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Happy Thursday everyone. Today In Nascar History October 16, 1966: Donnie Allison makes his NASCAR debut, finishing 27th in the National 500 at Charlotte. Allison starts 39th in the field of 44 and completes 186 of 334 laps before his engine fails. Eighteen cars are running at the finish when LeeRoy Yarbrough wins by 18 seconds over Darel Dieringer. Number of the Day
1: Drivers who have won races in NASCAR's top three series at Martinsville Speedway, site of this weekend's Sprint Cup and Craftsman Truck Series races. Bobby Labonte won a Nationwide Series race at the .526-mile track in 1992, a Cup race in 2002 and a truck race in 2005. Thought of the Day Wrinkled was not one of the things I wanted to be when I grew up!
Power Rankings Martinsville Most Popular Driver…Vote here! http://www.scenedaily.com/mostpopulardriver/ or http://www.votemostpopulardriver.com/ Nationwide Most Popular Driver Poll
Craftsman Truck Most Popular Driver Poll
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
Comments from the Peanut Gallery
From Howard When speaking of: News From Detroit Worsens, Changes For NASCAR Are Inevitable.... It’s about time. These boys are way overpaid and so are the teams and the millions of dollars that they waste! When I drove (back in the 60's and 70's), we didn't have big sponsors, but we sure had a lot of fun. They could cut their budgets in half and still do just fine. From Lou Ed, if memory serves, the #25 Bud car was raced by Ken Schrader and Rick Hendrick was the car owner. Hi Momma, You were right on with your answer and 1995 also saw Jeff Gordon win his first NASCAR Winston Cup Championship and he won it by battling the 7-time champ, and also the defending champ Dale Earnhardt, into the final race of the season. Dale Earnhardt won the race and led the most laps and Jeff Gordon only led one lap and finished way back in the pack, but it was enough to beat out Earnhardt for the NASCAR Winston Cup championship. By the way, I gave up complaining about the way our National Anthem is butchered almost every week at the NASCAR prerace show. I still think it would be better if they played a recording of it like they used to do back when. Lou Elliott The Old Man of NASCAR From Larry No one sings the National Anthem as good as these kids do. And yes, they are just kids. 61023-National_Anthem_-_Cactus.wmv (4019KB) MT1 FAN WOW! That is awesome Larry Bits and Pieces Todd Palin named honorary official at Martinsville Todd Palin, husband of Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, will take part in Martinsville Speedway race activities on Sunday. As an honorary race official, Palin will be introduced in the drivers meeting early in the day, visit with drivers and other race officials in the pits, and appear in prerace activities. Palin is a world champion snow machine racer and a lifelong Alaskan. He won the 2,000-mile Tesoro Iron Dog snowmobile race four times. That is a weeklong race of up to 100 mph by two-man teams from Wasilla, Alaska, where the Palins live, to Nome to Fairbanks. Palin, 44, is a commercial fisherman, a production operator for BP on Alaska’s North Slope and a member of the United Steelworkers Union. Evernham thinking about leaving GEM? UPDATE: Ray Evernham, who has a minority share in Gillett Evernham Motorsports [#9, #10, and #19], said he was not involved in the decision to release rookie Patrick Carpentier. Evernham stressed he's a minority partner in the team and hinted maybe that role could change to not being a part of the team. "That's largely up to the Gillette’s,'' Evernham said if he would remain with the team. "I want to help Mr. Gillette, and I'll do whatever I can to help him be successful, but I also want to pursue ... I'm enjoying my life at ESPN. I'm enjoying a little bit of semi-retirement. I want to help as much as I can, but I also want to make sure I have creditability with the viewers
and that's important to me.''(Roanoke Times) UPDATE: Tuesday [Oct 14th] on “SIRIUS Speedway” on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, host Dave Moody spoke with Gillett Evernham Motorsports co-owner Ray Evernham. Evernham talked about the rumor that he is considering reducing his stake in the race team and reports that Gillett Evernham Motorsports is contemplating a manufacturer switch from Dodge to Toyota. On the rumor that he is considering selling part of his stake in Gillett Evernham Motorsports: Bob Bahre Named To Hall of Fame: New Hampshire Motor Speedway founder Bob Bahre will be inducted to the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame on Jan. 25, 2009 at LaRenaissance Banquet Hall in East Windsor, Conn. Bahre, generally acknowledged as the man who brought “major league’ auto racing to New England, is also recognized as having saved Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway. He lifted the track to prominence with the Oxford 250, long one of the richest short track races for late model stocks in America. He changed the face of the sport in 1990 when he built the mile oval in Loudon — today New Hampshire Motor Speedway. At the time it was the first superspeedway built in the world in 20 years. Tickets to the
ceremony are on sale in Nov. at near1.com.(Union Leader) Braun to test for Roush at the Rock: Roush Fenway Racing Truck Series driver Colin Braun is scheduled to test COT Cup car at Rockingham Speedway on Thursday, Oct. 16th.(Ford Racing) Back in the Saddle Barry Sheppard, transporter driver for the #07 Jack Daniel’s Racing team and driver Clint Bowyer, will return to the track this weekend in Martinsville after 11 weeks on the sidelines. Following the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sheppard had surgery to repair two ruptured discs in his lower back. After a lengthy convalescence at his home in Stuart, Va., the 2001 International Truck Challenge Championship winner has been cleared by Dr. Charles Branch to return to his regular duties beginning this weekend.(RCR PR) DEI working on the future: Max Siegel, Bobby Hutchens and John Story are trying to hold Dale Earnhardt Inc. together, rebuild it and find solid sponsorships for 2009 in a dismal economic climate. Siegel heard the rumors that swirled through the Lowe's Motor Speedway garage last weekend, including the one that DEI was on the verge of laying off 80 employees after losing Paul Menard and the John Menard and U.S. Army sponsorships. But Siegel says he's doing his best to put together the sponsorship deals to keep DEI running smoothly. "Since I've been with DEI, we've had to deal with perception issues," said Siegel, a two-year veteran with the operation. "But we've got great people and great facilities. Right now,
