Waiting for more

Not long ago, the NASCAR season began with a bang for one week, a fizzle for the next, and then a week off. Now we get a bang, a fizzle, an "okay" race, and a race of uplifting competition before having the week off. Where the old schedule wouldn't even give us enough time in which to build anticipation, the new schedule lets the the anticipation for the next race build, and then lets us down. The big difference now is that we take the week off in anticipation of a race at one of the favorite venues of the NASCAR fan--Bristol Motor Speedway. Bristol seems to make waiting a week so much more worth it.

Another advantage to the schedule the way it is now, is that it gave the teams enough practical experience to see what they needed for the races that will follow, and to use the non-racing week for adjustments, repairs, testing, and promoting for sponsorship. All of these elements are important to each team in increasing their ability to be highly competitive for the rest of the season.

As fans of the sport we used the off week to take a retrospective look at the season so far.

Our assessment is "not bad."

Daytona Speed Weeks gave us our first look at what racing would be like without the testing. We also saw several new teams for the first time, as economic compression created the opportunity for legendary crew chief Tommy Baldwin and drivers Jeremy Mayfield and Joe Nemecheck to form their own teams.

Baldwin and his driver Scott Riggs thrilled us as they raced their way into the lineup for the Daytona 500. Jeremy Mayfield, with a team that was less than three weeks old, also raised some eyebrows. Then Matt Kenseth, who had not won a race all season last year, took the checkers and the trophy at the 500.

It wouldn't be the Daytona 500 if it didn't have controversy, and this year's was no different. We learned that the difference between controversy and a racing incident is the name of the driver involved. The name of the driver in this case was Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

That was a big enough name to overshadow whatever happened the next week at California. As always, the California race didn't do much to thrill the fans who were watching it on television. The Auto Club Speedway is a driver's track, and it takes a lot of skill and experience to come out on top. For much of the race, Jeff Gordon showed us that his skill and experience still counts for something, and Tony Stewart, with his new Stewart-Haas Racing #14 team, proved that he has enough skill and talent to make something out of a former back-marker team. But the driver who had the most skill and talent on this day was, once again, Matt Kenseth. He became the first driver in NASCAR's modern history to win each of the first two races of the season in one series.

Kyle Busch, who was born and raised in the Las Vegas, New Mexico area, had yet to win a NASCAR race at LVMS. He changed that in week three of the season by winning two, and becoming the first NASCAR driver in history to win two races in two different series at the same venue on the same weekend. This history making feat was largely ignored as everyone was still talking about Daytona and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

However, even though Kyle Busch dominated at Las Vegas, we could still get a look at what the other teams were up to, as there was some very good racing behind the leader for the entire event.

And finally, an exciting race that had plenty of controversy at Atlanta, when a crew member from Marcos Ambrose's team chased a runaway tire to within seventy-five feet of the racing surface. Granted, NASCAR would have thrown a caution flag eventually, to pick up the tire, but the crewman put himself in a very dangerous place, where cars going 180 mph or more often make side trips. This caused a caution to fly while many of the competitors were making their green flag pit stops, thus putting all but six of them at least a lap behind the leaders.

In the long run, the incident didn't have an effect on the outcome of the race. Due to the free passes that occur due to cautions, there were about the same number of cars on the lead lap as the end of the race neared, as there would have been if the race had been run entirely under a green flag. And Busch won again, but this time it was Kyle's older brother, Kurt, who took the checkers. The new "class clown" of NASCAR, who has decided to do something different in celebration of every victory he claims, celebrated this time by driving around the track with his car in reverse gear.

So, that's the season so far. Jeff Gordon is looking strong, and we still feel this could be his year. Tony Stewart surprised many of us by making some strong showings with a team that seemed like it needed a lot of work to become competitive, and we can only assume that a lot of work was done.

Speaking of needing work, the rookies, Scott Speed and Joey Logano, both need some of that. However, we still feel they will both be quick learners,. though it might help Logano if his car had fender whiskers attached.

It is still too early to make an assessment of anything or anyone, but we do know that this season is going to keep getting better. Bristol is always unique and fun, and Martinsville, a favorite of short track fans like the Rev', follows. One thing we know for sure is that anything can, and probably will, happen

'09 should be a wild ride

Rev' Jim's RantsnRaves always tends to be late for the party at the beginning of each season, and we have yet to change that habit. However, rather than missing the pre-season picks party altogether this year, we decided that we will be fashionably late.

2009 will bring many surprises to those who expect the expected. With all the team mergers and partnerships, and with some of the driver changes, more drivers and teams are actually in a position to win races than before. And, because of the heightened level of competition, some drivers and teams who are expected to have a successful season, may not even make the Chase for the Championship.

This year, we may see as many as 23 different race winners over the entire season, so consistency will be more important than ever in making the Chase. Though the ban on testing at NASCAR sanctioned tracks will not improve the racing at the 1.5 mile venues, there will be no one team that dominates at the type of track that makes up the majority of venues on the schedule. This will hurt some teams that have been powerful on the intermediate class tracks, and will help others.

Scott Speed should take Rookie of The Year honors, hands down this year. He not only has a year and a half of ARCA experience, but made a respectable showing in the Truck Series last year with one win, four top fives and nine top tens in sixteen starts. He should be a quick study in the Sprint Cup Series, with more previous racing experience than some two or three year drivers in that series. We may even expect him to win a race or two during the regular season, and may even make the Chase for the Championship. He should also replace Kyle Busch as "The Most Hated Driver" in NASCAR.

Joey "Sliced Bread" Logano, on the other hand, will falter. He may get some top tens, and some top fives, but the Joe Gibbs Racing wonder boy has been moved up way too quickly, with little experience in NASCAR. That will lead to some anxiety, and some frustration. Logano may earn some respect from other drivers, but he will end the season knowing that he will still have a lot of work to do.

Other Surprises

Bobby Labonte, in the #96 Hall of Fame Racing entry under the Yates Racing banner, will be the comeback story of the year. Driving in substandard equipment for the past few years does not mean he is not a top-notch driver. The 2000 Winston Cup Champion will be the same kind of "Kick in the Behind" for Yates Racing that Jeff Burton was for Childress in 2006. He will get a win or two, and with Roush-Yates Ford power, he will be able to show the same consistency that awarded him his first Championship. Expect Labonte to make the Chase.

An early season surprise will be Tony Stewart. Many writers, including the one writing this post, expressed strong doubts of the wisdom of Stewart leaving Gibbs at this point in his career. We doubted that he could be successful, at least in the near future, as an owner-driver. Smoke took that as a challenge, and, as is usually the case when Stewart accepts a challenge, seems to be up to it. Assailing Daytona Speed Weeks with a brand new car and a brand new team, Smoke showed us all that his Stewart Haas Racing team is ready to run for the lead right out of the box. This should also mean a good season for his team mate, Ryan Newman. We gladly eat our earlier words of doom and gloom for NASCAR's newest owner-driver.

David Stremme is back. He was showing some remarkable improvement during the last full Sprint Cup season he ran in 2007. In spite of his reputation for crashing, he was involved in only four wrecks that year, and could not be faulted for three of those. He will be Penske Racing's Ace in the Hole this year, coming back to show that he is, indeed Championship material.

Who won't make the Chase?

Thirty-one drivers won't make the Chase for the Championship, but under this banner, here are a few who may be expected to make the cut-off, but probably won't.

If reigning three-time champion Jimmie Johnson's team follows the same path that has been successful, the #48 team will not even make the Chase. "Peaking at the right time" may be peaking too late for "Knaus and Kompany" and they will fail to make the Chase by just a few points.

As much as we love Matt Kenseth, it will be a stretch to expect him to make the Chase this year. In the era of heightened competition, he will have to be more aggressive than we are used to seeing him to make the cut to the final twelve. Though he did show some uncharacteristic aggression last year, he would have to sustain that level, something he may not have the heart to do.

Denny Hamlin's lack of self confidence will plague him this season, and he won't even be an also-ran when it comes down to race 26. It isn't that he isn't a great driver, because he is. Rather his penchant for folding under pressure will bite him this season.

Others we may expect to see in the Chase

Mark Martin, now driving the #5 car for Hendrick Motorsports, should be able to take advantage of this opportunity by winning at least one race, and perhaps even making the Chase. He has always been a skilled driver, and is one of the most dangerous to pass, in spite of his reputation for being a "clean" driver. He will win some races at intermediate tracks, most likely Charlotte (Lowe's) and Texas, and may even get a win at Richmond or Darlington. He will be one of the top contenders for the Championship this year.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr will make the Chase this year, by sheer will and determination on his own part, not on the part of his fans. He is a racer, and he will use his equipment to the maximum of its endurance. Hopefully, the Hendrick shop has figured out how to build a car that will stand up to his abuse, and he will have his best season yet.

