Having problems with message search?
Happy Monday all!
Quote of the Day
"It's Arlene, right? I'm pretty sure it is. Thank you for raising me and our family. After 22 years, you're still the hottest thing in the garage to me."
--Being a bit playful after the whole Kyle Busch fiasco, Martin, who followed Busch on stage, began with a joke, pretending to be unsure about his wife's name, but ended with one of the most touching lines of the evening.
News gathered from multiple sources, including but not limited to: Jayski.com, Cup Scene Daily, Thatsracin.com, catchfence.com, nascar.com, yahoo!, espn.com and others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Comments from the Peanut Gallery
from Lou E
Hi Momma,
This is just general information to those who think Toyota is 100% Japanese and Ford and Chevrolet are 100% American. Toyota has 8 fully operational MANUFACTURING & ASSEMBLY plants here in the U.S. employeeing U.S. autoworkers in them while many Ford and Chevy parts are manufactured in Canada, Mexico, and other countries.
I can't say if this is still true but in 1973 I worked for an automotive radio manufacturer, OF SORTS, in El Paso, Texas. This is how it worked: The parts were made in Mexico and shipped duty-free to the U.S. as an incomplete product. We inspected them and sent them back to Mexico as an incomplete product. The radios were assembled in Mexico ans shipped back to the U.S. without the knobs, you guessed it, as an incomplete product. We put the knobs on them and packaged them as Made In The USA and shipped them on. I'm not sure if this is legal anymore, but it was either legal or overlooked in 1973. You just can't be sure if you really are buying American.
Lou Elliott
from Lou E
Hi Momma,
This is just general information to those who think Toyota is 100% Japanese and Ford and Chevrolet are 100% American. Toyota has 8 fully operational MANUFACTURING & ASSEMBLY plants here in the U.S. employeeing U.S. autoworkers in them while many Ford and Chevy parts are manufactured in Canada, Mexico, and other countries.
I can't say if this is still true but in 1973 I worked for an automotive radio manufacturer, OF SORTS, in El Paso, Texas. This is how it worked: The parts were made in Mexico and shipped duty-free to the U.S. as an incomplete product. We inspected them and sent them back to Mexico as an incomplete product. The radios were assembled in Mexico ans shipped back to the U.S. without the knobs, you guessed it, as an incomplete product. We put the knobs on them and packaged them as Made In The USA and shipped them on. I'm not sure if this is legal anymore, but it was either legal or overlooked in 1973. You just can't be sure if you really are buying American.
Lou Elliott
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bits and Pieces
800 runners run in Victory Junction 1/2 marathon: Michael Waltrip and about 800 other runners got together for the Victory Junction Run, a 13-mile half marathon. Kyle Petty, who founded Victory Junction Gang Camp with his wife Pattie, said he got the idea for the race from Waltrip. "Michael did a thing a couple of years ago called Operation Marathon," said Petty. "He ran Vegas and I ran with him, and we raised substantial funds." "I just came to help," said Waltrip, "so don't watch because I'm going to be going real slow." Waltrip finished the race in two hours, 26 minutes and 11 seconds, good enough for 355th place. Sunday's race raised $85,000 for Victory Junction Gang Camp. The Petty's said they hope to make the mini-marathon an annual event.(MyFox WGHP)
800 runners run in Victory Junction 1/2 marathon: Michael Waltrip and about 800 other runners got together for the Victory Junction Run, a 13-mile half marathon. Kyle Petty, who founded Victory Junction Gang Camp with his wife Pattie, said he got the idea for the race from Waltrip. "Michael did a thing a couple of years ago called Operation Marathon," said Petty. "He ran Vegas and I ran with him, and we raised substantial funds." "I just came to help," said Waltrip, "so don't watch because I'm going to be going real slow." Waltrip finished the race in two hours, 26 minutes and 11 seconds, good enough for 355th place. Sunday's race raised $85,000 for Victory Junction Gang Camp. The Petty's said they hope to make the mini-marathon an annual event.(MyFox WGHP)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kodak to sponsor Newman in three Cup races and: Eastman Kodak Company will serve as primary sponsor of the #12 Dodge driven by Ryan Newman at three Nextel Cup races in 2007. Kodak will also sponsor Newman's car in seven Busch Series races next year, and will be an associate sponsor of Penske Racing's IndyCar Series entries driven by Helio Castroneves and Sam Hornish, Jr. Plans call for Newman's Dodge to wear red-and-yellow Kodak colors at Nextel Cup races in Talladega [Apr or Oct?]; Fontana, CA [Feb or Sept?] and Watkins Glen, near Kodak's headquarters in Rochester. At 33 other Cup events, Kodak will be an associate sponsor of the #12 Alltel Dodge. The seven Busch Series races where Newman will drive a Kodak EasyShare Gallery-sponsored car are Bristol, Texas, Darlington, Chicagoland, Watkins Glen, Fontana, and Richmond [assuming they are in order of the races, so Bristol would be in March..not August, but it doesn't clearly say]. [Businesswire.com)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Gordon testing Daytona Prototype at Homestead
Jeff Gordon and Sam Hornish, Jr. will join over 25 Rolex Sports Car Series teams to participate in the Rolex Sports Car Series test at Homestead-Miami Speedway, December 5th and 6th from 9:00am to 12:00pm/et and 1:30 to 4:30pm/et.
Gordon will return this time to battle the Speedway's 11-turn road course in a Daytona Prototype - a car that he has never driven before.
He is scheduled to share the #10 SunTrust Pontiac Riley with 2005 Rolex Series Daytona Prototype co-champions Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor. Hornish will also be driving a Daytona Prototype for the very first time this week. He will share the #60 Flight Options/Net App Lexus Riley with his Penske Racing IndyCar teammate Helio Castroneves, South Florida resident Oswaldo Negri, and Mark Patterson.
Jeff Gordon and Sam Hornish, Jr. will join over 25 Rolex Sports Car Series teams to participate in the Rolex Sports Car Series test at Homestead-Miami Speedway, December 5th and 6th from 9:00am to 12:00pm/et and 1:30 to 4:30pm/et.
Gordon will return this time to battle the Speedway's 11-turn road course in a Daytona Prototype - a car that he has never driven before.
He is scheduled to share the #10 SunTrust Pontiac Riley with 2005 Rolex Series Daytona Prototype co-champions Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor. Hornish will also be driving a Daytona Prototype for the very first time this week. He will share the #60 Flight Options/Net App Lexus Riley with his Penske Racing IndyCar teammate Helio Castroneves, South Florida resident Oswaldo Negri, and Mark Patterson.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New crew chief for Newman
Mike Nelson, who crew chiefed #12 Ryan Newman for the final two 2006 Nextel Cup races, was named crew chief for the Penske #12 team last week.
Matt Borland, most recently crew chief for Newman, met with team owner Roger Penske after the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami and indicated his desire to stay with the team in some capacity.
Borland missed the season's final two races, for what he cited as personal reasons, leading to speculation he was leaving the team after it suffered through a subpar season. In 2006, Newman experienced his first winless season since he began competing in the Nextel Cup Series full time in 2002.
Borland became Newman's crew chief in 2000 and helped guide the team to 12 wins along with two appearances in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup.
However, with both the Penske teams missing the Chase this year, Borland's role at the organization could change in 2007 to more of a senior management position.
Mike Nelson, who crew chiefed #12 Ryan Newman for the final two 2006 Nextel Cup races, was named crew chief for the Penske #12 team last week.
Matt Borland, most recently crew chief for Newman, met with team owner Roger Penske after the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami and indicated his desire to stay with the team in some capacity.
Borland missed the season's final two races, for what he cited as personal reasons, leading to speculation he was leaving the team after it suffered through a subpar season. In 2006, Newman experienced his first winless season since he began competing in the Nextel Cup Series full time in 2002.
Borland became Newman's crew chief in 2000 and helped guide the team to 12 wins along with two appearances in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup.
