EXCERPTS FROM THE AWARD WINNING BACKSTRETCH BLOG
This NASCAR blog was created in 2008. It is currently maintained at KWCH.com Prior to Heather's move to Kansas, the blog was syndicated through out the Freedom Communication and Newspaper properties. It is unique because it has custom made graphics that Heather creates in Photoshop, and in most cases has a video blog to go with it. It received an Emmy nomination after just 6 months of publication and was recently given a silver award by the KC Press Club, Heart of America SPJ Chapter.
Star Wars: Published May 17, 2013
This week is NASCAR's All-Star race. It is in my opinion the best All-Star event in all of sport. The best drivers want to be there, the best drivers want to win it and drivers are clamoring to get in, instead of of out of it.
“The All-Star race is one of the highlights of the season for all of us. It’s just a great event for the fans and the drivers," said Mark Martin. "In this race you run for a big trophy and a big check. That’s incentive enough for me. I’d love to take a big trophy and some of Bruton’s money home Saturday night.”
The reason the All-Star race works, it speaks to the drivers competitive spirit. There's a trophy and money on the line for winning, not just for being there like in any sports. I don't care how rich you are a million dollars for winning and then possibly another million for winning all four segments, is a lot of money for anyone.
"Go for everything, go for broke and see what you get," said Kyle Busch. "Literally, it's going for broke because you either come home with a million bucks or you're broke, so it's a great race just for the fans I think and for the drivers because there's a no points race. You get to go out there and put everything on the line."
Drivers not already in the big show have a chance to race their way in through the Sprint Showdown. The top two finishers in that race, plus the fan vote winner transfer to the All-Star race.
It should come as no big surprise which drivers are among the past winners of this star studded race. Jimmie Johnson has won three times as has Jeff Gordon. Mark Martin has two wins in the big show. Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth have a single All-Star victory.
“The All-Star race is one of the highlights of the season for all of us. It’s just a great event for the fans and the drivers," said Mark Martin. "In this race you run for a big trophy and a big check. That’s incentive enough for me. I’d love to take a big trophy and some of Bruton’s money home Saturday night.”
The reason the All-Star race works, it speaks to the drivers competitive spirit. There's a trophy and money on the line for winning, not just for being there like in any sports. I don't care how rich you are a million dollars for winning and then possibly another million for winning all four segments, is a lot of money for anyone.
"Go for everything, go for broke and see what you get," said Kyle Busch. "Literally, it's going for broke because you either come home with a million bucks or you're broke, so it's a great race just for the fans I think and for the drivers because there's a no points race. You get to go out there and put everything on the line."
Drivers not already in the big show have a chance to race their way in through the Sprint Showdown. The top two finishers in that race, plus the fan vote winner transfer to the All-Star race.
It should come as no big surprise which drivers are among the past winners of this star studded race. Jimmie Johnson has won three times as has Jeff Gordon. Mark Martin has two wins in the big show. Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth have a single All-Star victory.
Fight the Power: Published March 8, 2013
If you are a hardcore race fan, then have probably heard by now that NASCAR fined driver Denny Hamlin $25,000 on Thursday for criticizing the new car.
Hamlin was asked after Sunday's race at Phoenix how he liked the car, and he answered that he didn't want to be a "pessimist, but it did not race as good as our generation five cars. This is more like what the generation five was at the beginning."
In a statement released with the penalty announcement, NASCAR spokesperson Kerry Tharpe said in part, "While NASCAR gives its competitors ample leeway in voicing their opinions when it comes to a wide range of aspects about the sport, the sanctioning body will not tolerate publicly made comments by its drivers that denigrate the racing product.”
What I don't get is, doesn't it help NASCAR if drivers are honest about what is going on out on the track? Doesn't it help competition? Plus, how many flying brick comments did we hear when the Generation 5 car first hit the track? Why where none of those drivers fined?
This is not the first time Hamlin has been fined for speaking out against NASCAR. In 2010, he was slapped with a $50,000 penalty for speaking out against "phantom debris cautions" on twitter.
Which is why I find it to be poetic that, after the announcement of the fine, Hamlin released a little statement of his own via twitter:
"The short of the long of it is I believe I was severely disrespected by NASCAR by getting fined. I believe that the simple fact of us not even having a conversation about this issue before I was hit with a fine has something to say about our relationship. What I said was 1 sentence taken completely out of context. Most drivers will tell you that we constantly have our AND NASCARS best interest in mind when speaking. On the other hand I am a person that worked very hard from the BOTTOM to get where I am today and someone telling me that I can give my 100 percent honest opinion really bothers me.
"Since being fined in 2010 I have been a lot more careful about what I say to media and I felt this past weekend felt completely in my rights to give a assessment of the question asked. I feel as if today NASCAR lost one of its biggest supporters vocally of where our sport is headed. So in the end there are no winners. I said today I would not pay the fine. I stand by that and will go through the process of appealing. Trust me, this is not about the money.. It's much deeper. I will now shift my focus on giving FedEx and my team what they deserve this weekend, a win."
Here is my bottom line on this. NASCAR is a business. They can run it anyway they want. And if they want to fine drivers for saying bad things about the cars, it is certainly with in their power. But that doesn't mean the drivers have to sit their and quietly take it, and it certainly does mean that I as a fan have to like it.
NASCAR provides the show, but the drivers...for lack of a better word...drive the product. There are fans that like clean cut company men that toe the line, like Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. And there are fans that like pot stirrers who keep it all interesting like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. For me one without the other is boring and NASCAR already fights that reputation at times.
The real loser here is the fans. Just like in the wake of the Twitter fine when Hamlin went from one of the most open and engaing drivers when it comes to interaction with the fans, it appears he will now go down that road in regard to how he interacts with the media.
"I'll be honest, I'm not going to say anything the rest of the year ... as long as it relates to competition," Hamlin told reporter at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday. "The bad part is I feel I've been a pretty good spokesman for (NASCAR) in being positive when things aren't always positive. They lost one small spokesman today, that's all."
Hamlin was asked after Sunday's race at Phoenix how he liked the car, and he answered that he didn't want to be a "pessimist, but it did not race as good as our generation five cars. This is more like what the generation five was at the beginning."
In a statement released with the penalty announcement, NASCAR spokesperson Kerry Tharpe said in part, "While NASCAR gives its competitors ample leeway in voicing their opinions when it comes to a wide range of aspects about the sport, the sanctioning body will not tolerate publicly made comments by its drivers that denigrate the racing product.”
What I don't get is, doesn't it help NASCAR if drivers are honest about what is going on out on the track? Doesn't it help competition? Plus, how many flying brick comments did we hear when the Generation 5 car first hit the track? Why where none of those drivers fined?
This is not the first time Hamlin has been fined for speaking out against NASCAR. In 2010, he was slapped with a $50,000 penalty for speaking out against "phantom debris cautions" on twitter.
Which is why I find it to be poetic that, after the announcement of the fine, Hamlin released a little statement of his own via twitter:
"The short of the long of it is I believe I was severely disrespected by NASCAR by getting fined. I believe that the simple fact of us not even having a conversation about this issue before I was hit with a fine has something to say about our relationship. What I said was 1 sentence taken completely out of context. Most drivers will tell you that we constantly have our AND NASCARS best interest in mind when speaking. On the other hand I am a person that worked very hard from the BOTTOM to get where I am today and someone telling me that I can give my 100 percent honest opinion really bothers me.
"Since being fined in 2010 I have been a lot more careful about what I say to media and I felt this past weekend felt completely in my rights to give a assessment of the question asked. I feel as if today NASCAR lost one of its biggest supporters vocally of where our sport is headed. So in the end there are no winners. I said today I would not pay the fine. I stand by that and will go through the process of appealing. Trust me, this is not about the money.. It's much deeper. I will now shift my focus on giving FedEx and my team what they deserve this weekend, a win."
Here is my bottom line on this. NASCAR is a business. They can run it anyway they want. And if they want to fine drivers for saying bad things about the cars, it is certainly with in their power. But that doesn't mean the drivers have to sit their and quietly take it, and it certainly does mean that I as a fan have to like it.
NASCAR provides the show, but the drivers...for lack of a better word...drive the product. There are fans that like clean cut company men that toe the line, like Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. And there are fans that like pot stirrers who keep it all interesting like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. For me one without the other is boring and NASCAR already fights that reputation at times.
The real loser here is the fans. Just like in the wake of the Twitter fine when Hamlin went from one of the most open and engaing drivers when it comes to interaction with the fans, it appears he will now go down that road in regard to how he interacts with the media.
"I'll be honest, I'm not going to say anything the rest of the year ... as long as it relates to competition," Hamlin told reporter at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday. "The bad part is I feel I've been a pretty good spokesman for (NASCAR) in being positive when things aren't always positive. They lost one small spokesman today, that's all."
Swing State: Published November 3, 2012
Everyone is talking about Florida and Ohio, yet when it comes to the Chase for the Championship, Texas may be the true swing state. Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski have been the clear front runners for the chase from the beginning. But like any true underdog, both Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne have been hanging around ready to pounce at the first sign of weakness from the leaders.
"Certainly one little slip up on either one of their parts then Kasey or I can be right there for the taking," said Bowyer. "We just have to see it through and see what happens. I don't know if you've noticed, but it really doesn't matter if the focus is on me or not. We have fun and go about our business the way we're going to go about our business and enjoy ourselves."
And the pressure is certainly off Kahne and Bowyer. Both have nothing to lose. Neither were given much of a chance to win a title this season and their development with new teams would be considered ahead of schedule.
On the other hand, everyone expected Johnson, and to a lesser extent Keselowski, to be here. And anything less than a title would be considered a missed opportunity.