Kyle Busch will once again be the top winner during the regular season. When he is on, he is unbeatable, and his ability to drive a car that doesn't feel or look right, will remain his signature, even as he matures. He will again be the points leader entering the Chase, but will once again fade towards the end of the season.

Carl Edwards will continue to show off his exceptional talent, as well as his driving skills. He will enter the Chase right behind Kyle Busch in the points standings.

It has to be Kevin Harvick's turn. Things are going well for him--with some very strong showings in '08, and a hard fought Bud Shootout victory--and he seems to be poised to be a multiple race winner this year. His team is known for its consistency, and, as noted earlier, consistency will be very important in 2009.

In spite of appearances, those of us who follow the drama of The House That Jack Built, know that Jamie McMurray is not the proverbial "red-headed step child." of the Roush-Fenway organization. That honor falls to Greg Biffle. If Da Biff can overcome the handicap of driving Roush's second rate equipment--something he did with authority toward the end of the '08 season--he will be in the Chase. This could very well be his final year with Roush, but there will be no problem for him in getting a ride for 2010, especially if he finishes the season in the top ten.

And your 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion

That would be no other than Jeff Gordon. He will not only make up for his unproductive season last year, but will be out to kick the proverbial donkey this year. We know he is not letting '08 get him down, and will use that as a learning experience. Remember, the greatest drivers never stop learning, and we will not see Gordon stagnate. During last Saturday's Bud Shootout, he seemed to have the COT--that has caused him problems up to now--under control. He not only expertly threaded his way through a mess of spinning and wrecking cars untouched--a feat that required pure instinct--but controlled what other drivers on the track did. He put at least three drivers into the wall, for example, and it was the other drivers' fault that they ended up there.

This is the Jeff Gordon of the old days, the one we haven't seen since 2001. If he can continue to drive like he did Saturday, for the entire season, he will be a Jeff Gordon to fear. The drive for five is definitely still alive.

In recap, our picks for the Chase drivers at the end of the season are, in no particular order:

Tony Stewart
Ryan Newman
Scott Speed
Kevin Harvick
Mark Martin
Dale Earnhardt, Jr
Bobby Labonte
Greg Biffle
Carl Edwards
Kyle Busch
David Stremme
Jeff Gordon*

*Projected Champion.

Santa didn't forget

We almost let Christmas slip by without offering a wish list for some of our favorite drivers, teams, and NASCAR personalities. I'm not going to let that happen.

Silly season never really ended. Bobby Labonte was released from Petty Enterprises even after avowing his loyalty to that team. So of course, for Bobby Labonte: A full time Interstate Battery sponsorship and a full time ride for 2009.

For Tony Stewart: A four-leaf clover, or a lucky horseshoe, or both, wishing him the best of luck with his new team.

For Stewart/Haas Racing: A full time sponsorship from Interstate Batteries and Bobby Labonte for a third team.

For Scott Riggs: A ride where he will be appreciated. Perhaps the Team Formerly Known As Bill Davis Racing has an opening?

For Bill Davis: A happy retirement after going out on top.

For all Crew Chiefs: A free pass for "pushing the envelope." We won't see much of that anyway in '09, due to lack of open testing, but if it happens, give them a break.

For Mark Martin: A Championship. Why not? He certainly deserves one.

For Kyle Busch: Some love from the fans.

For Greg Biffle: Some love from his team.

For Brian France: A key so he can escape his ivory tower, for a temporary taste of reality.

For All NASCAR Fans: A Merry Christmas, and a great 2009!

Some of this, some of that, and the other

It's funny how, as the season winds down, we find less to get fired up about enough to think of a worthwhile post. It isn't that nothing is happening--there has been plenty of news.

NASCAR will implement their new drug testing policy beginning next year, in which all over the wall crew members, drivers, and NASCAR officials will be subject to mandatory random drug testing. Prior to the beginning of the season, all employees of all teams, and all employees of NASCAR will be tested. NASCAR has not, however, come up with a list of banned substances. They probably want to see how many people take over the counter cold remedies, drink Amp, or eat at Starbucks, all products that could result in a false positive. It should be up to the teams to police their own people, and we will stand by that assertation.

As it always seems to happen, just when a driver is getting good, he loses his ride. AJ Allmendinger has been showing steady improvement in adapting to NASCAR style racing, since he got back in the seat of the #84 Red Bull Racing car earlier this year. However, the big wigs in Austria who run the team seem to feel that Scott Speed fits the image they want, better. So, AJ is out of a ride for next year. Red Bull has yet to announce that Speed will be their man next year, but that is expected. Meanwhile, speculation has it that Allmendinger will fill the void left by Reed Sorenson when the driver of the Chip Ganassi Racing #41 car announced that he will be driving for Gillett-Evernham Motorsports next year. There may be more to this than meets the eye, as Red Bull waited until near the end of the season to announce that Allmendinger would be leaving the Red Bull Sprint Cup team. This made it more difficult for him to find options for next year, and we think, personally, that RBR may have been thinking of using Allmendinger in another series. However, Allmendinger has made it clear that he wants to stay in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He has a lot of talent, and has been learning the car well. It is very possible that he will have a ride next year. It should be remembered that the last time he was released from a team--in the now defunct Open Wheel World Championship Series--he went on to win five out of nine races.


Last week I received an award from Trixie's Trailer Park called the "You Make My Day" award. It's one of these things we bloggers do to show our appreciation for other bloggers. That is very much appreciated.

I will pass it on to some blogs I like to read whenever I go on line.

First I would like to return the favor to Trixie's Trailer Park. She is a lot of fun to read, her passion for NASCAR and Tony Stewart is very much appreciated, and she has some very interesting insights. Trixie, I know you are receiving this award twice, but you deserve it.

Muse and Amuse doesn't seem to get enough recognition. Cheyenne blogs on NASCAR, especially on items pertaining to Dale Earnhardt, Jr. She is, in her own words, very opinionated, and will argue the point to the death. She really has made my day on several occassions. I feel her Muse and Amuse blog is very underappreciated, and we will attempt to remedy that by presenting her with a "You Make My Day Award."

We can't forget Church of the Great Oval. Clance' (pronounced "Clan-see" like my cat) inspired me to start my own blog years ago. She always makes our day, and we are more than happy to present her this award.

The Chase heats up, and the writing about it cools down. Greg Biffle is showing what he can do when he and his team are of a mind to do it. We are all still wondering what is up with the #24 team, because we are certain that Jeff Gordon hasn't lost his talent. So we will sit back and enjoy the next Chase race at Kansas this weekend.

Stremme is back

It is official that David Stremme will return to the Sprint Cup as a full time driver beginning next year, taking over the duties of Ryan Newman in the Penske #12 car. He has been the test driver for Penske for most of the current season, as well as a steady hand at the wheel of Rusty Wallace's #64 Nationwide Series car.

Many fans may ask why Stremme? He seemed to be involved in almost every wreck at every track in his rookie year, and in the first two races of his sophomore year. However, in the final thirty weeks of the 2007 season, before he was forced to give up his Ganassi/Sabates seat for Dario Franchitti, he seemed to put his perceived recklessness behind him and begain showing that he could perform competitively. In other words, many Stremme watchers felt as though he was released from his Cup ride just as he was getting good.

To be fair, Ganassi Racing needed to do something in terms of sponsorship and adding new energy to the team, so Franchitti seemed like a good idea at the time. But that didn't work out.

This may work out for Penske. Stremme has shown in the Nationwide Series that he is a competitive driver, and as the test driver for Penske's Cup teams, he has had plenty of seat time in the Sprint Cup car. He is aggressive enough to compete at the Cup level, without being as over-aggressive as he was in his rookie year in that series.

Were there other good choices to fill the #12 seat? Certainly, there were. There is a widespread fan movement--okay, one or two guys commenting in every comment section they can find--to put Jeremy Mayfield back in a Cup ride. But Jeremy has made it clear that he will not race unless he is with a team that can guarantee that he will make it to the Chase, so we can assume that if he was considered for the ride, he might have turned it down. The same goes for Ward Burton, who is happy where he is and will race in Sprint Cup only if it is with a championship team. On the younger side, Brad Keselowski was reportedly sought for the #12 car and turned it down, holding out for a ride with Hendrick in 2010.

Stremme, unlike Mayfield and Burton, is still young, still able to learn, and still learning. Penske can, with Stremme, look further down the road to the future than they would have been able to do with an older driver. We feel Penske's confidence in Stremme is well earned and well deserved, and wish him success in his born-again Cup career.