However, with both the Penske teams missing the Chase this year, Borland's role at the organization could change in 2007 to more of a senior management position.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cope back in the #74 in 2007: Derrike Cope, #74-McGlynn Racing and Sundance Vacations will now begin looking at their options to further the team's productivity for next year. Cope adds, "I want to thank all of the crew for their hard work and dedication. They are all giving their time each week voluntarily, with the exception of [a few]. We accomplished a great deal more than people expected us to, although the latter portion of the year was a bit disappointing. For such a small team I personally am pleased with what we were able to make happen [in 2006]." The 2007 race season will bring along another year of hope for McGlynn Racing and Sundance Vacations. Derrike Cope concludes, "I am already looking forward to the start of the 2007 NASCAR season!"(PRweb.com)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rogers wins Snowball Derby, Wallace 2nd: Snowball Derby winner Johnny Brazier and runner-up Bobby Gill were disqualified in postrace inspection following the race Sunday night at Five Flags Speedway.That gave the victory to Clay Rogers, who had finished third. Rogers was the USAR Hooters ProCup champion. Brazier led the final 83 laps to take the checkered flag. He led four times for 122 laps. With the DQs, Steven Wallace, the 2004 winner, finished second, Panama City's Ryan Crane was third, Jeremy Rice was fourth and Shaun McWhirter was fifth.[Buckshot Jones was 37th]. More at snowballderby.com or speed51.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shepherd Awarded by Nintendo: #89-Morgan Shepherd is one of 100 people across America who have been honored by game-maker Nintendo for their ageless endeavors, the company announced December 1. Amber McCollom, senior manager of public relations for Nintendo, said as part of his recognition as a 2006 Nintendo Ageless American, the 65-year-old Shepherd will be presented with a Nintendo DS player and Brain Age software to help allow him to "keep his mental muscle flexed." "Your devotion to challenging the limits of what one can accomplish is remarkable," McCollom said of Shepherd. "Your unbounded enthusiasm sets such a positive example for all ages." Shepherd will celebrate his 40th year in stock car racing during the 2007 season, beginning in February at the historic Daytona 500. Shepherd will again pilot the #89 Racing With Jesus Dodge Charger for Faith Motorsports in 2007.(Faith Motorsports PR) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sauter moving back up to Cup, with Haas CNC: Johnny Sauter is returning to the Nextel Cup Series, and will drive the #70 Chevy for Haas CNC Racing in 2007. Jeff Green, who finished 28th in the driver standings, will continue to drive the #66 for Haas CNC.(NASCAR.com) AND been told that Bootie Barker will be crew chief for the #70 Haas CNC car [moving up with Sauter from the Busch Series] and Derick Jennings will be car chief moving from the #66 car. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hunter Honored: NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter was honored with the Buddy Shuman Award, presented at the National Motorsports Press Association's Myers Brothers luncheon Thursday. The award is presented annually by NASCAR in recognition of an individual who has made a significant contribution to the growth of Cup Series racing. Louis Grier "Buddy" Shuman was a pioneer NASCAR Grand National driver and tough competitor who was well respected by his peers. He died in a hotel fire in 1955. NASCAR established the Buddy Shuman Award in 1957 to recognize outstanding contributions to NASCAR racing. "I love this sport. I love NASCAR," Hunter said. "I love the people in this sport. And I thank you for this honor."(SceneDaily.com)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Benny Honored: Benny Parsons, NASCAR's 1973 Cup champion and a veteran broadcaster, has been named the 2006 recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association's Myers Brothers Award. The award, named in honor of former NASCAR competitors Billy and Bobby Myers, was presented today during the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon in New York. Parsons is the 47th recipient of the award. Parsons, who had 21 wins in 526 starts between 1964 and 1988, has more recently been a member of NBC/TNT's race broadcast team for the NASCAR Nextel Cup. Parsons, 65, underwent treatment for lung cancer earlier this year. "All the years that I've been there, been at the breakfast ... seeing all those people receive the awards, never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be me," Parsons said. "Because let's face it, it's for the RJ Reynolds, the Nextels, the Bill Frances and Bruton Smiths of the world, people like that. The real movers and shakers in this industry. I truly appreciate it, I really do." The Myers Brothers Award recognizes individuals and/or groups who have provided outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing. (SceneDaily.com)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Petty Honored: As a physician, North Carolina neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty ranks among the top of his field. He also ranks highly in the minds of many NASCAR drivers, officials and industry members – both past and present – whom he's cared for during his 46-year medical career. For those contributions, and his enduring commitment to the sport, Dr. Petty is being honored during this week's 2006 Champions Week festivities in New York City. He'll receive the Bill France NASCAR Award of Excellence during Friday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Awards Ceremony in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel's historic Grand Ballroom. The Bill France NASCAR Award of Excellence spotlights career or lifetime achievements, and Dr. Petty's longtime contributions have been crucial to the growth of NASCAR's safety program. Dr. Petty, 71, has treated innumerable NASCAR participants since 1968 – the year he joined his Charlotte, N.C.-based practice. A Gastonia, N.C., native, he began his medical career in 1960 as an assistant neurological surgery resident at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. He ended his tenure there as a senior resident in 1967, and joined Charlotte Neurosurgery and Spine Center in Charlotte, N.C., in 1968. As an at-track medical presence, Dr. Petty has treated many NASCAR greats, team members and employees. His home track is Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he's worked the infield care center since 1970, but he's equally renowned for his neurological skill and experience off-track, and at other NASCAR venues. Also, Dr. Petty has been a consultant for NASCAR's medical liaison program since 2002, and his reservoir of experience and familiarity provides valuable long-term data and continuity. A University of North Carolina alumnus and 1960 graduate of the UNC Medical School, Dr. Petty served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force's medical corps from 1961-63. He and his wife, Audrey, have four children and 11 grandchildren. Son Scott is a radiologist in Franklin, N.C. Daughter Mary Key is a speech pathologist and daughters Kate Boyd and Laura Barrett are registered nurses. Dr. Petty also serves as a team physician for the Carolina Panthers; he's done so since their inaugural 1995 season.(NASCAR PR)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dale Jr.'s valuable joyride
RAY MELICK/Birmingham News
It is common for a car dealer to let someone take a new car out for a test drive.
It is uncommon, however, to have that car come back covered in dust and bugs, with a busted right-side mirror and a scrape along one rear fender. That's not to mention a couple hundred miles more on the odometer plus eyewitnesses who report the car was repeatedly being topped out at 130 miles per hour.
"When I found out what happened, I called the guy I loaned it to," said Philip Alderman, the owner of Colonial Chevrolet-Buick in Talladega.
"I asked what kind of insurance he had, and he said, `Man, I'm so sorry. I had no idea that fool (the driver) would smack that car into the wall like that."
The "guy" to whom Alderman lent the car - a 2006 black Monte Carlo - was Rick Humphries, the general manager of Talladega Superspeedway.
The "fool" who smacked the car into the wall was Dale Earnhardt Jr., doing a little "ride and drive" that allowed guest passengers to take a few laps around the newly resurfaced track at Talladega last month.
That's why Alderman was not really unhappy with the condition in which the Monte Carlo was returned. In fact, he's turned it into the centerpiece of his dealership showroom.
"We didn't even wash it," Alderman said. "We're willing to sell it, as is. Rick had Dale sign the dashboard and the sticker, and we laminated all the articles and pictures of the trips Dale took in the car around the speedway.
"For $125, I could have it fixed up as good as new. I haven't done it. I'm thinking about putting it up on eBay for auction."
He believes he can auction off the car for more than the usual value of a 2006 Monte Carlo. The current sticker price of the Earnhardt car is $29,405.
Alderman's dealership used to regularly lend cars to the Talladega track for "ride and drives" until the speedway became aligned with Ford.
However, because Earnhardt Jr. races in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, he wasn't about to be seen driving a Ford around any track, which sent Humphries back to Alderman for help.
"Rick and I are good friends," Alderman said. "He's president of the Rotary, and I'm president-elect, so we've had a lot of fun with this.
"I think all they did was make the car more valuable. It's the first car to go around the (newly resurfaced) track at Talladega, the first car to hit the newly painted wall - and there is still paint on the rear fender to prove it. And, of course, it was driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. That's why we haven't even washed the bugs off of it."
Alderman is still trying to work out a site to make the car available for auction on eBay, but isn't overly concerned, one way or the other.
"It's good for me, no matter what," he said. "I didn't cost me anything. It draws people into the dealership. It gets people thinking about the Monte Carlo.
