Happy Thursday!  

Today In Nascar History

February 19, 1989: Darrell Waltrip picks up his only Daytona 500 victory. It is his only victory in 55 Cup races at the track. Waltrip wins by a hefty 7.64 seconds in front of Hendrick Motorsports teammate Ken Schrader, who leads a race-high 114 laps.

Bits and Pieces

Kentucky aims to host future race

FRANKFORT, Ky.–Gov. Steve Beshear Tuesday voiced his support for an amendment to the Kentucky Tourism Development Act to add a new eligible category of so-called “legacy expansion” projects.

At a Capitol news conference, Gov. Beshear and bill sponsor House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins were joined by representatives of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. to discuss the positive impact this legislation would have on the future of motorsports in Kentucky.

Bruton Smith, chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., owner of Kentucky Speedway, and Jerry Carroll, consultant to Speedway Motorsports, Inc. said today that passage of this legislation would put Kentucky in position to host the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, that sanctioning body’s top racing series.

“The impact of a NASCAR Sprint Series Cup race for Kentucky is undeniable,” Gov. Beshear said. “NASCAR is the number one spectator sport in the United States and is broadcast in more than 150 countries and 30 languages. I’m excited about the potential of Kentucky joining these ranks.”

Under the proposed legislation, legacy expansion projects must conduct events that are in the top league, series or sanctioned level of their type of event, provide permanent seating for 65,000 spectators and be broadcast nationally. The venue must have previously been approved for incentives and the expansion project must exceed $30 million and present one or more “premier events” not previously held in Kentucky.

“I am hopeful that this legislation will receive favorable consideration in light of the significant impact landing a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Kentucky Speedway would have on our economy,” Rep. Adkins said. “The governor and his staff are to be commended for pursuing this exciting opportunity for Kentucky.”

The legislation, which Rep. Adkins plans to file next Monday, would also expand the availability of time over which the tax credits can be taken for the original investments made and the significant expansion at the Kentucky Speedway.

Earnhardt Jr. Seeks West Coast Restart

Dale Earnhardt Jr. hopes to put a frustrating beginning to the 2009 season behind him this week at Auto Club Speedway.

All eyes are on the driver who’s expected to challenge not only for a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but a series title in his second season with Hendrick Motorsports.

By necessity, last Sunday’s pit-road problems, pit-road penalty and his role in a Lap 124 pileup that sparked peers’ criticism likely are in Earnhardt’s rear mirror by now.

But when he takes the track for Friday practice, he has some work to do. Earnhardt is one of four active drivers with a career-high four DNFs (did not finish) at Auto Club Speedway. He also has four top-10 finishes in 14 career starts there. 

“We had a lot of stuff happen down there in Daytona,” said crew chief Tony Eury Jr., “but I’m pretty excited with how the car ran. The team had some pretty good pit stops. Overall, it was a really good weekend running wise. There were no results to come along with it so we were disappointed about that. I was pretty excited with how the car ran. We’ll put those weekends behind us and move on.”

Special Decal for Harvick at Calif: The #29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy driven by Kevin Harvick will feature a special decal on the deck lid this weekend for the running of the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway. The Mater Dei High School (Evansville, Indiana) name will be featured on the deck lid of the Richard Childress Racing machine in honor of the 2008 Shell Eco-marathon Americas winning student team. The Shell Eco-marathon, held at Auto Club Speedway each April, invites teams of students to design and build the most energy-efficient vehicle powered by either conventional or alternative fuels. The students from Mater Dei High School set a record for fuel efficiency during the 2008 competition with a rating of 2,843 miles per gallon. The team claimed a $10,000 prize for their victory and also beat the overall mileage record that was set in 2007 by Cal Poly.(RCR PR)

Haas Automation scheme for Newman: So, how does a Hoosier claim the California track as home? The answer lies in #39-Ryan Newman’s affiliation with newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing as the driver of the #39 Chevy. The team is co-owned by two time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Oxnard, Calif.-based Haas Automation, the largest CNC tool manufacturer in the western world. The company’s 1 million square-foot facility in Oxnard employs 1,200 people, and is the largest, most modern machine tool manufacturing operation in the United States. This weekend, Haas Automation will also adorn the hood of Newman’s black #39 Chevy. Newman, who has one pole and four top-10 finishes in 12 career Sprint Cup starts at Auto Club Speedway, including a 10th-place effort last February, is hoping to post a solid showing for his co-owner and sponsor in their own backyard.(Stewart-Haas Racing PR)