Strangely enough, the formation of Stewart-Haas Racing has potentially brought about a chain of events that will bring some result to NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program. Joey Logano's move to the #20 JGR Cup car, and Stremme's move to the #12 car, will leave openings for African American up and coming drivers Marc Davis and Chase Austin in the Nationwide Series next year. Both drivers have shown good results in the Hooters Pro Cup, ARCA, and the Camping World Series as developmental drivers for Joe Gibbs and Rusty Wallace Racing. If nothing else, their presence in the Nationwide Series will give NASCAR a much needed public relations boost.

Benson!

While Johnny Benson was a regular in what is now the Sprint Cup Series, we often noted that he did not seem aggressive enough to be competitive in the top series of NASCAR. It may have been equipment, but Benson never seemed to want to even try to make a pass when the opportunity presented itself. It may have been the equipment, but Benson seemed to be unable to adapt to the changes in the car that were made between 1997 and 2001.

Needless to say, when he joined the Craftsman Truck Series in 2004, we doubted that he would be successful there. Most of the regular drivers in the series failed in the Cup series because they were too aggressive. Unless the driver's name is Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, or Jeff Gordon, over aggressiveness usually results in more problems for the driver than for the competition.

But the aggressive style of drivers like Ron Hornaday, Jack Spraque, Mike Skinner, and Ted Musgrave fits right in to the relatively short races of the CTS. There is no pit strategy in CTS; it is all about mashing the pedal and turning left from the first wave of the green flag. And you do not want to be the driver of a truck that gets in the way of faster traffic. It is not the kind of racing one would expect a laid back, let-things-happen type driver like Benson to be successful.

But we were wrong about Benson. In 2004, his first season in Trucks with Bill Davis Racing, he ran in only thirteen races, but finished in the top ten eight times, with five of those eight being in the top five. He went on to win 5 races in 2006, with 13top fives out of 17 top tens, and four wins in 2007 wit 12 top fives. And now, with the Truck season barely over the half-way mark, he has two wins and leads the series in drivers' points. Benson seems to be having the time of his life.

We have written before that the CTS is the closest to Saturday night circle burners NASCAR has in its top tier.This is the kind of racing with which Benson and the others feel most comfortable. It is what they have been doing their entire lives. It is the kind of racing in which any driver who starts the race has a chance to win.

The tightness of the competition can be seen in the points standings among the top five drivers. There is a difference of only 108 points between the lead and fifth place, after thirteen races. The points lead has changed three times in the last three races. No Chase for the Championship is needed here, the points championship looks to remain tight for the rest of the season.

Personally speaking, my favorite driver in the Truck Series has long been Ron Hornaday. But I like it when Johnny Benson wins. It could be because he looks a little bit like Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges, but it is probably just because it feels good to see a driver find his place doing what he loves.

The NASCAR All-Stars: Part 4

Continuing the overview of the drivers locked into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Challenge, Saturday, May 17, at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Driver: Mark Martin
How did he get in? Two-time event winner, 1998 and 2005.
All-Star History: Martin's first All-Star event was The Winston in 1991 where he finished thirteenth. His first All-Star win came in 1998, when he led twenty-four laps and beat Bobby Labonte by .424 seconds. His second win was in 2005, when he beat Elliott Saddler by .582 seconds. His worst finish was in 1995, when he finished eighteenth after being involved in a crash with Todd Bodine and Dale Jarrett. He also finished eighteenth in 2002 when his engine gave out on lap 51. He has participated in every All Star main event since 1991.

Driver: Casey Mears
How did he get in? NASCAR Cup race winner at Lowe's Motor Speedway, in May 2007
All-Star History: Casey Mears' first All-Star race was in 2007, as the new driver of a qualifying race winning car, the #25 of Hendrick MotorSports. He finished eighteenth, being involved in a crash with Denny Hamlin on lap 63.

Driver: Juan Montoya
How did he get in? Montoya was a race winner last year at Infineon Raceway (Sears Point).
All Star History: This will be Montoya's first All Star Race.

Driver: Ryan Newman
How did he get in? Former event winner (2002), winner of the 2008 Daytona 500.
All Star History: In 2002 Newman won the second qualifying round, the "No Bull Sprint" last chance qualifier, and went on to win The Winston, becoming the only racer in history to win the main event after winning the last chance qualifier. He led seventeen laps and barely held off a hard-charging Dale Earnhardt, Jr. by .158 seconds at the finish line.
His worst finish was in 2003, when he finished nineteenth, but his most disappointing All Star run had to be in 2005, when he got tangled with team mate Rusty Wallace as the final segment began. He had led 45 laps, and the incident began a long feud between the team mates.

Driver: Tony Stewart
How did he get in? NASCAR Cup Champion in 2002 and 2005. Three time Cup Series race winner in 2007.
All Star History: Stewart's first All Star Race was in his Rookie year in 1999 when he won the Winston Open to transfer in to The Winston. He finished second to Terry Labonte. In 2000, Joe Nemechek tried to retaliate against Steve Park on lap 62, wrecking them both and catching Stewart and Jeff Gordon in the wreck as well.
Stewart's worst finish was in 2005, when Nemechek tangled with another driver, Kevin Harvick, also causing a multiple car accident on lap 35, involving Stewart, Terry Labonte, Michael Waltrip, and Martin Truex, Jr.
In 2006, Stewart and Matt Kenseth crashed after seventy-two laps. They had some harsh words for each other after the incident, but, in spite of talks of a rivalry, Stewart's and Kenseth's friendship continued, and Stewart went forward with his plans to participate in a charity event at a track owned by Kenseth's father later in the year.
Tony Stewart has yet to win an All Star main event.

Driver: Martin Truex, Jr
How did he get in? 2007 race winner (Dover)
All Star History: In 2005, Truex became the second driver to be voted in to the NASCAR Nextel All Star Challenge (Ken Schrader was the first in 2004), and he finished twenty second after being involved in the grudge-match wreck between Harvick and Nemechek. In 2007 he won the Nextel Open and finished tenth in the Nextel All Star Challenge.
2005 brought much criticism to the fairly new practice of the fan vote selecting the final starter for the main event, as Truex had only four Cup Series races to his credit at the time, and was voted in because of his association with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. But, in winning the 2007 Nextel Open, he proved himself, and had a respectable finish in the main event that year. Later, in 2007, he won his first Cup Series points race at Dover.

These are the twenty one drivers who will start in the top twenty one positions for Saturday Night's shootout. My memory is not that great, so if anyone wishes to correct me on, or add to, anything I have written in any of the four parts of this overview, please feel free to do so in the comment section. Corrections are very welcome and will not make me feel bad.

The NASCAR All Stars: Part 3

Continuing the rundown of the 21 drivers locked in to the NASCAR Sprint All Star Challenge, May 17, at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Driver: Dale Jarrett
How did he get in? Being the 1999 NASCAR Cup Series Champion is what qualifies Jarrett for this particular race. This race will be Jarrett's final run in a Cup Series car as he retires.
All Star History: Dale Jarrett's first All Star Race was The Winston, in 1992, in which he finished eighteenth. He has participated in every All Star Race since then. His worst finish was 26th, in 2002, after a lap 15 crash that included Rusty Wallace, Bobby Hamilton, and Sterling Marlin. His best finish has been second place, where he finished in both 2000 and 2001. He ran with Joe Gibbs Racing in the All Star races from 1992 until 1995, when he began driving a Ford for Robert Yates Racing. In 2007, he drove a Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing.

Driver: Jimmie Johnson
How did he get in? Two time Series champion, in 2006 and 2007, All Star event winner in 2003 and 2006, and winner of 10 Cup races in 2007 and one in 2008.
All Star History: Johnson's first All Star race was The Winston in 2002, after winning at California Speedway that year. He finished fifth, then and in every All Star race since then, with the exception of 2004, Johnson has finished in the top five, including last year's, when he was barely beaten by Kevin Harvick by .141 seconds. In 2004 he was involved in a crash on lap 53 and finished seventeenth.

Driver: Matt Kenseth
How did he get in? 2003 NASCAR Cup Champion (he was the last Winston Cup Champion), won two races in 2007 (California and Homestead)
All Star History: Kenseth's first All Star Race was The Winston in 2001, where he finished fourteenth, his worst finish in the event. He was the first Nextel All Star Challenge winner in 2004, when he beat Ryan Newman by .571 seconds. In 2006, he finished eleventh after being involved in a wreck with Tony Stewart. Since this was before Kyle Busch became the new most hated driver, the wreck was Tony Stewart's fault, as he was the most hated driver at the time.

Driver: Bobby Labonte
How did he get in? 2000 NASCAR Cup Champion.
All Star History: Labonte's first All Star race was The Winston in 1996, where he finished 13th. His best finish was in second place the next year, and was repeated in 1998, when Mark Martin beat him by a slim margin of .424 seconds. His worst finish was in 2007, in the 21st position after he crashed on lap 41. In 1999, his brother Terry won the main event, but Bobby was involved in a lap eleven crash that took out many of the favorites and front-runners, including Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Ernie Irvan, Jeff Burton, and Ricky Rudd.