"Right now I don't have to think about that," said Johnson. "There's the pressure to maintain, but I would much rather be leading the points than be anywhere else. "
When it comes to this weekends race, Kahne and Johnson are the only title contenders who have a Texas win, but that was back in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
“We got our first top-10 of the year at Texas, and it started a great streak for the team," said Kahne. "I always love coming to this track. It’s fast with a lot of room to move around and race. I think that really fits my style and gives us a good chance to win.”
Carl Edwards actually leads all active drivers with three Texas wins. Chasers Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle each have two wins. Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. each also have a win in the Lone Star state.
"Certainly one little slip up on either one of their parts then Kasey or I can be right there for the taking," said Bowyer. "We just have to see it through and see what happens. I don't know if you've noticed, but it really doesn't matter if the focus is on me or not. We have fun and go about our business the way we're going to go about our business and enjoy ourselves."
And the pressure is certainly off Kahne and Bowyer. Both have nothing to lose. Neither were given much of a chance to win a title this season and their development with new teams would be considered ahead of schedule.
On the other hand, everyone expected Johnson, and to a lesser extent Keselowski, to be here. And anything less than a title would be considered a missed opportunity.
"Right now I don't have to think about that," said Johnson. "There's the pressure to maintain, but I would much rather be leading the points than be anywhere else. "
When it comes to this weekends race, Kahne and Johnson are the only title contenders who have a Texas win, but that was back in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
“We got our first top-10 of the year at Texas, and it started a great streak for the team," said Kahne. "I always love coming to this track. It’s fast with a lot of room to move around and race. I think that really fits my style and gives us a good chance to win.”
Carl Edwards actually leads all active drivers with three Texas wins. Chasers Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle each have two wins. Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. each also have a win in the Lone Star state.
The Mentalist: Published October 29, 2012
You want to know why Jimmie Johnson has so many championships? Sure he's a great driver, on the best team, with one of the best crew chiefs in the garage. But you want to know why Johnson won 5 straight titles and is in line to win his 6th in 7 years this season? He's better at the mind games than anyone in the garage.
Don't believe me? Just as Denny Hamlin or Carl Edwards. They are two of the many drivers who have tried to get into JJ's head and failed. Brad Keselowski it the latest to try, but will he succeed?
"The championships I've won, I saw a lot of amazing things out of my competition," said Johnson. "I'm certainly seeing that with Brad. So it's just that familiar space where you can't count him out. That's the reason I had that tone in my voice in qualifying. I knew they had a poor qualifying effort, but they would be there when the checkered fell. They're a good team."
True praise or head games? I mean, Johnson likely respects Keselowski. But does he see him as a real threat? More experienced drivers on more established teams have tried and failed to unseat the champ. It seams the only true threat to the 48's success....is the team itself.
"This year has been a lot different," said Johnson. "The pressure is there. The pressure is always there. You can't hide from it. But it's different. It's more about me doing the best job I can and this team doing the best job they can than it is keeping a streak alive or for other reasons. This is purely our reasons. As team 48, we want to win, nothing else."
Yet you can't deny that one more title and Johnson is allowed to be mentioned in the same breath as Earnhardt and Petty. But Johnson isn't worried about that.
"I have no expectations," said Johnson. "That's something that I carried on my shoulders last year. I guess part of the pressure I've spoken about that was gone after losing last year's championship, the expectations were wrapped up in that."
Don't believe me? Just as Denny Hamlin or Carl Edwards. They are two of the many drivers who have tried to get into JJ's head and failed. Brad Keselowski it the latest to try, but will he succeed?
"The championships I've won, I saw a lot of amazing things out of my competition," said Johnson. "I'm certainly seeing that with Brad. So it's just that familiar space where you can't count him out. That's the reason I had that tone in my voice in qualifying. I knew they had a poor qualifying effort, but they would be there when the checkered fell. They're a good team."
True praise or head games? I mean, Johnson likely respects Keselowski. But does he see him as a real threat? More experienced drivers on more established teams have tried and failed to unseat the champ. It seams the only true threat to the 48's success....is the team itself.
"This year has been a lot different," said Johnson. "The pressure is there. The pressure is always there. You can't hide from it. But it's different. It's more about me doing the best job I can and this team doing the best job they can than it is keeping a streak alive or for other reasons. This is purely our reasons. As team 48, we want to win, nothing else."
Yet you can't deny that one more title and Johnson is allowed to be mentioned in the same breath as Earnhardt and Petty. But Johnson isn't worried about that.
"I have no expectations," said Johnson. "That's something that I carried on my shoulders last year. I guess part of the pressure I've spoken about that was gone after losing last year's championship, the expectations were wrapped up in that."
Frankly my dear, I don't give a Danica: Published August 31, 2012
So as we head off to Atlanta, I have something I need to get off my chest: frankly my dear I don't give a Danica. The Media needs to stop talking about Danica Patrick. I know that as a member of said media, by writing this blog, I am contributing to the problem. But seriously she is got to be the most talked about 27th place driver in the history of racing.
I realize she is a woman and the novelty of that is pretty exciting, but come on the statute of limitations of that have long come and gone with the wind. It's not like she's the first woman to drive a race car, she's not even the first to drive a Sprint Cup Car.
I understand that she is an international brand, and men think she is attractive. But there are plenty of drivers that I think that are good looking guys. That's shouldn't be enough to get you a mention every week. She has one nationwide pole and two top 10s in her career. So I'm just saying, we got to tone it down a bit.
Okay, now that I have that off my chest, lets talk about the Atlanta Motor Speedway. This is one of my favorite track to see a race in person. To me there is nothing better than sitting in turn one and taking in the pure speed of these awesome machines. Although that speed does tend to lend to a lot of lapped cars. Because this is a track that really separates the have horse powers, from the have nots. And as a result, there is usually a lot of lap traffic.
This race was really breathed new life when it became the Labor Day weekend night race. Drivers and fans seemed to re-fall in love with the mile an a half speedway.
“Atlanta is fast, especially when the conditions are right," said Ryan Newman. "You have to hit your marks. It’s bumpy enough that those bumps can spit you right out. Getting into turn one and the middle of three and four, you’ve got catch everything just right."
Newman has been fast on pole day at Atlanta, but he has not been one of the guys to beat on race day. That list includes guys like Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, both Busch Brothers, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt, Junior.
“I really like racing at Atlanta," said Junior. "It’s a fun race track; it’s incredibly fast, and we’ve run well there. The track is wide so you can find a groove that works for you. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do down there.”
And I guess since I started this blog talking about Danica, I should finish talking about here, too since she is running the cup race this weekend. Just, don't expect this every week from me.
“I’ve heard lots of great things about Atlanta. It’s good racing," said Patrick. "For me it’s going to be a big weekend not only from the standpoint that there’s Cup and Nationwide, but it’s a big Coca-Cola weekend so I’ll be really busy. I think nothing is better than going to a new track and having lots of track time.”
I realize she is a woman and the novelty of that is pretty exciting, but come on the statute of limitations of that have long come and gone with the wind. It's not like she's the first woman to drive a race car, she's not even the first to drive a Sprint Cup Car.
I understand that she is an international brand, and men think she is attractive. But there are plenty of drivers that I think that are good looking guys. That's shouldn't be enough to get you a mention every week. She has one nationwide pole and two top 10s in her career. So I'm just saying, we got to tone it down a bit.
Okay, now that I have that off my chest, lets talk about the Atlanta Motor Speedway. This is one of my favorite track to see a race in person. To me there is nothing better than sitting in turn one and taking in the pure speed of these awesome machines. Although that speed does tend to lend to a lot of lapped cars. Because this is a track that really separates the have horse powers, from the have nots. And as a result, there is usually a lot of lap traffic.
This race was really breathed new life when it became the Labor Day weekend night race. Drivers and fans seemed to re-fall in love with the mile an a half speedway.
“Atlanta is fast, especially when the conditions are right," said Ryan Newman. "You have to hit your marks. It’s bumpy enough that those bumps can spit you right out. Getting into turn one and the middle of three and four, you’ve got catch everything just right."
Newman has been fast on pole day at Atlanta, but he has not been one of the guys to beat on race day. That list includes guys like Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, both Busch Brothers, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt, Junior.
“I really like racing at Atlanta," said Junior. "It’s a fun race track; it’s incredibly fast, and we’ve run well there. The track is wide so you can find a groove that works for you. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do down there.”
And I guess since I started this blog talking about Danica, I should finish talking about here, too since she is running the cup race this weekend. Just, don't expect this every week from me.
“I’ve heard lots of great things about Atlanta. It’s good racing," said Patrick. "For me it’s going to be a big weekend not only from the standpoint that there’s Cup and Nationwide, but it’s a big Coca-Cola weekend so I’ll be really busy. I think nothing is better than going to a new track and having lots of track time.”
Common "Kurt"tesy: Published June 4, 2012
Okay, honestly, I didn't want to waste another blog on Kurt Busch. I think it's been pretty well established that I used to like Kurt and that I believe that he has some personal demons that have caused him to spiral out of control. I also think its pretty sad. But it is what it is.
Then I logged onto twitter this morning and saw a decent sized group of people not chastising Busch for acting like a spoiled brat, but the media for simply doing their job. It's true, Busch is only obligated to to speak with the media if he finishes in the top five, otherwise he can "politely decline." That being said, he understands this business enough to know that if he does that, people will wonder why he didn't talk. Busch wants to use the media, but only on his terms.
Here's the thing, we all have parts of our jobs that we don't like, even if we are working at our dream job. Everyone who races in any of NASCAR's major series understands that media obligations are part of the deal. Busch has made more than $69 million racing in NASCAR, he's a former Cup champion. If the only annoyance in this amazing life that he gets to live is he has to talk to the media at the end of the race, he has it pretty good.