Hornish to have AAA scheme at Calif: Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the Penske Racing #77 Auto Club Dodge Charger, will debut the Auto Club of Southern California paint scheme this weekend at Auto Club Speedway. The Automobile Club of Southern California and its affiliated clubs (AAA) have joined the Penske Racing partner family as primary sponsor of the #77 car for three events in 2009 and as co-primary for an additional two races. On Thursday, February 19, Hornish will visit the Auto Club headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif., to meet with employees and kick off the race weekend at Auto Club Speedway.(Penske Racing PR)

Tryson wins award: #2-Miller Lite Dodge crew chief Pat Tryson won the “Moog Chassis Parts Problem Solver of the Race Award” in Sunday’s Daytona 500. “It was a great team effort in being able to get a top-10 finish out of Sunday’s race,” Pat said. “We got caught up in the big one, but Kurt and all of our Miller Lite Dodge team refused to give up. We pitted every time we could (under the caution) to make repairs and got it fixed as well as we could without going a lap down. Kurt put on a helluva’ show out there in coming up from 29th to finish 10th.(Tom Roberts PR)

Todd Bodine in the #64 at Calif: Todd Bodine, just as planned, will drive the #64 Toyota for Gunselman Motorsports at the Auto Club Speedway in the Auto Club 500. The youngest of the racing Bodine brothers takes over for Geoff, who attempted the Daytona 500, just as planned in the underfinanced Toyota of Gunselman Motorsports. Keeping with the plan, the team is doing the West Coast swing consisting of the California and Las Vegas races. Larry Gunselman, team owner: “Everything is going to plan. We are putting Todd in the car for the races that don’t conflict with his Truck Series schedule. When he can’t do it, then Geoff will be in the car. I take a lot of pride in having Todd get in our Toyota fresh off his Truck win at Daytona. I just hope that winning feeling carries over to California this weekend when it comes to qualifying on Friday. I like our chances for making the next two races. Once we do, then we can go racing and get this team moving forward in the right direction. Geoff has been a huge help doing everything from working on the car in the shop and at the track; to helping get it ready for loading. He’s going to be out West with us to continue helping, too.” In addition to being the crew chief, Doug Richert is also capable of jumping over the wall to change tires; just like in the old days when he first started out in racing. Gunselman just might have to call him into action – stay tuned. The team will be using Car No. 8, the same one they used in their attempt to make the Daytona 500. The team still has openings for unique sponsorship opportunities for anyone who want to get involved in NASCAR racing. Send inquiries to info@.... Like many NASCAR team since the schedule started having back-to-back West Coast races in California then Las Vegas, the Gunselman team will remain in the Pacific Time Zone until after the Vegas race.(Gunselman Motorsports PR)

Chris Economaki Named 2009 Recipient of Pocono Raceway’s Bill France Award of Excellence: Chris Economaki, the Dean of Motorsports Journalists, has been named the 2009 recipient of Pocono Raceway’s Bill France Award of Excellence. The Pocono Raceway Bill France Award of Excellence has been presented annually to the person, corporation or organization that has made outstanding contributions to the sport of Sprint Cup Series Racing. This prestigious award, first presented in 1977, is dedicated to the inspiration of William H.G. France, founder of NASCAR. Economaki’s selection is especially significant since it marks the first time a journalist has been named to receive this award.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on October 15, 1920, Economaki has been involved in racing most of his life. He saw his first race at the age of nine and was hooked for life. By the time he was 14, he was a fixture around race tracks doing anything he could to be involved with the sport. He began selling a daily newspaper, which had a racing section, in the grandstands of many tracks. When the National Racing News became a spin-off of the daily newspaper, he began writing his first by-line columns. He later took over as editor, publisher and owner of National Speed Sport News and turned it into the most influential weekly motorsports publication in the country. The newspaper is considered “America’s Weekly Motorsports Authority” and Chris continues to write his column “The Editors Notebook” which has appeared in National Speed Sport News for more than 50 years.
Chris became one of the most popular track announcers in the 1940’s and 1950’s. His style grew to legendary status and soon caught the attention of ABC and CBS television executives in the early 1960’s. He covered many of the world’s major auto racing events for TV including the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the 24 Hours of LeMans in a TV career that spanned four decades.
“Chris Economaki gained the respect of the entire racing community for his fair and insightful reporting and enjoys a first-name relationship with the entire automotive and racing world,” stated Dr. Joseph Mattioli, Pocono Raceway Chairman of the Board. “Chris Economaki helped bring NASCAR onto the national scene and I am honored to announce that Chris has been named the recipient of Pocono Raceway’s 2009 Bill France Award of Excellence,” concluded Dr. Mattioli.
The Pocono Raceway Bill France Award of Excellence, a beautifully sculptured and highly polished piece of anthracite coal mined in Pennsylvania, will be presented to Chris Economaki at an award ceremony on Saturday, June 6, 2009. This ceremony is part of the festivities leading up to the June 7, 2009 Pocono 500 Sprint Cup Series event at Pocono Raceway.(Pocono Raceway PR)(