Driver: Jamie McMurray
How did he get in? Winner of the July race at Daytona in 2007.
All Star History: McMurray earned his way into the last running of The Winston in 2003, after stepping in for the injured Sterling Marlin in 2002, and winning at Lowe's in the fall. He finished 22nd in 2003, when the format of the feature race included eliminations in rounds one and two. He finished 18th in his second All Star race in 2005, qualified by virtue of an eligible owner's championship for the #96 car, for which the number was changed to 26 because of bad feelings between owner Jack Roush and former driver Kurt Busch. He was involved in the lap 48 crash that year that included Kasey Kahne Jeremy Mayfield, Mark Martin, and Kyle Busch.

The NASCAR All-Stars: Part 2

Continuing an overview of the drivers qualified to race in the NASCAR Sprint All Star Race, Saturday, May 17, 2008.

Driver: Kurt Busch
How did he get in? 2004 NASCAR Cup Champion, plus he had two wins last year, at Pocono and Michigan.
All Star Race History: Kurt Busch ran his first All Star Race in 2002, where he finished in fourth place. He has raced in every All Star Race since then, and his best finish was the one in 2002. Last year, he and his brother Kyle wrecked each other on lap 62.

Driver: Kyle Busch
How did he get in? He won one race in 2007, at Bristol, and three in 2008, at Atlanta, Talladega, and Darlington.
All Star Race History: His first All Star race was in 2006, and he crashed on lap 48, along with Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne, Jeremy Mayfield, and Jamie McMurray. Last year he was involved in a wreck with his brother, Kurt, and has yet to finish an All Star race.

Driver: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
How did he get in? Past All Star Winner(The Winston, 2000)
All Star Race History: Jr won his first Cup race in 2000, his rookie year at Texas Motor Speedway, which made him eligable for the All Star Race. This was truly "The Battle of the Dales," as Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Dale Jarrett raced each other for the lead during the last ten laps of the race. Dale Jarrett lead the race for eight laps, then, with two laps to go, Dale Earnhardt, Jr took the lead. He beat Jarrett by 1.29 seconds. This was also one of the fastest races in the history of The Winston, with no cautions, although a retaliatory move by Joe Nemecheck on Steve Park, with eight laps to go, caused a four car accident, including Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Steve Park, and Joe Nemecheck. Jr's worst finish was in 2003, when he finished seventeenth.

Driver: Carl Edwards
How did he get in? He won three races in 2007, at Michigan, Bristol, and Dover, and three races this year at Las Vegas, California, and Texas.
All Star Race History: He missed the All Star Race last year because his wins did not come until after the date of the race. His first All Star race was in 2005, where he crashed by himself on lap 57, and his best finish was fourth in 2006

Driver: Jeff Gordon
How did he get in? He has won two of his four NASCAR Cup championships within the last ten years, won six races in 2007, and is a past winner of the All Star race.
All Star Race History: His first All Star Race was The Winston in 1994, where he finished fourteenth. The next year, he won the race, and continued winning it in 1996 and 1997. His last All Star win was in 2001, after the race was red flagged for a huge crash on lap one, because of rain. The drivers were allowed to go to back up cars, and the race was restarted from the beginning. Gordon beat Dale Jarrett by .701 seconds, in another caution free race that lasted only 34 minutes. Gordon has never missed an All Star race since 1994, and his worst finish was in 2000, when he finished sixteenth after crashing on lap sixty-two.

Driver: Denny Hamlin
How did he get in? Won both Pocono races last year and at Martinsville this year.
All Star Race History: 2007 was his first All Star Race, and he and Casey Mears got tangled on lap 63, ending his race in the seventeenth position.

Driver: Kevin Harvick
How did he get in? Past All Star Race winner, and winner of the Daytona 500 in 2007.
All Star Race History: His first All Star race was The Winston in 2001, where he finished twenty-first, due to brake failure. He has not missed an All Star race since then. He won the Nextel All-Star Challenge last year, barely edging Jimmie Johnson by .141 seconds.

Records from Racing Reference.info

The NASCAR All-Stars: Part 1

This coming weekend, NASCAR presents the much anticipated NASCAR Sprint All Star Race, at Lowe's Motor Speedway near Charlotte, North Carolina. This is a non-points race that encourages all out racing in four 20 lap segments. The winner gets $1M and bragging rights.
There are five ways a driver can qualify for the All Star Race:
1. Win a race during the 2007 and 2008 seasons up to the last race before the All Star Race.
2. Be a NASCAR Cup Champion within the past ten years.
3. Be a previous winner of an All Star race within the past ten years.
4. Finish first or second in the Sprint Showdown qualifying race.
5. Be the driver with the most fan votes and be voted into the race for the final position.
Twenty one drivers are on the entry list due to meeting one or more of the first three criteria.

I will try to feature a few of the drivers every day through Friday, and hopefully I will get all 21 drivers who are qualified, by then.

Driver: Greg Biffle
How did he get in? He won at Kansas last year.
All Star Race History: Biffle's first All Star Race was in 2004, and he has been in every All Star Race since then. However, due to either being involved in crashes or having mechanical failure, he didn't run the entire event until last year, when he finished 15th.

Driver: Clint Bowyer
How did he get in? He won the second race at Loudon last year, and the Richmond race this year.
All Star Race History: Saturday will mark his first turn at the All Star Race.

Driver: Jeff Burton
How did he get in? He won at TMS last year and Bristol this year.
All Star History: Burton has run in nine All Star races since 1994. His best finish in the event was 4th, last year and in 1998.