"Worst case, I can fix the mirror, buff out the scratch, and sell it anyway. But I just think it's got some novelty value, because of who drove it and what happened to it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~RAY MELICK/Birmingham News
It is common for a car dealer to let someone take a new car out for a test drive.
It is uncommon, however, to have that car come back covered in dust and bugs, with a busted right-side mirror and a scrape along one rear fender. That's not to mention a couple hundred miles more on the odometer plus eyewitnesses who report the car was repeatedly being topped out at 130 miles per hour.
"When I found out what happened, I called the guy I loaned it to," said Philip Alderman, the owner of Colonial Chevrolet-Buick in Talladega.
"I asked what kind of insurance he had, and he said, `Man, I'm so sorry. I had no idea that fool (the driver) would smack that car into the wall like that."
The "guy" to whom Alderman lent the car - a 2006 black Monte Carlo - was Rick Humphries, the general manager of Talladega Superspeedway.
The "fool" who smacked the car into the wall was Dale Earnhardt Jr., doing a little "ride and drive" that allowed guest passengers to take a few laps around the newly resurfaced track at Talladega last month.
That's why Alderman was not really unhappy with the condition in which the Monte Carlo was returned. In fact, he's turned it into the centerpiece of his dealership showroom.
"We didn't even wash it," Alderman said. "We're willing to sell it, as is. Rick had Dale sign the dashboard and the sticker, and we laminated all the articles and pictures of the trips Dale took in the car around the speedway.
"For $125, I could have it fixed up as good as new. I haven't done it. I'm thinking about putting it up on eBay for auction."
He believes he can auction off the car for more than the usual value of a 2006 Monte Carlo. The current sticker price of the Earnhardt car is $29,405.
Alderman's dealership used to regularly lend cars to the Talladega track for "ride and drives" until the speedway became aligned with Ford.
However, because Earnhardt Jr. races in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, he wasn't about to be seen driving a Ford around any track, which sent Humphries back to Alderman for help.
"Rick and I are good friends," Alderman said. "He's president of the Rotary, and I'm president-elect, so we've had a lot of fun with this.
"I think all they did was make the car more valuable. It's the first car to go around the (newly resurfaced) track at Talladega, the first car to hit the newly painted wall - and there is still paint on the rear fender to prove it. And, of course, it was driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. That's why we haven't even washed the bugs off of it."
Alderman is still trying to work out a site to make the car available for auction on eBay, but isn't overly concerned, one way or the other.
"It's good for me, no matter what," he said. "I didn't cost me anything. It draws people into the dealership. It gets people thinking about the Monte Carlo.
"Worst case, I can fix the mirror, buff out the scratch, and sell it anyway. But I just think it's got some novelty value, because of who drove it and what happened to it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fantastic finish
By Jerry Bonkowski, Yahoo! Sports
NEW YORK – NASCAR's annual banquet often provides plenty of fodder for review columns like these. And though the last couple of banquets – while including many good moments – have been deserving of being made fun of at times, after Friday evening I couldn't find anything bad to say, even in jest, about anyone in the front office.
With a few exceptions, the banquet itself went off with nary a hitch and even the telecast of it on TNT only had a few minor glitches.
So let's take a look at the evening's highlights from the Grand Ballroom at the famed Waldorf Astoria Hotel:
Best observation
Giving credit where it's due: Comedian/actor Jay Mohr has never been one of my favorites. But after leaving much to be desired as master of ceremonies for the last two NASCAR banquets, he was definitely on top of his game Friday night. His timing was near-perfect, his jokes were actually pretty funny and his ad-libs were outstanding – even though his voice kept flashing back to his native New Jersey accent, making him sound at times like a young Don Rickles. I guess being married to actress Nikki Cox has made Mohr a better man. I take back all the bad things I've said about him from the last two banquets – well, almost.
You are so beautiful
Winning couple: Without question, Chandra Johnson was the belle of the ball, the brightest star of the night. She looked absolutely stunning Friday. Her husband Jimmie Johnson, the new Nextel Cup champ, wore a simple but tasteful and dignified dark suit. He almost appeared more like a successful Wall Street stock trader or a high-priced lawyer than a race car driver … make that racing champion who earned a record $15,695,125 this year.
Best episode of the night
Open mouth, insert foot, Part 1: Without question, Kyle Busch – in 10th place, the "Worst of the best. Woooh!" as he put it – was the most embarrassed of the more than 1,000 attendees. As he was passing out thanks and praise, Busch turned to his girlfriend and said, "I want to thank Eva." He paused momentarily then added, "Eva? I mean Erica!" Eva is older brother Kurt Busch's wife's name, while Erica Dewey is the younger Busch's girlfriend. Kyle tried to dance around his misstep by adding, "That's OK, because when Kurt got married, the pastor called him Kyle." Think Kyle was stuck sleeping on the couch Friday evening?
Team owner Rick Hendrick, Mohr, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick were among those who proceeded to make fun of Busch, quite humorously, in their subsequent speeches.
Mohr, Mohr, Mohr
NASCAR must have paid big bucks for some of the best comedy writers in the business, because Mohr's lines were outstanding, for the most part. Among some of the best:
Helton, P.I.: "[NASCAR president] Mike Helton was late getting here tonight. He was in the lobby signing autographs as Tom Selleck. … If I had a mustache like that, I'd take it off and put it on the nightstand tonight. Old school, man."
He's not saying Denny Hamlin is young, but: "Denny Hamlin finished 68 points shy of being the first rookie to ever win the championship. Imagine what he'll do when he turns 16 and gets his first driver's license. What a baby. Look at him. His first sponsors were Vicks VapoRub and Chucky Cheese."
On boring" Matt Kenseth: "You are dull. You make Al Gore look like Little Richard."
On Johnson finally winning the championship: "For five years Jimmie Johnson has been standing on the outside looking in. The past two years, he's had to sit in this audience and listen to me make fun of him for being a metrosexual. Look at those perfectly manicured eyebrows, ladies and gentlemen. They don't prune like that at Augusta."
Case of mistaken identity: "Tony Stewart was also a little late tonight. He was in the lobby signing autographs as [comedian] Paul Rodriguez."
Are you saying he has a lot of support? "That's a lot of sponsors. What, did you write your acceptance speech by going through the Yellow Pages?," Mohr said to Dale Earnhardt Jr. after Junior thanked a long list of sponsors – the longest of any driver that was honored Friday
Giving props to the champ: "Who's gonna pass him? He'll kill 'em." – On the possibility of former heavyweight boxing champ Evander Holyfield, who attended Friday's banquet, becoming a race car driver.
Let's everyone whisper, Kasey Kahne:" Mohr put together a hysterical take-off on one of Kasey Kahne's Allstate commercials. Replacing the female Kahne fans in the original spot, Mohr becomes enthralled, entranced and excited when he "sees" Kahne in the commercial, eventually leading up to the point where he hits a huge statue that drops a tire onto Kahne's race car, crushing it.
Kasey Kahne, Part Deux: "Kasey Kahne raced his way into the Chase by winning six races. Six races this guy won, more than anyone else. Usually that means you'll win the championship. Kasey finished eighth. What did you do the rest of those races? Surrender? How does that work out? Who was your sponsor? The French?"
More great lines, but not from Mohr
Six is No. 1 to him: Although he'll carry the No. 01 on his car next season, Mark Martin will always be remembered by something else: "The No. 6 defines me. To me and many others, I'll always be the No. 6," he said.
If you can't make fun of yourself, who can? Martin congratulating Johnson on his championship: "Nextel Cup champion. How does it feel? I wouldn't know."
Matt has a pulse after all: Matt Kenseth decided to challenge Mohr to a bet during their time together on stage. Said Kenseth," By the way, the Packers are going to beat the Jets this Sunday." Mohr responded, "How much?" Added Kenseth, "We'll talk about it backstage."
Thanks, buddy: Team owner Rick Hendrick displayed both class and humor in saying goodbye to driver Brian Vickers, who will race for the Red Bull team next season: "We want to wish Brian well and thank him for everything he's done for us, especially at Talladega." Hendrick, of course, referred to Vickers wrecking race leaders Earnhardt Jr. and now-former Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson and driving on to his first career Cup win.
