track, in this shop itself. There's some things you can't get with money, peace of mind and satisfaction in what you do every day. ... I'm seeking to have that peace of mind and that comfort to be able to really be an asset to somebody. I want to go somewhere and really make things happen for somebody."
Tune in for more news on Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Dale Earnhardt Jr is expected to announce that he will leave Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, the house that his late father built, following the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. Martin Truex Jr, Earnhardt Jr’s protégé, is expected to follow NASCAR’s most popular driver out of DEI front doors. JR Motorsports, which was built by Earnhardt Jr, will field two cars and is expected to use Hendrick Motorsports engines and chassis.
Ever since December, questions have arisen regarding Earnhardt Jr’s future with Dale Earnhardt, Inc., especially since he has a rather frosty relationship with his stepmother Teresa Earnhardt, also the owner of DEI. In March, Earnhardt Jr and his sister Kelley Earnhardt Elledge made it publicly clear they were seeking majority ownership, and the goal was to have a deal signed, sealed, and delivered by the end of May. However, in the meantime, DEI has been negotiating a possible merger with Robert Yates Racing, a team supported by Ford. DEI would apparently trade in their bow-ties for blue ovals.
What does this mean for DEI?
Earnhardt Jr’s pending departure could mark the beginning of the end for DEI as we know it. It is highly likely that key members of DEI such as Tony Eury Jr, Tony Eury Sr, and Kevin ‘Bono’ Manion will trail Earnhardt Jr out of dodge, as well as the Budweiser and Bass Pro Shops sponsorship packages.
Teresa Earnhardt’s primary stars will be David Gilliland and Paul Menard, which may force her to accelerate Jeffery Earnhardt’s career. The fourth generation driver is only 17 years old and is currently cutting his teeth driving Late Models.
End of an era
The anticipated announcement will be the end of an era. Several years ago, it was unimaginable for Earnhardt Jr to drive for anyone else other than his father’s organization, but now it is inevitable. Clearly, this is not what the late Dale Earnhardt had in mind when he started this company back in the early 1980’s.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Tony Stewart neglected the media after the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix Saturday night, however, he did not hold back his opinions on his Sirius Satellite Radio Show. Stewart claimed that NASCAR is throwing debris cautions as a tactic to manipulate races, especially if the field is beginning to spread out. In fact, here is what Tony had to say.
"To me it's not all about the money, it's about the integrity of the sport, and when I feel our own sanctioning body isn't taking care of that, it's hard to support them and feel proud about being a driver in the Nextel Cup Series when they're throwing debris cautions. It's like playing God. They can almost dictate the race instead of the drivers doing it. It's happened too many times this year. You get so frustrated ... But enough of it's gone on that fans are writing in and talking about it. At what point does NASCAR get the hint? I guess NASCAR thinks, 'hey wrestling worked, and it was for the most part staged, so I guess it's going to work in racing, too...I was coming so fast, it was inevitable I was going to get around those guys, so NASCAR throws a debris caution ... I thought racing was about being better than the other guys."
Then he commented on leaving the track without speaking to the media.
"The aggravation for me was I didn't want to go in the media center and bash NASCAR. I don't mind doing it on my own radio show. Anyone who thinks this debris caution stuff is the right direction for NASCAR, I think you're crazy...The thing with the media is they think it's our obligation to do those things...It's a privilege that they get to (talk to us). That's the way it's always been. Maybe it is in some of these other guys' contracts, but it is not in my contract that says I have to go do any interviews after the race is over."
I agree with Stewart in the fact that NASCAR has no right to manipulate a race by throwing a debris caution if in fact that is what they are doing. If they are going to throw a debris caution, they should at least show the debris on television just to avoid accusations such as these. There have been approximately 20 debris cautions thus far and we have only completed 8 races.
I do have a problem with Stewart failing to acknowledge the media after the race. Sure he was upset and would have probably said something harsh regarding NASCAR officials, but he is not that only driver that has emerged from his car upset after a race. He is a grown man, he should be able to speak to the media and at the same time, keep his emotions in check.
