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Happy Hump Day everyone!
Today In Nascar History
05/03/1953-Buck Baker wins at Langhorne, win #1 of the season, and #2 of his career.
05/03/1958-Jack Smith wins at Greenville, win #1 of the season, and #6 of his career.
05/03/1959-Lee Petty wins at Martinsville, win #3 of the season, and #40 of his career.
05/03/1968-Bobby Isaac wins at Augusta, win #2 of the season, and #3 of his career.
05/03/1981-Bobby Allison wins at Talladega, win #2 of the season, and #63 of his career.
05/03/1987-Davey Allison wins at Talladega, win #1 of the season, and #1 of his career.
05/03/1992-Davey Allison wins at Talladega, win #3 of the season, and #16 of his career.
05/03/1998-Mark Martin wins at Fontana, win #3 of the season, and #25 of his career.
05/03/2003-Joe Nemechek wins at Richmond, win #1 of the season, and #3 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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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.
from Mikey
this sport is just like "big time wrestling" what a joke anymore
Ahhhh...but we keep watching don't we?!
from RD
I know for a fact, Johnny Benson has had Lasik eye surgery. I'm sure others have as well.
rd
from Tim
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.
Johnny Benson had Lasik surgery during the off season several years ago when he was still in the Cup series.
Tim
from Pops
Momma
These supposedly AP writers need to be able to watch a race and understand what is going on before writing a story like this one. The wreck on lap 9 was caused when
the N# 11 went below the yellow line clipped the N# 5 and all hell broke loose. The N# 11 was penalized a lap for that incident too but you don't see it in this write up!
This isn't the first time Jenna Fryer has screwed up a NASCAR story..
Pops
http://www.theitem.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060503/SPORTS02/105030083
From what I can remember (I just watched the race last night), the 11 car got into another driver later in the race. The 99 got a little loose and went up into the 5, causing the wreck with the 8, 12 and others on lap 9. But I could be wrong....my husband says I'm always wrong...I tell him he is.....
Harvick, Childress sign contract extension
Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress have agreed to a contract extension that will keep Harvick at RCR for at least another year.
Full details will be made available later this week.
Jarrett/Toyota offer..$20 million? UPDATE done deal? Toyota - The Japanese automaker has pumped in tens of millions of dollars into its teams to launch a Nextel Cup program in 2007. Car owner Michael Waltrip is rumored to be dangling a two-year, $20 million contract in front of Dale Jarrett to get him into a Toyota.(Speed Channel)
UPDATE: #99-Dale Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR Cup champion, is expected to help head up the company's [Toyota] 2007 entry into the series, agreeing to join Michael Waltrip Racing next season. Several sources have confirmed that Jarrett, 49, informed Robert Yates Racing officials of his decision April 26. UPS, the primary sponsor of the No. 88 Ford, is also in the final year of its contract with the team. And sources have indicated that the overnight delivery service provider would like to remain with RYR, provided the team can sign a competitive driver rather than someone just embarking on a Cup career. If the latter is the case, it's likely that UPS will make the move with Jarrett to Waltrip's organization. RYR typically attempts to sign sponsors for the length of its drivers' contracts. Because of that, those sponsors have some leverage in driver selection. Possible driver candidates that have been mentioned in the Toyota mix have included Richard Childress Racing's Kevin Harvick and owner/driver Robby Gordon. However, car owner Richard Childress said April 29 that he is close to signing Harvick to an extension. Gordon, who has fielded his own team since 2005, has an existing relationship with Red Bull through his off-road racing efforts.(in part from SceneDaily.com)
By B. Duane Cross, NASCAR.COM
Perspective is defined as a mental view or outlook. Suffice to say, Talladega is the one track that is defined by a driver's finish.
"It's what it is."
"You run out of options pretty quick here."
"I'm not sure what happened."
"We had a great car."
"I couldn't find any friends there at the end."
Yep, that just about covers what's to be said about Talladega Superspeedway. It's either the girl you want to take to the prom, or the ex you'd rather not be reminded of. It's also must-see racing.
If nothing else, Monday proved that NASCAR's largest track is both a swirling breath of fresh air and a wind tunnel of the unexpected. In the final few laps, Jeff Gordon went from also-ran status in the top 15, to battling for the lead, back to also-ran at the checkered flag.
Hey, it's just one of 'em racin' deals, right? Not so, said Mark Martin, whose car was heavily damaged in a crash on Lap 9: "I wrecked. I don't know. Please don't ask me what happened. I don't know. It's Talladega."
Ken Schrader, who also was collected in the early-race wreck, was more forthcoming. When asked what he saw as the crash unfolded, he said, "Just a whole lot of stuff I didn't want to. Somebody ran into somebody else and then it just starts gathering cars as it goes.
"I was just in the wrong place. ... We got down in the grass and thought we were gonna be OK for a little bit, but we got turned around and slid into Kasey [Kahne]. It's not what we needed and not what anybody needs."
On the flip side, those who managed to avoid the carnage were content to leave 'Dega in one piece.
"It was a good finish," said Matt Kenseth, who finished sixth but lost the points lead to Jimmie Johnson, the race winner. "We ran pretty competitive, but not quite as strong as last time. Still, we ran pretty good and I got a decent finish out of it. For Talladega, it was alright."
Fifth-place finisher Jamie McMurray said: "It was a lot easier to pass [Monday] in the Cup cars than what it was in the Busch cars, so it was an exciting race and a lot of fun."
"That was just a wild race," said Carl Edwards, who finished eighth. "It feels good to leave here after leading some laps and finishing in the top 10."
It's all about perspective.
Say Anything
"In 1982 it was just a blast to race [at Talladega], but in today's day and age it's hard to have fun when you know that the pin is out of the grenade. It's just a matter of time before it goes off."
-- Mark Martin, who finished 35th -- 88 laps down -- after being caught up in crash on Lap 9
Figuratively Speaking
3 -- DNFs for Greg Biffle through nine races. He had one in 2005, and hasn't had to work through his much adversity since suffering three DNFs in a seven-race stretch between Loudon and Fontana in the second half of the 2004 season.
Fast Facts
• Jimmie Johnson won the $60,000 Leader Bonus for winning the race and leading the points. This is the second time this season that he has won the bonus, claiming all $90,000 in the first nine races.
• Jeff Gordon led the most laps for the first time in 2006; he led 62 laps at Talladega. The last time Gordon led the most laps in a race: one year ago at 'Dega when he led 139 of 194.
• Tony Stewart had his 10th top-10 finish in 15 races at Talladega, and he now has finished second six times at the track -- including the past three races.
• J.J. Yeley finished 11th Talladega and was the highest finishing rookie. And the streak continues: At least one rookie of the year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in all nine races this season.
• Nine of the past 10 races at Richmond have been won from a top-10 starting position. While 20 of the 99 races at Richmond were won from the pole, only one of the past 27 have been won from the lead starting position.
• There have been 12 different pole winners in the past 12 races at Richmond, beginning with Rusty Wallace in May 2000.
• There have been nine different race winners in the past nine races at Richmond, beginning with Ricky Rudd in September 2001.
• Ryan Newman has seven consecutive top-10 starts at Richmond, the longest current streak, while Greg Biffle's three consecutive top-10 finishes is the active leader.