Speaking of Vickers and his incident at Dega: Unlike last year, Comedian Will Ferrell was unable to attend Friday's banquet in person. But he sent a video that was played to honor the Most Dramatic Moment of the Season (the Vickers incident at Talladega), as picked in a national poll of fans. Unfortunately, Ferrell looked more like he had just climbed out of bed and tossed on a sweat suit. Still, the star of "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" was his typical humorous self. Among Ferrell's quips during his acceptance "for the second year of the award I didn't win" were: "Hey Brian, nice driving!" … "Hey Jimmie, nice save." … "And Dale, I bet it took some Budweisers to get over that one."
At least he's honest: After giving his speech for finishing third, Hamlin turned to Mohr and said, "Did I suck?" To which Mohr replied, "No, you were great. The good news is you can save that tux for your prom. It's good to see that you landed on your feet after they kicked you out of New Kids on the Block."
Close but no cigar: "I never thought I'd be excited about somebody else winning the championship." – Jeff Gordon on Johnson's title. Gordon is co-owner of Johnson's No. 48 team.
Ah, he has so many already, would he have missed one more: After accepting the trophy for championship car owner, Hendrick began to walk off the stage without it before remembering what he had walked up there for in the first place. He quickly retrieved it with a sheepish smile upon his face.
Classiest moments
Sign of a true champion, even if he finished 11th this season: Stewart congratulated recently retired Terry Labonte for "going out on his own terms" and Mark Martin for "signing a contract for the first time in your career on his terms."
I'll vouch for that: Jeff Gordon paid honor to Martin, as well. "I know Mark Martin doesn't like to be known as the greatest driver who never won a championship, but you've got that one hands-down, buddy. You are the greatest."
Add me to the list: Ditto for Johnson honoring Martin. "You may not have that trophy, buddy, but you are a true champion to everybody."
Who says you need candy and flowers to get a woman's heart? Being a bit playful after the whole Kyle Busch fiasco, Martin, who followed Busch on stage, began with a joke, pretending to be unsure about his wife's name, but ended with one of the most touching lines of the evening. "It's Arlene, right? I'm pretty sure it is. Thank you for raising me and our family. After 22 years, you're still the hottest thing in the garage to me."
Being serious for a second: "You're what the sport is all about. You're real class and you deserve applause." – Mohr to Mark Martin.
Never forget: All members of Hendrick Motorsports in attendance, including Rick Hendrick, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, wore lapel pins whose shape was a combination of H (for Hendrick) and an airplane to honor the 10 people who were killed in the crash of a Hendrick plane near Martinsville, Va., in October 2004.
Worst moments
Not a jewel: Singer Jewel was the featured entertainment – and we use the word "entertainment" loosely. Singing a couple of her hits and accompanied only by her own guitar, her manic-depressive lyrics practically put some attendees to sleep.
Matt, move your eyes, your body, something, anything! Matt Kenseth has to learn how to read from a teleprompter. Like a statue without any animation, Kenseth barely moved while giving his acceptance speech for finishing second in the standings. He just read on and on and on and on …
A special shout out
Outstanding: That's the best way to describe the post-banquet party's entertainment, New York-based Starlight Experience. With more than 30 dancers, singers and musicians, the group kept the music and the crowd hopping for more than four hours.
Post-mortem
That's a wrap: Without question, this was the best-run NASCAR banquet and awards event I've attended. All in all, it wasn't a bad evening.
Happy Holidays to all.
Veteran motorsports writer Jerry Bonkowski is Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR columnist.
By Jerry Bonkowski, Yahoo! Sports
NEW YORK – NASCAR's annual banquet often provides plenty of fodder for review columns like these. And though the last couple of banquets – while including many good moments – have been deserving of being made fun of at times, after Friday evening I couldn't find anything bad to say, even in jest, about anyone in the front office.
With a few exceptions, the banquet itself went off with nary a hitch and even the telecast of it on TNT only had a few minor glitches.
So let's take a look at the evening's highlights from the Grand Ballroom at the famed Waldorf Astoria Hotel:
Best observation
Giving credit where it's due: Comedian/actor Jay Mohr has never been one of my favorites. But after leaving much to be desired as master of ceremonies for the last two NASCAR banquets, he was definitely on top of his game Friday night. His timing was near-perfect, his jokes were actually pretty funny and his ad-libs were outstanding – even though his voice kept flashing back to his native New Jersey accent, making him sound at times like a young Don Rickles. I guess being married to actress Nikki Cox has made Mohr a better man. I take back all the bad things I've said about him from the last two banquets – well, almost.
You are so beautiful
Winning couple: Without question, Chandra Johnson was the belle of the ball, the brightest star of the night. She looked absolutely stunning Friday. Her husband Jimmie Johnson, the new Nextel Cup champ, wore a simple but tasteful and dignified dark suit. He almost appeared more like a successful Wall Street stock trader or a high-priced lawyer than a race car driver … make that racing champion who earned a record $15,695,125 this year.
Best episode of the night
Open mouth, insert foot, Part 1: Without question, Kyle Busch – in 10th place, the "Worst of the best. Woooh!" as he put it – was the most embarrassed of the more than 1,000 attendees. As he was passing out thanks and praise, Busch turned to his girlfriend and said, "I want to thank Eva." He paused momentarily then added, "Eva? I mean Erica!" Eva is older brother Kurt Busch's wife's name, while Erica Dewey is the younger Busch's girlfriend. Kyle tried to dance around his misstep by adding, "That's OK, because when Kurt got married, the pastor called him Kyle." Think Kyle was stuck sleeping on the couch Friday evening?
Team owner Rick Hendrick, Mohr, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick were among those who proceeded to make fun of Busch, quite humorously, in their subsequent speeches.
Mohr, Mohr, Mohr
NASCAR must have paid big bucks for some of the best comedy writers in the business, because Mohr's lines were outstanding, for the most part. Among some of the best:
Helton, P.I.: "[NASCAR president] Mike Helton was late getting here tonight. He was in the lobby signing autographs as Tom Selleck. … If I had a mustache like that, I'd take it off and put it on the nightstand tonight. Old school, man."
He's not saying Denny Hamlin is young, but: "Denny Hamlin finished 68 points shy of being the first rookie to ever win the championship. Imagine what he'll do when he turns 16 and gets his first driver's license. What a baby. Look at him. His first sponsors were Vicks VapoRub and Chucky Cheese."
On boring" Matt Kenseth: "You are dull. You make Al Gore look like Little Richard."
On Johnson finally winning the championship: "For five years Jimmie Johnson has been standing on the outside looking in. The past two years, he's had to sit in this audience and listen to me make fun of him for being a metrosexual. Look at those perfectly manicured eyebrows, ladies and gentlemen. They don't prune like that at Augusta."
Case of mistaken identity: "Tony Stewart was also a little late tonight. He was in the lobby signing autographs as [comedian] Paul Rodriguez."
Are you saying he has a lot of support? "That's a lot of sponsors. What, did you write your acceptance speech by going through the Yellow Pages?," Mohr said to Dale Earnhardt Jr. after Junior thanked a long list of sponsors – the longest of any driver that was honored Friday
Giving props to the champ: "Who's gonna pass him? He'll kill 'em." – On the possibility of former heavyweight boxing champ Evander Holyfield, who attended Friday's banquet, becoming a race car driver.
Let's everyone whisper, Kasey Kahne:" Mohr put together a hysterical take-off on one of Kasey Kahne's Allstate commercials. Replacing the female Kahne fans in the original spot, Mohr becomes enthralled, entranced and excited when he "sees" Kahne in the commercial, eventually leading up to the point where he hits a huge statue that drops a tire onto Kahne's race car, crushing it.
Kasey Kahne, Part Deux: "Kasey Kahne raced his way into the Chase by winning six races. Six races this guy won, more than anyone else. Usually that means you'll win the championship. Kasey finished eighth. What did you do the rest of those races? Surrender? How does that work out? Who was your sponsor? The French?"
More great lines, but not from Mohr
Six is No. 1 to him: Although he'll carry the No. 01 on his car next season, Mark Martin will always be remembered by something else: "The No. 6 defines me. To me and many others, I'll always be the No. 6," he said.
If you can't make fun of yourself, who can? Martin congratulating Johnson on his championship: "Nextel Cup champion. How does it feel? I wouldn't know."
