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Happy Monday everyone. Today In Nascar History September 29, 1996: Jeff Gordon wins the Tyson Holly Farms 400, the last Cup race run at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. Dale Earnhardt finishes second, 1.73 seconds back, and Dale Jarrett is third. Number of the Day
35.0: Kyle Busch's average finish over the past three races (28th, 43rd, 34th), his poorest three-race stretch since his average finish was 36.3 in races 22-24 in 2005.
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Quote of the Year "NASCAR ain't doing nothing I like right now." "I don't like the rules they are doing...you can bump somebody and they want to fine you for it." Pearson saw the look on Carl Edwards face and made sure to say he knew that Edwards could not speak-up or he would get fined. --David Pearson
Bits and Pieces Montoya unlikely to face penalties KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The violation that cost Juan Pablo Montoya the pole for Sunday's race at Kansas was a clear-cut infraction of NASCAR's rules, but it wasn't likely to have given the No. 42 Dodge a performance advantage. The Sprint Cup rule book limits the nitrogen gas pressure in the rear shock absorbers to a range of 25-75 pounds per square inch. During post-qualifying inspection Friday, NASCAR found that the gas pressure in Montoya's rear exceeded the top end of the range by what crew chief Brian Pattie later said was 10 pounds. Montoya's pole-winning speed was disallowed. Second-place qualifier Jimmie Johnson inherited the top spot, and Montoya will start 42nd Sunday on an owner points provisional. Don't expect NASCAR to penalize the No. 42 team beyond disallowing the time on Friday. The sanctioning body's typical posture has been to remove any advantage the car might have gained by kicking out the qualifying run. With track position as important as it is in the Cup series, a 42nd-place starting position is punishment enough for Montoya. "Juan seems to be comfortable in the car, and our balance in corner entry and exit seems to be consistent," Pattie said. "We just have to pass a lot of cars (Sunday) starting in the rear." Moonshiner and NASCAR legend honored with own stage production NASCAR legend Junior Johnson has enjoyed many accolades over the years, but no doubt having a play staged about his life ranks among the most unusual. Johnson, who started his racing career running moonshine in the 1950’s and even spent time in jail for his exploits, is the subject of a production being staged in his native Wilkes County in North Carolina. A combination of live action, filmed performances and archival racing footage, ‘Moonshine & Thunder -- The Junior Johnson Story’ covers Johnson from his days running moonshine to his 1960 win of the Daytona 500. The play was produced in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. No word as to why. The theater company is even offering discounts for people who travel more then 60 miles to attend the show. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through next Sunday and Oct. 9-12. For details see www.WilkesPlaymakers.com. Kyle Petty out at Petty Enterprises? Was this #45-Kyle Petty's last race for Petty Enterprises? Sunday's Kansas 400 looks like it might well have been his last Sprint Cup run for the family business that he's worked for for so many years, that his grandfather Lee founded in 1949 and that his father Richard has been running all these years. That pending departure-not of Kyle Petty's own doing-is the stunning word from Patti Petty, Kyle's wife. Kyle Petty has been the center of a family storm of controversy since the spring, and he insists he doesn't think he's part of the long-running problems at Petty Enterprises. And Patti Petty says her husband is determined to stay at the wheel of a Cup car.....for someone. Kyle Petty himself ... has been struggling with the
entire situation, Patti Petty says. While Petty himself was stoic about whatever turmoil is going on behind the scenes, promising to talk about things eventually, his wife was quite emotional - "Maybe I'm the only one here willing to tell the truth," she said. "They haven't wanted Kyle in the car the last three years. They want a young driver, a 30-year-old, a 20-year-old. "But Wells Fargo, our sponsor, says it's going to stay with Kyle, whatever he does. I wish Chip Ganassi (a fellow Dodge team owner) would take a look at Kyle. He's got a 12-race sponsorship deal for next year that would be a perfect part-time schedule for Kyle. And Kyle could help mentor a young driver. They told him at Watkins Glen - right when he was standing there in his driver's suit - that they didn't want him in the car." There are indications that Michael McDowell, currently driving for Michael Waltrip's Toyota operation, and AJ Allmendinger, currently driving for Team Red
Bull, are under consideration for the Petty ride, as teammate with Bobby Labonte. Kyle Petty is tentatively scheduled to run a Petty car at Phoenix in November, but Patti Petty says that looks too iffy.(Winston-Salem Journal) Dodge debuts new engine at Kansas: Mike Delahanty – Senior Manager, Dodge Motorsports from a PR: Q) The Dodge R6P8 engine made its Sprint Cup Series debut this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Has it been a normal evolution process? Office Depot Names "Small Business of NASCAR": Office Depot announced that Mystique Salon and Spa of Boise, Idaho, will be the "Official Small Business of NASCAR, courtesy of Office Depot" for the remainder of the 2008 Sprint Cup Series season. Mystique Salon and Spa owner Julie Catalano is the first female business owner to be named as the Office Depot "Official Small Business of NASCAR" since the annual promotion began in 2005.(Office Depot PR) Sad News - Dick Bahre: Former NASCAR car owner, Richard "Dick" Bahre, 76, passed away on Saturday in Statesville, N.C. Bahre was the brother of New Hampshire Motor Speedway founder, Bob Bahre, and the uncle of former track president, Gary Bahre. Dick helped build the speedway with Bob and Gary in 1989. "Dick Bahre was an integral part of the speedway's history," said Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "He worked side-by-side with Bob and Gary to build a first class facility for race fans to enjoy. As a car owner, Dick gave many drivers the opportunity to compete in NASCAR's elite divisions. This is a tremendous loss for the Bahre family, the speedway, and the entire motorsports community." Bahre was involved