None of us should be surprised by Stewart's actions. This is the same volatile Tony Stewart that we have enjoyed watching ever since he punched Kenny Irwin Jr at Martinsville in 1999, or spun out Jeff Gordon on pit road at Bristol in 2001. Tony is going to be Tony whether we like it or not, bottomline.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Everyone living in the United States has the freedom of speech and should very well exercise that right. However, your opinion should always include a little thing called tact. Tact was not used in Jimmy Spencer’s latest rant regarding Kelley EARNHARDT Elledge and the Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Dale Earnhardt Jr contract negotiation talks.
In case you missed it, which I doubt anyone remotely interested in NASCAR did, here is what Mr. Excitement had to say about Mrs. Earnhardt Elledge.
"The thing is that Teresa Earnhardt gave Dale Jr. his opportunity to race. She's the one that told Dale, her husband, Sr., let's give him a shot. Kelly Earnhardt Elledge, I'm shocked she kept her middle name. I mean you're married, you know, why keep Earnhardt? I think her ego is so big, I think she's backing Teresa and Max in corners. She's not a good negotiator. I think she… if she worked for anybody else they'd probably fire her. But because she's working for Dale Jr. and it's his sister, I think that she's using ego to control this direction. And I think that Dale needs to be careful about that, because that Dale, if he makes the decision to leave DEI, there's a lot of true Dale Earnhardt Sr. fans that will lose respect for Dale Jr. That's the one thing that Dale Sr… I don't think Dale Jr. needs to leave the organization. I think there's more to it. I think Max Siegel is a heck of a negotiator, but the thing is I don't like what Kelley is doing, putting them in corners."
Whoa! Tell us what you really think Jimmy.
Jimmy Spencer has always been exceedingly candid. Sometime Spencer’s candor is warranted, but sometimes he forgets that tact is available for use when expressing an opinion.
Spencer has every right to his opinion regarding Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, and he could have made his point in a less demeaning manner, but instead he chose to spout off and ended up sounding like a total jackass.
Spencer has a history of criticizing anyone with the last name Earnhardt. He was overly critical of Dale Earnhardt Sr regarding his driving style as well as other off-track issues, and he was the first driver to insinuate that the 2001 Pepsi 400 was fixed so that Dale Earnhardt Jr could win the first race at the track that took his father’s life.
Spencer did win over a boatload of fans in 2003 after punching NASCAR villain Kurt Busch at Michigan, but that was a long time ago, and now he has opened himself up to criticism from the fans as well as the not-so forgetful media.
The only ones who benefited from Spencer’s comments are Michael Waltrip and Kyle Busch. Waltrip’s bizarre traffic accident and Busch’s premature exodus from Texas Motor Speedway will be pushed to the background while Spencer’s imprudent comments will dominate the headlines.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
It is reported that Dale Earnhardt Jr, owner of JR Motorsports, has signed former Supercross champion Jeremy McGrath to a developmental contract. McGrath, 35, will begin his stock car career running Late Models and will eventually graduate to the NASCAR Busch Series.
McGrath will be sponsored by Monster Energy Drink.
The signing of McGrath comes as no surprise as it appears as if the new inclination for NASCAR owners is to sign drivers with limited or no stock car experience. Last year, Chip Ganassi Racing hired Juan Pablo Montoya, a former CART Champion, former Indianapolis 500 winner, and former winner in Formula One, as the driver of the # 42 Dodge.
A couple of months later, A.J. Allmendinger, a former Champ Car winner, was signed by the Toyota-backed Red Bull Racing to pilot one of their two Nextel Cup rides.
Penske Racing has put three-time Indy Racing League champion Sam Hornish Jr in a Busch Series car for selected events in 2007.
It seems as if the traditional way of finding fresh young talent has completely changed over the last ten years or so. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart practically changed the way car owners scout new talent. Gordon and Stewart were successful in different forms of auto racing before they became NASCAR superstars. Gordon made a name for himself in USAC in the late 1980's, and Stewart is the 1997 Indy Racing League Champion. In fact, he is the only driver to have won a championship in both IRL and NASCAR Nextel Cup.