today, it is an interesting dynamic. If you look at the company and our infrastructure and the people who have been there a long time, and look at how our cars have been running, we have made some impressive gains. Last year people were killing us about our engines, so we've made a concerted effort to focus on our joint engine venture (with fellow owner Richard Childress). And there has definitely been improvement." Jeff Gordon heading to 20,000 laps led: Another milestone – 20,000 career laps led – is well within reach for #24-Jeff Gordon this Sunday in the TUMS QuikPak 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Gordon, who is currently eighth all-time with 19,823 laps led, can surpass Rusty Wallace for seventh on that list if he leads 150 laps this Sunday – something Gordon has accomplished on nine occasions there. Tack on another 27 and Gordon reaches 20,000. While Gordon is well shy of Richard Petty’s total of 52,194, he holds a commanding lead over the nearest “active” competitor in that category – future teammate Mark Martin – who ranks 11th with 11,560.(PPR Plus PR) Kurt Busch live at Barrett-Jackson…this Thursday (Oct. 16) between 4:10 p.m. and 4:20 p.m. local time in Las Vegas (PDT – 7:10 to 7:20 Eastern) at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Events Center. Kurt will help auction – live on SPEED-TV – the Miller Lite Dodge he raced last year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with all proceeds going to the Kurt Busch Foundation benefiting the Victory Junction Gang Camp.(Tom Roberts PR) Nicroette back with Gordon in 2009? When Jeff Gordon’s new DuPont paint scheme was revealed recently, Nicorette’s associate sponsorship along the lower rear quarter panels was notably missing. But that doesn’t mean Hendrick Motorsports’ relationship with the smoking cessation product is necessarily over. And even if it is, there appears to be an opportunity for another sponsor to form a marketing relationship with Gordon’s team. “Nicorette has been a valued partner of Hendrick Motorsports, and we are in the process of discussing 2009 options with them,” a Hendrick spokesperson told the [Long Island] Press. In 2008, Gordon’s car will sport Nicorette green six times as primary sponsor, including
upcoming races at Atlanta and Texas. Pepsi was the primary sponsor twice in ’08. But the Hendrick rep later added, “The structure of the sponsorship will be similar to what you’ve seen the past few seasons.” Attempts to reach Lutz, Fla.-based Lighthouse Marketing, LLC, which manages Nicorette’s motorsports account, were unsuccessful. National Guard, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s co-primary sponsor, could pick up Nicorette’s former spot on the lower rear quarter panels.(Long Island Press) Yeley hopes to get back in Cup ride soon: J.J. Yeley would welcome the opportunity to return to Sprint Cup this season. He tried to get into MWR's #00 Toyota for Martinsville, but the team hired Mike Bliss. "He had a little sponsorship and he won," Yeley said. Yeley has spoken with Chip Ganassi about the #41 [Target Dodge] being vacated by Sorenson at the end of the season. It's the only fully funded car left in the Cup garage. "Chip hasn't said no," Yeley said. "My name is still on the list. It would be a great opportunity." A.J. Allmendinger's name has been linked to that seat, too. Other seats with established teams are available, but they need funding and a driver with some of it will have an edge. Yeley is
working with a marketing company to bring something to the table if he doesn't land the job at Ganassi. "I've had lots of discussions with a lot of teams," Yeley said. "If you can bring a little bit of money, they can bring the rest. It puts you at the front of the line. I want to race at the highest level, I'd love to do Cup. If I can't, then I'll look at Nationwide and [Craftsman] Trucks."(Sports Illustrated) Don't look for Chevy to leave, just do things a little differently
As most of you know, General Motors stock last week plummeted to $4.65 per share, its lowest value since 1950. Read that again. I hope it sticks in your craw. It burns me like Clorox on a paper cut. And I have no allegiances to GM other than being an American and the owner of a Chevy Silverado. I'm not a shareholder. None of my family or friends were laid off. But, as the microcosm of a greater problem, it disappoints me so badly I could lose my lunch. (Word of advice: avoid like the plague the urge to peek at your 401(k), and do not contact your financial adviser.) I feel the same way about Ford, whose shares are currently valued at roughly the same price as a half-sipped can of Red Bull. And Chrysler … well, you know. But GM, likely as a result of its position as an American institution and former status symbol, to me, is the poster child for the American automaker meltdown. Facing the 58-year low, GM executives continue to reassess most every portion of the company budget, including marketing strategies. Which means NASCAR. It's hard not to wonder how GM can report a $15.5 billion net loss in the second quarter alone and back Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Richard Childress each year. Does it make sense? And will it continue? If you ask Chevy, the answer is yes. And yes. The key question for them moving forward: How, exactly? Terry Dolan, Chevrolet's racing manager, said Tuesday that NASCAR remains a key portion of Chevy's marketing strategy. But changes to the current investment portfolio are already under way, and a continuation of that trend in 2009 seems almost certain. "Regardless of the business challenges, we still have to look at ways where we can effectively reach large groups of target buyers that have an interest or need in our products," Dolan said. "When properly managed, NASCAR gives us an opportunity to reach that target audience. "The key is, where's the right balance point between investment and return? That's the case, whether you're looking at GM or many of the sponsors in the industry. We're all constantly working at trying to come up with that internal assessment that answers that question." The cost of investing in NASCAR continues to escalate. Explode, really. Team sponsorships have tripled in the past decade. In 1998, a $10 million sponsorship was huge. Now, owners are seeking $26 million and up. Per car. That's why so many cars have multiple primary sponsorships these days. Chevy invests in NASCAR in many ways, to the tune of an estimated $100 million-plus annually. Dolan chose not to divulge the total annual dollar figure, but when you break down the GM NASCAR portfolio, it's easy to see how quickly it can add up. Fourteen Sprint Cup teams field Chevy race cars. Through that relationship, teams receive technical and engineering support, wind-tunnel time and marketing assistance. Also included in the deal are passenger cars. And, of course, money. And many drivers, including Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson, have personal-service agreements. Aside from that, Chevy has deals with many racetracks to provide pace cars, trucks for driver introductions and service