But there is something else that bothers me about Kurt's meltdowns. It appears that he is a bit of a bully. He has chosen to go off on two members of the NASCAR Media Corps, that he knows are too classy fire back. He's all bark and no bite. Dr. Jerry Punch and Bob Packrass both handled themselves well in the face of those childish rants. I'm not sure I would have done the same. I applaud them for that, but I also know that there are members of the media that Busch would never act like that toward.
I've also seen a lot of people floating out the idea that NASCAR needs a villain, and Kurt Busch is just filling that roll. I agree, NASCAR needs a villain. But Dale Earnhardt was a villain, early in his career Tony Stewart was a villain, but Busch is just a jerk. You may ask, Heather what's the difference between those two and Busch? Both Earnhardt and Smoke certainly had times when they can be nasty, but they also has times when they were endearing, charming or even funny. I personally have never seen that side of Kurt Busch. Even when you interview him at a PR event or on Friday before qualifying, he seems distant, cold and put off by the entire thing. It's really hard to warm up to a guy like that.
And finally, I am so tired of people saying, you would get tired of answering the same stupid questions over and over again? Really? I wish I had a quarter for every time someone asked me if my camera was heavy or told me "that thing is bigger than you." But each time I smile, laugh and say something like "it's not that bad." Is it annoying? Yes after 15 years, it gets a little annoying, but it comes with the job, so I've just learned to live with it.
The saddest part about the whole thing is Kurt Busch can drive. He is incredibly talented. But he is going to start running out of chances. I mean if you had an open seat, who would you want in the your car? Busch, or a talented young kid, who can also represent your sponsors in the media (like say a Trevor Bayne)? I know who I'm picking.
Then I logged onto twitter this morning and saw a decent sized group of people not chastising Busch for acting like a spoiled brat, but the media for simply doing their job. It's true, Busch is only obligated to to speak with the media if he finishes in the top five, otherwise he can "politely decline." That being said, he understands this business enough to know that if he does that, people will wonder why he didn't talk. Busch wants to use the media, but only on his terms.
Here's the thing, we all have parts of our jobs that we don't like, even if we are working at our dream job. Everyone who races in any of NASCAR's major series understands that media obligations are part of the deal. Busch has made more than $69 million racing in NASCAR, he's a former Cup champion. If the only annoyance in this amazing life that he gets to live is he has to talk to the media at the end of the race, he has it pretty good.
But there is something else that bothers me about Kurt's meltdowns. It appears that he is a bit of a bully. He has chosen to go off on two members of the NASCAR Media Corps, that he knows are too classy fire back. He's all bark and no bite. Dr. Jerry Punch and Bob Packrass both handled themselves well in the face of those childish rants. I'm not sure I would have done the same. I applaud them for that, but I also know that there are members of the media that Busch would never act like that toward.
I've also seen a lot of people floating out the idea that NASCAR needs a villain, and Kurt Busch is just filling that roll. I agree, NASCAR needs a villain. But Dale Earnhardt was a villain, early in his career Tony Stewart was a villain, but Busch is just a jerk. You may ask, Heather what's the difference between those two and Busch? Both Earnhardt and Smoke certainly had times when they can be nasty, but they also has times when they were endearing, charming or even funny. I personally have never seen that side of Kurt Busch. Even when you interview him at a PR event or on Friday before qualifying, he seems distant, cold and put off by the entire thing. It's really hard to warm up to a guy like that.
And finally, I am so tired of people saying, you would get tired of answering the same stupid questions over and over again? Really? I wish I had a quarter for every time someone asked me if my camera was heavy or told me "that thing is bigger than you." But each time I smile, laugh and say something like "it's not that bad." Is it annoying? Yes after 15 years, it gets a little annoying, but it comes with the job, so I've just learned to live with it.
The saddest part about the whole thing is Kurt Busch can drive. He is incredibly talented. But he is going to start running out of chances. I mean if you had an open seat, who would you want in the your car? Busch, or a talented young kid, who can also represent your sponsors in the media (like say a Trevor Bayne)? I know who I'm picking.
A Winning Pair: Published March 5, 2012
There's two things you know about me if you read this blog on a regular basis. First, I'm a Denny Hamlin fan. I don't talk about it a lot, I mean I am a professional reporter. But all of us, whether we admit it or not have our favorites. We are, after all human. Second, I am a big believer that the key to winning a championship is the crew chief. I mean all the cars at the top teams are top flight, all the drivers can drive. In today's NASCAR winning a championship has become more and more about making critical calls. Just ask Tony Stewart.
As a Denny Hamlin fan I was not, at first excited, about the separation from Mike Ford. He was, after all the crew chief that got my driver with in a blink of the championship. But, that lasted all of about a minute when I realized who was coming in. With all due respect to Ford, who I really like as a crew chief, Darian Grubb is the master of strategy. Something he proved en-route to winning a championship with Stewart one year ago. He didn't miss a beat with the move to Hamlin's pit box. And he put his talents on display again in Sunday's win at Phoenix.
"Obviously he comes in a with a lot of knowledge," said Hamlin. "that's the biggest thing that I've noticed is how tuned he is with the race team, and obviously we've got everyone behind us within our 11 team, and JGR right now believing in the thought process that Darian has."The match on paper should be one made in heaven for Joe Gibbs race. The two have a lot in common and their communication styles during the race are a lot a like. And it's hard to believe, given the teams early success, that they believe there is still a lot of room to grow.
"It's still a learning process between me and Darian," said Hamlin. "The communication has still got a long way to go, and he's going to have to figure out my measurements and all that stuff of how much he needs to work on the car. But to have the success this early just tells me that once we get things down pat, it's going to be pretty good. "
And the ace in the hole for the team could be this. Both Hamlin and Grubb seem to driven by a sense of vindication. Hamlin for the championship he let slip away, and Grubb by the championship team that let him slip away.
"I guess you could say it is a little bit of vindication, but I really don't think that way," said Grubb. "I try to just think the high road all the time. I feel like I came into a very good situation."
As a Denny Hamlin fan I was not, at first excited, about the separation from Mike Ford. He was, after all the crew chief that got my driver with in a blink of the championship. But, that lasted all of about a minute when I realized who was coming in. With all due respect to Ford, who I really like as a crew chief, Darian Grubb is the master of strategy. Something he proved en-route to winning a championship with Stewart one year ago. He didn't miss a beat with the move to Hamlin's pit box. And he put his talents on display again in Sunday's win at Phoenix.
"Obviously he comes in a with a lot of knowledge," said Hamlin. "that's the biggest thing that I've noticed is how tuned he is with the race team, and obviously we've got everyone behind us within our 11 team, and JGR right now believing in the thought process that Darian has."The match on paper should be one made in heaven for Joe Gibbs race. The two have a lot in common and their communication styles during the race are a lot a like. And it's hard to believe, given the teams early success, that they believe there is still a lot of room to grow.
"It's still a learning process between me and Darian," said Hamlin. "The communication has still got a long way to go, and he's going to have to figure out my measurements and all that stuff of how much he needs to work on the car. But to have the success this early just tells me that once we get things down pat, it's going to be pretty good. "
And the ace in the hole for the team could be this. Both Hamlin and Grubb seem to driven by a sense of vindication. Hamlin for the championship he let slip away, and Grubb by the championship team that let him slip away.
"I guess you could say it is a little bit of vindication, but I really don't think that way," said Grubb. "I try to just think the high road all the time. I feel like I came into a very good situation."
Junior's Beard: Published Jan. 25, 2012
Day three in North Carolina and it featured the most talked about stop on the tour, Hendrick Motorsports. When you boast names like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne, you tend to garner some attention.
Speaking of which, there is no question Dale Earnhardt, Junior is the most popular driver in NASCAR. But one might question how popular the Hendrick driver's facial hair is. Ask him how long he plans on keeping it and you get...
"I don't get it," said Earnhardt. "I say I like it or I don't like it. I don't go, 'What's the timeline on that beard?' You know, I just go I like it or I don't like it. I would rather get that sort of straight forward opinion than queries about the evolution or time line."
It's interesting that Junior, even after nine years of being the most popular driver in the sport, and a lifetime in the spotlight, still doesn't quite seem comfortable with the constant fascination with the little things in his life.
The media session included questions about his bar, and his wild west town. He talked about boat and how he's not quite ready to get on twitter. But more so than most drivers, it's the information about the other things that people seem to crave. Probably a result of the fact that he is more reserved and private, than some of the other popular drivers.
There was racing talk too. Like every other driver, Dale Jr. is recharged and excited about his teams chances in 2012. But he probably has more reason for the excitement than most. The 88 team actually appeared to be on the way up for the first time in a while last season. The made the chase for the first time since 2006 and is close to returning to victory lane.
"I'm a look forward to winning where can win, that's going to be important to me," said Earnhardt.
And as for all this attention to all this other stuff, like his beard?
"I don't have a comment on what coverage is good or bad, who should cover what, what questions get covered this that an the other," said Junior. "Cause I'm kinda on the other side of the fence that other drivers are on, having been the 9 time most popular driver and getting a lot of coverage. Whether we are successful or not on the race track, whether our performance is good or bad. I would not be one to say what is right or wrong about that whether it's bias or whatever. I don't know."
Remembering Dan Wheldon: Published Oct. 16, 2011
I should have written this blog two hours ago. But honestly, I've had a hard time coming to grips that this has actually happened. I've cried a lot, spent a lot of time on twitter watching the condolences roll in for his family, poured through photos on the internet. It's just now that it is starting to sink in, Dan Wheldon is no longer with us.
Normally this blog is reserved for NASCAR Sprint Cup stuff only, but I am actually a fan of all kinds of racing. Growing up in the midwest, IndyCar racing (actually CART back then) was the first kind of racing that was on the radar for me. I picked my first favorite NASCAR driver, Casey Mears, because I was such a big fan on his uncle Rick.