in auto racing for over 50 years starting with the midget racing circuit in the late 1950's and early 1960's with Bob. Dick and Chuck Rider formed Bahari Racing with young Waltrip behind the wheel in the mid-1980's. MWR could add a 4th team, Ambrose? Dow?: UPDATE: While many teams continue to search for sponsorship for the 2009 Sprint Cup season and beyond, one team that seems confident about sponsorship is Michael Waltrip Racing. MWR Executive Vice President Cal Wells said Saturday that he believes the team has enough sponsorship for two cars and three-quarters of another. He said he could envision the team running a fourth car part time in 2009. “I believe we’re in really good shape,” Wells said. “I’m hoping we’re actually going to run a fourth car. I don’t know that we can get it off, but we have so much in the pipeline.” As far as who would be teammates with already signed #55-Michael Waltrip and
#44[will be #00 in 2009]-David Reutimann, Wells said the team hopes to re-sign Michael McDowell, who has run most of the season in a third car for MWR. “We’re selling hard around McDowell,” Wells said. “We’ve got a lot of stuff we’re working on. I honestly don’t know. There’s some [more] talent out there.” Wells also dismissed the idea that MWR would merge with another team [Like the Ganassi rumor]. “We’re looking at doing some service providing stuff with some folks that are trying to come in, kind of like the Hall of Fame [Racing] deals [with Joe Gibbs Racing],” Wells said. “We’re not to the point of announcing anything yet, but we’re looking for business. We’re not looking at [merging].” (SceneDaily.com) AND: hearing that Marcos Ambrose and Little Debbie's could be moving to Michael Waltrip Racing in 2009 and Ambrose would not run in the Cup Series for JTG Racing. AND II: also hearing that the other
primary sponsor for Reutimann in the #00 Toyota in 2009 will be Dow Chemical Company. UPDATE: JTG Daugherty Racing hasn't named a manufacturer for next season when it moves full time to the Sprint Cup Series from the Nationwide Series but the team was working out of a Michael Waltrip Racing hauler on Saturday at Kansas Speedway. JTG Daugherty, which qualified on speed for Sunday's Cup race with driver #47-Marcos Ambrose, had a hauler fire in June that destroyed one of its transporters. The team got some help from Richard Childress Racing when it qualified for the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in late July. But could the team working out of a MWR hauler at Kansas be a sign of a potential affiliation and a move to Toyota? JTG Daugherty currently fields Fords. "Obviously we have a really good relationship with Michael Waltrip Racing," Geschickter said. "At this point, we're not ready to announce anything. But we know them better than
most in the fact that we were able to go straight over there and borrow some equipment."(SceneDaily.com) Biffle could be first to win championship in all 3 series: #16-Greg Biffle thought about it back in 2000 when he won the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series championship. What if he could move on to the Busch (now Nationwide) Series and win that championship? And, what if, after winning the 2002 Nationwide title, he could move on to the Sprint Cup Series and win that championship? Biffle, third in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by a scant 10 points going into the Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway, has a chance to become the first driver in history to win the Triple Crown. Biffle, 38, came excruciatingly close to winning his third different NASCAR title in 2005 when he tied for second in the Chase, just 35
points behind champion Tony Stewart.(Kansas City Star) Sad News- Paul Newman: The world at large has lost one of its finest actors ... and the world of motor sports has lost a friend. Paul Newman, whose passion for race cars seemed to equal his love of filmmaking, has passed away. He was 83. See more at ABC News. Carpentier could move to Nationwide Series full time next year: #10-Patrick Carpentier, a former race winner on the defunct Champ Car circuit who came to NASCAR last year, is in a squeeze. With Reed Sorenson moving over to GEM for next season and sponsors in short supply, his chances of remaining with his #10 team appear slim. Although he said the door isn't completely closed on a return to GEM, he may wind up running full time in the Nationwide Series next season. Carpentier has competed in eight Nationwide events this year, with a top finish of second Montreal. "I think I've got something for the full season in Nationwide for next year, and I'm going to run it," he said, adding that the ride isn't with GEM. As
for his prospects of staying with the No. 10? "They're still trying hard, and if it works out, we'll be here next year. That's what I hope, because I like the guys. We made a lot of races this year. It's tough. For guys coming from open-wheel to here, you'd better park your ego at the entrance." (NASCAR.com) Allmendigner expects to be out of #84 ride next week: UPDATE: AJ Allmendinger expects this weekend's race at Kansas Speedway to be his last with Red Bull Racing. Allmendinger and Red Bull announced earlier this week they will part ways at the end of this season, and Allmendinger did not drive the #84 during the two-day test at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "I'm racing this weekend at Kansas, but I'm almost 100 percent sure I won't be with Red Bull after this race," Allmendinger said in his biweekly diary for Yahoo. "Hopefully I'll have something and I'll be in a car next week. Whether it's the team I'm going to be with for next year, and we can start working on that, or what ... that's kind of where we stand." Red Bull
general manager Jay Frye said Thursday he expects to know at the start of next week what the # 84 team will do for the remaining seven races this season. Allmendinger said he expected to be released from Red Bull the past month, and even though he wanted to stay with the team, he passed on an opportunity to sign a one-year contract extension to stay with the team because it would have put him in the same position this time next year.(Associated Press) UPDATE: A.J. Allmendinger will split from the Red Bull Racing Team possibly as early as next week, opening up a seat in the organization's # 84 car that will presumably go to current Craftsman Truck Series driver Scott Speed in 2009. The former rookie of the year in the defunct Champ Car series said Friday at Kansas Speedway that a return to open-wheel racing is a possibility, but he clearly doesn't want to give up on a NASCAR odyssey that he began in late 2006. Although the announcement [of the
