Happy Tuesday! 

Today In Nascar History
 

June 19, 1949: Jim Roper wins the first NASCAR Grand National race before a crowd of 13,000 at Charlotte Speedway, a three-quarter mile dirt track. Driving a ’49 Lincoln, Roper is credited with the win in the 150-mile race after Glenn Dunnaway is disqualified because of illegal springs. Despite NASCAR’s Southern roots, its first race is won by a driver from Kansas.

New Puzzles!

Michigan winner..
http://www.jigzone.com/mpc/view.php?E02SBZ9.052

http://www.jigzone.com/mpc/view.php?B72S8MY.01D

Enjoy!

Pops

Merchandising gone wild!

Go to eBay and do a search under my seller name, "fannum."

More Items posted!  Get ‘em while they’re hot!

I hope the uncommon Tony Stewart and Montoya Indy car kits will have crossover interest within not only the Indy, but also NASCAR and F1 crowds.

Ten Points To Ponder After Michigan

Becca Gladden/Frontstretch.com

1. Just because it says Bud on the car doesn’t mean it has Dale, Jr. in the car. On Sunday’s Wind Tunnel broadcast, Darrell Waltrip all but revealed who Junior’s sponsor will be next year, and it ain’t Bud. According to DW, it will be a beverage sponsor, but not one that comes in a red can. OK, fans…your guesses?

2. Well, at least the lawyers are happy – NASCAR filed a countersuit Sunday against Jeff Burton / RCR sponsor AT&T for $100 million, alleging “breach of contract, fraud and misrepresentation, and conspiracy to aid and abet wrongful interference with Nextel’s exclusive sponsorship agreement.” Trust me, this is huge. We’re talking a mega-lawsuit with unbelievable long-term implications for the sport. Stay tuned.

3. Short memories – It’s funny to see fans salivating at the prospect of Jeff and Junior battling head-to-head for wins and championships next year, once both are in “equal” equipment at HMS. Does anyone recall that just two years ago, neither of those guys even made the Chase? If you ask Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, or any of a number of top drivers – not to mention their fans – they would like to remind you that Jeff versus Junior for the title is hardly a foregone conclusion. In fact, it’s likely more fantasy than fact. I can understand the accountants being a little delusional about the prospects, but I expect fans (and pundits) to have a better grip on reality.

4. Cue the Duck – How fitting that Greg Biffle will be sporting the AFLAC sponsorship for several races this year and possibly full-time next season. Years ago, Biffle was discovered racing late models in Tucson by Benny Parsons, who recommended him to Jack Roush, who happened to be in search of a Truck Series driver. For Biffle, as the say, the rest is history. Fans will remember Parsons for his enthusiastic “Cue the Duck!” call prior to the AFLAC Trivia Question on TV – which brings the story somewhat full circle back to Biffle.

5. They forgot WHAT? Rookie racer Jerick Johnson was involved in a frighteningly fiery crash after hitting the wall during final Busch Series practice in Kentucky. Why so bad? Well, the car’s fire suppression system didn’t work because the team forgot to remove a protective piece of rubber from a fire extinguisher which, when present, prevents the extinguisher from functioning during a fire. Not a cool move.

6. So, maybe he can drive 55 – Kudos to Michael Waltrip and the NAPA team for their 10th-place finish after qualifying 18th – by far the best thing that has happened to them all year. Congratulations also to Steven Leicht for his first Busch win on Saturday, J.J. Yeley for his first Cup series pole, Bill Elliott for a season-best 11th place finish, Carl Edwards for his first Cup win since November of 2005, and Edwards’ motorhome driver, Tom Giacchi, who finally gets to shave.

7. Early fireworks – The Fourth of July isn’t for another few weeks, but there were definitely fireworks coming from the Cup garage Saturday after Tony Stewart and David Gilliland collided during final practice. An angry Stewart repeatedly called Gilliland “an idiot” and questioned David’s ability to compete at the Cup level. Stewart, who finished third from a 41st-place qualifying spot, complained that although Gilliland had apologized, “It wasn’t the apology I was looking for.” Something tells me this isn’t over yet. By the way, asked in a post-race press conference Sunday to explain his team’s success, Stewart replied. “Ouija board. That’s it.” Alrighty, then.

8. Johnson Jonesed? – Jimmie Johnson was running third with eight laps to go when he ran out of gas, finishing the race in 19th place after missing a pole position by just 1/1000th of a second earlier in the weekend. In typical Johnson fashion, however, he gained a spot in the points to third, mainly as a result of Matt Kenseth’s misfortune. Kenseth got caught up in an early wreck on lap 75 and finished 42nd, falling two spots from second to fourth. While Kenseth was philosophic about the incident – “It’s just one of them things that you get caught up in” – there was no comment from either Johnson or Knaus after the race. C’mon fellas; take it like men and move on.

9. Petty pretty perfect – Don’t know about you, but I think Kyle Petty is a tremendous asset in the broadcast booth on TNT. It’s not just his vast knowledge, experience, and history with the sport that makes him so good. He has a unique way of explaining things that really paints a picture for the viewers – the mark of a good broadcaster – and is never snide or pretentious. Kyle tells it like it is without talking down to the viewers. Agree or disagree?