Darlington: "Live" on type delay

Only the third lap and already the race is eventful. Biffle took off from the drop of the green flag and takes the lead for the first lap, but Dale Jr takes the lead for the second. Going into turn one Stewart went too high and was collected by Elliott Saddler. A typical Darlington mistake on Stewart's part, trying to pass on the outside of turn one, but we can't help but to think of the uproar that would have been if Kyle Busch was on the inside and Earnhardt, Jr on the outside.
Sadler broke a part of the car's suspension, and Stewart's car is going to need a lot of work, but it is still early, and we hope Zippy and crew can get that car straightened out.
A lot of credit should be given to Elliott Sadler. He took the blame for running up into Tony, even though Stewart should have known better not to try enter the turn on the outside, according to DW. I wonder, though, since Stewart had the lead going into the turn, should it have been Sadler who did the giving? I guess it's a matter of perspective.
By lap twelve, there has already been at least seven cars hitting the wall, but "Darlington stripe" has been said only twice by the broadcast personalities, much to their credit.
Kyle Busch takes the lead from Dale Jr, without wrecking him, much to the dismay of Junior Nation. Kyle puts a healthy lead over the rest of the field, but runs into traffic, and the rest of the field catches him and Greg Biffle retakes the lead.
Green flag pit stops begin on lap 58, with Jeff Burton. Biffle pits on lap 60 while in the lead. Johnson has a bad pit stop. Jr pits on lap 61.
Love those retro paint schemes. The ones on the 21 and 28 are especially nostalgic for me.
Kenseth leads a lap or three before he comes into the pits. Then Carpentier (!) leads a lap, while Ryan Newman has to take a drive through penalty for a tire violation. Gilliland is the next to get his five bonus points during the green flag pit cycle, then Kyle Busch takes the lead, coming out ahead after the pit stops cycle through. My bet at this point is that Busch the younger will use up his car before it gets to the lap that counts, as his team is talking about brake problems. That's another problem with being too aggressive at Darlington.
Biffle is making a run for the lead again on lap 100. The drivers have settled down some, which is expected, and typical for Darlington. Three cars have been to the garage--Sam Hornish, Jr, Elliott Saddler, and Kyle Petty, and the 77 car of Hornish is the only one that is back on the track.
Kyle is still leading as the race coverage breaks to a commercial. But during that commercial, Biffle retakes the lead. Unusual for Darlington--100 caution free laps, and about to enter a second cycle of green flag pit stops. Burton again begins the cycle on lap 116.
Johnson has another long pit stop, but that doesn't mean anything dreadful for the 48 team at this point in the race.
It isn't going to help Stewart any to miss the pit road. Carpentier, on the other hand, is running a decent race, especially for his first time at Darlington.
Biffle has the lead after pit stops cycle through, but Kyle Busch passes him, without wrecking him.
As Busch is about to lap Kasey Kahne, there is a caution, perhaps saving what looked like might be a wreck.
Kyle Busch and Scott Riggs have to restart at the end of the longest line for loose/missing lug nuts, and Dale Jr takes the lead as the race restarts on lap 145.
Lap 149 Harvick gets lose and hits the wall hard coming out of turn 2. That brings out the fourth caution and pretty much takes Happy out of the race. His team will get that car back out on the track, but it won't be competitive. The streak without DNFs will remain intact.
Earnhardt maintains the lead on the lap 152 restart and is checking out on the field. By lap 158 here comes Da Biff again.
Biffle retakes the lead, Kyle Busch is moving up fast from the rear of the field. Earnhardt, now in third place slaps the wall.
On lap 194, Truex takes the lead, Biffle has a bad transmission. Bad luck for Da Biff.
Green flag pit cycle begins with 167 laps to go.
And after the pit stops cycle through, Biffle, who did not have a transmission problem after all, is in the lead.
Blaney is moving up fast, as well. Smoke is now two laps down.
Biffle's car is no good again. This time it looks like he's out. Caution, and Truex retakes the lead. Then Hamlin takes the lead after pit stops with 130 laps to go. It doesn't surprise me that a Gibbs car would be near the front at any time during the race, the way that team has been going. If one car doesn't make it, there are two more.
Vickers made a bad move into the pits during the last caution, hitting Newman's cars. That is not a good thing for me to see, because both of those drivers are drivers I like. Now, with 119 laps to go, Vickers hits the wall and brings out another caution. I'm thinking that Junior Nation already hates Brian for winning the Talladega race two years ago, and Newman Nation hates him now, so Brian Vickers should be more hated than Kyle Busch.
Jeff Gordon is in the lead when the race restarts with 116 to go. That should be no surprise, if there is a master of Darlington among active drivers, it's Jeff.
Kyle Busch has made it all the way to the front with 94 laps to go. He is still making that car move after all the abuse he has put it through. I still think it's too early to celebrate a victory yet, but that is an amazing comeback, whether you like the guy or not.
Caution with 88 laps to go.
More lug nut issues for the #18 team, Coach Joe is perplexed and calls a conference. . Restart with 83 to go and Jeff is in the lead. but now he is falling back, and Kyle Busch is back in the lead. 79 laps to go and Busch makes his car even thinner, by hitting the wall again.. Earnhardt, Jr is in second. Looks like a set up for another great scenario.
With 74 laps to go, it is easy to see that Darlington has taken her toll. The cars that aren't beat up are having mechanical problems, and the pace has slowed somewhat.
During the commercial, with 66 laps to go, Martin Truex, Jr and Denny Hamlin were racing for seventh, and Truex seemed to run over Hamlin. Hamlin spun, but Truex's car has more damage. Caution, lead cars pit, Tony Stewart is back to one lap down, after racing his way in front of the lead cars after the last restart.
The lead cars pit during the caution and Kyle Busch retains the lead. Carl Edwards is in second and Jeff Gordon is in third with 61 laps to go.
Truex did get out of the pits ahead of Hamlin. If Hamlin had as many fans as Jr, Truex would be the world's least popular driver.
It doesn't look like there will be a caution in time for Stewart to do anything if he gets back on the lead lap. Smoke has a very fast car right now, but it doesn't look like he can do any more than he has.
Eight laps to go and that 18 car is going faster. It is wrecked, and it looks like the Desparado* will get the win. This is unbelieveable! No matter what you may think of the Desparado, he did an incredible job to win the race the way he did. That car was wrecked, and he just kept going faster toward the end of the race. And, you have to admit, that smoke trick is a great victory celebration!
I never would have thought that, out of the three Gibbs drivers, Kyle would have been the one to win. His style is just too aggressive for Darlington, and even if there had been no other cars on the track, he shouldn't have been able to go 500 miles that way. But he did, and all I can say is "Wow!"

*Marc at Full Throttle coined the moniker "Desparado" for Kyle Busch. I think it will stick, after time.

Quote of the day

From Scene Daily:

He (Stewart) said, though, that he has not made a decision about what he is going to do and has not requested to get out of his contract.

“We’re going to do our due diligence and go through looking at every option, looking at the pros and cons to everything and then make a decision,” Stewart said. “The good thing is we have a year left in our contract. We’re not in any rush right now. There is nobody putting any pressure on us to make something happen next week.”

It looks as though Smoke will be staying with Gibbs at least until the end of his contract through 2009. Get over it.

What about the drivers who are at the end of their contract this year? That list includes:

Martin Truex, Jr. Is he happy with what DEI can give him? He has already driven in the Nationwide Series for his good friend, Dale Earnhardt, Jr, and HMS may have an opening if they release Casey Mears. This looks like a good item to toss into the rumor mill.

Ryan Newman seems less than enthusiastic about Dodge's overall performance in the Sprint Cup Series this year. He has yet to sign a countract beyond the end of the 2008 season. Could he be looking for a change?

It is generally accepted that, because Roush-Fenway must pare down to four cars, Jamie McMurray will be without a ride in 2009. But Greg Biffle isn't necessarily happy with his role at RFR, and he has yet to sign a contract that will take him beyond the end of this year with Roush-Fenway. The possibility of a switch between Penske and Roush involving Newman and Biffle seems like a great rumor to toss into the mill.

What will Bobby Labonte do? What will Kevin Harvick do? They are both currently unsigned beyond the end of this year. I don't have any unnamed sources to rely on here, and I can't think of any good unsubstantiated rumors to start about them. Anybody care to help?

None of the rumors mentioned above have any credence to them, but they should still give us some topics for speculation, if that is our bag.

Finally, for those who believe that Tony Stewart may buy into Haas/CNC, Dennis Michelson, of Race Talk Radio's Spin Out Zone, has some very compelling arguments as to why he won't. Please read his article "Haas Bowtie Will Not Fit Stewart."

We leave you with a tantalizing teaser from that article:

Do you know how to tell when a NASCAR rumor is a bunch of buffalo chips? The easiest way to tell is when so many writers and broadcasters jump on the bandwagon to tell you that this driver or that driver is definitely heading to such and such team. If you have a short memory may I try to talk some sense into you this week? DALE EARNHARDT JR HEADED TO RCR. Does anyone remember that headline? The track record of certain writers in breaking stories is pitiful. Even when the next wave of articles with more exclusive sources hit it is just another case of media misdirection NASCAR writing style. The Haas bow tie will not fit Tony Stewart!

A dissenting opinion

I have taken a week to collect my thoughts on the drug testing issue in NASCAR. Before I begin my rant, I must remind the reader that the opinion expressed here does not neccessarily reflect the opinion of all or any of the associate editors at NASCAR Bloggers FT Digest. It is soley my own. I do not advocate the use of drugs in any manner in any sport, professional or amateur.

My first thought is “what has become of the presumption ‘innocence until proven guilty?’”Any mandantory drug testing is based on the presumption of “guilty until proven innocent.”
Testing a person for drugs without probable cause is the equivalent of giving a person a ticket for jaywalking if he happens to be walking down the sidewalk. The pedestrian hasn’t crossed the street illegally, but he could, if he wanted to, so just fine him for something he didn’t do, but may intend to. A driver in NASCAR may have never, in his or her entire life, used substances that would impair his reactions, attention, or abilities to compete in a race, but because we are talking about a living, breathing, human being, there is always the possibility that the person could use drugs.



Granted, the laws against search and seizure without probable cause are only to protect the citizens of this country from the government, and do not apply to businesses and organizations such as NASCAR, but one would think that the presumption of innocence is more important to the state of freedom and well-being, than the paranoid presumption that everybody is doing something wrong, but just hasn’t been caught yet.

The point has often been made that if you are doing nothing wrong, then you have nothing to worry about, but that point is made without considering the psychological effect of not being trusted to have a basic knowledge of right and wrong. There is something rebellious in human nature that suggests, “if they think I am doing something wrong, I may as well do something wrong.”

That is not to say that one would react to the accusation of substance abuse by using illicit substances, but one may react by, for instance, running another car into the wall under the auspices of retaliation. Most of us have experienced the feeling of being accused of something that we haven’t done or ever had any intention of doing. It is not a good feeling; in fact, it is an emotionally painful feeling. We all want to be trusted.

The drivers in NASCAR are professionals. Unless they are caught in the emotional heat of the moment after a wreck, they do exercise immaculate personal responsibility. It is not only a matter of being competitive to them, but a matter of self-preservation. If a driver likes to drink beer, for example, he will make it a point to forego beer, beginning Wednesday night, and begin the process of hydrating and working out for the race Sunday. If the driver did not practice this regiman, he would undoubtably get sick, or lose the required attention skills it takes to race competively and safely. That is what personal responsibility is all about.

NASCAR’s present policy of testing only when there is probable cause isn’t only fair, it is safe. Shane Hmeil was caught under that policy, and Tim Richmond, though he had actually stopped using the drugs neccessary to prolong his life, was banned from racing because he was physically unable to race safely, as a result of NASCAR’s probable cause policy.