Richard comments on Kyle's remarks: from a Dodge Motorsports NSCS Teleconference Transcript:
KYLE (PETTY) WAS VERY VOCAL DURING DAYTONA REGARDING THE 44’s PAINT SCHEME, HAVE YOU TALKED TO HIM ABOUT HIS COMMENTS?
A: "It kind of upset him because that’s where he started. He started with the 44 car at Daytona and was lucky enough to win the race. When we did our deal with Boston Ventures, we never had a place for Kyle at Petty Enterprises. He sort of got out of the loop. When he got out of the loop, he’s been doing his own thing…he run the 24 (Rolex 24) and doing some TV. I’ve not seen him since Christmas. He’s been so busy, I’ve been so busy. He got snow-bound in Pittsburgh for a few days one time; we just really never have gotten together. I’ve really not talked to him. I spoke to him a couple of times on the phone; you can’t get much done on the phone. He talked to his mother. He was really crushed that we didn’t include him in that part of it, and I can understand that. We were so busy trying to get our end of the deal done and make it work with a new team that it fell through the crack and I’m sorry that it did."(Dodge Motorsport PR)

Richard Petty about A.J.'s future plans: from a Dodge Motorsports NSCS Teleconference Transcript:
Q: WITH ALLMENDINGER’S THIRD-PLACE FINISH AT DAYTONA, HOW MUCH WILL THAT HELP YOU FIND ADDITIONAL SPONSORS FOR THE 44 CAR?
A: "It’s got to be a plus-plus. I think we’ve got sponsorship for 10 or 12 races right now and we’re already committed for the first six or eight races. We feel like if he (Allmendinger) can continue to show promise and do as well as he did at Daytona, then we feel very confident that we’ll be able to pick up different sponsors over a period of time to continue running him. If he keeps running like he did at Daytona, I’ll just run him out of my pocket because he’ll be bringing the money back in."(Dodge Motorsport PR)  AND Charter Communications will be on both #43-Reed Sorenson's and #44-A.J. Allmendinger's Dodges this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.(RPM PR)

Window World Extends Sponsorship with FRM: After a successful debut in the Sprint Cup Series during the 51st Daytona 500, Window World Inc. announced it will extend its sponsorship of the #34 Front Row Motorsports team driven by John Andretti. One of the sport’s newest sponsors, Window World will be the primary sponsor of the Front Row Motorsports Chevrolet at Auto Club Speedway on February 22, Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1, Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 8 and Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22. “This is great news for Front Row Motorsports and Window World,” said Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins. “Daytona was the first time Window World sponsored a race car. On the track, and off the track, their program was a success. The Window World customers and employees have all rallied behind this program. We want to continue that momentum for another four races.” More info about Window World at windowworld.com. (Breaking Limits/Front Row Motorsports PR)

A big Daytona letdown?

Marty Smith/espn.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Speedweeks '09 was the longest and most exhausting, yet most productive, of my 11 beach jaunts to date. As I stood slumped at the US Airways check-in counter Monday afternoon following the 17 car's Daytona USA induction -- the Daytona 500-winning car always gets a one-year stay at the museum -- a gorgeous young woman approached me, guns-a-blazin', hand-on-hip, lips crinkled, madder than Rosie Perez when Billy Ho lost the dough.