10. Strange bedfellows – If you think the sport politic creates some unexpected alliances, it certainly has nothing on NASCAR, as Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Rick Hendrick proved this week. But my always reliable Earnhardt, Jr. barometer, the door greeter at my local Walmart, assures me that this is a good move for Junior. So take heed, Earnhardt fans. The source has spoken.

Quote of the Year

"I love what I do; I love this business."
-- Bobby Hamilton Sr, March 2006 as he announced he had cancer

Man oh Man
--Benny Parsons

Quote of the Day

"It means a lot for him to do it. I think he's got some memoirs from this whole experience. Bearded Like Me or something is going to be the title. It's changed his life a little bit. People grab their children in Wal-Mart and pull them aside, lock their doors when he walks by on the street. Nobody will recognize him next week."
- Carl Edwards on shaving off his motorhome driver Tom Giacchi's beard after winning his first race of the season

Most Popular Driver Vote

www.MostPopularDriver.com

Comments from the Peanut Gallery

From Tonya

WOW that is interesting.....Jeffie and Jr sharing the stable and JJ sitting with Mears.....Do you happen to know where that article is? I would love to read it.

Wonder how JJ really feels...

HUMMMMM maybe there will be fireworks going off!!!

Tonya

Andy…do you know where you saw that article?  I would like to see it too!

From Mikey

Its pretty bad for TV, when I turn it on and watch people changing tires, and filling gas; it seems that I turned it on to watch some racing, but lo and behold we are either stuck changing tires (all Goodyear) mind you and not seeing track action; if you do, its the leader running by himself, or if the other guy is close enough for the camera to catch, you may see him! There is other racing on the track.

TV has ruined this once great sport!!

Bits and Pieces

Earnhardt Junior signs deal with Addias
The Wire

Dale Earnhardt Jr has been working on an apparel deal with adidas that could put his own line of ClimaCool wear in major sporting goods retailers.

NASCAR-related apparel and merchandise is unavailable in many stores, but Adidas' relationships could provide a significant distribution push for Earnhardt's apparel, according to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service.

The adidas deal is thought to be a separate agreement from Earnhardt Jr.'s new relationship at Hendrick Motorsports.

Earnhardt Jr. announced last week that he will drive for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, giving that team a stable of drivers that also includes Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.

Fans narrow star-studded field to 10 finalists in Daytona 500 celebrity tickets for charity competition

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – When fans speak, Daytona International Speedway (DIS) listens. Some of the most passionate fans in professional sports have made their voices heard and narrowed a star-studded field of 46 celebrity designs to 10 finalists in the DAYTONA 500 “Celebrity Tickets for Charity” competition. Resembling a Who’s Who among sports and entertainment personalities, these 10 celebrities have edged out the competition in an online battle for ultimate bragging rights and now move one step closer to the honor of having their artistic sense immortalized on the most sought after ticket in all of motorsports – the 50th running of the DAYTONA 500.

The top 10 finalists, in no particular order, are as follows:

1. Kevin Harvick – 2007 DAYTONA 500 winner

2. Jeff Foxworthy – host of FOX’s “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?”

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 2004 DAYTONA 500 winner

4. Tony Hawk – extreme sports icon

5. Katie Cook – host of CMT Insider

6. Mike Joy – NASCAR on FOX commentator

7. Patrick McRae (age 17) – on behalf of Rick Hendrick

8. Derek Wynne (age 7) – on behalf of Jimmie Johnson

9. Marvin Panch – 1961 DAYTONA 500 winner

10. Mario Andretti – 1967 DAYTONA 500 winner

To commemorate the historic milestone of NASCAR’s most prestigious race on February 17, 2008, DIS launched “Celebrity Tickets for Charity,” a fun, philanthropic initiative that has provided a platform for professional athletes, musicians, famous actors and TV personalities to showcase their artistic talents through their personal canvases inspired by the “Great American Race.” The response was overwhelming as DAYTONA500.com received an unprecedented number of visits from NASCAR fans voting for their celebrity designs. Voting began May 1 and ended June 14, 2007.

A blue ribbon panel made up of members of the NASCAR community will decide the winning entry. International Speedway Corporation (ISC) President Lesa France Kennedy, DIS President Robin Braig, three-time DAYTONA 500 winner Jeff Gordon, 1989 DAYTONA 500 winner Darrell Waltrip, and TNT on-air talent Marty Snider comprise the judging panel and have the responsibility of determining the look of the 2008 DAYTONA 500 ticket.

The winning design will be announced Saturday, July 7 at DIS prior to the Pepsi 400. Once the winning design is chosen, all original celebrity artwork will be auctioned online with the proceeds benefiting The Jeff Gordon Foundation, which supports children with life-threatening and chronic diseases.

Tickets to the 50th running of the DAYTONA 500 are currently on sale to the general public. To view the top 10 finalists, purchase tickets, or for ticket information, visit DAYTONA500.com.

Open Wheel Driver jumping in a stock car

Another Champ Car star is heading to NASCAR.

Alex Tagliani spent most of this past weekend at Mosport International Raceway site of a Canadian Tire Series event. While there he made no secret of his upcoming plans.

"I am going to drive the No. 8 Jacombs Chevrolet at the Canadian Tire Series race in Montreal (Aug. 3-4) when the NASCAR Busch Series races there," he said.