Robby Gordon is another driver that came along around the same time as Stewart. Robby Gordon also spent time in the Indy Racing League and is an avid off-road racer as well.
Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Casey Mears, and J.J. Yeley all have an open-wheel background. Denny Hamlin and David Gilliland come to mind as the most recent purebred stock car racers that have been given an opportunity in NASCAR Nextel Cup.
And now it appears as if NASCAR owners are stepping even further from tradition. Not only are they looking at the open-wheelers, but now the two-wheelers as well. Ginn Racing recently signed Supercross star Ricky Carmichael to a developmental contract and now Jeremy McGrath will get a crack at stock car stardom. McGrath and Carmichael are debatably the two most successful Supercross racers of all time.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Jeremy McGrath, he was the Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty- take your pick- of Supercross racing in the 1990’s. From 1993 to 2001, McGrath won 72 250cc events as well as 7 250cc Championships.
It will be interesting to see how this Supercross icon performs on four wheels.
Note: There are a couple of NASCAR Nextel Cup stars that have a background in motorcycle racing. Scott Riggs was a champion in the American Motorcycle Association as a teenager and Jimmie Johnson began his career racing 50cc and 60cc motorcycles.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The writing may be on the wall for Greg Biffle.
After the 2009 season, NASCAR will no longer permit more than four teams in a stable, and Roush Fenway Racing has five. Ever since this new regulation was announced two years ago, it was unclear as to which team in the Roush Fenway stable would be the one to disband. Now, it appears that we have our answer.
When Biffle's previous sponsor National Guard opted to endorse the younger and more marketable Casey Mears at Hendrick Motorsports, Ameriquest stepped in as the primary sponsor for the 16 team. In fact, they signed a three-year deal to be represented by the 11-time NASCAR Nextel Cup winner. However, due to a recent turn of events in the corporate world, they have decided to back out of the final two years of their deal with Roush Fenway Racing. As of now, the 16 team is sponsor-less for the 2008 season.
With the new four-time limit that NASCAR will execute in 2009, what would be the point in sponsor hunting? What company would sign a one-year deal to endorse a driver? Unless Jack Roush is sure that he would be able to sell the team and sponsor package to a rival team, it would not make much sense. So that puts Biffle's future up in the air.
Despite being one of the most frequent winners in NASCAR Nextel Cup racing over the past three seasons, it is no surprise that Biffle is the guy that will have to find a new home. After all, Matt Kenseth is the 2003 champion so he is the star of the organization, Carl Edwards is the likeable and marketable young gun, and too much has been invested in Jamie McMurray and David Ragan.
Biffle will not stay on the market for too long. He may not be a young gun or Mr. Marketable, but he is an incredible talent. Toyota would likely pursue the 2002 NASCAR Busch Series champion considering that they are in need of a star driver. It will be interesting to see if Biffle becomes the first domino to fall in silly season 2007.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
I have never been one to accuse NASCAR of manipulating the outcome of a race. I tend to believe the ones who cry 'it's a conspiracy' are the ones who are not pleased with the outcome of the particular race.
Unfortunately, NASCAR is digging a deeper hole when it comes to the conspiracy theorists. For the second time in four races, NASCAR has thrown a debris caution late in the race, which set the stage for a mad dash to the finish in both races.
At California, Jimmie Johnson appeared to be well on his way to his first victory of the year, but a debris caution bunched the field up, and Matt Kenseth was the beneficiary after he won the race off pit road. After the race ended, Johnson, who has benefited from a mysterious debris caution on several occasions, took a jab at NASCAR saying that 'they are still looking for the debris'.
And just last weekend at Atlanta, Tony Stewart appeared to be on his way to his first victory of the season; that was until the foreseeable debris caution set up another mad dash to the finish. Johnson would eventually chase down Stewart and avenge his defeat at California two weeks prior.
It is not just the late-race cautions that have worn thin with some fans. NASCAR has called for debris cautions on several occasions throughout a race that has incongruously benefited some of NASCAR's bigger stars.