She'd sat there all day in the grandstand to see her man, Junior, win the Daytona 500.

She'd screamed in glee when he surged to the lead and screamed in confusion when he missed his pit stall and screamed in concern when he wrecked a bunch of cars and screamed in nervousness when he slithered through the mayhem.

He was destined to win, prepared to pass all comers. It was fate. Then Mother Nature put him in the wall, and this, er, gorgeous young woman was now screaming in frustration about it -- at me.

She felt robbed. I let her explain herself for several minutes, until she requested, in no uncertain terms, affirmation that NASCAR had called the race entirely too early.

My rebuttal lasted roughly five minutes. I'll get to that in a moment.

Dozens of folks in The Six shared her sentiment. Some, in fact, used all caps. My Daddy used to do that when he was hell-bent to make a point, so I figured it'd behoove me to pay attention.

MARTY,

YOU REPRESENT A CLOWN SHOW. NASCAR IS RIDICULOUS IN THE WAY THEY CHANGE RULES AND REGULATIONS ON THE SPOT. THE LEADERSHIP REMINDS ME OF A THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY.

AS A 61-YEAR-OLD MALE WHO CAME TO NASCAR 10 YEARS AGO AND ATTENDED RACES -- 2-3 A YEAR UNTIL THREE YEARS AGO -- I CAN'T GET THE CORRUPT TASTE OUT OF MY MOUTH.

IF BASEBALL PLAYS 162 GAMES A YEAR, AND THE LAST-PLACE TEAMS ARE PLAYING EACH OTHER, THEY WILL WAIT THREE HOURS FOR A RAIN DELAY. BUT NOT THE POWERS TO BE AT NASCAR. A RACE WITH THE TRADITION OF DAYTONA SHOULD BE RUN ALL 500 MILES, EVEN IF YOU COME BACK ON MONDAY.

WITH THE WEATHER LOOKING OMINOUS ON SUNDAY, START THE RACE AN HOUR EARLIER. PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ALL THE POMPOUS CEREMONIES EACH WEEK. I'M DONE FOR THE YEAR, BUT I STILL REALLY LIKE YOUR STYLE, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

-- MAC, TAMPA, FL

I feel your pain, Mac, but respectfully disagree with part of your argument. Here's the five-minute rebuttal I offered the cute airport girl.

1. First of all, you have every right to feel cheated -- the finish was anticlimactic for the paying fan and the television viewer. But …
2. NASCAR was right.
3. It called the race roughly 10 minutes before 7 p.m. ET, having lost the track. (That's racing jargon for "It's damn wet out there, and the entire track is soaked.")
4. It takes roughly three hours to dry a track as big as Daytona International Speedway, meaning that had the rain stopped immediately and not restarted, the green would have dropped sometime near 10 p.m.
5. I left the track at 11 p.m., and the rain hadn't stopped.
6. Restarting the race Monday morning creates a completely different set of circumstances -- different track tendencies, temperature, sunshine, etc.
7. Team logistics, such as hotel rooms, travel, etc., were already secured.
8. Teams had to get back to North Carolina, unload/reload and be gone to Fontana by Tuesday. (What's that? Change the schedule?)
9. Matt Kenseth made a great point Monday morning during the car induction -- everyone saw a great race, even though it was finished under caution. Why? All 43 teams knew the weather was coming, and the drivers were racing as though their hair was on fire to get to the front.

To me, there's really no debate here. Again, you guys have every right to feel deflated, especially after the past several finishes at Daytona -- Harvick/Martin in February 2007; McMurray/Busch in the summer of '07; Newman/Busch in February 2008 and Edwards/Busch this past summer. That's what we've all come to expect, not a decision to call a race 15 minutes after it begins to rain.

Biggest race of the year or not, NASCAR made the proper call in the moment. And the comparison to other sports doesn't fly, either. Baseball is playable in damp or drizzly conditions with little to no effect. And once rain stops, you can immediately begin play again.

Race in damp or drizzly conditions, and you put drivers' lives at stake.

And again -- this is a critical difference -- in racing, you can't immediately resume competition.

Now, the late start time is a different story, entirely.

Marty,

I'm just as disappointed as everyone else here. Sunday was a joke. But the one thing that irks me the most is this. I have no problem with their calling the race when they did. What I have a problem with is throwing the green flag at 3:42 p.m. on a day when the evening hours are calling for a 60 percent chance of rain.