The Canadian Tire Series race will be a support event for the inaugural Busch Series race on August 4th.

NASCAR headed to the Middle East?

Greg Engle/Cup Scene Editor

There are some things we just can’t make up. This is one of them.

Officials from the country of Bahrain, near Saudi Arabia, said Monday that they want to host a NASCAR race at their Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), a road course.

"Hosting NASCAR is on the minds of the management at the BIC," said BIC director of PR and government affairs Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa who has just returned from the US after heading a fact-finding delegation.

As part of their fact finding officials attended a NASCAR race and that seemed to peak their interest; it’s not known which race they attended.

"We did go and see a NASCAR race and an Indy 500 single-seater race there. We not only looked at things from the racing side, but also from a marketing perspective," said Shaikh Salman speaking at a BIC Press conference at the Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Resort and Spa.

"The NASCAR race was very good to see, but we are yet to look at how that system would work here because we don't have an oval. But it is something that we are looking into.

"It's not to say that it only works on an oval. I think we will go through our checklist and see if everything makes sense," he said.

"I would rather go to a person who says 'I am dying to go to Bahrain' than someone who says 'how much are you going to pay me to come'. The decisions that we do make are put on a business model and feasibility decides," he added.

"There is an interest in North America. Generally, here in the Middle East, we look to Europe. Everyone used to say 'if you are going to bring a race, look to Europe, look at what they are doing, and try to do the same'.

"But we have already shown that we are different by looking East instead of West.”

The track in Bahrain currently hosts a Formula 1 race.  

Race Fans Invited to Walk Track, Look for ‘Golden Lug Nuts’ Following Toyota/Save Mart 350

SONOMA, Calif. (June 15, 2007) – Infineon Raceway will open its world-famous road course to the public following Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event with the raceway’s 2nd annual Track Walk.

Race fans will not only get to walk on the same 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course used by star NASCAR drivers like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson, they will also embark on a treasure hunt for great prizes.

Race fans will be allowed to roam around the road course beginning approximately 30 minutes after the checkered flag falls on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event. To make it even more fun, the raceway will hide five golden lug nuts around the road course, each of which is redeemable for valuable prizes, including:

· $4,100 Snap-on Tools starter toolset (200 pieces).

· Samsung DLP HD TV.

· $500 shopping sprees at Save Mart Supermarkets, Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse; and Big O Tires.

· VIP packs for upcoming events at Infineon Raceway.

"This is a unique opportunity for our fans to step out onto the field of play and explore the track where a few minutes earlier their NASCAR heroes were roaring by banging fenders,” said Steve Page, president and general manager of Infineon Raceway. “Plus, for a few lucky fans, they'll be taking home some very valuable prizes."

Fans can access the race surface from four points of entry: the north end of the main grandstand; beneath the Turn 1 bridge; Turn 7 runoff area; and from the Turn 10 island. In addition to a unique opportunity to win prizes, this is also a great way for fans to avoid any post-race traffic.

The raceway will also accept donations from race fans for the Track Walk, with all proceeds benefiting qualified youth groups in Sonoma County through Speedway Children’s Charities. A Speedway Children’s Charity collection bin will be set-up at each point of entry.

Another Beverage Sponsor for Dale Jr.? Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain (Sundays, 9pm/et on SPEED) welcomed Darrell Waltrip on Sunday June 17 to talk about Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s move to Hendrick Motorsports. One comment was about Dale Jr.'s 2008 sponsor:
Dave Despain: (There's) a great picture on the Internet. Somebody has already designed the paint job for the car. How quickly these things happen (with) the magic of the computer. There is your #5 Dale Jr. Budweiser car, all laid out for next year. Photoshop indeed. Darrell Waltrip: That can't be true because I don't think it's going to be Budweiser.
Dave Despain: That was one of my questions. You don't think it will be Budweiser. Do you know who it will be? We've heard a shoe deal. We've heard a credit card deal from one of your buddies. What's it going to be?
Darrell Waltrip: Yeah, wrong. It'll probably still be something you could drink. That would my guess.
Dave Despain: "Something you could drink," he said, hinting.
Darrell Waltrip: And it won't be in a red can.(FoxSports)   

Chase Notes/Stats before Sonoma: #99-Carl Edwards' win at Michigan gained him 97 points on 13th place, giving him 243-point cushion on making The Chase. Edwards is seven positions ahead of this time last year. Just five races ago, #1-Martin Truex Jr. stood in 20th place. Since, he has gone on a torrid 785-point run and climbed 10 spots to 10th. #25-Casey Mears, just about given up for gone in The Race to the Chase, has climbed 15 spots over the last five races, and now sits just 217 points and seven spots out of the Top 12. #01-Mark Martin stood 205 points and six positions out in 2004 and #17-Matt Kenseth stood 281 points and 11 positions out in 2005. Both made The Chase, and so can Mears. #42-Juan Pablo Montoya's promising start to the season has gone sour. A DNF at Michigan dropped him 325 points and 11 spots out of The Chase. A win Sunday at Infineon would help, but he'll need more to get into contention.    