Tyler Walker and Aaron Fyke seemed to have slipped through the cracks of this policy, because they were caught by the police, and not by NASCAR. But they were caught, and were taken out of the mix before their drug use resulted in tragedy on the track. It will never be proven that either one of them was under the influence of an illicit substance while they were racing.

You could argue that Fyke said that he did take heroin on the same day he raced last year, when he finished in the top ten of a truck race. Yes he said it, but if he had actually done it, he would have been caught. If you have ever been around a heroin addict, you would know what I mean. If he wasn’t nodding off, his speech would have been slurred, his eyes would have been darting constantly, and his stride would have been unsteady, as if he were drunk. If he were allowed to climb, exhibiting those symptoms, into the racecar, he would have fallen on his butt trying to climb in through the window. He would not have made it past the first turn, much less finish in the top ten. Even if he were not under the influence, and was going through withdrawal, he would have been sweating much more profusely than anyone else around him, he would have been showing visible signs of stomach cramps, and there would have been an unmistakable oder about him, even if he hadn’t defecated in his firesuit because of the loss of control of bodily functions. And no, I am not describing Tony Stewart at Watkins Glen, two years ago–Fyke’s symptoms would have raised a red flag for anyone around him if what he said were true.

And I would rather call one person a liar, from what I know, than accepting what he said as the truth, and therefore having to consider everyone else a liar.

NASCAR’s current policy is not broken, so it doesn’t need to be fixed. However, one thing I would like to see encouraged, because over the counter remedies could also cause judgement problems–even if they sponsor a race or a group of teams–is that if a driver is so sick with the flu or a cold that he has to take medication, he should be replaced for the event. This would also be a matter of personal responsibility, and should be voluntary. Hopefully, that idea will catch on.

Cross posted from NASCAR Bloggers FT Digest, by the author

Warming up in Vegas

Once again I find myself having to correct an inaccuracy from one of my previous posts. I hate it when that happens. I mentioned that there were three venues in the Cup Series at which Tony "Smoke" Stewart has yet to win. I believe I correctly mentioned California and Las Vegas, but failed to mention correctly that the other two are Darlington and Talladega. In spite of some of my self-depricating disclaimers, I do hope to be more accurate in reporting statistics, and maintain at least some semblence of credibility.
Last year, at Las Vegas, the track surface was new, the tire compound was hard, and the cars were the familiar "conventional" cars. Many of the teams and drivers had difficulty getting the handle on the car and the track, and the going was relatively slow as NASCAR racing goes. At the end of the caution filled Cup race, Jimmie Johnson easily out ran the rest of the field and beat team mate Jeff Gordon by nearly three seconds. However, in the Busch Series (now Nationwide Series) race there was one heck of a finish while Jeff Burton and Rowdy Kyle "The Schrub" Busch raced hard for the checkers, and Busch got loose after the two made contact and spun out--crossing the finish line in second place while still in a spin.
Fans watched as the young Busch, who had a reputation for being somewhat volitile and immature, approached Burton's car in Victory Lane, expecting a fight, or at least some kind of outburst. Instead, Rowdy reached out his hand and congratulated the winner.
Thus began the warming period.
The Schrub returns to his home track this weekend a superstar in the making. With the help of his new team at Joe Gibbs Racing, and with some accolades from the likes of Darryll Waltrip and Dick Bergeron, the new "Mr. Excitement" is seen as an extraordinary driver, and has thrilled the flock of NASCAR fans across the nation.
Jimmie Johnson is expected to win an unprecedented fourth UAW-Dodge 400 in a row, but he is facing competition that is very different from last year. In spite of his second place finish last week, he seems to have trouble getting a handle on the car in traffic, and couldn't get it to work when he most needed it to work. Success in the Formula N car is mostly up to the driver, as Tony Stewart has pointed out, and Chad Knaus, as good as he is, cannot help the self-proclaimed "Driver of the Year" as much as he has in the past. Johnson is starting 33rd, and has had trouble with his car in traffic, although whatever has been bothering may have been fixed by now.
It is true that nobody has ever won the UAW-Dodge 400 from the pole, so--although there is always a first time for everything--it can't be taken for granted that Busch will win.
Aside from Kyle Busch, I would be looking for Tony Stewart, who has led the most laps at Vegas for a driver without a win, to be crossing another venue off his "Things To Do" list.
Matt Kenseth seems to be able to get a handle on the car that is being used now, and his abilities are very impressive on this type of track. If the previous record at Vegas applies to anyone, it would be to Matt, because he seems to be very adaptable to different styles of cars.
And then you have Greg Biffle, who, in spite of his lack of wins over the last two years, is very capable of winning a race. Between the last few races of '07, and some very good runs this year, he has shown that he can still be a contender.
GEM is also making a comeback, and they had some fast cars in qualifying and practice, includingt Patrick Carpentier's Kasey Kahne wants to prove that he is just as capable of making a comeback as anybody else, and he will want to put on a good enough show to earn acceptance for being given the Budman title.

A sidenote: Kahne's sponsorship
partnership involving Allstate Driver's Insurance and Budweiser made me wonder
about how they could have joint commercials. How about ending a regular Budweiser commercial, featuring Kahne with the words "Allstate Insurance reminds you that drnking Budweiser and driving could result in an increase in your insurance rates?"

So far this year, the racing has been pretty good, even after the mess at Fontana. Once that race started, on Monday, it was interesting and very well worth watching. I think we will see more of this as the season goes on and the drivers get used to the new car. NASCAR seems to be regaining some interest from the, as there was a good sized crowd at the track for practice and qualifying, This may be partly because the three day ticket package for Vegas is a very good deal, as ticket packages go, but the performance of the new car, Dale Jr, Kyle Busch and a possible record-breaking run by the current Champion, have done a lot to bring people back to the track or their television sets. I feel that the obituaries written by many for NASCAR are a bit pre-mature.

All About Love

Those who have been with me for awhile already know this, so the following disclaimer is for those who may not be familiar with this blog:
This blog is not so much about racing as it is about the love of racing. It presents the views of a fan who does not claim to be an expert, but who has long been bitten by the NASCAR bug. "How bad have you got it" is not a question to me but a statement of fact. I hope to present my views in a way that some may find interesting and entertaining enough to keep coming back, and--by accident usually--find something useful in what is written here. Thank you all for your continued support.
There was much heartbreak in the Daytona 500 qualifying heats known as the Gatorade Duels.
The Wood Brothers Racing team and Bill Elliott did not make the much coveted cut for the Daytona 500. Ken Schrader, after a very valient try--alone against Michael Waltrip Racing--in his own words, "just wasn't fast enough."
Red Bull Racing's AJ Allmendinger also wasn't fast enough, not was two time Daytona 500 winner Sterling Marlin. Jaques Villeneuve got clipped by John Andretti and nearly made an amazing save, only to be hit by three drivers who found themselves with nowhere to go--Dario Franchitti and Stanton Barrett. Barrett and Villeneuve were trying to race their way into the 500, and the accident put an end to their hopes.
Patrick Carpentier, the only open wheel and sports car newcomer who has had some experience in the tintops, nearly made it into a transfer position, but ended up fighting a loose car and a flat tire, and lost his battle to the wall. Carl Long, underfunded and under-equipped, as usual, never had a chance.
Finally, fan favorite Boris Said, who could have made the Big Race on his qualifying time, if David Reutimann could have finished in a transfer position, saw his dreams go down the tubes as John Andretti found himself in the right place at the right time in the rush to the finish.
But the love was there as well.
Fans loved it as Dale Earnhardt, Jr, won his second straight race, having moved all the way from the back of the pack after an engine change to take the checkers in the first heat. Earnhardt, who has, in the past, proven himself to be one of the best drivers when it comes to car control, and arguably the best at restrictor plate races, made it look easy as he brought his car to victory, without help from team mates.
There was some brotherly love in action as Mike Wallace, who was the fourth place finisher in last year's Daytona 500, spotted for brother Kenny, and successfully guided him to a transfer position. This did give me some personal satisfaction because, with Joe Nemecheck already in on time, Kenny Wallace's qualification means that both cars owned and sponsored by the Denver-based Furniture Row team made the Big Show. I consider this a home team victory.
There was also a lot of love for Brian Vickers, from Toyota, as the Red Bull driver fought his way to a transfer position that gave him a place in the 500. Now that Vickers is in, he is a driver to watch, with a talent that could not be displayed during last year's Toyota growing pains. Personally, I feel that if Vickers gets his car into the top 35 in owner's points, he will stay there for the entire season.
And now he is a very real threat to win the Daytona 500, but that is for a different item on this blog.
The real love was in the second Duel, where two Toyota teams showed not only love for their teams and team mates, but sacrifice as well.
Michael Waltrip had a very good chance at winning the second Duel, but opted instead to drop back and aid his team mate, Dale Jarrett, in getting into a transfer position. This will be Jarrett's last Daytona 500 in his career, and Mikey took one for the team to make sure Dale qualified.
Coach Joe Gibbs sat in a meeting with his three drivers before the Duels, and explained to them the meaning and importance of teamwork. The "Brat Pack" of racing took it to heart with an "all for one, one for all" attitude that showed in the final laps of the race. Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin both knew that one of them had to win the race, and get Toyota's historical first Cup victory, and that to achieve this it would take sacrifice on the part of the other. After Denny Hamlin's victory, the two drivers talked to each other on the radio, agreed that they had done the right thing, and congratulated and thanked each other. Now that is love for the team. Good work, Coach. If JGR can continue the season with this team spirit, HMS will definitely have some competition.
Now the stage is set for the Daytona 500, and our love of racing flows deep.