vehicles. Trackside, Chevy uses NASCAR as a platform for what amounts to an on-site auto show. The current fear in the company, according to Dolan, is investment oversaturation in some markets due to existing marketing relationships with sports teams, state fairs or other local opportunities in the same places they invest in NASCAR. GM recently reduced the number of track relationships from 12 to seven, though Dolan, citing confidentiality agreements with the tracks, would not disclose which five tracks they cut. (Among the venues believed to be included are Martinsville and Daytona on the International Speedway Corp. side, and Bristol for Speedway Motorsports.) GM is currently evaluating its driver relationships as well. A personal-service agreement gives Chevrolet the right to use a driver's name and likeness in advertising. (Alongside the aforementioned big three drivers, expect Tony Stewart to be in the mix in 2009. Chevrolet did, after all, facilitate his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing.) "We've been evaluating our role and investment in the PSAs," Dolan said. "Who are the right drivers to have? What benefits do they bring to us by being engaged in a personal services agreement? Do we have the ability to fully exercise the benefits we receive from those contracts? Are you using them the right way to drive the business?" For Chevrolet, return on investment in NASCAR is measured in two primary ways: vehicle sales generated directly by the NASCAR association in comparison with the national average, and media impressions. Currently, they are comfortable with both. "The modeling we've done, we're pretty satisfied with where we are historically," Dolan said. "The question is where do you go in the future and keep the right balance? That's where it becomes a challenge. "The cost of participation has escalated in the past, and had escalated at a pretty rapid rate. That's where you pause and say, all right, where's the fulcrum? Where's the right level of spending for today? If so, where do you recalibrate to bring things into proper perspective?" Questions abound, and GM will spend less money on NASCAR in 2009. But Dolan said Chevy is committed to the sport in a tough economy. Chevy spokespeople talked openly this summer about how the company is reassessing its investment strategies. Dolan explained that GM is in NASCAR to engage consumers in the Chevy brand trackside, and to ensure that potential buyers have an opportunity to personally experience the product. To do that effectively, GM must have credibility among consumers. Enter the teams and drivers. The ol' win-on-Sunday-sell-on-Monday mantra. "One of the keys to being popular among the fan base is aligning yourself with winning teams and drivers," Dolan said. "You need to be relevant to the fans to have an opportunity to change their consideration and opinion about your product. "Over the years, we've been fortunate enough to have those associations with key partners that have enabled some phenomenal on-track success. We're proud of what we've done to date. We just have to continue to do the right things to keep the balance in place with our business climate." Strategies will continue to change as long as the market remains so volatile -- all in the name of balance. "NASCAR plays a key role in our marketing mix," Dolan said. "What we have to do is ensure we have our financial commitments properly balanced versus the economic realities of the United States' economy." Rain plan for time trials needed What's the most glaring example of unjust enrichment in the way NASCAR conducts its competition? Here's a hint. It happens when the rain falls. With respect to its races, NASCAR makes every effort to run them on the scheduled day. If weather conditions prevent that, NASCAR will hold the rescheduled event at the first possible opportunity thereafter, even if it's a Tuesday morning, as was the case at Michigan in August 2007. When it comes to qualifying sessions, however, it's one shot and done. If rain wipes out time trials, NASCAR simply sets the field -- and the order of selection of pit stalls -- according to owner points. Frankly, it's time to rethink a system that rewards the "haves" unduly and penalizes the "have-nots." There are two separate issues here, one of which has to do with the need to reschedule a rained-out qualifying session, the other of which governs what happens when that's impossible. First and foremost, NASCAR should re-evaluate its approach to qualifying and make a concerted effort to postpone and reschedule, rather than cancel a session affected by rain. Eight of 31 qualifying sessions have been wiped out by rain this season, more than 25 percent. The starting fields for two of the first five Chase for the Sprint Cup events have been set according to owner points. Admittedly, the former number is uncharacteristically enormous -- compared with three rainouts in 2007 and two in 2006 -- but the worst-case scenario, not the best case, should provide the basis for contingency plans. There is inconvenience involved in trying to reschedule qualifying. If a Friday session is rained out, chances are that requisite practice sessions have been washed out, too. Complicating the process is the time needed to run all the cars through technical inspection. For years, however, NASCAR conducted second-day qualifying for drivers who didn't make the show on speed during the initial session, or who chose not to stand on their times. At a typical venue, time trials take less than two hours from start to finish, so running a qualifying session on a Saturday morning instead of a Friday afternoon is something that can be done. It's an issue of fundamental fairness. As important as track position is to NASCAR's new racecar, the fastest qualifiers should start the race from the front of the field, whenever possible. Drivers hopeful of making their Cup debuts shouldn't have to depend on a one-shot deal, either. At Lowe's Motor Speedway this past weekend, rain prevented Scott Speed, Brad Keselowski and Bryan Clauson from getting the chance to make the field and race in the Cup series for the first time. If the session had been rescheduled for Friday, they would have. For fans that turned out for qualifying on Thursday, a rescheduled session would have given them another reason to come to the speedway the following day. There are times, though, when rescheduling is impossible. When Hurricane Hanna blew through Richmond in September, there was no shot at holding qualifying, rescheduled or not. According to NASCAR rules, Kyle Busch got the pole and the first choice of pit box. At Lowe's it was Chase leader Jimmie Johnson who got the top starting spot and pit stall No. 1. And what were the first words out of the two-time champion's mouth when rain wiped out last Thursday's session? "The guys we're racing are right there with us, so (being on the pole) isn't a huge