• Petty Enterprises has 15 wins at Richmond, the most of any car owner. Petty's last victory at RIR came 62 races ago, when Richard won the 1975 Richmond 500.
Mailbag
I was just wondering your thoughts concerning Rusty Wallace. Do you think he will ever race in Nextel Cup again? Also, do you think Kurt is doing a good job driving Rusty's old car?
-- Brett
I'll answer in reverse order: Yes. And yes.
Kurt's doing his usual job of staying in contention for both wins and the Chase. He's had some bad luck this year (who hasn't), but through nine races Busch still is in the top 20 in points (though he hasn't made a move toward the top 10 the past three races). And as the new kid on the Penske block, he's keeping the spotlight of Ryan Newman's struggles.
As for if and when Rusty will make another Cup start, I think it'll come when Steve makes his move to the big leagues. Being able to compete at the sport's highest level -- with your son in the same field -- would be an emotional rush to which little could compare. I don't believe Rusty would enter Steve's debut race, but I certainly can see the two of them racing at Bristol, Martinsville or Richmond.
OK, I'm probably not the only one to do it but I just have to: Could you please explain the Aaron's 499 this weekend?
-- Lusha120
Actually, you were the only person to ask. ... It's nothing more than a marketing ploy. There are 18 Cup races named the "500," so Aaron's "499" is more memorable, so says someone more gullible than me.
[At Phoenix] Martin Truex Jr. runs out of gas, has no tach, and is penalized 10 positions for speeding. Kyle Busch rams Casey Mears under a red flag and they penalize him five laps when he is already 45 laps down? Blatant disregard for anyone's safety, and he gets basically nothing. Truex gets 10 spots for something completely out of his control.
-- Erik (and echoed by a whole bunch of other folks)
Kinda like racing at Talladega, it is what it is. ... Robby Gordon is just happy that he wasn't to blame, and didn't suffer the consequences.
And from the home office in Aberdeen, Miss., Christina checks in with the ladies' response to last week's offer to turn the tables on the fellas:
1. Men are like ... laxatives: They irritate the (ahem) out of you.
2. Men are like ... bananas: The older they get, the less firm they are.
3. Men are like ... weather: Nothing can be done to change them.
4. Men are like ... blenders: You need one, but you're not quite sure why.
5. Men are like ... chocolate bars: Sweet, smooth, and they usually head right for your hips.
6. Men are like ... commercials: You can't believe a word they say.
7. Men are like ... department stores: Their clothes are always 1/2 off.
8. Men are like ... government bonds: They take soooooooo long to mature.
9. Men are like ... mascara: They usually run at the first sign of emotion.
10. Men are like ... lava lamps: Fun to look at, but not very bright.
Touché!
Fantasy Perspective
At Richmond ...
• Jimmie Johnson has one top-10 finish -- a second-place finish in this race in 2004 -- in eight starts. He has finished 25th or worse in his past three races at RIR and sports a 22.1 average finish.
• In 12 starts Matt Kenseth has one victory and seven top-10 finishes. He has scored top-15s in nine of his races at Richmond. Kenseth was 12th in this race one year ago and second there last September, his best RIR finish since his victory in September 2002.
• Tony Stewart has competed in 14 races, scoring three victories and nine top-10 finishes. His three wins are the most of any full-time driver at Richmond. Stewart has a 12.0 finishing average at RIR and has led at least one lap in eight of his 14 starts.
And finally ...
NASCAR honcho Brian France has been named to the Time 100, the magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world, which hit newsstands Monday. This is the first time that Time has recognized a member of the NASCAR family on its list.
Says Darrell Waltrip: "There's a point in every organization where you have to step it up another notch, and I think that's what Brian France was able to do for NASCAR. It's not that NASCAR was broken. The France family started NASCAR and drove the business to the top.
"I like France's management style: he doesn't go to the racetrack much, and some people criticize him for that, but he has such a good working knowledge of the people and the position they are in. In NASCAR you manage from the middle. That way you can go up or down the ladder, and he seems to be pretty good at doing that."
P.S.
So you want to be a racecar driver? Then Reality Racing -- The Rookie Challenge is your white whale, Ahab.
Bobby Allison is the series' spokesman and guest commentator. He's joined by brother Donnie, Buddy Baker, Geoff Bodine, Harry Gant, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson and Cale Yarborough as commentators and driver/contestant judges. They also will be guests on Reality Racing -- In the Drivers Seat, a 30-minute interview program to begin airing in June.
The Rookie Challenge is a 13-week show slated to air in the fall.
"Our show gives people who believe they have what it takes to be a profesionl racecar driver the chance to live their dream by not only competing against other drivers of similar experience, but knowing that the winner of Reality Racing will be given the opportunity to actua||y drive professionally as a member of an established race team in a NASCAR-sanctioned race," says Lee Schaefer, president of Racing Reality Inc.
"The signing of these legends of the auto racing sport provides our contestants with the best possible trainers and mentors as they strive to accomplish what each of these gentlemen did."
Check out realityracingtv.com for more info.
The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~10 Questions: Dale Jr.
By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in the midst of a season in which he's successfully re-establishing himself, crew chief and cousin Tony Eury Jr. and their Dale Earnhardt Inc. team as one of the most consistent in the league on a week-to-week basis.
This weekend Earnhardt and the No. 8 Chevrolet crew head to Richmond International Raceway, a venue where he's a previous winner, for Saturday night's Crown Royal 400 (7 p.m. ET, FX).
But a short time ago, at Texas Motor Speedway, Earnhardt and his pet bulldog, Killer, took a break to answer 10 questions not necessarily connected to his racing career.
1. What is your favorite outdoor activity?
Earnhardt: My favorite outdoor activity is probably playing tackle football. I like to get a bunch of my buddies together, and a bunch of the guys from a couple of the [race] teams and have us a big old game. It's a lot of fun.
Yeah, I got some property, but we don't go as far as putting any lines or goalposts up. We just pick a couple trees out -- and that's out of bounds and touchdowns and what not.
We like to hose it down to get it good and wet. We get a little muddy field going to get a little dirty.
As a kid, I was always wanting to be a free safety for the Washington Redskins because it seemed like you could be doing pretty much whatever you think you needed to be doing.
That's the way I like to get things done.
2. If you could go back in time, what period in history would you like to live in?
Earnhardt: Well, it wouldn't be that far back. It probably would have been in the '70s. I would have liked to live my 20s in the '70s, because [that time] just seemed like it was a lot of fun.
It had a lot to do with the styles, whether it be clothing, the attitudes -- and I don't know, just the vibe that was going on back then. The music was great. A lot of great music was coming out.
That's a very mysterious time for racing, as far as NASCAR goes, at least to me. It's maybe not that way to a lot of other people who remember it like it was yesterday.
But to me, I just can't get enough or to know enough about those years and how the sport was -- what the cars drove like and what not.
3. What's your least favorite household chore?
Earnhardt: My least favorite household chore has come about just recently, and it's probably cleaning up after my dog, Killer.
He's pretty good at letting himself out, but a lot of times -- especially in the middle of the night -- he doesn't bother letting anybody know [he has to go] and he just finds him somewhere in the house to do his business.