More pre season fun!

I had a great weekend. It was good watching cars go fast on television again. It didn't quite bring the satisfaction five-hundred miles of beatin' and bangin' brings us, but it was racing and it did bring some thrills, to break what seems like the longest 11 week off-season ever. We should be happy we aren't football fans, because eleven weeks is actually the shortest off season of any professional sport.
The Rolex Grand American Series 24 Hours at Daytona isn't, in reality, a NASCAR event, but most race fans are familiar with the names of some of the drivers, and the sights and sounds are a nice break in the tedium of off season.
There were some records broken. Team Ganassi chalked up an unprecedented third straight victory in the event, with the #01 drivers team of Memo Rojas, Dario Franchitti, Juan Paul Montoya, and Scott Pruett, each an excellent and experienced driver in his own field. Due partly to the weather, partly to mechanical failure, and partly to the advanced level of competition, the attrition rate was high, and the #01 car crossed the finish line two laps ahead of the closest competitor, the #99 team of Jimmie Johnson, Alex Gurney (the son of racing legend Dan Gurney), Jimmy Vasser, and Jon Fogarty. Fogarty and Gurney were the Rolex Series Champions at the end of last year's season.
There were 23 caution flags, and 16 lead changes, both new records.
Daytona testing didn't tell us a whole lot about the new (CoT) Formula N cars. Just that the engines were working good, and maybe working with wedge, trackbar, and alignment adjustments to find that comfort spot for the drivers. Everything else is mandated by NASCAR to be the same for every team at Daytona. But now, at Vegas, there are a few more things the teams can work with. There is much more the Crew Chiefs can do as far as aerodynamics adjustments go than they could do at Daytona. As explained very well by Larry McReynolds on Speed TV, the rear wing and the struts that support it can be adjusted in several ways, in addition to changing the shape of the struts. Plus the front splitter is adjustable, to change the downforce on the front end, as well as the suspension adjustments that couldn't be done at Daytona.
So, once everyone found out how the track and the tires worked, they went to work on set ups and experiments.
Some of the experiments obviously failed, as both Tony Stewart and Jeff Burton had equipment failures in the front suspension and crashed, leaving their teams with only one car for California testing Thursday and Friday. David Regan's crew chief accepted responsibility for a loose condition he set up in his driver's car.
This brings up a point about the new Formula N car that may not have been forseen in the developmental stages. The car was supposed to make racing affordable by all the teams, but it seems that nobody can afford to wreck one.

"The car that Jeff [Burton] crashed is junk -- it'll be easier to replace it than it would be to put it back together," (RCR crew chief Gil) Martin said. "Anyone who thinks these cars will be able to take a beating better than the [standard cars] is kidding themselves.

"With the [chassis] recertification process and the tolerances we have to meet, it's easier and cheaper to just build a new one than to go to the effort of repairing one."

(from NASCAR.com)
It also seems that the car that was supposed to allow the teams to use the same car for everything from road courses to the superspeedways does not actually exist. In a NASCAR.com article from California Speedway, Kevin Harvick answered a question pertaining to the multi usefulness of the new Formula N car.

When he was asked during Thursday's lunch break at California Speedway if the chassis that Sprint Cup teams must use this season will enable organizations to use the same cars at different tracks, Kevin Harvick said yes, but only to a point.
"With these cars, you could use the same thing from a track like Bristol [short track] to here at California [intermediate, downforce track]," Harvick said. "We're using the same cars we had at Las Vegas, with minor setup changes.
"As far as the other tracks, we'll always have road-course cars and we'll always have speedway cars [for Daytona and Talladega]. But the interesting thing is, one of the cars we have here is the center section from one of last year's road-course cars, with new front and rear clips."
Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM

But we should remember that a similar situation came in play in the Rolex Grand Am Series in 2003 with the introduction of the Daytona Prototype (DP) car. As pointed out by Charlie Turner, of Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie--in an excellent article, by the way--the DP was suppose to be a safer and less expensive alternative for the teams than the purpose built sports cars that were being used in the series at the time. There were complaints and widespread non-acceptence, but after four years, the DP has made its own history. Perhaps this tells us we need to give the Formula N car a little more time.
So the experiments at Las Vegas testing resulted in the conclusion of "we know we better not do that again"
Once this week of testing is over, there is nothing left to do but begin the exciting, or, at least, much anticipated 2008 season. The Bud Shootout is a little more than a week away, with nothing in between now and then. Unless you want to watch that thing called the Daytona 500 of Professional Football, which I, personally can't get excited about. If they could only make the players about 3000 lbs heavier and 160 mph faster, maybe they could get me to watch.
Well I have rambled on enough now. This was supposed to have been posted by Tuesday at the latest, but it wasn't so I kept adding to it until I got this mess. Thank you all for bearing with me.

Daytona Session II Day II

Well, now we are getting to the meat and potatoes of Daytona Testing. The drafting session is showing us something, now, and the teams are adding to what they learned in the first session last week. The Dodges that hung back in time in the single car runs are running at the top in drafting practice.
Franchitti seems to be catching on rather swiftly, as could probably be expected. Not only did he get the fastest times of all the Dodges in the single car runs, but he hung in the top ten in the drafting tests. I have been lauding Regan Smith as the probable ROTY this year, but Franchitti is learning as quickly as Juan Pablo ("Johnny Paul" in my book) Montoya did. Maybe even more quickly.
Regan Smith, whose determination and drive remind me very much of Denny Hamlin, did bring his car up to the second fastest time in drafting, followed by the kid who is still a question mark in my mind, Paul "Daddy bought me a car so I can wreck the big guys" Menard. Actually, to Menard's credit, without much ARCA or Nationwide/NBS experience before he began his Cup career, the kid is learning the hard way. Anyway, the DEI cars seem to be at least meeting some criteria.
Tony Stewart, driving a different car than the one he took to the track Monday, posted the sixth fastest speed Tuesday afternoon.
Known as the guy who hates having to deal with the media, yet seems to have more media events than any other driver, Smoke had some interesting comments in Monday's Q&A session.

"HERB BRANHAM: We are joined by Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota. If you could just start off by telling us how your first day and a half of testing has gone down here.

TONY STEWART: Pretty good. We've not missed a shift yet, and that's the hardest part of what we've done the last day and a half. So other than that, it's just hold it wide open and ride around." (Ooh, the man can be snarky. As Tony Stewart fans, we expect and accept that. Besides, it's funny!)
(On the move to Toyota):
"Like I told you guys last year, I don't care if it's Kia or whoever, I just want to win races."

"Q. After all your experience does it get easier to handle the changes at this level, the changes of rules, equipment, engines?

TONY STEWART: I think everybody that gets to this level can handle it. I don't think it's a bigger deal having more experience. But this year it's not as big a change obviously. In the big picture it seems like a huge change because we switched manufacturers. But if we went ahead and made this change a year ago, it would have been a lot more dramatic than it is this year with the car that's the same for everybody. It's just literally a decal package and a motor package for the most part. I think it's less of a change this year than it would have been in the past."
(Highlighted by this blogger)
On his relationship with Crew Chief Greg Zippadelli:
"I think Zippy and I are now that position to where we don't see each other doing something away from each other. If one of us decides to retire, the other one is going along with him. If he says, "I'm done, I'm ready to do something different," then that's probably when I'll say I'm ready to do something different, too, or vice versa."