advantage," Johnson said. "But having the first pit stall is going to be helpful. We've seen some things happen here on pit road. It is an advantage to be in that first pit stall here at Lowe's Motor Speedway. We're excited about that." So the Chase leader not only gets to start up front, he also gets to pick the stall at the end of pit road, which provides unimpeded access back onto the track. Carl Edwards, who got second pick, seemed more chagrined that Johnson got to pick first than happy that he would get a premium pit box. "The only disadvantage to the way this is working out is Jimmie gets the first pit stall, and his pit crew is extremely fast," Edwards said. "It's is an advantage that we get the second pick. The only problem is Jimmie gets the first one, and he's unbelievable here." There's an easy way to minimize the advantage, one where points leaders won't automatically be rewarded doubly with the top starting spots and the best pit stalls -- and those farther down the order are hit with the double whammy of a start in the rear and an inconvenient pit box. At a meeting before qualifying, representatives of each team draw lots that establish the order of qualifying. Why not use that lottery to determine the order of pit selection in the event of a rainout? In other words, give the team highest in owner points the top starting spot, but determine pit stalls randomly to give every team a shot at the best locations on pit road. Above all, though, NASCAR should try to get the time trials in, even on a make-up basis -- come hell or high water. Paulie Harraka brings a different kind of diversity to NASCAR
SOUTH BOSTON, Va. -- Paulie Harraka is a meteor that hasn't hit your lawn yet. A bullet train headed down your driveway. If Paulie were a hurricane, he'd be Category 3 and building, projected to be a Cat 5 by the time he makes landfall. "'If Paulie doesn't make it in racing, he can always run for president of the United States,'" team owner Bill McAnally says NASCAR president Mike Helton told him recently. There's plenty of time for the Oval Office to be Paulie's safety net, because you have to be 35 years old to occupy it. Paulie is 19. Paulie is of the very last minority I expected to find at NASCAR's Drive for Diversity scouting combine this week. "Harraka" is a Syrian name, but that's just the technicality that qualified him for the Drive for Diversity. Paulie really represents America's tiniest minority: the super-intellectual, overachieving dynamos of energy from the elite universities, the Ivy League schools, M.I.T., Stanford and, in Paulie's case, Duke, where he's a freshman. Paulie's type is always headed for heights unknown, but usually in government, science, economics, big business … NASCAR? NASCAR? "I love this sport," he says. "I love everything about it. I love engineering. I love the business side of it. I'm double majoring at Duke in mechanical engineering as well as public policy to get some of the business side of it." Paulie said that in five seconds. Paulie talks so fast, with such authority, you figure he could get a Shakespearian soliloquy into a sound bite. The brightest hope thus far produced by the Drive for Diversity is Marc Davis, the 18-year-old African-American driver at Joe Gibbs Racing who is knocking on the door of the Truck series for next year, and will make his Nationwide Series debut for JGR at Memphis on Oct. 25. Paulie, of Fair Lawn, N.J., is the second biggest hope out of "D4D," as NASCAR people call it in their shorthand. This year Paulie became the first driver in the five-year history of the program to win a track championship, with 11 late-model victories at All-American Speedway in northern California. You'd think Duke, located in Durham, N.C., would be the perfect location for Paulie to go to college and pursue a NASCAR career at the same time. Wrong. McAnally, based in Antelope, Calif., plans to run Paulie full-time in the Camping World West series in 2009, so Paulie's going to run up an awful lot of plane tickets that read RDU-SFO-RDU -- Raleigh-Durham to San Francisco and back -- on a weekly basis. Won't that be too much for even Paulie, transcontinental commuting while studying at one of America's toughest universities? "It's got to be tough, but again, he's Paulie Harraka," says McAnally, whose own résumé includes running the developmental program for current Cup star Clint Bowyer. "That kid can do most anything." While in high school, Paulie worked two summer internships at Evernham Motorsports and a 13-month internship at Joe Gibbs Racing. He was befriended by Benny Parsons, whom he came to call "Uncle Benny." "One day before he passed away we were talking and I said, 'Uncle Benny, if you could only have one, the Daytona 500 or the Cup championship' -- he'd won both -- 'which would you pick?'" Paulie says. "And he said, 'The Daytona 500.' "So, I guess that's what my eye's on right now. And I want to be the first Sprint Cup champion who's also graduated from Duke." Duke annually rejects plenty of kids with perfect SAT scores and dazzling résumés. So, which is tougher, Paulie, getting to Cup level, or getting into Duke? "Getting into Cup may be a tick tougher," he says. "At Duke, you can lay it all out on paper. You can say, 'Hey, I've done this, I've done that, this is my GPA, these are my extracurriculars, I was president of this.' … You can lay it out. Getting to Cup level, you've got to have all that, plus you've got to have the right breaks. You gotta have it all." "Paulie's definitely got the talent, he's got the drive, he's got the passion," says McAnally. "But the most important thing about Paulie is he's willing to pay the dues. He's willing to take it one hurdle at a time." He had raced go-karts since childhood, but when McAnally took him two years ago, "he couldn't shift a four-speed transmission," says the owner. "In '07, we didn't win a race with him." But he learned every element from the ground up: "He was under the car, all over the car, he wanted to see the car on the scales … you look at pictures from Victory Lane, he's always the dirtiest one on the team." Even now, "I'll get e-mails at one o'clock in the morning from him: 'You know, I was thinking if we changed that first gear a little bit, it'd be a lot better on a restart.' "His wheels are always turning." In Paulie Harraka, NASCAR might be getting a kind of diversity it never imagined at the outset of D4D, which was intended, says program head Marcus Jadotte, "to create opportunities for kids who otherwise might not have them." Paulie is the kind of kid of kid who'll make his own breaks, kick down his own doors. He doesn't necessarily need the Drive for Diversity. But that's exactly the way America's whiz kids get where they get -- working the system at every angle, every technicality, taking every little opportunity they find. The D4D's intent, in spirit, was aimed more at drivers such as combine participant Kristen