If these debris cautions are indeed legit, NASCAR has the ability to prove it. Let the fans see the debris for themselves. NASCAR has to have some influence over the TV coverage, so put that camera on the so-called debris and shut these fans up. It seems to be a simple solution.
As I have stated before, I refuse to believe that NASCAR calculatedly influences the outcome of these races, but it would be nice if they would validate some of these mysterious debris cautions, if nothing else, just to prove these conspiracy theorists wrong.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Speedway Motorsports chairman Bruton Smith made it clear that he wants a second date on the NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Will it happen? Darn right it will! Why? Because it is Las Vegas, and Bruton Smith gets what he wants! What track will be replaced? Well, I'm not sure, but chances are it will be a track shorter than 1.5-mile in length. Unfortunately, Martinsville comes to mind.
Does NASCAR really need another 1.5-mile race? Even though each 1.5-mile, or 2-mile D-shaped oval has its own distinctive characteristics, they are called cookie cutter tracks for a reason.
Realistically, Las Vegas would be a perfect choice for a second race, but that is from a marketing standpoint. However, from the fans point of view, NASCAR has already butchered a once-versatile agenda of races.
The North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham was a high-speed oval, just a tad over a mile in length. It was a track like no other. Put Darlington, Dover, and Atlanta in a blender and you will get Rockingham. Unfortunately, it was removed from the schedule after the 2004 season.
The defunct short track in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, which was a .625-mile uphill-downhill oval, was deleted from the schedule a decade ago. North Wilkesboro was a unique short track that was comparable yet contrasting to Martinsville, Bristol, and Richmond.
Darlington Raceway has yet to be completely excluded from the NASCAR schedule, however, the 400-mile spring race is no more, and the 500-mile event was removed from its traditional Labor Day date and rescheduled for a cold November weekend in 2004. To make room in the Chase for the Championship for the contemporary facility in Fort Worth, Texas, the race in Darlington was moved yet again, this time to Mother's Day weekend in May.
We all know that Rockingham and North Wilkesboro have absolutely no chance at hosting a Nextel Cup race in this lifetime, and Darlington will continue to cling on to its one date, so the next best thing is for NASCAR to just leave the schedule alone. Do not add any more cookie cutter races, please!
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Dale Earnhardt Jr dominated the headlines throughout the NASCAR off-season. First, he traded barbs with his stepmother. Now he is right smack in the middle of contract negotiations, and who could forget about his demands of majority ownership of Dale Earnhardt, Incorporated.
Additionally, the DEI engine woes have triggered a lot of media interest.
Well, for those of you who constantly grumble about all the attention that Earnhardt Jr receives, you finally got what you wanted- another driver stealing his spotlight.
ESPN's coverage of the Juan Pablo Montoya 200, sorry, I mean the Telcel Motorola 200 at Mexico City primarily focused on the former CART champion.
It was apparent from the drop of the green flag that Montoya was 'the story'.
A lot of the attention surrounding Montoya had merit. He intrepidly fought back from 21st position after the overflow tube malfunctioned with less than 30 laps to go. He seemed to pass cars with ease. The comeback was nothing short of spectacular, considering that it was a road course. Road courses are typically one-groove racetracks making it difficult to pass.
Then he brought more attention to himself by spinning out his teammate Scott Pruett with eight laps to go.
However, other key moments in the race were practically disregarded. For instance, something must have happened around the bottom half of the top ten in the closing laps because Regan Smith, Greg Biffle, Stephen Leicht, and Michel Jourdain Jr were all in the top ten, and all of a sudden, they were outside of the top 20 on the leaderboard. What happened to those guys?
Montoya will still be the center of attention as we head to Las Vegas, however, it will not be long before fellow media magnet Earnhardt Jr has the spotlight shining on him again.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The Car of Tomorrow hit the track at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday as drivers and teams prepare for the Food City 500 later this month. And whether we like it or not, the Car of Tomorrow is on the verge of becoming the Car of Today.