I remember when Wheldon first showed up on the IndyCar circuit in 2002. As a female racing fan, how could you not fall in love with the Brit? He was handsome, charming and he was fast. I had been searching for a favorite IndyCar driver for a while, by the time he joined Andretti-Green in 2003, my search was over.
By 2005, Wheldon was a full fledged racing superstar. That season he won the Indy 500 and the points championship. Then he moved on the Chip Ganassi Racing. He won the 2006 24 hours of Daytona with Scott Dixon and Casey Mears. I loved all three of those drivers and I'm pretty sure I watched almost every minute of that race, for me it was like the dream team.
Wheldon then moved on to Panther Racing, but despite being one of the sports top drivers, found himself with out a full time ride this season. Despite that he won the sports biggest race for a second time in May, driving for Bryan Herta Autosport. Sunday's race was just his third of the season.
His death is heart breaking, not only because he touched so many people in and out of racing. I mean even if you know nothing about racing, you probably know the name Dan Wheldon. But more importantly because he was a husband, father, brother, son and friend to people whose heartbreak is hard to imagine right now.
His smile, his obviously love for this sport, his infectious personality will be missed by us the fans. And I thank him for that. My prayers go to his family and friends.
The sport lost a giant today.
Normally this blog is reserved for NASCAR Sprint Cup stuff only, but I am actually a fan of all kinds of racing. Growing up in the midwest, IndyCar racing (actually CART back then) was the first kind of racing that was on the radar for me. I picked my first favorite NASCAR driver, Casey Mears, because I was such a big fan on his uncle Rick.
I remember when Wheldon first showed up on the IndyCar circuit in 2002. As a female racing fan, how could you not fall in love with the Brit? He was handsome, charming and he was fast. I had been searching for a favorite IndyCar driver for a while, by the time he joined Andretti-Green in 2003, my search was over.
By 2005, Wheldon was a full fledged racing superstar. That season he won the Indy 500 and the points championship. Then he moved on the Chip Ganassi Racing. He won the 2006 24 hours of Daytona with Scott Dixon and Casey Mears. I loved all three of those drivers and I'm pretty sure I watched almost every minute of that race, for me it was like the dream team.
Wheldon then moved on to Panther Racing, but despite being one of the sports top drivers, found himself with out a full time ride this season. Despite that he won the sports biggest race for a second time in May, driving for Bryan Herta Autosport. Sunday's race was just his third of the season.
His death is heart breaking, not only because he touched so many people in and out of racing. I mean even if you know nothing about racing, you probably know the name Dan Wheldon. But more importantly because he was a husband, father, brother, son and friend to people whose heartbreak is hard to imagine right now.
His smile, his obviously love for this sport, his infectious personality will be missed by us the fans. And I thank him for that. My prayers go to his family and friends.
The sport lost a giant today.
I'm just not that into Danica: Published Aug. 25, 2011
This is going to sound so strange coming from a woman who is trying to make her way in a man's world, but I have never been that enthralled by women's sports. I mean I get it, and there are times when I get caught up in the thrill of the competition. But just as a general statement, they just don't hold the excitement for me that men's sports do.
And at the danger of sounding like Will Ferrell in "Talladega Nights," I have all due respect for Danica Patrick. I never would hate on anyone's dream, and I give her all sorts of props for going out and getting it. I know as a woman I should be all excited about her breaking down yet another barrier for females. And I am, kinda. But, I just can't get that excited about Thursday's announcement.
If I were to offer up a driver in any series with one win in 6 seasons, how many of the top teams would be clamoring all over them? Better open wheel drivers have tried before, Sam Hornish, Patrick Carpantier, and so on. And they have all found little to no success in NASCAR. But yet here is Danica landing a ride at Stewart Haas Racing (basically, Hendrick equipment).
"The thing you see in her right away is how determined she is to be good at what she does," said Tony Stewart, one of the few drivers to make a successful transition from open wheel to NASCAR and the owner of the car Danica will drive in the Sprint Cup series. "She's very dedicated to take the time and the effort that I haven't seen a lot of guys do to make that transition."
I don't doubt that. You can tell that Patrick is a tough, hard nosed competitor. And I know that she strives to just be a racer, not the girl racer. Something I can certainly respect.
"You know my parents never let me think of myself as a girl in racing, they just wanted me to be the best," said Patrick. "And I think that has really made a difference in my life that I don't think of myself as being so much different."
It is a little embarrassing to see NASCAR's CEO, the president of Daytona International Speedway and even FOX Broadcasters racing to put out statements on her arrival. As someone noted today on twitter, I guess we missed that release last year for Andy Lally or even a few years back for Shauna Robinson.
“We are pleased Danica Patrick has chosen to race full time in NASCAR in 2012." Brian France, NASCAR's CEO said in his release. "She has demonstrated a strong desire to compete and NASCAR provides the best opportunity to race against the top drivers in the world with the largest and most loyal fan base in motorsports."
FOX analysis Larry McRenyolds added, "There’s no question it’s not only big for NASCAR, it’s big for sports in general. But it’s not just who she is but who she’ll be driving for."
Maybe my issue is less about Danica, and more about what her or Hope Solo or even Erin Andrews celebrity is about, style over substance. Not to say women in sports don't have substance, most have more guts and determination then the men. And I know from experience living in a man's world is not easy. It's just that style has become way more important in the culture of women in sports. Especially when it comes to who the stars are. There is no way that the female version of a Dale Earnhardt ever would get a ride in NASCAR. He was just far too unpolished.
Some will call me a bitter, jealous woman who doesn't want to see another woman succeed, especially an attractive one. That's what people always say when women criticize other women. That's why so few will ever do it. But actually, I hope Danica does well in NASCAR. It will not only be good for her, but also good for the sport I love. She is a tremendously popular driver whose fan base reaches far beyond the track. But just because I'm a girl, I don't have to be a fan. I'm just not that into Danica.
And at the danger of sounding like Will Ferrell in "Talladega Nights," I have all due respect for Danica Patrick. I never would hate on anyone's dream, and I give her all sorts of props for going out and getting it. I know as a woman I should be all excited about her breaking down yet another barrier for females. And I am, kinda. But, I just can't get that excited about Thursday's announcement.
If I were to offer up a driver in any series with one win in 6 seasons, how many of the top teams would be clamoring all over them? Better open wheel drivers have tried before, Sam Hornish, Patrick Carpantier, and so on. And they have all found little to no success in NASCAR. But yet here is Danica landing a ride at Stewart Haas Racing (basically, Hendrick equipment).
"The thing you see in her right away is how determined she is to be good at what she does," said Tony Stewart, one of the few drivers to make a successful transition from open wheel to NASCAR and the owner of the car Danica will drive in the Sprint Cup series. "She's very dedicated to take the time and the effort that I haven't seen a lot of guys do to make that transition."
I don't doubt that. You can tell that Patrick is a tough, hard nosed competitor. And I know that she strives to just be a racer, not the girl racer. Something I can certainly respect.
"You know my parents never let me think of myself as a girl in racing, they just wanted me to be the best," said Patrick. "And I think that has really made a difference in my life that I don't think of myself as being so much different."
It is a little embarrassing to see NASCAR's CEO, the president of Daytona International Speedway and even FOX Broadcasters racing to put out statements on her arrival. As someone noted today on twitter, I guess we missed that release last year for Andy Lally or even a few years back for Shauna Robinson.
“We are pleased Danica Patrick has chosen to race full time in NASCAR in 2012." Brian France, NASCAR's CEO said in his release. "She has demonstrated a strong desire to compete and NASCAR provides the best opportunity to race against the top drivers in the world with the largest and most loyal fan base in motorsports."
FOX analysis Larry McRenyolds added, "There’s no question it’s not only big for NASCAR, it’s big for sports in general. But it’s not just who she is but who she’ll be driving for."
Maybe my issue is less about Danica, and more about what her or Hope Solo or even Erin Andrews celebrity is about, style over substance. Not to say women in sports don't have substance, most have more guts and determination then the men. And I know from experience living in a man's world is not easy. It's just that style has become way more important in the culture of women in sports. Especially when it comes to who the stars are. There is no way that the female version of a Dale Earnhardt ever would get a ride in NASCAR. He was just far too unpolished.
Some will call me a bitter, jealous woman who doesn't want to see another woman succeed, especially an attractive one. That's what people always say when women criticize other women. That's why so few will ever do it. But actually, I hope Danica does well in NASCAR. It will not only be good for her, but also good for the sport I love. She is a tremendously popular driver whose fan base reaches far beyond the track. But just because I'm a girl, I don't have to be a fan. I'm just not that into Danica.
Don't Know Much About History: Published June 15, 2011
Okay we are all adults here, and we all know the saying about opinions and a certain part of one's anatomy. That being said, I have a few about the recent class inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
First of all, don't get me wrong, I take nothing away from the 5 that were selected. They like about 50 others out there right now are more than deserving, but I just think things are a little out of whack here.
I guess I have the biggest problem with Richie Evans. Not that I don't think that Evans is a no-brainer Hall of Famer. It just appears that in the voting committee's effort to get diversity in each class, they have put the apple before the cart. How can you put a modified champ (even the best modified champ) into the Hall of Fame before one of the sports founding fathers? I mean Raymond Parks was there that day when they formed what would become NASCAR in the Streamline Hotel in 1947. And he would become the first championship car owner. With out Raymond Parks and a handful of others, there would be no NASCAR.