So I have to get up in the morning and take care of it, or find it some time later down the road, if he's hid it real good.
That's probably the biggest pain in the butt. And taking out the trash has never been a fun thing.
But [Killer] is a great dog, and I really enjoy being around him. If I could think of the perfect dog, he's definitely the one for me.
4. Which athlete outside of racing do you most admire?
Earnhardt: That's tough because I have a lot of athletes that I admire outside of racing. Roger Clemens is one of them [because] he reminds me a lot of my dad.
I don't bother separating [Clemens] into a Red Sox player or a Yankees player or a Texas player -- he just impresses me overall. I had a hard time really having a favorite team in baseball, especially since free agency and all that stuff.
With guys going from one team to another it's really hard to follow anyone. I didn't get involved with the sport at a young age like a lot of young guys do and they have that team that they always have pulled for.
I got into it after my father became buddies with some of the Braves. So I pulled for Atlanta a lot and had a lot of Braves players that I pulled for.
But I met Roger [Clemens] and he just left an impression on me with how he treated me, personally -- and that impression I'll never forget.
There are several others. A lot of Redskins football players, obviously, because being a big Redskins fan I've followed a lot of guys like Darrell Green and Art Monk.
Darrell Green and Art Monk were great role models. They were really solid and they never had any real issues on the field or really ever did anything that set a bad example.
5. What is your favorite most recent movie, and your favorite all-time flick?
Earnhardt: My favorite most recent movie was probably Just Friends, which was pretty good. It was sort of a movie that I think their target age group was anywhere from 18 to 25, so it was a little young for me -- but I enjoyed it and I thought it was really funny.
My greatest movie of all time was more of a mini-series that came on regular television back when I was about in the ninth or 10th grade, called Lonesome Dove.
It had Robert Duval in it and Robert De Niro, I think. I'm not quite sure. Who was the guy in that casino movie? Was it De Niro? I'm not quite sure.
6. Who are you glad you're not?
Earnhardt: Hah! I'm glad I'm not? Man, I don't know. Whew, that's tough. You got enough tape, here? Let me think about that.
There have been a lot of times when I felt bad for somebody, or I tried to put myself in their shoes, but I guess I'm glad I'm not living in a country that wouldn't allow me to do the things that I do today.
You look around at the way some people are forced to live or they don't have any other choice and it looks like a hard life. You see people over in Africa or even in Iraq or what not, on the outskirts of some of those towns, living in shacks and struggling from one day to the next.
That would be a helluva way to have to get by.
7. Do you own an iPod, and if you do, what's on it?
Earnhardt: Yes, I do. There are 1,600 songs on it. I know a lot of people that have got me beaten by a lot, but I listen to a lot of old stuff.
You know, I like listening to popular music and what's on the radio now, and me and my buddies and friends and all that stuff talk about this new song that's come out and all that, all the time.
But you wear that out, over and over and over and the radio does a pretty good job anyways of giving you all you can stand of it.
So for me it's fun to go back and find those lost one-hit wonders -- those lost treasures that you remember listening to and you remember hearing when you're a kid.
But you can't remember who sang it or you never heard of who sang it. So you go onto iTunes and you can go and dig deep into that site and find some of those songs.
Finding 'em is half the fun, and then having your own compilation of what you like. Just having something like that, and you play it for your friends and they're like, 'Damn, I remember that song -- I forgot all about that.'
8. What was your first job, and your most vivid memory of it?
Earnhardt: My first job was pumping gas at an Exxon station on Exit 36 and my most vivid memory was that there was a Waffle House behind it -- and every day I ate chicken melts for lunch.
Yeah, that was the day of full service. I had gotten a speeding ticket and I had to pay for it.
9. What is your biggest vice?
Earnhardt: My biggest vice is -- man -- it's probably ... well, I have several, but probably video games, because I can just sit there for hours and play.
I'll be sitting there in the bus with my PR guys and I'll be, like, 'Damn, when are they going to leave so I can start playing video games?'
Or maybe another driver or a buddy will come by to visit at 8 o'clock and I've got to stop and put it down and talk to them, and I'm like, 'Damn!'
When it comes to a game that more than one person can play at the same time, I enjoy Tiger Woods golf because I can't play golf at all in real life. I'm terrible at it.
I'm sure if I really put my head down and put myself to work trying to learn, I could get to where I could enjoy it, but I enjoy the challenge of playing my buddies at Tiger Woods golf because that's a lot of fun.
Like I said, as a little kid I had that dream of being a football player, so [I enjoy] any kind of [video] football game -- college or pro.
10. If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
Earnhardt: It would probably be Hugh Hefner, for obvious reasons. I really would like to know what goes on at the house -- at the [Playboy] mansion -- and what the parties are really like.
I mean, obviously, if I'm Hugh Hefner I have [control]. For everybody that comes to the party, this is what it's like where they're standing, but I wonder what it would be like behind closed doors and what not.
It would just be interesting to be a fly on the wall, so to be Hugh Hefner for a while would be cool, to kind of see what that's like.
He's a little old, but it would be pretty cool to go back about 20 years and to see what it would be like to be Hugh Hefner.
And if I wasn't him, I'd like to be a rock star of some sort for a while. That would be cool -- for a day or whatever it was -- to be a rock star.
Who would it be cool to be? I'm trying to think of who's really digging right now. You know, all those girls like those Gavin McGrews [DeGraw] and whatever the hell their names are -- Jack Johnson and all those guys that sing all those slow songs.
What they go through is a little bit the same as what we have to deal with, with the fan adulation and all that. There are certain parts of the grind that are similar.
You know, you can see the look on their face when they come into your town to play a concert and you go backstage and you can tell it's wearing on them, going to city after city after city.
But they get up there, once it's time to start, and it's just like when you roll off of pit road, you forget all about that [distractions] and you're just ready to do it.
That's so much fun [for racecar drivers] and when you're on stage I'm sure that's the same way that they feel.
I'm sure that I could be the lead singer for any band, and it wouldn't matter who it was because they probably all have a lot of fun.
But maybe I'd be the lead singer for Chevelle, because I like the music that they play and I'd like to be able to play it.
Final practice: Nextel Cup Series Crown Royal 400 Friday, May 5 1:30 p.m. Speed
Qualifying: Busch Series Circuit City 250 Friday, May 5 4 p.m. Speed
Qualifying: Nextel Cup Series Crown Royal 400 Friday, May 5 6 p.m. Speed
Busch Series Circuit City 250 Friday, May 5 7:30 p.m. FX
Nextel Cup Series Circuit City 400 Saturday, May 6 7 p.m. FX
All time Eastern. Times and station subject to change.
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
05/03/1953-Buck Baker wins at Langhorne, win #1 of the season, and #2 of his career.
05/03/1958-Jack Smith wins at Greenville, win #1 of the season, and #6 of his career.
05/03/1959-Lee Petty wins at Martinsville, win #3 of the season, and #40 of his career.
05/03/1968-Bobby Isaac wins at Augusta, win #2 of the season, and #3 of his career.
05/03/1981-Bobby Allison wins at Talladega, win #2 of the season, and #63 of his career.
05/03/1987-Davey Allison wins at Talladega, win #1 of the season, and #1 of his career.