I understand that it's the 500, which means big prerace spectacle and all that jazz. But honestly, if I had paid money to go to the race, and the race ran into the rain because of a Keith Urban concert, I would've rioted.

If I'd wanted to see Keith Urban perform, I would buy a ticket to one of his concerts. NASCAR has moved races up to attempt to beat rain before, but not for the biggest, most prestigious race of the year? Gimme a break!

I will give NASCAR credit, though. It finds way after way after way to royally [tick] me off. And yet, for some reason that even I can't understand, I keep coming back … for now, at least.

-- Jordan, Pikeville, N.C.

I share this particular frustration, but I'm naive and I'm old-school. When I was a little boy, the deacons sprinted out of church to get home in time for the green flag. They'd count the offering plate later.

It used to be a noon start every Sunday. With new-era NASCAR TV, i.e., 2001, came later start times. And they keep getting later and later and later. Before long, there will be evening races and night races. Later start times make a substantial difference in ratings, which in turn affect advertising dollars, which in turn directly affect the bottom line.

Selfishly, I know this: When I'm home watching the race on TV, I like later start times and love night races. It means more beers with the boys. But when I'm working, I hate late Sunday start times.

I'm told that once they set the green-flag time, print tickets and complete the track schedule, wiggle room for the start time is minimal. Like, six to eight minutes, tops. It's a bit rash, but NASCAR also could face legal ramifications from fans if they don't start the race when the ticket says they will.

So, ultimately, we can complain until we're blue in the face, Jordan, but we have to live with it.

Song of the week: "Better Believer," Dierks Bentley. I feel like that a lot. Listen to it, you'll understand.

Side note: I received an advance copy of Eric Church's new album, "Carolina." Dude's the best writer in Nashville, as far as I'm concerned.

Marty,

Kyle Busch fan here. Shrub got screwed when Junior wrecked all those cars. You must settle a debate between me and my friend, who likes Matt Kenseth. Who is really at fault? Junior or Vickers? And do you believe, as I do, Kyle was going to win?

-- Sam Ruffin, Vegas

Blame ultimately falls on Earnhardt, Sam. I've not spoken with him since Sunday night, but I'd venture to say he knows that. He turned right -- right into Vickers. There was room behind the 83.

You know what would've been cool? If Junior just came up and said it -- "Yep, I was tired of it. I dumped him."

That would have only further endeared him to his people.

That's not to say Vickers didn't play a part, too. He certainly did, and doesn't get off scot-free. He did what he was supposed to do -- block. NASCAR never cites drivers for purposefully forcing other drivers below the yellow line. Why not make a move like Vickers made?

Junior and Vickers were racing for the lucky dog, and the rain was coming. BV's supposed to block, it's the nature of the beast. But to remove him completely from the wreck equation is probably inaccurate.

As for Busch, yes, he'd have won, Sam. He led 88 laps and was cruising before the Big One. I asked him point-blank after the race how confident he was he'd have won, and he told me without hesitation, "100 percent."

I believe him.

More on the Big One, this time from Junior Nation …

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am an avid reader of your column, and quite enjoy the perspective that you provide to your readers. I have been reading press commentary since the crash on Lap 124 of the Daytona 500, and the vast majority of the blame has come down on Dale Earnhardt Jr.  Wrongly so.

I believe that the following points should be considered in analyzing the incident, and was hoping you would bring them to light:

1. Replays of the moments immediately preceding the crash show that Dale Jr. had a strong run on Brian Vickers and made up 5-6 car lengths on him before he dropped out of line to attempt his pass.

Vickers had no way to defend that pass legitimately, and on a superspeedway, any attempt by Junior to slam on the brakes and avoid being driven below the line would also have caused a large crash. This amounts to bad superspeedway driving etiquette.

2. In the aftermath of the Tony Stewart/Regan Smith finish at Talladega in the fall of 2008, NASCAR made it very clear that on superspeedways, the yellow lines were to be treated as walls. Hence the new double-yellow-line rules at Daytona this year.

Vickers' move was thus a blatant and illegal attempt to drive Junior off the track, which he did to some effect, pushing him well off the racing line and nearly onto the grass.