Toyota sticking with Waltrip: Toyota's Lee White said Toyota is committed to its long-term deal with Michael Waltrip Racing.(ESPN.com)   

Ford-Yates-Roush wins the weekend: at Michigan, Ford with Roush Fenway Racing won all three races, ARCA, Trucks and Nextel Cup with Eric Darnell, Travis Kvapil and Carl Edwards, plus Ford won with Yates Racing at Kentucky Speedway with Stephen Leicht, all powered by Yates-Roush engines.

Did Not Finish Streak and stats: #11-Denny Hamlin has been running at the finish in 45 consecutive races, the longest current streak. In the 2007 season after 14 races, five drivers have finished all the races: Hamlin, #07-Bowyer, #29-Harvick, #43-Labonte and #19-Sadler. #22-Blaney has the most DNF's [Did Not Finish] with 6 in 13 races run.

Speed’s Wendy Venturini lands rare interview with Kelley Earnhardt Elledge

Wendy Venturini talks exclusively with Kelley Earnhardt Elledge about her unique role as big sister to NASCAR’s most popular driver and general manager of her brother’s fledgling business, JR Motorsports.

“Even though I am three years younger than my brother (ARCA driver Billy Venturini), I feel like I really understand the relationship between Kelley and Dale Jr.,” Venturini said. “We really feel like we need to keep a security blanket over our family … she’s very protective of Dale, and Billy and I are very protective of each other.

“During the interview, Kelley said Dale tends to disagree with her a lot at first, but comes around after she gets a chance to state her case,” Venturini added. “On a much smaller scale, that is exactly how I do things with my big brother … I don’t want to take advice from my brother, but I end up listening to him and usually end up doing what he says.”

The exclusive interview between Venturini and Elledge will air next Sunday from Sonoma on the “Real Deal” segment of SPEED’s NASCAR RaceDay, the definitive NASCAR Nextel Cup Series pre-race show.

SPEED is the nation's first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 76 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. 

Two CAT cars at Sonoma, no #36, Mayfield sits out: There will be two Cat/Bill Davis Racing entries at the road course this weekend. Dave Blaney will be joined this weekend at Bill Davis Racing by road racer Butch Leitzinger who will drive the #23 Caterpillar Racing entry at Infineon Raceway. Jeremy Mayfield will return to his regular ride in the #36 360 OTC Toyota next week at [Loudon] New Hampshire International Speedway. Leitzinger has made three starts in Nextel Cup Series competition - all at Watkins Glen International - and has finished as high as 12th. Leitzinger takes a break from his American LeMans Series driving duties with Dyson Racing to compete in the event at Infineon Raceway for BDR. The 38-year old from Homestead, Pa., has won the 24 Hours of Daytona three times, the World Sportscar Championship twice and both the CanAm Championship and IMSA GTU Championship. He has also posted three victories in NASCAR's Busch North Series and a podium finish in the Busch Series event at Watkins Glen International. The #22 Caterpillar Toyota Blaney is scheduled to drive this weekend at Infineon Raceway is COT 11. The team has tested this Toyota Camry at Virginia International Raceway twice during the last several weeks in preparation for this event. The team has prepared COT 9 for Leitzinger to drive this weekend. Though this car wasn't tested at VIR, Leitzinger spent several days testing with the team at that track. Tom Hubert, a native of Cottonwood, Calif. and rear tire changer for the #22 Caterpillar Racing team, will once again compete in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series event at Infineon Raceway Saturday afternoon. Hubert finished fifth in the race last year after starting in the 11th spot.(BDR PR)

NASCAR Licensing Executive Joins Motorsports Authentics as President & CEO: Mark Dyer, a seasoned licensing executive with over 25 years in sports business, has been named president and chief executive officer of Motorsports Authentics, the merchandise retailer owned in a 50/50 joint venture between International Speedway Corporation (ISC) and Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI). Dyer, 48, who currently serves as vice president of licensing and consumer products for NASCAR, will assume his duties immediately, and will report to the Motorsports Authentics Board of Managers, which is comprised of ISC President Lesa France Kennedy; SMI Executive Vice President, National Sales and Marketing, Marcus Smith; ISC Chief Marketing Officer Roger VanDerSnick; and SMI Board Member Mark Gambill. Former President Ruth Crowley has elected to leave Motorsports Authentics to pursue a new business opportunity. She will assist Dyer in the coming week(s) to ensure a smooth transition. As VP at NASCAR, a position held since 2002, Dyer led the day-to-day management of the sanctioning body's Charlotte operation. In this position, Dyer oversaw all aspects of a $2.1 billion industry that now has companies putting the NASCAR brand on a broad spectrum of quality products. In addition to traditional licensing, Dyer also oversaw NASCAR's automotive aftermarket licensing program, retail program development, promotional marketing, publishing and The NASCAR Foundation. Finally, Dyer was NASCAR's lead negotiator throughout the Hall of Fame site-selection process. Dyer said, "I have been involved in the motorsports industry for over a decade and I welcome this opportunity to work more closely with drivers, teams and distributors to further elevate the popularity of the sport. It has been an honor to work with NASCAR and to be part of growing its brand. I look forward to building upon my prior experiences and working closely with the strong team already in place to enable Motorsports Authentics to flourish as the pre-eminent source for quality licensed merchandise." More info at www.motorsports-authentics.com, which is based in Concord, NC, is a 50/50 joint venture between International Speedway Corporation and Speedway Motorsports Inc.(PR) 

Hornaday in for Davis in KHI’s No. 77 at Milwaukee

 Putting Dale Jr. in No. 8 car could drop No. 25 or No. 5 from HMS

By David Newton/ESPN.com

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Team owner Rick Hendrick will attempt to keep Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a car with the No. 8 next season at Hendrick Motorsports.