Matt has a pulse after all: Matt Kenseth decided to challenge Mohr to a bet during their time together on stage. Said Kenseth," By the way, the Packers are going to beat the Jets this Sunday." Mohr responded, "How much?" Added Kenseth, "We'll talk about it backstage."
Thanks, buddy: Team owner Rick Hendrick displayed both class and humor in saying goodbye to driver Brian Vickers, who will race for the Red Bull team next season: "We want to wish Brian well and thank him for everything he's done for us, especially at Talladega." Hendrick, of course, referred to Vickers wrecking race leaders Earnhardt Jr. and now-former Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson and driving on to his first career Cup win.
Speaking of Vickers and his incident at Dega: Unlike last year, Comedian Will Ferrell was unable to attend Friday's banquet in person. But he sent a video that was played to honor the Most Dramatic Moment of the Season (the Vickers incident at Talladega), as picked in a national poll of fans. Unfortunately, Ferrell looked more like he had just climbed out of bed and tossed on a sweat suit. Still, the star of "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" was his typical humorous self. Among Ferrell's quips during his acceptance "for the second year of the award I didn't win" were: "Hey Brian, nice driving!" … "Hey Jimmie, nice save." … "And Dale, I bet it took some Budweisers to get over that one."
At least he's honest: After giving his speech for finishing third, Hamlin turned to Mohr and said, "Did I suck?" To which Mohr replied, "No, you were great. The good news is you can save that tux for your prom. It's good to see that you landed on your feet after they kicked you out of New Kids on the Block."
Close but no cigar: "I never thought I'd be excited about somebody else winning the championship." – Jeff Gordon on Johnson's title. Gordon is co-owner of Johnson's No. 48 team.
Ah, he has so many already, would he have missed one more: After accepting the trophy for championship car owner, Hendrick began to walk off the stage without it before remembering what he had walked up there for in the first place. He quickly retrieved it with a sheepish smile upon his face.
Classiest moments
Sign of a true champion, even if he finished 11th this season: Stewart congratulated recently retired Terry Labonte for "going out on his own terms" and Mark Martin for "signing a contract for the first time in your career on his terms."
I'll vouch for that: Jeff Gordon paid honor to Martin, as well. "I know Mark Martin doesn't like to be known as the greatest driver who never won a championship, but you've got that one hands-down, buddy. You are the greatest."
Add me to the list: Ditto for Johnson honoring Martin. "You may not have that trophy, buddy, but you are a true champion to everybody."
Who says you need candy and flowers to get a woman's heart? Being a bit playful after the whole Kyle Busch fiasco, Martin, who followed Busch on stage, began with a joke, pretending to be unsure about his wife's name, but ended with one of the most touching lines of the evening. "It's Arlene, right? I'm pretty sure it is. Thank you for raising me and our family. After 22 years, you're still the hottest thing in the garage to me."
Being serious for a second: "You're what the sport is all about. You're real class and you deserve applause." – Mohr to Mark Martin.
Never forget: All members of Hendrick Motorsports in attendance, including Rick Hendrick, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, wore lapel pins whose shape was a combination of H (for Hendrick) and an airplane to honor the 10 people who were killed in the crash of a Hendrick plane near Martinsville, Va., in October 2004.
Worst moments
Not a jewel: Singer Jewel was the featured entertainment – and we use the word "entertainment" loosely. Singing a couple of her hits and accompanied only by her own guitar, her manic-depressive lyrics practically put some attendees to sleep.
Matt, move your eyes, your body, something, anything! Matt Kenseth has to learn how to read from a teleprompter. Like a statue without any animation, Kenseth barely moved while giving his acceptance speech for finishing second in the standings. He just read on and on and on and on …
A special shout out
Outstanding: That's the best way to describe the post-banquet party's entertainment, New York-based Starlight Experience. With more than 30 dancers, singers and musicians, the group kept the music and the crowd hopping for more than four hours.
Post-mortem
That's a wrap: Without question, this was the best-run NASCAR banquet and awards event I've attended. All in all, it wasn't a bad evening.
Happy Holidays to all.
Veteran motorsports writer Jerry Bonkowski is Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR columnist.
ISC facing difficulties in Staten Island
by Steve Waid
NEW YORK – During a session at the Motorsports Marketing Forum here, where several issues facing NASCAR and other sanctioning bodies were discussed, the matter of the proposed speedway in Staten Island was brought up in an interesting way.
The attendees who thought there would be a NASCAR race in New York before one in China were asked to raise their hands. None did.
Then, all the New Yorkers in attendance were asked to raise their hands if they thought a track would be built in their city. None did.
Interesting. It would indicate that ISC's attempt to put a track in the country's No. 1 market is a task that might be too formidable to complete – at least, that seems to be the opinion expressed at the forum.
In the past, ISC has vigorously pushed for the creation of the speedway. It has, among other things, bought the land in Staten Island, presented traffic plans, pleaded that racing is good for the city's economy and butted heads with the local politicians – who have been unimpressed, to say the least.
ISC officials said that it's going to take time. And as that time passes, its hope is that newly elected officials will be more receptive of the project – which, I would think, is the first step toward its completion.
It's obvious that many folks in Staten Island have no desire to see a track built in their borough and have said so.
But others have been equally vocal in their support. They've said the economy isn't the best and the influx of dollars and jobs from a speedway would be a boon.
Some have also said they aren't certain that their fellow citizens understand what a NASCAR race really is. It's not just about cars running around in a circle. It's a major event that spans days, with all manner of related activities and promotions.
There's no doubt ISC would greatly benefit from a speedway in the country's largest metropolitan area and the home of many major corporations.
It's obvious that to have it is, indeed, going to take time – and money.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~by Steve Waid
NEW YORK – During a session at the Motorsports Marketing Forum here, where several issues facing NASCAR and other sanctioning bodies were discussed, the matter of the proposed speedway in Staten Island was brought up in an interesting way.
The attendees who thought there would be a NASCAR race in New York before one in China were asked to raise their hands. None did.
Then, all the New Yorkers in attendance were asked to raise their hands if they thought a track would be built in their city. None did.
Interesting. It would indicate that ISC's attempt to put a track in the country's No. 1 market is a task that might be too formidable to complete – at least, that seems to be the opinion expressed at the forum.
In the past, ISC has vigorously pushed for the creation of the speedway. It has, among other things, bought the land in Staten Island, presented traffic plans, pleaded that racing is good for the city's economy and butted heads with the local politicians – who have been unimpressed, to say the least.
ISC officials said that it's going to take time. And as that time passes, its hope is that newly elected officials will be more receptive of the project – which, I would think, is the first step toward its completion.
It's obvious that many folks in Staten Island have no desire to see a track built in their borough and have said so.
But others have been equally vocal in their support. They've said the economy isn't the best and the influx of dollars and jobs from a speedway would be a boon.
Some have also said they aren't certain that their fellow citizens understand what a NASCAR race really is. It's not just about cars running around in a circle. It's a major event that spans days, with all manner of related activities and promotions.
There's no doubt ISC would greatly benefit from a speedway in the country's largest metropolitan area and the home of many major corporations.
It's obvious that to have it is, indeed, going to take time – and money.
For awards ceremony, TV doesn't do it justice
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
NEW YORK -- It is tradition almost as old as the annual NASCAR Nextel Cup Awards Ceremony.
The annual NASCAR Nextel Cup Awards Ceremony Bashing 500.
It happens every year. People simply hate the broadcast of the event, and they never cease complaining about it. Oh, it's right as rain and dependable as a DEI motor (the non-Robby Gordon version).
One writer I know put it this way on Thursday: "I come up here every year promising myself that I won't write the 'banquet is horrible television' story, and yet, that is what I end up doing the first Saturday of every month."
And yes, it isn't good television. No awards show in the world -- not NASCAR, not pop music, not anything -- is good television. Have you ever watched ESPN when they award the Heisman? Great award. Very painful and awkward television.
That is why NASCAR brought in Jay Mohr. He was anything but awkward. At my table, we were laughing pretty steadily at his jokes. He had several groaners (calling Jeff Burton a robot is like calling Jimmy Spencer a road-course ace), but for the most part, he lightened things up.