Bumbera, 21, of Houston, who became the first D4D female driver to win a feature race, two in fact, also at All-American Speedway … or 19-year-old, African-American driver Michael Cherry of Tampa, who finished fourth in points and was rookie of the year at Motor Mile Speedway in Virginia this summer … That was the intent. But the rules are the rules. Female and minority drivers. Even the whiz-kid minority, if technically the ethnic minority. When will the Drive for Diversity finally produce a full-time Cup or even Nationwide driver? "Give Paulie Harraka three years," says McAnally. The Many Feuds of Kevin Harvick, Pt. 1: Happy vs. The Biff Jen Preston/bleacherreport.com Ah, Kevin Harvick. Whether it's hosting 'Happy's Hour' on FOX or threatening to kick the asses of fellow drivers, you never fail to give writers, bloggers, and fans something to talk about. So why not recap some of these classic moments that Hurricane Harvick has brought us? Take a walk with me down memory lane as we recount the many feuds of Happy Harvick... To begin telling the story, we must go back all the way to 2002. It was a clear day in Bristol, Tennessee when, on lap 241 of a 250 lap then Busch Series event, Harvick was sent into the wall after contact with Greg Biffle. To say the least, Happy wasn't too happy about it. “Basically, he (Greg Biffle) got impatient and we were the second car he had spun out,” Harvick said on Saturday. “It wasn't just us that had been taken out today. You know, if he had got up under me, I would have just moved out of the way and he would have went by. “But it's not like we were racing for the win. We were racing for seventh—seventh. Obviously he's done it time and time again to numerous and numerous amounts of people. “I just wasn't going to put up with it. I needed to let him know that I wasn't going to put up with it. You can't tolerate people shoving you around or putting you in the fence—especially when we do these one-race deals, and especially when people (like him) are running for the championship.” Most drivers would be upset and retire to their motor home. But not our dear friend Kevin Harvick. Oh no; instead, ladies and gentleman, Harvick sat atop his pit box until the end of the race. A NASCAR official asked Harvick if he was okay, which Harvick responded by telling the official he was fine and that nothing would happen. Please add lying to his rap sheet. After Biffle finished fifth and was being interviewed by the media, Harvick flew across the roof of Biffle's number 60 Grainger Ford, grabbing him around the throat and exchanging words before NASCAR officials broke up the incident. Harvick was fined $15,000 and placed on probation until August 28. Don't worry, fans at home—that didn't stop Happy Harvick from keeping us all entertained. In fact, Harvick made history when he became the first driver ever to be suspended for his aggressive actions. After on track incident during a Martinsville truck race with Coy Gibbs, in which they got together several times on the track, Harvick ran into the back of Gibbs under caution. Harvick was then called to the NASCAR trailer, parking his race-truck in front of the hauler, and having a ninety minute meeting with officials before he was suspended. Kenny Wallace took his place in the following Cup race, in which he finished 32nd. And I know what you're thinking—is that the end of the Harvick-Biffle feud? But I want more! Well fans, don't fret. In July 2005, Harvick and 'The Biff' had it out again in Chicagoland. However, things were kept on track- except for the name calling, of course. Biffle believed Harvick intentionally didn't pass leader Reed Sorenson to prevent Biffle from getting the Lucky Dog award. "I think Kevin Harvick's a chicken," Biffle said. "I think he's a punk. And I wish he was sitting right here beside me. "You've got to be that desperate to try to win a race? He must not want to race a long time because that's going to some pretty extreme measures...Whatever. That's just the way he drives, the way he thinks.” Harvick, however, claimed he couldn't pass Sorenson, following that statement up by calling him a primadonna and saying Biffle needed to "quit whining or I'll stop it." This isn't the end of the 'Many Feuds of Kevin Harvick.' Coming up, I'll be spotlighting fan favorites like when Harvick fought Ricky Rudd on a car, the time he feuded with teammates, the time he called a fellow driver a 'rubberneck,' and many more! Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off Halfway Home – A 2008 Chase Review Matt McLaughlin · Frontstretch.com Five short weeks ago, NASCAR’s latest rendition of the ill-considered Chase kicked off with all the fanfare the powers that be could muster, despite general apathy by the mainstream press who still seem to think this NFL and World Series thing might fly even against the juggernaut of the shamelessly self-proclaimed “fastest growing sport in America.” Five weeks ago, many pundits — this humble scribe included — boldly predicted the Chase was a two man battle between Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. I am hopeful that at the time I picked Jimmie Johnson as a potential spoiler — at least that would make me look less like a moron than I currently feel. But like those disclaimers on mutual funds proclaim in small print, “past performance does not guarantee future results.” So, here at the halfway point let’s take a look at the 12 Chasers and how they’re faring, with the above disclaimer still in play: Jimmie Johnson (Vegas odds: 5-9) While I doubt he’ll ever go down in the history books as the sport’s best racer, Johnson might just be the sport’s best Chaser. Every team and driver knows going into the season what challenges the new championship format poses. First, they merely have to be in the Top 12 in points after the second Richmond race; it’s the final 10 events which determine the actual title. Knowing that’s the case, and having already won two of these Chase things, Johnson and the No. 48 bunch seemed to deemphasize the regular season. Johnson might be playing head games with other drivers, but he now claims the team used a lot of races at the mile and a
half tracks this season to experiment with new setups that are now paying off — despite having endured several less than stellar runs on similar tracks. With the preponderance of the mile-and-a-halves left in the next five races, that might have been wise. Whatever the case here, Johnson is playing his cards close to his chest. He did win at Kansas, but only after lifting to ensure Carl Edwards’ banzai last lap move didn’t collect the No. 48. When things got a little nuts at Talladega and his main Chase rivals were crippled, Johnson admitted he was going to play it conservative rather than go for the win. At Charlotte, Johnson surrendered several positions in the final laps rather than launching an all out drive to take the lead. You can certainly argue those tactics; but you sure can’t argue with the results. Johnson leads the points by 69 and is now the prohibitive favorite to win this year’s title. Last year, with chief rival Jeff