The number, owned by Dale Earnhardt Inc., has been Earnhardt's since he entered the Nextel Cup series in 1999. He lost the right to that number after this season when he announced on Wednesday a five-year deal with HMS.

Max Siegel, the president of global marketing at DEI, said owner Teresa Earnhardt is willing to consider a formal offer.

"Since they opened the door, we're going to talk to them about it, so I'll follow up on it," Hendrick said before the start of Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.

Siegel declined to put a monetary value on the 8.

"I don't even know if you can quantify it," he said. "I don't know if there's a number or figure for what it's worth. Before I can give any recommendation to my owner I have to evaluate what the proposal is.

"One of the reasons why I'm not trying to speculate or give hypotheticals is because it's part of the Earnhardt legacy, whether it's Dale Jr. or the Dale Earnhardt Inc."

Geoff Smith, the president of Roush Fenway Racing, doesn't think it matters what number Earnhardt drives from a marketing standpoint.

"The world will see that Junior could use mandarin Chinese numbers on the car and they would sell just as much souvenirs as the No. 8," he said. "I personally think that the brand equity is with Junior.

"It's like the Nike swoosh. There was a Nike before the swoosh, but everybody got to know the swoosh because there was marketing around it. Whatever number he has will take his character."

If Hendrick gets the 8 he will have to decide whether to eliminate one of two significant numbers -- the 5 or 25 -- at HMS. The 25 was the car owned by his late son, Ricky, and the 5 was the first car at HMS.

Hendrick also will have a difficult decision if he can lure Earnhardt's longtime sponsor, Budweiser, which has one more year left on its deal with DEI. He has four primary sponsors for the 5 and 25 next season and he plans to honor them. Budweiser officials said they want to remain with Earnhardt, with whom they have a personal services contract through next season. Siegel is willing to listen to a proposal for the sponsor, but he also would like to continue a relationship with the beer company.

He would like to have those issues, as well as a replacement for Earnhardt, settled within the next 30 days if not sooner.

One possibility is Kyle Busch, the driver Earnhardt will replace at HMS. Siegel said DEI has reached out to Busch, adding the 22-year-old is at the top of their list.

That could open a possible trade of sponsors and numbers between HMS and DEI.

"All of us are trying to adjust business issues," Siegel said. "There are not a lot of moving parts."

Siegel laughed about the possibility of putting Busch in a Budweiser car to compete directly with his brother, Kurt, in the No. 2 Miller Lite car.

He added that there is no way to totally replace Earnhardt. "He's in a class by his own," Siegel said. "Arguably, nobody has replaced Dale Sr. It's very unfair to compare anybody to him. You have to start with someone who is excellent at the core product, which is competition."

David Newton covers motor sports for ESPN.com. 

Tom Higgins Scuffs

Golden Gate…Golden Memories

By Tom Higgins

The area around Gate 15 on Concourse C at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport was abuzz with excitement that morning in early June of 1989.

Understandably.

For the first time NASCAR was taking it's booming-in-popularity Winston Cup Series show to the San Francisco area--specifically, Sears Point Raceway.  A majority of the passengers waiting to check in were connected to stock car racing and never had been to the famously beautiful City By The Bay, a place about which Tony Bennett so eloquently sings of leaving his heart.

Anticipation grew when the Piedmont Airlines pilot showed up.  He was Loren Edwards, a former next-door neighbor of NASCAR champion driver Dale Earnhardt.  Practically everyone present knew Edwards, for he had been around garage areas and pit roads a lot through the years.

"Somebody pulled some strings to get this flight," I said to Edwards, who smiled and winked.

"Loren," I said, "I've got a special request.  I'm really interested in the country's geography.  How about when we fly over points of interest, you let us know on the P.A.?"

"Will do," he said.

From the time the Boeing 727 lifted off at Charlotte there came a steady flow of information from the cockpit.  Edwards mischievously named every mountain, river and village we passed above.

Finally, some fellow passengers had heard enough.  They demanded I ask Loren to back off.  He did, to a degree, but thank goodness he alerted us to the spectacular Yosemite National Park when it appeared just beyond the right wing.

Once in San Francisco, most of us headed from the airport to Fisherman's Wharf, where Sears Point Raceway officials had scheduled a press conference.  En route, some pals and I drove down Lombard Street, supposedly the world's crookedest in terms of curves.

At the swanky restaurant where the meeting was held, Earnhardt rushed to get a window table so he could watch amorous sea lions on the docks below fight over love interests.  He laughed in amusement throughout the session, seldom looking or listening when his fellow drivers were at the microphone.

After the press conference it was onward to San Rafael, where most of the teams and the visiting media were to stay.  My buddies and I stopped at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge and agreed unanimously that pictures don't do the awesome structure justice.  It has to be seen in person.

In contrast, the next morning we found Sears Point Raceway generally to be a dump.  A so-called garage area had no roof.  It amounted to an asphalt parking area, and the crews would have to work on their cars in semi-desert sun.  Facilities generally were very sparse.