My favorite line of his:
"Kyle Busch went from rookie of the year to a Cup contender. His performance, along with Jimmie [Johnson] and Jeff [Gordon], make Hendrick Motorsports such a dominating force this year. Then, at Talladega, Brian Vickers had to make sure everyone else had a chance. [Crowd snickers.] Is he here? What? He's not here."
OK, so it's not that funny in print. But it was in person. All in all, it was a good night. Remember, it will always be bad TV.
Let's get to some e-mails.
I am not sure how Jay Mohr continues to be invited back to co-host the Nextel Cup awards banquet each year. His jokes are terrible and many of them are just plain rude. He doesn't fit in with NASCAR, its teams, sponsors or fans.
I am not sure what impression a first-time viewer would have of our sport after listening to Jay Mohr's comments. The sport deserves more respect than provided by Mr. Mohr. There are many other celebrities that would be a much better fit for the crowning ceremony.
-- David
David, my dad was a first-time viewer and he didn't like Mohr either. He suggested using Robin Williams instead, even though Williams hasn't been funny since Good Morning Vietnam.
The drivers didn't appear to mind Mohr's jokes, and his spoof of the Kasey Kahne commercial was well-received. The only problem was that Mohr spoofed the wrong one. How could he not make fun of Kahne spray-painting a woman's toes?
And for the record, I am not sure Kyle Busch didn't purposely get his girlfriend's name wrong just to draw a laugh, which it certainly did.
I am fuming!!!!!!!
Why get dressed up, fly to New York and be insulted and embarrassed? Jay was insulting and not funny. So goes the sport, so goes the banquet!
Take the banquet back to the dignified night it used to be.
-- Anonymous
Trust me, it was dignified. Mohr was sincerely complimentary of the drivers when he was not uttering quips.
NASCAR seemingly can't win here. They heard complaints that the ceremony was too long and too boring. They shorten it considerably and hire a funny person to help emcee, and their efforts were mysteriously underappreciated.
I don't know if it's just me, but I don't think it's anybody's business how much money the drivers and wives or girlfriends spent during the week, or on the clothes they wore. I was watching the yellow carpet interviews and thought some of it was a bit tacky.
-- Sheri
What do you want them to ask? Should Melissa Rivers have said, "Wife, what was your reaction when your husband took only two tires on that last pit stop at Michigan?"
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
NEW YORK -- It is tradition almost as old as the annual NASCAR Nextel Cup Awards Ceremony.
The annual NASCAR Nextel Cup Awards Ceremony Bashing 500.
It happens every year. People simply hate the broadcast of the event, and they never cease complaining about it. Oh, it's right as rain and dependable as a DEI motor (the non-Robby Gordon version).
One writer I know put it this way on Thursday: "I come up here every year promising myself that I won't write the 'banquet is horrible television' story, and yet, that is what I end up doing the first Saturday of every month."
And yes, it isn't good television. No awards show in the world -- not NASCAR, not pop music, not anything -- is good television. Have you ever watched ESPN when they award the Heisman? Great award. Very painful and awkward television.
That is why NASCAR brought in Jay Mohr. He was anything but awkward. At my table, we were laughing pretty steadily at his jokes. He had several groaners (calling Jeff Burton a robot is like calling Jimmy Spencer a road-course ace), but for the most part, he lightened things up.
My favorite line of his:
"Kyle Busch went from rookie of the year to a Cup contender. His performance, along with Jimmie [Johnson] and Jeff [Gordon], make Hendrick Motorsports such a dominating force this year. Then, at Talladega, Brian Vickers had to make sure everyone else had a chance. [Crowd snickers.] Is he here? What? He's not here."
OK, so it's not that funny in print. But it was in person. All in all, it was a good night. Remember, it will always be bad TV.
Let's get to some e-mails.
I am not sure how Jay Mohr continues to be invited back to co-host the Nextel Cup awards banquet each year. His jokes are terrible and many of them are just plain rude. He doesn't fit in with NASCAR, its teams, sponsors or fans.
I am not sure what impression a first-time viewer would have of our sport after listening to Jay Mohr's comments. The sport deserves more respect than provided by Mr. Mohr. There are many other celebrities that would be a much better fit for the crowning ceremony.
-- David
David, my dad was a first-time viewer and he didn't like Mohr either. He suggested using Robin Williams instead, even though Williams hasn't been funny since Good Morning Vietnam.
The drivers didn't appear to mind Mohr's jokes, and his spoof of the Kasey Kahne commercial was well-received. The only problem was that Mohr spoofed the wrong one. How could he not make fun of Kahne spray-painting a woman's toes?
And for the record, I am not sure Kyle Busch didn't purposely get his girlfriend's name wrong just to draw a laugh, which it certainly did.
I am fuming!!!!!!!
Why get dressed up, fly to New York and be insulted and embarrassed? Jay was insulting and not funny. So goes the sport, so goes the banquet!
Take the banquet back to the dignified night it used to be.
-- Anonymous
Trust me, it was dignified. Mohr was sincerely complimentary of the drivers when he was not uttering quips.
NASCAR seemingly can't win here. They heard complaints that the ceremony was too long and too boring. They shorten it considerably and hire a funny person to help emcee, and their efforts were mysteriously underappreciated.
I don't know if it's just me, but I don't think it's anybody's business how much money the drivers and wives or girlfriends spent during the week, or on the clothes they wore. I was watching the yellow carpet interviews and thought some of it was a bit tacky.
-- Sheri
What do you want them to ask? Should Melissa Rivers have said, "Wife, what was your reaction when your husband took only two tires on that last pit stop at Michigan?"
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cup '06
Top MomentsBy Jarrod Breeze, NASCAR.COM
NASCAR suspends Chad Knaus
When Jimmie Johnson's car failed inspection following qualifying for the Daytona 500, NASCAR president Mike Helton made an example of the man responsible.
Fully aware of Knaus' reputation as a crew chief willing to push the envelope, Helton ejected Knaus from the racetrack and suspended him for the first four races of the season.
"This is a new season, a new day, and [Helton] is determined to get this season started off to where guys get the message that we're not going to tolerate this,'' NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said.
"We're very serious about this. We've got to make sure everybody plays by the same rules. Guys have to understand how far they can push things."
Knaus, who had been under scrutiny before, denied any blatant wrongdoing after it was determined the 48 Chevrolet had a device that raised the rear window of the car, giving it an aerodynamic advantage.
"We got caught with something NASCAR didn't like," Knaus said. "We pushed something a little bit too far."
Undaunted, Johnson won his first Daytona 500 and offered no apologies. It was that kind of "us against them" attitude that carried the 48 team to the championship.
"We sat down well before the season ever began and laid out a plan of how things were going to happen and that just kick-started it,'' Johnson said. "It's made us a lot stronger as a team for sure. It's bonded us as well."
With two wins in the first three races without him, Knaus knew he could rely more on his team than he had in the past. It was with that understanding that Knaus was able to relieve some of the pressure he had put on himself in the past.
"This team has really come into its own over the last year," Knaus said. "I just couldn't be prouder. We had to battle back from a lot of weird stuff this year, and they held strong."
Jeff Gordon gets physical with Matt Kenseth
It was cold at Bristol in late March, but Jeff Gordon was plenty hot after he was bumped on the final lap by Matt Kenseth. Running third at the time, Gordon finished 21st.
When Kenseth approached Gordon on pit road following the race to offer an explanation, the usually reserved Gordon wanted no part of diplomacy. With his helmet still on, an animated Gordon pushed an unsuspecting Kenseth with both hands.
"What you see today is a truer Jeff Gordon and who I really am," Gordon said later that week. "For years, I was so concerned with, 'What is this person going to think? What is that person going to think?' I was more caught up in that than being true to myself."
Gordon, who was fined $10,000 and placed on probation through August for the incident, realized aggression is sometimes the better part of valor.
"I guess that's maybe the Jeff Gordon that has evolved over the years,'' he said. "In the past I've reserved a lot of my emotions. I'm not afraid to show them these days. I'm just being me.''
Gordon proved it later in the summer at Chicagoland, where with four laps remaining he spun out Kenseth for the victory.
"In two laps, he could have passed me clean," Kenseth said. "He just dumped me. I know for sure it was intentional, but that is OK."
The "new" Gordon saw it differently.
"I wanted to race and I had a run but he blocked me again," Gordon said. "I couldn't believe he was doing that and then I had such a great run that I'm not going to back out.