Gordon on a roll, strategy dictated Johnson had to go all out for a win every Chase race. That was a lot more exciting to watch than this year’s more reasoned approach for the No. 48 bunch. Jeff Burton (Vegas odds: 5-2) To paraphrase Benny Parsons: “Where did he come from!” Easily the oldest driver in the Chase at 41, Burton endured a midseason slump that saw him go from the first Michigan race to the second Loudon event without a Top 5 finish. Since the Chase began, Burton has managed Top 10s in every race, peaking with a brilliant victory on worn tires at Charlotte last weekend. Quietly running just beneath the radar, Burton has amassed almost five million dollars in winnings this season and is suddenly seen as the best, and last, chance to derail Johnson’s three-peat. Nobody who follows the sport doubts Burton’s heart and desire, but his consistency is
still troublesome, and his two RCR teammates seem stuck in third gear right now. A Burton championship would be one of those feel good events where even fans of the drivers who lost or failed to make the Chase would feel he was a very deserving champion after all these years of trying. But as Alan Jackson might say, “But here in the real world…” Greg Biffle (Vegas odds: 3-1) Well, nobody could start the Chase much better than winning the first two races, huh? A third place finish at Kansas kept Biffle in the points lead and his early playoff momentum rolling. Then along came Talladega, and as it stands written in the Book of Bruce, “Well they came so far, and waited so long, just to reach the part of the dream, where everything goes wrong…” I mean getting taken out by a no-account like Robby Gordon is one thing; but to get wrecked by your own teammate who is also contending for a title, that’s got to… what’s the right phrase here? Well, that’s got to lick the sweat off a dead wombat’s scrotum. The hot
start to the playoff was surprising in that Biffle hadn’t won a race all season and, prior to the Chase, he led more than 10 laps in just four races. Biffle’s still not out of it yet, but his fate is likely no longer in his own hands. To get back in the game, he’s got to hope odds catch up with Johnson and he has a real bad run, too. Carl Edwards (Vegas odds: 7-2) The story of this year’s Chase has been Carl Edwards. Period. Print it in 72 font boldface, and pass it along to Perry White screaming “Stop the Presses!” After two third-place finishes to open the postseason, at Kansas Edwards made a no-guts, no-glory, banzai attempt to steal the race win from Jimmie Johnson. It didn’t work as Edwards ended up in the wall, but it was about the coolest move I’d seen in the sport in the post-Dale Earnhardt era. Unfortunately, Edwards next banzai move didn’t work out as well. An ill-considered bump draft on teammate Greg Biffle in the middle of a Talladega corner set off the Big One, which claimed
Edwards and his teammates Biffle and Matt Kenseth. Then, there was that whole hissy-fit deal with Kevin Harvick at Charlotte last week. But the ignition failure at Charlotte was probably the end of Edwards’ legitimate title hopes. That’s not the sort of thing a championship team allows to happen, and it hasn’t happened yet at the No. 48. So, Johnson is winning the war, but Edwards is sure dominating the headlines. My guess is that Edwards will still go as wide open through this Chase as he did on that last lap at Kansas — until his efforts will once again put him in the wall. It will be a cool thing to watch. Clint Bowyer (Vegas odds: 28-1) Bowyer, Bowyer, wherefore art thou, Bowyer? Clint Bowyer has finished 12th in Chase races three times, and he’s led exactly two laps in this unseemly ordeal (bonus points do count!) After starting off last year’s Chase with his breakthrough victory at New Hampshire, Bowyer has become an asterisk this season. He’s had no really good runs, but he also hasn’t had any bad ones to put him squarely in midpack for this playoff. Already 185 points out the lead, Bowyer’s season isn’t going to be one for the highlight reels unless he really lights things up at Martinsville and his title rivals falter badly. Kevin Harvick (Vegas odds: 22-1) Harvick is still looking for his first Top 5 finish in the Chase, so maybe that’s why he’s so cranky and handled things with Edwards so badly at Charlotte. After ten consecutive Top 10 finishes late in the season, Harvick has missed the Top 10 the last two times out. Just when a team is supposed to be turning up the wick, this team is apparently content to let things simmer, simply happy to be headed to New York for an early appearance in the banquet. Tony Stewart (Vegas odds: 22-1) Stewart got a gift at Talladega when he was awarded the win for crossing the line second. That might have come a little too late after Tony’s off-road excursion at Kansas, though — the resultant broken splitter saw him limp home in 40th. Already 228 points out of the lead, Stewart might as well concentrate on his team for next year. Although I doubt he’s been waiting for my permission on that — it seems that he’s been working on it since the midpoint of 2008. Jeff Gordon (Vegas odds: 45-1) Who is this guy driving the No. 24 car this year and what have they done with Jeff Gordon? Gordon’s stock this year has sunk like the DJIA did last week and, at times, he is clearly befuddled by what’s going on. New Hampshire was a body blow and Talladega was a stake through the heart for the No. 24 team, yet to end a winless streak that dates back to late last season. At his most upbeat, Gordon says sometimes that he sees better days ahead, and things are finally looking up. Maybe he ought to run for President rather than NASCAR champion. Ladies and gentlemen, the next President of the United
States: George W. Gordon. Clearly, Gordon won’t say things are better for him now than they were eight years ago… Kyle Busch (Vegas odds: 22-1) After being the presumptive favorite going into the Chase, Busch’s late season meltdown has made Chernobyl look like a fart in a broom closet. A sway bar linkage failure, and the subsequent wreck, left him 34th at NHIS. A blown engine left him dead last at Dover. Another mechanical meltdown at Kansas left him 28th. Buh-bye, Kyle, thanks for playing, but we do have some lovely parting gifts for you, including the take home edition of You Suck. To be fair, nobody can diminish Busch’s accomplishments this season. Going into 2008, everybody felt it would take several years for the Joe Gibbs organization to get the Toyota program up to speed. Similarly, everyone felt that it would take a year for Busch and his new team to get on the same page. But eight wins in a Cup season is nothing to sneeze at. The fact Busch is so far out of the title hunt with those eight wins underlines the unfairness of the current Cup points system. Under the traditional point standings, Busch would still be second, just 64 points behind Johnson, and the game would still be afoot. You might not want to admit it, but the arrogant little SOB could still rip off three straight wins — though it would all be for naught now.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (Vegas odds: 100-1) NASCAR wants it to happen. The Junior Nation wants it to happen. ESPN wants it to happen. Sorry folks, it’s just not going to happen. The second coming of Dale Earnhardt’s NASCAR championship is going to have to wait at least another year after three finishes outside the Top 20 in these first five Chase races. Earnhardt has had some good runs this season in what is arguably the best equipment he’s ever driven — cars owned by the same team owner whose boys have been stringing together titles and race wins for over a decade. The problem is he typically runs