"What the hell are we doing here?" many drivers and crew chiefs asked.

The answer was obvious.

Riverwide Raceway, a road course near San Bernardino, had closed the year before.  And the series sponsor, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, virtually demanded that NASCAR schedule an event in the big California market.

At the time, Sears Point was the only plausible place for a Winston Cup Series race.

Thus, the Banquet Frozen Foods 300 was set for June 11, '89.

During time trials two days before the race the importance of testing became more apparent than ever before.

The teams of only three drivers--Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin and Bill Elliott--had gone to the trouble and expense of towing their cars all the way across the continent to make testing and practice runs on the hilly, 11-turn road course near the wine country of the Sonoma and Napa Valleys.  Wallace, Martin and Elliott qualified 1-2-3.

Wallace edged Martin by only two-hundredths of a second.

"I got off the throttle too early going up the hill from Turn 1 to Turn 3," said Wallace.  "I had to make up for that, so I went into The Carrousel (a sweeping, downhill curve that's Turn 6) harder than I really wanted.  I made it about perfect, and this enabled me to make up the time I'd lost."

Martin was deeply disappointed.

"Two-hundredths!  Two-hundredths!"  he said.  "I could have got that anywhere on the course."

Martin was to know much harder heartache in the race, which one member of the media predicted would be a disaster.  "They're going to run out of brake pads and paramedics," he wrote.

Neither came true.

But back to Martin.

He was running strong in a Ford fielded by the Jack Roush team and appeared in position to become a Winston Cup winner for the first time.

On the 49th of the race's 74 laps Martin came onto pit road during a caution period.  A replacement crew member loosened the right rear lug nuts, but no tires were to be changed.

Martin made it part way up the hill just beyond Turn 1.  Then, the right rear tire came off, sending him spinning and into a slow flip that brought the car to rest on its top in a ditch.

Unhurt, Martin scrambled out of the cockpit and sprinted back to his pit.  It appeared the erring crewman was going to get slugged, but Martin always has been too much of a pro for that.  After his car was towed back to pit road and repairs made, Martin resumed racing and finished 30th.

Martin's misfortune left Ricky Rudd and Wallace battling for the victory, a duel that had the cheers of a track record crowd estimated at 60,000 echoing across the hills.

For most of the final four laps around the 2.52-mile layout the two seldom were more than a car length apart.  They rubbed sheet metal three times.  On the 71st lap Wallace almost got his Pontiac abreast of Rudd's Buick in the Turn 7 hairpin, a corner called "The Keyhole."  Rudd crowded Wallace off the asphalt into the grass and sped on.

"I knew Rusty was going to make a run at me at that spot," said Rudd.  "I had no idea he'd get that far up there.  I gave him that corner coming in, and I took it back coming off.  What does Dale Earnhardt say?  'That's racin'."

Wallace had no complaint.

"Ricky drove the line it took to win," said Rusty, who finished 1.1 seconds behind.  "There's nothing wrong with a move like he made.  I probably should have made my move stronger.  When I got off the pavement for that little bit, it let Ricky get away and from there I was just trying to hold my line and hoping to catch up.  But Ricky had too strong a car and he deserved to win."

Contrast this to how several in the current cast of drivers probably would be complaining about being "roughed up" and "robbed."

Elliott finished a strong third and observed, "It was like a Sunday drive.  This place ain't bad.  I sort of like it now and hope we come back."

However, others, led by Earnhardt, strongly disagreed.

"I'd run four oval tracks in one day not to run here again," said Earnhardt, although he finished fourth in his Chevrolet.

Motorsports mogul Bruton Smith bought Sears Point in 1996 and made it part of his Speedway Motorsports series of tracks.  Characteristically, Smith has turned the facility, now known as Infineon Raceway, into a showplace.

And Sunday, despite the early misgivings of superstars like the late Earnhardt, NASCAR's top division, presently sponsored by Nextel, races again in the wine country for the 19th straight June, running the Toyota/Save Mart 350 on a track that now measures 1.99 miles.

Generally, the NASCAR drivers and crews still thrill to visiting San Francisco.

But I doubt the excitement of 1989 at Gate 15, Concourse C ever will be matched.

Mears shouldn’t be the forgotten one at Hendrick

An impressive season considering the time it's taken

By Tom McCarthy, NASCAR.COM

I don't know if you've heard, but the word on the street is that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008.

In the days since the biggest free-agent signing announcement in the history of the world last Wednesday, the vast majority of what we've read, watched and listened to has centered around the notion of how well Junior will assimilate into NASCAR's new dream team:

In all the wall-to-wall discussion, the name Casey Mears has barely been mentioned. About the only evidence you had that Mears was even part of the Hendrick Motorsports team was in the context of him being the guy that wasn't canned to make room for Junior.

And that's about it.

But to overlook the journey Mears and the No. 25 team has taken in the 15 races since this team was established is to overlook a key part of the recipe for the Nextel Cup championship that Junior is striving to achieve.

It's not like you pull the "Championship Winning Personnel" and "Team Chemistry" parts off the shelf, install it on the shop floor and push the start button. They're built piece by piece and they gel over time.