I have no problem with Darrell Waltrip or Cale Yarbrough either. Again both are no doubt Hall of Famers. But what abI have no problem with Darrell Waltrip or Cale Yarbrough either. Again both are no doubt Hall of Famers. But what about the original show time drivers? Before DW was dancing the Icky Shuffle in victory lane, Tim Flock was riding around with a monkey as a passenger. And before Cale was laying the smack down on the field, Red Byron was making history as the sports FIRST champion.
And then there is Glen Wood. Absolutely deserving. But how do you put one Wood Brother in the Hall of Fame? That's like putting one Bee Gee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They are the Wood Brothers. It's Glen and Leonard. It's just doesn't seem right any other way.
As for Dale Inman, he's a fine selection, too. But this sport is so driver personality driven. I would have rather seen some of the top drivers in the sport get in, Cotton Owens or Herb Thomas, before a crew chief. Not that crew chief's aren't important. They just aren't the show.
Again this is just one person's opinion. I definitely offer my congratulations to the new Hall of Famers. They are no doubt deserving. But as a relatively new fan to the sport, this is an opportunity for NASCAR to introduce people who are the important cornerstones of the sport to people like me. I know all about DW, Cale and Glen Wood. NASCAR needs to introduce the likes of Flock and Parks and Byron to a new generation, before they are completely forgotten.
First of all, don't get me wrong, I take nothing away from the 5 that were selected. They like about 50 others out there right now are more than deserving, but I just think things are a little out of whack here.
I guess I have the biggest problem with Richie Evans. Not that I don't think that Evans is a no-brainer Hall of Famer. It just appears that in the voting committee's effort to get diversity in each class, they have put the apple before the cart. How can you put a modified champ (even the best modified champ) into the Hall of Fame before one of the sports founding fathers? I mean Raymond Parks was there that day when they formed what would become NASCAR in the Streamline Hotel in 1947. And he would become the first championship car owner. With out Raymond Parks and a handful of others, there would be no NASCAR.
I have no problem with Darrell Waltrip or Cale Yarbrough either. Again both are no doubt Hall of Famers. But what abI have no problem with Darrell Waltrip or Cale Yarbrough either. Again both are no doubt Hall of Famers. But what about the original show time drivers? Before DW was dancing the Icky Shuffle in victory lane, Tim Flock was riding around with a monkey as a passenger. And before Cale was laying the smack down on the field, Red Byron was making history as the sports FIRST champion.
And then there is Glen Wood. Absolutely deserving. But how do you put one Wood Brother in the Hall of Fame? That's like putting one Bee Gee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They are the Wood Brothers. It's Glen and Leonard. It's just doesn't seem right any other way.
As for Dale Inman, he's a fine selection, too. But this sport is so driver personality driven. I would have rather seen some of the top drivers in the sport get in, Cotton Owens or Herb Thomas, before a crew chief. Not that crew chief's aren't important. They just aren't the show.
Again this is just one person's opinion. I definitely offer my congratulations to the new Hall of Famers. They are no doubt deserving. But as a relatively new fan to the sport, this is an opportunity for NASCAR to introduce people who are the important cornerstones of the sport to people like me. I know all about DW, Cale and Glen Wood. NASCAR needs to introduce the likes of Flock and Parks and Byron to a new generation, before they are completely forgotten.
It's Time for Kyle to Grow Up: Published May 25, 2011
So Tuesday, Kyle Busch was cited for driving 128 mph in a 45. My quick Missouri math tells me that is three times the speed limit.
Let me start by saying, if you or I were going 83 miles over the speed limit, we would probably be arrested. And the fact that Busch got away with just a citation is part of the problem. It fuels the idea in his head that he is the invincible "Rowdy" Busch. That he can do this sort of dumb stuff. And police, NASCAR, sponsors and fans continuing to make excuses for him, are not doing him any favors.
Let me take this time right here to say, I like Kyle Busch. I think the sport desperately needs Kyle Busch. He wears the black hat with pride, and if the sport was full only of good guys, that would be boring. But being "bad" has it's limits when other people's lives are at risk.
This incident and the recent incident on the track where Busch rammed a driverless car into the wall on a busy pit row post race, shows that he gives not thought to how his actions might affect other people.
When Busch was pulled over in Mooresville, he reportedly told police "it's just a toy." Just a toy? That is your response when you have done something so inherently reckless?
"I was test driving a new sports car and I got carried away," Busch, who was stopped between the towns of Troutman and Mooresville, said in a statement. "I went beyond the speed I should have been going on a public road. I apologize to the public, my fans, sponsors and race teams for my lack of judgment.
"I take responsibility for my actions, and I can assure you that something like this will never happen again."
I really don't like apologizes. Want to show you are truly sorry? Learn from the mistake and do not repeat it. A concept Busch is clearly not familiar with.
You know how you make sure it never happens again? Park him. Joe Gibbs Racing, the team Busch drives for has yet to comment on what happened. I have a tremendous respect for Mr. Gibbs. Maybe more so than any other single person in the sport. If he wants to do what's right, he needs to stop this seemingly escalating pattern.
No matter what Busch is getting off easy. Even for a professional driver, driving that fast could have had a tragic ending. This is not a closed track. Any number of external hazards could have caused him or someone else to be seriously injured even killed. He got lucky it was a cop that stopped him, and not another car pulling out in front of him.
I think that Kyle Busch could be the most talent driver we have ever seen on the track. But he will never reach his full potential until he grows up. And it's clear he's having a tough time getting there.
Let me start by saying, if you or I were going 83 miles over the speed limit, we would probably be arrested. And the fact that Busch got away with just a citation is part of the problem. It fuels the idea in his head that he is the invincible "Rowdy" Busch. That he can do this sort of dumb stuff. And police, NASCAR, sponsors and fans continuing to make excuses for him, are not doing him any favors.
Let me take this time right here to say, I like Kyle Busch. I think the sport desperately needs Kyle Busch. He wears the black hat with pride, and if the sport was full only of good guys, that would be boring. But being "bad" has it's limits when other people's lives are at risk.
This incident and the recent incident on the track where Busch rammed a driverless car into the wall on a busy pit row post race, shows that he gives not thought to how his actions might affect other people.
When Busch was pulled over in Mooresville, he reportedly told police "it's just a toy." Just a toy? That is your response when you have done something so inherently reckless?
"I was test driving a new sports car and I got carried away," Busch, who was stopped between the towns of Troutman and Mooresville, said in a statement. "I went beyond the speed I should have been going on a public road. I apologize to the public, my fans, sponsors and race teams for my lack of judgment.
"I take responsibility for my actions, and I can assure you that something like this will never happen again."
I really don't like apologizes. Want to show you are truly sorry? Learn from the mistake and do not repeat it. A concept Busch is clearly not familiar with.
You know how you make sure it never happens again? Park him. Joe Gibbs Racing, the team Busch drives for has yet to comment on what happened. I have a tremendous respect for Mr. Gibbs. Maybe more so than any other single person in the sport. If he wants to do what's right, he needs to stop this seemingly escalating pattern.
No matter what Busch is getting off easy. Even for a professional driver, driving that fast could have had a tragic ending. This is not a closed track. Any number of external hazards could have caused him or someone else to be seriously injured even killed. He got lucky it was a cop that stopped him, and not another car pulling out in front of him.
I think that Kyle Busch could be the most talent driver we have ever seen on the track. But he will never reach his full potential until he grows up. And it's clear he's having a tough time getting there.
Oh Brother Where Art Thou?- Published February 17, 2011
What makes Daytona special from other races? it's the history, it's the pageantry, it's knowing that you are racing, where all the greats raced before you. That's why, generally speaking more people show up at this race than any other all season long. It is the essence of NASCAR, anyone with a car and a dream (and NASCAR approval) can race here.
Now truth be known, I have never been much of a Brad Keselowski fan. I always thought he was brash kid who's equipment an ego always out weighed his talent. But what he did on Thursday, has made me take a second look.
Enter his brother Brian. The older, but obviously not quite as talent brother. Not that Brian doesn't have talent. cause to get to this point, but he's not on the level of lil brother. And that has to be tough.
"There's always a little bit of jealousy," Brian told the Associated Press. It's something many of us can relate to.
And the two admit, their relationship has been a little rocky as a result.
So here we are, the Daytona Duel. For guys like Brian Keselowski, it's their only chance to make the Daytona 500. He, is in an underfunded ride, run by him, his dad and his uncle.
Brad, on the other hand, is racing for NASCAR powerhouse Penske racing, and is safely locked into the show. But he had a little trouble in the race, and likely couldn't win the thing. So what does he do? The only thing a brother can do. Lock on the big brother's bumper and push him to a 5th place finish and into the biggest race of Brian's life.
"It's just an awesome feeling,'' Brad said. "You can't always do something for your family, but when you can, you try to. I was able to do something for him.''
"I'm really, really, really glad that that happened," Brian said "I can look everybody in the eye again and say, 'Thank God this worked.' I told everybody this is going to work, just hold on, please help', and they did."
It's a story that even touched other drivers.
"That was awesome,'' Michael Waltrip said. "I loved seeing that. Brad was committed and he made it work out. I don't know about you, but I thought that was a really cool story.''
It's is a cool story Michael. It's one of those that makes us remember what we love about racing. And it's the only kind of story you can get it racing. It's story of perseverance. of family and triumph. The probably won't win. But in this case, getting there really is half the battle, maybe even the whole thing
Now truth be known, I have never been much of a Brad Keselowski fan. I always thought he was brash kid who's equipment an ego always out weighed his talent. But what he did on Thursday, has made me take a second look.
Enter his brother Brian. The older, but obviously not quite as talent brother. Not that Brian doesn't have talent. cause to get to this point, but he's not on the level of lil brother. And that has to be tough.
"There's always a little bit of jealousy," Brian told the Associated Press. It's something many of us can relate to.
And the two admit, their relationship has been a little rocky as a result.