We have all heard the constant complaints regarding the Car of Tomorrow ever since the car was unveiled. It’s ugly, it’s costly, etc. But lately, it seems as if some fans and drivers are warming up to the new car, which looks more like the Car of Yesteryear.
In fact, Kevin Harvick said that he could see why NASCAR made the decision to phase-in the Car of Tomorrow.
"I think everything has to evolve. Our points system has evolved. Our cars are evolving. The bottom line is, NASCAR has to make the best decision for them. They felt it was time to evolve the car and make it safer, and the teams will figure out the rest…NASCAR didn't get where it is today based on all of our opinions."
Harvick’s teammate Jeff Burton also pointed out the positives with the new car. "I like the fact that it's a safer vehicle. I like the fact that there's more room for the driver. There are a lot of things about that that I really like."
It is vital that these teams become acclimated with the Car of Tomorrow because five of the ten races in the Chase for the Championship are races in which the COT will be used.
On Wednesday during the practice sessions, NASCAR’s Director of Competition John Darby hinted that the Car of Tomorrow could run the full schedule in 2008. "A lot of what's happening is it's settling in to all the competitors that this is the future, this is the car. Why are we going to wait three years? I don't think we will."
So fans, if you are a huge fan of the Car of Today, enjoy the 18 remaining races with the current template, because Homestead could be the official end of an era.
Denny Hamlin has posted the fastest lap so far- 15.706 (122.170 mph)
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
When Mark Martin decided to run a limited schedule for Ginn Racing, many Ford Racing loyalists became disenchanted considering that Ginn Racing, formerly MB2 Motorsports, fields Chevrolet Monte Carlos. But Mark Martin's latest venture will likely grind the gears of the devoted Ford fans .
On Wednesday, Hendrick Motorsports revealed that the 48 year old veteran will drive for the organization in three Busch Series events in 2007- Darlington, Michigan, and Homestead.
Mark Martin spent 19 seasons driving for Roush Racing, and as time progressed, a rivalry developed between Roush Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. It escalated in 1998 when Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon were locked into a heated championship race. When Jeff Gordon and his Hendrick Motorsports team began to gain some momentum and distance themselves from Martin, Jack Roush through out the accusation that the 24 team was soaking their tires.
The allegations surfaced after Mark Martin dominated the fall race at New Hampshire, while Gordon was merely lingering around the top ten. When a late caution came out, Gordon and his crew opted for a two-tire stop in order to come out of the pits ahead of Martin, who opted for four fresh tires.
Logic would have Martin blowing by Gordon shortly after the green flag was waved, however, Gordon walked away with the win, which left the Roush Racing group scratching their heads.
Who would have guessed that nine years later, Martin would be strapping in to a Hendrick Motorsports prepared car.
"This is going to add another great chapter to my career...I have a great respect for Rick and the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization, so I'm excited about this opportunity to be a part of it. Hopefully we can make some Busch Series history in the Hendrick Autoguard Chevrolet," says Martin.
Just music to the ears of Ford fans, right? If they thought Martin was a traitor before, what about now?
Martin will be sponsored by Hendrick Autoguard. Maybe Roush Racing should make a play for Terry Labonte.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Do you agree that Tony Stewart is Chevrolet's top driver, or would you give the nod to Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, or Kevin Harvick? Tell me in the discussion forum.
1. Tony Stewart (Joe Gibbs Racing)- Tony Stewart is arguably the driver of the decade. Chances are that he will be a three-time Nextel Cup champion before the decade is over.
2. Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports)- Since his rookie in 2002, no other driver has more victories than Jimmie Johnson. And now he is a Daytona 500 champion, Brickyard 400 champion, and NASCAR Nextel Cup champion.
3. Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports)- It wasn't easy ranking a four-time NASCAR champion third overall, but Jeff Gordon has been outperfromed by Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart over the past three or four years.
4. Kevin Harvick (Richard Childress Racing)- If you combine the Busch Series and the Nextel Cup Series, then Kevin Harvick would be ranked number one, hands down.
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.)- If this ranking was based on popularity, then Dale Earnhardt Jr would be the number one man.