05/03/1992-Davey Allison wins at Talladega, win #3 of the season, and #16 of his career.
05/03/1998-Mark Martin wins at Fontana, win #3 of the season, and #25 of his career.
05/03/2003-Joe Nemechek wins at Richmond, win #1 of the season, and #3 of his career.
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Visit Sothungal's daily for all of the best freebies and good deals of the day. If it is out there, Sothungal will have it (Even International). Signup for her daily newsletter and have all of the freebies, good deals and more delivered to your e-mail each morning. You get them first! Stop by and say hello!
http://www.sothungalsfreebies.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
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Comments from the Peanut Galleryfrom Mikey
this sport is just like "big time wrestling" what a joke anymore
Ahhhh...but we keep watching don't we?!
from RD
I know for a fact, Johnny Benson has had Lasik eye surgery. I'm sure others have as well.
rd
from Tim
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.
Johnny Benson had Lasik surgery during the off season several years ago when he was still in the Cup series.
Tim
from Pops
Momma
These supposedly AP writers need to be able to watch a race and understand what is going on before writing a story like this one. The wreck on lap 9 was caused when
the N# 11 went below the yellow line clipped the N# 5 and all hell broke loose. The N# 11 was penalized a lap for that incident too but you don't see it in this write up!
This isn't the first time Jenna Fryer has screwed up a NASCAR story..
Pops
http://www.theitem.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060503/SPORTS02/105030083
From what I can remember (I just watched the race last night), the 11 car got into another driver later in the race. The 99 got a little loose and went up into the 5, causing the wreck with the 8, 12 and others on lap 9. But I could be wrong....my husband says I'm always wrong...I tell him he is.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bits and PiecesHarvick, Childress sign contract extension
Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress have agreed to a contract extension that will keep Harvick at RCR for at least another year.
Full details will be made available later this week.
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Finally, Unique Products For NASCAR Fans...: After 18 months in development, Lead Lap Sports, LLC, Morris Plains, New Jersey is proud to announce its introduction of NASCAR approved and licensed merchandise ... “Feel Like Your Favorite Driver” (with) “Hoodskins and Tailskins.” While NASCAR has grown exponentially in popularity, products for the fans have continued to be the same old thing with a couple of new bells and whistles. Lead Lap Sports, however, is breaking that mold and introducing a line of products that are unique to motorsports. So unique in fact, they are patent pending. When co-founders John Adamsky and Jim DeChiaro looked at the market for NASCAR merchandise, they saw tremendous opportunities. While others just see a huge market, John and Jim saw possibilities in developing new products that capture the spirit of the sport in addition to allowing fans to show their allegiance. The first products off the drawing boards are Lead Lap Sports’ Hoodskins and Tailskins that are fully licensed by both NASCAR as well as the leading teams of Richard Childress Racing and Roush Racing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE: #99-Dale Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR Cup champion, is expected to help head up the company's [Toyota] 2007 entry into the series, agreeing to join Michael Waltrip Racing next season. Several sources have confirmed that Jarrett, 49, informed Robert Yates Racing officials of his decision April 26. UPS, the primary sponsor of the No. 88 Ford, is also in the final year of its contract with the team. And sources have indicated that the overnight delivery service provider would like to remain with RYR, provided the team can sign a competitive driver rather than someone just embarking on a Cup career. If the latter is the case, it's likely that UPS will make the move with Jarrett to Waltrip's organization. RYR typically attempts to sign sponsors for the length of its drivers' contracts. Because of that, those sponsors have some leverage in driver selection. Possible driver candidates that have been mentioned in the Toyota mix have included Richard Childress Racing's Kevin Harvick and owner/driver Robby Gordon. However, car owner Richard Childress said April 29 that he is close to signing Harvick to an extension. Gordon, who has fielded his own team since 2005, has an existing relationship with Red Bull through his off-road racing efforts.(in part from SceneDaily.com)
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Davis to run #89 for Shepherd: #0 Busch Series driver, Kertus Davis announced that he will attempt to make his first Nextel Cup start this weekend in Richmond for the Crown Royal 400. Davis recieved the call to drive the #89 Dodge, normally driven by Morgan Shepherd. "We're really excited about this opportunity, and hope that we can put on a good show for everyone," Kertus said. Davis is also entered to run the NASCAR Busch Series race in the #0 RaceGirl Chevy that he normally pilots. (kertusdavis.com)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New colors for Bowyer at Richmond: Clint Bowyer's #07 Chevy will feature a new look this weekend to highlight Prilosec OTC's sponsorship of RCR. Bowyer's mainstay sponsor Jack Daniel's will be featured on the car's lower-rear quarter panel and on the deck lid.(RCR PR)
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Childress Vineyards Set to Release Racing Collection: Childress Vineyards is set to release its first collection of race-related wine sets celebrating the championship style of RCR Racing, one of NASCAR’s most winning franchises owned by Richard Childress. The Collector’s Edition sets will feature “Champion’s Blend” Meritage Red Wine individually boxed with two etched crystal Childress Vineyards logo wine glasses. Each of RCR’s car numbers, #29, #31, #21, and #2, will have its own label while a special bottling, called “Legendary,” is planned for the #3. The “Legendary” Limited Collector’s Edition will come in a boxed set along with two etched crystal wine glasses, featuring the number 3. Members of Childress Vineyards Fast Track Wine Club will have the first opportunity to order the Collector’s Edition boxed sets until April 30. Remaining supplies will go on sale to the general public on Monday, May 15 with a limit of 3 per person. The sets will be sold exclusively at the winery in Lexington, N.C. Each will retail for $99.99. Wine club members will receive a discount of 15%.(RCR)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Changes at the #55 team: #55-Michael Waltrip heads into Richmond International Raceway this weekend looking for a little magic to get the #55 NAPA Dodge back into the top-35 in NASCAR owner's points. This obviously isn't where we had hoped to be coming into the 10th race of 2006," said Waltrip. "In an effort to address the situation, we decided to make some changes." Waltrip has brought in NASCAR veterans Bobby Kennedy, Larry Carter and Jason Oversteet to work on the car and call the race. Derrick Finley will reassume his role as Bill Davis Racing team engineer. "It is extremely important that we use all of the resources we have at both Bill Davis Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing to get our program where it needs to be," said Waltrip. "Bobby, Larry and Jason have been working on getting our Burger King cars built that we will run with Bill Elliott this year. Getting those guys to the track and working with our NAPA car will not only help us now, but it will also allow them to gather 'at-track' data for that effort as well."(Michael Waltrip Racing)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marlin to mark 30 years at top
Father Coo Coo's injury gave Sterling first chance in 1976
By LARRY WOODY
Staff Writer
Sterling Marlin, something of an expert at going fast, says nothing flies like time.
"It's hard to believe the years have gone by like this," said Marlin, who this weekend celebrates his 30th anniversary of racing in NASCAR's top division. "It seems like just yesterday when I was going to the Fairgrounds (now Music City Motorplex) with Daddy and getting ready to run my first race."
Marlin already had a couple of years of local-division racing experience when he was called to take over the car of his father, Coo Coo Marlin, for a Grand National (now Nextel Cup) race at Nashville.
It was May 8, 1976, and Sterling was 18.
"Daddy had hurt his shoulder in an ARCA crash at Talladega the week before," Marlin said. "He told me I could take over the car at Nashville if I wanted to."
Marlin started 30th and finished 29th.
On Saturday night at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway he will make his 685th career start in NASCAR's top series. He has 10 victories, 83 top fives, 215 top 10s and winnings of more than $38 million.
The 48-year-old Columbia resident is one of the sport's most popular and most enduring drivers.
"It's amazing to see how much racing has changed," Marlin said. "There's just so much different now than even 10 or 15 years ago. It's phenomenal to see how many fans are at each race, camping out and sitting up in the stands. I remember when Bristol was just two grandstands on each side. Now it holds 160,000. I don't think any of us could have foreseen the popularity that was going to come to this sport."
This season Marlin joined a new team, MB2 Motorsports, and wants to run at least this season and next. The team has been up-and-down in the early going, but Marlin said he has confidence in its ability.
The Marlin family lost its racing past last year when Coo Coo lost a battle with cancer, and is working toward its future as Sterling's son, Steadman, tries to get his racing career on track.
Meanwhile, it's the present that occupies Sterling.
"Racing is my life and I'm having a blast," he said. "It never gets old."
Hamilton fundraiser: Three more Nextel Cup drivers have joined the Craftsman for a Cure event May 23 in Concord, N.C., hosted by Mt. Juliet's Bobby Hamilton.
Hamilton, a veteran racer and former Craftsman Truck Series champion, is battling cancer. Several fellow drivers are assisting him in the fundraiser for cancer research.
Kurt Busch, Brian Vickers and Kasey Kahne are the latest additions to the lineup. Ryan Newman, Ken Schrader and others also are scheduled to participate. Activities range from kart races to autograph sessions and dinner with the drivers.
Visit truckseries.com or call 1-866-227-3264 for information.
Hall of fame replay: The Speed Channel at noon Saturday will replay last Thursday's International Motorsports Hall of Fame ceremony at Talladega.
Inducted were Dale Earnhardt, Jack Roush, Humpy Wheeler, Janet Guthrie and Harry Gant.
Tony Stewart won Driver of the Year. Veteran photographer T. Taylor won the McLemore Award.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Father Coo Coo's injury gave Sterling first chance in 1976
By LARRY WOODY
Staff Writer
Sterling Marlin, something of an expert at going fast, says nothing flies like time.
"It's hard to believe the years have gone by like this," said Marlin, who this weekend celebrates his 30th anniversary of racing in NASCAR's top division. "It seems like just yesterday when I was going to the Fairgrounds (now Music City Motorplex) with Daddy and getting ready to run my first race."
Marlin already had a couple of years of local-division racing experience when he was called to take over the car of his father, Coo Coo Marlin, for a Grand National (now Nextel Cup) race at Nashville.
It was May 8, 1976, and Sterling was 18.
"Daddy had hurt his shoulder in an ARCA crash at Talladega the week before," Marlin said. "He told me I could take over the car at Nashville if I wanted to."
Marlin started 30th and finished 29th.
On Saturday night at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway he will make his 685th career start in NASCAR's top series. He has 10 victories, 83 top fives, 215 top 10s and winnings of more than $38 million.
The 48-year-old Columbia resident is one of the sport's most popular and most enduring drivers.
"It's amazing to see how much racing has changed," Marlin said. "There's just so much different now than even 10 or 15 years ago. It's phenomenal to see how many fans are at each race, camping out and sitting up in the stands. I remember when Bristol was just two grandstands on each side. Now it holds 160,000. I don't think any of us could have foreseen the popularity that was going to come to this sport."
This season Marlin joined a new team, MB2 Motorsports, and wants to run at least this season and next. The team has been up-and-down in the early going, but Marlin said he has confidence in its ability.
The Marlin family lost its racing past last year when Coo Coo lost a battle with cancer, and is working toward its future as Sterling's son, Steadman, tries to get his racing career on track.
Meanwhile, it's the present that occupies Sterling.
"Racing is my life and I'm having a blast," he said. "It never gets old."
Hamilton fundraiser: Three more Nextel Cup drivers have joined the Craftsman for a Cure event May 23 in Concord, N.C., hosted by Mt. Juliet's Bobby Hamilton.
Hamilton, a veteran racer and former Craftsman Truck Series champion, is battling cancer. Several fellow drivers are assisting him in the fundraiser for cancer research.
Kurt Busch, Brian Vickers and Kasey Kahne are the latest additions to the lineup. Ryan Newman, Ken Schrader and others also are scheduled to participate. Activities range from kart races to autograph sessions and dinner with the drivers.
Visit truckseries.com or call 1-866-227-3264 for information.
Hall of fame replay: The Speed Channel at noon Saturday will replay last Thursday's International Motorsports Hall of Fame ceremony at Talladega.
Inducted were Dale Earnhardt, Jack Roush, Humpy Wheeler, Janet Guthrie and Harry Gant.
Tony Stewart won Driver of the Year. Veteran photographer T. Taylor won the McLemore Award.
8 crash in tests at Lowe's
By Dustin Long
The Roanoke Times
Drivers struggled to adapt to a new racing surface at Lowe's Motor Speedway and a new tire Tuesday, as eight drivers either crashed or spun in the in the first six hours of testing. No one was injured.
The track is open for testing today. Every full-time Cup team tested Tuesday except Kasey Kahne's team because he had not been cleared to drive after his accident Monday at Talladega. He's expected to be cleared today and test.
Those who crashed Tuesday were Kurt Busch, Joe Nemechek, rookie Brent Sherman and Dale Earnhardt Inc. teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Paul Menard. Brian Vickers, Dave Blaney and rookie Denny Hamlin each spun in separate incidents without hitting anything. Tires were not a factor in those incidents except Menard's crash. A team official said a tire rub cut the tire and caused the wreck.
This is one of six NASCAR-sanctioned tests at tracks that host Nextel Cup races. The track hosts the all-star race and the Coca-Cola 600 later this month. Those will be the first races at this track since it was repaved.
Track officials smoothed the racing surface last year but that led to numerous wrecks. The Coca-Cola 600 featured a NASCAR record 22 cautions and lasted more than five hours. More work was done to the track after that race but the fall event had 15 cautions.
Jimmie Johnson crashed during a Goodyear tire test earlier this spring. Goodyear held a second test with a harder compound tire, and NASCAR announced that teams will use a smaller, 14-gallon fuel cell to shorten the fuel window to allow teams to change tires more often.
Drivers said Tuesday that the tire Goodyear brought is so hard that it doesn't wear much and drivers predicted teams would do more two-tire and even some no-tire stops during the races.
"Literally, I swear we could run 600 miles on this tire, I don't think we're going to need pit stops, the tires are going to be that durable,'' Kyle Busch said.
Said Matt Kenseth: "The tire is probably a little bit harder than the race track, so I don't think we're going to need the small fuel cells, which I guess is a good thing. I don't think we're going to blow any tires. The track is really nice and I think the racing is going to be fine on it.''
Close (again)
Tony Stewart's runner-up finish Monday to Jimmie Johnson was the sixth time Stewart has finished second at Talladega in 15 starts. He remains winless at the track.
"It's still better than finishing third,'' Stewart said. "There are 41 guys who wish they had run as good as I did.''
Stewart led with nine laps left when Jeff Gordon took the lead after a restart. Stewart complained on his radio about how Gordon hung back on the restart to use the draft to pass. NASCAR attempts to keep the field close on restarts so no one can get an advantage. Asked about that restart after the race, Stewart had calmed down.
"It seemed pretty obvious what was going on there,'' Stewart said.
Penalty
NASCAR fined David Hyder, crew chief for Ken Schrader, $5,000 and placed Hyder on probation until Dec. 31 for a rule violation last month at Phoenix. Officials discovered the team used a portable heater to warm tires.
Pit stop
Richard Childress Racing has scheduled a press conference Friday at Richmond where the team is expected to announce that it has signed Kevin Harvick to a contract extension.
By Dustin Long
The Roanoke Times
Drivers struggled to adapt to a new racing surface at Lowe's Motor Speedway and a new tire Tuesday, as eight drivers either crashed or spun in the in the first six hours of testing. No one was injured.
The track is open for testing today. Every full-time Cup team tested Tuesday except Kasey Kahne's team because he had not been cleared to drive after his accident Monday at Talladega. He's expected to be cleared today and test.
Those who crashed Tuesday were Kurt Busch, Joe Nemechek, rookie Brent Sherman and Dale Earnhardt Inc. teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Paul Menard. Brian Vickers, Dave Blaney and rookie Denny Hamlin each spun in separate incidents without hitting anything. Tires were not a factor in those incidents except Menard's crash. A team official said a tire rub cut the tire and caused the wreck.
This is one of six NASCAR-sanctioned tests at tracks that host Nextel Cup races. The track hosts the all-star race and the Coca-Cola 600 later this month. Those will be the first races at this track since it was repaved.
Track officials smoothed the racing surface last year but that led to numerous wrecks. The Coca-Cola 600 featured a NASCAR record 22 cautions and lasted more than five hours. More work was done to the track after that race but the fall event had 15 cautions.
Jimmie Johnson crashed during a Goodyear tire test earlier this spring. Goodyear held a second test with a harder compound tire, and NASCAR announced that teams will use a smaller, 14-gallon fuel cell to shorten the fuel window to allow teams to change tires more often.
Drivers said Tuesday that the tire Goodyear brought is so hard that it doesn't wear much and drivers predicted teams would do more two-tire and even some no-tire stops during the races.
"Literally, I swear we could run 600 miles on this tire, I don't think we're going to need pit stops, the tires are going to be that durable,'' Kyle Busch said.
Said Matt Kenseth: "The tire is probably a little bit harder than the race track, so I don't think we're going to need the small fuel cells, which I guess is a good thing. I don't think we're going to blow any tires. The track is really nice and I think the racing is going to be fine on it.''
Close (again)
Tony Stewart's runner-up finish Monday to Jimmie Johnson was the sixth time Stewart has finished second at Talladega in 15 starts. He remains winless at the track.
"It's still better than finishing third,'' Stewart said. "There are 41 guys who wish they had run as good as I did.''
Stewart led with nine laps left when Jeff Gordon took the lead after a restart. Stewart complained on his radio about how Gordon hung back on the restart to use the draft to pass. NASCAR attempts to keep the field close on restarts so no one can get an advantage. Asked about that restart after the race, Stewart had calmed down.
"It seemed pretty obvious what was going on there,'' Stewart said.
Penalty
NASCAR fined David Hyder, crew chief for Ken Schrader, $5,000 and placed Hyder on probation until Dec. 31 for a rule violation last month at Phoenix. Officials discovered the team used a portable heater to warm tires.
Pit stop
Richard Childress Racing has scheduled a press conference Friday at Richmond where the team is expected to announce that it has signed Kevin Harvick to a contract extension.
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Cross' Words
TalladegaBy B. Duane Cross, NASCAR.COM
Perspective is defined as a mental view or outlook. Suffice to say, Talladega is the one track that is defined by a driver's finish.
"It's what it is."
"You run out of options pretty quick here."
"I'm not sure what happened."
"We had a great car."
"I couldn't find any friends there at the end."
Yep, that just about covers what's to be said about Talladega Superspeedway. It's either the girl you want to take to the prom, or the ex you'd rather not be reminded of. It's also must-see racing.
If nothing else, Monday proved that NASCAR's largest track is both a swirling breath of fresh air and a wind tunnel of the unexpected. In the final few laps, Jeff Gordon went from also-ran status in the top 15, to battling for the lead, back to also-ran at the checkered flag.
Hey, it's just one of 'em racin' deals, right? Not so, said Mark Martin, whose car was heavily damaged in a crash on Lap 9: "I wrecked. I don't know. Please don't ask me what happened. I don't know. It's Talladega."
Ken Schrader, who also was collected in the early-race wreck, was more forthcoming. When asked what he saw as the crash unfolded, he said, "Just a whole lot of stuff I didn't want to. Somebody ran into somebody else and then it just starts gathering cars as it goes.
"I was just in the wrong place. ... We got down in the grass and thought we were gonna be OK for a little bit, but we got turned around and slid into Kasey [Kahne]. It's not what we needed and not what anybody needs."
On the flip side, those who managed to avoid the carnage were content to leave 'Dega in one piece.
"It was a good finish," said Matt Kenseth, who finished sixth but lost the points lead to Jimmie Johnson, the race winner. "We ran pretty competitive, but not quite as strong as last time. Still, we ran pretty good and I got a decent finish out of it. For Talladega, it was alright."
Fifth-place finisher Jamie McMurray said: "It was a lot easier to pass [Monday] in the Cup cars than what it was in the Busch cars, so it was an exciting race and a lot of fun."
"That was just a wild race," said Carl Edwards, who finished eighth. "It feels good to leave here after leading some laps and finishing in the top 10."
It's all about perspective.
Say Anything
"In 1982 it was just a blast to race [at Talladega], but in today's day and age it's hard to have fun when you know that the pin is out of the grenade. It's just a matter of time before it goes off."
-- Mark Martin, who finished 35th -- 88 laps down -- after being caught up in crash on Lap 9
Figuratively Speaking
3 -- DNFs for Greg Biffle through nine races. He had one in 2005, and hasn't had to work through his much adversity since suffering three DNFs in a seven-race stretch between Loudon and Fontana in the second half of the 2004 season.
Fast Facts
• Jimmie Johnson won the $60,000 Leader Bonus for winning the race and leading the points. This is the second time this season that he has won the bonus, claiming all $90,000 in the first nine races.
• Jeff Gordon led the most laps for the first time in 2006; he led 62 laps at Talladega. The last time Gordon led the most laps in a race: one year ago at 'Dega when he led 139 of 194.
• Tony Stewart had his 10th top-10 finish in 15 races at Talladega, and he now has finished second six times at the track -- including the past three races.
• J.J. Yeley finished 11th Talladega and was the highest finishing rookie. And the streak continues: At least one rookie of the year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in all nine races this season.
• Nine of the past 10 races at Richmond have been won from a top-10 starting position. While 20 of the 99 races at Richmond were won from the pole, only one of the past 27 have been won from the lead starting position.
• There have been 12 different pole winners in the past 12 races at Richmond, beginning with Rusty Wallace in May 2000.
• There have been nine different race winners in the past nine races at Richmond, beginning with Ricky Rudd in September 2001.
• Ryan Newman has seven consecutive top-10 starts at Richmond, the longest current streak, while Greg Biffle's three consecutive top-10 finishes is the active leader.
• Petty Enterprises has 15 wins at Richmond, the most of any car owner. Petty's last victory at RIR came 62 races ago, when Richard won the 1975 Richmond 500.
Mailbag
I was just wondering your thoughts concerning Rusty Wallace. Do you think he will ever race in Nextel Cup again? Also, do you think Kurt is doing a good job driving Rusty's old car?
-- Brett
I'll answer in reverse order: Yes. And yes.
Kurt's doing his usual job of staying in contention for both wins and the Chase. He's had some bad luck this year (who hasn't), but through nine races Busch still is in the top 20 in points (though he hasn't made a move toward the top 10 the past three races). And as the new kid on the Penske block, he's keeping the spotlight of Ryan Newman's struggles.
As for if and when Rusty will make another Cup start, I think it'll come when Steve makes his move to the big leagues. Being able to compete at the sport's highest level -- with your son in the same field -- would be an emotional rush to which little could compare. I don't believe Rusty would enter Steve's debut race, but I certainly can see the two of them racing at Bristol, Martinsville or Richmond.
OK, I'm probably not the only one to do it but I just have to: Could you please explain the Aaron's 499 this weekend?
-- Lusha120
Actually, you were the only person to ask. ... It's nothing more than a marketing ploy. There are 18 Cup races named the "500," so Aaron's "499" is more memorable, so says someone more gullible than me.
[At Phoenix] Martin Truex Jr. runs out of gas, has no tach, and is penalized 10 positions for speeding. Kyle Busch rams Casey Mears under a red flag and they penalize him five laps when he is already 45 laps down? Blatant disregard for anyone's safety, and he gets basically nothing. Truex gets 10 spots for something completely out of his control.
-- Erik (and echoed by a whole bunch of other folks)
Kinda like racing at Talladega, it is what it is. ... Robby Gordon is just happy that he wasn't to blame, and didn't suffer the consequences.
And from the home office in Aberdeen, Miss., Christina checks in with the ladies' response to last week's offer to turn the tables on the fellas:
1. Men are like ... laxatives: They irritate the (ahem) out of you.
2. Men are like ... bananas: The older they get, the less firm they are.
3. Men are like ... weather: Nothing can be done to change them.
4. Men are like ... blenders: You need one, but you're not quite sure why.
5. Men are like ... chocolate bars: Sweet, smooth, and they usually head right for your hips.
6. Men are like ... commercials: You can't believe a word they say.
7. Men are like ... department stores: Their clothes are always 1/2 off.
8. Men are like ... government bonds: They take soooooooo long to mature.
9. Men are like ... mascara: They usually run at the first sign of emotion.
10. Men are like ... lava lamps: Fun to look at, but not very bright.
Touché!
Fantasy Perspective
At Richmond ...
• Jimmie Johnson has one top-10 finish -- a second-place finish in this race in 2004 -- in eight starts. He has finished 25th or worse in his past three races at RIR and sports a 22.1 average finish.
• In 12 starts Matt Kenseth has one victory and seven top-10 finishes. He has scored top-15s in nine of his races at Richmond. Kenseth was 12th in this race one year ago and second there last September, his best RIR finish since his victory in September 2002.
• Tony Stewart has competed in 14 races, scoring three victories and nine top-10 finishes. His three wins are the most of any full-time driver at Richmond. Stewart has a 12.0 finishing average at RIR and has led at least one lap in eight of his 14 starts.
And finally ...
NASCAR honcho Brian France has been named to the Time 100, the magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world, which hit newsstands Monday. This is the first time that Time has recognized a member of the NASCAR family on its list.
Says Darrell Waltrip: "There's a point in every organization where you have to step it up another notch, and I think that's what Brian France was able to do for NASCAR. It's not that NASCAR was broken. The France family started NASCAR and drove the business to the top.
"I like France's management style: he doesn't go to the racetrack much, and some people criticize him for that, but he has such a good working knowledge of the people and the position they are in. In NASCAR you manage from the middle. That way you can go up or down the ladder, and he seems to be pretty good at doing that."
P.S.
So you want to be a racecar driver? Then Reality Racing -- The Rookie Challenge is your white whale, Ahab.
Bobby Allison is the series' spokesman and guest commentator. He's joined by brother Donnie, Buddy Baker, Geoff Bodine, Harry Gant, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson and Cale Yarborough as commentators and driver/contestant judges. They also will be guests on Reality Racing -- In the Drivers Seat, a 30-minute interview program to begin airing in June.
The Rookie Challenge is a 13-week show slated to air in the fall.
"Our show gives people who believe they have what it takes to be a profesionl racecar driver the chance to live their dream by not only competing against other drivers of similar experience, but knowing that the winner of Reality Racing will be given the opportunity to actua||y drive professionally as a member of an established race team in a NASCAR-sanctioned race," says Lee Schaefer, president of Racing Reality Inc.
"The signing of these legends of the auto racing sport provides our contestants with the best possible trainers and mentors as they strive to accomplish what each of these gentlemen did."
Check out realityracingtv.com for more info.
The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.
By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in the midst of a season in which he's successfully re-establishing himself, crew chief and cousin Tony Eury Jr. and their Dale Earnhardt Inc. team as one of the most consistent in the league on a week-to-week basis.
This weekend Earnhardt and the No. 8 Chevrolet crew head to Richmond International Raceway, a venue where he's a previous winner, for Saturday night's Crown Royal 400 (7 p.m. ET, FX).
But a short time ago, at Texas Motor Speedway, Earnhardt and his pet bulldog, Killer, took a break to answer 10 questions not necessarily connected to his racing career.
1. What is your favorite outdoor activity?
Earnhardt: My favorite outdoor activity is probably playing tackle football. I like to get a bunch of my buddies together, and a bunch of the guys from a couple of the [race] teams and have us a big old game. It's a lot of fun.
Yeah, I got some property, but we don't go as far as putting any lines or goalposts up. We just pick a couple trees out -- and that's out of bounds and touchdowns and what not.
We like to hose it down to get it good and wet. We get a little muddy field going to get a little dirty.
As a kid, I was always wanting to be a free safety for the Washington Redskins because it seemed like you could be doing pretty much whatever you think you needed to be doing.
That's the way I like to get things done.
2. If you could go back in time, what period in history would you like to live in?
Earnhardt: Well, it wouldn't be that far back. It probably would have been in the '70s. I would have liked to live my 20s in the '70s, because [that time] just seemed like it was a lot of fun.
It had a lot to do with the styles, whether it be clothing, the attitudes -- and I don't know, just the vibe that was going on back then. The music was great. A lot of great music was coming out.
That's a very mysterious time for racing, as far as NASCAR goes, at least to me. It's maybe not that way to a lot of other people who remember it like it was yesterday.
But to me, I just can't get enough or to know enough about those years and how the sport was -- what the cars drove like and what not.
3. What's your least favorite household chore?
Earnhardt: My least favorite household chore has come about just recently, and it's probably cleaning up after my dog, Killer.
He's pretty good at letting himself out, but a lot of times -- especially in the middle of the night -- he doesn't bother letting anybody know [he has to go] and he just finds him somewhere in the house to do his business.
So I have to get up in the morning and take care of it, or find it some time later down the road, if he's hid it real good.
That's probably the biggest pain in the butt. And taking out the trash has never been a fun thing.
But [Killer] is a great dog, and I really enjoy being around him. If I could think of the perfect dog, he's definitely the one for me.
4. Which athlete outside of racing do you most admire?
Earnhardt: That's tough because I have a lot of athletes that I admire outside of racing. Roger Clemens is one of them [because] he reminds me a lot of my dad.
I don't bother separating [Clemens] into a Red Sox player or a Yankees player or a Texas player -- he just impresses me overall. I had a hard time really having a favorite team in baseball, especially since free agency and all that stuff.
With guys going from one team to another it's really hard to follow anyone. I didn't get involved with the sport at a young age like a lot of young guys do and they have that team that they always have pulled for.
I got into it after my father became buddies with some of the Braves. So I pulled for Atlanta a lot and had a lot of Braves players that I pulled for.
But I met Roger [Clemens] and he just left an impression on me with how he treated me, personally -- and that impression I'll never forget.
There are several others. A lot of Redskins football players, obviously, because being a big Redskins fan I've followed a lot of guys like Darrell Green and Art Monk.
Darrell Green and Art Monk were great role models. They were really solid and they never had any real issues on the field or really ever did anything that set a bad example.
5. What is your favorite most recent movie, and your favorite all-time flick?
Earnhardt: My favorite most recent movie was probably Just Friends, which was pretty good. It was sort of a movie that I think their target age group was anywhere from 18 to 25, so it was a little young for me -- but I enjoyed it and I thought it was really funny.
My greatest movie of all time was more of a mini-series that came on regular television back when I was about in the ninth or 10th grade, called Lonesome Dove.
It had Robert Duval in it and Robert De Niro, I think. I'm not quite sure. Who was the guy in that casino movie? Was it De Niro? I'm not quite sure.
6. Who are you glad you're not?
Earnhardt: Hah! I'm glad I'm not? Man, I don't know. Whew, that's tough. You got enough tape, here? Let me think about that.
There have been a lot of times when I felt bad for somebody, or I tried to put myself in their shoes, but I guess I'm glad I'm not living in a country that wouldn't allow me to do the things that I do today.
You look around at the way some people are forced to live or they don't have any other choice and it looks like a hard life. You see people over in Africa or even in Iraq or what not, on the outskirts of some of those towns, living in shacks and struggling from one day to the next.
That would be a helluva way to have to get by.
7. Do you own an iPod, and if you do, what's on it?
Earnhardt: Yes, I do. There are 1,600 songs on it. I know a lot of people that have got me beaten by a lot, but I listen to a lot of old stuff.
You know, I like listening to popular music and what's on the radio now, and me and my buddies and friends and all that stuff talk about this new song that's come out and all that, all the time.
But you wear that out, over and over and over and the radio does a pretty good job anyways of giving you all you can stand of it.
So for me it's fun to go back and find those lost one-hit wonders -- those lost treasures that you remember listening to and you remember hearing when you're a kid.
But you can't remember who sang it or you never heard of who sang it. So you go onto iTunes and you can go and dig deep into that site and find some of those songs.
Finding 'em is half the fun, and then having your own compilation of what you like. Just having something like that, and you play it for your friends and they're like, 'Damn, I remember that song -- I forgot all about that.'
8. What was your first job, and your most vivid memory of it?
Earnhardt: My first job was pumping gas at an Exxon station on Exit 36 and my most vivid memory was that there was a Waffle House behind it -- and every day I ate chicken melts for lunch.
Yeah, that was the day of full service. I had gotten a speeding ticket and I had to pay for it.
9. What is your biggest vice?
Earnhardt: My biggest vice is -- man -- it's probably ... well, I have several, but probably video games, because I can just sit there for hours and play.
I'll be sitting there in the bus with my PR guys and I'll be, like, 'Damn, when are they going to leave so I can start playing video games?'
Or maybe another driver or a buddy will come by to visit at 8 o'clock and I've got to stop and put it down and talk to them, and I'm like, 'Damn!'
When it comes to a game that more than one person can play at the same time, I enjoy Tiger Woods golf because I can't play golf at all in real life. I'm terrible at it.
I'm sure if I really put my head down and put myself to work trying to learn, I could get to where I could enjoy it, but I enjoy the challenge of playing my buddies at Tiger Woods golf because that's a lot of fun.
Like I said, as a little kid I had that dream of being a football player, so [I enjoy] any kind of [video] football game -- college or pro.
10. If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
Earnhardt: It would probably be Hugh Hefner, for obvious reasons. I really would like to know what goes on at the house -- at the [Playboy] mansion -- and what the parties are really like.
I mean, obviously, if I'm Hugh Hefner I have [control]. For everybody that comes to the party, this is what it's like where they're standing, but I wonder what it would be like behind closed doors and what not.
It would just be interesting to be a fly on the wall, so to be Hugh Hefner for a while would be cool, to kind of see what that's like.
He's a little old, but it would be pretty cool to go back about 20 years and to see what it would be like to be Hugh Hefner.
And if I wasn't him, I'd like to be a rock star of some sort for a while. That would be cool -- for a day or whatever it was -- to be a rock star.
Who would it be cool to be? I'm trying to think of who's really digging right now. You know, all those girls like those Gavin McGrews [DeGraw] and whatever the hell their names are -- Jack Johnson and all those guys that sing all those slow songs.
What they go through is a little bit the same as what we have to deal with, with the fan adulation and all that. There are certain parts of the grind that are similar.
You know, you can see the look on their face when they come into your town to play a concert and you go backstage and you can tell it's wearing on them, going to city after city after city.
But they get up there, once it's time to start, and it's just like when you roll off of pit road, you forget all about that [distractions] and you're just ready to do it.
That's so much fun [for racecar drivers] and when you're on stage I'm sure that's the same way that they feel.
I'm sure that I could be the lead singer for any band, and it wouldn't matter who it was because they probably all have a lot of fun.
But maybe I'd be the lead singer for Chevelle, because I like the music that they play and I'd like to be able to play it.
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"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
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NASCAR ON TV THIS WEEK Final practice: Nextel Cup Series Crown Royal 400 Friday, May 5 1:30 p.m. Speed
Qualifying: Busch Series Circuit City 250 Friday, May 5 4 p.m. Speed
Qualifying: Nextel Cup Series Crown Royal 400 Friday, May 5 6 p.m. Speed
Busch Series Circuit City 250 Friday, May 5 7:30 p.m. FX
Nextel Cup Series Circuit City 400 Saturday, May 6 7 p.m. FX
All time Eastern. Times and station subject to change.
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Well, that's all for today. Until the next time, I remain,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.
This list is authored by:
Sandra Monacelli
221 W. 57th Street 18B
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970/663-6967
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