driver/team split] said Allmendinger and Red Bull would part for the 2009 season, the separation will likely happen much sooner than that. Allmendinger is in the #84 at Kansas, but said nothing has been decided beyond this weekend. In addition to the 10 starts Speed has made this season in the trucks, he's also the points leader in the ARCA series, which will compete as a companion event to the Sprint Cup tour next weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. But Speed has never driven in a restrictor-plate event, and is only approved by NASCAR to attempt Sprint Cup events on 1.5-mile tracks or smaller. That makes Skinner, who replaced Allmendinger for four races earlier this season, a more viable option for the Alabama track. Red Bull executives will meet Monday to formulate a plan for Talladega. Could we see Speed in a Sprint Cup car before the year is out? "It's possible," said team vice president Jay Frye.(NASCAR.com), NOTE: Speed did run the Daytona ARCA
race earlier this year. He was in an accident and completed 29 laps. Goodyear to test twice at Indy in next two weeks: UPDATE: Goodyear will conduct a NASCAR tire test Sept. 22-23 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, continuing its development of a racing tire for the 2009 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. This initial test on the 2.5-mile oval will feature one Sprint Cup Series car equipped with technology to gather data that will be used to construct tires for a major NASCAR Goodyear tire test Oct. 6-8 at IMS that will feature up to 14 cars. The 16th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, 2009 at IMS. Tire-wear issues in the first “Car of Tomorrow” race at IMS prompted NASCAR to call six competition cautions at this year’s event. “We’ve set a very
aggressive schedule to come up with the right tire recommendation for the 2009 race at IMS,” said Stu Grant, Goodyear’s general manager of global race tires. “This is the first test of two we have scheduled for this fall, and our intention is to return again in the spring.” 2009 tickets: Ticket orders are being accepted for the 16th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, July 26, 2009 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Fans can order tickets online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com, via mail or at the ticket office at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Parking and camping information also can be obtained through the ticket office.(IMS PR) UPDATE: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company returned to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week for a two-day test that was designed to begin the evaluation process for its 2009 tire recommendation for the track. The test, held this past Monday and Tuesday with the #45 Petty Enterprises Dodge and driver
Kyle Petty, has now established a baseline for tire maker's return visit scheduled for October 6-8. "We had two very successful days of testing at Indy," said Stu Grant, Goodyear's general manager of worldwide racing. "We ran a wide variety of tread compounds in an effort to understand how each interacts with this car on this track. With NASCAR's involvement, we evaluated several different aerodynamic packages to quantify what impact downforce has on tire performance. And with the help of Goodyear's research scientists, we've begun processes to accurately characterize the track surface and monitor how it may change. This first test was meant to lay the ground work for the second test in early October, which will have 17 cars in attendance. The information gathered at the first test will enable us to evaluate, in more detail, those types of combinations that have the greatest potential. The second test will involve many more cars in an effort to more
closely simulate the track conditions of a race weekend."(Goodyear PR) Pettys announce location for Kansas Victory Junction camp: Victory Junction Gang has announced a site selection for its second, medical camping facility for children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. The expansion of Victory Junction will be located at 8205 Riverview Road, Kansas City, Kan., and built on 71 acres in Wyandotte County, Kan., pending Unified Government review and approval. Victory Junction Gang is a year-round facility that enriches the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment. As a not-for-profit organization, the camp
operates solely through the support of generous donors to provide this experience free of charge to children and families. Early 2008, co-founders Kyle and Pattie Petty announced plans to expand to the 'Heartland' and spread the once-in-a-lifetime experience with children in need. Since identifying the region for its second facility, Victory Junction hired Wells Fargo executive Mike Lepore to serve as president of the Midwest camp. Lepore is responsible for the success of the capital campaign and all aspects of the new camp's operations. Thus far, he has garnered more than $4 million in contributions and in-kind donations, including Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart's recent pledge of $1 million. The camp in Kansas is expected to break ground in 2009.(Victory Junction PR) Mike Wallace to drive #33 for RCR at Talladega: Realtree, the home of America's most versatile camo patterns, will sponsor Richard Childress Racing's #33 Realtree Driven to the Outdoors Chevy and driver Mike Wallace in the Oct. 5 Amp Energy 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. RCR and Realtree, based in Columbus, Ga., have a long-standing relationship. Realtree president Bill Jordan and RCR president and CEO Richard Childress have been personal friends for decades and Team Realtree first sponsored the legendary Dale Earnhardt and RCR's #3 GM Goodwrench team in 1997. Team Realtree also sponsors Team Dillon Racing's Ty Dillon, the younger grandson of Childress, in the Fastrak Racing Series Dirt