6. Jeff Burton (Richard Childress Racing)- By ranking Jeff Burton sixth further confirms how adept the Chevrolet roster is.
7. Kyle Busch (Hendrick Motorsports)- It's hard to believe that Kyle Busch is entering his third season in Nextel Cup.
8. Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)- It will be hard for Denny Hamlin to improve upon his spectacular rookie season, but it can be done. Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, and Jimmie Johnson had even better sophomore seasons.
9. Clint Bowyer (Richard Childress Racing)- Clint Bowyer could be the surprise of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season.
10. Casey Mears (Hendrick Motorsports)- Casey Mears could be one of the few first-time winners in 2007.
Worth mentioning- Martin Truex Jr, J.J. Yeley, Paul Menard
Note- Mark Martin was not listed because he is not participating in a full schedule. Yeah, Ken Schrader and Jon Wood were ranked together on the Ford rankings, but come on, there are only nine full-time Ford teams.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Who do you think is the top Dodge driver? Tell me what you think in the discussion forum.
1. Kasey Kahne (Evernham Motorsports)- Kasey Kahne has emerged as Dodge's poster boy. Expect Kahne to win multiple races and compete in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Chase for the Championship.
2. Kurt Busch (Penske Racing)- Kurt Busch had an off-year in 2006, but I wouldn't expect the same in 2007. Busch will return to victory lane, and possibly Chase the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship.
3. Ryan Newman (Penske Racing)- A couple of years ago, Ryan Newman would have been Dodge's number 1 man hands down, but a sub par 2006 season has tainted the 12 team. However, expect a dramatic turnaround for Newman. He will be back in victory lane, and the Chase for the Championship.
4. Bobby Labonte (Petty Enterprises)- The 2000 NASCAR champion gave Petty Enterprises some decent runs in 2006. Both Labonte and the 43 should improve in their second full season together, but a win would be a pleasant surprise.
5. Elliott Sadler (Evernham Motorsports)- Elliott Sadler may win a race, but a spot in the Chase for the Championship is unlikely.
6. Scott Riggs (Evernham Motorsports)- Scott Riggs will be one of the few first-time winners in 2007.
7. Reed Sorenson (Chip Ganassi Racing)- The 21 year old Georgia boy is Chip Ganassi's top gun this year. Expect Reed Sorenson to improve upon his rookie season.
8. Kyle Petty (Petty Enterprises)- Kyle Petty's driving career is reaching it's conclusion. Expect him to retire after the 2007 season.
9. David Stremme (Chip Ganassi Racing)- It's time for David Stremme to show some signs of improvement.
10. Juan Pablo Montoya (Chip Ganassi Racing)- Montoya will not be an overnight success in NASCAR Nextel Cup, but I wouldn't expect him to be listed as the 10th best Dodge for very long either.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Tell me who you think is the best Ford driver in our discussion board.
Sometime last summer, I ranked Toyota's Nextel Cup roster. Well, here are how the Ford drivers will rank heading into the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season.
1. 16-Greg Biffle (Roush Racing)- Over the past three years, no other Ford driver has won more. Since 2004, Biffle has ten victories. Expect Biffle to contend for the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship.
2. 17-Matt Kenseth (Roush Racing)- Now that Mark Martin has exited Roush Racing and Ford Motorsports, Kenseth has become Ford's most consummated driver. But Kenseth showed signs of fading as the 2006 season wound down. Still, Kenseth finished 2nd in the Nextel Cup championship standings.
3. 99-Carl Edwards (Roush Racing)- Carl Edwards' first full season in NASCAR Nextel Cup was nothing short of spectacular, but the subsequent season did not live up to expectations. Edwards struggled with consistency, and his temper. Edwards will not repeat his 2005 perfromance, however, he will win a race or two.
4. 88-Ricky Rudd (Robert Yates Racing)- Ever since Ricky Rudd departed the Robert Yates Racing after the 2002 season, neither Rudd nor Yates have enjoyed much success. They may not contend for the Nextel Cup championship as they did in 2000 and 2001, but Rudd may give RYR their first win since 2004.