3. In making his block, Vickers hit Junior. This is at least the second time that Vickers has made a serious misjudgment at high speed on a superspeedway. Recalling the Vickers/Johnson/Junior fiasco at Talladega in the Fall 2006 race, it was Vickers there who misjudged his surroundings on the back straight and hit his fellow competitors.

While Junior is well known for his precision on restrictor plate tracks, Vickers does not enjoy the same record of achievement or reputation among his peers.

By taking the three points raised above into consideration, I think it becomes clear that a combination of bad etiquette and poor driving by someone with a history of imprecision at high speeds were all factors that led to the crash.

-- Jonathan Stone, Hometown Unknown

Again, Vickers is partly to blame, Jonathan. But he didn't do anything anyone else wouldn't do. Matter of fact, he did exactly what he was supposed to do, given the current dynamics of plate racing.

Everyone blocks. Everyone has to. And if NASCAR isn't going to disallow them from running someone down into the grass, why wouldn't they? Again, the 88 and the 83 were racing to get back on the lead lap. That's an important variable.

I asked NASCAR competition director Robin Pemberton about the yellow-line rule Sunday night, about the inability to advance position below it and the predicament it creates for drivers.

He told me simply that if the line hadn't been there, all those boys would've been piled on the inside wall down the backstretch. He's right.

Marty,

I have no doubt that in the future, Joey Logano will be a great driver. However, there is a lot of pressure on this kid. What happens if he falls out of the top 35? If he starts missing races, will Home Depot start pressuring JGR to put someone else in the car so they can make races?

It is tough economy out there, as everyone knows, and Home Depot has a big investment. How much patience will they have with this kid?

-- Chuck, NYC

Plenty of patience, Chuck. Depot signed up for a reason -- potential. They believe in the kid. Rumors flew all over the garage in the fall that there was concern about his readiness, but Joe Gibbs Racing and Depot are adamant they never wavered.

Granted, Depot also paid JGR a lower sponsorship-dollar figure when Stewart left. Why wouldn't you? That's just smart business.

Don't read too much into the Speedweeks performance. Logano is immensely talented and seems largely immune to the pressure. He did a very good job down there. Plate racing is an amazing skill, but much of it is friends and luck -- and Logano had neither.

In the Shootout, he never got started. In the Duel, he was calculating and finished very well. In the 500 he, again, never got started. (Thank God for SAFER walls and the HANS device. That wreck was huge.)

Don't forget, too, Chuck, that he showed up at Daytona having zero plate experience in the Cup car. None. Driving the Cup car rather than an ARCA or Nationwide car is the difference between your Honda Odyssey and your daddy's GTO.

Marty,

I was on top of the garage at Daytona last week when you were up there talking on TV. You put on makeup in front of all the fans! I have proof!! Come on, Marty! First the suit, now makeup? What gives?

-- Randy Pollermo, Westlake, Ohio

Part of the deal, Randy. HD is rude.

That's my time for this week. Keep 'em coming, Six. Time for the No. 1 with dry wheat toast at the New River Grille.

The verdict on Dale Jr., and the King's take

--Godwin Kelly 

Now that the pack dogs are done chomping on Dale Earnhardt Jr., allow me to weigh in on the subject.

First, the visual evidence.

I see the No. 83 Toyota, Brian Vickers, needlessly blocking a pass attempt by the No. 88 Chevrolet of Earnhardt.

I see the No. 88 trying to recover and getting into the back of Vickers' No. 83 machine. In real time, they were going about 190 mph.

Second, the testimony of Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr., the part where he says it was not intentional contact.

"I got a run on Vickers and the guy he was beside,'' Earnhardt said after Sunday's Daytona 500. "I went to the bottom of 'em. Vickers drove me below the line. He ran in to me and sent me below the line.

"I was just trying not to run into, drive into the grass and get my car under control and try and get above the line so I get penalized for being down there, I ran in to his quarter panel and spun him out.''

When asked if the contact with Vickers was accidental, Earnhardt said, "Yeah, it was accidental. I didn't want to wreck the field. I mean, he drove me down almost into the grass. I was trying to get back up on the racetrack.''

Go to anybody in the Sprint Cup Series garage area, and they will tell you that Earnhardt is the most honest driver among NASCAR's lot. At times, Earnhardt can be painfully truthful.