Late Model Touring Division.(RCR PR) iQ Drive sponsoring #70 for 2 races: HAAS CNC Racing announced that iQ Drive will sponsor the #70 Chevy in two Sprint Cup Series races. The brand will make its debut at Talladega Superspeedway and conclude the 2008 campaign at Texas Motor Speedway. Developed by NORDYNE Inc., iQ Drive is the most energy efficient domestic air-conditioning product. No other air conditioner rivals its efficiency, product size, quiet performance and humidity control in one complete system. NORDYNE offers iQ Drive technology in both the Maytag and Frigidaire heating and cooling product lines, both available through Coburn Supply Company.(Haas CNC Racing PR) Gordon overcomes illness to run fourth KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Jeff Gordon felt sick all weekend, but his fourth-place run Sunday was a tonic for his spirits. Brad Keselowski was standing by as a possible relief driver for the four-time champion, but his services weren’t needed. Though he surrendered the third position to Greg Biffle off the final corner, Gordon was pleased with the run that improved his position in the championship standings to sixth, 143 points behind Johnson. “I guess I need to be sick more often,” Gordon said after the race. “Yeah, that was a good run and a good car. I know if I had been healthy, I would have gotten more out of it. “I’m going to be pretty sore tomorrow. I’m just aching all over, but, hey, when you’ve got a car and a team that’s as good as this one, you can’t let somebody else get in there and drive it.” Earnhardt: Don’t count me out KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Even though he fought the handling of his No. 88 Chevrolet in Sunday’s Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway, Earnhardt hasn’t abandoned his hopes for a first Cup championship. Asked if the Chase should be considered a three-man race at this point -- given that only Biffle and Edwards are within 100 points of Johnson -- Earnhardt was emphatic with his response. “I hope not, hell -- unless you’re counting me in,” said Earnhardt, eighth in the standings and 190 points behind his Hendrick Motorsports teammate. “I think an average driver would have finished about 35th. I told my guys that. I don’t know. We had fun regardless. The car wasn’t that good. We just made the best of it. We aren’t dialing our car in. We were real bad in the second practice. The track gets slick, we ain’t working the car in to get it comfortable. That was the best I could do. "We made light of it though. I told them they were lucky to have me." Greg Biffle win streak ends, but he's pleased with Kansas performance Bob Pockrass/scenedaily.com KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Roush Fenway Racing's Greg Biffle couldn’t make it three wins in a row, but two victories and a third-place finish in the first three Chase For The Sprint Cup events is something that couldn’t disappoint him. “I don’t think it will come down to who runs the best,” Biffle said of the championship. “I think it’s going to come down to who has the least little hiccups here and there, you know, small stuff happen – get a pit-road penalty or something, have to go to the back, finish 14th, something like that. Elliott Sadler returns to top form with 10th-place Kansas finish Scenedaily.com The last five NASCAR Sprint Cup races haven’t been kind to Elliott Sadler. With an average finish of 30.8 over that span, his “best” finish was a 24th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. If Red Bull tenure is over, AJ Allmendinger is leaving on a good note Scenedaily.com AJ Allmendinger was pleased with his run Sunday, one that came amid speculation about his role with his Red Bull Racing team. UNOFFICAL Classic Driver Points Standings [after Kansas race 29 of 36]: DIVE BOMB KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Jimmie Johnson didn’t have the luxury of a phone booth at Kansas Speedway, but Superman showed up anyway. “Did you bring your cape this weekend?” crew chief Chad Knaus asked Johnson, after the No. 48 crew got his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet out of the pits first with a quick four-tire stop on Lap 219 of 267 in Sunday’s Camping World RV 400 at the 1.5-mile track. “It’s in here somewhere,” answered Johnson, who needed all the powers in his arsenal -- super or not -- to hold off Carl Edwards’ banzai run on the final lap of the third race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. “Where the hell did he come from those last two laps?” Johnson asked Knaus after taking the checkered flag .280 seconds ahead of the No. 99 Ford and wresting the points lead from his Roush Fenway Racing rival. Greg Biffle won a drag race off Turn 4 on the final lap to edge Jeff Gordon for the third position. Matt Kenseth came home fifth, followed by Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton, as Chase drivers claimed the top seven places. Johnson leads Edwards by 10 points with seven races left. Despite two victories and a third in the first three Chase races, Biffle trails the two-time defending Cup champion by 30 points. Over the final two laps, Edwards, who started 34th, narrowed Johnson’s 10-car-length lead and dived beneath the No. 48 Chevy entering Turn 3 on the final lap. Edwards’ slid up in front of Johnson, banged the wall in the middle of the corner and watched as Johnson regained the lead to the inside. “I planned on hitting the wall, but I didn’t plan on the wall slowing me down that much,” said Edwards, a native of Columbia, Mo., who considers Kansas his home Cup track. “I want to win this race more than anything, but I guess I’ll have to wait till next year. “That’s as hard as I can go there at the end. I couldn’t sleep a wink tonight if I didn’t try everything I could to win. Now I know it doesn’t work the same as in video games.” Though Edwards’ final-lap charge surprised Johnson, the polesitter had enough time to react to the pass. “I saw the slide job coming and dodged it and won the race,” said Johnson, who won his fifth Cup race of the season and the 38th of his career. “I thought I was sitting in good shape with a nice lead with two to go, and all of sudden the 99 was all over me.” What was an excellent day for the Hendrick and Roush cars -- and a solid performance for the Richard Childress Racing entries of Harvick, Burton and Clint Bowyer (12th Sunday despite two penalties) -- was a nightmare for Joe Gibbs Racing. Though Denny Hamlin ran 12th, Kyle Busch, the top seed entering the Chase, suffered his third hard-luck race in a row and finished 28th. He remained 12th in the standings but is now 311 points behind Johnson and out of the title picture. Tony Stewart’s day was even worse. A slide across the grass in the tri-oval followed repeated trouble in the pits, and Stewart came home 40th. That leaves the three Gibbs drivers in the final three positions in the Chase. Only a major shakeup next Sunday at Talladega could help Hamlin or Stewart climb back into contention. Notes: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 13th-place run left him eighth in the standings, 190 points out of first place. ... Gordon climbed two spots to sixth in points, 143 behind Johnson. ... Kenseth had one of the fastest cars, but a missing lug nut on an early stop forced the No. 17 Ford back to the pits and cost him track position. He also survived a spin after getting a tap from behind from Casey Mears. Kenseth led the second-most laps, 49 to Johnson’s 124.