So here we are, the Daytona Duel. For guys like Brian Keselowski, it's their only chance to make the Daytona 500. He, is in an underfunded ride, run by him, his dad and his uncle.
Brad, on the other hand, is racing for NASCAR powerhouse Penske racing, and is safely locked into the show. But he had a little trouble in the race, and likely couldn't win the thing. So what does he do? The only thing a brother can do. Lock on the big brother's bumper and push him to a 5th place finish and into the biggest race of Brian's life.
"It's just an awesome feeling,'' Brad said. "You can't always do something for your family, but when you can, you try to. I was able to do something for him.''
"I'm really, really, really glad that that happened," Brian said "I can look everybody in the eye again and say, 'Thank God this worked.' I told everybody this is going to work, just hold on, please help', and they did."
It's a story that even touched other drivers.
"That was awesome,'' Michael Waltrip said. "I loved seeing that. Brad was committed and he made it work out. I don't know about you, but I thought that was a really cool story.''
It's is a cool story Michael. It's one of those that makes us remember what we love about racing. And it's the only kind of story you can get it racing. It's story of perseverance. of family and triumph. The probably won't win. But in this case, getting there really is half the battle, maybe even the whole thing
Is NASCAR's Balance of Power Shifting?- Published May 17, 2010
Okay right off the bat let me say, I know it's just May 17th. And yes there are still 23 races left in the season. But to me the last few weeks have been very telling for me. At the Monster Mile on Sunday the three Joe Gibbs Racing Drivers finished 1st (Busch), 4th (Hamlin) and 10th (Logano), while the top Hendrick driver was 11th (Gordon). Now I know that Jimmie Johnson had a good car minus his mistake on pit toad, but that is a part of the game. And right now Hendrick Motorsports appears to be struggling, while Joe Gibbs racing is dominating the month of May, with wins at Richmond, Martinsville and Dover.
"I think we're just getting started," said car owner Joe Gibbs, "but it's exciting for us to know that we have over the last eight or nine weeks started to get on a roll, and I think it was good today that our other two cars were in the Top 10."
They have the momentum right now, and in this sport, momentum is everything. If they can close out the month with big showings during the next two weeks in Charlotte, it could be big trouble for everyone. But even the coach admits this is far from over.
"Quite a bit has been made of that over the last week or so, " said Gibbs. "You can kind of get on a run in pro sports, but the thing that always -- I'm always conscious of, the knuckle sandwich is waiting right around the corner in pro sports."
Maybe, but until that point, I wouldn't bet against JGR. And the coach seams to enjoying the ride.
"It's exciting for me to be a part of knowing that we have three young guys that can drive cars the way these guys do," said the coach, "and then you've got crew chiefs and team and everybody with our sponsors and everybody, it's a thrill for me to see -- to be a part of this. "
"I think we're just getting started," said car owner Joe Gibbs, "but it's exciting for us to know that we have over the last eight or nine weeks started to get on a roll, and I think it was good today that our other two cars were in the Top 10."
They have the momentum right now, and in this sport, momentum is everything. If they can close out the month with big showings during the next two weeks in Charlotte, it could be big trouble for everyone. But even the coach admits this is far from over.
"Quite a bit has been made of that over the last week or so, " said Gibbs. "You can kind of get on a run in pro sports, but the thing that always -- I'm always conscious of, the knuckle sandwich is waiting right around the corner in pro sports."
Maybe, but until that point, I wouldn't bet against JGR. And the coach seams to enjoying the ride.
"It's exciting for me to be a part of knowing that we have three young guys that can drive cars the way these guys do," said the coach, "and then you've got crew chiefs and team and everybody with our sponsors and everybody, it's a thrill for me to see -- to be a part of this. "
Mr. Hamlin's Wild Ride- Published March 29, 2010
So that was a Monday afternoon race that was worth the wait. You had drama, adversity and triumph. Here is Denny Hamlin, knee surgery scheduled for Wednesday, in the midst of his worst start to a season in his young career, headed to his best track on the circuit. And for most of the race, its clear, he has one of the fastest cars. That's when pit row issue number one mired them deep in the pack,
" The car fell on a jack. I don't know where that put us back, Hamlin said. "There were a lot of cars in front of us. It was tough back there to make up ground. We just did it the old-fashioned way. We passed the cars back."
And just when the 11 team looked like it had overcome that pit road issue, the caution call that will have people scratching their heads for a while. With 6 laps to go, Hamlin and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch gave up the top two spots in favor of fresh tires. The 11 would restart 9, the 18 off from the 8th position.
"If we didn't pit, I can assure you 90% of the guys behind us would have pitted and we would have definitely lost the race if that's the case," said Hamlin. "To me, I think getting down to it, if I had to put a percentage on it, no matter what we do at the end of this race, whether we pit or don't pit, it was going to be about a 20% chance we win this race, that was about it."
Added Crew Chief Mike Ford, "You know, you have to go with your gut to a degree, knowing that others are going to take a shot at you. As soon as you pull down pit road or as soon as you stay on the racetrack, everyone is going to critique your decision."
But there was definitely no time for critiquing in the moment. Hamlin had a lot of spots to make up, and not that much time. And when Hamlin had only raced his way up to P4 with a lap and a half to go, it looked like time would run out on the rally. That's when his teammate Kyle Busch spun and the 18's back luck, became Hamlin's good fortune.
"I didn't know what caused that last caution. But I was definitely relieved to see it," said Hamlin. "I think I was gonna finish probably second or third."
Instead he restarted 4th with two laps to go. And that's when it got good.
Hamlin continued, "I don't even remember what happened. I remember going in the corner. I remember getting in the back of the 39. I think the 17 got in the back of 24. I don't know where the 39 went. I might have knocked him up high. I don't even know, to be honest with you. I wanted to try to click over right before that restart and tell the 20, if for some reason I got bottled up to please let me in. He's racing for the win just like I am, but his odds are going to be a lot less restarting fifth. "I tried to tell him to let me in. So instead I had to force my way in. I came down on the 20 coming off of two and I saw that the 24 and 17 were kind of locked together going down the backstretch. I was going to stick it three-wide. As soon as I saw my lift point, I saw the 17 still going in. I said, Well, I can't make it with new tires. There's no way he'll make it with old tires. I knew the best thing to do was to be patient, let him slide up. When I was slid up, the 24 is on the outside, so he took him with him. "I felt like going down the backstretch, I knew it was my race to win at that point."
A scene that was much wilder than words could describe.
"I told Mike for the record, I never doubted him," said team owner JD GIbbs. "But in reality I was cussing him up top the pit box. But it was one of those things where they trust each other. Mike and Denny, it is what it is, they make their decisions. They've been doing this long enough as a team, they have a good feel for what the other one needs. I think he gave Denny what he needed. Did a good job of taking it to the front"
Now he has to tackle another challenge. Knee surgery for damage to Hamln's ACL. This is the kind of surgery that is considered season ending in most other sports. But Hamlin says he will be back in the car in Phoenix. They will have Casey Mears on hand as a relief driver just in case.
"It's something that had to be done. The doctor expressed long-term damage possibilities. They thought the best thing to do, we felt like we were not going to sacrifice our season if we did it at this point. That was the determining factor," said Hamlin.
Seriously, you can't write drama like this
" The car fell on a jack. I don't know where that put us back, Hamlin said. "There were a lot of cars in front of us. It was tough back there to make up ground. We just did it the old-fashioned way. We passed the cars back."
And just when the 11 team looked like it had overcome that pit road issue, the caution call that will have people scratching their heads for a while. With 6 laps to go, Hamlin and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch gave up the top two spots in favor of fresh tires. The 11 would restart 9, the 18 off from the 8th position.
"If we didn't pit, I can assure you 90% of the guys behind us would have pitted and we would have definitely lost the race if that's the case," said Hamlin. "To me, I think getting down to it, if I had to put a percentage on it, no matter what we do at the end of this race, whether we pit or don't pit, it was going to be about a 20% chance we win this race, that was about it."
Added Crew Chief Mike Ford, "You know, you have to go with your gut to a degree, knowing that others are going to take a shot at you. As soon as you pull down pit road or as soon as you stay on the racetrack, everyone is going to critique your decision."
But there was definitely no time for critiquing in the moment. Hamlin had a lot of spots to make up, and not that much time. And when Hamlin had only raced his way up to P4 with a lap and a half to go, it looked like time would run out on the rally. That's when his teammate Kyle Busch spun and the 18's back luck, became Hamlin's good fortune.
"I didn't know what caused that last caution. But I was definitely relieved to see it," said Hamlin. "I think I was gonna finish probably second or third."
Instead he restarted 4th with two laps to go. And that's when it got good.
Hamlin continued, "I don't even remember what happened. I remember going in the corner. I remember getting in the back of the 39. I think the 17 got in the back of 24. I don't know where the 39 went. I might have knocked him up high. I don't even know, to be honest with you. I wanted to try to click over right before that restart and tell the 20, if for some reason I got bottled up to please let me in. He's racing for the win just like I am, but his odds are going to be a lot less restarting fifth. "I tried to tell him to let me in. So instead I had to force my way in. I came down on the 20 coming off of two and I saw that the 24 and 17 were kind of locked together going down the backstretch. I was going to stick it three-wide. As soon as I saw my lift point, I saw the 17 still going in. I said, Well, I can't make it with new tires. There's no way he'll make it with old tires. I knew the best thing to do was to be patient, let him slide up. When I was slid up, the 24 is on the outside, so he took him with him. "I felt like going down the backstretch, I knew it was my race to win at that point."
A scene that was much wilder than words could describe.