better at the beginning of the races than at the end, the absolute mirror image of a Cup championship contender. Some say Junior parties too hard and is out of shape. Others say Tony Eury, Jr. could take a winning Powerball lottery ticket and turn it into a worthless piece of confetti in 16 seconds on pit road. They go on to add that it might be the only thing he’s good for. Certainly, the radio chatter with the No. 88 bunch during the race sounds a lot more like a really bad script for “Married With Children” than a race-winning team plotting to improve their car. Yet some of his diehard fans say that Junior still has a shot at this years’ title. I’ll tell you what. If Junior wins this year’s title, I’ll ride my motorcycle naked to Kannapolis to congratulate him. If he doesn’t, ya’ll chip in and buy me a black Challenger SRT. Neither is going to happen, but I really want a Challenger — what Junior’s fans
would dearly love Dale to be one day. Matt Kenseth (Vegas odds: 100-1) There are many crafty strategies to winning this year’s title, but crashing out of three of the first five Chase races isn’t one of them. Prior to this recent string of futility, Kenseth’s last DNF was at Charlotte in the Fall of ’07. But the five Chase races haven’t really been the end of his title aspirations. More than most drivers, Kenseth has failed to get his arms around what’s required by this new Car of Sorrow. Somewhere around the midpoint of this season, he seemed to be raising the white flag of surrender for the year. Finishing in the basement of the Chase doesn’t earn a driver a lot of glory, but
it still pays pretty good. Right now, Kenseth seems to be just collecting a check. Denny Hamlin (Vegas odds: 175-1) 175 to 1? A pack mule entered in the Kentucky derby ridden by a blind albino midget would get better odds than that! The Chase has been a disaster for Hamlin, but, to be truthful, the FedEx team has failed to deliver most of the season — with the exception being a brief shining moment in the sun at Martinsville this Spring. In 2006, his rookie season, Hamlin finished third in the standings, just 68 points behind Jimmie Johnson. Compare that with 2009, in which Hamlin is struggling to be anything but an afterthought at JGR behind proven race winner Kyle Busch and the “Next Big Thing” Joey Logano. Maybe, in
retrospect, slamming the team after Michigan wasn’t such a great idea after all, Mr. Hamlin? Earnhardt settles in with Hendrick, looks forward to 2009
Nate Ryan/USAToday.com
When his battered Chevrolet rolled to a stop in the Talladega Superspeedway infield two races ago, so had Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s push for a title in his first season at Hendrick Motorsports. Earnhardt immediately turned to teammates and fellow Chase for the Sprint Cup contenders Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. "I will do whatever I can to help," he said. "That's the attitude for the rest of the season." It's been the No. 88 team's attitude for the season to date, which is being hailed by Hendrick general manager Marshall Carlson as "a success by every measure," even though Earnhardt is a distant 10th in the Chase at the halfway mark. Earnhardt ended a 76-race winless drought, ranked in the top five in points for 22 consecutive races and made the Chase after missing in 2007. Says crew chief Tony Eury Jr.: "We've done a hell of a job and have a lot to build on." Eury says Earnhardt, who turned 34 on Oct. 10, hasn't changed his ways, remaining the laid-back technophile who is as enamored with what's in his race car as what's on his DVD player (the 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove), laptop (EMP-Racing.com and several gaming sites are his favorite Web stops) or TV (The Office is a must-see). Earnhardt still prefers a T-shirt and jeans to the starched white shirts and neatly pressed black pants sported by Hendrick officials. But there's been an effort by NASCAR's five-time most popular driver to subjugate his high profile to fit into a 500-employee juggernaut that has won seven titles with a "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" philosophy predicated on sharing data and supporting teammates. Earnhardt says he "doesn't pick on people as much as I used to" at Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team started by his late father. "Even after he died (in 2001), I could have the run of the mill with that place, say (and) do what I wanted," says Earnhardt Jr., who raced at DEI from 1996-2007. "There were repercussions to acting like an idiot, but they weren't too terrible. I could be loud and obnoxious, not that I was all the time. … You have to have a more professional attitude." Carlson has watched Earnhardt, who replaced Kyle Busch, getting to know the personal lives of his crewmembers during test sessions and listening intently during weekly debriefing sessions with teammates Johnson, Gordon and Casey Mears. "The transition has far exceeded expectations," Carlson says. "The feeling was it was three drivers feeding off one another, and now it's the full four." Johnson, the points leader who is seeking a third consecutive title, says his team has benefited from the addition of Eury and Earnhardt after questioning whether "they could really bring anything. "It's impressed and shocked me and everyone at Hendrick," Johnson says. "They were willing to drop everything they've learned and adopt the Hendrick way without any problems." Crew chief all business For Eury, the assimilation into Hendrick started before the season did. Eury left DEI for Hendrick a year ago and spent the final six races of 2007 studying his new team's cutting-edge technology and character traits. He had his entire crew take a personality profile test used by team owner Rick Hendrick's automotive dealerships. Carlson says he ran into Eury last fall in far-flung corners of Hendrick's 100-acre campus as Eury tried to meet everyone who worked in the sprawling 