Happy Hour Should the fans stick around? Kurt Smith · Frontstretch.com If you wanna be a star of stage and screen, Big money got a heavy hand, The Dover race caused me to do something I hadn’t done for quite some time. I dropped everything I was doing and tuned out the conversations around me, captivated by what was taking place. Probably much to NASCAR’s surprise, the Chase had nothing to do with the great racing. You could argue that the new car played a part—it is visibly much more difficult to pass with it—keeping Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards close to each other for many laps. I won’t speculate further on that. And the close quarters at a shorter track makes the argument against the cookie-cutter speedways’ prevalence in NASCAR, as if it needed to be made. But what was most responsible for such a quality show, one that is the exception rather than the rule? It is the same things that have always made for the best races. Drivers who have spent years honing and practicing their craft, learning how to draft, how to set up for a pass, how to put that imaginary egg under the gas pedal. Engine builders pouring their hearts and weekends into creating just that tiny bit more speed. Crew members that spend indeterminate hours preparing for maybe five bursts of 15-second efforts where imperfection is not an option. The arduous, continuous pursuit of excellence. It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll. So are exhibitions like Dover worth tolerating all that NASCAR fans have been griping about in recent years? Some people question why some of us continue to cover a sport that we seem to hate. It’s a fair question. I’ve asked it plenty myself. I don’t utterly hate NASCAR these days…it still has its moments as Dover showed…but I certainly don’t love the so-called “evolution” of the sport since 2003, if that makes any sense. It is a great privilege to have one’s rants about NASCAR published, especially in a free speech forum like the Frontstretch. To be linked on Jayski is the pinnacle of motorsports journalism, even if Pete Pistone is too. Do not think that I don’t consider myself fortunate in that regard. As dedicated as I have been, and still am, to writing something people will enjoy reading, you’ll have to forgive me if my interest as simply a genuine fan—which was how I got here—needs some Viagra. Being a fan of major sports is probably the most supreme exercise of conflict in America today. The thrill of the greatest moments in competition inspires us. The hand of greed that is always involved sickens us. In my hometown of Philadelphia, Eagles fans soar on cloud nine if their team defeats the Cowboys. The Eagles are well aware of this when they charge $20 just to park at Lincoln Financial Field—a $512 million venue. Never mind what people pay for beer or decent seats. Who cares? It’s the Eagles! That true appreciation for athletic feats frequently gets stained by greed is nothing new, of course. You can read about owners of baseball teams back in the 19th century and be amazed at their chutzpah. That doesn’t make the ugly side of major sports any less palatable, especially as misguided management grows exponentially with the popularity of any sport, even to the point where a racing team that has exhibited true greatness in 26 races had their efforts wiped out by some bad luck in two. In the name of “creating excitement”. Big money got no soul. Sports’ greatest moments make fans vulnerable…and create a big, big market for its participants to charge the top dollar, to obtain “fair market value”, rather than to provide the best product at the best price, like every other business in just about every other industry must do. The sports and entertainment industries are almost unique in being able to be successful this way. Only in footwear are entities actually encouraged to charge the highest price they can manage. But it’s understandable that otherwise sane people tolerate the rampant suction of our wallets at a NASCAR race. There are few more effective adrenaline shots on this planet than the sound of the engines firing after the grand marshal gives the command. Seeing it on TV, while exciting in its own way, does not compare. The rumble that courses through the chest of everyone in the theater is at once deafening, beautiful, and awe-inspiring. Just the sheer volume instills enthralling anticipation of what will happen next. The only greater thrill comes about five minutes later…as the crowd manages to roar louder than even the engines as a usually unknown official waves a green rag over the best racecar drivers in the world and cars rev up to ludicrous speed. As anyone who has attended a race knows, the thunder of 43 racecars roaring by is something that cannot be captured with tools as inadequate as a word processor. When the asphalt gladiators begin to battle, nothing else matters: the traffic and parking hassles, the exhorbitant hotel prices, the grumblings about the changes that have been made to the sport. Once the race starts, there is no tangible price we can attach to the spectacle we are witnessing. My numerous grievances aside, even today I would still not argue that fans attending a NASCAR race get their money’s worth pretty often. But that is no longer the case all of the time. The fans at Indianapolis this year most emphatically did not get a worthy product. There have to be limits. Every entity involved with NASCAR, or any major sport for that matter—the networks, the hotels, the local communities—is well aware of the amount of money the sport brings in. What I have described above is something people will sacrifice quite a bit for. As James Earl Jones said in Field of Dreams: “They’ll hand over the money without even thinking.” How much is too much? Are people in Indiana willing to endure that again and still remain fans? And how much is too much for a longtime, traditionalist fan? In five years, NASCAR looks absolutely nothing like it once did, and when people complain they are often (but not always) told to suck it up. Fans can understand the sport needing to grow and evolve, but they are perfectly entitled to suggest that the sport’s current direction is not one they like. My apologies to anyone who expected a definitive answer from the article’s title. I can’t and won’t answer these questions for anyone, especially being in the fortunate situation of following the sport for a partial-living. But my interest as a fan has undeniably waned. It isn’t so much the new car or the loss of great tracks or even the Chase. The most irritating aspect of it all is that nagging feeling that NASCAR doesn’t seem to give a damn what its most devoted customers think. Of all of the “innovations” of the Brian France era, you’d think just one would be to find a way to give fans more green flag racing on TV, and for more than one race out of the season. For those of you out there tired of my complaining who want me to stop the negativity about your sport, I understand. I really do. I have been on the other side, defending NASCAR from people who I realize now sound just like me. It once mildly annoyed me that my father, a dedicated baseball nut who in my mind has not been nearly as outraged as he should be about steroids, repeatedly informed me that NASCAR, a sport he once enjoyed more than I did, is “pro rasslin’”. I now tend to think that, in the sense that NASCAR is so often about the show and not the real competition, he has a point. Some of us accept the reality that times change; others are rejecting what they believe to be an inferior product. I hope people realize that my disdain is not towards those who still continue to be devoted to what is left that is good and right about the sport. It’s directed at the bottom line mentality that not only gave us the playoff, but that lost five Carolina races and probably has Dover and Martinsville in its sights in the future. With all due respect to all opinions, I’ll highlight what’s great about NASCAR when NASCAR does. Kurt’s Shorts · We all remember Greg Biffle’s disputed win at Kansas Speedway last year. Commentators after that one were coming up with rule twists so convoluted that they could have pronounced Richard Petty the legal winner. Let’s hope the weather spares us such aggravation this time around. · Now that Tony Stewart is in the Chase, he probably won’t be coasting to the finish line in the first recorded incident of Stewart being out of hot gas. · This just in: following the announcement of NASCAR’s new drug testing policy, sales of Golden Seal root skyrocketed in the Charlotte metropolitan area. And not a moment too soon. If Shane Hmiel had just known when to stay away from Dr. Giggles for a few years, he could have made enough money to have a lifetime supply of Pop-Tarts and Cheetos, not to mention several backup copies of Dark Side of The Moon.
· OK, now that Kyle Busch’s title hopes are finished, as I went out on a limb and predicted after Loudon, it would be great to see him win three or four more races. Can you imagine if a guy had 12 wins and finished sixth in the standings?