"I didn't mean to wreck him, but I didn't mind moving him out of the way. If we can get the win, we are going to go really hard to get that win. I got the bad end of it at Bristol, and he got the bad end of it [at Chicagoland]."
Jeff Burton's engine goes ker-plooey
Jeff Burton talked as if he knew it was coming. The Chase leader four weeks running warned of the pitfalls at Martinsville.
"I think that with how hard we use the brakes, the potential for mechanical problems or getting into a wreck, we could have some Chase drivers who don't get through Martinsville," Burton prophesied.
He didn't, the potential for mechanical problems becoming to a reality when his engine gave out after just 217 of the 500 laps. The official results placed him 42nd.
Burton was the only Chase contender not to run every lap. He dropped to fifth in the standings, a 45-point lead suddenly a 48-point deficit. With his victory, Jimmie Johnson made up 105 points that race.
As Johnson ascended to the top of the standings, Burton's deficit grew larger every week. He led Johnson by 146 points going into Martinsville. He finished the season seventh, 247 points behind the champion.
It wasn't the first time this year that Burton's car quit. His only other DNF of the season, at Michigan in August, was due to engine failure.
More telling, on the very day in which Burton returned to Victory Lane and took the Chase lead, Richard Childress Racing's other two cars had engine trouble. Kevin Harvick, whose win the previous week in the Chase opener had given him the points lead, dropped to fifth in the standings.
"The only thing we could do is keep on doing what we were doing and just keep our fingers crossed that the same things didn't happen to us," Burton said at the time. "Really, if you go back and look at the engine failures at RCR, it's pretty minimal."
That changed on Lap 210 at Martinsville, where Burton first began to notice something was amiss. He stayed out, as the team debated what to do.
"Basically, we decided to pit but we blew it up before we decided to pit," Burton said. "I should have come on down a lap earlier. You don't know what's going to happen. It's just a gamble of whether you come in or not."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rating the Top 30
Robby Gordon, 30th
By Rea White/Scene Daily.com
During the offseason, SceneDaily is taking a look at the top 30 in NASCAR Nextel Cup driver points. Today's driver is Robby Gordon, who finished 30th in the final standings.
While Robby Gordon managed to finish 30th in the series standings, his 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup season may be remembered more for his toss of roll-bar padding than anything else.
Robby Gordon Motorsports, in its second season as an owner-driver operation, competed in all 36 races and finished high enough in the standings to be guaranteed a starting spot in the season's opening five races in 2007.
Gordon finished 13th in the Daytona 500 to open the season 14th in the standings, but he quickly plummeted into the mid-20s and stayed there for most of the season.
He earned one top-five finish, a fourth at Watkins Glen International, and three top-10s, but closed the year with finishes of 32nd or worse in the final three races.
But Gordon may be best known for the 50-point penalty he received following the October race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Racing as the lead car one lap off the pace, Gordon needed a caution to get NASCAR's free pass.
Jeff Burton, a contender in the Chase For The Nextel Cup, meanwhile, didn't need a caution to come out. He'd just pitted for a flat tire and needed the race to remain under green-flag conditions until the leader's also pitted. Gordon's toss caused the caution and cost Burton position in what turned out to be a pivotal Chase race for his Richard Childress Racing team.
Gordon was fined 50 driver and 50 owner points as well as $15,000 for the rule violation. His team appealed the severity of the penalty after Gordon denied in a post-race interview that his car was the source of the tossed material.
"We strongly believe the penalty imposed on the team, crew chief and driver, Robby Gordon, are excessive and fall well outside of any reasonable precedence set by NASCAR in dealing with many similar incidents in the past," Gordon's team said in a statement. "We do intend to appeal the severity of this penalty."
Gordon has announced a manufacturer switch for 2007, aligning with Ford Motor Co. and leaving Chevrolet. He'll now have access to the Roush-Yates engine program and is with a group that has only nine teams, including Roush Racing and Robert Yates Racing, instead of the dominant Chevrolet program that includes powerhouses such as Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing.
J.J. Yeley, 29th
Joe Gibbs Racing rookie J.J. Yeley took over the driving responsibility of the No. 18 from Bobby Labonte, inheriting a former championship-caliber team that had struggled through the past season.
Teamed with fellow rookie Denny Hamlin and defending champion Tony Stewart - whom Yeley had driven for in United States Auto Club competition - the driver adapted to the rigors of the Nextel Cup season quickly. He took on additional responsibility, competing in the Busch Series full time as well and traveling between races when the two series weren't paired together. He finished fifth in that series.
With crew chief Steve Addington, Yeley earned three top-10 Cup finishes but faltered with six DNFs. The victim of several on-track incidents, all of those races he failed to finish came courtesy of an accident.
Yeley climbed to as high as 18th in the points early in the season, but being involved in race-ending accidents - none because of his own errors - in three of the season's final eight races left him deep in the standings.
He posted a top finish of eighth twice, early in the season at California Speedway then again in the opening Chase For The Nextel Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Although Yeley had 16 finishes of 30th or worse, this is a team that could improve dramatically in 2007.
Yeley has a year of experience under his belt and showed an increased understanding of the nuances of Nextel Cup racing late in the season. He still has Stewart to lean on, if needed, and will no longer be running the complete Busch Series.
That extra time to rest and be with his team could pay large dividends as the lengthy season enters the fall months.
By Rea White/Scene Daily.com
During the offseason, SceneDaily is taking a look at the top 30 in NASCAR Nextel Cup driver points. Today's driver is Robby Gordon, who finished 30th in the final standings.
While Robby Gordon managed to finish 30th in the series standings, his 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup season may be remembered more for his toss of roll-bar padding than anything else.
Robby Gordon Motorsports, in its second season as an owner-driver operation, competed in all 36 races and finished high enough in the standings to be guaranteed a starting spot in the season's opening five races in 2007.
Gordon finished 13th in the Daytona 500 to open the season 14th in the standings, but he quickly plummeted into the mid-20s and stayed there for most of the season.
He earned one top-five finish, a fourth at Watkins Glen International, and three top-10s, but closed the year with finishes of 32nd or worse in the final three races.
But Gordon may be best known for the 50-point penalty he received following the October race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Racing as the lead car one lap off the pace, Gordon needed a caution to get NASCAR's free pass.
Jeff Burton, a contender in the Chase For The Nextel Cup, meanwhile, didn't need a caution to come out. He'd just pitted for a flat tire and needed the race to remain under green-flag conditions until the leader's also pitted. Gordon's toss caused the caution and cost Burton position in what turned out to be a pivotal Chase race for his Richard Childress Racing team.
Gordon was fined 50 driver and 50 owner points as well as $15,000 for the rule violation. His team appealed the severity of the penalty after Gordon denied in a post-race interview that his car was the source of the tossed material.
"We strongly believe the penalty imposed on the team, crew chief and driver, Robby Gordon, are excessive and fall well outside of any reasonable precedence set by NASCAR in dealing with many similar incidents in the past," Gordon's team said in a statement. "We do intend to appeal the severity of this penalty."
Gordon has announced a manufacturer switch for 2007, aligning with Ford Motor Co. and leaving Chevrolet. He'll now have access to the Roush-Yates engine program and is with a group that has only nine teams, including Roush Racing and Robert Yates Racing, instead of the dominant Chevrolet program that includes powerhouses such as Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing.
J.J. Yeley, 29th
Joe Gibbs Racing rookie J.J. Yeley took over the driving responsibility of the No. 18 from Bobby Labonte, inheriting a former championship-caliber team that had struggled through the past season.
Teamed with fellow rookie Denny Hamlin and defending champion Tony Stewart - whom Yeley had driven for in United States Auto Club competition - the driver adapted to the rigors of the Nextel Cup season quickly. He took on additional responsibility, competing in the Busch Series full time as well and traveling between races when the two series weren't paired together. He finished fifth in that series.
With crew chief Steve Addington, Yeley earned three top-10 Cup finishes but faltered with six DNFs. The victim of several on-track incidents, all of those races he failed to finish came courtesy of an accident.
Yeley climbed to as high as 18th in the points early in the season, but being involved in race-ending accidents - none because of his own errors - in three of the season's final eight races left him deep in the standings.