Knowing this personality trait, I am going to believe what he says over any speculation that somebody else may throw into the ring.

And, finally, the evidence as viewed by old saw Richard Petty, more or less an impartial witness to the event, which knocked eight lead-lap cars out of the 500. After further review, "King Richard'' made his call on the incident.

"The accident was just an accident,'' Petty said Tuesday.  "I look at it one way, the drivers look at it one way and the poor guys that got knocked out are really going to look at it.''

So unless Earnhardt changes his story at California Speedway, I really don't think the guy is guilty of a NASCAR crime in this case.

Voices From The Heartland

Will The Real Kyle Busch Please Stand Up!

Jeff Meyer · Frontstretch.com

Like most Cup racing fans out there, I, too, have a driver that I like to dislike more than others. I don’t take it to the level that some people do and actually “hate” the guy, mainly because that would be wasting a lot of time and emotion on someone I don’t really care about anyway. Instead, I am going to waste time and words by making him the focus of this column — and hopefully meet a deadline while I’m at it.

Of course, the person I am talking about is none other than Kyle Busch. But before those few Kyle fans out there get all riled up, let me remind you that you (Kyle fans) are, in fact, a minority — so that ought to tell you something right there. But let’s back up a minute and take a look at why Kyle is a candidate for such popular disdain.

The problem with Kyle is, and always has been, his arrogance. This kid is immensely talented, and even I admit that he really can drive the wheels off a race car. Unfortunately, as great as his talent can be, his ego and arrogance always seem to wind up that much greater.

During this last week at Daytona, however, I thought for a brief moment that I may have to give Kyle some credit, and actually change my mode of thinking for the better. Not that I plan to jump on the kid’s bandwagon and laud his praises; but, at the very least, I would admit to myself that maybe he is maturing a bit, after all.

That moment came during practice for the Daytona 500, when it was widely reported and shown (probably partly as a PR stunt, in combination with disbelief) that it was the “veteran” Kyle who was helping and mentoring the new rookie in the Joe Gibbs stable, Joey Logano.

As the practice wore on, there were in-car camera shots of Kyle actually practicing in the No. 20 car. There were garage shots of Kyle (and Denny Hamlin) talking to and gesturing at Joey, presumably about how the car would handle and not about how to slide a piece of bologna into two pieces of sliced bread. There was also talk in the booth of how mature Kyle had become. In actuality, there seemed to be a sense of surprise!

All of that got me to thinking… ya know, maybe I should give the kid a break. He was acting very mature in all those reports. He obviously wasn’t thinking only of himself… and maybe he was growing up after all. To tell you the truth, I was actually a bit sorry to see it, really. I mean geez, let’s face it — when you dislike someone that much, the last thing you want to see is the guy acting like a normal human being! You’d have to give him credit for that; and if you take away Kyle’s ego and arrogance, what have you got left to dislike him for?! Even I am not so cruel and petty as to dislike a guy solely because of his looks.

Well, I hadn’t even had a whole day to think about this new and alien way of thinking about Kyle before another incident stopped me from worrying about it altogether.

Saturday afternoon’s Nationwide Series race was winding down and heating up! Tony Stewart was in the lead and Kyle was second — literally right up Tony’s butt, with rivals Carl and Clint in hot pursuit of them both! Coming off turn four on the final lap, Kyle gives Tony the expected little nudge, making Tony looser than a politician with taxpayer’s dollars! Miraculously, Tony manages to hang on, holding speed just enough to stay ahead of Kyle. Meanwhile, here come Carl and Clint behind them! As all cars crossed the finish line, few race fans could deny that they had just witnessed one of the finest finishes in recent memory!

Kyle’s nudge to Tony — while having the initial desired effect — also cost Kyle precious momentum, allowing both Carl and Clint to pass him and relegating the No. 18 to a fourth place finish.

Great, great racing by all involved!

Now, here is where it all falls apart. After the race, there are the obligatory interviews with all involved. Tony, Carl, and Clint are all pumped and ecstatic — they’re in wonder of how thrilling it all was. But, where is Kyle? There is no interview with Kyle! Why not?

The reason there was no interview is because Kyle, after returning to the garage, immediately jumped out of his car and stormed off in disgust… presumably to hide and pout somewhere. My question is WHY, Kyle?