Dinger unleashed: Change is scary
By AJ Allmendinger, Yahoo! Sports It’s not like I didn’t think for the past month that this was coming. It’s no surprise. I’ve dealt with this same situation before when I was in Champ Car, only then I wanted to leave that team. This time, I wanted to stay at Red Bull. I think we could have worked out a one-year deal, but we mutually agreed that it probably wasn’t the best thing for me. I would have been a lame-duck driver, where it would have been a weird situation and I would have been in the same situation next year. Change is always scary to me. I don’t know why. That initial change is always scary. But it always seems to work out for the best, and the way I look at it, why shouldn’t it this time either? The timing part of it sucks the most, because I think we have a good thing going with the whole 84 group. You can sit there and look at it so many ways. I can think, well, Red Bull screwed me. But, you know what? They’ve been with me from the start. They gave me the chance. For five years they put up with me. So you can’t be mad at the decision. I had a lot of good things happen to me because of Red Bull. I’m where I’m at now because of Red Bull. Sure I’m disappointed, but I can also look at it and say if it weren’t for some of the decisions they made, I wouldn’t have anybody calling me looking for another ride. There’s no secret that I have talked to Chip Ganassi about driving the No. 41 car. I’ve actually talked to a few teams that are interested, including IndyCar teams. Personally, though, I want to stay in NASCAR. I’ve worked too hard to learn these cars. The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my career, personally and mentally, is to fight and claw my way into this sport and to go through all that and say, ‘You know what, I had two years. I’m going to leave.’ I’m not ready to do that. I’ve got too much to accomplish. Right now, I don’t have anything signed and I don’t have a contract in front of me. I’m racing this weekend at Kansas, but I’m almost 100 percent sure I won’t be with Red Bull after this race. That’s tough, but I understand. Hopefully I’ll have something and I’ll be in a car next week. Whether it’s the team I’m going to be with for next year and we can start working on that or what, that’s kind of where we stand. I think the first two weeks of the Chase have been pretty sweet. I’m pretty psyched to see what happens. I still stand by my pick, Jimmie Johnson. I think he’s going to do it. But Biffle, that’s pretty badass jumping out of the gate like that and doing it when it counts. I don’t know what it looks like from the fans’ point of view, but personally, being on the racetrack, I can see everyone has stepped up their game. Not just by the Chase drivers, but everyone. Everybody is fighting for something, whether it’s to prove themselves for next year or to move into the top 35. Everybody turned it up a couple of notches, and it’s been pretty fun racing. As for this weekend, I’m treating it like it’s my last race, because it might be. Like I told Michael McDowell before last week’s race at Dover, get out the way, because I’m going to go out there, prove a point and finish as high as I can. Ten Points to Ponder After Kansas Tommy Thompson · Frontstretch.com 1. Naturally Good – The Chase for the Sprint Cup point format initiated in 2004 is designed to narrow the point gap amongst the Top 12 drivers and aid in creating a more exciting and suspenseful ten race climax to the NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Following Sunday’s Camping World RV 400 from Kansas Jimmie Johnson leads Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle by 10 and 30 points respectfully, with seven races remaining before the Sprint Cup Champion is crowned. Interesting? Well, in the Craftsman Truck Series, scheduled to compete next weekend at the high-banks of the Talladega Superspeedway there is one whale of a battle for the CTS championship brewing between former Cup drivers Johnny Benson and Ron Hornaday. Benson holds a ONE point lead over Hornaday with just six races remaining. Who needs artificially induced drama, anyways? 2. Making Johnny Paycheck Proud – Former Craftsman Truck Series Champion Ted Musgrave resigned as the driver of the HT Motorsports No. 59 Toyota Tundra prior to the running of the Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350 September 20th. Musgrave took exception to a HTM crewman’s insinuation that he had intentionally wrecked during the first practice session and heatedly quit before the second practice session. Veteran Stacy Compton took over the ride at Las Vegas and had little luck, as he too wrecked the teams backup truck, finishing 28th in the 31-truck field. “They just drive really out of control, and it just got away from me after, I don’t know how many
races we’ve run, 18 or whatever, I finally lost control once,” said Musgrave. “I just said ‘to heck with it, I’ll just get out and let Stacy drive it,’ and I can see he’s bottom of the barrel, too, with it.” Wow…no ongoing rumors of discourse…legal wrangling…or politically correct PR releases! Just, “I quit.” Is the Craftsman Truck Series grassroots racing…or what? 3. They Don’t Seem Worried – Camping World is intent on increasing its participation in NASCAR. The sponsor of the last two Sprint Cup races is also the series sponsor for the NASCAR’s East and West Series and now is in the running to become the title sponsor of the Craftsman Truck Series in 2009. The company, which sells, rents and repairs RV’s is the sponsor of the No. 33 Kevin Harvick, Inc. race team with defending CTS champion Ron Hornaday as its driver, as well. With atrocious gas prices and a shaky economy…how good can RV sales be? 4. Like A Swiss Watch? – Non-Chase eligible driver Martin Truex, Jr. led 29-laps at the Kansas Speedway and spent a large segment of the event battling for positions within the Top 10 before a broken transmission on lap 231 of the 267 lap race relegated the driver of the Dale Earnhardt, Inc. No. 1 Chevrolet to a 43rd place finish. Truex, Jr. was the ONLY DNF on the day. Since its inception NASCAR has held exceptionally long races to test the limits of not only the drivers, but the machines as well. Apparently 400 miles of high RPM racing is “no sweat” for today’s precision engineered racecars…How about 800 miles? 5. Non-realistic Simulations – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, still feeling the sting of criticism for the tire NASCAR’s exclusive supplier provided for the Allstate 400 at The Brickyard in July was back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for further tire testing this past week. Goodyear is working on providing an acceptable race tire after last July’s event at The Brickyard was an embarrassment to the company. The No. 45 Dodge driven by Kyle Petty was the sole participant in the two-day test session. “We had two very successful days of testing at Indy,” said Stu Grant, Goodyear’s general manager of worldwide racing. “We ran a wide variety of tread compounds in an effort to understand how each interacts with this car on this track. With NASCAR’s involvement, we evaluated several different aerodynamic packages to quantify what impact downforce has on tire performance. And with the help of Goodyear’s research scientists, we’ve begun processes to accurately characterize the track surface and monitor how it may change. This first test was meant to lay the groundwork for the second test in early October, which will have 17 cars in attendance. The information gathered at the first test will enable us to evaluate, in more detail, those types of combinations that