Time was not a commodity the 25 team had at the start of the season. When Darian Grubb was named crew chief, it was only five days before the team left for Daytona. According to Grubb, about 70 percent of the team was new, including a new car chief and about half of the pit crew. And this was his first full-time role as a crew chief.

"It's been a pretty steep learning curve. Learning a whole new driver, and him coming into a whole new organization and learning the way we operate, was definitely a tough situation," Grubb said.

As you might predict, the team struggled early on with inconsistent performances. To compound their troubles, they also had to deal with stretches of bad luck on the track.

"We've had really good racecars in bad situations like in Talladega, Phoenix and Texas, just very early wrecks," Grubb said. "Any time we've wrecked out of a race, it seems like we'd been running in the top 10 and had a good chance for a good finish."

But not even the vast resources of Hendrick Motorsports can turn around bad luck. Only focus and drive can do that. By the time they left Talladega, and again at Darlington, the 25 crew was parked squarely atop the dreaded go-or-go-home bubble.

Then came the breakthrough win at the Coca-Cola 600. The team followed that up with a 13th at Dover, a career-best fourth at Pocono and another fourth this weekend at Michigan. In that stretch, Casey and the No. 25 team jumped from 35th in points to a respectable 19th.

A good four-race run does not a season make, but with 217 points between them and 12th place in the points, the 25 team is now within legitimate striking distance of the Chase.

"If we can continue on the streak we've got going, I really think we shouldn't have a problem finishing in the top-10 each week," Grubb said.

"We're trying to build that consistent performance now and I think we're showing that we are capable of running up here with these guys [Gordon and Johnson], we've just got to get that consistency to show we belong here. We've got to keep that level up. And when Junior comes in, he's going to expect to be in that same boat."

Granted, when 2008 rolls around, extraordinary effort will be made by HMS to enable Junior's team to hit the ground running. And nobody will be terribly surprised if he actually wins next year's Daytona 500. But realistically, some time will be needed for the team to gel into an organization that's capable of winning a championship.

If any organization is capable of going from a standstill to a Nextel Cup championship, it's Hendrick Motorsports. Certainly the No. 24 and No. 48 teams know the process, but they took seasons to master it. I don't get the feeling Junior and Rick Hendrick will be that patient.

However, if the No. 25 team finishes as strongly as they're running now, perhaps their recipe will be one that propels both Junior and themselves into championship form -- and in short order.

Cross' Words

Pocono

By Duane Cross, NASCAR.COM

Liz Allison has penned The Girl's Guide to Winning a NASCAR Driver (Secrets to Grabbing His Attention and Stealing His Heart). ... Check the rearview, Bubba; Armageddon is on the horizon.

Liz, the widow of Davey Allison, is back on the shelves with more inside-the-garage talk as a follow up to The Girl's Guide to NASCAR.

Printed on the galley I received: "Material from this copy should not be quoted or used without first checking with the publisher, as some of this material may not appear in the finished book."

What the heck, I called Center Street publishing house. ... Yep, the PR lady says, it's cool to talk in generalities.

So generally speaking, the Dewey Decimal System won't apply to this book. It'll be filed under "L" -- laugh out loud.

Among the top five topics for discussion:

• Ways to let him know you are in the groove
• Names for Pit Lizards
• Ways to keep his momma happy
• Ways to know he is the keeping kind
• Things to make your driver stop in his tracks

Ladies, if you're looking for the inside track on snaring a go fast, turn left kind of guy ... well, I guess this is the book for you. A couple of female co-workers couldn't stop hee-hawing at the advice; they also booked a flight for Sonoma, mid-read.

There's a lot of tid-bit info packed into the pages -- Did You Knows and Girlfriend-to-Girlfriend chatting -- as well as behind-the-scenes stuff:

• Katie and Matt Kenseth met at a mutual friend's wedding.
• Paula and Sterling Marlin met on a double date -- each with someone else.
• Ann and Ken Schrader met while each were married to someone else.
• Bill Elliott met his wife, Cindy, while she was a photographer for Winston Cup Scene.
• When Eva and Kurt Busch were set up for a blind date at a Charlotte sports bar, she was told that she was going on the date with a veterinarian.

(No, there isn't a punch line about a horse's derriere.)

The book is not tongue-in-cheek, but it does have its spine planted firmly in the grass roots of stock-car racing. If you don't find something to laugh about, you haven't been following the sport long enough. There are plenty of puns and enough double entendres to keep you flipping the pages.

Thing is, Liz can get away with it; been there, done that is the thought. ... But imagine a similar book from the male perspective. Nancy Grace would be screaming at the camera, coordinating the book burning.

Of course, we'd all be sitting around the barrels laughing, of which Allison never loses sight. Sometimes it is good to laugh at yourself. NASCAR Nation, she's not laughing at you -- she is laughing with you.

And so am I.

(Disclaimer: Yep, I missed Sunday's race. I was catching up on shuteye after spending the weekend coaching. So no ill-informed rant or rave this week (or next; on vacation). ... Well, I will rave: Congrats to the 13U Tigers, who won the Lithia Springs Classic.)

Say what?

"But this is twice now that he's crashed us, and both times he doesn't have an answer for why. That's the part that scares you as a driver."
-- Tony Stewart on David Gilliland after a crash during practice on Saturday

Figuratively speaking

52 -- Races between wins for Carl Edwards, whose victory means Tom Giacchi can finally shave his beard. Gillette declines pay-per-view sponsorship offer; Weed Eater signs on the dotted line. ZZ Top will provide the intro music, of course.

