Happy Thursday all.... 


Today In Nascar History


August 4, 1957:

Ford finishes 1-2-3-4-5 in the only Grand National race ever run in Washington state. Parnelli Jones, who would win the Indianapolis 500 in 1963, wins his first Grand National race. Jones wins at Bremerton Raceway, a 0.9-mile paved road course. Lloyd Dane, Art Watts, Eddie Pagan and Bob Rauscher round out the top five.

August 4, 2000:

Brett Bodine, driving a Ford, sets the Winston Cup qualifying track record at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway – during second-round qualifying! Bodine speeds around the Brickyard at an average speed of 181.072 miles per hour, which places him 26th on the starting grid for the next day's race.

August 4, 1978

Kurt Busch, driver of the #97 Sharpie/Rubbermaid Roush Ford is born on this date.

August 4, 1971

Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Dupont Hendrick Chevrolet is born on this date.  Jeff is the best driver currently driving in the Winston Cup series.

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Quote of the Year

"To be a real, true NASCAR driver, you have to know where the sport came from and you have to respect that history and tradition. The guys that don't respect that history and tradition, I don't think they're going to be around all that long. And those guys who don't know the history and tradition, I think it's upon them to learn about it pretty quick if they want to be a success."
– Richard Petty

Quote of the Day

"Take the one thing in your life that you're the most passionate about and you'll have a good understanding of what Indy means to me."
-Tony Stewart

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Comments from the Peanut Gallery

from Eddie
By Hokies Momma, I think JMO has a super idea, about the fans being drawn out to announce the 4 most famous words, and another fan to do the flag. Or even let one fan do both. And just maybe Fox will get the hint and follow suit, and pick a fan to shout "boogity boogity boogity lets go racin boys" every week... sorry D.W.
 
EddieInTn near BMS (Thunder Valley) Bristol

from Al
Looks like Mark Martin is going to be another DW,  ok I'm going to give up driving,,,   oh wait a minute, maybe I will drive some more races, no wait,Im gonna quit,   but, no Jack Roush has been so nice to me,  I will drive another year for him to show him my loyalty to him,,  I guess I will drive truck races, and Busch races too while I am at it, cause I can win at Busch races,,,,,   sure Mark your gonna quit,,      walk away, while you still have some fans left.        Rusty Wallace hit the nail on the head, and he is a good friend.   Don't friends mean anything to you ?
Al

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Bits and Pieces

NASCAR television deal won't likely change much:  The last time NASCAR negotiated a television deal, Richard Glover was on the other side of the table and didn't particularly like how things turned out. During talks for the sport's first comprehensive network contract for the Nextel Cup and Busch series, Glover was executive vice president for programming for ESPN. That cable network and its partner, ABC, lost out in the deal that went to Fox and NBC/TNT. This time around, however, Glover is on the NASCAR side of the talks. As vice president for broadcasting and new media, he'll play a major role in the deal that will begin with the start of the 2007 season. "Clearly, based on what Fox and NBC and Turner have said, and what we think as well, the current deal has worked well," Glover said. "That's why I have said I don't see wholesale kinds of changes this time, as there were five years ago. "That's why I like to use the word 'tweaks.' Our job is to make our product more valuable and better to serve the needs of both the industry and our broadcast partners." The current deals signed in 1999 that began with the 2001 season all included provisions that give the current rights-holders exclusive negotiating periods for new deals. The last of those, Glover said, runs out late this year. Right now, Glover said, it appears that the structure of the new deal for Nextel Cup would look a lot like the current one. "While you never say never in negotiations, what we are looking at and what we believe is the preferred structure is what we have now," he said. "We believe it was pretty much right five years ago to go with two partners, and it seems that the idea of two packages is the way to go." - That's Racin'

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Rusty is close to 20,000 laps led: #2-Rusty Wallace is approaching yet another milestone in his career. He has currently led 19,931 laps in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competition. That makes him only 69 laps shy of leading an unbelievable 20,000 laps.(Tom Roberts PR)

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Trickle back racing: longtime fan favorite and former Cup driver Dick Trickle returns to The Milwaukee Mile to compete in the Sunday, August 28 Governor's Cup Stock Car race, driving his own completely rebuilt racecar that he's driven with great success in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest. The Wisconsin Rapids native now resides in Iron Station, NC, and remains one of the most popular Badger State race drivers to achieve success in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series racing. Trickle will race in the MARS Super Late Model division. Over 60 cars are expected from a four state area to challenge Trickle, who's won an estimated 1,200 short track stock car races in his illustrious career. Trickle is expected to take full advantage of two Friday afternoon, August 26 practice sessions. Always a Milwaukee Mile fan-favorite, Trickle won four of the 22 American Speed Association races he competed in at The Milwaukee Mile between 1978 and 2000. His best finish in six NASCAR Busch Series starts at The 'Mile was in 1984, when he started on the pole position and finished third behind race winner Sam Ard and the late NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki, a Milwaukee native. Details will be released in the near future on a special Dick Trickle race fan autograph session on race weekend. Ticket info by calling The Milwaukee Mile ticket office at (414) 453-8277, or by visiting milwaukeemile.com.

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Simo in for Wallace at Watkins Glen? Or Jones? hearing that Brian Simo will drive the #4 Lucas Oil / Morgan McClure Chevy at Watkins Glen in place of regular driver Mike Wallace, who is driving Darrell Waltrip's #12 Truck this week at IRP. Wallace is looking at other options for that weekend, including possibly driving a truck in the Truck Series at Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday August 13th.(Motorsports Lounge)(8-3-2005)  OR also hearing that P.J. Jones could be in the #4 Chevy at Watkins Glen, Jones drove the car at Infineon Racway, one way or the other, Wallace will not drive the car at Watkins Glen. Guess the #34 team is not going to Watkins Glen?

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Wood Wins....Miss Teen International: Miss Teen Virginia, Jordan Wood [daughter of #21 Wood Brothers co-owner Eddie Wood], was crowned Miss Teen International 2005 at the national pageant Saturday July 30 in Chicago. Jordan will tour the world promoting her platform, along with the morals and ethics of the Miss Teen International Pageant. Jordan is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. She is a Chi Omega sorority sister and is involved in many activities including, cheerleading, softball, and Spanish Club. Jordan enjoys dancing, traveling, NASCAR Racing, and volunteering. As the chosen winner of Miss Teen International Jordan Wood receives thousands of dollars in scholarship money and prizes, but more importantly the title will allow her the opportunity to help her chosen organization as its national advocate. Jordan has already begun advocating for public awareness of teenage dating abuse. To learn more about Jordan Wood and her platform visit her website at jordanwood.org.(Wood Bros Racing site)

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Terry Labonte tests Gibbs car
Watkins Glen International says Terry Labonte, the two-time NASCAR Cup champion driving a partial schedule for Hendrick Motorsports this season, tested Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 11 Chevrolet this week.

Labonte took over the car normally driven by Jason Leffler during the June 26 race at the circuit's only other road-course venue, Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Labonte started eighth and finished 12th.

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Purple Heart on the #01 at Indy: Sunday is Purple Heart Day, and to honor recipients of the Purple Heart, Joe Nemechek's #01 U.S. Army Chevrolet will feature an image of a Purple Heart on the side of the car.(Lakeland Ledger)

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Ford Racing Female Driver Development Program announced:  Ford Racing will announce the creation of a Female Driver Development Program today in Indianapolis. Ford is partnering with Clorox and ST Motorsports [#46,#47,#59 in Busch Series] in the initiative.(Augusta Chronicle)
UPDATE: Ford Racing has joined forces with Clorox and ST Motorsports to create the Clorox/Ford Racing Female Driver Development Program, the first time a corporate sponsor and manufacturer have worked together to develop young, diverse talent. This multi-year commitment, announced here today at Lyn St. James' "Women in the Winner's Circle" luncheon, is designed to develop a driver in USAC and graduate her to a NASCAR Busch Series team campaigned by ST Motorsports.
Alison MacLeod of Ontario, Canada, who two weeks ago scored her first career USAC Ford Focus Midget Series victory, and Destiney Hays of California are the first two drivers selected to participate in the program, which will be directed by noted chassis builder and USAC team owner Bob East. East, whose son Bobby will make his NASCAR debut Friday evening in a Roush Racing Ford F-150 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, has developed some of NASCAR's biggest names over the years. Ford Racing has a long history in developing diverse driver talent. Ford was an early supporter of Lyn St. James' road racing career in the 1980s, as well as a supporter of prominent African-American driver Willy T. Ribbs' road racing career in that same time frame. More recently, Ford supported Danica Patrick early in her career when she was racing in Europe, and last year did a formal test of four young women -- including MacLeod -- as part of a driver development pilot program. Currently, the company is also supporting the efforts of Michel Jourdain Jr.(Ford Racing/Campbell Company)

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Animosity reigns in court battle
Kentucky track owner, NASCAR battling over spot on 2006 schedule
BY MURRAY EVANS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


SPARTA, Ky. - Kentucky Speedway routinely packs in the fans, is wildly popular with drivers and has all the amenities one would expect at a $152 million track that's just five years old.

What it doesn't have, though, is what its ownership group most covets: a NASCAR Nextel Cup race. Track officials long have been vocal about their lack of a Cup date, and NASCAR officials have been equally as adamant that there is no room on the 36-race Cup schedule to accommodate Kentucky Speedway.

Now the dispute is in federal court, and there seems to be no shortage of animosity on either side. On July 13, Kentucky Speedway sued NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., alleging the companies have violated federal antitrust laws by illegally restricting the awarding of Cup races.

NASCAR sanctions and oversees its racing series, while ISC owns or controls 12 of the 22 tracks at which Cup cars currently race. Both companies are controlled by the France family.

The speedway wants the court to require NASCAR to award the track a 2006 Cup date and implement a competitive bidding process "to permit full and fair competition for the right to host a Nextel Cup race," according to the suit. The speedway also asks for $400 million in damages, an amount that could be tripled if the track wins the case.

"I respect NASCAR," Jerry Carroll, the leader of the track's five-man ownership group, said on June 18, the day of a Busch Series race at the speedway. "But the situation is, we've got something here that is begging, that is yelling out, that is successful. This is a different kind of situation than exists anywhere in the country. So admit that."

In the past, Carroll has said the speedway's status as an independent hurts its standing with NASCAR. Only four independent tracks - Dover, Pocono, New Hampshire and Indianapolis - have Cup races.

Carroll has said Kentucky Speedway has discussed purchasing one of those tracks and moving a date, without success. He's even considered the idea of putting on a race outside NASCAR's purview and offering a purse large enough to attract Cup drivers.

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Kenseth sounds off on rising tiff with McMurray
"I got a feeling he'll need me more that I'll need him in the future"
By Marty Smith, NASCAR.COM


Matt Kenseth isn't a trash-talker. Doesn't gloat. Doesn't taunt. Doesn't whine or complain. Truth told, he doesn't say much of anything, and certainly nothing controversial.

So when he appeared on TNT's pre-race show from Pocono and questioned the procedure used by his Roush Racing employers in hiring Jamie McMurray, most folks were taken aback, unable to believe what they'd just heard.
 
It seemed out of character, but Kenseth didn't care. He was frustrated.

He'd learned of McMurray's hiring two weeks earlier by reading an article on NASCAR.COM, and still couldn't fathom that an eight-year tenure at Roush didn't warrant so much as a phone call for Kenseth's opinion on the matter.

And the bad blood didn't help anything. After tangling at New Hampshire, Kenseth and McMurray don't like one another. Period.

Kenseth publicly accepted blame for the New Hampshire wreck, which ended McMurray's day just as it began. But that was of little solace to McMurray. He was livid, and remained so through the following weekend at Pocono.

"After the race last week, I just wanted to find [Kenseth] so I could punch him," McMurray said after winning the Pennsylvania 500 pole. "It would have made me feel better. It just takes time for me. I will talk to Matt, but I know if I talk to him now it won't come out right. I don't believe you should ever wreck anybody intentionally."

The drivers have yet to speak to one another. Kenseth phoned McMurray after New Hampshire. The call was neither answered nor returned. Kenseth's frustration mounted. So he told the world about it.

And in doing so, some folks were left with the inkling Kenseth actually might contemplate leaving Roush Racing. His contract is up at the end of the 2006 season. Unless Chip Ganassi Racing releases McMurray -- they've said they won't -- his deal starts at the outset of '07.

There is potential they'll never be teammates at all.
 
During the off week, I received more e-mails on that subject than any other, so I went to the source for answers. What I got was more insight on the situation, more information, all with the same striking candor.

"It's hard to say whether I'll be there forever, but I love it at Roush and never really want to race anywhere else," Kenseth said.

"It'd be pretty foolish to say you'd like to race somewhere else when I'm on the team that's running better than any other team out there."

So where's the beef?

"I just felt like being [at Roush] for eight years that they'd at least have talked to me. And [Greg] Biffle, too. He's been there seven years," Kenseth said. "So I figured they'd at least have talked to some of the guys who've been there about who you want for a teammate.

"I think it happened fairly fast, and on the 42 side they leaked it to the press. So I'm sure they were probably going to talk to us before they made an announcement, but to this day nobody's still talked to me about it. So it is a little frustrating."

That raises the question: Should Kenseth have a say? Many say absolutely not, say the decision belongs to Jack Roush and Geoff Smith and Mark Martin, and that Kenseth should keep his nose out of it.

But considering the hunky-dory dynamic at Roush these days, the last thing they want to do is upset organizational chemistry in a sport where it is truly vital.
 
"A big part to all our successes is working together," Kenseth explained. "When you have a good relationships between the drivers and crew chiefs it's a big help.

"When we're running bad I can walk up to Greg and I know I'm going to get a straight answer. He's going to help me out. That's why we're successful. Everybody over there needs to remember that, as well."

Initially, Kenseth carries a certain nonchalance about the McMurray situation. But get him going ...

"It's fine. I'm over it," he said. "If you really watch [the New Hampshire wreck] he kind of did it to himself. He ran me over. He just really doesn't want to work things out, and the way things work at Roush that kind of deal doesn't go very far.

"And I know he's not at Roush yet, but we all work really good together as a group right now, and as teammates we've gotten into tiffs before and always come to an understanding and figured things out.

"So I was pretty frustrated about him never getting back to me, or being willing to work things out or talk about it."

Some speculate Kenseth's frustration actually stems from his perceived standing. While Martin, Biffle, Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch are all winning races and chasing a championship, Kenseth is fighting just to keep his head above water.
 
Is he driving lesser equipment?

"We all have the same opportunity to get the same stuff and build the same cars," Kenseth said. "We do have choices about how we set up the cars and how we put the bodies on them, stuff like that. And Doug Yates gives us all awesome engines. There's definitely not an issue when it comes to getting equipment."

The main issue, he says, is a futile attempt at working out a disagreement with a potential future teammate.

"I didn't really have a problem when they said it was Jamie, and I don't really necessarily have a problem with Jamie," Kenseth said. "It's just that after that little thing at Loudon, I admitted it was my fault. I called him and tried to work things out and he wouldn't call me back or talk to me at the track.

"He got my message. I know for sure he got it. I know he was at home. He just doesn't want to call me back. I could be wrong, but I got a feeling he'll need me more that I'll need him in the future, so that's fine. If he wants it to be that way, that's cool."

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer.

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Gordon's drive diminishing
Four-time champ fatigued by commitments
By Don Coble


SPEEDWAY, Ind. - At 33 and only in his 13th full season, Jeff Gordon seems destined to rewrite many of NASCAR's records. But just how far Gordon wants to go might depend on the forces away from the track - sponsor commitments and fatherhood.

While racing still consumes the four-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion, it's not the only thing in his life. There are other challenges, including the desire to start a family far away from the sport's fast lane.

"My thing is I'm not saying I'm doing too much. I'm going to do all I can as long as I can. Then I'll step away," he said.

"I want someday to be able to enjoy all of this, not to say I don't already enjoy life. There are some things out there that I don't get the opportunity to do. There are places I want to go, things I want to see and do. I want to have a family someday, too."

His $71 million in earnings is a stock-car record. His 72 victories rank seventh in NASCAR history, just four wins behind legendary driver Dale Earnhardt. A victory in Sunday's Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway would make him the all-time winner at that legendary track and push him even closer to the win totals of Cale Yarborough (83), Bobby Allison (84) and Darrell Waltrip (84). In fact, David Pearson's mark 105 wins is also within reach.

Richard Petty is the all-time leader in NASCAR victories with 200. By the time he was 33, he already had 101 wins. Gordon's 72 victories are the second-most for any driver 33 or younger. Pearson, the second-winningest driver in NASCAR history, won 81 of his races after his 33rd birthday.

Other racing commitments pull Gordon away from track more than 75 days a year. Testing, commercials, sponsor appearances and endorsements take a brutal toll on everyone, but few, if any, have as many demands as Gordon.

One day he's jetting to New York City for a photo shoot, the next day he might be in Chicago for Pepsi. A day later he might be testing in Texas, and on Thursday he's on the way to the racetrack. So much of Gordon's life is spent peering through the window of his Learjet.

"I recognize we can't go out there and do what we do without (the sponsors)," he said. "They're an essential part of what we do.

"But no matter how great all that is, it pulls at you, it wears on you. ... I think there's no doubt I'm not going to be racing as long as the other guys. I want this to happen under my terms."

Others see the demands wearing on Gordon.

"He's one of the guys out there that can break records of the Richard Pettys and Dale Earnhardts and guys like that," rival car owner Richard Childress said. "The biggest thing for Jeff is if he doesn't get burned out on it. ... I don't see him racing as long as these other guys did, but I think the sky's the limit for Jeff Gordon."

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6:00PM

NASCAR Nextel Cup HAPPY HOUR ~ Indianapolis

SPEED

8:30PM

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series  ~ Indy Live!

SPEED

 

 

4:30PM

NASCAR Nextel Cup HAPPY HOUR, Allstate 400 /  Brickyard, Indy  SD

SPEED

6:00PM

NASCAR Busch Series qualifying

SPEED

6:00PM

NASCAR Nextel Cup QUALIFYING Allstate 400 /  Brickyard, Indy  SD

TNT

8:30PM

NASCAR Busch Series Kroger 200, Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indy

TNT

 

 

2:00PM	NASCAR Nextel Cup Allstate 400 /  Brickyard, Indy Pre-race	NBC
2:30PM	NASCAR Nextel Cup Allstate 400 /  Brickyard, Indy  Live!	NBC

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

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

"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast.  Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt.  Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998