have the greatest potential. The second test will involve many more cars in an effort to more closely simulate the track conditions of a race weekend.” Okay…not to be mean…but shouldn’t Goodyear have found a team more capable of simulating tire wear at actual Sprint Cup race speeds than the No. 45 team? 6. Country Club Rules – Jeff Burton, currently fourth in the Chase to the Sprint Cup and well respected for his well thought out opinions on issues related to NASCAR, weighed in on the issue of how to best assist team owners in retaining sponsors. “I think an expansion of the Top 35 rule to make it a Top 42 rule or something like that is what I think we need to do,” Burton said. “I think that provides stability. Listen; when the economy is going well, it’s a whole lot easier. When you really start to see people getting hurt is when the economy starts to go bad.” Heck yeah! And we can stop the practice of giving out a trophy to the winner and instead just give everyone “certificates of participation” at the end of each race. 7. Unfamiliar Territory – Jeff Gordon finished fourth Sunday at Kansas Speedway jumping two positions to sixth in the championship point standings. However Gordon, whose 81 victories in the Cup Series is the by far the most of any active driver, has failed to win a race in almost a year. Gordon’s winless streak now stands at 34 consecutive races. The four-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion has not had a winless season since 1993…Gordon’s rookie year. Do you think it makes Gordon feel any better about his winless drought to see the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet driven by teammate Jimmie Johnson celebrate in victory lane five times so far this season? 8. New Math – Greg Biffle, winner of the first two installments of the Chase finished third Sunday at Kansas Speedway. Biffle, who is attempting to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win championships in all three of its top divisions is third in Cup points heading to Talladega next week. Boy, you would think a 1st, 1st and 3rd in three races would see a driver leading in the standings. But nope…he’s third in the world of NASCAR. 9. Lettin’ It All Hang Out – Carl Edwards slim lead in driver championship points evaporated after finishing second to Jimmie Johnson in the Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Sunday. However, Edwards did not willingly concede the race win or the point’s lead to Johnson without a fight. Edwards mounted a “last ditch” charge to take the lead from the defending Sprint Cup Champion, dive-bombing into turn 3 on the final lap and then slid in front of Johnson as the two exited turn 4. However, Edwards could not slow his momentum after the gung-ho maneuver and smacked the outside retaining wall as the two came in view of the checkered flag. Edwards “pancaked” the right side
of his No. 99 Ford as Johnson regained the lead and took the victory. Who said driver’s are content to just ride now days? 10. Re-run? – Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus, Rick Hendrick and Company win at Kansas, while looking to be in tip top championship form. Ummm…haven’t we already seen this movie? A couple of times? Thinkin’ Out Loud
Camping World RV 400 Matt McLaughlin · Frontstretch.com The Key Moment: Carl Edwards sailed his Ford into the final corner in a kamikaze attempt to pass Jimmie Johnson. Edwards did get by the No. 48 car, but momentum carried him into the wall — allowing Johnson to retake the lead. In a Nutshell: The race might have been a hundred miles too long but two laps too short. Dramatic Moment: With passing extremely difficult, the pack raced hard three-wide after every restart. That last lap will be remembered for a long time. What They’ll Be Talking About Around the Water Cooler This Week Let me join in those sending condolences to Paul Newman’s family and his myriad of friends and fans. In addition to being an actor almost without parallel (Nobody’s Fool’s Sully was my favorite role for the legend), Newman was a noted philanthropist whose Hole in the Wall camps inspired Kyle Petty’s Victory Junction Gang. In addition, Newman was pretty handy at the wheel of a race car. At the age of 70, he was one of the team drivers who won a Rolex 24 Hour sports car race. Teams he co-owned with Carl Haas won numerous open wheel races and championships; and during the Great Schism, Newman was a passionate advocate to see the two open wheel series in America
reunited. I, for one, am glad he lived long enough to see that happen. Many people might be surprised to learn that Newman won two Trans Am races at an age when most drivers are left running in the fast lane of a Florida interstate at 45 MPH with their left turn signal on heading for the local Olde Country Buffet. More important than anything, he accomplished was the way Newman did things. His accomplishments in life are too great for me to enumerate here, but whatever he did and however those efforts fared, Newman lived life with grace, humility and good humor, never losing sight of the common man nor the plight of those less fortunate. Good on ya, Paul. Godspeed. My guess is you earned an express ticket to your final reward. So now it’s down to a three man race for the title involving Johnson, Edwards, and Biffle who finished 1-2-3 on Sunday… right? Not so fast, Cowgirl. Next week, the Cup boys race at Talladega; and at Talladega in the plate era, it doesn’t matter how fast your car is or how well a driver competes. It all comes down to luck, and if you’re in the wrong place at the right time, a competitive car can be reduced to a smoking pile of junk in the blink of an eye — a car so badly damaged all the King’s horses and all the King’s men can’t piece it back together again. Let’s wait and see who survives Talladega before postulating guesses about this year’s title
winner. Am I the only one who thought the video clearly showed Clint Bowyer was still a half car length behind Kyle Petty when they took the green flag? Juan Pablo Montoya won the pole Sunday. Oh, wait a second; no he wasn’t. The team was caught with rear shocks whose gas pressure was above the mandated allowed pressure. But after being caught cheating, the 42 team was still allowed to compete in the event. That confuses a lot of casual fans and non-fans and I can offer them no credible explanation as to how that works. My standard reply these days is, “This is NASCAR. It’s not supposed to make sense.” It’s as if a rider were found to be doped before the Tour De France and he was still allowed to compete but was penalized by having to ride