"I told Mike for the record, I never doubted him," said team owner JD GIbbs. "But in reality I was cussing him up top the pit box. But it was one of those things where they trust each other. Mike and Denny, it is what it is, they make their decisions. They've been doing this long enough as a team, they have a good feel for what the other one needs. I think he gave Denny what he needed. Did a good job of taking it to the front"
Now he has to tackle another challenge. Knee surgery for damage to Hamln's ACL. This is the kind of surgery that is considered season ending in most other sports. But Hamlin says he will be back in the car in Phoenix. They will have Casey Mears on hand as a relief driver just in case.
"It's something that had to be done. The doctor expressed long-term damage possibilities. They thought the best thing to do, we felt like we were not going to sacrifice our season if we did it at this point. That was the determining factor," said Hamlin.
Seriously, you can't write drama like this
Reconstructing the Monster That is Junior Nation- Published February 18, 2010
It was as if I could hear Lance McGrew exclaim, "It's alive, it's alive!" during the final laps of the Daytona 500. As I watched Dale Earnhardt, Jr race from 10th to 2nd in just one lap, it looked as if this was a different driver behind the wheel of the 88 car. One more like the one that used to wheel the 8 for his daddy's team. And after the race, he even sounded more like the Junior of old.
"I had a hell of a time tonight," Earnhardt, said Sunday after the race. "When you got a good car, one that will make some moves and don't wreck. I wrecked out of the last couple 500s. I figured, What do I have to do to finish one of these things and finish it good? I might have been a little too careful, you know."
If that's careful, the rest of the guys on the track might want to be forewarned, looks like Little E may be back. Of course this is not something that has happened overnight. Since the day he took over as crew chief. Lance McGrew has been working hard to not only inprove the level of performance for the cars, but also the whole mindset of the team. He's been using the 48 team as an example for his team and his driver that just because the day isn't perfect, doesn't mean the day has to be lost.
"There's going to be something that happens every single week at the track, " said McGrew when I spoke with him last month. " There's a million thing that can throw a wrench in your day. When going bad, the great guys find a way to get over that, to make chicken salad out of the day."
And Junior is the first to admit, it's something his teammates have been able to do better than him up to this point. Most would write that off to good team chemistry. Something, Earnhardt says he's never had, and something he is not really sure exists.
"I know Chad and Jimmie have great chemistry, but they fight they disagree," said Junior at that same media event in January. "The disagree, but in the end that are both just so d@mn talented that they make a great team. And people say the chemistry is good. I don't know, I think it's a hoax."
Maybe it's not "chemistry" but there is certainly some sort if "weird science" going on in Junior nation. Because, even if for one weekend, "It's alive!"
"I had a hell of a time tonight," Earnhardt, said Sunday after the race. "When you got a good car, one that will make some moves and don't wreck. I wrecked out of the last couple 500s. I figured, What do I have to do to finish one of these things and finish it good? I might have been a little too careful, you know."
If that's careful, the rest of the guys on the track might want to be forewarned, looks like Little E may be back. Of course this is not something that has happened overnight. Since the day he took over as crew chief. Lance McGrew has been working hard to not only inprove the level of performance for the cars, but also the whole mindset of the team. He's been using the 48 team as an example for his team and his driver that just because the day isn't perfect, doesn't mean the day has to be lost.
"There's going to be something that happens every single week at the track, " said McGrew when I spoke with him last month. " There's a million thing that can throw a wrench in your day. When going bad, the great guys find a way to get over that, to make chicken salad out of the day."
And Junior is the first to admit, it's something his teammates have been able to do better than him up to this point. Most would write that off to good team chemistry. Something, Earnhardt says he's never had, and something he is not really sure exists.
"I know Chad and Jimmie have great chemistry, but they fight they disagree," said Junior at that same media event in January. "The disagree, but in the end that are both just so d@mn talented that they make a great team. And people say the chemistry is good. I don't know, I think it's a hoax."
Maybe it's not "chemistry" but there is certainly some sort if "weird science" going on in Junior nation. Because, even if for one weekend, "It's alive!"
Auld Lang Syne to NASCAR's 2009 Season- Published December 31, 2009
Should last years races be forgot,
And tv ratings dive,
Should Junior nation be distraught,
And Jimmie drives for five,
For all the start and parks, my dear,
for Carl Edwards' wild ride
we'll toast another Sprint Cup year,
for auld lang syne.
Should Danicia bring ARCA spice,
NASCAR says Mayfield lied,
Keselowski's win was just a fluke,
And Stremme lost his ride,
For all the start and parks, my dear,
for Hamlin's twitter lines
we'll toast another Sprint Cup year,
for auld lang syne.
Mark Martin's runner up again,
And NASCAR's Hall looks fine
Childress has an awful year
But Stewart-Haas sure shines
For all the start and parks, my dear,
for where ever Montoya dines
we'll toast another Sprint Cup year,
for auld lang syne.
Kentucky's lawsuit it drags on
Vickers a chase surprise,
Kahne returns the King to Victory lane,
Ambrose is on the rise,
Logano, Reutimann both get wins
And Mikey Waltrip takes a bow
Kyle Busch is smashing rare guitars
And we have double file restarts now.
For all the start and parks, my dear,
for stories slipped my mind
we'll toast another Sprint Cup year,
for auld lang syne.
And tv ratings dive,
Should Junior nation be distraught,
And Jimmie drives for five,
For all the start and parks, my dear,
for Carl Edwards' wild ride
we'll toast another Sprint Cup year,
for auld lang syne.
Should Danicia bring ARCA spice,
NASCAR says Mayfield lied,
Keselowski's win was just a fluke,
And Stremme lost his ride,
For all the start and parks, my dear,
for Hamlin's twitter lines
we'll toast another Sprint Cup year,
for auld lang syne.
Mark Martin's runner up again,
And NASCAR's Hall looks fine
Childress has an awful year
But Stewart-Haas sure shines
For all the start and parks, my dear,
for where ever Montoya dines
we'll toast another Sprint Cup year,
for auld lang syne.
Kentucky's lawsuit it drags on
Vickers a chase surprise,
Kahne returns the King to Victory lane,
Ambrose is on the rise,
Logano, Reutimann both get wins
And Mikey Waltrip takes a bow
Kyle Busch is smashing rare guitars
And we have double file restarts now.
For all the start and parks, my dear,
for stories slipped my mind
we'll toast another Sprint Cup year,
for auld lang syne.
Winning Championships Not About Engineering, It's About Chemistry- Published 11/23/09
So Jimmie Johnson might just be the greatest driver the sport has ever seen when it is all said and done. But his success is not really about his driving talent or even Hendrick Motorsports technology, although they are both important. Jimmie Johnson is great because his team has great chemistry. They make it look so easy, and that is what truly great athletes and teams do.
"I suspect nothing comes that easy to anybody," Jeff Burton said after the finale at Homestead. "And I'm sure that Chad and Jimmie and everybody works exceptionally hard."
And its that combination of talent and skill that is hard to beat. Remember the Golden State Warriors of the 1990's? They had big time stars like Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullins. But they never got over the hump and won a championship. They had the talent sure, but they never had the chemistry.
"This is a people sport," said Hendrick Motorsports GM Marshall Carlson." This is a people business. We talk a lot about widgets and technology and gizmos and test fixtures and all these things, but it's people driving all that."
So can they be beat? It seams like the harder teams push, the better the 48 team gets. Just ask Denny Hamlin. He ran toe to toe with the 48 in the chase save three races of bad luck.
"But on the other hand, then the 48 maybe would have to run harder or perform better," Hamiln said Sunday "So it's tough to play the numbers games and what if. But all I know is we've been competitive enough to run with those guys, and we've come a long way as a race team."
I do think the Hamlin/Mike Ford combination is one that maybe on to something, that could one day dethrone the champ. I also think that if Carl Edwards and Bob Osburne combination can find what ever they had working in 2008, they could possibly knock off the champ. And it love the pairing of two time champ Tony Stewart, with once Johnson fill in crew chief Darien Grubb. But until some one actually does it, it's really hard to count out 5 maybe 6 in a row for JJ.
Said Burton, "If you would have told me four years ago that somebody would win four championships in a row, I would tell you you're crazy because 29 cars finished in the lead lap tonight. That's how competitive it is what we do. To win four championships in a row, I didn't think anybody would be able to do that. Never in 100 years did I think somebody would be able to do that."
"I suspect nothing comes that easy to anybody," Jeff Burton said after the finale at Homestead. "And I'm sure that Chad and Jimmie and everybody works exceptionally hard."
And its that combination of talent and skill that is hard to beat. Remember the Golden State Warriors of the 1990's? They had big time stars like Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullins. But they never got over the hump and won a championship. They had the talent sure, but they never had the chemistry.
"This is a people sport," said Hendrick Motorsports GM Marshall Carlson." This is a people business. We talk a lot about widgets and technology and gizmos and test fixtures and all these things, but it's people driving all that."
So can they be beat? It seams like the harder teams push, the better the 48 team gets. Just ask Denny Hamlin. He ran toe to toe with the 48 in the chase save three races of bad luck.
"But on the other hand, then the 48 maybe would have to run harder or perform better," Hamiln said Sunday "So it's tough to play the numbers games and what if. But all I know is we've been competitive enough to run with those guys, and we've come a long way as a race team."
I do think the Hamlin/Mike Ford combination is one that maybe on to something, that could one day dethrone the champ. I also think that if Carl Edwards and Bob Osburne combination can find what ever they had working in 2008, they could possibly knock off the champ. And it love the pairing of two time champ Tony Stewart, with once Johnson fill in crew chief Darien Grubb. But until some one actually does it, it's really hard to count out 5 maybe 6 in a row for JJ.
Said Burton, "If you would have told me four years ago that somebody would win four championships in a row, I would tell you you're crazy because 29 cars finished in the lead lap tonight. That's how competitive it is what we do. To win four championships in a row, I didn't think anybody would be able to do that. Never in 100 years did I think somebody would be able to do that."