5. 26-Jamie McMurray (Roush Racing)- Other than Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray was probably the biggest disappointment of 2006. He never seemed to fit in at Roush Racing. McMurray will improve, but he will not live up to the lofty expectations that were placed upon him.
6. 38-David Gilliland (Robert Yates Racing)- David Gilliland will prove that he is not just a one-hit wonder.
7. 7-Robby Gordon (Robby Gordon Motorsports)- Look for Robby Gordon to possibly win a road course race, but that is about it. Oh yeah, I wouldn't expect any roll bar paddings to come flying out of his window either.
8. 21-Ken Schrader/Jon Wood (Wood Brothers Racing)- With Ken Schrader in the car, the Wood Brothers can run top 20 or 25, but Jon Wood will linger towards the 30's.
9. 6-David Ragan (Roush Racing)- Mark Martin's heir will find it difficult to be competitive at this most high level of NASCAR competition. Ragan will have a J.J. Yeley-like Nextel Cup rookie season.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Here is my list of five people who I believe should be selected into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Bill France Sr- This is an obvious choice. France Sr is the founder of the National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing.
Richard Petty- He is the 'King', and the most victorious driver in the history of NASCAR. Richard Petty has 200 wins, 7 championships, and 7 Daytona 500 victories. He also accrued 127 poles, most of any NASCAR driver in history.
Junior Johnson- Possibly the greatest car owner in NASCAR history. As a driver, Junior Johnson won 50 races, but as an owner, he won six championships (three with Cale Yarborough, and three with Darrell Waltrip).
Dale Earnhardt- Dale Earnhardt is debatably the greatest driver of the Modern Era. He has won a grand total of seven championships, 76 wins, and one Daytona 500 victory. Earnhardt, known as the Intimidator, also brought marketing to a whole new level as the sport began to grow in the 1990's. He was the 1979 Rookie of the Year. He was the face of NASCAR right up until his untimely death in February of 2001.
David Pearson- Known as the 'Silver Fox', David Pearson won 105 races, three championships, and 113 poles. Pearson won rookie of the year in 1960, and retired in 1986.
The second group of inductees would include
Bill France, Jr
Bobby Allison
Cale Yarborough
Darrell Waltrip
Lee Petty
Discuss this on our discussion board
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
Martin Truex Jr was in the news this week, albeit not the publicity that he would have preferred. After chilling with his friends at a restaurant in Daytona, the NASCAR driver urinated on the front tire of his Chevrolet Suburban. Okay, we have all done something like that before. Unfortunately for Truex Jr, there was an officer nearby who witnessed the entire ordeal.
Rich Gardner, the officer that busted Truex, alleged that the driver resisted arrest seven times before he cooperated, and that Truex held out a $100 dollar bill.
"I hope that's worth 100 bucks," Garnder hollered. Truex replied, "It is worth 100 bucks."
On Monday, Truex Jr took responsibility for his actions by saying, "I had to take a leak in the corner of a parking garage where no one could see. It was a stupid mistake and I'll never do it again...The incident that recently occurred in Daytona Beach, Fla. was in poor judgment and shouldn't have happened. I want to apologize to Bass Pro Shops, the NASCAR community and my fellow employees of Dale Earnhardt, Inc."
At least he was honest. Truex also noted that he had not planned on getting behind the wheel and that he was not heavily intoxicated. "We had a few drinks, I was not intoxicated and we had a designated driver."
This is the second time in a year and a half that a NASCAR driver has had a brush with the law. Remember the Kurt Busch versus Maricopa County debacle in November of 2005?
Hey, at least Truex Jr learned from Busch's mistakes and did not call the officer a Jeff Gordon fan.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The second set of NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers were testing the 2.5-mile superspeedway, and every employee from every team worked this week with a heavy heart. NASCAR Champion and NASCAR TV analyst Benny Parsons passed away Tuesday.
This week, many articles have been written as a tribute to the 1973 champion. He was a highly admired driver, as well as popular television personality. He will be greatly missed, especially in the NASCAR community. He has left a void that will never be filled.