He posted a top finish of eighth twice, early in the season at California Speedway then again in the opening Chase For The Nextel Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Although Yeley had 16 finishes of 30th or worse, this is a team that could improve dramatically in 2007.
Yeley has a year of experience under his belt and showed an increased understanding of the nuances of Nextel Cup racing late in the season. He still has Stewart to lean on, if needed, and will no longer be running the complete Busch Series.
That extra time to rest and be with his team could pay large dividends as the lengthy season enters the fall months.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dinner with Johnson 'awesome' for PearcysNextel Cup champ dines with Levi's sweepstakes winners
By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
Jimmie Johnson will have at least two more fans when he defends his title in the 2007 Allstate 400 at The Brickyard than he did when he won this year's event.
Georgia and Richard Pearcy of Altamont, Ill., scored a one-in-40,000-plus victory in Levi Strauss Signature's "Have Dinner with Jimmie Johnson" sweepstakes.
Of course, when the contest opened in June, the folks from Levi's had no idea dinner with the 2006 Nextel Cup champion would be in the offing, along with race tickets to all three events of Ford Championship Weekend, plus "cold" access to Homestead-Miami Speedway's pit area.
And when the main event -- dinner at a posh restaurant in Miami's hip South Beach area -- took place on the eve of the opening of practice for the recent Ford 400, the finale of the Chase for the Nextel Cup, it pointed out that sometimes the significance of an event is better measured by what it means to individuals, rather than its impact on the greater public.
"To meet Jimmie Johnson and to sit down and have supper with him and actually talk to him -- awesome," Georgia said. "Nothing like this has ever happened to us. Everybody we've told is so excited.
"Things like this don't happen to people around here."
Other than a drastic rush to change plans for a party -- since the contest winner wasn't drawn until Nov. 9, six days before the winners would have to depart for South Florida, what was the impact?
"I had several people ask me how big my suitcase was," Georgia said, laughing. "And they were some pretty good-sized guys, but that was how much people wanted to go."
For four days the Pearcys -- Georgia, a nurse, and Richard, a professional truck driver -- waited for someone to tell them the whole thing was a mistake, or a joke. It wasn't until their race tickets and travel package arrived that the Pearcys, who got hooked on the sport when they attended the first of eight consecutive Brickyard 400s in 1999, really believed it.
The very entry in the contest was almost an afterthought for the Pearcys, who have made the trip to Indy an annual event due to its proximity to home and its affordability.
"Everyone's asked us, 'How do you get in one of them contests, and how did you win it?'" Richard said. "Honestly, it was just dumb luck."
Since it's usually their one racing stop of the season, the Pearcys -- as many fans do -- make an event of it. They camp and visit the spectator midways packed with souvenir vendors' trailers and manufacturers' giveaways.
The Levi Strauss Signature "Fit Pit," where fans can view products, pick up information and get precisely, electronically measured for Levi's jeans, was one of their stops. They entered the contest and forgot about it.
"We didn't think about it at all," Richard said. "We were just going through all the show trailers and the Levi's area, where they sized you for blue jeans and gave you some handouts. That's just what we do when we go to the races.
"We try to meet people and get whatever they might be giving away and play the contests they have going. We entered, but we didn't realize it was a sweepstakes to have dinner with Jimmie. It was a total surprise when they called us and told us about it."
The night of the event was a lifetime highlight for the winners. Barton G's in South Beach isn't a place the Pearcys would frequent on their own.
But Johnson, who had agreed to spend a good chunk of the evening before he opened the most important race weekend of his career with two people he'd never met, would fit right in there.
And the interesting thing was, according to the guests of honor, no one in the place knew they were sharing plate time with the 2006 Nextel Cup champion-to-be.
"It was really cool," Richard said of having dinner with the man who would be crowned champ three days later. "It was just like friends sitting around and talking, that was how laid-back it was."
That was the biggest eye-opener of the weekend for Richard.
"I guess it was that he was just like a real person," Richard said of Johnson. "He doesn't act like he's better than anybody. I guess you could say he's just a down-home good old boy.
"It was quite an experience because that restaurant was a bit more high-toned than anything I've ever been into in my life. But as far as anyone even noticing Jimmie -- I didn't notice that anyone even noticed that he was there."
"The most impressive thing, to me, was that he went out of his way to be with us," Georgia said. "I had a few things for him to sign, and he did that, but he sat there for more than 30 minutes and just talked to us about everything from high school to driving fast in cars to motorcycle and our careers.
"It was just like sitting down and talking to somebody around [home]. And if anybody knew he was there, no one approached him."
The Pearcys are somewhat unique in NASCAR fandom, where people seem to live and die with their heroes. Before Homestead, Johnson was not a particular favorite of the couple.
"We've rooted for Jimmie now and then, but he's not our sole favorite driver," Georgia said. "I like Mark Martin, and [Dale Earnhardt] Junior some, and Carl Edwards -- but I do like to see that orange No. 20 car in everybody's rearview mirror, because I'm not much of a Tony Stewart fan [laughing]."
"We like NASCAR," Richard said. "We have our favorites, but it's not like nobody else counts. I still like Bill Elliott, but he's kind of faded away, so I switched over to Mark Martin -- and now Jimmie Johnson's on the list, too."
And there'll be one more Hendrick Motorsports' No. 48 flag flying over the Brickyard in late July.
"When we go over there to the Brickyard and set up our camp and put out our flags," Richard said, "well, we bought a new Jimmie Johnson flag to hang this year."
"I think this trip, and meeting [Jimmie] was the best thing that's ever happened to me," Georgia said, "next to meeting Richard and getting married."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE VIEW FROM FANVILLE
Hey Santa…You Wanna See My List?
By Amy Hain/Cup Scene Daily
The speeches are over, and most of our fellows have returned home and climbed into their favorite casual attire…relieved that for awhile anyway, they won't have to sit through another formal dinner while wearing a suit that isn't even close to being comfortable.
Time to turn the pages and get ready for a new year…oh but wait…first we have to get through Christmas.
If Santa comes to my house, he better have NASCAR written in bold across his big old red suit…which I assume is a fire suit like our boys wear since he's up and down those chimneys and such.
My list this year is quite simple…anything to do with NASCAR will be just fine. In case Santa isn't sure, I made a list just for his perusal…
First, in an envelope tucked in the sweet smelling branches of my Christmas tree that is totally decorated in driver memorabilia…I expect to find a lottery ticket that is guaranteed to pay out enough money for me to be able to attend every race, of every venue during the 2007 season. Included in that package of course will be first class accommodations.
Second, under my tree I truly believe that laying on my NASCAR tree skirt I will find autographed pictures of all the drivers, their crew chiefs, and anyone of importance that hangs out in the garage area. Arranged alphabetically would be an added plus, but not a necessity.
Third, pulled by reindeer and parked out on my street will be every souvenir hauler, of which all my leftover money from the lottery ticket will prove to be enough to buy one of every single thing in every single hauler.
But of course the most triumphant moment of Santa's visit will be when he is starting up the chimney and he casually looks over his shoulder, reaches in his bag, smiles, and tosses me the keys to his sleigh and says he'll let me take a spin in his sleigh but he's riding shot gun. I grab my jacket and up we'll go…
What I see before me is more than I can believe…under the hood of that shiny red sleigh, I see a 5.0-liter V10 engine that gets 520 horsepower and generates 376 lb. ft. of torque mated to a six-speed sequential transmission….hmmm…I wonder if I offer to give all the other gifts back I can have a sleigh like this one. It's not a NASCAR engine, but I bet I can get to the races pretty fast on this thing…
Sigh…one can only dream right? Heck, that's the best part of this holiday season…you can dream all the crazy dreams you want and no one cares because they are all doing the same thing…so make your list!
Somebody's going to have the NASCAR Santa visit; it might as well be one of us!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Championships have always driven me to win races. That 3 car pulling into the track would cause people to look around and wonder what we were doing, to see how to beat us."
-Dale Earnhardt
-Dale Earnhardt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that's all for today. Until the next time, I remain,
Your![cid:371043719@04122006-156A]()
Momma
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
Your
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
"It's nothin' personal, it's just racin'
-Dale Earnhardt Sr.
This list is authored by:
Sandra Monacelli
221 W. 57th Street 18B
Loveland, CO 80538
970/663-6967
Offline 
Send Email