The complete chart of Tuesday's times and speeds can be found here

Daytona Session II Day One

Tony Stewart has made it clear to his fans and the media that testing is his least favorite part of racing in NASCAR. If he is going to be in a race car, he wants to be in it to race. In his autobiography, True Speed, he relates a story of how he got in trouble while tire testing in an Indy car for AJ Foyt. He was told to take a lap at a certain speed. But the car was so fast, that he wanted to see how it felt to go faster. He beat the speed he was supposed to be going by nearly six miles per hour.
When he got back to the pits AJ Foyt laid into him, telling him that if he couldn't do what he was told, he would get another driver.
In recent years, Smoke has been able to forego winter testing at Daytona, opting out with the excuse that he would be racing at the Chili Bowl Midget World Series in Tulsa, Oklahoma, an annual event that takes place during the same dates as Daytona testing. Mike McGlaughlin, and more recently, Mike Bliss. have been taking on the mundane duties of test driving the 20 car in his stead.
With the Formula N car being the only car NASCAR will be fielding this year, testing has been extended and additional three days, so the teams could do what they need to do with the unfamiliar car. Tony could compete in the Chili Bowl this year, but there would be time for him to test at Daytona as well.
So, Monday he was at the venerated track, taking the #20 Toyota for laps in single car runs, gathering data for Crew Chief Greg Zippadelli, and the JGR and Toyota engineers.
Smoke seemed less than enthusiastic after the second testing session, even though he had posted the sixth fastest overall speed for the day. He pretty much echoed Mark Martin's thoughts on single car testing, saying that you can't really tell anything from single car runs, and you won't learn anything about the car until you get into drafting practice.
"You don't know what the other teams are doing," he added, "They may be holding their cards close to their chest."
Indeed, it looked as though that was what was going on with the RCR teams who posted way down on the speed chart. Nonetheless, Kevin Harvick seems very positive in regards to what is going on in the Childress garage.

Q. Do you feel like today's test session was sort of the first step in getting you there to repeat the victory?

KEVIN HARVICK: Well, I liked the fact that our main goal today was to be the first ones on the racetrack, and we accomplished that. We came down here with kind of a specific plan to – engine wise with components that they ran, that they started with last week just to kind of get a handle on our whole company's, I guess, grasp of what car is the fastest and what car is not fast. So we're trying to sort that out between the six or eight cars that we have.

So we kind of came down here not with a speed plan, I guess you would say. It's just more of just kind of going through the plan of which cars, just deciding which car is which, and after we get through with that, we're still not done. We'll have changed two or three different engines and just going through those motions.

So we haven't really gotten to our cars. Clinton coming last week was great because right out of the box the car drives good, and there's a definite difference between the two cars. We kind of came down with a little bit different plan than normal but we accomplished our goal and that was to be the first ones on the track, so mission accomplished for the day

Toyota is now very upbeat, and I love the quote from this article on NASCAR.com:

Ty Norris, president and general manager of Michael Waltrip Racing, darted into the media center at Daytona International Speedway Monday afternoon and smiled as he referred to the speed sheet from the day's opening practice session.

"Look," he said, "it's just like last year -- only upside down."

Norris made a good point. After Monday's morning session, Toyotas ruled the top of the chart. Led by MWR's Dale Jarrett, the manufacturer's cars posted eight of the top 10 lap times.

The other top ten lap times were posted by Ganassi's Dario Franchitti in a Dodge, and, of course Dale Earnhardt, Jr in the #88 HMS Chevy.
Tuesday's half-hour overview on SpeedTV will be at 6:30 PM EST. For a complete listing of Monday's speeds, go here

First Sprint Cup testing session ends with Kyle Busch and Toyota on top.

Okay, so testing isn't a competition, but it is fun to treat it as such anyway. Every team had its own testing agenda this week, and so we didn't really see every team doing its best to get the fastest times.
Many teams, including the Hendrick teams, went for speed first, and then worked from there for the three day session. What I am excited about is that the Toyota teams went for speed first, and stayed fast for the rest of the session. Not that I'm a Toyota fan, I still like Chevys, but my favorite driver happens to be driving a Toyota this season. Besides, racing has always been more about the drivers for me than about the maufacturers.
But the real story in testing this week has been about the CoT, or the Formula NASCAR car, as I like to call it. Some teams, in getting a handle on the car, have been working with the balast, to try to lower the center of gravity, which, as we can see by the shape of the car, is probably a good idea. Others worked on suspension set ups that would preserve tires, which is a good idea considering the amount of blistering that was reported the first day. Most tested in a combination of areas. Needless to say, the information gathered will be applied to the testing session that will take place next week. So the speeds from these first three days of testing aren't a real preview of the upcoming Daytona 500.
We can, however get some kind of inkling of how racy the Formula N car will be at the 500 from what the drivers have said about the car itself in testing. Jeff Gordon, for instance, told Speed TV's Bob Dilner that he felt they had a handle on the car, and noted that it is easy for the second, third, and forth place cars to pass the car in the front of the pack, something Junior Johnson discovered when he accidently first took advantage of drafting in 1960. JJ Yeley was happy enough with his car that he declared that it would be racy come the 500.
Yeley's positive attitude carried over to other Toyota drivers. A.J. Allmendinger noted the improvement in Toyota over last year in this interview:

Are you happy with how the three-day Daytona test?

“I’m just happy with the whole team’s performance. Everybody back at the Red Bull shop worked so hard to get us prepared to come test down here, and all the guys here that put a lot of effort into these three days. I don’t think anybody has shown their best hand. Everybody is going to come back with a little bit more, but so are we. Toyota has shown us that they stepped up their program. We just need to go back to the shop and not let up at all. We’re pretty good, but we have to get better.”

In the same publication, Kyle Busch's excitement over the program tells us that there are good things coming for Toyota, not only at the Daytona 500, but for the season:

Are you surprised with how fast the Toyotas have been during this three-day test?
“Not, not at all. We knew that the switch was going to be good, and the reason we went to Toyota was for the pure fact that they want to go out there and compete and win races and win championships, so that's what we're here to do with them. The biggest thing was that it was nice to see the Red Bull stuff up there and Bill Davis' stuff going fast. I'm not necessarily sure if it's a lot to do with their engines or just the way that the Camry's front end is shaped or what exactly it is. For what we've got going on with our program and the Gibbs stuff, we're proud of the way we came out of the box strong.”

This, of course, is from the guy who posted the best times for the three day session.
What we can see from here, is that the season will be competitive, that the Toyota teams will be in the mix, and that we are very impatiant for the Daytona Speed Weeks to begin.
The complete list of posted speeds for Wednesday's testing can be found here.

Preason Thunder Day 2--Toyota's looking stronger

Even as interesting as it is to me to see the top speeds in the single car runs, I tend to agree with Mark Martin that this kind of practice really serves no purpose for the drivers and teams. You really can't tell what a car is going to do during a restricter-plate race until you get the cars running in packs.
So, if you just want to see how fast your car can go, the Tuesday morning session served more of that purpose, with Jimmie Johnson again leading the field, posting a speed of 184.763 mph. Jaques Villeneuve continued to show that he could go faster than he did before, placing the second fastest time. Travis Kvapil moved into third place, up from his ninth place after Monday's sessions, and Casey Mears' speed was fifth fastest Tuesday morning.
There were some tire issues with blistering, and Mears, after posting his fifth position speed, slapped the wall after cutting a tire. Elliott Saddler, Carl Edwards, and Jeff Gordon also reported tire blistering. But the purpose of testing is for the teams to figure out what they can do with the tires and the car, and it is up to the teams to figure out how to fix the tire problems, according to John Darby and just about everyone else connected to Goodyear or NASCAR.
So Tuesday afternoon meant that it was finally time for drafting practice. Now we can taste the real meat of testing.
Much to everybody's surprise or consternation, JJ Yeley finished the day with the top speed at a little over 187 mph, after finishing fifth overall in the single car testing. This continues the good news for Toyota, as fellow Toyota driver Kyle Busch had the third fastest time after drafting practice. Big brother Kurt had the second highest speed in his Penske Racing Dodge, while Joe Nemechek and Matt Kenseth filled out the top five. Johnson, who had led the first three sessions, ended up in ninth after Tuesday's testing, while AJ Allmendinger and Jaques Villeneuve fell completely out of the top ten finishing Tuesday's drafting practice in 21st and 19th place respectively. Still they got the practice in, and will get more practice Wednesday to see if the two newcomers from open wheel are learning anything about the cars. David Reutimann driving the Michael Waltrip Racing #00 stayed in the top ten, posting the seventh fastest speed in drafting practice. Reed Sorensen, Martin Truex, Jr., and Robby Gordon filled out the top ten Tuesday afternoon.
The complete list of cumulative speeds for testing so far can be found at Scenedaily, among other places.
The biggest NASCAR news Tuesday was not from testing, but from the world of the NFL, when Coach Joe Gibbs announced that he was resigning from the Washington Redskins. He is expected to return to his role as Coach and revered leader of the racing team that bears his name.
Wednesday's overview of Daytona Testing will be aired on SpeedTV at 7 PM Eastern Standard Time.