Undoubtedly, there has to be some disappointment at not winning the race — that is understandable. And I can even understand the competitive nature of the racers themselves; but give me a break! Kyle has absolutely nothing at stake in this race. He is racing for fun! He is not racing for the first win of his career here — far from it. So, why ruin a truly fantastic effort and finish with such childish petulance? When his post-race actions were reported (almost immediately, by FS insiders), I almost couldn’t believe it. There was no reason for it, no reason at all. It didn’t make sense.

But… now it does. That, my friends, IS Kyle Busch. A very talented, but equally childish and petulant race car driver that people love to hate (or at least dislike very much!)

So, keep up the good work, Kyle. And if you hear cheering… it’s because you didn’t.

Stay off the wall!

Jeff Meyer

By The Numbers: Fontana

Kenseth looks to be first since '97 to win first two events

By Bill Kimm, NASCAR.COM

Bill Clinton started his second term as President of the United States, The English Patient won the Best Picture Oscar and you couldn't get enough of MMMBop or the Spice Girls.

The year was 1997 and that is also the last time a driver won the Daytona 500 and backed it up with a win the following week. It hasn't happened at Fontana, and Jeff Gordon's 2-for-2 came at Rockingham more than a decade ago.

In fact, those riding a high after winning the Daytona 500 seem to fall flat when they hit the track seven days later. Since Gordon's feat, the average finish of the Daytona 500 winner the second race of the season is 16.0 with just four top-10 finishes in 11 races.

That could all change this week in the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway (5 p.m. ET, FOX) with Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth.

Kenseth is one of the more successful drivers the second race of the season dating back to his first full Cup season in 2000. He has four wins ('02, '04 at Rockingham; '06, '07 at Fontana) and six top-fives in nine races.

"For some reason, when we do get victories, we've been able to get some early-season wins," Kenseth said. "I think it's important to get off to a good start like we did."

Inside the Data

How the Daytona 500 winner fared the following week in the Chase era

2004  In the final race at The Rock, Dale Earnhardt Jr. backed up his Daytona 500 victory with a fifth-place finish at Rockingham.

2005  This is the first time NASCAR would make the trek from Daytona to Fontana and it didn't suit Jeff Gordon. Engine trouble four laps from the finish dropped Gordon to a 30th-place finish and a DNF.

2006  Jimmie Johnson's dream season started off with a bang. He crusied to victory in the Daytona 500 and backed it up in California with a strong second-place finish.

2007  Kevin Harvick pulled off the dramatic win at Daytona, but his California performance came up short. Harvick started fourth and led three laps but came home a disappointing 17th after cutting a tire with four laps to go.

2008  After rocking the week before at Daytona, Ryan Newman led three laps at Fontana and came home with a respectable 10th-place finish.

Necessitous numbers

3  Number of poles for Kurt Busch at Fontana, leading all active drivers. Busch swept the pole in 2006 and added another in the fall race of 2007. Busch has led a lap in eight of the 13 races he's run at Fontana.

3  Three drivers have multiple victories at Auto Club Speedway. Teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have three wins and Matt Kenseth has two.

4  Since Fontana became the second race of the season, only one owner has visited Victory Lane -- Jack Roush. Roush cars have swept the Fontana February race with Greg Biffle taking the checkered in '05, Matt Kenseth winning in '06 and '07 and Carl Edwards driving to victory last season.

5.9  Average finish for Jimmie Johnson at Fontana. In 12 races he has three wins and eight top-three finishes. His worst finish at the track is 16th and it happened twice.

9  Of the 12 winners at Fontana, nine have double-digit wins in the Cup Series. Elliott Sadler (3), Kasey Kahne (9) and Jeremy Mayfield (5) are the three who fall short.

12  There have been 12 winners in 17 races at Fontana and all have one thing in common -- they have been in the Chase at least once in their career.

26.26  Average number of lead changes in the February race at Fontana. Last year's Fontana February race featured 33 lead changes -- a record for the Cup Series at the track.

225  Number of laps Tony Stewart has led at Fontana, the most for an active driver without a win at the track. In 15 races, Stewart has three top-fives and seven top-10s.

NASCAR ON TV THIS WEEK

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Well, that's all for today.  Until the next time, I remain,

Your Nascar Momma

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

his list is authored by:

Sandra Monacelli
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