Crew Chief Wanted- Published 9/18/09
I am kinda felling sorry for ole Kurt Busch. Just as he seems to finally have things figured out at Penske Racing, his crew chief Pat Tryson tells him thanks for the ride, I am out of here.
Just imagine if on the eve of the NFL playoffs, Mike Smith told the Atlanta Falcons, "It's been a good year boys, but I am going to coach the Tampa Bay Bucs next season. Okay now lets go and try to win a Super Bowl." It would turn some heads for sure and it would make it hard for the Falcons to actually get it done.
"It was tough timing wise, to learn that pat had different plans for next year," Kurt Busch told the media in New York for Chase Media Day on Thursday.
Tryson, for his part, says his leaving has nothing to do with Kurt Busch, but he wouldn't go into more detail.
"The reason I came to Penske Racing was because of Kurt Busch, and the number one reason to stay at Penske Racing is Kurt Busch," Tryson said Friday in New Hampshire. "So my decision ... had nothing to do with Kurt Busch. I had to do things for me, for my personal reasons."
But is the kind of bump in the road Busch can get around? Or is it just another distraction that could hamper his championship run? I just cant see how it wouldn't slow down a championship run. Especially with when Busch is battling talented drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordan, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. All considered favorites over Busch in the chase. Still both Busch and Tryson say this will not be a distraction. And Busch's history of dealing with distractions is not good. 2005 anyone? Granted Busch is more gown up now, and it's his crew chief leaving, not him. So hopeful it will end better. Tryson seems to think it can.
"Me and him are in this until the end and we are going to try to win this championship cause it would me a lot to me and it would me a lot to him. But the best thing in my career would be to win this championship right here, right now."
Just imagine if on the eve of the NFL playoffs, Mike Smith told the Atlanta Falcons, "It's been a good year boys, but I am going to coach the Tampa Bay Bucs next season. Okay now lets go and try to win a Super Bowl." It would turn some heads for sure and it would make it hard for the Falcons to actually get it done.
"It was tough timing wise, to learn that pat had different plans for next year," Kurt Busch told the media in New York for Chase Media Day on Thursday.
Tryson, for his part, says his leaving has nothing to do with Kurt Busch, but he wouldn't go into more detail.
"The reason I came to Penske Racing was because of Kurt Busch, and the number one reason to stay at Penske Racing is Kurt Busch," Tryson said Friday in New Hampshire. "So my decision ... had nothing to do with Kurt Busch. I had to do things for me, for my personal reasons."
But is the kind of bump in the road Busch can get around? Or is it just another distraction that could hamper his championship run? I just cant see how it wouldn't slow down a championship run. Especially with when Busch is battling talented drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordan, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. All considered favorites over Busch in the chase. Still both Busch and Tryson say this will not be a distraction. And Busch's history of dealing with distractions is not good. 2005 anyone? Granted Busch is more gown up now, and it's his crew chief leaving, not him. So hopeful it will end better. Tryson seems to think it can.
"Me and him are in this until the end and we are going to try to win this championship cause it would me a lot to me and it would me a lot to him. But the best thing in my career would be to win this championship right here, right now."
What's Eating Richard Childress Racing- Published 8/18/09
Movie remakes seem to be all the rage these days, so here is one I would really like to see made.I know it's kind of a stretch, but seriously what is going on at RCR? All of his teams have made the chase the past two seasons and two of his three teams made the chase in 2006. Now all four of him teams are in danger of missing the chase (with Clint Bowyer the only realistic hope of getting in). So what is the problem?
Bowyer is having a tough season, but some of that is to be expected because of the fact he is in a brand new team. Yet despite all of the challenges, the 33 is just 58 points out of the chase with 3 races to go. Still winless in 09, Bowyer does have by far the most top fives and top tens of any of the RCR drivers.
The biggest disappointment is probably Kevin Harvick. Happy finished 2008 7th in points, but he has always kind of been considered the flag ship driver of the organization. He is the guy who has the potential to rip off 4 or 5 wins in a season and be a serious contender come chase time. But in 2009, Harvick is again winless, only has 3 top tens in 2009, he is yet to crack the top five, and sits 23rd in points, last among Childress' four drivers. There have been rumblings all season that Harvick isn't happy at RCR, But Mr. Childress has made it clear, Harvick is under contract through 2010.
Then there is Casey Mears, who is pretty much having a typical Casey Mears season. He has started slow, had at least one crew chief change, but seams to be hitting his stride late. Mears is up to 20th in the points and finished 11th at Watkins Glenn and 6th at Michigan. Too bad there is talk of him being replaced in the 07 for 2009 (and by Elliott Salder which I totally don't get. They are at best the same driver.)
And what about Jeff Burton, who has been RCR's quiet pillar of consistency since coming over from Roush Racing. He has been consistent alright, consistently average. And there in my lie the answer or at least part of the answer. Some how some way RCR has fallen behind the big teams like Hendrick, Roush and Stewart-Haas.
What's the solution? I really don't think it's the drivers. They have all shown the ability to be competitive at times. It could be crew chiefs or management, but then again they have been to the chase before and I don't think you just forget how to build race cars.
Here's my guess. Just like in any good movie, a race team needs chemistry. I am not sure RCR has it. Sure they have good people, and they all seem to get along (despite the big blow up on the scanners last week between Mr. Childress and Harvick). But from the outside, they just don't seem to have a lot in common. The drivers are all in different points in their lives, different stages in their career. The good news is they can use the last 13 races of the year to try and find some answers and build toward a stronger 2010.
Bowyer is having a tough season, but some of that is to be expected because of the fact he is in a brand new team. Yet despite all of the challenges, the 33 is just 58 points out of the chase with 3 races to go. Still winless in 09, Bowyer does have by far the most top fives and top tens of any of the RCR drivers.
The biggest disappointment is probably Kevin Harvick. Happy finished 2008 7th in points, but he has always kind of been considered the flag ship driver of the organization. He is the guy who has the potential to rip off 4 or 5 wins in a season and be a serious contender come chase time. But in 2009, Harvick is again winless, only has 3 top tens in 2009, he is yet to crack the top five, and sits 23rd in points, last among Childress' four drivers. There have been rumblings all season that Harvick isn't happy at RCR, But Mr. Childress has made it clear, Harvick is under contract through 2010.
Then there is Casey Mears, who is pretty much having a typical Casey Mears season. He has started slow, had at least one crew chief change, but seams to be hitting his stride late. Mears is up to 20th in the points and finished 11th at Watkins Glenn and 6th at Michigan. Too bad there is talk of him being replaced in the 07 for 2009 (and by Elliott Salder which I totally don't get. They are at best the same driver.)
And what about Jeff Burton, who has been RCR's quiet pillar of consistency since coming over from Roush Racing. He has been consistent alright, consistently average. And there in my lie the answer or at least part of the answer. Some how some way RCR has fallen behind the big teams like Hendrick, Roush and Stewart-Haas.
What's the solution? I really don't think it's the drivers. They have all shown the ability to be competitive at times. It could be crew chiefs or management, but then again they have been to the chase before and I don't think you just forget how to build race cars.
Here's my guess. Just like in any good movie, a race team needs chemistry. I am not sure RCR has it. Sure they have good people, and they all seem to get along (despite the big blow up on the scanners last week between Mr. Childress and Harvick). But from the outside, they just don't seem to have a lot in common. The drivers are all in different points in their lives, different stages in their career. The good news is they can use the last 13 races of the year to try and find some answers and build toward a stronger 2010.
Cinderella is a Double Zero- Published 4/4/09
This is the time of year where we all watch Cinderella's make amazing runs to the NCAA Tournament. But lets face it, this years tournament lakes the madness of previous big dances. Forget, North Carolina, Villanova, UConn and Michigan State. Looks like Cinderella has dumped college hoops to take a ride in the fast lane in NASCAR, after all, David Reutimann is a Cinderella story. He is almost 40 years old and didn't get a full time ride in Sprint Cup until 2 years ago. That doesn't exactly fit the trend of the Kyle Busch Joey Logano's and Brian Vickers we are used to seeing thrown in race cars. And success hasn't exactly come over night for Reutimann. He struggled through his first season at the fledgling Michael Waltrip racing. He failed to qualify for 10 of the 36 races in his rookie season, including the Spring race at Texas. Just two years later, he will lead the field to green in the Lone Star State. It's not quite NC State winning the championship in 1983, but if Reutimann can hang on to his spot in the top 12 in points and make the chase, it would be a lot like Davidson's run last season. Who knew Cinderella was race fan?
Was That the Daytona 500 or the Final Episode of the Sopranos? Published 2/16/09
Okay really? Did that race really just end in the middle, with no explanation of why we couldn't wait a few hours and try to race the Daytona 500. They still have lights in Daytona right? Don't they race there in the summer well past midnight sometimes? So why couldn't we have waited a few hours and see if the rain passed? It didn't seem to be raining that hard. And there where no thunderstorms, so none of the drivers or fans where in danger right? I have nothing against Matt Kenseth and it was nice to see him get back to victory lane after a long drought. But this is the biggest race of the year. They don't call the Super Bowl in the 3rd quarter. They don't cancel the world Series after 3 games. How can you call the Daytona 500 with 48 laps to go?
As for the race, it was actually pretty dull, save the mid race huck-a-buck caused by Junior. A let down from the week of exciting racing we have seen all week long. Oh well...lets go west, it's a long season for me to be so negative so soon.
As for the race, it was actually pretty dull, save the mid race huck-a-buck caused by Junior. A let down from the week of exciting racing we have seen all week long. Oh well...lets go west, it's a long season for me to be so negative so soon.