Up Next

Toyota/Save Mart 350 | Sonoma | 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday | TNT
 • Defending race winner: Jeff Gordon
• Most victories at the track: Jeff Gordon (5)
• Best average finish (minimum five starts): Ryan Newman (7.8 in five starts)
Active drivers only

Mailbag

Craig for Australia
G'day. Just thought I would enquire about numbers. I was under the impression that NASCAR owned the numbers, not the team. So, could NASCAR choose to change numbers between teams? If 5 and 8 did swap, DEI would have 1, 5, 15.

Yep, NASCAR holds the numbers; the teams merely have them for safe keeping: 20-3.11 of the rule book -- (2) All NASCAR Nextel Cup Series car numbers are owned by and will be assigned by NASCAR for use by the car owner. Car numbers are not transferable or assignable by the car owner. Numbers on a car competing in the Series must correspond with the car owner's license that is one file at NASCAR headquarters, unless otherwise authorized by NASCAR.

Nope, NASCAR isn't going to play this numbers game. If Hendrick and DEI come to an agreement, NASCAR most likely would agree to swap the numbers. If not, the sanctioning body could open up a can of worms by making the switch without everyone being on the same page.

Amanda in Tucson, Ariz.
I like watching the races on TNT, for the most part, but this year some genius decided to play Born to Be Wild every 1.5 minutes. I want to throw something at my TV. It was awful last week during the rain delay, but I gave TNT the benefit of the doubt and thought it was a one time thing. I am watching the pre-race now, and apparently it is not. Someone needs to tell them to back off the cheesy song. I may just watch this on mute because I cannot handle hearing that damn song again. Ughh. It seriously annoyed me enough to write this email. Unbelievable.

I don't think that's what Steppenwolf had in mind with "get your motor runnin'," but since you're wound up I'll add my two cents' worth: When folks sit down to watch TV, unless it's a concert, who wants to be inundated with music? Ditto at a ballpark; it's not an amphitheater! If I wanted my MTV, I'd call Mark Knopfler.

Tom in Huntsville, Ala.
This first hit me during the final laps at Martinsville, and then again [Saturday night] during the Busch Race at Kentucky: Why do the TV producers think anybody cares what the crew is doing during the final laps? You've got a great race going on, and they shrink the action down to one third of the screen so you can see what the crew is doing. Show the race for crying out loud. If the split is to show another race for position, fine -- but not the pit crew or the driver's wife for that matter. If that was worth watching, they could just show the fans in the stands for three hours.

C'mon now, I was with you until you brought in the wives; I'd rather see Katie Kenseth or Krissie Newman. ... After three hours of watching [insert TV network's booth crew here], a few on-screen moments of the fairer sex isn't a bad thing. No to the pit crew (most of them have on helmets anyway). Yes to the wives -- or Bobbie Sue from Elkwood, who took a few days off from the Bungalow to trek to the track and do on-site promotions.

Six of one ...
Drivers with momentum heading to Sonoma:

• Martin Truex Jr. -- The crown fits him nicely; the new prince at DEI has finished 11th, 16th, first, third and second since Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the announcement that he's leaving the company.

• Casey Mears -- Another driver who seemingly has gotten a shot of adrenaline since Junior hit the open market: first, 13th, fourth and fourth since Charlotte, where Kyle Busch threw a nutty in the hauler after the All-Star race and sealed his fate with HMS.

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- The epicenter of Silly Season is on a solid run -- six top-15 finishes in the past seven races -- and has moved into the 12th spot in the point standings.

• Robby Gordon -- Two top-15s in three races and now he's off to Sonoma? Sounds like the perfect storm; he has three top-10s, including a win, at the serpentine track.

• Denny Hamlin -- He has one -- one! -- DNF in 58 starts (crashed out on April 2, 2006, at Martinsville). He can't be very popular with the sheetmetal union.

• Michael Waltrip -- The last time Mikey had a top-10 finish? ... Would you believe June 19, 2005, at Michigan (seventh). Next on the to-do list: qualify for consecutive races.

• Bill Elliott -- The last time Dawsonville's favorite son had a top-15 finish? ... Would you believe Aug. 21, 2005, at Michigan (11th). Of course that was a span of only 16 starts for Bill.

Half a dozen of the other ...
And six drivers who need a jump start:

• Jeff Burton -- You make the call ... average finish before AT&T Mobility: 12.2; average finish since AT&T Mobility: 18.2.

• Matt Kenseth -- Finished 42nd on Sunday, only the 12th time in 271 starts he's finished 40th or worse.

• Kasey Kahne -- If you're keeping score at home (and I know many of you are), it's 14 races and counting since his last top-10 (seventh at Daytona).

• Elliott Sadler -- Sunday was his 300th start, good for 66th on the all-time list. Up next: Tiny Lund and Dick Trickle (303 starts).

• Jeff Green -- During the past six races his average finish is a woeful 31.0, including a 36th-place run at Michigan, with only one lead-lap finish.

• J.J. Yeley -- Congrats on the first career pole, but history suggests top-10 starts aren't in his best interest: