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Happy Tuesday all....
Today In Nascar History
05/01/1955-Buck Baker wins at Charlotte, win #2 of the season, and #11 of his career.
05/01/1964-LeeRoy Yarbrough wins at Savannah, win #1 of the season, and #1 of his career.
05/01/1977-Darrell Waltrip wins at Talladega, win #2 of the season, and #5 of his career.
05/01/1983-Richard Petty wins at Talladega, win #2 of the season, and #197 of his career.
05/01/1988-Phil Parsons wins at Talladega, win #1 of the season, and #1 of his career.
05/01/1994-Dale Earnhardt wins at Talladega, win #3 of the season, and #62 of his career.
"Ricky's kind of all the drivers and none of them at the same time. He kind of came out of my brain, which is a messed-up place."
--Actor Will Ferrell joking about how he developed his character for Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," scheduled for an August release.
"I survived."
--Tony Stewart after his second place finish at Talladega
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from Tonya
Momma,
I have a question and I know someone out here in will have an answer for me...
At the Phoenix race, Mark Martin ran out of gas and was scored 11th. Carl Edwards gave him some help on the track by pushing him. Jimmy Spencer stated that was a NO NO..that you had to finish the last lap under your own power. So, did Mark cross the finish line and then run out of gas, or is NASCAR blind??
Thanks again for all you do!!
Tonya
Unfortunately, Mark ran out of gas on the backstretch, thus, he didn't cross the finish line under his own power. Mark was scored 11th, the first car a lap down.
To Bob S......Thanks for your thoughts.
from ChowchillaChick
Do you know if any Cup drivers wear corrective lenses (eyeglasses or contact lenses), or if any have had optical surgery such as Lasik? Perfect vision is a definite asset when you are driving as close to each other as these guys.
I know that Kyle Petty wears glasses, and I don't see him with them on when he is in the car, so I would assume that they do wear contacts instead of glasses. Not all people can have surgery to correct their vision, so I'm going to say that some do wear contacts.
Darlington announces sellout for Cup race
Reserved grandstand seats for the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway are sold out, track officials announced Sunday. The sellout is the earliest in Darlington Raceway history.
With the new Brasington Tower in Turn 1, the track now seats approximately 62,000 -- 3,000 more than last year.
"We are thrilled at the continuing excitement surrounding Darlington's Mother's Day weekend race date," Darlington president Chris Browning said. "The fans' enthusiasm and support has been truly overwhelming. We've made a lot of changes over the past year, and we can't wait to show off the 'new Darlington' to a packed house for the second consecutive year."
TALLADEGA, Ala. - NASCAR race director David Hoots told drivers before the Aaron's 499 that the entire track - not just the turns - will be monitored for aggressive driving during Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.
NASCAR had extra officials in the turns at the season-opening race at Daytona to watch for aggressive driving after criticism that bump-drafting had escalated to an unacceptable level.
"The aggressive driving zone has been expanded," Hoots said during the pre-race drivers meeting. "It will start at the start of the race as soon as you go across the start-finish line and will conclude when you complete the race - for all 2.66 miles around this race track and all 188 laps of the race.
"It will be considered all the way around the track."
Hoots asked the drivers to err on the side of caution.
"Remember drivers, it doesn't mean that you're given more latitude on the straightaway," Hoots said. "If you think you're getting ready to be too close to or crossing over that line, you need to throttle back and be on the conservative side and don't place yourself in the position of opening it up to our judgment of aggressive driving."
TALLADEGA, Ala. - The left-rear quarterpanel of Busch Series point leader Kevin Harvick's No. 21 Chevrolet was found to be too low in post-race inspection following Saturday's Aaron's 312 NASCAR Busch Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Busch Series director Joe Balash said penalties are expected and should be announced Tuesday, but Harvick would be allowed to keep his second-place finish. Harvick leads the Busch Series standings by 299 points over Richard Childress Racing teammate Clint Bowyer.
Because the race was held at a restrictor-plate track, tolerances are smaller and penalties could be higher.
"The tolerance here is a quarter-inch of yellow, and there's another quarter-inch in the red," Balash said. "It was deep in the red."
Balash said Harvick's crew offered no explanation, not that one would have mattered.
"No excuse," Balash said. "They took rounds [of wedge] out during the event."
Chad Norris, crew chief for Matt Kenseth, was fined $10,000, and his driver and team were docked 25 points because Kenseth's rear quarterpanel was too high in post-race inspection at Texas earlier in April.
Balash said NASCAR needed to check its penalty database to compare past restrictor-plate violations.
Balash also said Kevin Harvick Inc.'s cars of Tony Stewart and Burney Lamar could be facing penalties because of a problem with the wicker bill on the rear spoiler discovered during pre-qualifying inspection. The strip of metal is supposed to have consistent thickness across the strip but part of it was wedged out.
Childress, Harvick close to deal
TALLADEGA, Ala. - Team owner Richard Childress said Saturday he has spoken at length with driver Kevin Harvick and hopes to have a deal with the driver of his No. 29 Chevrolet ironed out "within the next couple of weeks."
"We haven't put any deadline or anything on it," Childress said.
Harvick, who reportedly is being courted by Toyota as that automaker begins to ramp up its Nextel Cup program, is eighth in the point standings and headed into Talladega's race weekend on the heels of two consecutive Busch wins and a Cup victory at Phoenix. His own Kevin Harvick Inc. racing operation fields two Busch Series entries and one entry in the Craftsman Truck Series.
"The money part wasn't always the big deal," Childress said. "The biggest thing was we just wanted to make sure both of us are committed to winning the championship and going forward. We've always done good. ... We just wanted to re-commit ourselves to a few things - making sure the cars are going to be as competitive as we want them, things like that."
TALLADEGA, Ala. - Martin Truex Jr. scored his third consecutive NASCAR Busch Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway by holding off Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers to win Saturday's Aaron's 312.
Truex Jr., driving a Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet for the first time this year, won on Dale Earnhardt Day in Mooresville, N.C.
Points leader Harvick finished second, with Busch third, Vickers fourth and Clint Bowyer fifth.
All positions are unofficial pending post-race inspection.
A small group of NASCAR officials planned to travel to Montreal this week to scout the city for a possible Busch Series race next season.
NASCAR expanded into Mexico last year, and Canadian officials have been trying to get on the schedule.
Spokesman Jim Hunter said series officials would tour several venues, and any expansion would be strictly for the lower-tier Busch Series.
NASCAR announced Monday that David Hyder, crew chief for the No. 21 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2006 for a rule violation at Phoenix International Raceway.
Hyder violated Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and 20-10.8.4I (unapproved tire warming by using a portable heater) of the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Rule Book.
The rule violation was discovered during the running of the Subway Fresh 500 on April 22.
In typical Talladega fashion, the Aaron’s 499 played out like a 200 mph game of chess. In the end, it was Chad Knaus’ decision to bring the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet in for service on the last round of pit stops which proved to be the game winning strategy. Jimmie Johnson’s fresh tires were exactly what he needed to climb through the pack and capture the win. Knaus’ triumphant tactics earned him the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Race.
With 22 laps to go, Knaus was left with the difficult choice of whether to have his driver pit or stay on the track. Knaus elected to have Johnson reload with fresh tires for the final run. The decision put Johnson in 15th place for the restart, but Johnson had little difficulty storming to the front.
A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Tony Eury Sr. and a WYPALL® Wipers representative; agreed that Knaus’ strategy earned him Crew Chief of the Race honors. “Jimmie (Johnson) had an awesome car today,” said Eury Sr. “The competition was so close, though, and it looked like it anybody could win. It was Knaus’ choice to put tires on the car that gave him an advantage on the last few laps. His car handled great and let him go anywhere he wanted to on the track. That’s what he needed to get the job done.”
For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WYPALL® Wipers presented Knaus $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Knaus’ first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier and Roy McCauley for second-place in the standings. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for the lead, each with two wins.
Martin Truex Jr. had a very “Earnhardt-esqe” day at Talladega Superspeedway. Carrying the paint scheme of the legendary No. 3 Goodwrench Chevy, Truex Jr. dominated the action in the Aaron’s 312, leading a race-high 36 laps before taking the checkered flag in intimidator style. For calling the shots which led Truex Jr. to victory lane, his crew chief Tony Eury Sr. was voted the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Race.
Although Truex Jr. had the car to beat, it was a decision that Eury Sr. that cemented Truex’s Bass Pro Shops Monte Carlo in the top spot. Truex Jr. was in the lead when a caution came out with 17 laps remaining. Eury Sr. elected to leave his driver on the track instead of coming into the pits for fresh tires. Eury’s call allowed Truex Jr. to stay up front and hold the competition at bay. “To be honest, I didn’t make the decision for Martin (Truex Jr.) to stay out until he was up to the cone,” said Eury Sr. “I wanted to leave him out on the track, but I didn’t want him to be the only one.”
A panel of voters, including Robbie Reiser and a WYPALL® Wipers representative, agreed that Eury Sr. deserved Crew Chief of the Race honors. “When there’s under 20 laps to go, it’s tough to decide whether or not to pit,” said Reiser. “It seems like the leader is a sitting duck, but Truex had fresh enough tires to keep everyone behind him. Tony knew what his car and driver were capable of and made the right call to leave him out on the last stop.
For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Eury Sr. was presented $500. At the end of the season the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $10,000 and be crowned the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Eury’s first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for second-place in the standings with Wally Rogers, Eddie Pardue, Trip Bruce, Matt Gimbel and Bryant Frazier. Shane Wilson leads the Crew Chief of the Year standings with two wins.
He began his career as a race driver under an assumed name.
He once kept his career going by writing a check that should have bounced, but didn't because he beat long odds to win two races during the same weekend, earning enough money to cover it.
Who is this man with a past that seemingly might be shady but actually is quite the opposite?
None other than Ned Jarrett, among the most admired and respected figures in all of motorsports.
"I look back on my early years in racing and I shudder," Jarrett said recently. "I can't believe some of the chances I took, like writing that check. It was out of character for me."
It sure paid off, however, for Ned went on to win two major NASCAR championships and for years he was the most respected and beloved commentator in network television's racing telecasts.
Like so many NASCAR competitors, Jarrett discovered racing because his father, Homer, was a fan. Ned accompanied his dad to the dirt tracks that sprang up around the Carolinas in the years just after World War II.
"We went to North Wilkesboro Speedway and the Charlotte Fairgrounds," recalled Ned. "The excitement captured my imagination. From the very start I thought about someday being able to drive a race car myself."
His interest grew immensely when construction began on Hickory Motor Speedway in Jarrett's hometown.
"The track was the talk of the area," said Ned. "I recall going into country stores and hearing people discussing it. Even oldtimers were saying things like, 'I could drive one of them cars!' I was 20 when the track finally was ready for its grand opening in 1955. I was deeply involved with the operation of my father's lumber business at that time, but even so I was intent on being part of that first racing card at Hickory.
"I worked out a situation that enabled me to do it.
"I had saved a little money from my job at the sawmill and I used it to buy half interest in a '39 Ford coupe from John Lentz. It was decided that I'd drive the car, and I finished 10th in my first race.
"My dad disapproved. He didn't want me to race, even as a hobby. I followed his wishes for several months, during which time John Lentz drove our car. Then, one weekend, John showed up at the track very sick. We didn't look too hard for another driver.
"I went out in the infield and put on John's helmet. We looked quite a bit alike, so once I was in the race car, no one could tell the difference."
Ned finished second that night, the team's best-ever showing.
"After the race, John and I agreed that I was the better driver," continued Ned, chuckling. "So I stayed in the car after that, running under an alias as John Lentz.
"Then, one night, we lucked up and won. I had to go through the Victory Lane ritual. Folks saw immediately that I was the driver, not John. Naturally, word got back to my dad.
"He came to me and said, 'Ned, if you're going to race, you might as well be the one getting credit for it.'
"The next year I moved up to NASCAR's old Sportsman Division (now the Busch Series Grand National tour) and started chasing points. I finished second in the standings my first season behind the champion, Ralph Earnhardt, Dale's dad. I won the division title back-to-back in 1957 and '58."
It was during the '58 season that I first saw Ned Jarrett drive a race car. It was a summer night at McCormick Field, a minor league baseball park that temporarily had been transformed into a small speedway when the Asheville (N.C.) Tourists lost their spot as a Dodgers farm team. Jarrett came strolling through the grandstands en route to the "garage area" behind where third base was located. He wore a snow white uniform and a cool haircut--a military-type buzz on top and ducktails on the sides. His gray helmet was tucked under an arm.
He cut a striking figure.
The fireworks that night, however, were provided by Ralph Earnhardt and Banjo Matthews, who were bitter enemies. As they battled for the lead on the second lap of the feature event, Ralph turned Banjo over in centerfield, snapping a 15-race winning streak for Matthews at his home track.
The race was red-flagged while the uninjured Matthews' car was uprighted. A Matthews protege exited his own race car to confront leader Earnhardt. The irate protege made the mistake of sticking his face into Earnhardt's window. Earnhardt whip-lashed him with a punch to the mouth.
"I remember that!" said Ned with a laugh. "Those were different days."
Jarrett knows this well, because he was involved in torrid rivalries as well, engaging in duels with the likes of Junior Johnson, David Pearson and both Lee and Richard Petty.
"Feelings got so strong between me and Junior that we were wearing out our cars by beating on each other," said Ned. "Finally, Big Bill France, the NASCAR founder, interceded to stop it.
"One time David Pearson got boiling-over mad at me after we had a run-in and he wrecked. As I came back around the track, David had wrenched the steering wheel off his car and threw it at me.
"Through the years, things smoothed out between me and all these fellows. We grew to count each other as friends."
Ned Jarrett considers the worthless-check-made-good incident as critical to the big-time NASCAR career that would eventually lead to him being inducted into eight motorsports halls of fame.
It happened in 1959. Ned had decided to give up the grind of running as many as 80 races per year in pursuit of the Sportsman Division championship, graduating to what is now the Nextel Cup Series.
"My timing was terrible," Jarrett conceded. "The factories had pulled their support from the sport and there wasn't much money in it. I scrounged around trying to find a ride, but there were no competitive rides to be had. I saw that I was going to ave to buy my own race car, but I had no money."
Ned got word that a car owner named Paul Spaulding had a '57 Ford for sale. Junior Johnson had done pretty well in the car. The price was $2,000.
"I told my friends I was going to buy the car," continued Jarrett. "They were skeptical, because I had no money. I had it all figured out, though. I would buy the car late enough on a Friday afternoon that Spaulding couldn't get to the bank in time to cash the check. There were races in Myrtle Beach and Charlotte that weekend, each paying $1,000 to win. I would just sweep them both in 24 hours and deposit the money to cover the check when the bank opened on Monday morning.
"And the race car would be mine."
Ned shook his head and smiled ruefully at the recollection.
"My friends thought I was crazy," he said. "And looking back, it really does seem a pretty insane thing to have done.
"After buying the car I arrived at Myrtle Beach too late to get any practice. Even so, I qualified eighth.
"There was a tough field that night, including Bob Welborn, a bearcat of a driver. I finally got up to the front and Bob and I had a heck of a race. We ran side-by-side near the end. My stomach was knotting up because I might not win and get the $1,000 I needed. Then, coming off the final turn on the last lap, I saw Bob peel into the pits. A wheel had broken on his car, and I got the checkered flag."
So far, so good.
Well, not necessarily.
Ned Jarrett has a painful problem facing him as he headed to Charlotte for a race just a few hours later.
"Back then, most drivers had their steering wheels covered with electrical tape before the races started," he explained. "This improved the grip tremendously.
"Well, whoever put the tape on my steering wheel for the race at Myrtle Beach had wound it on backwards, which meant I was gripping the gritty side. As the race wore on, the tape began working on my hands like sandpaper, really chewing up the skin.
"My hands were bleeding so bad when the race was over that I had to have tourniquets put on my arms to stop the blow flow. I could see the bone in my thumbs. En route to Charlotte, I stopped at the hospital in Conway (S.C.) to get patched up."
Ned drove to Charlotte and, with no sleep, began working to get his car ready to race. The vehicle was in bad shape--almost as bad as he was. The Myrtle Beach track was rough and it had beaten up his car.
"I started the race in Charlotte, but my hands were causing me a lot of agony," recalled Jarrett, wincing. "Joe Weatherly had dropped out early, so we got him to drive in relieve for a spell. Then, Junior Johnson got in the car. Between the three of us, we somehow got that car to Victory Lane."
Meanwhile, word had spread among the other drivers and crews about the bad check Ned had given Paul Spaulding to buy the race car. Neither Joe Weatherly nor Junior Johnson would take any money for driving in relief.
"They knew that if they did, I couldn't cover the check," said Ned. "Obviously, I've never forgotten what they did.
"Who knows where my career would have gone--or if it would have gone--if I hadn't made that check good."
Those pressure victories were Jarrett's first at the major NASCAR level, and during the next seven seasons he would win 48 more times, taking the circuit's championships in 1961 and '65.
The most memorable of his 50 wins?
No contest.
It came in the Southern 500 of 1965 at demanding old Darlington Raceway, "The Track Too Tough To Tame."
The temperature was blistering hot that Labor Day, and the heat wreaked havoc with the field, causing engines and tires to fail. When the checkered flag waved, Ned Jarrett was the winner by a whopping 14 laps, the greatest victory margin in NASCAR history.
I covered the race for The Charlotte Observer that day, and I filed a story that posed a question about the power of prayer.
Ned had spoken to a Methodist Youth Fellowship group in Darlington County the night before the 500. As he left the church, the teenagers he'd impressed told Ned they were going to pray for him to be safe and do well.
"I had no idea," Ned said in his post-race interview, "that their prayers would be answered on a scale that would put me 14 laps ahead."
There was no way Ned--who was to retire in 1966 at the age of 35--nor anyone else could have known at the time how much the outcome of the '65 Southern 500 was to impact big-time NASCAR racing three decades later.
Sharing in the Victory Lane rapture at Darlington was Ned's youngest son, Dale, then 7 years old.
"It was incredibly exciting, and the thrills didn't end at the race track," Dale recalled. "When we got home that night we found that neighbors had decorated our house and yard with bunting and balloons. They had a big party going.
"I began dreaming that night about becoming a race driver."
Dale Jarrett is proof that dreams come true.
In 1999 he became the Winston Cup Series champion, making he and dad Ned only the second father-son duo to take the top NASCAR title. The others: Lee and Richard Petty.
Dale Jarrett has won some of the sport's biggest races--Daytona 500s in 1993 and '96, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in '96 and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis in '99.
After retiring as a driver, Ned Jarrett operated the Hickory track in his hometown and also Metrolina Speedway in Charlotte.
Then, as the television networks expanded coverage of NASCAR, Ned's expertise and pleasing, easy-going manner led to a new career as a commentator for ESPN and CBS. He also syndicated a radio show.
Among auto racing's magic TV moments is Ned's play-by-play call of son Dale's dramatic rally to overtake Dale Earnhardt on the final lap to win the '93 Daytona 500.
Widely-liked during his driving days, Ned Jarrett saw his popularity soar beyond his belief once he became a TV personality. At race tracks across the country appreciatiave fans stood in line for his autograph and to have photos snapped with him.
Ned's fame has enabled him to undertake numerous efforts on behalf of charities and service organizations. In recognition of his many contributions, Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory bestowed on Jarrett an honorary doctor's degree in humanities.
"Obviously, I'm grateful that things have turned out as they did," said Ned, who remains very much a competitor--only now it's on the golf course against his cronies at Catawba Country Club. "It has been a wonderful ride. A ride that I wouldn't have dared imagine back in the 1950s when I didn't even race using my own name."
Some story.
Some man.
A long weekend at Talladega leaves us with plenty of questions
By Mark Spoor, NASCAR.COM
... when does bad luck turn into a bad season?
Greg Biffle has to be starting to feel snakebit. At first glance, you would certainly say that he's having bad luck. More often than not, he's had a car that was capable of winning, but something happens to take him out of contention.
After finishing 38th on Monday, Biffle said as much, but said his team has a "chronic vibration problem." One thing's for sure, Biffle now has five finishes of 30th or worse this season. That's one more than he had all of last season, and we're only nine races in.
Is it officially a bad season now? Biffle is likely the only person that can truly answer that question.
... if NASCAR says its moving up the start time of a race, why doesn't it do it?
The first set of pace laps for the Aaron's 499 on Sunday were going on at 2:11 p.m., exactly one minute after the original scheduled start time of the race. All this despite the fact that FOX's Chris Myers announced at the start of the pre-race show that NASCAR was in the hurry-up mode.
Why not have the command to start engines at the top of the pre-race show in such a case? Sure, you wouldn't be able to get in all the pre-race features, but you would be able to get in what fans come and tune in for, the race, or at least part of it.
... were we really hoping not to see 'The Big One'?
Early in Sunday's rain delay, FOX treated us to a montage of the biggest wrecks in recent Talladega history. In the midst of this mayhem, Mike Joy described it as "some of the things we hope not to see today."
Really? Do we?
Every time I've ever seen a commercial for a racing event, not just NASCAR, it's peppered with wrecks. How many times have we seen Elliott Sadler flipping down the backstretch at Talladega? How often have you seen Ryan Newman's flip at Daytona? Heck, how many times have we already seen Tony Stewart's flip in the Busch Series race -- and that just happened Saturday.
It reminds you of those color commentators for boxing events that call their sport "The Sweet Science" when most folks see nothing sweet or scientific about two guys knocking each other loopy.
... can somebody buy Michael Waltrip a haircut?
I know the Waltrip fans are going to get on me again for picking on their boy like I did last week. (By the way -- if you sent me an e-mail last week, thanks. I learned a lot of new adjectives. Thanks for helping out the column.)
Anyway, Waltrip's moptop is getting fiercely out of control. I wanted someone to come up and say "I loved you as Cousin It," while FOX was showing him walking down pit road Sunday.
Before y'all start the e-mail brigade -- yes, I am jealous that I can't grow hair like that.
... who knew catfish liked pizza?
During Sunday's pre-race, Dale Jarrett said the biggest fish he ever caught, he caught with pizza. How long do you think it'll be before Bill Dance baits his hook with a Domino's ham and pineapple special?
When I was a kid, I used to bait my hooks with bologna or the ever-dreaded pimento loaf. I'm sure everyone has similar stories. Pizza, I just don't get. Did he use the crust, just the cheese, just the toppings? Maybe just the sauce?
Ever feel like you're taking a joke one step too far? Yeah, me too.
... since when is 51 mph 'highway speed'?
Early in FX's coverage Monday, the network did a nice job illustrating the speed at Talladega when it showed Jeff Hammond driving at what Darrell Waltrip called "highway speed" and Waltrip zooming past Hammond at race speed.
According to FOX Trax, Hammond was going 51 mph.
I suppose the definition of "highway speed" depends on where you live. The thing is, I've lived in both small towns and big cities and in neither was 51 mph "highway speed."
If you go 51 on a highway in Atlanta on the rare occasion that there's no traffic, you'll see hand signals and hear profanities that are probably illegal in some states. Same goes for upstate New York where I grew up.
... doesn't NASCAR do an awfully good impersonation of my parents?
After that curious segment during Sunday's pre-rain show during which Darrell Waltrip ranted about NASCAR's inconsistencies when it comes to doling out punishment, Waltrip said he spoke to NASCAR president Mike Helton about it -- off-camera, apparently -- and Helton said that NASCAR has audio and video that FOX doesn't have.
Waltrip also said that NASCAR has control, it's its show and if guys don't like it, they're free to race somewhere else.
It brought me back to arguments I had with my parents that usually ended with the phrase, "as long as you're under my roof, you have to follow my rules" and me storming out the door.
By the way, massive kudos to the increasingly entertaining Chris Myers for his classic post-segment comment:
"I think we're more confused, but thanks for trying."
Indeed.
... is AAA upset with Roush Racing?
Or maybe, is the National Guard really, really happy with Roush Racing? If you were stuck at work Monday and missed the race, after Mark Martin was taken out in the wreck on Lap 10, Martin came back out later with a noticeable difference -- he was using Greg Biffle's hood.
If you're wondering what it looked like, think back to that kid in high school who had $159 to buy a car and he was stuck buying the lime-green sedan with the orange hood and the wood paneling on the doors and you've pretty much got it figured out.
"I wrecked. I don't know," a frustrated Martin said after the race. "Please don't ask me what happened. I don't know. It's Talladega."
That it is.
The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
This list is authored by:
Sandra Monacelli
221 W. 57th Street 18B
Loveland, CO 80538
970/663-6967
Today In Nascar History
05/01/1955-Buck Baker wins at Charlotte, win #2 of the season, and #11 of his career.
05/01/1964-LeeRoy Yarbrough wins at Savannah, win #1 of the season, and #1 of his career.
05/01/1977-Darrell Waltrip wins at Talladega, win #2 of the season, and #5 of his career.
05/01/1983-Richard Petty wins at Talladega, win #2 of the season, and #197 of his career.
05/01/1988-Phil Parsons wins at Talladega, win #1 of the season, and #1 of his career.
05/01/1994-Dale Earnhardt wins at Talladega, win #3 of the season, and #62 of his career.
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Quote of the Day"Ricky's kind of all the drivers and none of them at the same time. He kind of came out of my brain, which is a messed-up place."
--Actor Will Ferrell joking about how he developed his character for Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," scheduled for an August release.
"I survived."
--Tony Stewart after his second place finish at Talladega
News gathered from multiple sources, including but not limited to: Jayski.com, Cup Scene Daily, Thatsracin.com, catchfence.com, nascar.com, yahoo!, espn.com and others.
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Comments from the Peanut Galleryfrom Tonya
Momma,
I have a question and I know someone out here in will have an answer for me...
At the Phoenix race, Mark Martin ran out of gas and was scored 11th. Carl Edwards gave him some help on the track by pushing him. Jimmy Spencer stated that was a NO NO..that you had to finish the last lap under your own power. So, did Mark cross the finish line and then run out of gas, or is NASCAR blind??
Thanks again for all you do!!
Tonya
Unfortunately, Mark ran out of gas on the backstretch, thus, he didn't cross the finish line under his own power. Mark was scored 11th, the first car a lap down.
To Bob S......Thanks for your thoughts.
from ChowchillaChick
Do you know if any Cup drivers wear corrective lenses (eyeglasses or contact lenses), or if any have had optical surgery such as Lasik? Perfect vision is a definite asset when you are driving as close to each other as these guys.
I know that Kyle Petty wears glasses, and I don't see him with them on when he is in the car, so I would assume that they do wear contacts instead of glasses. Not all people can have surgery to correct their vision, so I'm going to say that some do wear contacts.
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Bits and PiecesDarlington announces sellout for Cup race
Reserved grandstand seats for the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway are sold out, track officials announced Sunday. The sellout is the earliest in Darlington Raceway history.
With the new Brasington Tower in Turn 1, the track now seats approximately 62,000 -- 3,000 more than last year.
"We are thrilled at the continuing excitement surrounding Darlington's Mother's Day weekend race date," Darlington president Chris Browning said. "The fans' enthusiasm and support has been truly overwhelming. We've made a lot of changes over the past year, and we can't wait to show off the 'new Darlington' to a packed house for the second consecutive year."
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NASCAR classifies entire track a non-aggressive zoneTALLADEGA, Ala. - NASCAR race director David Hoots told drivers before the Aaron's 499 that the entire track - not just the turns - will be monitored for aggressive driving during Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.
NASCAR had extra officials in the turns at the season-opening race at Daytona to watch for aggressive driving after criticism that bump-drafting had escalated to an unacceptable level.
"The aggressive driving zone has been expanded," Hoots said during the pre-race drivers meeting. "It will start at the start of the race as soon as you go across the start-finish line and will conclude when you complete the race - for all 2.66 miles around this race track and all 188 laps of the race.
"It will be considered all the way around the track."
Hoots asked the drivers to err on the side of caution.
"Remember drivers, it doesn't mean that you're given more latitude on the straightaway," Hoots said. "If you think you're getting ready to be too close to or crossing over that line, you need to throttle back and be on the conservative side and don't place yourself in the position of opening it up to our judgment of aggressive driving."
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Busch Series leader Harvick fails post-race inspectionTALLADEGA, Ala. - The left-rear quarterpanel of Busch Series point leader Kevin Harvick's No. 21 Chevrolet was found to be too low in post-race inspection following Saturday's Aaron's 312 NASCAR Busch Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Busch Series director Joe Balash said penalties are expected and should be announced Tuesday, but Harvick would be allowed to keep his second-place finish. Harvick leads the Busch Series standings by 299 points over Richard Childress Racing teammate Clint Bowyer.
Because the race was held at a restrictor-plate track, tolerances are smaller and penalties could be higher.
"The tolerance here is a quarter-inch of yellow, and there's another quarter-inch in the red," Balash said. "It was deep in the red."
Balash said Harvick's crew offered no explanation, not that one would have mattered.
"No excuse," Balash said. "They took rounds [of wedge] out during the event."
Chad Norris, crew chief for Matt Kenseth, was fined $10,000, and his driver and team were docked 25 points because Kenseth's rear quarterpanel was too high in post-race inspection at Texas earlier in April.
Balash said NASCAR needed to check its penalty database to compare past restrictor-plate violations.
Balash also said Kevin Harvick Inc.'s cars of Tony Stewart and Burney Lamar could be facing penalties because of a problem with the wicker bill on the rear spoiler discovered during pre-qualifying inspection. The strip of metal is supposed to have consistent thickness across the strip but part of it was wedged out.
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TALLADEGA, Ala. - Team owner Richard Childress said Saturday he has spoken at length with driver Kevin Harvick and hopes to have a deal with the driver of his No. 29 Chevrolet ironed out "within the next couple of weeks."
"We haven't put any deadline or anything on it," Childress said.
Harvick, who reportedly is being courted by Toyota as that automaker begins to ramp up its Nextel Cup program, is eighth in the point standings and headed into Talladega's race weekend on the heels of two consecutive Busch wins and a Cup victory at Phoenix. His own Kevin Harvick Inc. racing operation fields two Busch Series entries and one entry in the Craftsman Truck Series.
"The money part wasn't always the big deal," Childress said. "The biggest thing was we just wanted to make sure both of us are committed to winning the championship and going forward. We've always done good. ... We just wanted to re-commit ourselves to a few things - making sure the cars are going to be as competitive as we want them, things like that."
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Another Busch win for Truex at TalladegaTALLADEGA, Ala. - Martin Truex Jr. scored his third consecutive NASCAR Busch Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway by holding off Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers to win Saturday's Aaron's 312.
Truex Jr., driving a Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet for the first time this year, won on Dale Earnhardt Day in Mooresville, N.C.
Points leader Harvick finished second, with Busch third, Vickers fourth and Clint Bowyer fifth.
All positions are unofficial pending post-race inspection.
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Bodine leads top-five sweep for Toyota
MADISON, Ill. -- Todd Bodine won his second Craftsman Truck Series race of the year and Germain Racing teammate Ted Musgrave was second Saturday in the Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Raceway.
MADISON, Ill. -- Todd Bodine won his second Craftsman Truck Series race of the year and Germain Racing teammate Ted Musgrave was second Saturday in the Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Raceway.
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Jarrett hopes to make decision for 2007 soon: #88-Dale Jarrett said he has talked to quite a few people about driving for them next season but would not say whether he has signed with Michael Waltrip Racing. Waltrip said Friday that he had talked with the Robert Yates Racing driver but had not signed him to run a second Toyota out of the Michael Waltrip Racing stable in 2007. "People know when the last year of your contract is, so they start talking and seeing what your interests are, especially in my case," Jarrett said Saturday following qualifying for the Aaron's 499 at Talladega. Jarrett said that he probably would make a decision in the next two or three weeks and that sponsor UPS is not necessarily tied to him. "That's Robert's sponsor," said Jarrett, referring to his current owner. "They came here because of what we accomplished at Robert Yates Racing, and that hasn't been a factor in determining what I'm going to do. The offers that I have had from everybody else aren't contingent upon bringing a sponsor."(SceneDaily.com)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Talladega Nights on sale at Talladega: .NASCAR and Sony Pictures will begin selling merchandise this week online and at-track for one of the most anticipated comedies of the year – “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” While “Talladega Nights”, starring television and movie star Will Ferrell, hits theatres August 4, merchandise for the movie goes on sale this Thursday. In addition to being available online at NASCAR.com, NASCAR-licensed film merchandise will be available at track for the first time at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. Ferrell, who will be playing NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby, will be the grand marshal for Sunday’s Aaron’s 499. Close to 10 different licensees will be selling movie merchandise either on NASCAR.com and/or in a “Talladega Nights”-specific hauler, with Motorsports Authentics, J.H. Design Group, Checkered Flag Sports and Gametime LLC leading the way with several different lines of shirts, jackets, watches and more. As part of this weekend’s merchandise launch, Motorsports Authentics will be running a promotion awarding fans with an opportunity to meet Ferrell and get their movie merchandise signed by the former “Saturday Night Live” star turned mega-movie star and NASCAR fan. All fans purchasing movie merchandise at-track between Thursday and Saturday at 1 p.m. will be entered into a drawing that will ultimately reward 50 lucky fans with a Sunday autograph session with Ferrell.(NASCAR PR)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NASCAR officials plan to visit Montreal, tour race sitesA small group of NASCAR officials planned to travel to Montreal this week to scout the city for a possible Busch Series race next season.
NASCAR expanded into Mexico last year, and Canadian officials have been trying to get on the schedule.
Spokesman Jim Hunter said series officials would tour several venues, and any expansion would be strictly for the lower-tier Busch Series.
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Crew Chief Fined, Placed on Probation for Phoenix Rule ViolationNASCAR announced Monday that David Hyder, crew chief for the No. 21 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2006 for a rule violation at Phoenix International Raceway.
Hyder violated Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and 20-10.8.4I (unapproved tire warming by using a portable heater) of the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Rule Book.
The rule violation was discovered during the running of the Subway Fresh 500 on April 22.
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Kanus Win WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the RaceIn typical Talladega fashion, the Aaron’s 499 played out like a 200 mph game of chess. In the end, it was Chad Knaus’ decision to bring the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet in for service on the last round of pit stops which proved to be the game winning strategy. Jimmie Johnson’s fresh tires were exactly what he needed to climb through the pack and capture the win. Knaus’ triumphant tactics earned him the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Race.
With 22 laps to go, Knaus was left with the difficult choice of whether to have his driver pit or stay on the track. Knaus elected to have Johnson reload with fresh tires for the final run. The decision put Johnson in 15th place for the restart, but Johnson had little difficulty storming to the front.
A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Tony Eury Sr. and a WYPALL® Wipers representative; agreed that Knaus’ strategy earned him Crew Chief of the Race honors. “Jimmie (Johnson) had an awesome car today,” said Eury Sr. “The competition was so close, though, and it looked like it anybody could win. It was Knaus’ choice to put tires on the car that gave him an advantage on the last few laps. His car handled great and let him go anywhere he wanted to on the track. That’s what he needed to get the job done.”
For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WYPALL® Wipers presented Knaus $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Knaus’ first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier and Roy McCauley for second-place in the standings. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for the lead, each with two wins.
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Back in Black – Eury Sr. / Truex Jr. Snag Win at Talladega Eury Sr. Wins WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award Martin Truex Jr. had a very “Earnhardt-esqe” day at Talladega Superspeedway. Carrying the paint scheme of the legendary No. 3 Goodwrench Chevy, Truex Jr. dominated the action in the Aaron’s 312, leading a race-high 36 laps before taking the checkered flag in intimidator style. For calling the shots which led Truex Jr. to victory lane, his crew chief Tony Eury Sr. was voted the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Race.
Although Truex Jr. had the car to beat, it was a decision that Eury Sr. that cemented Truex’s Bass Pro Shops Monte Carlo in the top spot. Truex Jr. was in the lead when a caution came out with 17 laps remaining. Eury Sr. elected to leave his driver on the track instead of coming into the pits for fresh tires. Eury’s call allowed Truex Jr. to stay up front and hold the competition at bay. “To be honest, I didn’t make the decision for Martin (Truex Jr.) to stay out until he was up to the cone,” said Eury Sr. “I wanted to leave him out on the track, but I didn’t want him to be the only one.”
A panel of voters, including Robbie Reiser and a WYPALL® Wipers representative, agreed that Eury Sr. deserved Crew Chief of the Race honors. “When there’s under 20 laps to go, it’s tough to decide whether or not to pit,” said Reiser. “It seems like the leader is a sitting duck, but Truex had fresh enough tires to keep everyone behind him. Tony knew what his car and driver were capable of and made the right call to leave him out on the last stop.
For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Eury Sr. was presented $500. At the end of the season the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $10,000 and be crowned the WYPALL® Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Eury’s first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for second-place in the standings with Wally Rogers, Eddie Pardue, Trip Bruce, Matt Gimbel and Bryant Frazier. Shane Wilson leads the Crew Chief of the Year standings with two wins.
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Dale Jr.'s DMP Heads to Richmond With Catchfence.com As Race Sponsor: This week Dale Jr.'s DMP Series heads to Richmond, the track known for "It's Racing Perfection!" If you have a broadband connection, do not miss all the action LIVE, tonight, May 2nd at 9:00 p.m. EST. The DMP will roar into the Richmond International Raceway for an exciting night of racing in the Catchfence.com 250. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Brad Keselowski race in virtual Sim Racing environments right from their own home. Now you can watch these races on your home computer every week for FREE. Listen to the drivers being interviewed. To view these broadcasts with potentially Millions of viewers watching simualtanously, they went to Limelight Networks and teamed together to bring you the best in online multimedia. Limelight Networks delivers media to the top websites in the world. Millions of viewers can watch these races from their home by visiting simracingnetwork.com and clicking through to watch the race in the top right corner. This is a FREE Broadcast that anyone can watch right from the comforts of their own home. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Gordon WIX Filters Lap Leader in Aaron's 499: Jeff Gordon led 13 times for 62 laps to win the WIX Filters Lap Leader of the Race Award in the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega. Gordon took the honor for the first time this season. He finished 15th on the lead lap. The Aaron’s 499 was the first race Gordon has led since the March 26 Food City 500 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. He led the event once for three laps. Monday’s race at Talladega is the first superspeedway race Gordon has led since the March 20 Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he led once for one lap. Gordon remains sixth in the NEXTEL Cup Series championship standings, 37 points behind fifth-place Mark Martin. Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart remain tied for the lead in the WIX Filters Lap Leader standings. Each driver has been WIX Filters Lap Leader in three races. WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD WINNERS BY RACE: Daytona 500 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. (32 laps); Auto Club 500 - Greg Biffle (168 laps); UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 - Matt Kenseth (146 laps); Golden Corral 500 - Greg Biffle (128 laps); Food City 500 - Tony Stewart (245 laps); DIRECTV 500 - Tony Stewart (288 laps); Samsung/RadioShack 500 - Tony Stewart (99 laps); Subway Fresh 500 - Greg Biffle (151 laps); Aaron’s 499 - Jeff Gordon (62 laps) - Camp & Associates, Inc. Press Release ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Boris and Stoddard to Roush? UPDATE 2 No Fear Racing: hearing #36 MB2 Motorsports crew chief, Frank Stoddard has left MC2 Motorsports and gone back to Roush Racing [where is was the crew chief of the #99 and Jeff Burton for years] and that driver Boris Said also signed with Roush Racing. Not sure of the details or specifics yet but hearing the races planned are Infineon Raceway, Pepsi 400 at Daytona, Brickyard 400 and Watkins Glen. Could be in the #06 the Todd Kleuver is supposed to run 6 races in later this year as these four races are not on Kleuver's Cup schedule. Stoddard mentioned this on the radio show, The Morning Buzz, which Stoddard calls in to give NASCAR reports on Tuesday mornings.(4-4-2006) UPDATE: Boris Said and veteran crew chief Frank Stoddard have formed their own Nextel Cup team, Yahoo! Sports has learned. They are partnering with long-time Said associate and former driver and team owner Mark Simo. The team, which is slated to run four or five races this season, will work with Roush Racing, which has offered to supply the team with cars, engines and technical expertise. Stoddard recently left MB2 Motorsports and speculation was that he was set to rejoin Roush. But Stoddard, who used to be crew chief for Roush's #99 car when Jeff Burton was behind the wheel, instead has been working with Roush officials on forming the new team. Said has been frustrated with his inability to find a regular Cup ride this season after running nine races with MB2 in 2005 with Stoddard as his crew chief. After Simo's No Fear clothing company purchased a building adjacent to Roush Racing headquarters in Concord, N.C., for a planned East Coast distribution center, Said, who has been working as a consultant for Roush's teams, began talking with Roush about possibly starting a team. The current plan is for the new team to run the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway road course in June, the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in July, the Brickyard in August and the Watkins Glen road course, also in August. The team has secured sponsorship for at least four races, with an announcement regarding sponsorship details to come.(Yahoo Sports)(4-5-2006) UPDATE 2: Action sports lifestyle brand No Fear, based in Carlsbad, California, has announced its plans to contest four races in the 2006 Nextel Cup schedule. Dubbed “No Fear Racing”, the new effort will run as a satellite operation of Roush Racing, and will be headquartered at the brand's new east coast corporate headquarters in Concord, NC. Road racing ace and NASCAR veteran Boris Said will drive NFR's #60 Ford Fusion, with primary sponsorship coming from the SoBe No Fear energy drink. Said will also co-own the team, alongside No Fear CEO Mark Simo and crew chief Frank Stoddard. NFR will debut at the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway the weekend of June 24-25. It will then compete in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway, the Allstate 400 at The Brickyard on August 6 and the Sirius Satellite Radio at The Glen a week later.(Speed Channel)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Donnie & Bobby Allison join TV Project: NASCAR driving legend Donnie Allison has joined his brother Bobby as a commentator on the new Reality Racing - The Rookie Challenge network television series. The Reality Racing - The Rookie Challenge combines two of the most prevalent on-air entertainment concepts - stock car racing and reality television - to create a unique, action-packed, 13-week series scheduled to air on a major network later this year. The Series will pit contestants with absolutely no racing backgrounds and from all walks of life against each other in a stock car racing competition format. Helping to judge the competitors will be a panel of select, former stock car racing stars headed by the Allisons. Additional information on Reality Racing, Inc. and the new series can be obtained at realityracingtv.com.(PR)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chad Knaus Back Under Microscope
By MIKE HARRIS
AP Motorsports Writer
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) -- Some of the most tense moments for crew chief Chad Knaus at the racetrack these days come after the checkered flag waves.
When his driver, Jimmie Johnson, wins or finishes in the top five - a fairly common occurrence of late for the Nextel Cup points leader, NASCAR automatically inspects his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Thoroughly.
For Knaus, who has been fined numerous times for fudging the rules and served a four-race suspension at the start of the 2006 season for cheating during Daytona 500 preparations, postrace time has become a nervous time.
Monday, after Johnson charged to the lead on the final lap to win the rain-delayed Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, Knaus was able to smile when he finally left Victory Lane to accompany Johnson to the interview.
"It's frightening after you win a race or finish in the top five just wondering what's going to happen to the car with the height sticks and things like that," Knaus said. "But I got the thumbs-up that everything was fine when I walked in here, so it's all good."
Knaus, considered one of the best crew chiefs in the business, remained at home in North Carolina early in the season as Johnson, looking for his first Nextel Cup championship, got off to a fast start with a victory in Daytona, a runner-up performance the next week in California, a win in Las Vegas and a sixth-place run in Atlanta.
The Daytona win - Johnson's first in a restrictor plate race - was particularly hard for Knaus to miss. But he doesn't want people to think he took it too hard that he had to watch those two early season victory celebrations on TV.
"It's great to be here, don't get me wrong," Knaus said. "I like it. I like spraying champagne and doing the hat dance and all that kind of cool stuff. But, when I wasn't here, I was just as happy for this team as I am today. It's just that I'm celebrating here instead of my living room."
Still, getting the 48 car through "The Room of Doom," as NASCAR folks call the inspection bay, can be a little scary these days.
On Friday, before the first practice, both the 48 and teammate Jeff Gordon's No. 24 had to make some adjustments to their front bumpers before NASCAR would let them practice. It turned out to be a minor problem, with no penalties involved. But, under the circumstances, the situation drew a lot of attention.
Knaus insists he isn't really doing much differently now, though.
"I wouldn't say that we're building the cars any different or doing a lot of changing," he said. "We're making sure, though, that we're following the rulebook maybe a little bit closer to the letter, making sure we stay within the black and white of the rulebook.
"You know, it was a tough time going through that (suspension) and, obviously, we don't want that kind of controversy surrounding our team because it is such a great race team. It doesn't need that."
And Knaus knows that the scrutiny that NASCAR is putting on him and other crew chiefs these days is intensified.
"It's petrifying to be a crew chief in this sport nowadays because if you go out there and don't run competitive you're going to be out of a job," he said. "And, if you go out there and you push it too hard, then you're going to be out of a job.
"It's a tough deal now. But, hey, it's all part of the game."
Johnson is just happy to have Knaus back on the pit box, overseeing strategy during the races. And he was particularly happy to share the spotlight with his crew chief Monday after beating reigning Cup champion Tony Stewart to the finish line.
"I'm happy for Chad, especially because he hasn't had a chance to enjoy Victory Lane," Johnson said. "His cars have been winning races but he was, unfortunately, at home."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By MIKE HARRIS
AP Motorsports Writer
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) -- Some of the most tense moments for crew chief Chad Knaus at the racetrack these days come after the checkered flag waves.
When his driver, Jimmie Johnson, wins or finishes in the top five - a fairly common occurrence of late for the Nextel Cup points leader, NASCAR automatically inspects his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Thoroughly.
For Knaus, who has been fined numerous times for fudging the rules and served a four-race suspension at the start of the 2006 season for cheating during Daytona 500 preparations, postrace time has become a nervous time.
Monday, after Johnson charged to the lead on the final lap to win the rain-delayed Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, Knaus was able to smile when he finally left Victory Lane to accompany Johnson to the interview.
"It's frightening after you win a race or finish in the top five just wondering what's going to happen to the car with the height sticks and things like that," Knaus said. "But I got the thumbs-up that everything was fine when I walked in here, so it's all good."
Knaus, considered one of the best crew chiefs in the business, remained at home in North Carolina early in the season as Johnson, looking for his first Nextel Cup championship, got off to a fast start with a victory in Daytona, a runner-up performance the next week in California, a win in Las Vegas and a sixth-place run in Atlanta.
The Daytona win - Johnson's first in a restrictor plate race - was particularly hard for Knaus to miss. But he doesn't want people to think he took it too hard that he had to watch those two early season victory celebrations on TV.
"It's great to be here, don't get me wrong," Knaus said. "I like it. I like spraying champagne and doing the hat dance and all that kind of cool stuff. But, when I wasn't here, I was just as happy for this team as I am today. It's just that I'm celebrating here instead of my living room."
Still, getting the 48 car through "The Room of Doom," as NASCAR folks call the inspection bay, can be a little scary these days.
On Friday, before the first practice, both the 48 and teammate Jeff Gordon's No. 24 had to make some adjustments to their front bumpers before NASCAR would let them practice. It turned out to be a minor problem, with no penalties involved. But, under the circumstances, the situation drew a lot of attention.
Knaus insists he isn't really doing much differently now, though.
"I wouldn't say that we're building the cars any different or doing a lot of changing," he said. "We're making sure, though, that we're following the rulebook maybe a little bit closer to the letter, making sure we stay within the black and white of the rulebook.
"You know, it was a tough time going through that (suspension) and, obviously, we don't want that kind of controversy surrounding our team because it is such a great race team. It doesn't need that."
And Knaus knows that the scrutiny that NASCAR is putting on him and other crew chiefs these days is intensified.
"It's petrifying to be a crew chief in this sport nowadays because if you go out there and don't run competitive you're going to be out of a job," he said. "And, if you go out there and you push it too hard, then you're going to be out of a job.
"It's a tough deal now. But, hey, it's all part of the game."
Johnson is just happy to have Knaus back on the pit box, overseeing strategy during the races. And he was particularly happy to share the spotlight with his crew chief Monday after beating reigning Cup champion Tony Stewart to the finish line.
"I'm happy for Chad, especially because he hasn't had a chance to enjoy Victory Lane," Johnson said. "His cars have been winning races but he was, unfortunately, at home."
Tom Higgins' Scuffs
Also Known As...He began his career as a race driver under an assumed name.
He once kept his career going by writing a check that should have bounced, but didn't because he beat long odds to win two races during the same weekend, earning enough money to cover it.
Who is this man with a past that seemingly might be shady but actually is quite the opposite?
None other than Ned Jarrett, among the most admired and respected figures in all of motorsports.
"I look back on my early years in racing and I shudder," Jarrett said recently. "I can't believe some of the chances I took, like writing that check. It was out of character for me."
It sure paid off, however, for Ned went on to win two major NASCAR championships and for years he was the most respected and beloved commentator in network television's racing telecasts.
Like so many NASCAR competitors, Jarrett discovered racing because his father, Homer, was a fan. Ned accompanied his dad to the dirt tracks that sprang up around the Carolinas in the years just after World War II.
"We went to North Wilkesboro Speedway and the Charlotte Fairgrounds," recalled Ned. "The excitement captured my imagination. From the very start I thought about someday being able to drive a race car myself."
His interest grew immensely when construction began on Hickory Motor Speedway in Jarrett's hometown.
"The track was the talk of the area," said Ned. "I recall going into country stores and hearing people discussing it. Even oldtimers were saying things like, 'I could drive one of them cars!' I was 20 when the track finally was ready for its grand opening in 1955. I was deeply involved with the operation of my father's lumber business at that time, but even so I was intent on being part of that first racing card at Hickory.
"I worked out a situation that enabled me to do it.
"I had saved a little money from my job at the sawmill and I used it to buy half interest in a '39 Ford coupe from John Lentz. It was decided that I'd drive the car, and I finished 10th in my first race.
"My dad disapproved. He didn't want me to race, even as a hobby. I followed his wishes for several months, during which time John Lentz drove our car. Then, one weekend, John showed up at the track very sick. We didn't look too hard for another driver.
"I went out in the infield and put on John's helmet. We looked quite a bit alike, so once I was in the race car, no one could tell the difference."
Ned finished second that night, the team's best-ever showing.
"After the race, John and I agreed that I was the better driver," continued Ned, chuckling. "So I stayed in the car after that, running under an alias as John Lentz.
"Then, one night, we lucked up and won. I had to go through the Victory Lane ritual. Folks saw immediately that I was the driver, not John. Naturally, word got back to my dad.
"He came to me and said, 'Ned, if you're going to race, you might as well be the one getting credit for it.'
"The next year I moved up to NASCAR's old Sportsman Division (now the Busch Series Grand National tour) and started chasing points. I finished second in the standings my first season behind the champion, Ralph Earnhardt, Dale's dad. I won the division title back-to-back in 1957 and '58."
It was during the '58 season that I first saw Ned Jarrett drive a race car. It was a summer night at McCormick Field, a minor league baseball park that temporarily had been transformed into a small speedway when the Asheville (N.C.) Tourists lost their spot as a Dodgers farm team. Jarrett came strolling through the grandstands en route to the "garage area" behind where third base was located. He wore a snow white uniform and a cool haircut--a military-type buzz on top and ducktails on the sides. His gray helmet was tucked under an arm.
He cut a striking figure.
The fireworks that night, however, were provided by Ralph Earnhardt and Banjo Matthews, who were bitter enemies. As they battled for the lead on the second lap of the feature event, Ralph turned Banjo over in centerfield, snapping a 15-race winning streak for Matthews at his home track.
The race was red-flagged while the uninjured Matthews' car was uprighted. A Matthews protege exited his own race car to confront leader Earnhardt. The irate protege made the mistake of sticking his face into Earnhardt's window. Earnhardt whip-lashed him with a punch to the mouth.
"I remember that!" said Ned with a laugh. "Those were different days."
Jarrett knows this well, because he was involved in torrid rivalries as well, engaging in duels with the likes of Junior Johnson, David Pearson and both Lee and Richard Petty.
"Feelings got so strong between me and Junior that we were wearing out our cars by beating on each other," said Ned. "Finally, Big Bill France, the NASCAR founder, interceded to stop it.
"One time David Pearson got boiling-over mad at me after we had a run-in and he wrecked. As I came back around the track, David had wrenched the steering wheel off his car and threw it at me.
"Through the years, things smoothed out between me and all these fellows. We grew to count each other as friends."
Ned Jarrett considers the worthless-check-made-good incident as critical to the big-time NASCAR career that would eventually lead to him being inducted into eight motorsports halls of fame.
It happened in 1959. Ned had decided to give up the grind of running as many as 80 races per year in pursuit of the Sportsman Division championship, graduating to what is now the Nextel Cup Series.
"My timing was terrible," Jarrett conceded. "The factories had pulled their support from the sport and there wasn't much money in it. I scrounged around trying to find a ride, but there were no competitive rides to be had. I saw that I was going to ave to buy my own race car, but I had no money."
Ned got word that a car owner named Paul Spaulding had a '57 Ford for sale. Junior Johnson had done pretty well in the car. The price was $2,000.
"I told my friends I was going to buy the car," continued Jarrett. "They were skeptical, because I had no money. I had it all figured out, though. I would buy the car late enough on a Friday afternoon that Spaulding couldn't get to the bank in time to cash the check. There were races in Myrtle Beach and Charlotte that weekend, each paying $1,000 to win. I would just sweep them both in 24 hours and deposit the money to cover the check when the bank opened on Monday morning.
"And the race car would be mine."
Ned shook his head and smiled ruefully at the recollection.
"My friends thought I was crazy," he said. "And looking back, it really does seem a pretty insane thing to have done.
"After buying the car I arrived at Myrtle Beach too late to get any practice. Even so, I qualified eighth.
"There was a tough field that night, including Bob Welborn, a bearcat of a driver. I finally got up to the front and Bob and I had a heck of a race. We ran side-by-side near the end. My stomach was knotting up because I might not win and get the $1,000 I needed. Then, coming off the final turn on the last lap, I saw Bob peel into the pits. A wheel had broken on his car, and I got the checkered flag."
So far, so good.
Well, not necessarily.
Ned Jarrett has a painful problem facing him as he headed to Charlotte for a race just a few hours later.
"Back then, most drivers had their steering wheels covered with electrical tape before the races started," he explained. "This improved the grip tremendously.
"Well, whoever put the tape on my steering wheel for the race at Myrtle Beach had wound it on backwards, which meant I was gripping the gritty side. As the race wore on, the tape began working on my hands like sandpaper, really chewing up the skin.
"My hands were bleeding so bad when the race was over that I had to have tourniquets put on my arms to stop the blow flow. I could see the bone in my thumbs. En route to Charlotte, I stopped at the hospital in Conway (S.C.) to get patched up."
Ned drove to Charlotte and, with no sleep, began working to get his car ready to race. The vehicle was in bad shape--almost as bad as he was. The Myrtle Beach track was rough and it had beaten up his car.
"I started the race in Charlotte, but my hands were causing me a lot of agony," recalled Jarrett, wincing. "Joe Weatherly had dropped out early, so we got him to drive in relieve for a spell. Then, Junior Johnson got in the car. Between the three of us, we somehow got that car to Victory Lane."
Meanwhile, word had spread among the other drivers and crews about the bad check Ned had given Paul Spaulding to buy the race car. Neither Joe Weatherly nor Junior Johnson would take any money for driving in relief.
"They knew that if they did, I couldn't cover the check," said Ned. "Obviously, I've never forgotten what they did.
"Who knows where my career would have gone--or if it would have gone--if I hadn't made that check good."
Those pressure victories were Jarrett's first at the major NASCAR level, and during the next seven seasons he would win 48 more times, taking the circuit's championships in 1961 and '65.
The most memorable of his 50 wins?
No contest.
It came in the Southern 500 of 1965 at demanding old Darlington Raceway, "The Track Too Tough To Tame."
The temperature was blistering hot that Labor Day, and the heat wreaked havoc with the field, causing engines and tires to fail. When the checkered flag waved, Ned Jarrett was the winner by a whopping 14 laps, the greatest victory margin in NASCAR history.
I covered the race for The Charlotte Observer that day, and I filed a story that posed a question about the power of prayer.
Ned had spoken to a Methodist Youth Fellowship group in Darlington County the night before the 500. As he left the church, the teenagers he'd impressed told Ned they were going to pray for him to be safe and do well.
"I had no idea," Ned said in his post-race interview, "that their prayers would be answered on a scale that would put me 14 laps ahead."
There was no way Ned--who was to retire in 1966 at the age of 35--nor anyone else could have known at the time how much the outcome of the '65 Southern 500 was to impact big-time NASCAR racing three decades later.
Sharing in the Victory Lane rapture at Darlington was Ned's youngest son, Dale, then 7 years old.
"It was incredibly exciting, and the thrills didn't end at the race track," Dale recalled. "When we got home that night we found that neighbors had decorated our house and yard with bunting and balloons. They had a big party going.
"I began dreaming that night about becoming a race driver."
Dale Jarrett is proof that dreams come true.
In 1999 he became the Winston Cup Series champion, making he and dad Ned only the second father-son duo to take the top NASCAR title. The others: Lee and Richard Petty.
Dale Jarrett has won some of the sport's biggest races--Daytona 500s in 1993 and '96, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in '96 and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis in '99.
After retiring as a driver, Ned Jarrett operated the Hickory track in his hometown and also Metrolina Speedway in Charlotte.
Then, as the television networks expanded coverage of NASCAR, Ned's expertise and pleasing, easy-going manner led to a new career as a commentator for ESPN and CBS. He also syndicated a radio show.
Among auto racing's magic TV moments is Ned's play-by-play call of son Dale's dramatic rally to overtake Dale Earnhardt on the final lap to win the '93 Daytona 500.
Widely-liked during his driving days, Ned Jarrett saw his popularity soar beyond his belief once he became a TV personality. At race tracks across the country appreciatiave fans stood in line for his autograph and to have photos snapped with him.
Ned's fame has enabled him to undertake numerous efforts on behalf of charities and service organizations. In recognition of his many contributions, Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory bestowed on Jarrett an honorary doctor's degree in humanities.
"Obviously, I'm grateful that things have turned out as they did," said Ned, who remains very much a competitor--only now it's on the golf course against his cronies at Catawba Country Club. "It has been a wonderful ride. A ride that I wouldn't have dared imagine back in the 1950s when I didn't even race using my own name."
Some story.
Some man.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blown engine spoils fairy tale
By Dustin Long
The Roanoke Times
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- The perfect story line was set up, but a blown engine ruined Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s chances to win Monday, as he drove a black Chevrolet in honor of his late father.
On Thursday, Dale Earnhardt was enshrined into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Martin Truex Jr. won Saturday's Busch series race at Talladega Superspeedway on what would have been Earnhardt's 55th birthday, driving a black Dale Earnhardt Inc. car.
It was just a matter of Earnhardt Jr. completing the sweep and returning his team to dominance in restrictor-plate racing.
Instead, Earnhardt Jr.'s car suffered minor damage when he spun and was lightly hit by Tony Stewart midway through the race. Earnhardt ran in the top 10, but couldn't lead as he had earlier. Earnhardt's engine later blew. He finished 31st.
"I just didn't really have as good of a car as I would have liked to have,'' said Earnhardt, who fell a spot to eighth in the season points standings. "Just got to work harder and come back here and maybe do a little bit better next time.''
Strong run
Brian Vickers came close to winning his first NASCAR Nextel Cup event but had to settle for third after winner Jimmie Johnson and runner-up Tony Stewart passed him on the last lap.
"When you're leading coming to the last lap, you're a sitting duck,'' said Vickers, who started 33rd. "Jimmie did his job. We did ours.
"I can't hold a grudge against him. If he wouldn't have tried to pass me for a win on the last lap, I don't know if I would have respected that.''
It was Vickers' best finish since placing third at California on Labor Day weekend last year. Vickers remains winless while teammate Kyle Busch won twice last year as a rookie and is ninth in the points (Vickers is 14th). It would be easy for Vickers to feel pressure to perform with the success of Busch, Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
"I really don't feel any pressure,'' Vickers said. "Rick [Hendrick, car owner] had made that clear that he's happy; everybody is happy. We definitely haven't had some of the [best] performances this year. Some of it is due to many different things. Going back all the way to 2004, we knew going into the [No.] 25 team it wasn't where it needed to be and it was going to be a long process to get it there and we're still in the middle of that.''
Falling down
Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle both had problems Monday that dropped them further in the season standings.
Newman was involved in a 13-car crash on lap 9 and finished 33rd. He dropped to four spots to 26th in the season standings.
"I think we had a good car,'' he said. "Unfortunately we ran into problems before we really got started.''
Biffle finished 38th after engine problems ended his race early. Biffle, who finished second in the standings last year, is 23rd.
"I've got a car that's as good as my teammates are and they're out there running out front, but I just wasn't in the right position,'' Biffle said. "I was just kind of taking it easy there and the motor gave up. It had been vibrating for a little while. We've got a chronic vibration issue. I don't know, sometimes it makes a difference and sometimes it doesn't, but obviously today it did."
Pit stops
Jimmie Johnson earned $326,061. ... Hermie Sadler replaced Kasey Kahne after Kahne's car was repaired when it was damaged in the lap 9 crash. Kahne was not cleared to return to driving. Kahne, who said he was fine afterward, is expected to see a doctor today before he tests at Lowe's Motor Speedway later in the day. ... Joe Nemechek ended a 40-race streak of running at the finish. He was involved in a late crash and finished 27th.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By Dustin Long
The Roanoke Times
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- The perfect story line was set up, but a blown engine ruined Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s chances to win Monday, as he drove a black Chevrolet in honor of his late father.
On Thursday, Dale Earnhardt was enshrined into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Martin Truex Jr. won Saturday's Busch series race at Talladega Superspeedway on what would have been Earnhardt's 55th birthday, driving a black Dale Earnhardt Inc. car.
It was just a matter of Earnhardt Jr. completing the sweep and returning his team to dominance in restrictor-plate racing.
Instead, Earnhardt Jr.'s car suffered minor damage when he spun and was lightly hit by Tony Stewart midway through the race. Earnhardt ran in the top 10, but couldn't lead as he had earlier. Earnhardt's engine later blew. He finished 31st.
"I just didn't really have as good of a car as I would have liked to have,'' said Earnhardt, who fell a spot to eighth in the season points standings. "Just got to work harder and come back here and maybe do a little bit better next time.''
Strong run
Brian Vickers came close to winning his first NASCAR Nextel Cup event but had to settle for third after winner Jimmie Johnson and runner-up Tony Stewart passed him on the last lap.
"When you're leading coming to the last lap, you're a sitting duck,'' said Vickers, who started 33rd. "Jimmie did his job. We did ours.
"I can't hold a grudge against him. If he wouldn't have tried to pass me for a win on the last lap, I don't know if I would have respected that.''
It was Vickers' best finish since placing third at California on Labor Day weekend last year. Vickers remains winless while teammate Kyle Busch won twice last year as a rookie and is ninth in the points (Vickers is 14th). It would be easy for Vickers to feel pressure to perform with the success of Busch, Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
"I really don't feel any pressure,'' Vickers said. "Rick [Hendrick, car owner] had made that clear that he's happy; everybody is happy. We definitely haven't had some of the [best] performances this year. Some of it is due to many different things. Going back all the way to 2004, we knew going into the [No.] 25 team it wasn't where it needed to be and it was going to be a long process to get it there and we're still in the middle of that.''
Falling down
Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle both had problems Monday that dropped them further in the season standings.
Newman was involved in a 13-car crash on lap 9 and finished 33rd. He dropped to four spots to 26th in the season standings.
"I think we had a good car,'' he said. "Unfortunately we ran into problems before we really got started.''
Biffle finished 38th after engine problems ended his race early. Biffle, who finished second in the standings last year, is 23rd.
"I've got a car that's as good as my teammates are and they're out there running out front, but I just wasn't in the right position,'' Biffle said. "I was just kind of taking it easy there and the motor gave up. It had been vibrating for a little while. We've got a chronic vibration issue. I don't know, sometimes it makes a difference and sometimes it doesn't, but obviously today it did."
Pit stops
Jimmie Johnson earned $326,061. ... Hermie Sadler replaced Kasey Kahne after Kahne's car was repaired when it was damaged in the lap 9 crash. Kahne was not cleared to return to driving. Kahne, who said he was fine afterward, is expected to see a doctor today before he tests at Lowe's Motor Speedway later in the day. ... Joe Nemechek ended a 40-race streak of running at the finish. He was involved in a late crash and finished 27th.
We Wonder...
TalladegaA long weekend at Talladega leaves us with plenty of questions
By Mark Spoor, NASCAR.COM
... when does bad luck turn into a bad season?
Greg Biffle has to be starting to feel snakebit. At first glance, you would certainly say that he's having bad luck. More often than not, he's had a car that was capable of winning, but something happens to take him out of contention.
After finishing 38th on Monday, Biffle said as much, but said his team has a "chronic vibration problem." One thing's for sure, Biffle now has five finishes of 30th or worse this season. That's one more than he had all of last season, and we're only nine races in.
Is it officially a bad season now? Biffle is likely the only person that can truly answer that question.
... if NASCAR says its moving up the start time of a race, why doesn't it do it?
The first set of pace laps for the Aaron's 499 on Sunday were going on at 2:11 p.m., exactly one minute after the original scheduled start time of the race. All this despite the fact that FOX's Chris Myers announced at the start of the pre-race show that NASCAR was in the hurry-up mode.
Why not have the command to start engines at the top of the pre-race show in such a case? Sure, you wouldn't be able to get in all the pre-race features, but you would be able to get in what fans come and tune in for, the race, or at least part of it.
... were we really hoping not to see 'The Big One'?
Early in Sunday's rain delay, FOX treated us to a montage of the biggest wrecks in recent Talladega history. In the midst of this mayhem, Mike Joy described it as "some of the things we hope not to see today."
Really? Do we?
Every time I've ever seen a commercial for a racing event, not just NASCAR, it's peppered with wrecks. How many times have we seen Elliott Sadler flipping down the backstretch at Talladega? How often have you seen Ryan Newman's flip at Daytona? Heck, how many times have we already seen Tony Stewart's flip in the Busch Series race -- and that just happened Saturday.
It reminds you of those color commentators for boxing events that call their sport "The Sweet Science" when most folks see nothing sweet or scientific about two guys knocking each other loopy.
... can somebody buy Michael Waltrip a haircut?
I know the Waltrip fans are going to get on me again for picking on their boy like I did last week. (By the way -- if you sent me an e-mail last week, thanks. I learned a lot of new adjectives. Thanks for helping out the column.)
Anyway, Waltrip's moptop is getting fiercely out of control. I wanted someone to come up and say "I loved you as Cousin It," while FOX was showing him walking down pit road Sunday.
Before y'all start the e-mail brigade -- yes, I am jealous that I can't grow hair like that.
... who knew catfish liked pizza?
During Sunday's pre-race, Dale Jarrett said the biggest fish he ever caught, he caught with pizza. How long do you think it'll be before Bill Dance baits his hook with a Domino's ham and pineapple special?
When I was a kid, I used to bait my hooks with bologna or the ever-dreaded pimento loaf. I'm sure everyone has similar stories. Pizza, I just don't get. Did he use the crust, just the cheese, just the toppings? Maybe just the sauce?
Ever feel like you're taking a joke one step too far? Yeah, me too.
... since when is 51 mph 'highway speed'?
Early in FX's coverage Monday, the network did a nice job illustrating the speed at Talladega when it showed Jeff Hammond driving at what Darrell Waltrip called "highway speed" and Waltrip zooming past Hammond at race speed.
According to FOX Trax, Hammond was going 51 mph.
I suppose the definition of "highway speed" depends on where you live. The thing is, I've lived in both small towns and big cities and in neither was 51 mph "highway speed."
If you go 51 on a highway in Atlanta on the rare occasion that there's no traffic, you'll see hand signals and hear profanities that are probably illegal in some states. Same goes for upstate New York where I grew up.
... doesn't NASCAR do an awfully good impersonation of my parents?
After that curious segment during Sunday's pre-rain show during which Darrell Waltrip ranted about NASCAR's inconsistencies when it comes to doling out punishment, Waltrip said he spoke to NASCAR president Mike Helton about it -- off-camera, apparently -- and Helton said that NASCAR has audio and video that FOX doesn't have.
Waltrip also said that NASCAR has control, it's its show and if guys don't like it, they're free to race somewhere else.
It brought me back to arguments I had with my parents that usually ended with the phrase, "as long as you're under my roof, you have to follow my rules" and me storming out the door.
By the way, massive kudos to the increasingly entertaining Chris Myers for his classic post-segment comment:
"I think we're more confused, but thanks for trying."
Indeed.
... is AAA upset with Roush Racing?
Or maybe, is the National Guard really, really happy with Roush Racing? If you were stuck at work Monday and missed the race, after Mark Martin was taken out in the wreck on Lap 10, Martin came back out later with a noticeable difference -- he was using Greg Biffle's hood.
If you're wondering what it looked like, think back to that kid in high school who had $159 to buy a car and he was stuck buying the lime-green sedan with the orange hood and the wood paneling on the doors and you've pretty much got it figured out.
"I wrecked. I don't know," a frustrated Martin said after the race. "Please don't ask me what happened. I don't know. It's Talladega."
That it is.
The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.
"Championships have always driven me to win races. That 3 car pulling into the track would cause people to look around and wonder what we were doing, to see how to beat us."
-Dale Earnhardt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Dale Earnhardt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your
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 wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
"It's nothin' personal, it's just racin'
-Dale Earnhardt Sr.
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