600,000-square-foot facility. Because Earnhardt's driving style is similar to Johnson's, Eury tried to incorporate much of the two-time defending champion's setups. He has relied heavily on a Hendrick computer program that simulates racetrack conditions. "I can't imagine there's another crew chief that devotes themselves as much," says Earnhardt, who estimates Eury "spends 85% of a week" on the job. Each simulation eats up about five minutes, and Eury often runs more than a hundred a day, putting him in front of his laptop at home until near midnight after working 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the shop. "This year has been a lot more hectic than all the years past," says Eury, whose workload caused a postponement in December of a Hawaii vacation with his wife, Amy, for their 10-year anniversary. "I've got more tools, which makes it easier, but you've got to spend more time maximizing them all. I feel like I'm cramming for a midterm exam." Carlson saw the study prep when Eury furiously clattered on a keyboard on a recent flight. "All these guys around him are watching DVDs, listening to their iPods, and Tony's building all these simulations to download the moment they land," Carlson says. "It's been really neat to see him develop those relationships with the other crew chiefs." In-house bickering goes with territory As well as they've gotten along with new co-workers, the heated in-race radio exchanges between Earnhardt and Eury left Hendrick officials asking whether they can get along with each other. Earnhardt, though, says he doesn't argue nearly as much as he did five years ago with his first cousin but "the (stuff) we say on the radio wasn't as common knowledge as today. "We're like brothers," he says. "You say stuff to each other you'd never say to another person." Earnhardt's cockpit sometimes doubled as a psychiatrist's couch as team owner Hendrick tried to coax his driver to provide better feedback. "When I get angry, it normally hurts me," Earnhardt says. "It takes my focus off the race, and I end up making things worse." Says Eury, "We have to get better. People ask, 'Why don't you snap back, get in (his butt)?' I used to, and it causes more grief than it's worth." Their communication has been good enough to produce one of Earnhardt's most consistent seasons. He has led 894 laps, the most since 1,133 in 2004 and more than twice his tally of 2006 (fifth in points). Earnhardt has led 20 races and has been first for more than 30 laps in a dozen. Eury is optimistic the car won't fade as much next season. "If I take every race I screwed up and fix them, how many can he win?" Eury says. "I feel really good. There are nicks to polish. But these guys have confidence in me and Dale Jr. to take the next step." Is it finally time for Teresa Earnhardt to help save DEI by selling it to Dale Jr? Mike Mulhern/independenttribune.net MOORESVILLE Since moving to Rick Hendrick’s this season, after six years at DEI, Earnhardt Jr. has seemed rather disinterested about DEI’s fate, other than to say he hopes things turn out okay. The cars and equipment, at both DEI-West, the GarageMahal, and DEI-East, the new 200,000 square foot shop added in last year’s merger with Bobby Ginn (more an assumption of property than true merger), are top-notch, as has been evident on the track, lately – particularly DEI’s impressive performances at Talladega. At one point within the past year John Menard, the wealthy Midwestern building supply operator, seemed interested in taking over DEI, where son Paul has been racing out of the last few years. Under that scenario Teresa Earnhardt would have kept all the marketing rights surrounding her late husband, and then sold the team itself. Whatever happens next to DEI, it appears another merger is in the works. Certainly the time is ripe for Mark Martin to move immediately over to Hendrick’s team, and put Almirola in the DEI car for all five races left this season. Martin currently is set to run next week at Atlanta, and then at Phoenix and Texas, with Almirola getting back in the car for the Homestead finale. Almirola qualified third at Martinsville in the spring; but a hole in the radiator sent him out early. His best run so far was eighth at Bristol in the spring; and he had an easy fifth-place coming at Talladega two weeks ago, only to get snookered on the final restart and shuffled back to 13th. The View from Fanville A Little About NASCAR, a Lot About Life
It’s probably just me. In fact if you asked a bunch of the drivers, they’d probably say how they are counting the weeks until they get more than a couple of days at home. But for now…they’re still out there, giving it their all because that’s what they do, and they don’t even toy with the idea of doing anything less than their best, it’s just not part of their spirit. The rest of us should be so honor bound that we push through every obstacle and make our own race happen week after week. Yes, some of us do, sure…there are some. An example, in our cities alone, there are millions of children that suffer from the most God-awful horrendous diseases. They aren’t guaranteed more than the next breath of air, yet the majority of them are such fighters that they’d never dream of rolling over and giving up, it’s just not part of their thought process. Our guys out on the track, along with their teams, have hearts that are very similar to the little guys that fight for life day in and day out. They have a goal to survive, to win, and their whole train of thought is governed by how they can get to their goals. A weird comparison? A terminally ill child and a NASCAR driver? Perhaps, but both have outstanding qualities that not many of the rest of us tend to carry around. They have hearts that are bigger than any I’ve ever seen. The NASCAR fellows give generously of their time, their money, whatever they can to make the lives of those less fortunate seem a little less scary. How many times have we seen Kyle Petty brim over with excitement as he shares stories about new strides made at The Victory Junction Gang Camp? It’s a camp for kids that have to deal with the harsh reality of terminal or chronic diseases every day of their young lives, and Kyle Petty devotes the better part of his life to making that place the best experience it can be for those kids. True, it was created out of tragedy, as Adam Petty, Kyle’s son was lost on a track that his Dad had fought many times before. But his Dad picked up and pushed through to make Adam’s dream of helping kids come true. A lot of good things in life are the
result of someone dealing with turmoil and sadness. We’ve watched as our own men in their fire suits deal with tragedy and success. We’ve judged them, we’ve chastised them and we’ve cheered them, sometimes all on the same day. And they keep racing right along, giving it their all, because much like the littl |
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