with a wicker basket full of kittens strapped to the handlebars. If things remain as they are on pit road, reporters are going to start demanding combat pay to interview Kyle Busch after a race. Given their recent work on pit road and in the garage area, one has to wonder if Jamie Little or Shannon Spake can see Russia from their houses, too? Some folks would like to see Kansas get a second date, noting the facility will soon have a Hard Rock Café and a casino on site. Yeah, too bad they didn’t invest that same money into fixing the track. Those who want to see a second date at Kansas remind me of the sort who would go to the dentist and ask to have root canal done on a healthy tooth without anesthesia. Sunday’s race was good; but it was the exception, not the rule. Kyle Busch says, despite his statements to the contrary, he hasn’t given up on winning this year’s title. In other news, Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he hasn’t given up on Tony Eury, Junior, Jeff Gordon says he hasn’t given up on Steve LeTarte. NASCAR says they haven’t given up on the Car of Sorrow and everything is going to be just fine. I’m reminded of the tagline from that Pepsi Super Bowl commercial that has recently come out of hibernation: “WAKE UP, PEOPLE!” Three previous Cup champions — Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth – - remain mathematically alive in the Chase, yet still haven’t won a Cup race this season. Go figure. Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick are also in the Chase but haven’t won races either. If NASCAR ran the NFL, the Detroit Lions might be in this year’s Super Bowl at this rate… Does anyone else think it’s time for Michael Waltrip to swallow his pride, hang up his helmet, and put A.J. Allmendinger in the No. 55 car for next season to contribute to the longterm health of his team? I’m reluctant to dabble into politics even as this great nation reaches a crossroads where nobody seems to know which way to turn. But I am, after all, a car guy. As such, I find it somewhat amusing that one pair of candidates for the presidency want to be known as the “Mavericks.” As a car guy, the term “Maverick” still first and foremost denotes Ford’s misshapen, mutant and unsuccessful attempt at an economy car, one of Dearborn’s greatest disasters. Yeah, I once owned a primer gray Maverick with a worked 351 and 4.10 gears that was pretty successful on Front Street, but then, I once owned a Pinto Cruising Wagon too. I wouldn’t have wanted to try to
pass a drug test in that era, either… Yesterday, Philadelphia area stick and ball sports fans celebrated the Phillies clinching the National League East title. (Phat lot of good that will do them. The Phils winning the World Series? Michael Waltrip will be an eight time Cup champion first.) But Sunday, Philly area race fans got the latest slap to the face from WPVI, our ABC affiliate. In place of the pre-race show, fans got live coverage of the Puerto Rican Day parade instead. Yeah, yeah I get it. Cultural diversity, sensitivity and pride. Well, as a proud Irish descendant, I wouldn’t expect my local channel to pre-empt coverage of an NHL playoff game to show the Saint Patty’s Day parade live featuring adorable little Irish middle school girls dancing jigs in short green dresses. Once the market leader, WPVI seems to have lost touch with their viewers since hiring the Anti-Christ to be their head weather bunny. Please join our organization, ABC (Anybody But Cecily) and take up our battle cry: “She’s a witch… burn her!” The Hindenburg Award For Foul Fortune Kyle Busch suffered through his third straight mechanical issue and lousy finish, and fans endured Busch’s boorish post-race interview as a result. Maybe there’s something to this “leaving the track without comment” routine after all. Tony Stewart’s high speed lawn-mowing in the infield ended his chances at a good finish. As a result of a terrible three week stretch, Joe Gibbs’ three championship contending teams now find themselves in the basement of the Chase — 10th, 11th, and 12th. Joey Logano might be the next big thing, but a 39th place finish isn’t going to have him inducted into any Halls of Fame anytime soon. Dale Earnhardt started the event quick, but faded later in the race. Haven’t I seen this Looney Tune before? Martin Truex, Jr. ran in the Top 10 for much of the race, but ended up the only driver who managed not to finish (43rd) after he tore the shifter out of his car. In retrospect, DEI’s decision to run shifters built by Playskool rather than Hurst to save money might have been an error. The “Seven Come Fore Eleven” Award For Fine Fortune While Jimmie Johnson might not have had the fastest car, he clearly had the fastest pit crew. Edwards would pass Johnson out on the track, but Johnson’s team consistently returned him to the lead on restarts. Carl Edwards’ trip up into the wall on the final lap could have dropped him to the last car finishing on the lead lap, but he held onto second place. The fact he survived two pit road collisions to emerge at the front late is amazing enough. The way most of his season went, the fact Greg Biffle is disappointed with a third place finish says something. By his own admission, Jeff Gordon was sicker than he’s ever been climbing into a race car at the start of Sunday’s race. He not only completed the race but finished fourth which had to go a long way towards making him feel better. If A.J. Allmendinger is auditioning for a ride next season, a solid Top 10 finish in what might be his final ride in the 84 looks good on his resume. After all, in a field of thoroughbreds Allmendinger was astride a lame mule. Matt Kenseth went spinning off the bumper of the No. 5 car and almost lost a lap — but he rallied back to a fifth place finish. It just didn’t look like it was meant to be a good race for Jeff Burton Sunday. The tach in the No. 31 car failed prior to the race, and after repairs were made, Burton had to start shotgun on the field; yet, he somehow still managed to post a Top 10 finish. Worth Noting · The top 10 finishers at Kansas competed in four Chevys, four Fords, one Dodge and a Toyota. · Patrick Carpentier in 29th enjoyed the best finish by a member of this year’s sorry-ass Rookie of the Year contenders. · Jimmie Johnson scored his 38th career Cup win in 248 starts. Do the math. That means Johnson has won once for about every 6.5 races he’s started. Johnson has won three of the last five Cup races and finished second in another. · Carl Edwards (second) has Top 10 finishes in nine of the last ten races. He’s won three of those ten events. · Greg Biffle (third) has finished within the Top 3 in four of the last five Cup races. · Jeff Gordon (fourth) scored his first Top 5 finish since Bristol in August. Maybe they ought to give him flu shots prior to qualifying on Fridays. Not the sort of flu shots that prevent a patient from getting the flu…the kind that cause it. · Matt Kenseth (fifth) has posted back-to-back Top 5 finishes for the first time this season. · Kevin Harvick (sixth) has now managed nine straight Top 10 Cup finish |
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