Marred by the tragedy, the teams and drivers had to get down to business. David Gilliland set the standard early on as he posted a lap of 185.090 mph in his Robert Yates Racing Ford. Gilliland was tutored by his new veteran teammate Ricky Rudd, and it apparently paid off. The Yates cars look good to go for the Daytona 500.
Open wheel veteran, and NASCAR rookie Juan Pablo Montoya posted an impressive speed of 184.574, which was fastest among all driver participating in the Tuesday AM session at Daytona. Montoya also responded to criticism from former Formula One rival Michael Schumacher by calling him 'noboby in the U.S.'.
Montoya wasn't the only Dodge driver who shined on Tuesday, Penske Racing's Ryan Newman was the fastest among all drivers participating in the Tuesday PM session at Daytona. He led the pack with a speed of 186.540 mph.
On Wednesday, Newman's teammate Kurt Busch turned heads by posting a blistering speed of 191.188 in, get this, a Car Of Tomorrow. Kurt Busch as well as Newman tested the Car of Tomorrow this week at Daytona as the teams gathered data.
Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver Paul Menard posted the fastest lap in a Car of Today with a speed of 187.099 mph Wednesday evening.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
The recap of Daytona testing week 1 can be summarized with one word- Earnhardt. The rift between Dale Earnhardt Jr and his stepmother/boss Teresa Earnhardt eclipsed all of the other week's headlines.
Other headlines included:
Toyota hitting the track for the first time- Toyota's preliminary speeds were solid, but Dale Jarrett's candid comments about Toyota's being built in the United States while Fords and Chevrolets were being built in Mexico and Canada dominated this headline.
Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle both suffered off-season injuries, but they appear to be ready for the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season.
Ricky Rudd and his reunion with Robert Yates- It's not surprising that Ricky Rudd and Robert Yates Racing posted fast speeds this past week. The Yates cars are always fast at the super speedways. Rudd will be a great darkhorse pick for the Daytona 500.
Tony Raines and Jeff Green were the surprises of the week. Raines posted the fastest speed Monday morning, and Green posted the fastest cumulative speed.
Kasey Kahne and the rest of the Dodge's still seemed to struggle. The real test will be next week when the Penske cars take to the track. Penske has the best restrictor plate program as far as Dodge is concerned.
Posted by Jeremy Dunn
On January 8th, NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers will begin testing for the Daytona 500 except for Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon who apparently have more important things to do. Gordon will be competing in the Dakar Rally from January 6th to the 21st, and I am still unclear as to why Stewart is not participating.
This component of Daytona Speedweeks is less than exciting for the drivers, however it officially marks the entrance into the 2007 campaign.
In my humble opinion, appearing at these monotonous tests is a sign of commitment to your team and the job. Now, I'm not trying to imply that Tony Stewart or Robby Gordon are not committed, but their appearance at these tests would further display their leadership roles on their respective teams. Yeah, I know that Stewart has led more laps than anyone at the 2.5 mile super speedway since 2004, and could contend for the win blindfolded, and he will get his pre-race seat time in the Budweiser Shootout, but this test is a part of the job. Instead, Mike McLaughlin will replace Stewart and P.J. Jones will replace Gordon.
Gordon, on the other hand, is the owner of the team, therefore he is the leader, the bossman. He should be the one representing his company, leading by example. His team is fielding a new manufacturer (Ford), and running a new engine package (Yates/Roush). Shouldn't that give him some extra incentive to be at the track guiding his young team? And unlike Stewart and the 20 team, Gordon is not exactly considered as a threat to win the Great American Race.
What would NASCAR do if more and more drivers decided that Daytona testing was insignificant? What if Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, etc. had field fillers doing their job?
The first test is scheduled for January 8th to the 10th and will include Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Ricky Rudd, Bobby Labonte, and Dale Jarrett. And oh yeah, Mike McLaughlin and P.J. Jones.
The second test is schedule for January 15th to the 17th and will include Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Mark Martin.